RSS Feed
|
Several fun things to share today. 1) Several people have expressed how much they miss being in the sanctuary, and especially this time of year, so on Sunday, November 29th we will open the sanctuary from 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. for people to come and sit and pray, either as individuals or a household group, for up to 20 minutes. The church will be decorated, and the Nativity Scene will be placed under the altar. To make sure we don’t get more than safe numbers at one time, you must sign-up with the link that was sent separately to your email and by text a short time ago. If for some reason that link doesn’t work you can email Gina and let her know your preference and she can plug you in. If all the slots fill up and more would like to participate, we will do this again on the following Sunday(s) in Advent. 2) We are looking at hosting a St. Francis Drive-In Movie Night! The date is being worked out, but we are hoping early in December. This will be open to all St. Francis folks and families, and will start sometime around sundown. It’s a chance for our families to get out and have some fun together. The weather is unpredictable, but we’ll all be inside our vehicles, so cuddling and sleeping bags and blankets will only add to the experience. There will be concessions, or you can go “old school” and bring your own. Admission is free, covered by the church. The movie is titled “The Star,” a 2017 animated movie about the birth of Jesus. Here’s a link to the RT trailer: www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_star_2017 As soon as the date and time are nailed down, I’ll communicate it. FUN! 3) Starting on Sunday Nov 29th, we will be offering “Drive-By Communion” for the Sundays in Advent. Here’s how it will work:
4) We continue to work on Christmas Eve livestreamed services, and hope to have more to announce soon on that. Happy Birthday!! Happy Anniversary
Gretchen Foster November 24 Peter & Jennifer Schilke November 19 Jon & Amy Meyer November 20 Prayer Requests: The prayer request sheet is still just outside the office in the church and is updated weekly. Anyone may still email your prayer requests to me at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. Now that I am working from home two days a week, the requests must be received on by Wednesday at the latest, for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after Wednesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. Once the prayer request is received, it is added to the prayer list and then I email the names to have them added to the Prayer Chain and to the Daughters of the King. ***Daily Devotion for Thursday November 19, 2020*** Welcoming Christ The 5 Steps – Pause * Listen * Think * Pray * Go Pause Jesus our Redeemer, teach us this day faithfulness. Jesus our Friend, inspire us to act with kindness and mercy. Jesus the Christ, calm our spirit in the ways of grace and peace. Listen “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’" Matthew 25:37-40 Think There’s a saying: “Sing like no one is listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no one is watching, and live like it is heaven on earth.” In other words, be you, freely and whole-heartedly. It’s good advice, and I like it. The focus, however, is on the self. In today’s parable, Jesus’ focus is on the other. It’s a pivotal shift, one that is marked by a Christian understanding of humanity. Of all the ways we stand out for our faith, may we shine for the ways we treat one another. When we care for each other, we show that we care about God. More specifically, we care about the people for whom God cares deeply. Faithful living is that simple: in all we do, we do it in the name of the Holy One whose love extends to all, especially those in our society who have been ignored and dismissed. In your midst there is someone whose life experience is like “the least of these.” May today be the day we turn our energies and attention on those who need it the most. Aram Bae Pray God, I confess it’s an easy habit to become narrowly focused on my own needs. Strengthen a different kind of spiritual habit. Turn my attention on someone who is in need of a listening ear and encouragement. Open my eyes and heart to tend to someone who could use an extra dose of your kindness and love. I’ll do it, Lord. Use me. Amen. Go May Jesus the Christ bless you and keep you. May Jesus the Christ smile upon you and be gracious towards you. And may Jesus the Christ lead you on this day in the path of wisdom and peace. And all of God’s people said, Amen. ***For those of you that would like to access these devotionals daily, you can go on this website: www.d365.org Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Work from home) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Work from home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) As announced, our in-person worship is paused again – this time through the holidays. Although I am confident this was the right decision, it certainly wasn’t easy, and I totally understand if you are frustrated by it. All I can say is that we are committed to keeping you, beloved members of this parish, safe by not offering opportunities for virus spread during what is obviously the worst outbreak we have had in our area. I’ll take whatever heat comes from that choice. 