scampbell@ppcsinc.org or 314.603.9991.

The Thanksgiving Raffle was an incredible success!  A little over 69% of the Sts. Clare & Francis community participated in the event and raised $10,005.00!!!  Congratulations to the following community members whose names were drawn during the festive potluck dinner on November 10th:

• Grand Prize Winners: Josephine and Kenneth Ludwig
• First Runner-Up: Lisa Von Stamwitz
• Second Runner-Up: Marilyn Koncen

A huge thank you goes out to all of the folks who demonstrated their support for our church during this fundraiser.

A special word of thanks goes to the members of the Fundraising Committee and the team leaders.  This fundraiser was our most successful ever, netting $8,500.  That was due in large part to your generosity and hard work. On behalf of the whole Community of Sts. Clare & Francis, thank you for your efforts on behalf of all of us! 

Your brother, Frank

For 4 - 6 months we are going to experiment with adding a Sunday mass once a month.  We are not changing the Saturday liturgy in any way.  Nor do we intend to.  However we have been told by some that they are not able to attend on Saturday evenings sometimes (or ever) and that they would like to have a Sunday mass option.  Mass will be held on the second Sunday of each month for the next 6 months, with Jessica and Frank alternating as presiders.  We'll begin on December 9th.  Janelle Carron has offered her home as a venue during this time of experimentation.  Let her know you are interested in coming so she can give you her address: janellecarron@earthlink.net.  A small group intends to be there each time; so you won't be the only one there!  Spread the word.  All are welcome!

John and Ginny Dahlberg, who are members of SCF, have agreed to help start a "mission" in Belleville.  A mission is a kind of "starter community" that is sponsored and supported by a more stable community.  They agreed to help us provide an ECC presence in Belleville for a core group of interested persons who found out about us during our "Alternative Catholic" campaign on St. Louis Public Radio.  

They celebrate the Eucharist  every other Saturday at 4:30 pm in John and Ginny's home.  The next Mass will be on November 26th.  Rev. Kay Schmitt, a parishioner at SCF and an ECC priest, will preside.  If you would like to attend, call 618-334-8395 or e-mail milwginny@att.net to get directions.   

Here we grow again!  Get the Word Out!  Click here to read Ginny's report.  Each month Ginny will be reporting to the Parish Council about how things are going.  

If you were asked to lead a prayer in front of a group, would you feel out of place?  If someone asked you what it was like for you to pray, would you not quite know what to say?  Does meditation seem like something other people do?  Would you like to learn the basics of prayer?  Frank Krebs is going to have a series of classes on the first three Thursdays of December at church on the basic "how-to"s of prayer.  It's a way to celebrate Advent as a preparation time for meeting our God.  Also if you would like, Frank would be willing to visit your small group or to work with you individually around these same practices.  You may reach him at fekrebs@msn.com.  

If you would like to help your neighbor in need this Christmas, please take an ornament with a designated gift or gift card from our giving tree in the back of church.

Gifts, gift cards, or cash must be returned to church by Saturday, December 8, 2012.  Please do not wrap the gifts.

This year at the Synod, Scott Jenkins, pastor of Church of the Holy Family in Aurora Colorado, preached a moving homily at a Celtic Mass. Sprinkled with his characteristic wit, he shared poignant stories and challenged us to not let fear define our fate. "God is alive and working outside the walls of even radical people like us!" The video of the Celtic Mass can be seen here. Scott's homily begins at 28:05.

Giving Thanks

Sunday, November 18, 2012

2:00 pm

Nancy & Terri's house

The Alternative Liturgy team is inviting everyone to our Thanksgiving Liturgy. If you or someone you know would like to spend some special time to give thanks in an atmosphere filled with listening, song, Native American chants, ritual and quiet, please join us.

Talk to Nancy or Terri at church on Saturday, or call 314.346.6654 if you need directions.

Social Justice Committee Book Study

December 1, 2012

4:00 pm

Fireside Room

The Social Justice Committee invites everyone to join us for our book study of The Hole in Our Gospel: What does God expect of Us? The Answer that Changed my Life and Might Just Change the World by Richard Stearns. 

We will meet on the Saturdays above to discuss the book. It challenges us to embrace all of the gospel through the story of Rich Stearns, who discovered the full power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to change his own life. He uses his journey to demonstrate how the gospel - the whole gospel - was always meant to be a world changing social revolution, a revolution that begins with us.  It is available from Amazon - new, used, or as a Kindle edition.

"An urgent, powerful summons to live like Jesus. Stearns weaves solid theology, moving stories, and his own journey of faith into a compelling call to live the whole Gospel. Highly recommended!"

--Ronald J. Sider, President, Evangelicals for Social Action, 

Author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger