The Monthly Newsletter of 

So, on May 21, I'll step away and give some time to other things. The disconnect from day-to-day ministry will be good for me, and I anticipate coming back refreshed and ready for whatever lies ahead. That said, my ultimate intention is not to lay around at ease all day (as you know), or just to travel extensively, but to recharge my spiritual batteries, so to speak; to read, and pray, and journal, and to rediscover - as I've shared with you before - the presence of the divine in day-to-day living. Believe it or not, being a priest/minister/pastor doesn't always mean an easy or consistent spiritual life. Even for clergy (maybe especially for clergy) the practice of faith takes commitment and work and receptivity. And it's not lost on me here that Sabbath and work - two great gifts founded at creation - are not at odds, but at tandem. They work together, not apart.

St. Francis-in-the-Fields Calendar 

With more than 30 years of ordained leadership in several Episcopal churches in Virginia, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, John brings a wealth of experience in a variety of ministries in both large and small parishes. He is excited about the opportunity to serve in the context of a collaborative and complementary team of people in a parish that is focused on pointing people to Christ, helping them grow in Christ, and encouraging them to serve the world locally and globally with the love of Christ.

John has particular interest and experience in such areas as biblically focused preaching and teaching; leading worship in a variety of styes and liturgical forms; creative use of the pastoral offices (Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals) to engage and connect with people both pastorally and evangelistically; small group leadership; developing new ministries and revitalizing existing ones; helping people discover their gifts for ministry in the church and in the world; and seeking innovative ways to reach out to people who are without a church family or faith in Christ. Prior to being ordained, John worked in the transportation industry for ten years which provides him a unique perspective of the challenges and opportunities in the marketplace for Christian living and witness. In his free time, John enjoys traveling, playing the piano, watching soccer or college basketball, and reading about current events as well as church history.

John and his wife, Nina, fell in love with each other and the Episcopal Church at roughly the same time, having each been raised in the Presbyterian Church. They have been blessed the three wonderful young adult children, a fantastic daughter-in-law, and two awesome grandchildren. John and Nina are particularly interested in mentoring the next generation in spiritual formation and strengthening families while at the same time paying careful attention to the needs of singles and seniors. They also have the gift of hospitality and regularly welcome friends and strangers into their home.

One of John’s favorite verses of Scripture is Romans 15:13. To paraphrase the words of St. Paul: “May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we trust Him, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Thank you for your donations to Laundry Love to benefit those living in shelters and who are supported by Christ Church, Pottstown.

We were able to fill 4 boxes with quarters, laundry pods, dryer sheets, and large kitchen trash bags.

Your generosity is greatly appreciated!

The next Men’s Fellowship Breakfast will be held on Saturday, May 6, at 9:00am, at the West Chester Diner (1147 West Chester Pike). This is BYOB (“Bring Your Own Bucks”).

All men of St. Francis are welcome to attend.

The kick off event will take place on the back parking lot on Monday, May 8th from 5:00-7:00 pm.

In lieu of our normal Brown Bag Lunch, we will host an Afghan immigrant speaker who will share principles of Islam. The speaker will also offer reflections on their experience, the warm reception they received from Nationalities Service Center, from other caring Americans, and the challenges experienced due to religious and cultural differences.  

On Wednesday, May 10, at 7pm, in partnership with the Great Valley School District Educational Foundation, St. Francis will host The Jazz Sanctuary and their live concert ensemble “Jazz & Joe”.

The Worst Hard Time.

West With Giraffes, by Lynda Rutledge

St. Francis has been invited once again to sing the National Anthem before a Reading Phillies game.

Tickets are $13 each and there is a sign-up sheet in the Narthex! You can also call the church office to reserve your spot, 610-647-0130.

Whether you sing or not, this annual event is fun for everyone.

In preparation for the new growing season our garden has gone through a major transformation.

Months ago, the Scouts built all new raised beds to replace our old, crumbling beds.

On April 12, a completely new (bigger!) fence with underground critter barriers was installed around the perimeter to protect the crops from unwanted nibblers.

Thanks to our Veggie Garden crew for dreaming big and moving this along. And thanks to John Groch for his work putting fresh dirt in the beds.

Circle of Friends is a pastoral care ministry of note writing (birthday, get well, thank you, encouragement, etc.)

The Circle of Friends will meet in person, in the library, on Wednesday, May 24 at 5:30 pm. If you are unable to join us in person but would still like to participate, please contact Sue Lenkaitis. Packets can be prepared for pickup or delivery as needed.

Anyone who is interested in helping immigrants in other ways can visit Nationalities Service Center (nscphila.org) for opportunities to donate money or services.

As you know by now, Fr. Kevin’s Sabbatical starts Sunday May 21^st beginning with a special liturgy followed by a farewell luncheon. The congregation will also begin our own renewal activities, as highlighted below and we look forward to seeing you there. Please note in order to plan for each of these events, we will be using Signup Genius to track the number of attendees, so please RSVP!

Join us at Rushton Woods Farm (911 Delchester Rd, Newtown Square, PA 19073) for a guided bird watching tour conducted by Willistown Conservation Trust along with our own Tony Fernandes. Yes, this is quite early but are told by the experts it will ensure we experience the best migration activity. Bring your cameras and binoculars! (Note, rain date is Monday, May 22) Sign-up here

Ed Damerau will share hints and tips on capturing your “best photos” using a cell phone or any other cameras. This workshop is in preparation for the Parish Collage Project which will be ongoing May through September (more details to come on this later). Grab a cup of coffee and meet Ed in the Parish Hall. Sign-up here

Based on results of the 2022 congregation survey, a top priority is the need to engage with other Faiths and learn more about their cultures. In lieu of our normal Brown Bag Lunch, we will host an Afghan immigrant speaker who will share principles of Islam. The speaker will also offer reflections on their experience, the warm reception they received from Nationalities Service Center, from other caring Americans, and the challenges experienced due to religious and cultural differences.  A light lunch will be served along with beverages.

In 2022, Operation Allies Welcome and Welcome US began coordinating efforts across the federal government to resettle vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked on behalf of the United States. One area of critical need is short-term housing (3-6 months) for Afghan arrivals as they begin their new lives in the United States. St. Francis, along with other churches, jumped in to help these refugees. One of our parishioners, John Groch, has been coordinating volunteer efforts with the Nationalities Service Center (host organization) in Philadelphia to help house and resettle refugees who moved to the area. Sign-up here

The Sabbatical Committee would like this special send-off celebration to be memorable, not only for the Dellarias, but for our Parish family. We look forward to seeing as many parishioners in attendance as possible, as well as Acolytes (past and present) who are home for the summer. Sign-up here

Stay tuned for more activities in June, July, and August, which we will share in future Newsletters; however, in the meantime if you have any questions please reach out to any member of the Sabbatical Team: Jane Brooks, Fr. Kevin, Nancy Needhammer, Joe Perry, Jill Quinn, John Woodcock (Pastoral Consultant) and Shirley Warren (Chair).

St. Francis-in-the-Fields is an active parish, even during COVID-19. For more information about our worship, outreach, and other ministries, visit our parish website, www.stfrancisfields.org. Our monthly parish newsletter, Fieldnotes, may be found by clicking HERE. Stay current on events by following our parish on Facebook.

St. Francis-in-the-Fields is a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, a member of The Episcopal Church, and part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.