2) However, we are working on some fun stuff for the season that we can do remotely. Here’s one: We are asking everyone to send in their favorite stories and memories of Christmas’ past. If you have a favorite gift you ever received or gave, an all-time trip you took, the best family celebration, or even a cherished and beloved recipe. We have in mind to put together a booklet of Christmas Carols to send out and invite people to join us for an online Carol Sing, and thought it would be fun to include these memories, prayers, and recipes to share. You can send your entry to Gina at stfrancis@allophone.com 3) Again, due to COVID in Nebraska, Bishop Barker has cancelled his planned Nov 22 visitation and will reschedule soon. This means Confirmations andReceptions will also be postponed. I do apologize to our great kids who have been so faithful in attending and participating in our Catechism Classes. I’ll be in touch with the families soon about our next session. If you were hoping to be Received on the 22nd, again . my apologies. But he will be out here as soon as possible, and we will get to celebrate this great sacrament. 4) Don’t forget to link in to Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:15 A.M. for an online Coffee Break. It is the same link every week – and the best way it to copy and set it for a recurring meeting and have it there at your fingertips. It’s been fun the two times we’ve done it so far. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82691384316?pwd=Z2FtUFZNZVRqQzZXY3QxL28rZCtNZz09 Meeting ID: 826 9138 4316 Passcode: 039923 GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Christian Bach November 13 Nina Betz November 15 Margaret Chase November 15 Linda Mitchell November 18 Kathy Shambaugh November 15 Ralph Moreno November 18 Prayer Requests: The prayer request sheet is still just outside the office in the church and is updated weekly. Anyone may still email your prayer requests to me at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. Since, I am back in the office, the requests must be received on by Wednesday at the latest, for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after Wednesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. Once the prayer request is received, it is added to the prayer list and then I email the names to have them added to the Prayer Chain and to the Daughters of the King. ***Daily Devotion for Thursday October 29, 2020*** Using our Time Wisely The 5 Steps – Pause * Listen * Think * Pray * Go Pause Tick. Tick. Tick. That’s the clock. Measuring time in seconds, minutes, hours, days… Time that we schedule and manage and spend. The Ancient Greek word for this time is chronos. Take a minute to feel the chronos passing by. But there is another kind of time. It’s the right moment for the right action. It’s God’s time – and our time with God. It’s when Eternity meets our experience. The Greek word for this sense of time kairos. Breathe in and out, sensing God’s presence, and enter into kairos – knowing that God has words you need to hear today Listen “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was leaving on a trip. He called his servants and handed his possessions over to them. To one he gave five valuable coins, and to another he gave two, and to another he gave one. He gave to each servant according to that servant’s ability. Then he left on his journey. “After the man left, the servant who had five valuable coins took them and went to work doing business with them. He gained five more. In the same way, the one who had two valuable coins gained two more. But the servant who had received the one valuable coin dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.” Matthew 25:14-18 Think What does this parable have to do with time management? Do we go with the adage, “Time is money?” Or maybe the reverse? We do talk about spending both. So, what are we to make of this today? Some scholars estimate that the coins were each worth approximately $1,000,000 in today's money. Serious money. That tells us two things: the landowner was very rich, and he trusted his servants. God is generously entrusting us with this day, and to make it worth living, God has given us our interests, passions, energy, and time. How will we manage all that today? Even if we don’t think so, our talents and energy are treasures; we can use them to make the world better. Can we help a struggling classmate with a subject we understand and love? Teach someone to read? Partner with a friend to collect food or visit our grandparents safely? Choose one thing you can do for another person today. Don’t “bury” your gifts; use them for God. Kay Zimmerman Pray God, sometimes I don’t think I have anything to offer. I don’t even have a lot of power to change anything in the world. Help me remember that I do have gifts you have given me, because I am powerfully and wonderfully made by you. Help me to use them for you today. Amen. Go Thank God for today. Open yourself to God’s surprises. Do what is most important. Accept that you can’t do everything. You are blessed and loved. ***For those of you that would like to access these devotionals daily, you can go on this website: www.d365.org Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Work from Home) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Work from Home) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) Just some humor for everyone to hopefully laugh and smile today!!    WHERE WE STAND ON IN-PERSON WORSHIP
