From the Rector
Fr. Len Giacolone
New Church 2017
In November we learned that our dream of being in the new church building by Christmas would not be realized. Due to some additional requirements by the City of Austin (something about dampers for the air conditioning system) our likely target date would be sometime in January. Please continue to pray that this will actually come true and that we can finally move on with our ministry in the new church.
Diocesan Conventions are not the best way that I know to have fun. I suppose that's not what they're there for. Any organization must do its business and we did that for this year at the 34th annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. The convention began on Friday evening with a Eucharistic celebration at Good Shepherd Anglican Church in Granbury, the host congregation for the convention. Bishop Iker celebrated and Canon David Roseberry of Christ Church in Plano gave the homily. This was followed by dinner at the Granbury Convention Center. The business meeting took place on Saturday morning at the convention center with a series of reports from various organizations in the diocese, as well as the passing of a 1.6+ million dollar budget for 2017. Bishop Iker gave a sort of state of the diocese report in which St. Francis, Austin, was mentioned for its building program along with two other parishes in the diocese which are also building a church. I want to thank Ed Sandlin who was our lay delegate to the convention for attending and participating. It occurs to me that I might not have thanked John Hatley for doing the same last year. These men are volunteers, as many of you are. Doing things like this takes time and effort, so I do want to acknowledge their participation.
One of the reports was from the Diocesan Evangelization Committee. Their work includes going to different parishes in the diocese to help train and encourage evangelization. For years I have been telling you that each of us must be spreaders of the gospel. I haven't provided a lot of details and so I thought it might be a good idea to see what we can learn from some folks who actually know how to do it. I will be conferring with Father Scott Wilson who heads the committee to see what they can help us do along these lines so that we can attract not just new members, but souls for the kingdom. More to come on this.
Christmas 2016
On Saturday Evening, December 24, at 8:00 pm, we will have Traditional Lessons and Carols followed by a celebration of the Christmas Eucharist. We have done the same version of Lessons and Carols since I have been here (which is longer than any of you have been here) and so this year we're going to change it up a bit. I have borrowed the readings this year from the King's College version of Lessons and Carols and although some of the readings are the same, you will be hearing some different ones as well. We will also be doing some different music, too. Our Music Director, Paula Blaha, is working on a marvelous pre-service program (starting about 7:40) that includes a string quartet, and the choir, under Amy Crandell's direction is also working on some beautiful selections for the service. Please plan to attend.
Even though Christmas is on a Sunday this year, we will have only one service on Christmas morning, at 10:00 am. If you can't make it on Saturday evening, please try to come on Sunday, Christmas Day. Since Christmas is on a Sunday, New Year's Day is also. We will have our regular schedule of services on January 1, the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.
Before Christmas comes Advent which we began on Sunday. As with Lent, Advent is a time of anticipation and preparation. Since Jesus has already come, Christians today must look toward the next and final coming of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Please use the time of Advent (a full four weeks this year) wisely. He is coming!
Christmas Services
Christmas Eve
- 7:40 PM, Prelude Music
- 8 PM, Lessons and Carols & Holy Communion
- ~9:30, Christmas Reception
Christmas Day
Holy Name of Jesus, Jan. 1
- 9:30 & 11 AM, Holy Communion
Epiphany, Friday, Jan. 6
- 7 PM, Evening Prayer and Epiphany Feast
Sunday School News
Missy Bernard
Advent is here! The children will make Advent wreaths on November 27th with Denise Gentsch, and we will be celebrating the Advent service each week in the classroom. They also will take home Advent calendars and devotional booklets for celebrating Advent in the home. We hope that home Advent celebrations will help families connect in prayer and focus on the true Advent message. We will continue our study and celebration of Advent throughout December, and will conclude the season with an Epiphany lesson in January.
Sunday School will pause on December 25th and January 1st, resuming January 8th.
