FIELDNOTES
January 2022
The Monthly Newsletter of
St. Francis-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
Malvern, Pennsylvania
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Our Vision:
We aspire to be a growing community, worshiping together, celebrating our diversity & lay ministries, and offering God's healing love to all people.
Our Mission:
We seek to foster spiritual growth & renewal while spreading God's message of love, healing and peace.
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Moving the Furniture
I honestly love New Year’s resolutions. Each year about this time I hear from people who are making elaborate new resolutions, people who are thinking about making resolutions, and even a few people who steadfastly refuse to make resolutions and don’t believe anyone else should either. I have even, on more than one occasion, been subject to sermonettes on the supposed satanic origins of New Year’s resolutions. (Some people need to relax.) Nevertheless, as we cross over into the New year, I’m fully aware of the long-standing jokes that accompany the practice. “Resolutions are made to be broken,” we say with a smirk.
A problem, I imagine, lies within our understanding of the word “resolution”. When we “resolve” ourselves on an issue, we tend to think in terms of strength and determination. We are “resolved” to make changes, and by will-power alone we plan to squeeze one more commitment into our already over-committed lives. The word “resolve,” however, has much more nuance of meaning than just strong-willed determination. In fact, the etymological origins of the word have more to do with untying and dissolving than with aggressive tenacity. There is a wisdom inherent in the word that recognizes forcefulness as a risk. To “re-solve” is back up, to re-calculate; to attend to the question again. To “be resolved” is to open the pathway for new insight.
A few years back, a professor friend reminded me that progress is not always accomplished by taking the brazen, headstrong way forward. To use his metaphor, growth often doesn’t occur until we re-order our household to make it possible. Wisdom entails the courage to leave our couches and take in the full décor of the room. Faithful resolve requires a willingness, when necessary, to rearrange the furniture.
What challenges will we face in 2022? What tasks - individually, or as a parish - will need our attentive resolve? What furniture will need to be moved or rearranged to make room for God’s leadership? For me, that’s what makes this New Year so exciting. If 20 months of this pandemic have done something positive, perhps it’s been to refresh our invitation to take nothing for granted, but instead to welcome and view life with the freshness that God intends.
Have a very blessed New Year, and may we all be back together in 2022!
Fr. Kevin+
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Beginning Sunday, January 16, Fr. Kevin will offer a multi-week introduction to the Gospel of Luke. The class will be offered both live and streaming each Sunday from 9am to 9:30am. Luke’s Gospel will be the primary Gospel for Sunday readings throughout 2022. |
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Calendar
For the calendar of events, please click the link below to the website.
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Oblation Bearers Needed!
What do Oblation Bearers do? They present the congregations gifts of bread and wine at the Altar during the Offertory. This is the first liturgical act of Holy Communion according the Book of Common Prayer (pg. 361). We invite everyone – old and young, new and long-time members alike – to serve as Oblation Bearers on a given Sunday. A sign-up sheet is in the Narthex, along with printed instructions for you to take. When your Sunday comes, the Ushers will be glad to guide you in this quick, simple, but important moment in our worship service. Please consider signing up for an upcoming Sunday.
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Refugee & Immigration Ministry
St. Francis has established its first team to serve with Nationalities Service Center (NSC) in setting up a home for Afghan Refugee families in NE Philadelphia. More teams, and more opportunities, will arise in coming months. Additionally, St. Francis is developing a hands-on ministry option based out of St. John’s Episcopal in Norristown. If you are interested in our growing ministry of welcome toward refugees and immigrants, please let Fr. Kevin know so you can be placed on the distribution list.
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2021 ADVENT CALENDAR FOOD COLLECTION
THANK YOU! On Tuesday, December 21, your donations were delivered to the West Chester Food Cupboard and totaled 332.5 pounds. Your generosity is greatly appreciated by the Food Cupboard and by those they serve.
Thank you very much!
Middle School and High School Youth Group
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Backpack Project for Our Brother’s Place
Thank you to all those at St. Francis who donated backpacks and clothing to the Backpack Project. All donations were taken the week before Christmas to My Brother’s House, which is a program of the Bethesda Project, an organization dedicated to emergency shelter, housing and supportive services for thousands of individuals experiencing homelessness. We were able to completely fill a Subaru Outback (with seats down) with the items that were donated, including backpacks, winter coats, and other items of warm clothing that will help those in desperate need. Thanks to all for your very generous donations.
Jim Crowley
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Book Group
Friday, January 21, 2022, 7:30
I’ll Mature When I’m Dead, by Dave Barry
Not everyone has to be dragged kicking and screaming through adulthood. Dave Barry will help through this process–with his hilarious takes on parenting, changing self-image, the battle of the sexes, technology, health care, celebrityhood, and even vampires!
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St. Francis Loves Social … Media!
As we continue to expand our presence on social media platforms, we are asking everyone to get involved in spreading the word that the Holy Spirit is alive in St. Francis!
If you hear something awesome at Church, share it with your friends on your Facebook page or on your Instagram:
“My Rector at St. Francis in the Fields made the most helpful connection in his sermon this morning. I’ve been thinking about it all afternoon.”
