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From the Rector
Fr. Len Giacolone
On the evening of September 20, several members of the parish attended the 10th Annual Fall Gala sponsored by The Austin Pregnancy Resource Center. This was made possible by a very generous donation from one of our parishioners. It almost always is. This of course is a fund raiser for the organization. But it is so much more than that. It is always a testimony to the work of God and how powerfully He moves when we cooperate with Him in what He wants to do. The founder and Executive Director of APRC, Lori DeVillez, is an example of the mighty work of God in this community. Of course, she rightly gives God all the credit and glory. At the same time, it is always remarkable to hear the story of how APRC got its start and how that multiplied into over twenty pregnancy resource centers in the Austin area. For those of you who want to read about that, Lori's book, God Given, is available on the table in the narthex for whatever donation you wish to make. As you may know, and should know, St. Francis has partnered with APRC for many years and will continue to do so since the cause is just and righteous in God's sight. It has taken a long time, but God's people have made inroads into the abortion culture in this country. That has angered the pro-abortion crowd as you may have witnessed recently during the confirmation process for Judge Kavanaugh. We have a long way to go to make abortion unthinkable once again. But the testimony of God, Lori DeVillez, and the APRC witness to the fact that nothing is impossible with God if His people will be obedient.
Prayer is the key to everything and annual 40 Days for Life campaign is testimony to how God can work when we cry out to Him. Numerous lives have been saved due to the witness of thousands of prayer warriors who, twice a year, take to the streets of Austin and cities around the world to pray for an end to the scourge of abortion. By giving up just one hour a week to pray in front of an abortion facility, (you can do more if you wish) God works to assist those thinking about killing their unborn children to make a better choice. It's not too late to sign up for the fall campaign. Please consider taking a stand for life.
There are several things coming up in the parish in the next few weeks like Operation Christmas Child, and the annual Pledge Drive. I'm sure there will be something later on in this newsletter about OCC and you will hear more from me later on in the month about the pledge drive. As you probably know by now if you have been attending church, there are significant happenings in the diocese about which you should be praying.
Bishop Iker will be retiring at the end of 2019 and the election process for our new bishop is in progress. Members of a nominating committee have already been appointed and more will be named from deaneries throughout the diocese. Nominations will be made by the spring of next year with an election scheduled for early June, and a consecration in September of 2019. After working with Bishop Iker for a few months, the new bishop will be installed in January of 2020. Please continue to pray throughout this process. Good leadership in the church is vital if the church is to work the way God intended it to work. Finally, as I mentioned in church, Bishop Iker needs our prayers for his health, having been diagnosed recently with two types of lymphoma. Please add him to your prayers whenever you come before the heavenly throne.
Father of FATHERLESS, Protector of Widows
Submitted by Steve McCown
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:5
The verse struck me as curious. How is the LORD a Father of the fatherless and a Protector of widows from His holy habitation? Rather, it sounds as if, by being in His holy habitation (a likely reference to heaven), that God was forfeiting His place as Father and Protector. After all, didn't God come to earth to dwell (literally, tabernacle) among us? In Jesus, God drew near. How can God be a father and a protector from a distance?
Among the more inspiring and convicting efforts I know is that of the International Justice Mission (IJM), an organization that seeks to rescue the oppressed and bring justice to oppressors. To do their work, IJM must draw near to the factory where slaves suffer brutal toil and beatings and to the brothel where preteen girls are raped for profit. And they must confront the perpetrators of these crimes and, frequently, the governments that are themselves complicit.
In his book Terrify No More, Gary Haugen, the director of IJM, submits that there is a threefold poverty that accounts for inaction in the face of oppression: a poverty of compassion, a poverty of purpose, and a poverty of hope. Poverty of compassion is, in short, a lack of love for the vulnerable and the oppressed. Poverty of purpose is the way we trifle away much of life, choosing the petty and irrelevant over the great purposes for which we have been fashioned by our Creator. Poverty of hope is the belief that, in the end, nothing can ever really be done because the problems appear, well, just too great. Because of this poverty, evil persists...
The problem is deep, and it is vast.
So why is the Father of the fatherless and the Protector of the widow in His holy habitation?
