St. Andrew's Children's and Family Ministries |
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Dear Families,
I hope you have been enjoying your first full week of fall 2022. I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of pumpkin spice or Halloween decorations before October, so sometimes I don't feel like I fit into this season very well. However, I do enjoy relaxing into the slow glide toward shortening days, sipping apple cider, and the empty beaches that come with fall. I hope you are in a space to enjoy it as well.
This week we celebrate the feast of St. Francis with special blessings for animals (see below for details). While the animal blessing is a beloved tradition, I often wonder if it leads us to overlook St. Francis' deeper faith and mission. St. Francis' life reminds us that we follow Christ when we do the work of Christ. Francis served the poor, the sick, and the outcast. He walked with them humbly and loved them extravagantly. He gave up his inheritance, all his possessions, and even the clothes on his back. He was quite the radical in his own time.
So, yes please, enjoy the animal blessings (for Francis, animals and nature were revelations of God's love), but also enjoy thinking about how different our world would be if we had a few more folks like St. Francis in it.
Wishing you cool mornings and crisp evenings.
Much Love,
Erin
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Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship him in humbleness;
O praise him, alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father,
Praise, the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One:
O praise him, O praise him, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
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Paraphrase of St. Francis' Canticle of the Sun by Rev William Henry Draper, 1910
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This Week in Sunday School
There is no Sunday School this week so our children and their pets can celebrate the Feast of St. Francis. Join us next week when we share the story of God’s Creation.
To make sure you are in the know about all things Sunday School, including this year's enrichment opportunities, please register. Even if your not sure you can make it on a regular basis, registration helps us plan and keep your children in the loop for special activities. You can fill out online registration here or you can print out this PDF and give it to me at church.
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Important Dates
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October 2: Feast of St. Francis and blessing of the animals. No Sunday School
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November 6: 10:00 am Holy Baptism opportunity and Animal Skit (see below)
- Saturday November 11: 8:30-11am Family Day of Service (details coming soon!).
- 12/9-10: Good News Festival + Bishop Curry
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In honor of the Feast of St. Francis, we’ll be offering animal blessings. Bring your quiet, well-behaved animals indoors at 8am. More active pets are welcome at the 10am outdoor worship (bring beach chairs, if you want). Or friends and neighbors are welcome to bring pets for walk-through blessings in the courtyard at 5pm. There will be a prize for the most unusual animal!
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Next Opportunity for Holy Baptism
Sunday, 11/6, 10am (but contact Mother Brenda soon!)
Our next feast day especially appropriate for baptism is All Saints Sunday on November 6. If you or someone you know is ready for baptism (all ages are welcome!), please contact Mother Brenda soon to learn more about the preparation process.
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Calling All Animals
November 6, 10:00 am
Is your child dressing up as an octopus this Halloween? Or a dinosaur, a butterfly, or any other animal? We need kids dressed as animals for a short presentation in church on November 6th. They can come with their own costume or we have some sheep and other costumes available they can wear. We are looking for lots of animals so please let me know if your child can participate (and if you need a costume).
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Last Day of Summer
"The last day of summer is not yet over,
despite the barbarism of storefronts
full of sweaters, cinnamon, skeletons, even Santas. It is a precious time of turning from green to gold,
of tending to harvest,"
– Leslie Scoopmire
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Hi Tuck! Anyone bringing their pet crow to Sunday's Blessing of the Animals? |
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The eScrip online mall features your favorite retailers and donates a portion of your purchases back to St. Andrew's.
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St. Andrew's earns up to 7% of your Amazon.com purchases when you shop via the link above or on our website.
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