October 2014

My Good Franciscan Friends,

As we begin this October one word gathers up my feelings and

thoughts regarding our life together and our experience of God:

Gratitude.

Experiencing and expressing gratitude is an important aspect of the

Christian faith and life lived in relationship to the unmatched gift of

the life and love of Jesus, which paired with our appreciation for our

own lives, creates an amazing way of living. Gratitude opens the

heart to new ways of being alive.

From a physiological point of view, the experience and practice of

gratitude changes the chemicals that are released into our bodies re-

ducing our experience of stress that is so damaging to us physically and spiritually.

Psychologically, the regular practice of gratitude opens new patterns of normal thinking.

Gratitude is an emotion of connectedness that is sorely needed in our increasingly divergent

world that despite the many technological ways we stay in touch seems to be also becoming

more fragmented.

Gratitude, as a spiritual practice, opens the heart and soul to a greater awareness of love, ap-

preciation, generosity and compassion.

The practice of gratitude finds its center in a mindfulness that is a shift from the ways many

of us perceive our lives and the world. The mindfulness of gratitude shifts our thinking and

emotions away from fear and scarcity that cripple the human heart to the reality of abundance

which frees us liberating faith, trust and hope.

Gratitude is the emotional ground of our being that allows us to set free our truest self that not

surprisingly mirrors the giving nature of God. Gratitude provides the foundation for our stew-

ardship and our gifts to the Capital Campaign.

I enjoy giving to St Francis because I love you, because you have manifested God’s love to

(Continued on page 2)

MICHAEL MOULDEN RECTOR

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“Each of you must give as you make up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God

loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthans 9:2

As we begin our Stewardship year, we have decided to focus on “gratitude” as the theme. Para-

phrasing 2 Corinthians 9:2, “everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart; not

because of guilt or obligation, but because God loves a cheerful giver”. Our giving is a sign of our

joy and “gratitude”. The heart of the Christian faith is “gratitude”. The heart of Christian hope is

“gratitude”. The heart of Christian love is “gratitude”. The heart of Christian life is “gratitude”.

“Gratitude” is rooted in a sense that life is a gift, that life is good, that life is worth living.

As we begin this year of Stewardship let us all reflect on our “gratitude” for St. Francis and the

many gifts we receive by being a part of this community. “Gratitude” for each other, “gratitude”

for our beautiful grounds, “gratitude” for our leadership, “gratitude” for the freedom to worship

and “gratitude” for God’s blessings that are bestowed upon us. To quote William Arthur Ward,

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change

ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

October is our designated month of Stewardship. You will be encouraged to be a “cheerful giver”

for the support of St. Francis. Consider carefully all of the areas of “gratitude” you receive every

day, not just at St. Francis, but in every area of your life. Reflect prayerfully as it is God’s grace

that allows us to have this life of “gratitude”.

Thank you,

Ross Cox

Member of the Stewardship Committee

P.S. Since our annual Stewardship Campaign and our Capital Campaign are running concurrently,

a single pledge card will address both campaigns. These pledge cards will be made available to

you in a packet of information that will be distributed through the month of October.

me, and because I see ever so clearly how the generosity of your love connects people to God

and our parish family both inside our communal home and in the larger community around us.

In the name of Christ and because of his love,

Michael

(Continued from page 1)

A N N U A L S T E W A R D S H I P

C A M P A I G N B E G I N S

F R O M R E V . M I C H A E L M O U L D E N C O N ’ T

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The St. Francis Safety Committee was convened earlier this year. The committee is tasked with

making St. Francis a safer place for parishioners, day school students, staff, & visitors. Some of

the initiatives taken to date include: putting up exit signs where needed on campus; purchasing

an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for the parish hall; relocating existing AEDs to more

visible & accessible locations on campus; restocking first aid kits; replacing extension cords with

power strips where feasible; & securing cords that were deemed to be tripping hazards.

We recently conducted a safety walk through of the campus with a former fire marshal. One of

the recommendations from that walk through that we are acting upon, is to create a map of the

buildings on campus. Buildings will be marked with letters & the rooms in those buildings with

numbers. This information will be shared with the local fire station so that first responders know

exactly where to go if called. We were also advised to put evacuation maps in each room on

campus. These projects will be completed in the next couple of weeks.

