|
FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) So far so good on our local COVID-19 cases! The three counties we serve have a 7-day total average of 11, and so in-person worship continues! Last week we had 45 in attendance and were able to keep everyone safely distanced. This is about the right number for one service, so we will continue to track it and when enough folks are interested in attending in-person — and enough folks are willing to volunteer to usher, read, lead prayers, and acolyte — we will add back our 8:00 service. Won’t that be something?? 2) Speaking of volunteers — we are looking for some folks to work on a project we’re calling “Planning for our Post-Pandemic Parish” — a fancy title for a simple idea; “What should we be doing to get our feet back under us as things start to open back up?" What programs do we need to restart or create? What groups do we need to form or re-form? What events do we want to hold? How do we want to get back out into the community? How can we promote the church? How can we invite and engage new people? All these questions and more. This small group could meet anytime/anywhere/online or in-person, as many or as few times as needed, but it's definitely time to start this work. You can help. Volunteer to be a part of this group by calling or emailing the office and Fr. Mark will contact you to set up the first meeting. 3) UTO Boxes are here! “What’s a UTO box” you might ask? Well, they’re those little blue boxes that you put your change into during Lent and we then collect and send to the national Episcopal Church Women’s office to distribute in mission and ministry grants. If you are attending in-person this week, you can pick you box up in the narthex. “What’s a narthex" you might ask? Hahahah! It’s Episcopal for front entryway. Doesn’t “narthex” sound more churchy though? :) If you prefer, you can stop by and pick yours up in the office next week, or Gina can even mail one (or more) to you.  GINA’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Happy Birthday!! Tyne Jackson February 26 Jack Schaaf March 2 Aunna Taylor February 26 Mark Selvey March 2 Erin Cawiezel March 3 Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308)632-4626 (leave a message), email [email protected] or mail to: St. Francis Episcopal Church P.O. Box 1201 Scottsbluff, NE 69361 UNITED THANK OFFERING – OUR LEGACY Julia Chester Emery founded the United Thank Offering in 1889 and the legacy continues to this day. Julia was born September 24, 1852, the daughter of Captain Charles Emery, sea captain and devout Episcopalian. He and his wife, Susan, had 11 children, the majority of whom distinguished themselves in religious service. Julia died on January 9, 1922. She was canonized in 1997 and her Feast Day is celebrated on January 9. During the four decades as National Secretary of the Women’s Auxiliary, (now Episcopal Church Women), Julia visited every diocese in the United States coordinating and encouraging work in support of missions. She began the United Thank Offering to show the connection between giving thanks and giving money, united sharing and praying. Every woman was given a Blue Box in which to place coins with every thankful prayer. Julia was a visionary who dreamed what the Auxiliary could do in the foreign and domestic mission field by gathering these coins and presenting them to national headquarters to be used for mission work throughout the world. Today the Blue Box gives the opportunity for all members of the family to give thanks for their blessings each day. It is important to teach our children the discipline of saying a prayer of thanksgiving and making an offering. Did you know that some of that money was used for Beecher Hall in Mitchell? Your coins and mine are joined with those from all over the world - each coin important, each prayer remembered. The integrity of the United Thank Offering has not changed. The legacy continues. Gina’s Office Hours Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (In Office) Comments are closed.
|
Rev. Erin RathCheck in here for weekly announcements. 
Archives
May 2025
|