The Weekly News
April 20, 2017
Second Sunday of Easter
Saturday, April 22, 2017
5:00 pm
Pre sider: Kay Schmitt
Homilist: George von Stamwitz
Readers: Marty Campbell, Therese Gabriel
Eucharistic Ministers: Mary Jordan, Kristie Lenzen, Andy Lenzen
Sacristan: Cecelia Andres
Sunday, April 23, 2017
9:00 am
Pre sider: Kay Schmitt
Homilist: George von Stamwitz
Ministers: TBD

Sunday Morning Mass Begins This Week

Beginning Sunday, April 23, 2017, Sts. Clare & Francis will be offering a Sunday morning Mass in addition to the normal Saturday evening Mass.  The Parish Council and Pastoral team have committed to offer this on a six-month trial basis.  At the end of that time, the Parish will determine whether or not this continues. So, here are the particulars:

  • Sunday Morning Mass time is 9:00 am
  • Location: The Mead Center, 17 Selma Ave., Webster Groves, MO.  63119 (See map.)
  • There are three entrances into the building, two on ground level on the side of the building and one at the main entrance to the building, facing Selma Avenue.
  • There is plenty of parking beside the building, in back of the building and on the street.
Bishop Francis' Easter Video Message
Return to Pickle Springs
Sunday, April 23, 2017
12:00 pm
Pickle Springs
It’s time once again for our popular outing to Pickle Springs natural area! We are planning this year's trip for Sunday, April 23. Meet at Art's and Frank's house at 12 noon, and we'll plan to leave at 12:30 pm for Ste. Genevieve. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half to get to the trail-head, and approximately 1- 2 hours to hike the trail. Afterward, join us at Chaumette Winery for a delicious dinner before heading home.   
 
Pickle Springs Natural Area is a deep, forested gorge consisting of geological formations and plants that are found in few other places. Visitors will find examples of a sandstone glade, talus, forest, savanna, as well as a number of rare species of plants and animals. The area is noted for its blooming wild azalea and wildflowers in the spring. According to local legend, the area is named after William Pickles, a settler from Illinois who owned the land until he was shot by a band of renegades during the Civil War. Pickle Springs and other area creeks flow into Pickle Creek, which in turn traverses into Hawn State Park.


Designated a National Natural Landmark, Pickle Springs Natural Area features a 2-mile hiking trail maintained by the East Ozark Audubon Society in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation. This two-mile journey has an estimated hiking time of one hour and takes hikers past waterfalls, rock shelters, a double arch (see photo), towering bluffs, canyons and amazing rock outcrops. Wooden bridges along the trail aid hikers past troublesome spots.
  
For more information about Pickle Springs Natural Area: http://www.greatriverroad.com/stegen/sgattract/picklesprings.htm    
For more information about Chaumette Winery and the Grapevine Grill Restaurant: https://www.chaumette.com  

Please RSVP by April 22 to Art Maines at 314.518.1973, or e-mail him at a_maines@msn.com. We need an accurate number for Chaumette for dinner, and please note they only accept up to 3 different payment methods per table.  You can also contact Art for directions to his house, or with any questions about the outing. Hope to see you there! 

Sharing Your Gifts with SCF

The miracle of Sts. Clare & Francis continues to give hope to many, many people throughout our area because of the backing of people like you.  To volunteer to participate at SCF or to pledge financially toward keeping us going, please click hereWe’d love to hear from you.  Thanks for your support! 

Volunteer with Freedom Schools this Summer! 

There are now sign up sheets for various volunteer roles to support the summer Freedom School that will take place at Peace UCC.  You can help support the program and participants by volunteering during the lunch hour (12:00 - 1:00 pm) or the pick up time (4:00 - 5:00 pm) or cover the office in case any calls or questions come in.  Sign up sheets are on the bulletin board outside the women's restroom at church.  If you want to help out but won't be in church for a while to sign up, e-mail Jenn Reyes Lay at jennlay331@gmail.com with the type of work you are interested in and she will let you know what slots are still open and sign you up.  Thanks! 

