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Parish Council News
For notes from the November 7 Parish Council Meeting, click here.
The agenda for the December 19 Parish Council Meeting can be found here.
Members
(click name to contact by e-mail):
Therese Gabriel
Nancy Wamser
Michelle Smith (Chair)
Mary Crecelius
Marty Campbell
Jessica Rowley
Jennifer Reyes Lay
Frank Krebs
Bob Leible
Bill Schwindt
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This Week
"At a Glance"
Thursday, December 6
6:30 pm Prayer Practices 101
Friday, December 7
7:00 am Contemplative Prayer
Saturday, December 8
9:00 am Yoga
5:00 pm Mass
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Want to add an event to the calendar? Contact Jessica (314.918.2766).
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ECC Midwest
Partner Communities
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Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Little Rock, Arkansas
Tulsa, Oklahoma
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General Info
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The Parish 0ffice is located at Eden Theological Seminary, 483 East Lockwood, Suite 3, St. Louis, MO 63119.
Frank and Jessica are available for appointments. You can reach them at...
Jessica: 314.283.4697,
Frank: 314.740.1160.
We have an initiative to connect people to small faith sharing groups. If you are interested in joining a small group, please contact Jessica Rowley (314.918.2766 or email).
We Tithe as a parish and we need your recommendations
We donate 10% of our collections to worthy causes. We do this as an act of faith, trusting that, in doing this, we will still be able to meet our financial needs. Please let the Parish Council know about worthy organizations that you would like us to contribute to. Information needed: your name, name of organization you are suggesting, to whom check should be made payable, where to send check and to whose attention. Please send your suggestions to Marilyn Tenholder.
Matthew 25 The Matthew 25 Fund helps members in our community who need financial assistance. All information concerning the people with whom we work is held in the strictest confidence. If you would like to contribute to this fund, make your check payable to Matthew 25, and place it in the collection basket. If you need assistance from the fund, contact Peggy Montgomery.
Membership Care Prayer List
If you have a joy or concern you would like to share on the prayer list please contact someone on the pastoral team. We have a SafeChurch Policy to protect our children and other vulnerable populations. |
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Please keep our Schnucks E-Scrip fund raiser in mind when you shop. If you don't already have an E-Scrip card, please call Marilyn Tenholder (314.323.1467) and she will get one to you. There is no charge and all you have to do is activate it by either a phone call or by going online. Simply show the card when you check out and a percentage of your purchase cost will be rebated back to Sts. Clare & Francis. Thank you!
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Liturgies at Ackert Park
Skilled Care Community
894 Leland
University City, MO 63130
1st and 3rd Sundays of the Month
9:00 am
Led by Michelle Smith
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COMMUNITY CORNER...
our family news
(It is good for us to know what's happening in each other's lives. If you have any news you'd like to share with the community, please email Steve ).
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The Weekly News
December 6, 2012
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First Week of Advent
Saturday, December 8, 2012
5:00 pm
Presider/Homilist: Jessica Rowley
Readers: Ceci Paul, Elizabeth Seitz
Eucharistic Ministers: Mary Ellen Kruger, Art Maines, Joann Noll
If you are not able to serve in your scheduled ministry, please let Steve know when you get a substitute so that we can publish the correct names in the newsletter. Thanks.
scampbell@ppcsinc.org or 314.603.9991.
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Fair Trade 
December 8, 2012
Sue Stolze will again be peddling yummy FAIR TRADE chocolates and coffee products in the gathering spaces at church this Saturday. Purchasing Fair Trade items helps producers in developing countries to make better trading conditions and promotes sustainability.
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Advent Quiet
Beginning December 9, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
The Sundays of Advent
 With the Christmas season approaching, many of us will find ourselves stressed out with the shopping, partying, and many other activities we will face. Taking time out to be quiet and reflect on the meaning of God's dwelling among us can be something of a luxury. To make it a bit easier, the Peace UCC church sanctuary will be open for quiet meditation every Sunday evening during advent (December 2, 9, 16 and 23) from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Feel free to stop by for a few minutes, an hour, or more to relax, rejuvenate and remember the good news that Jesus brought to the world.