We find out at the end of the psalm: “Awesome is God from His sanctuary; the God of Israel—He is the one who gives power and strength to His people. Blessed be God!” (Psalm 68:35). The One who reigns from His sanctuary is not distant from the vulnerable. Rather, He gives strength to His people, people who bear His name and reflect His character, who love what He loves, who hate what He hates, people who know the purpose for which they were made, people who are made strong in their weakness by His power at work within them. In short, the LORD from His sanctuary lifts His people from the poverty of love, purpose, and hope. Whether bringing the unwed mother into our homes, adopting a fatherless baby, bearing testimony concerning past involvement in abortion, praying, giving money or time, being politically involved, or making plain the good news that God forgives the sin of abortion, God draws near, as the Father to the fatherless and Protector of the widow, through His people.
Redacted from https://anglicansforlife.org/2018/04/02/fatherless-protector-church-responsibility/
Retirement and Nursing Home Visit
Members of St. Francis have been visiting the Retirement and Nursing Center on Burnet Lane for many years for an hour of singing, praying and Bible reading. Beginning in October, these visits are scheduled on the 2nd Sunday of the month from 3:30-4:30 p.m. All are welcome to join us.
Operation Christmas Child
Missy Bernard
St. Francis' Operation Christmas Child collection will begin this month, to give parishioners a little more time to donate and to give the children more time to prep and pack than in past years. Donations will be collected beginning October 14th. This is an exciting yearly event for the St. Francis youth. We look forward to packing boxes on November 11th. This is St. Francis's 16th year of participation!
How to get involved: Beginning October 14, we will be happy to accept your donations of toys and supplies at the table near the front doors of the church. Below are suggested donation items: St. Francis usually tries to focus on the 5-9 age group. Go here to see a more detailed list than can be included in this newsletter.
- A "Wow" Item - Doll (with accessories), soccer ball (with a pump), stuffed animal, clothing outfit, small musical instrument, backpack
- Personal Care Items
- School Supplies
- Clothing and Accessories
- Craft and Activities
- Toys
Alternately, you may donate funds toward the purchase of gift items, or toward shipping costs for the boxes (OCC suggests a donation of $9 per box for shipping). Please make checks out to St. Francis.
Learn more about this wonderful ministry here.
Please contact me with any questions and suggestions you may have at nelson440@gmail.com. Thank you for your consideration!
40 Days for Life Prayer Campaign
Submitted by Amy Crandell
40 Days for Life began in Bryan/College Station in 2004. The first nationally coordinated 40 Days for Life was in 2007. Since then, this simple and highly effective campaign has been the channel of great miracles:
- Over 700 cities in all 50 states and multiple countries have conducted a 40 day prayer vigil at the local abortion facility.
- At least 45 different countries have conducted a 40 day prayer vigil including: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Congo, Croatia, Denmark, England, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Latvia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Uganda, and Wales.
- Over 14,000 women haven chosen life for children they were going to abort since 2007 – because of the peaceful presence of people in front of the abortion facilities.
- At least 200 workers in abortion facilities have had conversions and quit their jobs.
- At least 95 abortion facilities have closed their doors and shut down for good.
- Thousands upon thousands of men and women with abortions in their past have finally found healing.
40 Days for Life has been a campaign of the Central Texas Coalition for Life since the spring of 2009. Locally, the miracles have been nothing short of amazing:
- Over 263 women have chosen life for babies that were going to be aborted (at least three women were pregnant with twins).
- 12 workers have had conversions and left the abortion industry for good!
- Over 3,000 people have brought prayer to the streets of Austin in front of these abortion facilities.
- People from more than ONE HUNDRED churches have united arm-in-arm at the local 40 Days for Life prayer vigils.
- Thousands of women have been redirected to local pregnancy resource centers for help through their pregnancy and beyond.
- Many men and women with abortions in their past have found healing including many of our volunteers.
- Local newspapers, radio stations and magazines have featured the local 40 Days for Life helping to spread awareness about the injustice we stand against.
Prayer volunteers commit to pray for one or more hours each week during the 40 day vigil in front of one of the abortion facilities in Austin.
- Planned Parenthood at 201 E Ben White Blvd
- Austin Women's Health at 1902 South IH35 (just south of Woodland)
- Whole Women's Clinic at 8401 N Interstate 35 Frontage Rd (just north of 183 on the north bound access road).
You don't need to stand and pray, you are welcome to bring a chair and sit and pray. The current campaign is on-going until Nov. 4.
If you are interested in participating in this life-saving campaign go to CentralTexasCoalition.com to sign-up, email info@CentralTexasCoalition.com or call the Central Texas Coalition for Life office at 512.296.2071 .
Sign-up to receive an informative email through out the year from 40 Days for Life at 40daysforlife.com/subscribe/ . Printed copies of the devotional for the Fall Prayer Campaign are on the Anglicans for Life table in the Narthex.
