My Dear Franciscan Friends,

Ilia Delio, O.S.F.writes in her book about St. Francis titled Compassion

that conversion is the grace of letting go and turning in the dance of life.

“It is the awakening to the fact that old habits must die for new vision to be

born. Francis was no stranger to the idea, nor to the cost of conversion. As

a youth he was deathly afraid of lepers and would run away at the sight of

one. He certainly wouldn‟t touch one or eat with one. This continued into

his adulthood and his ministry. After suffering from a prolonged illness, he

felt compelled not only to touch a leper that he met on the road, but to kiss

the leper‟s disfigured hand and to give him alms.”

We have all heard about the “flight or fight” reaction. Perhaps, in a more

spiritual sense it could be envisioned as the “flight or conversion response.”

Francis trusted the voice of God that he heard coming from the cross of the

ruined church of San Damiano, “go rebuild my house.” He trusted enough to enter the unknown love

of the God of the Universe.

We too are responding to God‟s voice calling us to rebuild his house. Is there ever a time when reno-

vation is not required? We are taking several important steps. We are continuing to upgrade and physi-

cally repair the house of God while at the same time we have hired Amanda Harmon to help us rebuild

and develop or children and youth ministry. We are also shifting Robert‟s responsibilities so that we

are able to not only to welcome our many visitors, but also invite people into the heart of St. Francis.

He is also going to work in the fields taking the ministry of Jesus and St. Francis into the city, to the

crossroads. We get the word “crossroads‟ from an early practice of English Bishops who would ride to

a place where two paths intersected in the country or villages. The Bishop would then use his staff to

make the sign of the cross and proceed to baptize, confirm, and pray with the people of his Diocese…

whoever they might be.

In order to grow, to rebuild God‟s house, to go to the crossroads, we need a plan, the staff and the

community of St. Francis too. We need the unified Body of Christ to pull together. I know we will and

I pray for the Holy Spirit‟s empowerment, for the presence of Jesus to guide us and for the creative

power of God to lead us in conversion that only comes from taking new directions.

May God‟s Peace be with you,

Michael+

September 2012

MICHAEL MOULDEN RECTOR

2

Dear Franciscans,

I hope that you can feel the excitement that is in the air at St. Francis, I certainly feel it! We‟ve

taken a great step in hiring Amanda Harmon as our Director of Children‟s and Youth Ministry.

This move both helps us in getting to a right-sized staff for the needs of our parish and will

also greatly benefit our ministry with the young people of St. Francis.

You might wonder what this means for me since I‟ve been overseeing these ministries since I

was hired in 2010. I will continue to manage these programs, but will not be involved in their

day-to-day operations. My role in planning Adult Formation opportunities, such as the Forum

and Lenten series, will not change. The major shift in my duties will be to include work in the

area of Evangelism.

Evangelism comes from a Greek word which means “good news,” and is where we get the word “Gospel” from. As

Christians, we have much good news to share- love, hope, redemption, Resurrection, grace. And this good news isn‟t

just for the world to know about, but it is for us to abound in on a daily basis. I will be working on ways in which we

all, those at St. Francis and those who can‟t imagine entering a church, can know and live in the midst of this good

news.

This is important ministry for St. Francis and for the wider-Church. Bishop Curry has talked a lot recently about Galilee

(see his 2011 and 2012 Convention addresses online for more) and how the Church can be vital and relevant in a post-

Christian, anxious, and spiritually-hungry world. I don‟t have the answers, but I‟m excited to do this work with you all

at St. Francis as we strive to continue living the good news.

Blessings,

The Rev. Robert Black

F R O M R E V . R O B E R T B L A C K

ROBERT BLACK ASSISTANT RECTOR

Fall schedule starts on

September 9th with services

at 8:00am and 10:30am.

3

Nursery Care (Ages 0-3) is available beginning at 9:00 and

runs through the 10:30 service.

Sundays during the 10:30 Service Children: (PreK-5th Grade) Classroom #10/12 . The children

will join the congregation at the Peace before Communion.

