A Message From The Associate Rector

With the arrival of September many members of the St. Francis community are returning from their summer vacations to find that there has been a lot of change in the last few months at St. Francis.   At the end of May we said goodbye to our beloved rector of fifteen years, the Rev. Canon Rich Simpson, as he left to become Canon to the Ordinary to Bishop Fisher. Then at the end of August we said goodbye to Charles Nwachukwu, our Minister of Music of the last ten years, as he set off for Chicago to finish his medical degree.  Within a month span we have also had two significant deaths in our community. Alice Carr, one of our founding members and writer of our history, died in July and the Rev. Dick Hennigar, member and assisting priest of St. Francis and retired priest of our diocese, died in August. Any one of those events alone is enough to leave a congregation grieving from the changes they produce within a community, but all four in a short span of time can leave that community reeling from such a great cumulative loss and large amount of change all at once.

Even for all we do to avoid them, change and loss are constants in our lives. Some changes we welcome - a marriage, the birth of a child, a new job, or a new home. While other changes we may dread - a divorce, a child heading off to college, or the death of a loved one. What every change, good or bad, has in common is that it goes hand in hand with loss. Because when change comes it means that we must say good-bye to our old reality as our new reality takes hold. It means that something always must die before something new comes to life.

I have been reminded of that this summer as even in the midst of the deaths and endings happening in our community, I have also seen new life springing forth in our life together. That promise of new life in the midst of death was most evident the last weekend of August, a few days after we buried Dick and the same weekend we said our final good-bye to Charles. In worship that weekend we baptized four children and welcomed them to the Body of Christ. As they were baptized we heard God's promise proclaimed that as we are buried with Christ in his death in baptism, we also share in his resurrection as we are reborn by the Holy Spirit. In the midst of our loss and grief God was not content to leave us there. Instead, God reminded us of God's eternal presence with us and God's Word of hope and new life, reminding us that with God, what seems like an ending is often really a new beginning.

"Always being made new" was the theme this past August as my denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met in its Churchwide Assembly in Pittsburgh. That theme comes from 2 Corinthians 5:17, "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" The message of "always being made new" reminds us that even in the midst of great change, turmoil, and loss God does not abandon us, but is there making us new through our baptism into Christ. God is there even in what seems like the worst of times, raising us up from the ashes of the old and bringing new life and hope out of our grief and loss.

As this theme encouraged the ELCA of God's faithfulness in the midst of great change in the denomination this summer as we elected our first female presiding bishop, may it encourage this community of St. Francis also as we go through this time of great change in our life together.   May it remind us that even as we grieve so much loss to our community, God is present in the midst of it all promising hope, bringing life from death, and raising us up to make us new. God is with us, reminding us that through our baptism into the Body of Christ we never walk alone; instead, we walk with a community of fellow believers who are living reminders to one another of the power of resurrection and God's promise of new life in Christ. I pray that we may continue to be reminders of that promise to one another in the coming months that are sure to bring much more change with the arrival of the Rev. Randy Wilburn as Interim Rector, Mary Been as Interim Minister of Music, and that will eventually bring a new permanent Rector.  These will be times filled with great change, but also times of great blessings too as God will be right there with us on the journey continually making us new!

In Christ,

Karen

Updates from Youth Group

I wanted to make the congregation aware of some changes with Youth Group this year.  As many of you know, I am technically the Interim Youth Minister.  I was asked by Rich to take this role when Jill had to leave earlier than expected a year and a half ago.  At the time I was in the middle of transitioning back to Massachusetts from Nevada with my husband and hoped that we would settle in an area close to St. Francis that would allow me to apply to be the permanent Youth Minister.  Unfortunately, we did not settle close by and as some of you are aware, I have been commuting back to Holden from out by Boston each Sunday.  While I loved my time as Interim Youth Minister, the commute was too much and I was beginning to feel the need to begin to worship in a congregation closer to home.  I had spoken with Rich last winter and the original plan was to begin a search for a new Youth Minister that would allow me to transition out this fall.  This plan was shared with the youth and their parents at the end of the school year last year. 

However, due to St. Francis transitioning to a new rector, we have come up with a new plan.  I will continue in the role of Interim Youth Minister for another school year with some changes to how this role will look.  The biggest change for the year and one that I am very excited about is the addition of an Interim Assistant to the Youth Minister.  Jacqueline Galvinhill will be filling this role as she takes a year off between high school and college.  Jacqueline has been assisting with Rite13 and will take more of a leadership role with this group as well as assist with J2A this year.  Please join me in congratulating Jacqueline on her new role!

Additionally, we have asked Lori Churchill to be our volunteer Youth Mission Coordinator and she has accepted!  Lori will be working with Karen Safstrom and myself to plan and coordinate the big mission trip during the summer, CropWalk, and other mission focused events with the youth throughout the year.

With the assistance of Jacqueline, Karen, Lori, our two adult leaders, Greg McGurin and Laura Caswell, and our teen leader with Rite13, Caroline Galvinhill, I will be able to do more coordinating from home and not have to make the drive to Holden on a weekly basis.  I will still be at Youth Group periodically throughout each month as well as present for all our major events throughout the year but will no longer be as present during Sunday worship.  The plan is to then form a search committee and begin to look for a new Youth Minister in late winter and early spring so that we have someone in place for the following year.

