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April

2018 Journal

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Peace and Grace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ our Lord!

“Alleluia. Christ is risen.” And the people respond, “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.”

Happy Eastertide! Eastertide, or the Great Fifty Days, refers to the period from the Great Vigil at Easter until the day of Pentecost fifty days later. In ancient Christiani-ty the whole fifty-day period was seen as an extended Lord’s day with no fasting and no kneeling. The tradition of the Great Fifty Days comes from the Hebrew Feast of Weeks which extends for a week of weeks or 49 days. (7x7) The fiftieth day was the Hebrew Shavuot or Pentecost.1 For Hebrews it was the day recognized as being given in honor of the Torah or Law. For Christians this part of the liturgical cycle repre-sents the time after the death and resurrection of Christ. During this time, we cele-brate the Ascension 40 days after the resurrection, as mentioned in Acts 1:3, and then the descending of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost on the fiftieth day, which this year is on May 20th. The liturgical colors for these days are white, until the day of Pentecost when the color becomes red. Red being the color of the Holy Spirit. Also the paschal candle, the tall candle on the brass stand, remains lit during services throughout the season of Easter through the day of Pentecost.

During Lent this year we had lunches and dinners and presentations. We came to-gether to prepare our hearts and minds for the great day of Easter. We came togeth-er anticipating and remembering the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the world. We came together in Eucharist.

This Eastertide let’s come together in joy to show gratitude for the gift of Jesus, the grace to have relationship with God through him. And not just us as a single com-munity, but also the greater community around us. Let’s gather together to sing the Lord’s praises! Love God, love neighbor, change the world!

“Alleluia. Christ is risen.” And the people respond, “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.”

Peace, Mitch+ 1Leonel L. Mitchell, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, and the Great Fifty Days: A Ceremonial Guide (Cambridge,

Mass.: Cowley Publications, ©1996), 111-112.

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SERENDIPITY DINNER

Friday April 13th 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

At the DeCarlo residence

2010 Holly Creek Drive, Tyler

Main Course will be Pulled Pork and Sausage

Suggested donation of $5.00 / person to help cover the

cost of the main course and beverages. Please sign-up to

bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert. Sign-up sheets

are posted in the hallway near the Administrator’s office.

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BREAKFAST WITH OUR NEIGHBORS

SATURDAY, APRIL 28TH @ 10:00 AM

Join us as we open our doors to the folks who live in the neighborhood surrounding Saint Francis Church. We’ll share a meal and get to know more about each other. The purpose of this meeting is not to increase our Sunday attendance in worship, but to find out how we can become more engaged in our neighborhood:

What can Saint Francis Church do for our neighbors?

What is it that folks in our neighborhood need that we can perhaps provide?

How can Saint Francis become active in our neighborhood?

Please sign-up if you are planning to attend.

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St. Francis Sunday School Formation: Discovery Series

Beginning Sunday, June 3, we are going to start the Discovery formation series geared to:

Understanding the basics of Christianity (Four Classes)* Becoming Spiritually Mature (Four Classes)* Exploring Episcopal Worship (Three Classes)* Identifying our Spiritual Gifts (Two Classes) How to reach out to others with God’s Good News (Three Classes)

Due to the length of the courses, 2 – 5 Sunday School Classes each, the entire courses* necessary for Baptism, Confirmation, and Reception will be offered before the Bishop’s Visit on September 9. This is so that those willing to be Baptized, Confirmed, or Received into the Episcopal Church by the Bishop will have time to take the class.

Those seeking Confirmation are those Baptized individuals that are Episcopalian and have not yet had a Bishop lay hands on them before. Being Received is for those baptized in oth-er faith Traditions in the name of the Holy Trinity, and have had a Bishop from another de-nomination lay hands on them, that desire to participate in the life of the Episcopal Church. Baptism is for those that have not been baptized before.

I am looking forward to this course and the conversations to be had about God and our faith. Remember this course is not only for those desiring Baptism, Confirmation, and Re-ception, but also for those that desire to be refreshed, formed, and informed in their jour-neys as Christians.

Peace,

Fr. Mitch+

Coming soon. Sign up in May.

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Other News and Happenings Since the Last Journal:

The DOK (Daughters of the King) met. They are a group that does so many things around the church, along with the many prayers they say. A great group committed to serving Christ.

Wednesdays During Lent: (All are invited) 11:30pm Healing Service – A contemplative yet participatory service where we have laying

on of hands and anointing of oil to foster and pray for the physical and spiritual health for each other and our community. Everyone is welcome to come.

12:00pm Lenten Lunch – A light lunch is served at this time and is organized by the Daugh-ters of the King (DOK). It is a time to gather in fellowship during Lent to recognize the importance of the season leading up to Easter.

5:30pm Lenten Dinner – Organized by Kathy and Dwyane Dunn, this meal serves a purpose as fellowship and a gathering for the “Bible through the lens…” Lenten talk series.

6:00pm Lenten Talk Series – Organized by Lee Barnes, for the “Bible through the lens…” Lenten talk series covers topics like “The Bible through the lens of music, or science, or language…” Here we are honored by fellow congregants to share their knowledge with us. It is an open contemplation on every day topics and their relation to the Bible.