Finally, we have begun the process of compiling a book of written procedures related to safety &

security on the St. Francis campus. We want this to be a helpful reference tool for St. Francis

parishioners, visitors & staff. This will be a work in progress, & will change as different needs

& experiences come to pass. We encourage your input as we strive to maintain a balance of St.

Francis being a safe place to worship/work and being a welcoming community. If you have any

questions or input please Paul Kilmartin at pkilmartin@triad.rr.com.

A N O T E F R O M T H E S A F E T Y C O M M I T T E E

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O P P O R T U N I T I E S F O R D I S C H I P L E S H I P

Nursery Care (Ages 0-3) is available beginning at 9:00 and runs through the 10:30 Service.

Sundays during the 10:30 Service Children: (PreK-5th Grade) Classroom

#9,10/12 . The children will join the congrega-

tion at the Peace before Communion.

Sundays 9:15-10:15 am Children's Chapel: (PreK-5th Grade) Sanctuary

Middle School Class: St. Mike’s

Coffee Talk: (High School) Classroom #3

Women’s Bible Study: (Delicious Bakery)

Our first Women's Bible Study meeting will be

Sunday, October 12th at 9:15 at Delicious. We will read Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis. It can be found

on-line through Amazon in both paperback and kindle editions and also through the Greensboro

Library.

Adults - Forum: Parish Hall

October and November

Beginning October 12th, The Rev. Michael Moulden will lead the Adult Forum which will focus

on the Gospel of Mark. The goals of this Bible study include: gaining an understanding of the con-

text in which this Gospel was created, learning about the unique aspects of this Gospel, delving

into the five major themes that run through the Gospel, and connecting the Gospel of Mark to our

lives both communally and individually. One of the ways to understand conversion to Christian

faith is that it is a lifelong process of discovery. By ‘discovery’ we mean finding the interconnec-

tions of God’s story, our community/human story and our own individual story. Thus, Bible study

has to be more than just gaining knowledge. While reading the Scriptures involves knowing the

story, of great import is discovering the gratitude of the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her

hair, or the loneliness of Jesus who struggled with the closeness of his death while his disciples

slept, or the great joy and surprise of Abraham and Sarah whose expectations of having children

were long ago abandoned, are all human experiences with which we connect.

December 14th and 21st

ADVENT STUDY: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS

What the Gospels Really Teach about Jesus’ Birth

All are invited to prepare for Christmas during the Season of Advent by reading Borg and Cros-

san’s book, The First Christmas, (Harper One). “This book treats what may be the best-known

stories in the world. The stories of Jesus’s birth are the foundation of the world’s most widely

observed holiday.” What better time to delve deeper in to these stories than Advent, the season of

preparation for our celebration of Jesus’ birth. The authors are not concerned with the “factuality

of the birth stories” but rather the “historical and theological understanding of both the First-

Century and the Twenty-First Century contexts”. Purchase your copy of this very readable book

today and get started. On December 14th and 21st, the last two Sundays in Advent, The Rev. Dr.

Paul Crowell will discuss this book during the Sunday Forum at 9:15 AM. Come and share in the

discussion with your questions and insight. All are welcome, even if you haven’t read the book!

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J E W I S H & C H R I S T I A N

E X P L O R A T I O N S

The Nicene Creed The year: 325 CE

The event: The First Council of Nicaea

The result: 139 words that would define Christian orthodoxy for the next 2,000 years. Those

words are recited every week by Christians around the world. But do you know their meaning?

Our study of the Nicene Creed will explore its origins, its controversies, its transformations and

its final resolutions. Studied through the lens of faith, we will explore the power and persuasion

of the words that define Christianity to this day.

Begins: October 6th

Place: Saint Francis parish hall

Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM (lectures begin promptly at 7:02)

More info: contact Samuel Moss, ncmosses@earthlink.net

After conversations with some parents, plans for this year's Confirmation class

have been adjusted. A letter and an email regarding these changes have been sent

to the families of confirmands. If you did not receive these, please let Amanda

know.