Dear Friends and Members of St. Francis, I write this morning with an update on the status of in-person worship and work in our parish. There is really no good news here, except the news that we are watching the data and following the science and the diocesan guidelines closely, and we will continue to do everything we can to keep this parish and its people as safe as possible. This is undoubtedly the most dangerous time we have seen in our community regarding COVID-19 cases and transmission. Yesterday, the PPHD dashboard needle moved into red "severe" status, and the Healthy Nebraska tracking site we use for the diocese shows our 7-day moving average of daily cases at 277, fully 23 times the number of cases with which we could safely reopen (for reference, a month ago on October 9th that number was 14). Our local health system is being stressed substantially, and every week I get word about a new case or two among the people of our parish. By now, most or all of us have had someone close to us test positive. Some are thankfully symptom-free, some have been mildly affected, but some are suffering more serious affects. Please keep the entire parish, and especially those on the prayer list, in your daily prayers for health and healing, as well as our local healthcare workers, who are literally risking their lives at this time. A couple of changes, then, in how we are working and worshipping at St. Francis. First, this week I asked Gina to return to working remotely, except when she needs to be in the office for specific tasks such as printing, bookkeeping, etc. One of us will be checking voice messages and mail daily, but the best way to reach Gina for now is through email. My days and hours haven't changed, but I will be in the building office less and in the home office more. Much of my work these days is online, and phone, emails, and text have always been the most reliable ways to reach me, so this will be not that different. Keep doing what you're doing to communicate with me and I'll be re-upping my efforts to reach out to you, and together we'll stay connected. Now about in-person worship. This is the thing we all miss the most and are most anxious to get back to as quickly as possible. Based on current and forecasted trends in local cases, we have made the difficult decision to be online and live-streamed only through January 10th. This means, of course, that there will not be in-person worship on Christmas Eve. This breaks my heart. I cannot tell you what being with you and your families means to me at those two services. I have so many fond memories of that late candlelit service, and the early service with the church filled to capacity with adults and children and hymns and laughter and prayer and love -- this is truly the highlight of my year, and maybe yours, too. Sadly, this year we will not have that experience. HOWEVER -- please know that your clergy, vestry, worship leaders, and musicians are all committed to making Christmas worship this year beautiful and meaningful in spite of our COVID limitations around gathering. The details are being worked out as I write this morning, and the creative ideas continue to come in. We will do our level best to connect this year even though distanced. I will have more to say this Thursday in my email, but for now, since the decision has been made, I wanted to communicate it as quickly as possible so we can all plan appropriately. Stay safe. Stay home. Wear a mask when you go out. Wash your hands and keep your distance. Connect online and on the phone. Let's take care of one another. Blessings, Fr. Mark+ LETTER FROM BP. BARKER On Friday our beloved Bishop J. Scott Barker sent a letter containing his thoughts on the Presidential Election -- not the outcome exactly, but the way Christians might view a way forward no matter the outcome. As he recommended, I offer it to you here and invite you to read and reflect on his words as our spiritual leader. I think all of us can find something here to agree with as well as something that challenges us. I know it is sent with the best motive and intention. I am looking forward to sharing worship with you online at 10:00 A.M. this morning. Blessings, Fr. Mark+ The Diocese of Nebraska