Diocesan News
New From Bishop Iker
Bishop Iker has had several developments with his health recently. Go to this page for his announcements: http://www.fwepiscopal.org/bishop/bishop.html for more detail.
We are asked to keep him in our prayers. Here is a prayer for Bishop Iker and Donna which Beverley Andrade of Wichita Falls has written for the Daughters of the King and Daughters of the Holy Cross.
Our Heavenly Father God, as our dear Bishop, Your servant, begins these new treatments, following this new additional diagnosis, we prayerfully again seek for Your mercies and healing of him. Dear Lord, we know that at all times You know what is happening, even before we do. Father God, we have put our Bishop Jack in Your healing hands, and we know that You are watching over him.
We pray that he will have a true sense of Your Abiding Presence with him, and that Your Holy Spirit will give our Bishop Jack, Donna and their family, the strength, tolerance and endurance that they are going to need as he goes through this severe health crisis; with the new treatments. We pray Oh Lord that You will continue to guide the medical teams that they will do only that which is needed for the return to good health and welfare of Bishop Jack, and will not prescribe anything that will make him worst.
We ask for these prayers in the Name of our Savior, Christ Jesus. Amen.
Other Diocesan Information
The Diocesan web page can be found here.
Readings
10/7 19 after Trinity, Proper 22
- Genesis 2:18-24
- Psalm 8
- Hebrews 2:9-18
- Mark 10:2-9
10/14 20 after Trinity, Proper 23
- Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
- Psalm 90:1-8, 12
- Hebrews 3:1-6
- Mark 10:17-27
10/21 21 after Trinity, Proper 24
- Isaiah 53:4-12
- Psalm 91:9-16
- Hebrews 4:12-16
- Mark 10:35-45
10/28 22 after Trinity, Proper 25
- Isaiah 59:9-19
- Psalm 13
- Hebrews 5:12-6:1, 9-12
- Mark 10:46-52
Notes on the Readings:
- St. Francis follows the 1979 BCP Lectionary for the lessons (We are in Year B) with the text read from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.
- Each of the Sunday's readings are linked to the page on LectionaryPage.net.
- The Sunday collects and text of the psalms are from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.
- On the second and fourth Sundays, the psalm is chanted at the 11:00 service. The psalm markup is based on the Cathedral Psalter and is a part of the now completed St. Francis Psalter posted on our webpage.
Hosts Needed
Hosts are needed to provide something tasty to eat after the 11:00 service. It is not hard at all when you team up with someone. A group of three families with each bringing one food item is not hard for each family to do and provides plenty of food.
Calendar
Sundays
- 9:30 a.m. Said Holy Communion
- Sunday School for Youth
- 10:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
- 11:00 a.m. Holy Communion with music. On the first Sunday of each month, the service is Morning Prayer with Holy Communion
Thursdays
1st Friday, Oct 5
- 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Games Night
1st Saturday, Oct 6
- 9:00 a.m. Prayer Service for our Nation
2nd Monday, Oct 8
2nd Sunday, Oct. 14
- 3:30 -4:30 p.m. Retirement and Nursing Home Visit
3rd Monday, Oct 15
- 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Readers of First Things group meeting
3rd Friday, Oct 19
- Noon Mothers' Prayer Group
3rd Sunday, Oct 21
- 12:30 p.m. Anglicans for Life Meeting
Anniversaries
2 John and Christina Hatley
3 Len and Nancy Giacolone
7 Robert and Rory Motl
30 Timothy and Morgan McCormick
Birthdays
5 Kevin Burnette
6 Gideon Hatley
8 Mary Sanders
13 Ella Collins
15 Alexandra Jacobs
18 Rudy Montalvo
28 David Norris
29 Kerry Glenn
30 John Hatley
Altar Flowers
If you wish make a remembrance, memorial or thank offering, consider donating for the altar flowers. Use an envelope from the back table to enclose your donation. Fill the envelope front out as appropriate and place in the wooden box on the same table.
Vestry News
At the September meeting, the Vestry voted to approve David Kristo-Reinking to fill the vacancy created when Matt Donnowitz resigned. David will serve until January 2021. Thank you, David, for being willing to serve.
Stained Glass Windows
The stained glass windows in the Nave of the church are wonderfully created works of art with each having Biblical significance. A document describing the stained glass windows has been created and is available for each family to take one copy. Photographs were taken by Matt Donnowitz and edited by Jim Crandell. Fr. Len wrote the text describing each window, and Amy Crandell assembled all in one document.
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