7:10pm Choir Practice – Lift your voices and sing songs of praise! If you like to sing, join the choir.

Fr. Bob DeWolfe’s Bible classes! A classroom type environment where there is deep diving into the Biblical text.

Hand Bell Practice! – Everybody is invited. It is a great group of folks that come together and make the bells sing!

We continued our Living Well through Lent series where we use material provided by Living Com-pass to walk with during the Journey to Easter in Lent. Great conversations.

We have postponed the Sunday Kerygma Bible study until April 8. Please see the updated schedule outside of Fr. Mitch’s Office. Kerygma means preaching and also teaching salvation through Christ.

We wrapped up our “Know Your Neighbor Series” that Robby Jerger set up at St. Francis. Open Bible study at the Hamptons is continuing. Here Fr. Mitch meets with members of the church

and residents of the Hamptons senior living facility for Bible study. Join us if you would like. Our first missional community, Just As I Am, still meeting every Monday evening. Please “listen” for

the Holy Spirit to inspire you to help start a missional community. Remember it is about people in communities that cannot, will not, or are unable to attend traditional church setting but still are longing for a community in relationship with Christ.

Published our most recent version of the Journal! (Before this one of course.) Thanks to Mairi and Bob for the hard work to get this out every month!

There was a Men’s breakfast. – Be sure to sign up so we don’t run out of gravy! All are invited to go and if you are lucky you get to be there for biscuits and sausage gravy! SOOOOOO filling!

Church Under a Bridge Prep – Here all are invited to help make 125 sandwiches and bags in prepa-ration for taking them to the Church Under a Bridge on the following Sunday. The Church Under a Bridge is a community that holds worship for the homeless under the Gentry bridge. We pro-vide lunch for that community once a month.

Church Under a Bridge Delivery – On the first Sunday of the month there is a faithful few that deliver the meals prepared the day before to the Church Under a Bridge. Some have been known to stay and worship with our homeless neighbors. Which from personal experience is quite power-ful.

The OTLB, Out To Lunch Bunch, met at Jack Ryan’s this month. Looking forward to next month. The Anglican Rosary happens on the first Wednesday of the Month. Everyone meets and if you

have not prayed with an Anglican Rosary before you are brought up to speed. It is a very power-ful way to pray.

Celebrated the life of Marion Kirby! We survived Daylight Savings Spring Forward! Serendipity, a congregation wide gathering and meal to which all are invited and friends are wel-

comed, was held at the church and organized by John and Jeremy! Thank you both for the great shepherd’s pie. It was a packed house, we had to bring in another table.

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Your vestry met and discussed the finances, grounds, and future of St. Francis. Thank you for your service vestry members, and clerk!

Thank you for all of the MANY volunteers that make worship on Sundays such an enjoyable experi-ence! Thank you for your dedication and support!

The gardens are stirring right now and we look forward to them waking up! (Thanks gardening an-gels! If you are reading this, you can be one too!)

Thanks goes out to the Altar guild for having everything ready each and every Sunday! Thanks also to the office volunteers folding paper and answering the phones. Plus much, much more!

Thanks go out to the many, volunteers and donors that make these things happen! Think about volun-teering at the church, nothing will make you feel more connected than participation within your commu-nity.

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

Evelyn Gray 04/01/

Carole Lee 04/02

Kathy Dunn 04/06

Maggi Becknell 04/12

John Bridges 04/14

Bitsy Wright 04/24

Max Cabell 04/26/

Jane Johnson 04/28/

Steve Davis 04/29/

Marley Johnson 04/29/

Camille Tollett 04/30

Tim & Carol Lanthrum 0 4/17

Dwyane & Kathy Dunn 04/19

Jon & Lee Ashwood Stone 04/22

APRIL ANNIVERSARIES

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW…

EASTER SUNDAY 4/1

Church Under a Bridge Delivery 4/1 @ 9:30 A.M.

Out to Lunch Bunch @ Kiepersol 4/3 @ 11:30 A.M.

Men’s Breakfast 4/7 @ 9:00 A.M.

Serendipity Dinner 4/13 @ 6:00 P.M.

Newcomer Dinner 4/21 @ 5:00 P.M.

Breakfast with our Neighbors 4/28 @ 10:00 A.M.

Out to Lunch Bunch - TBD 5/1 @ 11:30 A.M.

Men’s Breakfast 5/5 @ 9:00 A.M.

Church Under a Bridge Preparation 5/5 @ 10:00 A.M.

Church Under a Bridge Delivery 5/6 @ 9:30 A.M.

Serendipity Dinner 5/11 @ 7:00 P.M.

Pentecost 5/20

Memorial Day (Office Closed) 5/28

Serendipity Dinner 6/1 @ 6:00 P.M.

Men’s Breakfast 6/2 @ 9:00 A.M.

Church Under a Bridge Preparation 6/2 @ 10:00 A.M.

Church Under a Bridge Delivery 6/3 @ 9:30 A.M.

Graduation Sunday 6/3 @ 10:45 A.M.