St. Francis E-Blast,May 2, 2024

St. Francis subscribes to a weekly service called Preparing for Sunday, which provides some brief commentary on the bible readings for the upcoming weeks. It can be found on the Sermons & Services page on the St. Francis website (https://tinyurl.com/sermonspage). I encourage all of you to consider looking at it prior to Sunday, particularly if you are a lector for the week.

Father Brendan

Participants in this Week's Services

Serving at 8 am

LEM: Peggy Danford

Intercessor: Mary Kirk

Lector: Ron Coleman

Lector: Dale Rushton

Ushers/Greeters: Rebecca Engen and Paula Robke

Altar Guild: Jean Atwell

Serving at 10:30 am

LEMs: Susy Mekarski and Joe Schiwek, Jr.

Intercessor: Marianne Burnside

Lector: Mary Ann Schroeder

Lector: Susy Mekarski

Ushers: Rob Campbell and Bruce Hamlin

Usher/Videographer: Joe Clifford

Welcome Table: Bruce Hamlin and Gary Thompson

Altar Guild: Linda Ocheltree and Joe Schiwek, Jr.

Flower Guild: Jane Domagalski and Nancy Stephenson

Coffee Hour Hosts: The Horton and Burnside Families

Click here for the Full Church Calendar

This Week at St. Francis

Thursday, May 2

7:00 pm - AA Men’s Group

Sunday, May 5

8:00 am - Spoken Eucharist

9:00 am - Adult Formation

10:30 am - Eucharist, Live Eucharist on YouTube/Facebook

10:30 am - Sunday School

12:30 pm - Misa

5:00 pm - Taize

Monday, May 6

10:30 am - Bell Choir Rehearsal

7:30 pm - AA

Tuesday, May 7

1:00 pm - Backpack Buddies Sorting

Wednesday, May 8

1:00 pm - Backpack Buddies Packing

1:30 pm - Finance Committee Meeting

7:00 pm - Choir Rehearsal

7:30 pm - AA

Thursday, May 9

10:00 am - Book Group

1:00 pm - Threads of Love

5:30 pm - Guys and Gals Nite Out

7:00 pm - AA Men’s Group

Sunday, May 12

8:00 am - Spoken Eucharist

9:00 am - Adult Formation

10:30 am - Eucharist, Live Eucharist on YouTube/Facebook

10:30 am - Sunday School

12:30 pm - Misa

Parish Activities

If you would like your announcements to be included in this newsletter, or in the Sunday bulletin, please email them to the office at saintfranciswilsonville@gmail.com by Tuesday evening (7:30 pm). Please include a contact person within the announcement in case there are questions. Announcements will run for two weeks or until the event takes place.

Origami Doves

One of the many traditions at St. Francis involves the making of origami doves, which are hung from the chandeliers in the nave for Pentecost Sunday, May 19th.

Before the doves are folded, you are invited to write prayers of petition, thanksgiving, or remembrance on a prayer paper.

The prayer papers will be available in the Narthex until we fold them on May 12. You may also submit an online prayer through the website, News Page.

The doves flying over us on Pentecost are an awesome and powerful sight, and a remembrance of how we are uplifted and comforted by the prayers of others. Look for the prayer papers and take part in this beautiful connection with our loved ones.

Memorial Day BBQ and Remembrance

Saturday May 25th from 2 - 5 pm

In commemoration of Memorial Day, parishioner Mark Stewart will take us back to the world-changing event of December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. With pictures and narration, Mark will explain the events that led up to the surprise attack, what happened that day, and several significant events of the following months as the United States enters World War 2.

Movie Tuesday

On May 21, there will be a potluck celebration at St. Francis in the Parish Hall, where we will watch The Philadelphia Eleven, a documentary about the first women ordained to the priesthood in the Episcopal Church, not so long ago! Those eleven women were brave and resilient, and one of them, priest and poet Alla Bozarth, lives on Mt. Hood! Please plan to come by 5 pm on May 21, and bring heavy snacks and friends! Call Terri (503) 982-4825) if you’d like a ride.

