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 1) It HAS to get nice soon, right??? It’s well into spring, for crying out loud, and we have graduated our seniors and school is out and so just know that weather be darned, we are starting our summer schedule here at St. Francis. This means;
 Be sure to come to church Sunday to see the Robin sitting on her nest in our beautiful courtyard tree! It has been a joy to watch her motherly dedication as she sits on her nest. Enjoy the photo below. We also have new furniture in the foyer! Come see what's new at St. Francis this week! Happy Birthday! May 26: Nancy Kepler, Jill Young, Conlan Cron May 27: Kira Bowhay May 29: Stan Eskam May 30: Clark Wisniewski, Jon Meyer, Everett James Ellison, Brian Croft May 31: Julie Fancher Happy Anniversary! May 26 John and Ann Selzer May 28 Brad and Jana Bode May 29 Kevin and Nikole Leonard Our next Soup Kitchen will be this Thursday, May 30. Volunteers are needed to serve the meal at the Presbyterian Church (1st Avenue door) around 5 p.m. Volunteers are also needed to help with clean up, even if you can’t make it to help serve the meal. Clean-up is around 6 p.m. Come be part of this ministry! Camp Canterbury: All youth entering grades 4-12 in the fall are eligible to attend this diocesan camp, an important, powerful, and formative complement to our regular parish youth programming. Every parent and youth in this parish is encouraged to consider making it to Camp Canterbury this summer. Registration is now open, Here is a link to the page https://campcanterbury.episcopal-ne.org Lisa’s Office Hours: Monday: Office Closed for Memorial Day Tuesday 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Thursday 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Friday 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.  1) Thanks to everyone for a great Graduation Celebration last week, and special thanks and congratulations to our Graduates! Please remember that this parish is here for you as you continue your incredible journey into adulthood. You can count on us. 2) We are getting ready to send in the paperwork for our Daughters of the King applicants. If you are interested in joining this incredible group of women in prayer, contact me and we will get your application in. 3) THANKS to Monica Lehr, for volunteering to help drive the van to Camp Canterbury! I am so happy to be able to provide this gift to the kids and their parents — transportation to and from camp — because it makes it easier for our youth to attend. Thanks, Monica and Trudy, for your ministry to the youth of our parish! 4) Summer is finally here, or darn close, and our regularly scheduled events will change somewhat for the summer months. More to come next week about Youth Bible Study and Adult Catechism Classes, along with Sunday morning schedules.  Lisa's AnnouncementsHappy Birthday! May 19 Sadie Davis, Lola Parrish May 21 Donetta Petitt, Rae Whitney May 24 Lia Selvey May 25 Travis Ironshell Happy Anniversary! May 20 Greg and Ann Peterson May 22 Erik and Lori Peterson May 24 Dan and Cindy Dickinson Thank you to everyone who allowed me to take your photo last Sunday. They are wonderful! Enjoy a few of them at the end of this message. Little Angels Choir Schedule Practice at 9:30 a.m. and sing at the 10 o'clock service. Our next Soup Kitchen will be on Thursday, May 30. Volunteers are needed to serve the meal at the Presbyterian Church (1st Avenue door) around 5 p.m. Volunteers are also needed to help with clean up, even if you can’t make it to help serve the meal. Clean-up is around 6 p.m. Come be part of this ministry! Please be sure to log on to to your Ministry Scheduler profile and list your “unable to serve” dates for June before this Monday. If you need help with MSP, please contact Lisa in the office or speak with Cory Foster. We are happy to work with you one-on-one to ensure everyone can use the system so the parish gets the most out of its investment in this software. Camp Canterbury: All youth entering grades 4-12 in the fall are eligible to attend this diocesan camp, an important, powerful, and formative complement to our regular parish youth programming. Every parent and youth in this parish is encouraged to consider making it to Camp Canterbury this summer. Registration is now open, Here is a link to the page https://campcanterbury.episcopal-ne.org Lisa’s Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tuesdays 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Thursdays 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Friday 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.  