The Right Reverend J. Scott Barker, Bishop 109 North 18th St. Omaha NE 68102 November 6, 2020 Beloved in Christ – This past week, nearly 150,000,000 million votes were cast in the election of our new president, the largest turnout for a US election in over 100 years. At the time I write to you, our votes are still being counted, and the result of the election is not 100% sure. It is likely the outcome will not be certified for days or weeks, as lawsuits and recounts play out. So let me be clear that for the purposes of this short letter, it makes no difference who wins the presidential election. My aim is to encourage you to follow Jesus no matter who becomes president, or in what direction the political winds of this country might blow in the months and years to come. I write to you not as Republicans and Democrats, nor even as citizens of the United States. I write to you as disciples of Jesus Christ. As disciples of Jesus, we are a people called to kindness and goodwill, including loving others as ourselves and even loving our enemies. Yet for too long now we have allowed partisan media and predatory commercial interests to influence our hearts and minds with false narratives about who our neighbors are and what our neighbors believe. We have allowed ourselves to be poisoned, and that poison – the lies we are told and have come to embrace about our neighbors – have transformed us like Dr Jekyll into creatures who too often think and act out of anger and fear rather than grace and hope. As disciples of Jesus, we are a people called to seek out the person of Christ in the poor and the marginalized, and to sacrificially care for others. Yet heartbreakingly, our addiction to comfort and our selfish and fearful grasping at whatever little wealth we have, has rendered us unwilling and unable to follow after the one who taught that caring for the least is the way to the kingdom of heaven, and that using our money to enrich the lives of others is among the most deeply faithful ways that we can follow after him. As disciples of Jesus, we are a people called to make no peace with oppression, and as this morning’s collect reminds us, “to destroy the works of the devil.” Yet like too many generations who have gone before, we daily succumb to the temptations of the evil one, compromising our own cherished moral standards and even the faith we hold dear. We support deeply flawed public policies because they advance our own narrow, political interests. We excuse unconscionable behavior on the part of our leaders. Since, “nobody’s perfect,” why should expect more? Well, we should expect more. Of our country, of our leaders and of ourselves. We can do better. We can be better. Half of the those who voted in this election – fully half – will be disappointed in the result. And while there have been many close elections before, this moment is noteworthy because the chasm of the divide between those who voted for different candidates is presently so great, that we’ve already given up hope on finding common ground in the next chapter of our national life. Indeed, our political leaders are already making plans to continue to sew division between us, and to stop at nothing to annihilate the other side. This is not who we are called to be my sisters and brothers. This is not how we are called to act. And in the kingdom to which we have pledged your deepest allegiance and our best selves, this is not how citizens behave. You are beloved: cherished of God, known by your name, and assured of God’s companionship in the person of Jesus across every precious moment of your life. You are provisioned: not with everything you need to make your way alone and in comfort, but with gifts and treasure to share, so that you can play your essential part in building a beloved community where all are fed, cared for and able to flourish. And you are called: as followers of the one true God, who becomes incarnate in the person of Jesus and bids us to follow after him by loving boldly, caring deeply, forgiving limitlessly ... and bravely battling together against any form of evil including in the ones we chose to lead us, and in ourselves. As the results of this election become clear, let us pledge ourselves to acting first and foremost as disciples of Jesus: By holding our leaders to account, By loving all our neighbors with determination and grace, By embracing God’s greatest gift and the deepest truth we know, that Jesus Christ comes into our lives to save us from the evil that is in the world in that is in ourselves... That if we truly know and love and follow after him, we have nothing in the world to fear. Faithfully Yours in Christ – The Right Reverend J. Scott Barker, Bishop 109 North 18th St. Omaha NE 68102 FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS Happy Birthday!! Walker Anderson October 29 Prayer Requests: The prayer request sheet is still just outside the office in the church and is updated weekly. Anyone may still email your prayer requests to me at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. Since, I am back in the office, the requests must be received on by Wednesday at the latest, for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after Wednesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. Once the prayer request is received, it is added to the prayer list and then I email the names to have them added to the Prayer Chain and to the Daughters of the King. ***Daily Devotion for Thursday October 29, 2020*** Don’t Be Led Astray The 5 Steps – Pause * Listen * Think * Pray * Go Pause God’s words challenge you to live a life worthy of imitation. Step into the challenge of these words today and be reminded that you are called to shine light into darkness, and the light you shine points back to the love of God. Listen Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and his disciples, “The legal experts and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore, you must take care to do everything they say. But