April 2006 - Volume 13.4

The St. Francis Bulletin
FROM THE RECTOR:

Daylight Saving Time is here!

Although it’s not the most important item on the agenda it is of some moment nonetheless. Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, April 2. If you are going to get to all the important business at church on that Sunday (and it’s all important) you will have to set your clocks ahead one hour the evening before. We usually have one or two each year who forget even though the reminders are plentiful. Add this one to the list and don’t be late.
 

Holy Week and Easter
 
Holy Week and Easter fall fairly late this year. Beginning with Palm Sunday on April 9 and ending with the Feast of the Resurrection on April 16, we will again celebrate this year at St. Francis all the great events of Our Lord’s passion, death and resurrection.

Palm Sunday celebrates the Lord’s entry into the great city, Jerusalem just a few days before his death. We will bless the Palm crosses at each of our two Sunday services as well as read the Passion according to St. Mark. There is both joy and sadness associated with this feast. Jesus knew when he entered Jerusalem what would happen to him yet he allowed his disciples to celebrate his messiahship to bolster them for what would come.

On Maundy Thursday, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper at and the institution of the Eucharist at 7:00 pm. On Friday evening, also at 7:00 pm, we remember the Lord’s passion passion and death. We will read the Passion according to St John and also perform the ancient devotion of the veneration of the cross. Our Lenten observance concludes and our celebration of Easter begins with the Solemn Easter Vigil at 7:00 on Holy Saturday. This is the first proclamation of the Lord’s rising from the dead and includes a recitation of the history of salvation from the scriptures. It is also the first Mass of Easter proclaiming “He is risen.” Even if you worship on Easter Sunday morning, I encourage you to attend the Easter vigil.

Finally, on Easter Sunday morning we will have a Holy Communion service at 8:30 and 11:00 am. There will be no Sunday School on Easter Sunday.

Please try to attend as many of these services as possible. I realize how busy every one is. But there is simply no week in the church’s liturgical year like this one and no greater opportunity for us to reflect on the central mystery of our salvation.

Further Lenten Observance

All that being said Lent continues. Each Wednesday evening during Lent we have the Stations of  the Cross with sermon. That’s at 7:00 pm. And on Friday evening we have Evening Prayer at 5:30 pm. These are two additional opportunities to spend some time with the Lord during the week and each only takes 30 minutes or less. There is still time to observe Lent in our preparation for Easter.

Building Information

One other thing you may notice in the next few weeks. The parish hall (meeting room, Sunday school room, multi-purpose building) will be undergoing some renovation. This is necessary so that we might obtain a certificate of occupancy from the city. Some of this may take place before you even get this. Parts of the project may yet to be complete. Anyway, your patience is appreciated. The end product will be worth it.
One final reminder for those who may not have heard this. Our Junior Warden, Keith Harrell, is in the process of having the exterior locks on the buildings changed. Those of you who currently have keys to the buildings will have to have new keys and Keith we be getting in contact with you about that. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NEWS

The Sunday school program at St. Francis continues to have good attendance by children involved and a continued adult interest in teaching a class. Please continue to pray for our Sunday school program.

Thanks to Steve McCown for leading the children in grades 6-12 in a weekly discussion of the lessons appointed to be read during the service and to Clare Ducker and Pam Stephan for working with one of the classes for the younger children.
Thanks to the parents who faithfully bring their children to church at 9:30 each Sunday. Classes will not be held on Easter Sunday, April 16. Due to the pending remodeling of the space where classes are held, classes may be canceled on another Sunday or two during April. Everyone will be notified if and when this happens.

April has five Sundays and the Nursing Home and Retirement Center on Burnet Lane is expecting the St. Francis children and youth to lead the residents in prayer and song on April 30 from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. This is incredibly important to the residents and fairly effortless on our part – it only takes a little more than an hour of our time to bring a bit of joy to the lives of the residents. It is hoped that all the children and youth will participate -Amy Crandell

GAMES NIGHT!

Family Games Night is not for kids only! Do you know that over half the people who come to the Family Games Night could only be considered young in that they are young at heart? Over half the participants are adults – without children at home. On the first Friday of each month, a fun-loving group gathers in the meeting room from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for a light pot-luck dinner and a couple hours of playing some rather unusual board games. If this sounds interesting to you, just come on down and join us!

Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams of thy brightness. Fill us with holy love, and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom. All our desire is known unto thee, therefore perfect what thou hast begun, and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer. We seek thy face, turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory. Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect. -Augustine, 354-430

MOTHERS' PRAYER GROUP

All mothers and grandmothers of the church are invited to attend the mothers’ prayer group at the home of Kay Francis, 10004 Jupiter Hills. The group spends an hour on the second Monday of every month at 11 a.m. praying for their families. For more information, call Kay Francis at (512) 280-6022.

DONATIONS FOR EASTER FLOWERS

If you wish to make a memorial or remembrance contribution for Easter flowers, please see or call Angie McCown or Nancy Critchfield-Jones. Please include a note as to how you wish the acknowledgement to appear in our Order of Worship.

SPECIAL ALTAR GUILD MEETING

Saturday, April 8th (time to be announced later). We will be making Palm Crosses and cleaning some of our brass and silver appointments. All Parish members are welcome to join in the fun.

Newsletter Submissions

Any parishioner that has news of any kind they would like to share with everyone is welcome to send it in writing to Tricia Denslow at 640 B Lakeside Dr., Wimberley, TX 78676 or to her e-mail address (triciadenslow@yahoo.com). If received by the 20th, it will appear in next month’s newsletter.

Birthdays
1 Susan LaRoux
2 Jay Brummett
3 James Ogden LaRoux
4 Don Watkins
5 Paige Adkins
8 Micah Looke
9 Julie Rambin
10 Shannon Adkins
15 David-Hawkins Bacon
19 Audra Bacon
20 Ray Merrill
21 Jim Crandell
22 Victoria Ruth Stults
23 Diane Darling
24 Steve Ogden, Donna Hunt
26 Lorraine Pangle
27 G.W. Martin
28 Fiona Campbell
29 Miller Hicks
30 Jill Partington

Anniversaries
3 Jack and Mildred Farris
5 Roy and Nancy Jones
8 Karl David and Pam Stephan
28 John and Joan Gaitan

Rector: The Reverend Len Giacolone
Associate Rector: The Reverend John Stults
Senior Warden: Mark Rambin Organist: Sylvia Kelley
Junior Warden: Keith Harrell Server: Ray Merrill