Sundays 9:15-10:15 am Children's Chapel: (PreK-5th Grade) Chapel

Middle School Class: St. Mike‟s

Coffee Talk: (High School) Classroom #3

Adults - Forum: Parish Hall

Bible Study: The Psalm

September 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th:

This study will explore the wisdom and worldview of the Psalter. We will take an in-depth look at the Psalms

of lament and will focus on praying with the Psalms. Led by the Rev. Robert Black

Forum: Politics & Religion

October 14th: Faith of Our (Founding) Fathers. Led by Dr. Michael Kennedy, professor of History at High

Point University

October 21st: The Constitution as a Religious Document. Led by Dr. Frank Thomas, professor of Religious

History at Wake Forest University.

October 28th: Politics in the Bible, led by the Rev. Robert Black

Forum: What Does It Mean to Be Episcopalian?

November 11, 18: Exploration of our history and liturgy as it defines us. Led by the clergy of St. Francis.

Bible Study: Advent Stories

December 9, 16, 23: A study of John the Baptist, the Holy Family, and the birth narratives of Jesus as a way of

preparing for Christmas. Led by Ryan Mails, aspirant for ordination at St. Francis.

O P P O R T U N I T I E S F O R D I S C H I P L E S H I P

Sunday Adult Forums The Adult Forums take place on most Sundays from 9:15-10:15 am. The forums are held in the Parish Hall.

There are two types of forums held throughout the year.

Bible Study– We will focus on particular genres, books, or themes found in Holy Scripture. These forums will

be interactive and provide opportunities to engage the Biblical texts.

Topical Forum– These forums focus on current issues in the world and theology. Theologian Karl Barth once

said that the Christian should read the Bible in one hand, and the newspaper in the other. We strive to follow

this wisdom. Topics often have religious undercurrents and themes that stimulate and strengthen both our in-

tellectual and our spiritual awarenesses.

For more information about the forum series, please contact the Rev. Robert Black at

robert@stfrancisgreensboro.org.

4

Y O U T H G R O U P

On Sunday, September 16th at 5:30pm, our Youth Group year will be officially starting,

and we invite you all to attend our Kickoff celebration. We will be talking about the upcom-

ing year's events and goals, getting to know each other, and having a great time! Parents are

invited and encouraged to attend with their middle and high school students. If you have any

questions about the Kickoff celebration, please contact Amanda Harmon, the Director for

Children's and Youth Ministry, at amanda@stfrancisgreensboro.org.

2012 Mission Trip

5

C H R I S T I A N F O R M A T I O N

First, let me take this opportunity to thank the community of St. Francis for welcoming me with such

kindness! I am very excited to be here and to be working in ministry with you all. Secondly, this is a

reminder that:

On September 9th, our year-round schedule will begin, with Children‟s Chapel at 9:15am. This is a child-friendly

worship experience, patterned after the liturgy so that children can both learn the liturgy and be engaged in it.

The Middle School Class and Coffee Talk will also be at 9:15am.

Please note that Adult Forum classes are at 9:15am also, so that parents can bring their children to any of our age-

appropriate classes, and have a time to gather for coffee, conversation, and discipleship among themselves as

well.

Immediately following Children‟s Chapel, during the 10:30am service, children up to 5th grade are invited to

attend Sunday School classes, where they will continue in Christian formation by delving deeper into Scripture in

a relevant, engaging, fun, and educational way.

Children will rejoin their parents in the congregation at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. We hope that this

schedule will allow all children and their parents to hear God‟s story in a way that is age-appropriate and engag-

ing for all participants.

AMANDA HARMON

Jewish & Christian Explorations returns on Monday evenings with:

Christ: A Crisis in the Life of God

How can we approach the literary and theological mystery of Jesus as God

Incarnate? How can we comprehend the enigma of his humanity/divinity?

Following up on his groundbreaking tour de force work, God: A Biogra-

phy, author Jack Miles looks beyond the „Jesus of History – Christ of

Faith‟ debate and embraces the artistic narrative of the New Testament as a

work of supreme literature.