Essentially, these adjustments include:

Confirmation, for this year, will be open to students in 8th and 9th grade. It

will be a blended class for this year. Older students who have not yet been confirmed are also

welcomed.

Beginning next year, Confirmation class will be open to 8th graders.

Due to these changes and the need to effectively communicate them with parents and families,

there will be an informational meeting on either November 9th or November 16th to discuss

any further questions and concerns.

**Due to these changes, Confirmation will no longer begin on October 12th. It will instead

begin on January 11th.

Thank you in advance for praying for our confirmands as they prepare to begin this journey.

C O N F I R M A T I O N

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Dear Loving God,

We thank you for the opportunity, in this time and this place, to serve You.

Guide us as we work together to solidify our foundation and re-

new our parish.

Enable us to continue to be good stewards of the resources which

You have given us.

Bless us as we work to build a strong future, always seeking to be

a loving community nurturing within us Franciscan simplicity,

compassion, and hope, and responding faithfully to God’s call to

ministry in the world.

Help us hear what You would have us do, discerning how You

would have us share the time, talents, and treasure with which we

have been blessed.

May we focus simply on what is essential. May we have compas-

sion for ourselves, each other, and those we are called to serve.

May we have hope that You, the God of love, are working

through us to build Your kingdom here and on this earth. May we

be filled with gratitude for the blessings you have bestowed upon

us.

Bless us, God, that we may work in Your name toward Your ends,

turning to You as our Source and our Sustainer.

Amen

The Capital Campaign Tri-Chairs are:

Jim Tanner (drt@triadhealthygums.com or 621-8043),

Susan Tysinger (sgtysinger@triad.rr.com or 288-5590)

Kris Cooke (kcooke68@triad.rr.com or 379-0649)

Millie Ronemus is our Capital Campaign Spiritual Emphasis Chair. She will insure the spiritual

aspect of the campaign.

C A P I T A L C A M P A I G N

S T E W A R D S H I P / C A P I T A L

C A M P A I G N P R A Y E R

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C A P I T A L C A M P A I G N

PRAYER VIGIL DAY

Wednesday, October 15th at 7:00am OR 7:00pm

On Sundays, October 5th or October 12th, each parishioner will be given a candle with the Stew-

ardship/Capital Campaign Prayer attached. On Wednesday, October 15th at 7:00am or 7:00pm,

gather with your family in your home, or with other parishioners, or at a church meeting or gath-

ering, or in solitude. After lighting the candle, recite the prayer. This will be a special time

when the St. Francis Community is united in prayer for a spiritual and successful campaign.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN KICKOFF!

PLEASE JOIN US FOR LUNCH

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19th

After Church…..in the Parish Hall

CHICKEN & BBQ…..AND ALL THE FIXINS’

ALL ARE INVITED!

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A R O U N D S T . F R A N C I S

Unique arts & crafts, pottery, metal sculpture, wreaths, jewelry, gourmet food, quilts, origi-

nal art, stationary, hand crafted furniture, home décor, ornaments, tote bags, photography,

chicken pies & more!

www.stfrancisgreensboro.org

St. Francis Day School

invites you to our Annual

Holiday Market Saturday, December 6th

10 am until 3 pm

FREE ADMISSION

ALL-PARISH WORKDAYS

We will be holding our Autumn Work Days on November

1st, November 15th and December 13th this year. This is your oppor-

tunity to pitch in and help spruce up the St. Francis campus. We will be

clearing leaves, cleaning up the flower beds and transplanting some bor-

der plants to make everything look neater and more uniform. Please

bring pruning saws, leaf rakes, shovels, trowels and work gloves if you

have them. We'll meet for a light breakfast and fellowship at 8:30, work

from 9:00 to 12:00 and break for lunch at noon. See you there!

Have any old prom dresses?

My name is Sydney Ehinger and I am collecting prom attire to help send girls at Page High

School to prom who otherwise could not afford it. This project is for my Girl Scout Gold

Award. Please contact me at sehinger@mindspring.com or (336) 282-2425 if you are able to

donate any of the following items below. Anything and everything will be gladly appreciated!