Operation Christmas Child Boxes
The children packed 84 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child on November 20th! They really enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone who donated gifts and funds for the boxes. We kept receiving items all through the morning on packing day and they came in so handy! Your thoughtfulness and generosity in choosing items is so appreciated.
Please pray for the children who will be receiving these gifts. It is wonderful how much joy they bring. Here is a video we shared last year showing a group of schoolchildren in Burundi as they receive their boxes. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
90 Seconds of Joy
Anglicans for Life
Steve McCown
40 Days for Life a great success!
The St. Francis chapter of Anglicans for Life would like to report that the 40 Days for Life campaign was successful both in Austin and nationally. Locally, sidewalk counselors handed out at least 350 brochures to clients and would be clients of abortion centers that detailed life affirming alternatives. In Austin, at least two women decided to choose life for their babies and there are reports that approximately 500 women nationally did likewise.
In response to pro-life initiatives such as 40 Days for Life, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards is reported to have said, “These doors stay open!” Yet, the very day she said that, Planned Parenthood announced the closure of an abortion referral center in Scranton, Pennsylvania — a facility where 40 Days for Life volunteers had peacefully prayed for an end to abortion. Also, during the 40 Days for Life UNITED bus tour, Planned Parenthood's doors did not always stay open. In fact, they often closed up shop when they knew that the tour would be drawing hundreds of people to the sidewalks outside for a prayer vigil.
These results should encourage us in participating in the next 40 Days for Life campaign, scheduled to begin on March 1, 2017. Details will become available as that date approaches.
Christmas Poinsettias
If you wish to make a donation for the Christmas poinsettias as a remembrance, memorial or thank offering, please use an envelope from the table at the back of the worship space to enclose your donation. Fill the envelope front out as appropriate and place in the wooden box on the same table.
Women of the Church
The Women of the Church will meet on Sunday, Dec. 4, between services, in the library. Come see how you can be of service to St. Francis Church, especially in light of the upcoming move to the new building.
Pledges are Due
November was designated as pledge month at St. Francis. If you haven't already, fill out a pledge card for the operating budget and the capital campaign and return as soon as possible so the Vestry can create a budget.
December Readings
12/4 2 Advent
- Isaiah 11:1-10
- Psalm 72:1-8
- Romans 15:4-13
- Matthew 3:1-12
12/11 3 Advent (rose)
- Isaiah 35:1-10
- Psalm 146:4-9
- James 5:7-10
- Matthew 11:2-11
12/18 4 Advent
- Isaiah 7:10-17
- Psalm 24
- Romans 1:1-7
- Matthew 1:18-25
12/24 Christmas Eve
- Genesis 3:8-19
- Genesis 22:15-18
- Isaiah 9:2-7
- Luke 1:26-38
- Luke 2:1-7
- Luke 2:8-16
- Matthew 2:1-12
- John 1:1-14
12/25 Christmas Day
- Isaiah 9:2-7
- Psalm 96
- Titus 2:11-14
- Luke 2:1-20
Church Calendar
Sundays
- 9:30 AM Said Holy Communion (except 12/25)
- 9:30 AM Sunday School (except 12/25 and 1/1)
- 10 AM Choir Practice (except 12/25 and 1/1)
- 11 AM, Holy Communion (except 12/25) On the first Sunday, this service is sung Morning Prayer with Holy Communion.
Thursdays
- 7 PM, Evening Prayer (except 12/29)
1st Friday, December 2
1st Saturday, December 3
- 9 AM, Prayer Service for our Nation
Sunday, December 4
- ~10:20 AM, Women of the Church meeting, Library
2nd Monday, December 12
3rd Friday, December 16
- 12 PM, Mothers' Prayer Group
3rd Sunday, December 18
- 12:30 PM, Anglicans for Life Meeting.
