Thursday Announcements for August 27, 2020

1) Prayer Gathering this Saturday at 12:00 P.M. in Centennial Park. Saturday at noon there there will be a short prayer service for racial justice and unity. Folks will be there from lots of churches (Presbyterians, Methodists, Espicopalians, etc.) and anyone who wishes to can bring and say a prayer. Masks and social distancing required. This is an apolitical event hosted by local faith communities. I'll be there. Come and join us!

2) Last Sunday we had about 35-40 in the sanctuary, and it was so great to see so many of you in person! It felt like a crowd! We even had one in the overflow seating in the parish hall, who reported that the picture and sound were really clear. I know cases are rising in the northern panhandle, but we are still within our guidelines here and continuing to worship in-person. If you are not in a high-risk group, and are missing the space and the people, come and worship together. I do recommend coming a little early not just to make sure you get your favorite side (har!) but also just to enjoy some quiet in the space. I know folks are missing that as much as anything. We're a ways from being back to normal, but we are moving in the right direction.

3) This afternoon local artist Doug Hovett will be installing the cross we commissioned above our north entrance doors. Halleluia! This has been a long time in the works and I am so excited to see the result! Thank you to our Foundation and other generous donors who covered the cost of this project. 

4) Speaking of generosity, I want to personally thank each and every one of you for your continued and faithful financial support of this parish during this crazy time. I know you haven't been able to come to church for many months, and I know that most folks just drop their gifts in the plate on Sundays. But even though that pattern has not been available, so many of you have mailed your pledge or donated online that we're a little behind, but not dramatically or dangerously so. We'll be fine and we will get through this together. Honestly, thank you for sticking with us and helping us figure this out. You are pretty incredible.

GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
Happy Birthday!!                              Happy Anniversary!!
Alan Johnson        August 30                Thomas Jones & Carolyn Pevey    September 2
Karen Anderson   September 1
Kathy Tabor          September 2
 
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 August 27, 2020
The 5 Steps – Pause * Listen * Think * Pray * Go

Pause
Consider.
God is offering you rest and joy.
What’s keeping you from grasping hold of these gifts?

Listen
“Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I am gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.”
                                                                                                                  Matthew 11:28-30
Think
I’ve struggled with this text. After many years of being told all of the things I need to do to be a good Christian, how can I accept that following Jesus is easy or light? Where is the rest if I am supposed to be “taking up my cross” every day? That sounds hard, painful even.

And, it is… especially if my heart is torn between all sorts of different motivations. I want to impress my friends, be popular at school, look good, make the best grades, and be happy all the time. I can hear Jesus saying, “Wow, you have a lot of bosses in your life. How can you please them all?” 

Maybe the secret is in simplicity. Maybe the calling is to set aside all of these conflicting motives. Perhaps the rest that is being offered comes when we set aside everything else but one thing, pleasing God. When God is all that matters, discipleship becomes joy, the joy of simply being who God created us to be.

What are your true motives? Are they confused and conflicting? Maybe it’s time you found rest in God.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Wade Griffith
Pray
God, why do I make everything so confusing and messy? Come into my life with your big eraser, and erase all that is not of you. Erase those things that muddle my thinking and keep me chasing after false happiness. Help me find my rest in you. Amen.

Go
Don’t think, “Yes, in the future, I ought to…”
Instead, do it.
Do it now.
 
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.