First Saturday Reception

Please join us after Mass on May 6 for a few minutes of refreshments and fellowship in the Fireside Room.  It is a good time to have some pre-dinner snacks and interact with community members.

On Saturday, April 29, St. Louis will gather together in solidarity with the People’s Climate Movement to show our local and national leaders that we are ready to fight back and stand up for our communities.

When: April 29th, 2017, 12:00 pm

Where: We’ll start at Luther Ely Smith Square, rally there for a while (times tbd), then march to Serra Sculpture Park.


Are we ready to March Again to help save our earth??

Contact me and I will find a place to meet.  Also check things out online at http://world.350.org/stl/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/350STL/.

Thanks

Sue Flanagan

sfcrazy@mindspring.com

314.409.4899

Homilies

Hear Frank Krebs' homily from the Easter Vigil:


The text of archived homilies can be found here.

New SCF Bumper Stickers

Now you can help spread the positive message of Sts. Clare & Francis wherever you go. The new Sts. Clare & Francis magnetic bumper stickers are here! Be sure to get yours before or after Mass. Only $3.

Caring Ministry
The Caring Ministry at Sts. Clare & Francis brings the loving presence of God, through a caring companion on the journey, when life is difficult. When we find ourselves struggling with illness, grief, depression, relationships, stress, the Caring Ministry is a supportive and listening presence - not counseling or problem solving. Don't go it alone; contact Sue Self or one of our priests to find out more, and see if it's a fit for you. We want to care for you.
 
Prayer List
The Sts. Clare & Francis Prayer list is available for you to share prayer requests from you to your sisters and brothers who are walking this faith journey with you.  Praying for one another when there are specific needs is one of the greatest ministries we can provide to one another. But, we cannot pray for events and happenings that we do not know about. Please share your prayers requests with the community. You can be as specific or general as you would like.  Contact Jim Schratz with all prayer requests.

Parish Office Hours 

The Sts. Clare & Francis Office, [483 E Lockwood Ave, Ste. 3, Schultz Hall (Door B) – Eden Theological Seminary, Webster Groves, MO 63119] will be open each week on Mondays, from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and Thursdays from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Although someone is here more often than that, I am in and out much of the time. So I am making a concerted effort to have posted hours to be more available to people who might want to drop by. 

Thanks! 

Jim

Sponsored by Friends...

Theatre of the Beat

This Will Lead to Dancing 

On Thursday, May 4 at 7:00 pm, critically acclaimed Canadian faith-based drama troupe, Theatre of the Beat, will be presenting This Will Lead to Dancing, a play about wholeness, belonging, and LGBTQ inclusion at St Louis Mennonite Fellowship (3752 Giles Avenue, St. Louis). Admission is by donation. All are welcome to come for a thought-provoking theater experience that explores this conversation through creativity, humor & sincerity. You can find out more about them at: http://theatreofthebeat.ca/

.....

Tree House

Prayer Circles 
1st Tuesday at 7:00 pm 
Holy Angels Apartments II 
3499 DePaul Lane, St. Louis. 63044 (at I-270 and St. Charles Rock Road)
 
3rd Wednesday at 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Library Headquarters  
East Room 
St. Louis County Library
1640 South Lindbergh Boulevard
Frontenac, MO 63131


Healing False Shame and Guilt
Mini-Retreat

Saturday, April 29, 2017
9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Registration and Coffee 9:15am
Sts. Clare & Francis Ecumenical Catholic Community
204 E. Lockwood Avenue
Webster Groves, MO 63119

Cost: $50.00
Please make all payments to Tree House Healing Ministry.

Call 314.269.3657 
For information or financial assistance.