1) Huge thanks to Phil and Colleen Kelly for hosting a great Newcomer’s Dinner last Saturday! It was a super-fun evening with great food and conversation. And WELCOME to all our new members, we are so glad that you are here!! 2) Camp Canterbury will be here before we know it! All youth entering grades 4-12 in the fall are eligible to attend. As you know, I am a huge believer in this diocesan camp, and know it to be an important, powerful, and formative complement to our regular parish youth programming. I strongly encourage every parent and youth in this parish to consider making it to Camp Canterbury this summer. Registration is now open, Here is a link to the page https://campcanterbury.episcopal-ne.org 3) Speaking of Camp Canterbury — we will again be using our van to transport kids and counselors to and from. Right now we have one adult counselor from the parish to drive. We need another adult to volunteer to drive, who may or may not be also interested in helping at camp. In other words, we need one volunteer to drive to Fremont, Neb., with Trudy and the kids in the van on Monday, July 22nd, returning Friday, July 26. Options for your week — a) help at camp; b) visit relatives in the eastern part of the state, c) fly to Vegas out of Omaha on Tuesday, win a million dollars, and fly back Thursday. I don’t know, there may be other options :) The point is, we need one more adult volunteer to ride in the van. Might God be calling you to serve in this way?  Happy Birthday to:
May 12 Lisa Brenner, Cindy Dickinson May 13 Sydney Petitt May 14 Tylor Petitt May 15 Sharon Santero, Janet Craven Little Angels Choir Schedule May 12 (Happy Mother's Day!) practice at 9:30 a.m. May 19 practice at 9:30 a.m. and sing at the 10 o'clock service. The ECW’s Mother's Day Brunch was lovely. Thank you to the ECW members for organizing it. Barb Manasek's prayer was especially beautiful, and The Fortis Boys choir, under the direction of Scott and Alyssa Harvey, was delightful. Thank you for a beautiful event. St. Francis will host a Graduation Reception following the 10 a.m. service this week for our graduates: Evelyn Anderson-Saenz, Sydney Petitt, Lia Selvey, Skylar Pratt, Sierra Sauer, and Catherine Wisniewski. Join us in celebration of their achievement!  1) The Results Are IN! Our Enchilada Fundraiser netted $2,970.78 to the parish! This was a remarkable and outstanding SUCCESS, and I want to thank every member and all your friends and family who helped in every way! I know the cooks and kitchen crew had a fun time preparing and packaging, and the proceeds will all go toward our budget shortfall in important areas of ministry this year, but none of it would have been possible without your enthusiastic support. I am humbled by both your work and your generosity. 2) As you know, we are formally working together with our sisters and brothers at Good Shepard of the Plains Episcopal Church in Harrisburg, NE. Fr. Bob, Mo. Karen, and I will be providing regular 2x/month Eucharist there, and the Good Shepard members will occasionally join us for worship here, and together our two parishes are committed to serving Christ’s people in our region. Next weekend, we have a chance to work together to serve when the Food Bank of the Heartland will be distributing food from Good Shepherd on Friday, May 10 from 5-7 p.m. St. Francis folks are invited to join with Good Shepherd folks to assist with this set-up and distribution. It will be a fun time and a great time to get to know each other. No sign-up needed, just meet at Good Shepherd in Harrisburg (Google Maps will get you right there) anytime around 5 a week from tomorrow. See you there! 