In this 10-week study of Miles‟ second book, Christ: A Crisis in the Life

of God, we will employ the concept of Gospel as a literary genre to illumi-

nate Jesus as the protagonist of the Christian Scriptures – God as Man. The

adventure begins…

September 24th

7:00 – 8:30 PM

Saint Francis Parish Hall Kindly contact Samuel Moss (ncmosses@earthlink.net) to RSVP or request

additional information regarding Jewish & Christian Explorations.

6

June The parish ended 2011 on a positive financial note, with contributions slightly higher than anticipated and ex-

penses slightly lower.

The vestry projects that 2012 contributions will total $624,000. Expenses are estimated to be $640,000.

The day school revenue and expenses are on target for the current school year. The school is planning fundraisers

and summer camps for 2012.

The property committee is accomplishing remedies for pest infestations in the organ and parish hall. The access

ramp near the front of the church is being repaired. 2012 projects will include the demolition of Claire Cottage

and kudzu management at the rear of the campus. All are encouraged to assist as able with parish workdays on

March 3 and 17. Approximately 30 community garden plots will be available for 2012.

Opportunities for volunteer service exist on the human resources committee, the Urban Ministry food drive, Stop

Hunger Now project and Crop Walk campaign. Please contact Mariana Newton [email: mnewton3@triad.rr.com;

phone: 292-4598] for more information.

July The sacristy has been renovated. Thanks to Paul Crowell and an anonymous donor who helped spruce up this

important room.

Repairs to the portico roofs between the parish hall and church and in the office area are projected to be com-

pleted in early August, weather permitting.

Plans for a renovation of the library are underway, thanks to a generous contribution by a parish family. The re-

furbished library will be more user-friendly for diverse purposes.

Upcoming property improvements include enhancements to the memorial garden. Beautification and maintenance

plans will be announced this fall.

Nominations for the 2013 vestry and stewardship campaign are now open. Please contact any vestry member with

your suggestions.

The vestry warmly welcomes new Director of Children and Youth Ministry, Amanda Harmon.

August The vestry gratefully accepted a gift of chancel railings from the Rev. Dr. Paul Crowell. Look for this enhance-

ment to chancel safety in the upcoming weeks.

Day school growth continues, with an additional three-year-old class being added for the new school year.

Additional Stephen Ministers are needed. Full training and support is offered to volunteers who serve in this im-

portant ministry. Contact chair Andrea Knupp to learn more.

Don‟t miss the Adult Forums planned for the fall, winter and spring. Brochures are available in the narthex.

V E S T R Y H I G H L I G H T S

7

T R E A S U R E R ‟ S R E P O R T

A comparison of the first seven months of 2012 and 2011 is below:

So far so good! Revenues are better than expected largely due to two things. First, our Non-

Pledge income is higher by more than $8K. The second reason is that Current year pledge ex-

ceeds the budget by another $19K. Normally collections “fall off” during the summer months;

this was not the case this year. Thanks to all who kept their pledge current.

Expenses, while more than in 2011 are still below this year‟s budget estimates. Timing of ex-

penses is the main reason. The Audit billing of about $5,500 had not been received and thus not

paid. Also, total General Insurance is less than estimated. Most important is the fact that every-

one has been great stewards of expenses and not committed to expense that exceed budgeted

lines. Thanks are due the Staff and Vestry for being watchful.

The Day School completed its year, June 30, 2012 at “break even.” It was less than anticipated

because the total expected students were fewer than expected. The budget for the 2012/2013 school year is almost com-

plete and will be ready for Vestry approval not later than the September meeting.

In God‟s Peace,

Larry Upson

LARRY UPSON

8

D A Y S C H O O L

Unique arts & crafts, pottery, metal sculpture, wreaths, jewelry, gourmet food, quilts, original art, stationary,

hand crafted furniture, home décor, ornaments, tote bags, photography, chicken pies & more!

Table rentals benefit St. Francis Day School.