I know that you will all continue to be patient and understanding with this change as we work through this transitional period as a congregation.  Please keep Jacqueline, Karen, Greg, Laura, Caroline, Lori and myself,  as well as the youth, in your prayers as we put this new plan into action this September!

The Youth Group Calendar has been emailed out to parents and put on the church website.  If you are a parent of an incoming 6^th grader or a youth who for whatever reason did not attend youth group last year and want to be added to our email list, please email me at lizkorandanis@gmail.com. 

Youth Group begins on Sunday Sept. 15^th with Rite13 (grades 6-8) meeting from 4-5:30 pm and J2A (grades 9-12) meeting from 6:30-8:30 pm.  All youth will need to fill out a current permission form (found either online or outside of the church office) and bring it with them that first Sunday.

God's Peace,

Liz

Youth Mission Opportunity

St. Francis will be coordinating a youth mission trip for high schoolers July 27-August 1, 2014. We will be traveling to San Diego, CA for a Week of Hope with Group WorkCamps. This week will be an opportunity to provide community service in a multicultural setting. Cost is $229 plus airfare (to be determined). $50 deposits are required by Sept. 22, 2013 to reserve a slot. Teens do not need to be a member of St. Francis in order to join this mission trip. Please contact Lori Church, Coordinator of Youth Mission, for more information at lchurchill@mac.com or 978-928-4159.

Annual Church Mouse Fair

Saturday, October 19, 2013

9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon

Return to Regular Worship Schedule

This weekend, August 31/September 1, we return to our regular worship schedule:

Saturdays at 5:00 p.m.

Sundays at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday Eucharist at 7:00 p.m. in the church

Supply Priests

Our supply clergy for September is as follows (supply priests are in bold):

Aug 31/Sept 1 - Darrell Huddleston

Sept 7/8 - Dan Strong - Celebrant

                   Lori Churchill - Preacher

Sept 14/15 - Karen Safstrom

September 21/22 - Kathryn White 

Church School Start-Up!

Aug. 28:  Registration begins

Sept. 8:  Move-Up Day - Classes begin at 9:45.

The Church School is available for children who are in preschool (age 3 by September 1^st) through grade 5.

Registration forms need to be completed on all students, even if they are not new to the program, since these forms are given to this year's teachers. 

A notice with room assignments will be available on the registration table.  

 If you have any questions about this program, please contact the Church School Coordinator, Susan Bastardo, at (508) 829-0600 or SMBslp22@hotmail.com.   

Confirmation Class 2013/2014

Confirmation at St. Francis is open to those going into the 10th grade or older.  

Letters were sent out in June to this  fall's 10th graders.  If you are going into the 10th grade or higher and did not receive a letter, and would like to be in this year's class, please contact Karen H. in the church office at 508-829-3344 or email stfran@verizon.net.

Skype Calls with Tom and Dianne Wilson

We are planning to have calls with the Wilsons via Skype every other Monday night at 7:30 p.m. from the library at St. Francis to maintain fellowship and to learn more about their mission work in El Salvador. Technology not necessary. A PC will be set up in the library for this purpose. Our next call will be Monday, September 9th. Anyone who is interested in participating is welcome to attend. If anyone has questions, they can contact Dick Welch , Julie Mankowsky, or Lori Churchill. 

It's Picnic Time! 

Join your St. Francis family for a picnic on the church grounds right after the 10:00 a.m. service on Sunday, September 15th until 1:30 p.m. It will be a great opportunity to share a meal, reconnect after the summer, play games and try out the Labyrinth, located behind St. Clare House. Cost is $5 per person, $10 per family, and all you need to bring is a salad or dessert. Burgers, dogs, sausage, and beverages will be provided. Please sign up in the Narthex or reply to Dawn Rooke at dtrooke@gmail.com, so that we will know how many to shop for. Let's hope for a gorgeous sunny day, but this event will be held, RAIN or SHINE! 

Profile Committee Update

The Profile Committee's mission is to write an up-to-date, accurate and honest profile of St. Francis, of who we are today.  The Profile will be used to communicate who we are to clergy who may feel called to serve as our next rector.

This summer, we've interviewed over 20 ministries and missions of St. Francis. Thank you to all who shared their thoughts with us! We're now compiling these for the Profile.

Ed Farrell, the Transition Ministry Officer for the Diocese of Western Massachusetts, will facilitate congregation-wide listening events following the services on the weekend of September 21/22.  Please save the date as we need your input to create a St. Francis profile.  Thank you!

Cynthia McIntyre, Chair

Dick Delorme, Caroline Galvinhill, Jane Howell, Julie Mankowsky, Greg McGurin, Nancy Pope, Dawn Rooke 

Monthly Lectionary

If you enjoy reading the scripture readings ahead of time they can be found by clicking here.  You will find the Propers that we use for each weekend, as well as the Lesser Feasts and Fasts that happen through the week.