St. Francis Weekly
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December 13 - December 20, 2020

Join the Livestream of the service HERE.
Sunday Bulletins can be accessed HERE.
Quote of the Week. . .

Food for Thought. . .
I imagine that the Minnesotan winter analog to the text of the fig tree from Matthew 24 (i.e. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near”) is the moment when the ice on the lake is able to support a snowmobile, fish house, and fisherman or woman.  In the same way as there are stages that bring the fig tree to put forth leaves and you know summer is near, there are also stages on the way to lakes becoming extensions of the land between December and March and winter is very much here.  There’s the first freeze, creating a smooth, translucent black sheet of ice across the shallower parts of the lake.  There are the harder and sustained freezes that enclose the whole lake.  And there are the days-on-end where the mercury dips below zero and the ice uniformly thickens throughout the lake.  It’s after this last phase that you can rest assured of the solidity of the ice.  Though that never stopped anyone from tempting fate and testing the ice a bit earlier.  Not the sharpest tools in the shed! To read more, click here. . .
Link of the Week
Well, in a pandemic, you either laugh or cry. A little humor from Match.com and Ryan Reynolds. . .
Going Deeper
An excellent interview with Equal Justice Initiative founder, Brian Stevenson, from On Being.
Weekly Schedule
Sunday, December 13
Advent 3B

10:00 AM   
Worship with Eucharist
Celebrant: Mark Lingle
Preacher: Mark Lingle

Godly Play Lesson

Following Worship  

11:00 AM
Book Club: Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri Nouwen
(Days 8-14, pp. 16-29)

THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE

Monday (14)
5:00 PM
Outreach Committee Meeting

Tuesday (15)
1:00 PM
Steps to Becoming and Anti-Racist Organization

5:00 PM 
Prayer Shawl Ministry Zoom (Access Zoom Call Here)

5:00 PM
American Jewish Committee Movie Discussion of Same God

6:00 PM 
Evening Meditation Zoom

7:00 PM
Adult Forum: Rafael Pagan, Executive Director of Pacific House

7:00 PM
Adult Education with Rabbi Josh Hammerman and Rev. Michael Christie: Racism and the Curse of Ham

Wednesday (16)
8:30 AM 
Episcopal Church in Connecticut Zoom Meeting -- Priests & Wardens

Noon
Stamford Clergy Meeting

6:00 PM
Vestry Meeting

Thursday (17)
9:00 AM 
Morning Prayer (via Zoom)

4:30 PM
Annual Meeting Logistics Committee

Friday (18)
11:00 AM 
Zoom Sing-a-long

Sunday (20)
Advent 3B
Cantor Jill Abramson Preaching
10:00 AM 
Worship with Eucharist
After 10 AM
Service Zoom Coffee Hour

11:00 AM
Book Club: Advent and Christmas Wisdom from Henri Nouwen
(Days 22-28, pp. 44-57)

4:00 PM
Service for Pets and Their People

5:00 PM
Lessons and Carols Service
via Zoom
Save the Date
Tuesday, December 22 @ 5:00 PM
Prayer Shawl Ministry

Tuesday, December 22 @ 6:00 PM
Evening Meditation

Wednesday, December 23 @ 8:30
Episcopal Church in CT Zoom Meeting with Priest and Wardens

Thursday, Dec. 24 @ 9:00 AM 
Morning Prayer via Zoom

Thursday, Dec. 24 @ 5:00 PM
Christmas Eve Service

Friday, December 25 @ 10:00 AM
Christmas Day Service

Sunday, December 27 @ 10:00 AM
Sunday Worship with Eucharist

Sunday, December 27
Following the 10AM Service
Zoom Coffee Hour

Tuesday, December 29 @ 5:00 PM
Prayer Shawl Ministry

Tuesday, December 29 @ 6:00 PM
Evening Meditation

Wednesday, December 30 @ 8:30
Episcopal Church in CT Zoom Meeting with Priest and Wardens

Thursday, Dec. 31 @ 9:00 AM 
Morning Prayer via Zoom

Friday, January 1
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Friday, January 1 @ 11:00 AM
Zoom Sing-a-long

Sunday, January 3 @ 10:00 AM
Sunday Worship with Eucharist

Sunday, January 3
Following the 10AM Service
Zoom Coffee Hour