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Saturday Morning Yoga
Saturdays at 9:00 am
Practice yoga with a warm, open community every Saturday morning, 9:00 - 10:30 am at the church (204 E. Lockwood Ave. Webster Groves 63119). We will begin this week, November 24th. This class is open to all to nurture mind, body, and spirit. Our instructor, Jeff Miller, has a gift for teaching, offering helpful individualized instruction to both beginners and advanced students. This is a donations-based class, pay what you can (most studio yoga classes cost $10-15 per session). Do not let cost stand in your way of participating. E-mail Jeff if you would like to receive class updates via e-mail. Contact Jeff Miller (mefjillito@gmail.com) or Jessica Rowley (jessica.rowley@stsclareandfrancis.org) with questions.
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Christmas Mass
Sts. Clare & Francis will celebrate Christmas Mass on Tuesday, December 25th at 10:00 am.
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Sunday Mass Experiment
Beginning December 9, 2012, 10:00 am
Second Sunday of the month
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!
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Christmas Giving in our own Backyard
As a small group initiative, we are collecting Christmas gifts for the children and teens of Epworth Home and its many programs (learn about them at epworth.org). As some of you may know, Epworth is our neighbor just around the corner at 110 N. Elm, and their needs are many. 
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.
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 Homilies
Jessica's homily from December 1, Chaos Is Extremely Good News, and all homilies from Sts. Clare & Francis are available at http://scfhomilies.posterous.com.
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Sponsored by Friends of SCF
Catholic Monologues
The Catholic Action Network invites you to add your voice to a new theatrical piece called the Catholic Monologues. We each have a unique story about being Catholic. What do you love about being Catholic? What do you wish you could change? Why do you stay in the church, or what prompted you to leave? The Catholic Monologues will make its debut performance in St. Louis, and it could include your story! For more information, see the flyer here.
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English Tutoring Project
Plowsharing Crafts
Noodles And Co.
Friday, December 7, PLOWSHARING CRAFTS in the Delmar Loop is sharing 15 - 20% of its sales from 6:00 to 9:00 pm with the ENGLISH TUTORING PROJECT, which serves immigrant children in St. Louis.
AND on that same evening, if you eat at NOODLES AND CO. in the Delmar Loop between 4:00 and 10:00 pm and mention the English Tutoring Project when you order, they will donate 25% of sales to the English Tutoring Project.
Sound like a fun evening? I think so!! Thanks to generous local merchants who make the world better.
Sue Stolze
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Dance Discovery
Sunday, December 9, 2012
1:00 pm
History Museum Grand Hall
Linda Hibbitts will be performing at the History Museum on Sunday, December 9, 2012 with an Historical Dance Group called Dance Discovery. The Colonial era dancing will begin at 1pm in the Grand Hall. To preview similar dances, you may go to youtube.com & type in Dance Discovery St. Louis. For more information about Dance Discovery and a photo gallery, please visit www.dancediscovery.org.
After our performance, we will be inviting audience members to get up & dance with us, so consider coming out to the Museum & joining us! (And you can't beat the price either! It's free...)
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Il Ritiro Franciscan Retreat Center
December 28, 2012 - January 1, 2013
Franciscan Hermitage Retreat
7935 St. Francis Lane
Dittmer, MO 63023
636-274-0554
Il Ritiro Franciscan Retreat Center offers private, preached, and directed retreats in a quiet and beautiful woodland setting in the foothills of the Ozarks. There will be a Franciscan Hermitage Retreat offered from Dec.28, 2012 - Jan 1, 2013. It will combine communal prayer and Liturgy with time for personal prayer and contemplation, and enjoyment of the natural surrounding beauty. A wonderful way to welcome in the New Year without the bells and whistles.
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random sightings
wisdom...reflection...insight...amusement
Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged.
They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon.
It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.
G.K. Chesterton
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