3) Sadly, today we sing and pray our goodbyes to a dear friend of this parish -- Lyla Moran Tuttle. Luncheon at 12:30 p.m., followed by Funeral and Committal beginning at 2 p.m. 4) Thursday noon Discipleship Group cancelled today, but Thursday evening Bible Study will meet as scheduled at 6 p.m. in the Library, when we will begin a multi-week study of Revelation. All are welcome and invited! 5) Summer Formation Classes to begin in June. Final details are being worked out, but I am preparing for two new classes this summer -- a Youth Bible Study for middle and high schoolers, and Adult Catechism for anyone interested in being confirmed or received (if already confirmed) at our September 22 Bishop’s Visitation.  Happy Birthday to:
May 6 Fernando Moreno May 8 William Croft May 9 Cooper Feltes Youth Group meets this Sunday at 9 a.m. to plan for Youth Sunday, on May 19th. Ministry team members scheduled as ushers, lectors, intercessors, and Eucharistic Ministers on Youth Sunday will not need to serve that Sunday. This Week’s Schedule Sunday 8 a.m. - Holy Eucharist 9 a.m. Coffee Hour 9 a.m. Youth Group (Planning for Youth Sunday!) 9:10 a.m. Lectionary Study (Whitney Library) 10 a.m. - Holy Eucharist with Music Tuesday 9 a.m. - Holy Eucharist with prayers for healing Wednesday 7 a.m. - Men’s Bible Study 3 p.m. - Women’s Bible Study Thursday Noon - Discipleship Study 6 p.m. - Open Bible Study Those serving on the Altar Guild this month are: Judith Widmaier, Joyce Walsh, Shirley Mead, Gretchen Deter. Special thanks to last month's Altar Guild for the loving care they gave: Collette Suhr, Sandy Gibson, Ann Peterson, Jane Sayre, Dael Cron. Thank you, ladies! The ECW’s Mother's Day Brunch will be on Saturday, May 4th, at 10 a.m., in the Parish Hall. The Fortis Boys choir, under the direction of Scott and Alyssa Harvey, will entertain. The United Thank Offering collected this year was $579.20, the most we’ve ever collected! Thank you for participating in this worthwhile ingathering of funds to become blessings for needy people throughout the world. St. Francis will host a Graduation Reception following the 10 am service, on Sunday, May 12th for our graduates: Evelyn Anderson-Saenz, Sydney Pettit, Lia Selvey, Skylar Pratt, Sierra Sauer, and Catherine Wisniewski. If you know of others graduating this year, please call the church at (308) 632-4626. Regarding the enchilada fundraiser, a compliment to the cooks: The dozen I purchased were absolutely delicious. Thank you for the love you put into it! Lisa’s Office Hours: Mondays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tuesdays 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Thursdays 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Friday 11 a.m. - noon (leaving early this week due to a funeral)  1) Oh my gosh! What an amazing Holy Week and Easter! Thank you so, so much for all that you did to prepare, all that you did to participate, and all that you did to just be present, which is the best thing about being in a church community. When we are together, when we pray, when we sing, when we celebrate — God in Christ is really and fully present, and that, friends, is church. And this is a great one. 2) Many among us have purchased or already own a set of Anglican Prayer beads. Now we should get together and talk about the best ways to use them. I will meet with anyone interested in the Parish Hall following both services this weekend. We’ll grab some coffee and pick a table and talk for 20-30 min. Informal and questions are encouraged.  1.) Join us for Communion with Nature! Saturday at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Contact Fr. Bob to RSVP by calling (308) 436-7767. Unless you already have a Nebraska State Park Permit, a $6 day pass will need to be purchased for each car, which can be obtained at the Nature Center. If this is a concern, some can gather at the Church and carpool to avoid unnecessary permit fees. Otherwise, meet at the Nature Center at 10 a.m. The group will carpool to the trailhead, go on a short trail hike, then carpool back to the Nature Center, holy communion will be offered. Bring your own sack lunch to enjoy. Fr. Bob wants to remind everyone that wearing sturdy shoes and long pants is recommended, as are sunscreen and a water bottle. Come out and enjoy the spirit of nature! 2.) Since two mid-week blizzards cancelled two of Rae Whitney’s programs on “Loving Hymns,” her final program has been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 1st. There will be a soup supper at 5:30 p.m., with Rae’s program at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., Fr. Mark will lead the short evening service of Compline. Rae will tell how hymns influenced her early life in England, and then how, in 1960, en route to Rome, a hymn-loving priest from Scottsbluff swept her off her feet! We’ll also sing some of her hymns. Please sign up if you plan to come, so there will be enough soup for everyone! 3.) The ECW’s Mother's Day Brunch will be on Saturday, May 4th, at 10 a.m., in the Parish Hall. The Fortis Boys choir, under the direction of Scott and Alyssa Harvey, will entertain. Please RSVP to Barb Manasek at (308) 436-7767 or Nancy Kepler at (308) 635-0734, by Monday, April 29th. 4.) St. Francis will host a Graduation Reception following the 10 a.m. service, on Sunday, May 12th for our graduates: Evelyn Anderson-Saenz, Sydney Pettit, Lia Selvey, and Catherine Wisniewski. If you know of others graduating this year, please call the church at (308) 632-4626.  1) Today is Maundy Thursday — and as I said Sunday, it begins a single service over three days — Thursday-Friday-Saturday (or Sunday) — that we call the Triduum, where we live into the three-day Passion of Christ. Tonight we remember his institution of what we know now as Holy Communion; tomorrow his scourging, torture, crucifixion, death, and burial; and Saturday evening (or Sunday morning) his rising from the grave! It begins tonight. See you at 6 p.m.! 2) One more thanks to Sara Moreno, the 10 folks who worked so hard on Saturday, and all of you who sold and delivered Enchiladas! This fundraiser was successful beyond our expectations! I don’t have all the final numbers in yet, but it looks like we will end up clearing something like $3,000, which will go a long way to covering our 2019 budget deficit. Between this fundraiser, the “53rd Week” appeal, and moving some capital expenses to our Foundation, we will have made the deficit much less worrisome. To be clear, though, I believe it is best not to have to depend on fundraising for operations, and will be making that case during our fall stewardship drive. 3) After taking Monday off, next week will be a typical week and all of our meetings, worship, bible studies, and youth catechism class will meet as regularly scheduled. 4) The Narthex addition is nearly complete. Take a look around when you get here tonight and notice how beautifully it turned out. We will do some modest decorating for Easter, and then the vestry will make some choices about furniture/wall hangings/pictures/etc. It should all take shape pretty quickly now.  Lisa's Announcements Next week, everything returns to regular scheduling, including my office hours. Look who's arrived!  Happy Easter!Enjoy the photos of the preparation for Holy Week Services. Lisa’s Office Hours:
Mondays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tuesdays 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Thursdays 10:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Friday 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.  1) Our Enchilada Sale ends this Saturday, so please turn in your sales sheets and proceeds this Sunday. We will be producing the enchiladas next Saturday, April 13th, and you can pick up your packaged dozens for delivery that day or any day following. Our refrigerator/freezer space is a little tight, so the sooner you pick them up the better :) Thanks to Sara and all who are making this a fun and successful fundraiser! I am excited to see how much we are able to raise!
