The St. Francis Christmas Pageants will be held at 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24th. Sign-up sheets for all parts have been posted in the narthex.  The pageant is primarily done by teens and adults as a gift to the children, but we are hoping to have as many children as possible participate as angels. Lisa Cherrier and Kim Vuona will lead children's rehearsals on Sundays after the 10:00 a.m. service starting November 30th.  A full cast rehearsal will take place on Sunday December 21st after the 10:00 service.

For those interested in singing for the pageants, high school students especially welcome, please speak to Mary Been. Please note the change from last week's announcement: There will not be rehearsals on Saturdays after the 5:00 p.m. service.

Christmas Eve Festival Choir Rehearsals will start this Sunday, November 30th after the 10:00 a.m. service in the choir room. If you'd like to use your "gift" and sing at the Christmas Eve 9:00 p.m. service, please join us. THOSE WHO SING PRAY TWICE.

During the coming season of Advent, please join us on Wednesday evenings for a time of food, fellowship, and reflection. We will gather at 5:30 p.m. for a meal of soup & salad, and starting at 6:00 p.m. we will reflect on the message of Advent using Stan Purdum's book, "Travel the Highways of Advent." Books will be made available for those interested. It's also available on Kindle at Amazon.com. Please put the dates on your calendar: December 3, 10, & 17. A sign-up sheet is on the table in the narthex. If you have any questions, please contact The Rev. Pat Perkins.

Join us on Saturday, December 6 from 9:00 a.m. to noon for an Advent Quiet Day with the theme, "Waiting for God, Waiting for Words." We will be discussing how often in our prayer lives we lack for words or feel as if the words we come up with on our own are lacking and so desire another way, beyond words, to pray. Our time together will primarily focus on the solution to this offered in the book, Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God by Sybil MacBeth, where the author suggests using the simple doodling many of us do as a way to pray. Reading the book ahead of time is not necessary and no artistic ability required! Time will be offered to practice this new method on your own or in the group. Bring your own art supplies if you have them (pens, colored pencils, markers, etc) or use those offered by the church. Sign up on the table in the narthex and contact Karen Safstrom (karen.safstrom@gmail.com) for more information or with questions.  

Angel Gifts for Children in Need  Many thanks to all who took angels and brought in gifts for the children in need. It is important that the gifts get returned as soon as possible as they are taken to the social workers as they come. It gives the workers time to get them to the kids without being bombarded at the last minute. Thanks.

Annual Heifer Living Gift Market on the weekend of December 6th/7th following all worship services with live animals after the 10 a.m. service. Offered by Heifer Project, Rutland, MA. Take this opportunity to 'purchase' animals like pigs, chickens, or goat as a great alternative to commercial gifts. Give a gift that keeps on giving!

Military Christmas Cards What better gift to our military family than to send each of them a Christmas card signed by a multitude of the St. Francis family?

Stop by the library after services the weekend of December 13/14, to sign Christmas cards for those military men and women on our prayer list. You will find each card in its own box, and the person's name will be printed on the box. When you take a card out to sign it, kindly put it back into the same box, so family members can sign their service person's card with personal notes. Veteran's, please feel free to note your branch of the service with your signature.  If you have any questions, please contact Ruth Webb at ruthpwebb@aol.com

Church Mouse Mini Fair on the weekend of December 13/14 following all worship services there will be crafts and baked goods for sale.  A great opportunity for last minute gifts and baked goods for the holiday.

Mesa Farm is at 67 Muschopauge Road in Rutland.  Directions and more info can be found at www.mesafarmrutland.com

For more information call  508-886-6898. 

NuDay Syria... Many thanks for the blanket donations. NuDay Syria Container Packing - Saturday, December 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Nashua, NH. If anyone would like to help with the packing of the containers that are shipped to refugee areas please sign-up sheet in the narthex or call Karen Kappes at 508-208-7658.  It's a great way to see what happens to your donations. 

Buy a Bed for Abby's House...Abby's House provides emergency shelter as well as supported housing for women and children in Worcester. The cost to provide a warm, safe bed in the shelter for a woman or child for one night is $35. Each of our 100 Christmas Tree ornaments this year represents a bed. Please contribute the cost of a bed or whatever you are able to do. You may place your contribution in the basket near the tree, in the offering basket, or at the church office. We also have "Buy a Bed" contribution boxes if you wish to bring it home to encourage your family to save your contribution over time. Checks should be payable to "Abby's House". We will continue this effort through Epiphany. 

Hope for Housing Cards... Available for purchase every 2nd and 4th weekend of the month in the narthex.

Mustard Seed... The second Wednesday of each month. Finger desserts are always welcome and needed. Please deliver them to the church by 5:00 p.m.

Servers this Weekend:

Saturday, Nov 29 - 5:00 p.m. Ushers: John and Lucy Nowak

LEMs: Robin Carlo, Sam Davenport, Sam Dziewietin

St. Francis Webpage 

Sermon Archives 

70 Highland Street, Holden, MA 01520

Office Phone: 508-829-3344  

Email: stfran@verizon.net  

Web page: www.stfrancisholden.org

          @StFrancisH

Worship Schedule

Saturdays at 5:00 p.m.  | Sundays at 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. | Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.