What's Happening at St. Francis this week

Thursday Announcements November 30, 2023

ERIN’S EPISTLETTES

• If you're looking to enrich your spiritual journey, Advent reading materials are available in the narthex. 
• Evening Prayer on Zoom will be offered every remaining Wednesday of 2023, including the week between Christmas and New Years. The access codes are available on cards in the narthex or from the front office. 
• I recently received a few questions about my decision to utilize the contemporary version of the Lord's Prayer.
  • Though by itself this appears to be a liturgical question, it has revealed a bigger issue, one which is becoming a pattern. Rather than coming directly to me with concerns about decisions I've made, some of you are talking only with each other and not communicating with me. If you have a concern, I encourage you to communicate directly with me. If you talk with someone who has a concern, I ask that you encourage them to communicate with me directly. I'm available to talk in person or by phone, including evenings and weekends. (Members, please contact the front office if you don't have my cell number.)
  • Though this decision appears to be a liturgical one, it is, at its heart, pastoral. Eucharistic liturgies authorized by the Episcopal Church offer options for several elements of the Eucharist, including the Lord's Prayer. A contemporary and traditional version were first authorized in our current prayer book, which was published in 1979. I'm aware the traditional-language version is more comfortable and familiar for some. I'm also aware that many in our society have minimal -- or even no -- previous exposure to church and am concerned the more traditional language won't be meaningful or even understandable to guests and visitors. To balance these concerns, I plan to rotate between the two versions, mostly (though not exclusively) seasonally. 

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No enews will be published December 21 or 28 due to the back-to-back Christmas and New Years' holidays.       Items submitted after December 12 will be published January 4. 

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From the office—Ann’s Announcements

Birthdays
Beth McKibbin                      December 4
Chesney Joplin                     December 8
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Anniversaries
Mardell & Trudy Schnell       December 6    




It is time to sign up for poinsettias, in memory of loved ones or in honor of family or friends.
There will be a sign up sheet in the Narthex. Please call Collette Suhr at 436-5963 if you have any questions.            

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Sunday begins our Advent season!  We will be collecting donations for 3 Christmas families in need. 
If writing a check, please make it out to ECW by December 17th, if possible, so we can get gifts
to them by Christmas.   We will collect donations throughout Advent in the Red Box located in the Narthex.
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It’s time for our Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange on Sat. Dec 9th, at 10 am in the Parish Hall.
Please bring 4 dozen cookies to share. 
What a great way to get a variety of sweet treats for the Holiday season, and provide cookies for our shut-ins! 
Refreshments will be provided.
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We will be “Greening the Church” after Coffee Hour on Sunday, December 17th, for Christmas. 
​Please join us and share in the excitement of preparing our worship space for this Holiest of Holidays.
All decorations will be provided.
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The Forward Day by Day’s for November - January are here in regular and large print. 
If you’d like one of these mailed to you, please email or call the church.
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