2) WESTERN DEANERY will meet this Saturday, April 6th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Good Shepherd of the Plains Episcopal Church in Harrisburg, Neb. The keynote speaker will be Deacon Teresa Houser from Omaha. Members of the Shepherd of the Plains church will provide a luncheon; suggested donation $5. We are starting to develop a long-term relationship with the good people of Good Shepherd, and so this would be a great opportunity to support and get to know them. If you need a ride, call or email me and let me know. It really is a fun event. 3) Remember to fill and return your UTO boxes this week or next. Lisa's Announcements Youth Group will meet this Sunday at 9 a.m downstairs, and there will be a Skating Party from 1-3 p.m. The Palm Cross Workshop will be held on Friday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Please bring scissors, a small cutting board and a paring knife. Gratitude takes three forms: a feeling in the heart, an expression in words, and giving in return. The United Thank Offering will be collected on Palm Sunday. Thank you for participating in this worthwhile ingathering of funds to be combined with those of thousands of other Episcopalians to become blessings for needy people throughout the world. The Riversong Chancel Singers will perform their annual spring concert today at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Scottsbluff. Admission is free, and a good will offering will be collected. Did you know? Lectors can go to the homepage of our church website to see the readings for Sunday. To the left of Fr. Mark’s video of his sermon, you will see a little icon that says “preparing for Sunday.” Click on it and it will take you to the readings. The church pays $1 a week for this service, so be sure to take advantage of it. http://www.saintf.org You can create auto payments online for your pledge? Visit www.saintf.org and choose "give" at the top right. Follow the prompts to enroll. The EWC has a book sharing shelf on the top landing outside the Sunday School Classroom. If you’d like to read any of the books, take it and keep as long as you like, and return when finished. There is still some space for other books, perhaps take one and leave one for others. Holy Week Schedule of Services Sunday of the Passion - Palm Sunday, April 14, at 8 a.m. Sunday of the Passion - Palm Sunday, April 14, at 10 a.m. Maundy Thursday, April 18, at 6 p.m. Good Friday, April 19, at noon Good Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m. The Great Vigil, April 20, at 8 p.m. Easter Sunday, April 21, at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt, April 21, at 9:30 a.m. Lisa’s Office Schedule next week Monday 8 am - 1:15 pm Tuesday 11:45 a.m. -1:30 p.m., 3-5 pm Thursday 10 am -1:15 pm (Friday, April 12, and Monday, April 15, I will be on Vacation)  1) On Sunday we collected right at $2,000 for flood relief, which we forwarded to the Bishop this morning. My sincere thanks to everyone who donated. Just one more example of how generous and loving this parish is! 2) As our Enchilada Sale heads into the home stretch, here's what you can do. If you don't already have a sales sheet, you can pick one up at church or download one using the link below. Next, purchase several dozens for yourself and family members, and sell more dozens to your friends and co-workers. Then, when you have sold as many as you can, turn in your sales sheet along with the money to the church office. We will be producing the enchiladas on Saturday, April 13th, and you can pick up your packaged dozens for delivery that day or Sunday. Our refrigerator/freezer space is a little tight, so the sooner you pick them up the better. Thanks to Sara and all who are making this a fun and successful fundraiser! 
A message from Collette
Palm Cross Workshop will be held on Friday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Please bring scissors, a small cutting board and a paring knife. A message from Nancy: The United Thank Offering is a way for each person to express tangible thanks to God. United with the prayers and offerings of Episcopalians, its ministry reaches around the world to meet compelling human need and to expand the mission and ministry of the church. Prayer and offering are our response to God's love as experienced in our lives. A message from Jen Baird, our Treasurer Did you know that you can create auto payments online for your pledge? Visit www.saintf.org and choose "give" at the top right. Follow the prompts to enroll. Useful info for Lectors: Did you know that you can go to the homepage of our church website to see the readings for Sunday? What a handy way to prepare for ministry duties when serving as Lector and Intercessor! To the left of Fr. Mark’s video of his sermon, you will see a little icon that says “preparing for Sunday.” Click on it and it will take you to the readings. The church pays $1 a week for this service, so be sure to take advantage of it. http://www.saintf.org Holy Week Schedule of Services Sunday of the Passion - Palm Sunday, April 14, at 8 a.m. Sunday of the Passion - Palm Sunday, April 14, at 10 a.m. Maundy Thursday, April 18, at 6 p.m. Good Friday, April 19, at noon Good Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m. The Great Vigil, April 20, at 8 p.m. Easter Sunday, April 21, at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt, April 21, at 9 a.m. Lisa’s Office Schedule Mondays 8 am - 1:15 pm Tuesdays 3-5 pm Thursdays 10 am -1:15 pm Fridays 11 am -12:30 pm Here is a downloadable Powerpoint version of the 2018 Parish Annual Meeting Presentation. Click to download and view this presentation. 
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