Vendor applications available online

www.stfrancisgreensboro.org

Little Franciscan Summer Camp 2012

St. Francis Day School

invites you to our Fourth Annual

Holiday Market Saturday, December 1

10 am until 4 pm

FREE ADMISSION

9

M U S I C A N D A R T C A M P

The 3rd annual St. Francis Music and Art

Camp was a great success! This year 19 chil-

dren attended ages 4-11. We were blessed to

have an outstanding staff of volunteers. Chil-

dren were divided by age into two groups led

by Maggie Jimenez and Jamie Dickens who

are both professional music educators. UNC-

G voice majors Kate Jackson Adams and

Ryan Chavis worked with the children in

both groups. Erik Koehler and Kat Faulkner

were our playground shepherds and Emma

Thyer and Mary Hannah Shinn were the arts

instructors. Callie Wallace acted as my assis-

tant and worked in all areas. We are already

planning for next June's camp. Keep it in

mind for your children and grand-children

for next June.

Junior Choir is coming!! Choir is open to

all children from 3rd grade through 12th

grade. We sing a variety of music, and

learn to play and perform with handbells.

We sing at several church services during

the year and are the choir for the Christmas

Eve Pageant. Rehearsals are Sunday after-

noons from 4:30 - 5:30pm in the Choir

Room. Please feel free to visit with no obli-

gation. We will begin September 9th.

10

C H A P T E R S I N O U R L I V E S

Mary Magdalenes, along with the other women in the church from St. Clare‟s and the Prayer Shawl

group, are hosting a baby shower for Robert and Tyler on Sunday, September 23, 2012 from 2:00 – 4:00

pm in the Parish Hall. Everyone is invited--men, women and children!

Let‟s help them welcome their baby girl, Ellie, with all the necessities. Obviously, Tyler and Robert

can‟t open over 200 individual gifts on Sunday afternoon, so we are encouraging you to pool your re-

sources. We have identified many groups within the church (Stephen Ministers, Acolytes, Choir, Day

School, St. Elizabeth‟s, St. Clare‟s, Friar‟s, Community Garden, EYC, Helping Hands, Savvy Seniors,

etc.) and contacted their leaders. We also understand that many of you are members of more than one

group.

Decide among yourselves what might work for you and/or your group. Robert and Tyler have listed

their needs and wishes at the following places:

Amazon (online only): http://www.amazon.com/registry/baby/

Target (in-store or online): http://www.target.com/BabyRegistryPortalView

All About Baby Boutique (located in Greensboro): http://www.allaboutbabyboutique.com/registry.php

Also, because they are blessed with a strong support group from their family, friends and church parish,

they are encouraging donations on Ellie‟s behalf to the following funds of Episcopal Relief & Develop-

ment:

Care for Mom and Baby Fund: http://www.er-d.org/GiftsForLife/4/135/

Postnatal Care Fund: http://www.er-d.org/GiftsForLife/4/134/

Regardless of how you may choose to support them, come and celebrate the expected event on Septem-

ber 23rd in the Parish Hall from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. To help with planning, please rsvp to the receptionist

at the church office between 9:00am – 1:00pm weekdays if you plan to attend.

B A B Y S H O W E R A H E A D !

TRANSFERS IN: Robert and Anne Williams from Christ Episcopal Church - New Bern, North Carolina

Allen and Erica Rushing from St. Matthew's - Benton, Akansas

TRANSFERS OUT: Pamela May Bensing Valentine to St. Anne's Episcopal Church - West Chester, Ohio

DEATHS: Dwight Treece, brother-in-law of Larry Hartsell

Raymond Handy, brother-in-law of Jane Stubbs

William Thomas, uncle of Gloria Thompson and great-uncle of Susan Thompson and Laura Kilmartin

Robert Leftwich, uncle of Bryan Leftwich

Randy Silvers, partner of Louie Hughes

Bee Vaughan, mother of Jane Teer

Robert Thompson, brother of Melissa Harrelson

Eugenia “Gene” Davis Stockdale, mother of Genie Best

Florence Brown Lee, sister of Oscar Davis Lee III

11

SAVVY SENIORS

Savvy Seniors and all ages, Tuesday Feb. 8 -

11:45 lunch at Graffiti's, 1:00 "Bodies Revealed"

at the Natural Science Center of Greensboro.

This is a striking exhibit of the human body

and how it works, touring the US, that will

enlighten, empower and inspire. Our group rate

is $12 and includes admission to the exhibit

and the Center's exhibits. For reservations, call

Carol Mooney at 2824003 or Nancy Baldwin at

5456829.