don’t do what they do. For they tie together heavy packs that are impossible to carry. They put them on the shoulders of others, but are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.” Matthew 23:1-4 Think Most parents have had moments where they think to themselves (while speaking to their kids), “Do as I say, not as I do.” It is one thing to know all the right things to do, and it is entirely something else to do them – and do them for the right reasons. Rules are one of those things that can lead you astray. When you become too committed to following all the rules or checking the boxes, you are on autopilot, perhaps not even thinking about why something is right or wrong, faithful or not. The Pharisees created rule upon rule to keep the Jews from breaking any of the laws, as the Pharisees interpreted them. They became caught up in following rules, so much so that they became a burden, even a weight of expectation and control on others. Jesus rejected this, even pointing out the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Maybe all the rules weigh you down as well. If so, it may be time to examine whether any of them are making it impossible for you to live into Christ’s teaching. Brian Foreman Pray God, what is mine to carry in order to be faithful to you? Teach me to live and love in ways that point to you, not to a handbook of rules. May I always lead with the love of Christ. Amen. Go You are the light of your community. You are the salt of the neighborhood. You carry God’s truth to the places you go. Be confident that imitating Christ is your call, even imperfectly. Be bold in lifting others up in a world that seeks to put them down. Remember your brothers and sisters, and pray for them this day. Amen. ***For those of you that would like to access these devotionals daily, you can go on this website: www.d365.org I thought everyone could use a laugh, so I included some funny memes.     FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) As announced yesterday, Vonnie Rubottom’s funeral service has been moved to Bridgeman Funeral Home in order to accommodate a larger number of guests. The family invites you to attend, beginning at 1:00 P.M. It will be an Episcopal service. 2) Last Saturday the diocese-wide Annual Council was held via Zoom, and it was certainly much different than years past. What it lacked in fellowship and collegiality, it made up for in brevity. Two takeaways: first, the Bishop and Trustees have done a great job managing the diocesan finances during this difficult time. 2020 will not have a dramatic effect on the overall financial health of the diocese, and 2021’s budget is realistic and doable. Second, we continue to be led by an extremely capable, energetic, and visionary Bishop and staff. Here is a link to the Bishop’s annual address, which will give you a clear sense of what I mean by that. https://www.dropbox.com/s/4uwstlw7ffkm24w/Bishop%27s%20Annual%20Council%20Address.mp4? 3) As you know, we are closed again for public worship due to the surge in local COVID-19 cases. This rise in cases is more sudden and dramatic than the one last summer, and by now most of us have seem a direct impact on our lives – either ourselves or someone we know and love has been diagnosed with the disease or quarantined due to close contact. Our church is not immune so we continue to do everything we can think of to keep you safe, including following the Bishop’s guidelines around public worship, which I fully support. Here are the highlights of our policy:
4) All of this is a hardship for sure. I don’t like it one bit and I know you don’t either. But because I know it is the right thing to do I willingly abide by it and enforce it here. So far our region has not been hit as hard by the virus as others, but that seems to be changing these last few weeks. It would break my heart if any of you fell seriously ill from this disease, so I pray that you will protect yourselves and those you love by following the simple steps of wearing a mask, keeping your distance, avoiding inside face-to-face meetings when possible, and using good hand hygiene. These are the best tools we have at this time to avoid increased spread. No doubt a vaccine and treatments are on the horizon, but it may be another year before they are widely available and working. So for now, do what you can to protect yourself and others. It is an act of Christian witness keep others safe, even when it is inconvenient or difficult. Happy Birthday!! Happy Anniversary