“The St. Francis in the Fields Choir sang an anthem today that touched me so deeply that I cried.”
“We delivered another 100 pounds of produce to the West Chester Food Cupboard. The garden ministry at St. Francis in the Fields is incredible!”
We will continue to populate the St. Francis page with content intended to connect our community with each other and intended to provide information about who we are to the public. Please help!
We would love to see current pictures of you doing your thing at St. Francis – that means yes, we want to see your perfect hair and unwrinkled shirt in a posed photograph, but we also want to see your dirty knees in the garden; your child testing out her first “spinning dress” in the undercroft; your old friend sitting, pen poised, engrossed in a Rector’s Study; your husband joking around with the exhausted Red Cross technician at a blood drive. You get it, let’s capture all those real moments that make St. Francis a community. (No candid photos without the subject’s permission)
We would love to know more about God’s Work that you are doing in and out of St. Francis. How did you get involved? Why do you devote your time to this ministry? How easy is it to get involved? Don’t forget an action picture!
Whether you use social media or not, if you have any current content, please see, call, text or email Eileen Jenkins (610)639-8721, EileenJenk@gmail.com
And don’t forget to “like”, “love” and comment on what you see on the St. Francis page!
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Annual Meeting and Nominees for Office
Mark your calendars: The Annual Meeting of St. Francis-in-the-Fields will be held on January 30, 2022. The 2022 Budget will be presented and election of new Vestry members will be held. The slate of Vestry candidates will be Anne Crowley (2nd term), Ed Damerau, and Roberta Torian. It is our hope to hold this Annual Meeting in a “hybrid” format, gathering in-person, but also offering a streaming option. Details are subject to change.
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Ed Damerau is a native of South Jersey but has lived in Chester County for 31 years. He is a musician and electrical engineer by training and a software engineer by vocation. Many of you have heard him as the Voice of Jesus during the annual Passion Play. Ed serves as a lay reader and chalicist, as intercessor, and as a contributor of photographs to the St Francis art show and restrooms. He coordinates and schedules St Francis’ lay readers and is a member of the bass section of St. Francis choir.
When COVID19 struck, Ed volunteered to help St Francis’ Facebook and YouTube streaming efforts. He owes everything he knows about streaming to Everett Warren - and everything he knows about Texas to Father Kevin!
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Roberta G. Torian is a "cradle Episcopalian" having been baptized, confirmed and married in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut where she grew up in the town of Milford. After graduating from law school in Boston she moved to the Philadelphia area, Berwyn. Here she began her career as a corporate lawyer advising the largest U.S. banks and becoming a wife and mother.
At St. Francis she has been involved with Circle of Friends, Wednesday Bible study, and serves as a member of the Finance Committee and the Altar Guild.
In the Diocese of Pennsylvania, Roberta is the first person elected President of the newly established Board of Trustees, a position she currently holds. The Board of Trustees oversees the business of our Diocese. In addition, she has served two terms on Diocesan Council and five terms on The Church Foundation, which manages the investments of the Diocese and parishes. She is a member of its Executive Committee.
Most importantly, Roberta is baking gluten free chocolate chip cookies for the Cookie Walk and her husband, Bill, will reprise his previous role as bartender at our Christmas party.
Delegate to Convention and Deanery Representative: Earlier this year, Ted Wingfield resigned this position upon moving out of the area. Jim Crowley was appointed by Vestry to fulfill the remainder of Ted's 3-year term. No election for this position needs to be held in 2022.
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Circle of Friends
Circle of Friends is a pastoral care ministry of note writing (birthday, get well, thank you, encouragement, etc.) Our next “Circle” wi1ll be January 26, 2022. Stay tuned for more information.
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Letters for Rose
Letters for Rose is a volunteer opportunity to bring cheer to residents in retirement communities, and a special project of Sophia Schnackenberg, one of our St. Francis youth.
A collection box is near the Letters for Rose poster in the narthex and collections will continue through spring 2022.
Letters for Rose is not associated with Circle of Friends, the note-writing ministry of St. Francis.
More information can be found at lettersforrose.org.
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Lectionary Bible Study
Lectionary Bible Study will resume January 12, 2022.
Lectionary Bible Study meets at St. Francis on Wednesdays at 10 am to pray and discuss the readings for the following Sunday. LBS is currently using “hybrid” format (in-person and virtual), with Holy Eucharist to follow.
To join virtually, see the weekly email link.
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Altar Flowers
Did you know that you can dedicate the Sunday Altar Flowers in honor of a friend or family member, in remembrance of a loved one, or for some other special recognition?
Altar Flower dedications are just $50.00, and helps provide a fresh arrangement each week.
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St. Francis-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
689 Sugartown Road
Malvern, PA 19355
610-647-0130
stfrancisfields@stfrancisfields.org
stfrancisfields.org
The Rev. Kevin Dellaria, Rector
The Rev. Diane E. Faison, Deacon & Parish Administrator
Mr. Joe Perry, Music Director
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Want to know more about us?
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.
Our Global Communion
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St. Francis-in-the-Fields | 610-647-0130 | 689 Sugartown Road, Malvern, PA 19355 |
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