O U T R E A C H

Would you like to know how the Outreach Committee makes deci-

sions regarding allocations? I thought you would never ask.

In the last two years we have had more requests for Outreach funds

than we have been able to fulfill. We have received approximately

$50,000 from the Book Sale each of the last two years, but not enough

to fill all requests for funds. Therefore we must screen carefully to be

able to grant funds to the applicants which best fulfill the mission of

Saint Francis.

A great deal of prayer, thought, study, discussion, and research go into these decisions. At first contact from a rep-

resentative of a charity, we review the letter or call at our monthly meetings. From archives we determine if this

group has received previous funding, how much was allocated, and how the funds were used.

The committee decides if we need more information through a presentation by the representative, and if we will

send a formal application. When the application is received committee members research the organization, com-

paring it to other requests and, when possible, using a charity grading tool like “Charity Navigator”. We are espe-

cially interested in finding out what percentage of their funds goes to their mission and what percentage goes to

administrative costs. And we want to know how the request fits with our mission. We are especially interested in

knowing if Franciscans will be able to volunteer and participate in the activities of the organization.

So you can see how we vet the organization, screen the applicants, and seek to know as much as possible about

their mission before making an allocation. Not every application is funded and often the funding is not at the level

requested due to limitations of our funds. We use great care to be fair and to follow the mission of Saint Francis.

In addition we seek to follow the Millennium Development Goals of our Diocese. For example: helping eliminate

poverty and hunger, providing for the needs of children and families in crisis in Guilford County, North Carolina,

and the world.

Members of the Outreach Committee want more Franciscans to take an active part in Outreach Ministry by volun-

teering at organizations we support, donating to Outreach, and praying for these ministries. We want all Francis-

cans to feel involved in Outreach Ministry. We are not just writing checks but seeking to further the ministry of

Saint Francis in Greensboro, North Carolina, and the world.

If you have questions or comments, you can contact co-chairpersons: Sandra Shields at sshieldsrnlc@aol.com or

Betty Barry at bdbarry@triad.rr.com. Meetings are held every third Monday at 7:00 pm and are open to all parish-

ioners.

Dan Jones

12

S T . F R A N C I S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H A Parish of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina

The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, Bishop

The Rt. Rev. Albert (Chip) Marble, Assisting Bishop The Rt. Rev. William Gregg, Assistant Bishop

P A R I S H S T A F F The Rev. Michael Moulden, Rector

The Rev. Robert Black, Assistant Rector

Amanda Harmon, Director of Children's and Youth Ministry

Liz Harvey, Youth Ministry Assistant

Rae Augustin, Day School Director

Sam Doyle, Choir Director

Pat Copley, Organist

Jane Woody, Junior Choir Director

Linda Allgood, Parish Administrator

Bonnie Thyer, Communications Coordinator

Mike Taylor, Facilities Manager

Linda Lambe, Bookkeeper

Rigoberto Bautista, Custodian

On the web at: www.stfrancisgreensboro.org

Phone 336-288-4721 Fax 336-288-4760

St. Francis Day School 336-288-4740

ST. FRANCIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 3506 Lawndale Drive

Greensboro, NC 27408

P A R I S H V E S T R Y Mariana Newton (12), Senior Warden 292-4598

Lynn Sandlin (13), Junior Warden 644-8056

Jenan Jones Benson (13), Clerk 545-0964

Bruce Barnes (12), Worship 674-3193

Martha Shafer (12), Education/Membership 643-0151

Jennifer Mangrum (13), St. Francis Day School 665-0521

Keir Davis (13), Fellowship/Parish Life 856-7680

Lynn McNair (14), Outreach/Service 456-1578

Midge Spong (14), Congregational Care/HR 638-3059

Charlie Fetter (14), Property/Facilities 298-3524

Dick Miller (14), Property/Facilities 668-7787

Bill Kopald (12), Communication 299-2520

Larry Upson, Treasurer 547-7966

Church office : office@stfrancisgreensboro.org

The Franciscan Editor:

Franciscan@stfrancisgreensboro.org