Sandy Gibson October 17 Christian & Stacy Bach October 24 Josh Halstead October 22 Samuel Selzer October 22 Haley Sauer October 25 Al Williams October 27 Prayer Requests: The prayer request sheet is still just outside the office in the church and is updated weekly. Anyone may still email your prayer requests to me at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. Since, I am back in the office, the requests must be received on by Wednesday at the latest, for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after Wednesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. Once the prayer request is received, it is added to the prayer list and then I email the names to have them added to the Prayer Chain and to the Daughters of the King. ***Daily Devotion for Thursday October 22, 2020*** The Great Commandment The 5 Steps – Pause * Listen * Think * Pray * Go Pause Take a moment to breathe, to reflect on the past day, and to pray: Did I search for happiness in things or in my relationship with the Creator? Did I find ways to express my love to God and those around me? God, open my heart to be more like Christ. Listen The truly happy person doesn’t follow wicked advice, doesn’t stand on the road of sinners, and doesn’t sit with the disrespectful. Instead of doing those things, these persons love the Lord’s Instruction, and they recite God’s Instruction day and night! Psalm 1:1-2 Think I don’t know anyone who does not want to be happy, yet experiencing happiness in this crazy world is a real struggle for many, including myself at times. We often experience moments of feeling happy when we see cute puppies, get invited to the big party, get a good grade on a test, get lots of “likes” on social media, or have a good hair day. But what about happiness that is lasting, happiness that doesn’t go away when thing don’t go our way? Psalm 1:1-2 says that those who are truly happy love the Lord’s Instruction and recite it day and night. They stay away from people and situations that will bring them down and pull them away from God. They seek God’s guidance through scripture and prayer and stay on the right path. Will it be easy and will everything go our way? No way. But we can be assured that God loves us and will see us through. And that, dear friends, gives me a deep sense of happiness that the world cannot take away. Stella Perrin Pray God, help me to see that following your way instead of doing things my way is best and is the path to being truly happy. Give me eyes to see beyond the circumstances around me and trust that you are working to bless me. Amen. Go Go, Offering yourself fully to God, faults and all, Believing that God loves you without reservation, As you seek to love God and the world with all that you are. ***For those of you that would like to access these devotionals daily, you can go on this website: www.d365.org Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.  Special Wednesday Updates
I apologize for the blizzard of emails this week, but things are moving around fairly quickly these days. Here are three things I want to share with you today. 1) Vonnie Rubottom's funeral service has been moved to Bridgeman Funeral Home on Friday, still at 1:00 P.M. This is in order to allow more than 10 people to be present. The family invites you to join them either for the funeral at 1:00 P.M. or a remembrance gathering (similar to a "viewing" but without body/ashes present) Friday evening 4:00-7:00 P.M., both at Bridgeman. 2) Gina and I have been notified of some omissions and errors in the most recent Parish Directory, and so we have done our homework and will send out a revised version tomorrow. Please forgive us if we fouled up your entry (or in a couple of cases, omitted them altogether). We are deeply sorry and if we continue to make more, if you'll let us know we'll continue to correct them. Our goal is an accurate and complete database and a helpful directory. It is never our intention to be sloppy, although at times I know in the things I send I personally tend to let speed take precedence over accuracy. Any errors in the directory were mine and not Gina's -- she's perfect as far as I can tell :) 3) Finally, I have been remiss in not mentioning (or SHOUTING) that we have a STATE CHAMPION in our parish!! Congratulations to Anna Kelly -- Individual State Champion Golfer!! Anna has been killing it on the course for two years now, and with two years of varsity golf left, I and many others are eagerly looking forward to what she accomplishes next. Way to go, Anna!!! OK -- even more announcements tomorrow :) Blessings, Fr. Mark+  UGH! Due to a surge in local COVID-19 cases, we are required to close again for in-person worship, and so as of this Sunday, October 18th, we are back to online livestreamed only. We will continue to track the local case numbers closely, and follow the Bishop's directives. I am sorry this is happening. We must all do what we can to protect ourselves and others. Wear a mask. Social distance. Limit contact. Test and trace. Seek medical help if symptomatic. We will get through this, but it is up to us to do our part. As you know, we have a funeral scheduled for Friday in the church. I will be making a decision about that possibility early next week. Fr. Mark+ FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) SCAM WARNING!! Many of us in the diocese have received a phishing email in the past 24 hours that purports to come from Bishop Barker, asking for a reply. THIS IS A SCAM! You can just ignore and trash/delete it and any other email or text with his name that looks like this. Bp. Barker will never send a request like this asking for a reply or asking for a donation or anything else. He will communicate via the Ministry Memo or some diocesan-wide publication, or he will call. Feel free to err on the side of ignoring. If the Bishop's office needs to speak with you, they will find you I promise. 