What's Happening at St. Francis this Week

Thursday Announcements
 December 2, 2021
 

FATHER MARK’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
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1. Christmas is three weeks away! We are well ahead of where we were last year at this time, in that we are able to have in-person worship, and I am really looking forward to the rest of Advent and especially the Christmas Eve services together with you. Two dates/times to remember:
   1. This Sunday we will decorate the church following the second service. There is a plan and it typically goes pretty smoothly, but we do need help to get it all done efficiently. If you can stick around or come back at 11:15 this Sunday, we will gladly put you to work, provided you are a happy elf and not a mean grinchJ
   2. Christmas Eve we will again have two services – a “family-friendly” service with children’s sermon (plus a few more words for the adults) at 5:00 P.M., and a “traditional” service at 10:30 P.M. with some extra carols and lots of candles. Kids are obviously welcome late, too, but only one sermon at the late service.
2. As thankful as I am to be back worshipping together for Advent and Christmas this year, I am still mindful that we are still in the middle of a global pandemic and that our local vaccination rates are less than needed to effectively fight the virus and our local cases are spiking as people do more things inside and the variants appear to be more contagious, if not more dangerous. After consulting again with local medical professionals, I have decided to continue to require masks during worship for the month of December. I know this is not great news, and I know some of our beloved members will choose to stay home unless and until masks are not required, and I am deeply saddened by all of it. My greatest wish is to regather us safely, unmasked, in pews that are full, praying faithfully and singing joyously. Believe me, that is my dream and I believe we will get there. I just don’t believe we are there yet, and I don’t believe it is responsible for me to change the mask requirement at this juncture as cases locally are up and younger, healthier people are hospitalized with severe symptoms. I will continue to watch our local situation closely and talk to the experts and as soon as it seems like the safe thing to do, I will make the change.

ANN’S ADDITIONS​

Birthdays
 
Chesney Joplin                                December 8
Lori Peterson                                   December 11
Richard Schaneman                        December 11
 
Anniversaries
 
Mardell and Trudy Schnell             December 6
 
**Please honor Richard Schaneman in celebration of his 90th Birthday!
Cards may be sent to West NE Veterans home, Rm 13;  1002 W. 42nd St., Scottsbluff, NE.  69361
 
It’s time for our annual ECW Christmas Cookie Exchange!  We will meet in the Parish Hall on Saturday, December 11th, at 10 am to fill cookie tins for our shut-ins.  Each person is asked to bring 3 dozen cookies to share.  We hope that will leave 2 dozen for each of us after the tins for shut-ins are filled. Please bring an empty container for yourself.  Tins for shut-ins will be provide by the ECW.
Refreshments will also be served. Come join us for some holiday fellowship!
If you have questions or concerns call Barb Manasek at 436-7767.
 
Prayer Requests ** Please make sure your request is received by Wednesday of each week. You may call (308) 632-4626 (leave a message),
email stfrancis@allophone.com or mail to:
 
St. Francis Episcopal Church
P.O. Box 1201
Scottsbluff, NE 69361

Forward Day by Day Booklets
We have the Forward Day by Day’s for November-December in regular and large print. If you would like any of these mailed to you, please email or call the church.