May your days be filled with peace, hope,
and joy this Advent season.
St Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church
Blue Hill~Maine
eClare
Advent and Christmas, 2018
Greetings, Parishioners and Friends!
Please join us for our Services
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
5 PM
The Rev. Stephen Hayward, Celebrant & Preacher

(In addition to our St. Francis Choir,
The "Sunday School Singers"
will perform a carol arranged for them with a part for flute played by Camdyn Chung.)

~~~

The Service will be followed by our traditional
Christmas Eve Dinner
Please call the church office with your "what and how many" if you have not signed the list.

Your guests are welcome!
~~~
You are invited to a Christmas Day Service
at 10 AM
Welcome, Olive!
This precious two-week old baby has received the clothing and gifts gathered by the children of St. Francis Sunday School (right) and added to by many parishioners and friends.
(photo, with permission)
A special (and fun-loving!) group of St Francis children
From Gail and Page Williamson at a Christmas party in Memphis,Tennessee
We wish for all our friends at St. Francis a meaningful and joyous Christmas...Our prayer for everyone as we look ahead is simple: "let us all love one another"...please join us in that prayer....
Gail and Page
Margie Matter Van Dusen in Tucson, Arizona, picked up on our Granny's Attic Fair Bears with knitted scarves and vests. Look at what she did!

"Teddy Bears ! Comfort Bears! Prayer Bears! OH MY !!"
We've "dressed" a dozen soft bears with hats, scarves, vests, aprons and more, that will be given to children in need who come in to the TMC pediatric emergency department. They will be used to show where bandages will be placed, how splints will help and so on, all to comfort frightened children and their parents. 
From Jennie Tracey in Naples, Florida
We are well, though this season is tinged with sadness over the death of Henry Ott, our only brother and youngest sibling, who died as a result of a fall in his home last November. We do miss all of you at St. Francis; glad to see things going so well.
With all best wishes to all of you,
Jennie
 From Roxanne Jansen in New Zealand
Sheep in Sunnies in the local Christmas parade at Lake Taupo, New Zealand, where they have been since their niece's recent wedding!
From Jane Reinoso at a Fair   in Sumaco, Equador
During our first night at Refugio 2, a shelter at the edge of the volcano Sumaco in Ecuador, one of my fellow adventurers said, "Isn't today Thanksgiving in your country?" To which I replied, "Yes, and I am so thankful to be able to hike up the side of this volcano with all of you." (I didn't hike to the rim of the crater the next day with the rest of the group, but it was still a totally awesome experience). 
From Ann and Jack Joyce in Hyattville, Wyoming
Merry Christmas to all our St. Francis friends. May you all be blessed with health and happiness in the New Year! 
Ann and Jack Joyce
From Terri and Marshall Smith
in their Parker Ridge home

-a beautiful "Ladder Tree"
Marshall is, in addition to being a busy medical doctor, an excellent photographer. He is also an active member of St. Francis Outreach Committee. Terri stays busy with the Vestry and is the writer/connector of St. Francis to the public press. Add to that, a lovely voice in the choir!
 From Ruth Freeman in Falmouth, Maine

Since retiring from teaching in June, I have several new careers: babysitting two days a week for my little grandson (in photo Little Ned is on the shoulders of my son, Ned) who turned one on Dec 8, working on a new children’s novel and taking care of my late uncle’s property on Cranberry Island. All good!
From Marie Bissell in Palm City, Florida
Our summer in Florida was quiet but good. We have both given up driving, but we are well cared for at our retirement home. Harry fell on his head on concrete several weeks ago and was in the hospital for a week and another 10 days at our nursing wing. He is slowly getting better. Come see us in Florida! We have had several family members coming and going. 
We wish a very Merry Christmas to all at St Francis!
In Christ, Marie and Harry
From Cathy Thompson and Ed Manuel in Danbury, Ct.
This is a picture from Corea last October. It is perched in our Christmas mantle greens. 
Upon our return to Danbury, we made a decision to become full- time Mainers. We have applied for an apartment or cottage at OceanView in Falmouth; But we will keep TideWatch!
Vesta Kowalski has retired to San Diego, where she attended junior and senior high school and college from 1951-61. She is living contentedly in a residence for independent seniors that offers a staffed front desk, meals, housekeeping, many activities, transportation to stores and medical appointments, and the opportunity to make many new friends. The cathedral is a five-minute walk away and a good church home. There is the added advantage of being at least 10 travel hours closer to her family in Japan, and just two hours by train from her sister in Orange County. And, of course, there's the climate! She walks at least 2-3 miles a day. There is a guest room in the building. If you're in the neighborhood, come visit.
From Peter Smith
"Great Grandchildren"

This is Peter (age 4) explaining Christmas to his sister Naomi (age 2).  I wish that we could hear what he had to say.......    Peter 

-and a beautiful "thank you" for St. Francis' recent gifts of more than two dozen quarts of soup for their freezer:

"If George Bush (41) looked down from Heaven and watched the tremendous outpouring of love during his funeral he may have turned to Barbara and said thank God I have eternity to write the thank you notes. The international recognition 41 received was tremendous, but then the demonstration of love and caring we witnessed on Sunday was no less important to us! 

Obviously the new “Souper Saints” is alive and well and hard at work on the Blue Hill Peninsula.