Guys and Gals Nite Out

GALS NITE OUT - inviting all St. Francis Women

GUYS NITE OUT - inviting all St. Francis Men

Second Thursday, May 9

Parkway Grille at the Hilton in Wilsonville

We'll start gathering at 5:00 for Happy Hour.

We'll order food around 5:30 or so.

Arrive as early as traffic allows.

Agenda: Get to know one another better. Go home happy, having had a good time.

Facilitators: Doug Horton & Gary Thompson

Co-Sponsors: Don Nash & John Wisecaver

Dinner Church

Our next gathering for Dinner Church will be May 26, at 5 pm in the Parish Hall. Father Brendan will make the main dish and we will have a potluck for sides, salads, and desserts. There is a sign-up sheet in the Information Center. We will have dinner, break bread, and celebrate the Eucharist.

Ladies Lunch

Our next Ladies Lunch will be on Tuesday, May 21, at 11:45 am, location TBD. A sign-up sheet is in the Information Center.

Questions? Contact Peggy Danford or Sandi Thompson.

Eyeglasses and Hearing Aid Collection

Please continue to bring your old eyeglasses and hearing aids and put them in the boxes in the Information Center. The Lion's Club picks them up when they are full.

Taizé Prayer at St. Francis

For a time of prayer, reflection, and peace, please join us for Taizé prayers at the Cross of San Daminano.

The San Damiano Cross was one of a number of crosses painted with similar figures during the 12th century in Umbria. The purpose of an icon cross was to teach the meaning of the event depicted and thereby strengthen the faith of the people. Jesus Christ is represented both as wounded and strong.

Taizé Prayer is a simple, meditative form of worship, calling us to dwell deeply on Christ's presence around and within us. Mantra songs (like "Jesus, Remember Me"), prayerful silence, and short readings guide the focus of the prayer in a candle-lit environment.

Come at 5:00 pm for the service or 4:30 pm if you would like to sing through the chants prior to the serve.

Our next Taizé Prayer service will be Sunday, May 5.

Did You Know? - Pew Chairs

The nave has a seating capacity of 180. Folding chairs were used in the School House, so before moving into the Parish Hall, each member bought a pew chair, which remains in use today. The pew chairs are unique in that they can be separated and turned around for organ concerts and other events.

Ministry Prayers – Worship Communications Ministry

Each week, in our Prayers of the People, we pray for a ministry here at St. Francis. This week, we pray for our Worship Communications Ministry. The Worship Communications Ministry at St. Francis is made up of representatives of each ministry connected with worship: Acolytes, Adult Formation, Altar Guild, Choir/Bells, Festival Committee, Greeters, Hospitality, Lectors, LEM/Intercessory Prayer, Newcomers, Special Ministries, Stewardship, Ushers, Video Ministry, Vestry, Welcome Team, Young People, and Clergy. As you can see there are a lot!

Worship at St. Francis involves all these ministries directly or indirectly, though the ministries work independent of each other. And as you know, we have many worship events throughout the year!

The purpose of the Worship Communications Ministry is to help us share, inform, learn, inspire, assist, and support each other - "for the right hands to know what the left hands are doing." It is so helpful when each ministry is present at our meetings three or four times a year. Each time, we review the past season’s events for improvements, and we look ahead to the coming season’s events for coordinated planning. If you have a suggestion or concern, you are welcome to contact the Worship Communications Ministry chairs (Gay Kuykendall or Apryl Garmon) or attend a meeting.

Parish Outreach

Wilsonville Food Bank

The food bank is in need of CEREAL, TOILET PAPER, and TISSUES. They do NOT need peanut butter at this time. They also do not need fruit, rice, or pasta, and cannot store fresh fruit. Please put any donations in the cart in the Narthex. A volunteer takes the food to the Food Bank every Tuesday.