Click here for a retreat flyer.

  random sightings

wisdom...reflection...insight...amusement

Telescope
Contacts  
[e-mail]

Parish Council Chair
Caroline Reardon 

Associate Pastor
Rev. Jim Schratz
 
Associate Pastor
Rev. Kay Schmitt  

Preaching Team Coordinator
George von Stamwitz  

Caring Ministry
Sue Self
Parish Council News

To see Parish Council meeting minutes or the Parish Constitution and Bylaws, click the appropriate link:

Minutes, March 2017

SCF Constitution & Bylaws

 

Members 

(click name to contact by e-mail): 

Suzanne Schloemann

Nancy Emmel

Mary Vonderheide

Mallory Rusch

Judy DeFrank

Jim Schratz

Frank Krebs

Diana Burnson

Clarence Heller

Cecelia Andres

Caroline Reardon, Chair

Finance Committee




Members 
(click name to contact by e-mail) :

Mary Vonderheide

Jim Schneider Chair
Ecumenical Catholic Communion


ECC Financials


ECC Midwest Partner Communities 
Emmaus
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Epiphany
Chicago, Illinois
San Damiano
Little Rock, Arkansas
St. Jerome
Tulsa, Oklahoma  

  All Saints ECC
Our Mission Church
 
We meet at:
Trinity United Church of Christ
47 North Douglas Avenue
Belleville, IL  62220
 
Our Metro East ECC Mission Church meets every Sunday at 9:30 am. 

Our chapel is in the lower level of Trinity UCC.
 
Directions from St. Louis: 
Hwy. 64 East to Exit 12; 
RIGHT onto #159/IL St. Continue 5 miles to Douglas Ave.
(railroad crossing)
LEFT on Douglas Ave. to church.
 
For information, contact:
Rev. Frank Krebs (314.740.1160) or Rev. Kay Schmitt (314.620.9511). Contact Kay if you wish to ride with her.
All are welcome.
General Info

Want to get connected and involved?  Start by taking a look at our   Ministries Brochure  or check out our website at www.scfecc.org
  
The Parish Office  is located at Eden Theological Seminary,  483 East Lockwood, Suite 3, St. Louis, MO 63119.  
Frank  or Jim are available for appointments. You can also reach Frank at 314.740.1160 or Jim at 314.896.0125.
 
To Schedule Meetings at Peace UCC:
 
Contact Kelly, the church secretary, to get it on their calendar.   
314.968.1727
churchoffice@peaceuccstl.org 
 
Matthew 25
The Matthew 25 Fund helps members in our community who need financial assistance. All information concerning the people with whom we work is held in the strictest confidence. If you would like to contribute to this fund, make your check payable to Matthew 25, and place it in the collection basket. If you need assistance from the fund, contact  Peggy Montgomery
 
We have a SafeChurch Policy to protect our children and other vulnerable populations .

The Sts. Clare & Francis

Lands’ End Store

http://business.landsend.com/store/scfecc/

In partnership with Lands’ End, you can now purchase clothing and other items embroidered with the Sts. Clare & Francis logo (below).  Just follow the link above.  If you have any questions, please contact Suzanne.schloemann@gmail.com.  

Fundraising

Please keep our Schnucks E-Scrip fund raiser in mind when you shop.  If you don't already have an E-Scrip card, please call Marilyn Tenholder (314.323.1467) and she will get one to you. There is no charge and all you have to do is activate it by either a phone call or by going online.  Simply show the card when you check out and a percentage of your purchase cost will be rebated back to Sts. Clare & Francis. Thank you!!
Sts. Clare & Francis offers information about other organizations and activities as a way of providing information that we feel is useful or relevant to our members and to the public.  As an Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) organization, Sts. Clare & Francis is required to abide by certain rules.  Sts. Clare & Francis is absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.  Sts. Clare & Francis is also prohibited from devoting a substantial part of its activities to attempting to influence legislation.  As a result of these rules, we do not specifically endorse  these organizations or activities nor do they specifically represent the views of Sts. Clare & Francis, to the extent that doing so would jeopardize Sts. Clare & Francis' standing as a Section 501(c)(3) organization.
If you have an item that you wish to submit for publication in the Weekly News, please send it to Steve Campbell  no later than noon on Wednesday of the week you would like it to appear.  If you cannot  send an e-mail, you may contact Steve at 314.603.9991.
Sts. Clare & Francis ECC
Church : 204 East Lockwood Avenue | St. Louis | MO|63119
Office: 483 East Lockwood Ave. | Suite 3 | St. Louis | MO | 63119