Love God,
Love Others,
Serve the World

Weekly enews
Jan 1st - 8th 2015

This Sunday
January 4th, 2015

The Feast of the Epiphany  
 
 


Join us for Worship

Sundays
8am Rite I Eucharist
  
10am
Choral Eucharist
Rite II

Wednesdays
12:10
Eucharist Rite I

 

 

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What's Happening...

This Sunday - Epiphany Gift-giving
Epiphany Greek meaning "showing forth".

On Epiphany we remember the three Magi, the wise men who brought gifts to the Christ child. This Sunday, your child(ren) are invited to bring forth a special gift they received this year for Christmas, for a blessing from Mother Sarah at the 10:00 service.

Furthermore, your child(ren) can offer up (donate) a toy they have outgrown--one that can still bring joy to a child who might have very little.
 
At Coffee Hour Enjoy a piece of the Kings Cake
King cakes originated in Europe as a celebratory food of the Feast of Epiphany,
or Twelfth Night Celebration.
The cakes represented the three kings who traveled to celebrate Christ's birth and often contained a bean or trinket that represented the Christ child. King cake parties became a festive tradition in Western Europe during the 17th century.

Instant Choir This Sunday!
This Sunday January 4th - Meet in the Choir Room at 9am
This is a great chance to come try out singing with the choir! On Sunday morning, we will gather 9:00 to learn music for that day's service.
All are welcome! Come join us!
Questions? Contact Jeannie Cobb.
Farewell Celebration For The Phelps Family
Sunday, January 25 after the 10 am service
Mo. Sarah and her family (husband Mike, and son Sam) will be making their move to Raleigh, North Carolina at the end of January and we'd like to send them off in our regular St. Francis fashion -- with a great fellowship event! More details will follow, but for now, please save this date for a blessing during the 10 am service and a farewell celebration to follow. 
Date Change For Annual Parish Meeting
New date: Sunday, February 8, 2015 (following the 10 am service)
Due to the timing of Mo. Sarah's departure, we have rescheduled our Annual Parish Meeting. Normally, our Parish Meeting is held on the last Sunday of January, but as that day will be Sarah's last day with us, we'll hold a Farewell Celebration after the 10 am service in place of the Annual Meeting. Our Annual Parish Meeting will be held two weeks later on Feb 8. The Annual Meeting will begin with a potluck lunch and includes our annual "look back" at the year past, and a "look ahead" to 2015. New Vestry Members and delegates for our Annual Diocesan Convention will be elected, and the budget for 2015 will be presented. .
Hof's Hut Fundraiser thank you!
Thanks again to all who attended the first ever restaurant fundraiser on November 18, 2014 at Hof's Hut in Torrance.  Our proceeds from the restaurant, from the 15% of all diners checks, was $406.83!
To put this amount into context, with that amount we were able to purchase the following items for Jackeline at the beginning of the school year:  Graphing Calculator for her math class and desk pad- $85.98, a 3-Year Warranty for her Mac laptop- $183, Microsoft Office for Mac -$139.99 for a grand total of $408.97--very close to our proceeds from the restaurant.
The St. Francis Outreach Scholarship Fund attempts to purchase specific items tailored to the student's needs.  We thank you again for helping us with this mission.
Senior Warden Update on Pastoral Transition
Click here to read the text of the announcement by our Senior Warden - Fabrizio Pelá, giving the latest update on the process of our pastoral transition.
Please feel free to give feedback, or speak privately to Fabrizio, or any of our Vestry members regarding the transition. You may contact them via email to Mary Sanchez in the church office - or just catch them at coffee hour! Your voice will be heard.
A Prayer for Pastoral Transition
As our Rector, Mo. Sarah, and her family prepare for their move to North Carolina at the end of January and our parish enters a period of pastoral transition, let us root and ground ourselves in prayer - click here to read.

Coming Up! 

Dawn Unity - Faith Versus Fact
"Faith Versus Fact" 7:30 Tuesday January 13,
right here at St. Francis.
Throughout our lives from our earliest encounters with religion all of us have to consider what in our religion is based on fact and what is beyond proof and must be accepted on faith.
The panel will share the ways each of them has considered this question and how they help their congregants as each searches for their own answers.
Full details here...
You Can Help us Save Paper
Have you remembered our worship bulletins are online? There's a link in this very enews - and they are usually available on the website by the Friday before worship. Download them to your tablet or smartphone in advance, or just follow along online on the website on Sunday morning.
bulletins
Find this week's readings in our Worship bulletins online.

Sermons Online below - or click here for our full sermon archive.

Need a prayer, or to talk with the clergy? 

Contact Mo. Sarah or Mo. Paula
or via the church office on 310-375 4617.   

 

You are not interrupting our work -  

you ARE our work!

 

Or just come to any or all of our services, and take a moment to sit quietly, light a candle in memory, or to symbolize your feeling, and let God be God - in you - for a few small, still moments. With blessings and prayers for comfort and love. 

Comment and Share!
Do you find our enews useful? Are there more items you'd like to see? Let us know... 
And feel free to hit the Forward email link at the bottom of the page to spread the Word to friends and family...
Moved Recently? 
Changed your Name or Phone number?
 
Please Let us Know.. In order to keep all our records current, don't forget to let the office know if you or your family's details have changed.  Email mary.sanchez@stfrancispv.org with your changes. Many thanks.