2) Speaking of our Bishop, we were just notified that he is resuming parish visits, and we have set our Annual Visitation for Sunday, November 22, 2020 (five weeks from now.) Assuming we are still able to worship in-person, he will be here to celebrate and preach on that day, and during the service he will do Confirmations and Receptions. If you are new to the Episcopal Church and would like to be Confirmed (or Received if previously confirmed in another tradition) please contact me and we can make arrangements. Typically we would have many weeks to go through a more complete catechism with adults but this year and next everything is up in the air and I would hate to miss the chance to Confirm or Receive during this 2020 visit, so I’ll make arrangements to do my best to get a group ready via zoom if there is interest. 3) We are starting to look at Christmas Eve services, and will be posting more information soon about times for both in-person and online worship. How to handle music is a huge deal – Christmas Carols are about our favorite of all hymns – and I am working hard to see what we can do 4) Tonight at 6:30 P.M. we start another zoom bible study, this time on the Book of Acts. It’s not too late to join us, just follow this link to sign-up and get the login info. All you need is a computer connection and a bible. https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/cb4222 GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Happy Birthday!! Jan Johnson October 15 Danika Bohl October 21 Robert Brenner October 18 Laura Lee Margheim October 21 Santana Tamarak October 18 Prayer Requests: The prayer request sheet is still just outside the office in the church and is updated weekly. Anyone may still email your prayer requests to me at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. Since, I am back in the office, the requests must be received on by Wednesday at the latest, for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after Wednesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. Once the prayer request is received, it is added to the prayer list and then I email the names to have them added to the Prayer Chain and to the Daughters of the King. ***Daily Devotion for Thursday October 15, 2020*** God’s Presence The 5 Steps – Pause * Listen * Think * Pray * Go Pause Take a deep breath right now. Notice one thing you see, one thing you hear, one thing your body is touching. You are here in this place. God is here with you, too. Listen We always thank God for all of you when we mention you constantly in our prayers. This is because we remember your work that comes from faith, your effort that comes from love, and your perseverance that comes from hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 Think Earlier this year, I took a pottery class — and I was terrible at “throwing” a pot on the wheel! I spent several classes just trying to make something that resembled a pot… and finally made one! Then another, and another. They say that “practice makes perfect.” Whether you’re learning to play a trombone, throw a baseball, do a pirouette, or make pottery, you’ll definitely need practice. In today’s scripture, Paul is commending the Thessalonians for working so hard — for practicing — on becoming faithful, loving, and hopeful. He recognizes that it takes work to be faithful, continual effort to be loving, and perseverance to be hopeful. We also have to practice being faithful, loving, and hopeful. We may never be perfect (spoiler alert: we won’t be), but we know that God is present with us as we practice. Erin Spengeman Hutchison Pray God, just when I think I can’t be more faithful, loving, or hopeful, help me to keep practicing, relying on your Spirit for help. Amen. Go As you go, remember that God is with you and with those who do justice. Dare to be with God, too. ***For those of you that would like to access these devotionals daily, you can go on this website: www.d365.org Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) Last week we gathered in the sanctuary at 10:00 A.M. for in-person worship, and it felt so great to have you all here! While parts of the state are still above the Bishop’s threshold for safe worship, and we’re not out of the woods yet by any means and need to continue to be vigilant about mask-wearing, social distancing, and sanitizing, our numbers are lower and our folks are spread out and it is just wonderful to be together for Eucharist again. As always, make good decisions about your own health risk and what you can and should do safely, but if you are healthy and feel ready, come back together with us. We can fit about 45 people in the sanctuary and another 50 or so in the parish hall with live-streamed feed. As soon as it seems needed, we will resume a second service. Live-stream will of course continue to be available through our website www.saintf.org. 2) We are starting to think about Christmas services, knowing that we won’t be able to sit tightly together with tons of adults and kids and relatives and visitors. That is so sad, but since there is nothing we can do right now to change it, we are working to put together enough services with enough creativity to still celebrate joyfully and with enough of the usual elements that it will still be special. Probably that looks like more services on Christmas Eve and some video choral music mixed with live