Christmas Eve, Dec. 24
- 7:40 PM, Prelude Music
- 8:00 PM, Lessons and Carols and Holy Communion
- ~ 9:30 PM, Christmas Reception
Christmas Day, Dec. 25
Diocesan Calendar of Events
Anni Domine 2016-17 |
All meetings are held at the Diocesan Center for Ministry unless otherwise specified.
| November |
| 20 |
|
The Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King |
| |
|
ST. ANNE'S, (Bishop Iker)
CHRIST THE KING and ALL SAINTS' (Bishop Wantland) |
| 21 |
|
Diocesan offices closed |
| 24 |
|
Thanksgiving Day |
| 25 |
|
Diocesan offices closed |
| 27 |
|
The First Sunday of Advent |
| |
|
Discretion |
| |
|
|
| December |
| 3-4 |
|
Youth Rally |
| 4 |
|
The Second Sunday of Advent |
| |
|
ST. JOHN'S, Brownwood |
| |
|
|
| 11 |
|
The Third Sunday of Advent |
| |
|
ST. PAUL'S, Gainesville (Bishop Wantland)
ST. MICHAEL'S, Richland Hills (Bishop Iker) |
| 16 |
6:30 p.m. |
Evensong and reception honoring Fr. Stanley Maneikis
on his 50th anniversary of ordination, St. Alban's, Arlington |
| 18 |
|
The Fourth Sunday of Advent |
| |
|
ASCENSION and ST. MARK, Bridgeport |
| 24 |
|
Christmas Eve |
| |
|
ST. VINCENT'S CATHEDRAL CHURCH, Bedford |
| 25 |
|
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Christmas Day |
| |
|
Discretion |
| 26-30 |
|
Diocesan offices closed |
| |
|
|
| January 2017 |
| 1 |
|
The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ |
| |
|
Discretion |
| 2 |
|
Diocesan offices closed |
| 6-8 |
|
College/Young Adult Weekend, Camp Crucis |
| 8 |
|
The First Sunday after Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord |
| |
|
ST. BARNABAS, Fort Worth |
| |
|
|
The 35th Annual Diocesan Convention
Hurst Convention Center
November 3 & 4, 2017
|
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Birthdays
3 Brian Glenn
14 Bruce Palmer
18 Angie McCown
19 Dinah Arce
30 Genevieve Hatley
Anniversaries![]()
21 Kyle and Leanne Read
30 Arthur and Audrey Woodgate
St. Francis Anglican Church of Austin
A parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth
Diocese Office: 2900 Alemeda St.
Fort Worth, TX 76108
Bishop: The Rt. Rev'd Jack L. Iker, D.D
Rector: The Rev. Canon Len Giacolone
Music Director and Organist: Paula Blaha
Parish Administrator: Mark Rambin
Vestry Members: Senior Warden, Grady Collins; Junior Warden, David Norris; Treasurer, Michael Ready; Secretary, Kevin Burnette; Brendle Glomb, John Hatley, Don St.Martin, Ed Sandlin
Church Group Leaders
Acolytes: Fr. Len Giacolone
Altar Guild: Becky Hunt
Anglicans for Life: Rory Motl
Christian Education for Youth: Missy Bernard, Denise Gentsch, Doug Cooper
Christian Education for Adults: Fr. Len Giacolone
Evening Prayer: Jim Crandell
Home Group Hosts: Claire Ducker, Doug Cooper
Hospitality: Kim and David Norris
Intercessory Prayer Group: Fr. Len and Nancy Giacolone
Mothers' Prayer Group: Charlotte Ready
Newsletter & Pew Sheet: Amy Crandell
Nursery: Missy Bernard & Grace Rowse
Prayer Service for Nation: Amy & Jim Crandell
Prayer Shawl Ministry: Charlotte Ready
Readers: Mark Rambin
St. Claire's Guild: Eileen Cole
St. Polycarp's Guild: Jim Crandell
Ushers: Al Parker
Webmaster: Jim Crandell
Women's Bible Study: Becky Hunt
Women of the Church: Leanne Read
5th Sunday Nursing Home Service: Amy & Jim Crandell
This editor is not much of a tweeter.
|