-Prom dresses -Evening gowns

-Cocktail dresses -Bridesmaid dresses

-Shoes (especially high heels) -Jewelry

-Purses or clutches -Other accessories or monetary donations

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The Fellowship Committee is building on the success

of this year’s Lunch on the Lawn and scheduling some

more great opportunities for fellowship within our

church community. Listed here are a few dates you

should plan on keeping on your calendars for events

we are planning, or are supporting and want to spread

awareness. Read your weekly E-mail express or

follow us on Facebook for details on each event as it

gets closer. If you have any questions or ideas for the

committee, you can reach us at

parishlife@stfrancisgreensboro.org.

Please save the dates for:

Coffee Break – Every Sunday morning after the 10:30 service

Blessing of the Animals – Oct. 5th

Parents Night out – Coming in October to St. Mike’s

Capital Campaign Kick-Off Lunch – Oct. 19th

Karaoke and Cards for a Cause – Nov. 7th

Tis the Season Potluck & Sing-a-long – Dec. 14th

Dinner Clubs – New groups will be starting up in January

Please mark your calendars for Sunday, October 19 for the 2014 Greater Greensboro CROP

Walk and Run which will begin at 2:30PM starting at the New Bridge Bank Park. . It

is a 3.1 mile community event that raises funds to fight hunger. Potter’s House

Community Kitchen at Greensboro Urban Ministry will receive 25% of the donations

where they feed 450-600 hungry people every day. The remainder goes to Church

World Services to meet human needs and foster self- reliance in over 80 countries. Crop

Hunger walks help to provide tools of hope that empower people meet their own needs from

seeds and tools, to wells and water systems, to technical training.

Volunteer by signing up to walk or run and collect money for this great cause. Donations

can be made by cash, checks made out to Greensboro CROP Walk or you can donate

on line at hunger.cwsglobal.org/goto/stfrancisepch. You can also sign up to walk on

line. Click join team and follow directions.

A R O U N D S T . F R A N C I S

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AMANDA HARMON

DIRECTOR OF

CHILDREN'S AND

YOUTH MINISTRY

F R O M A M A N D A H A R M O N

EYC is off to a BUSY start! We recently went to Camp Weaver and

had a blast on the High Ropes Course there! Our students really

worked together, encouraged one another, and had a wonderful time

doing it. Before we could even get to Camp Weaver, of course we

had to check out the trees right here at St. Francis.

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C H A P T E R S I N O U R L I V E S

DEATHS:

Betty Schwarz Kirzinger, charter member

Kathy Bramhall, sister of Jim Bramhall

TRANSFERRED OUT:

Mike and Terrye Hartnett - Transferred to Christ Episcopal Church - Charlotte NC

Sunday School for all ages is going very well so

far! Classes for all of the age groups are enthu-

siastic, with wonderful students and teachers to

lead them. Check out these pictures of some of

our youngest Franciscans!

Children's Chapel is a fun way to start Sunday

morning! While parents and other adults can

enjoy the Adult Forum or Women's Bible Study,

the children get a great child-friendly worship

experience. They seem to love meeting in the

sanctuary!

F R O M A M A N D A H A R M O N

S T . F R A N C I S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H A Parish of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina

The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, Bishop

The Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple, Bishop Suffragan

P A R I S H S T A F F

ST. FRANCIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 3506 Lawndale Drive

Greensboro, NC 27408

The Rev. Michael Moulden, Rector

Amanda Harmon, Director of Children's and

Youth Ministry

Rae Augustin, Day School Director

Sam Doyle, Choir Director

Pat Copley, Organist

Jane Woody, Junior Choir Director

Linda Allgood, Parish Administrator

Bonnie Thyer, Communications Coordinator

Linda Lambe, Bookkeeper

Ken Cressman, Facilities Manager

Rigoberto Bautista, Custodian

On the web at: www.stfrancisgreensboro.org

Phone 336-288-4721 Fax 336-288-4760

St. Francis Day School 336-288-4740