soloist. Creativity is not my strength, but stubbornness is, and I am stubbornly committed to providing Christmas services that honor our traditions. You may be asked to “sign-up” for a time to reserve a pew/seat at the service of your choice. Off the top of my head I am thinking of the traditional early and late services plus one or more additional services, maybe something like 4:00, 5:30, 7:00, and 10:30. That’s not in stone yet, but we'll have it nailed down in the next few weeks, so watch this space for more news. 3) Next week I will be starting my next Zoom Bible Study on the Acts of the Apostles —the story of the earliest days of the church. We will meet via zoom every Thursday evening from 6:30-7:30 P.M. If you have any interest in reading the bible with others (the very best way to read it) join us for this delightful time of fellowship and discovery. To sign up, use this link https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/c6ee0398 4) Our bi-weekly Sack Lunch Ministry is a great chance to pitch in and help the hungry in our community. Every other Wednesday (we alternate with the Methodists) we prepare and hand out 35 sack lunches to folks who drive or walk by the church. There are three jobs — shopping for the food, preparing the lunches, and distributing the lunches (sitting in front of the church). If you would more information about volunteering with this fun, easy ministry, click this link: https://saintf.breezechms.com/form/6745a3 5) This week we are sending out Quarterly Giving Reports for the period 1/1/20 - 9/30/20. You should receive your report either electronically or in the mail. Please take a minute to review and check our records against yours. We are happy to investigate and correct any discrepancies. As always, I am humbled by your continued generosity and support of this parish, and especially during this difficult year. You are a blessing. GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
***New Directory*** Father Mark and I have been working on finalizing a new directory and will be sending it out electronically and mailing a hard copy to those who do not have an email address next week. Happy Birthday!! Curt Mecklem October 8 Anna Kelley October 12 Jill Selvey October 8 Shirley Brewer October 13 Lisa Betz-Marquez October 9 Lorrie Wold October 13 Paul Brooks October 10 Prayer Requests: The prayer request sheet is still just outside the office in the church and is updated weekly. Anyone may still email your prayer requests to me at stfrancis@allophone.com. If you do not have email, just call the church and leave a message. Since, I am back in the office, the requests must be received on by Wednesday at the latest, for them to be included in the Sunday Bulletin for that week. If the request is received after Wednesday, they will be added to the next Sunday Bulletin. We will follow the same process and keep the names on for two weeks. Once the prayer request is received, it is added to the prayer list and then I email the names to have them added to the Prayer Chain and to the Daughters of the King. ***Daily Devotion for Thursday October 8, 2020*** Do Not Fear The 5 Steps – Pause * Listen * Think * Pray * Go Pause Some may say there is much to fear. But see what obstacles we’ve overcome! For the Lord has been walking with us every step of the journey and will continue to. Forever. If God is for us, who can be against us? Listen Lord, you are my God. I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, planned long ago, faithful and sure. You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in distress, a hiding place from the storm, a shade from the heat. Isaiah 25:1, 4a Think Storms can be very scary, especially those that include tornadoes and hurricanes. Storms can be unpredictable and can cause a lot of worries, both before and after they come. When a storm is about to come, weather forecasters tend to always have the same advice to keep us safe: “Seek shelter.” While these storms only have to do with the weather, we encounter many other storms in life. We may go through troubles at school, difficulties with our parents, or uncertainty within our workplace. These storms of life can cause a lot of fear, worry, and anxiety. The words in today’s scripture point us to our greatest protector in any storm we could ever encounter. We find that our Lord not only protects us but will ensure that we are safe, even in distress. Our God is a God of promises and these promises only end in “yes” (2 Corinthians 1:20). With God’s protection, we will see the end of the storm and the fulfillment of the promises that were created for us. Dewayne Outlaw Pray Lord, thank you for the promises you have made to me. May I cast all of my cares on you and know that you care for me as you protect me through life’s storms. May I experience your perfect love for me today and show love to all those I see. Amen. Go Remember the words of Jesus as you go forth today: “Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.” (Matthew 28:20) ***For those of you that would like to access these devotionals daily, you can go on this website: www.d365.org Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Fr. Mark SelveyCheck in here for weekly announcements. 
Archives
January 2021
|