Since I don’t yet have eternity to write thank you notes, please help me one more time by conveying our sincere thanks to the St. Francis family. As important as gathering together to worship the Lord, our congregation gatherers together to live His commandment that we love one another. Donny, Catherine and I are very proud to be members of the Saint Francis by the Sea family and will always cherish the love and support you have demonstrated.  

Merry Christmas to each and every one who reads this message,  Peter"  

Greetings from Connie Hegarty
The photo is of a mini food pantry in the shape of our church, Grace Church in Windsor, CT, that stands outside the church and contains non-perishables for anyone to take freely. We work hard to keep it filled but it empties very quickly.
From The Rev. Canon James Elliott Lindsley
in Millbrook, NY
Among the many churches I've served/attended, St. Frances is near the top. We did drop by year or so ago and noted changes in some things but saw no people. It was late in the afternoon.
Barbara and I send our warm best wishes to all of you "old"(!) and new for the holidays and the new year. Ellott.
From Pam and Cal Peters in London, England
We are on our way home from a London trip with a business and professional group that I belong to called Leadership Florida. The photo is one of us at Kensington Palace. There was a great exhibit of Queen Victoria there as well as of Diana’s fashions. We had a wonderful week and are now going to scurry around to get Christmas together!

From Aletha Langham in Hiawassee, Georgia

We just got back from Mexico yesterday. It was a wonderful trip and also had a chance to do a mission side trip to a Tarahumara school in Copper Canyon. 

We are headed to Salt Lake to meet Quenby and kids to ski for Christmas. Then off to the Bahamas until April. 

Thank you for keeping Eric Partridge in your prayers.

Hugs and Merry Christmas to all!
From Marsi and Dennis Stavinoha
-in Houston, Texas
All is well in Texas. Heat on one day and AC the next!
We wish all of our Maine friends a very Merry Christmas and a very blessed New Year!
We are looking forward to returning to our little slice of heaven in June.
Blessings,
 Marsi

From Mark Cluett
-in Savannah, Georgia

Blitz Cake
1 stick of softened butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg yolks, saving whites
¾ cup flour
1 level tsp baking soda
4 Tbsp mik
2 9” cake pan greased and floured

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts

1 pint whipping cream
½ tsp vanilla

Oven 350

Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolks and vanilla Beat until creamy.
Mix flour and baking soda together and add to creamed mixture along with 4 tbsp milk.
Pour mixture into cake pans and spread thinly
Beat egg whites the gradually add 1 cup sugar. Beat until stiff. Add to top of batter and sprinkle on nuts.

Cook 20-25 minutes. Let cake cool.

Whip cream and vanilla.

Invert one of the cakes and spread on whipped cream. Top with the other cake.

Eat and smile! (Editor's note: It's fabulous!)
From Terry and Jim Briggs in Southport, N. C.
Our church, St. Philip’s in Southport, NC, suffered considerable damage during hurricane Florence, and that we have been worshipping in the local Moose Lodge. Well, the Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, came last Sunday, December 9th, to be with us, tour our damaged campus, and worship in the Moose Lodge. It was a glorious day!
A very Merry Christmas to everyone at St Francis! We miss you and think of you often.
Love, Terry and Jim

(Here is a video of Bishop Curry's recent visit to The Briggs church)

We give thanks to our servicemen and wish them a Merry Christmas!

On our Prayer List are: James Crowe III, Andy Dittmer, Brian Haley, Sean Haley, Kyler Hall, Peter McGuyer, Kyle Carino Mings, Eric Partridge, Henry Shepley, and Ben Stubbs.

Below are some faces to go with our prayer list. Thank you, for the time and effort, families and friends, in sending these!
  Brian Haley , great-grandson of John Haley. 
He is in the Coast Guard and is stationed in Florida aboard a ship working in the area of drug interdiction.
James Crowe III,  great-nephew of Cathy Thompson is in training to become a Navy Seal. 
Eric Partridge,  son-in-law of Aletha and Storck, is currently serving in South Korea
Kyler Brinley Hall , grandson of Brinley and Rooney, has completed basic training at Parris Island and is stationed at 29 Palms, California.







Ben Stubbs is the husband of Ed Manuel's granddaughter; in June they will welcome Ed and Cathy's second great-grandchild.
He is an Army ranger. They are stationed in Wahiawa, Hawaii. 

Kyle Cariño Mings , nephew of Becky Cariño, He is in the US Air Force Reserves, stationed in Charleston, SC. He flies a C17 transport and has flown missions worldwide. When Pres. Obama visited the Philippines, Kyle flew the C17 that carried his helicopter.  
Advent Scenes from inside St. Francis Church
We are especially thankful during this season for the terrific leadership of Outreach Chairman, Sue Grindle, and with lots of help from the Outreach Committee.
~~~
A Message from Sue
Thank you!!! Because of your wonderful generosity, 72 children in need will have presents under their tree on Christmas morning. Every tag is gone and every gift will be very much appreciated. Our little giving tree is now bare, but still twinkling with cheer and gratitude. May each and every one of you have a glorious Christmas. 
Studying the music!

At a recent Thursday evening Choir Rehearsal-

"Blue Russell" watches Mark Boechat intently, making sure he understands his part!

(with thanks for the photo by Elizabeth Lastaiti)
From Suzanne and David Decrow, at their home in Sugarloaf
-a clear view forward, as far as the eye can see-