Patience!

We are learning the technological issues that enable us to be one family in worship together at the same time and not pre-recorded. Therefore, please tune in on Sundays at 10am as we pray together, hear the word of God together, receive a spiritual communion together and know that the Spirit of life and creativity, love and compassion will help us grow together. This is a gift of God…technology during the time of a worldwide pandemic.  And please know I get it! Many of you who have to work remotely all week long don’t want to watch one more online anything! You just want to sleep in and have a time out! I get it! So pray as you can and not as you can’t!

And we would not be fulfilling our ministries if we didn’t offer Holy Communion in the consecrated Body of Christ. So we continue to provide, “drive-through” Holy Communion!

NOTE: When you drive down Via Rosa, at 11:15 a.m. this Sunday, drive-through Holy Communion will be on your right side with Jude+ at the first station and me at the next to give you the Body of Christ. Please text - 310-995-6519 - or email me so we know who might be coming!

On Christmas Eve, you may start watching the special family Christmas Eve worship at 3:00 p.m. onwards online through our St Francis Facebook Page. You can play it anytime! We will also be sending links to view on Vimeo and Youtube.

Jude+ and I will be out on Via Rosa across from church for “drive through Holy Communion.” And…David And Femi Knight will be live in front of the church using the electric piano and an amplifier to share Christmas carols from 4:15 to 5pm!!! So as you come for Communion you will be engulfed in Christmas music!

I pray that God blesses each of you with the deepest Advent Blessings of patience!…faith, hope and love!

T'is the season for Christmas cookies and zany holiday sweaters! Just because we can't be together in person doesn't mean we should miss out on this fun yuletide celebration! Join us on Sunday, December 20th at noon (PST) for a Zoom Social. Bake (or buy) your favorite Christmas cookies to "share" with the group, dress up in your most festive outfit and enjoy the company!

Everyone is welcome - it doesn't matter if you are near or far!

Jennifer Sams is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Cookies and Sweaters

Questions? Please contact Jennifer Sams.

To all who donated to the Harbor Interfaith Services Food and Toy Drive. YOU ARE AMAZING!!

You gave over 40 bags of food and unwrapped toys and $1290 in gift cards to Ralphs and Target.

Thank you for Will, Ethan and Trace for unloading the cars, to Mary Deely and Kathy Compton for the gift ornaments for each car, to Gayle Taylor and Kathy Compton for transporting all the donations.

December 24 – Christmas Eve, recorded and available online at 3:00 p.m. Stream our special family Christmas service, full of special moments, through our St Francis Facebook Page. The service will also be available on Vimeo and and YouTube. We will send links on the day. Please print the bulletin and join in singing Christmas carols in your home. Plus - drive-through Holy Communion, at 4:15 p.m. also on Christmas Eve.

December 25 – Christmas Day, 10am - "Christmas Around the Creche"

Bishop Diane M. Jardine Bruce and Canon Stephen Bruce invite the diocesan community to join them for a multilingual celebration of the Nativity featuring readers and musicians from congregations throughout the diocese. “We’ll have all the languages in which services are conducted in the diocese,” says Bruce, including English, Korean, Spanish, Mandarin and more. Tune in via the Diocese’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

December 27 – 10am - "Festival of Lessons and Carols for Christmas"

On the first Sunday after Christmas, Bishop John H. Taylor will officiate at an online service featuring multilingual readings and carols from all ten deaneries in the diocese. The service will include a meditation by Bishop Taylor and a virtual celebration of Holy Eucharist via the diocese’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Join the National Cathedral in Washington DC online for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on the Second Sunday after Christmas Day. The Rev. Canon Dana Colley Corsello preaches and the Rev. Patrick Keyser presides.

Streamed on the Cathedral website, and their YouTube and Facebook pages. It will also be available to watch at any time after the broadcast.

Following the vision of our Vestry and work of Junior Warden, Mike Spalding, Gloria Jones, as Chairman of the Rummage Sale, approved monies from sale proceeds to fund a much needed renovation of the Parish Hall kitchen. Work began last week and is progressing at break neck speed! The cupboards were all emptied. Demolition began and the plumbing and wiring was upgraded - the cupboards sanded and prepared for paint - also the walls - and new quartz counter tops will be installed in place of the old formica. In other words a major facelift that is not quite ready for viewing but will be very soon! A huge appreciation to Gloria and all the people who helps with the Rummage Sale!

Please pray about being one of the four new Vestry members. This coming season is one of transition with my forthcoming retirement at the end of January 2021. The Bishop asked me to especially invite members of the parish to consider being on Vestry who have been members for many years or have gone through previous transitions with the calling of a new Rector.

Please also consider running to represent our parish as a delegate to the Diocesan Convention next November. I look forward to hearing from you and I thank you for trusting the work of the Holy Spirit in your yeses!

With gratefulness for your spirit of generosity and leadership,

Please download and complete the form, and mail it to: Elaine Mistele, St. Francis Church, 2200 Via Rosa, PVE, CA 90274. And see below for how to make it even easier to make regular donations automatically - no check writing every Sunday!

Use automatic bill pay for your pledge to St. Francis. You choose the payment frequency and date that works for you.

Look for Bill Pay or similar when you’ve logged in to online banking. Then add St. Francis as a new payee. You don’t need the church bank details - only the address and phone number: St. Francis Episcopal Church, 2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274. 310 375 4617. And thank you!!

Join Jude+ for a 6-week class

We will study Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount,

The plan is to read a short chapter a week along with Matthew 5-7. Levine invites us to “hear old songs in a new key.” She describes The Sermon on the Mount as Jesus’ theological pep talk that inspires us “not just to feel better but to do better … to find the resources needed for living the life to which God is calling us.”

This should be a wonderful deep dive into this famous scripture.

If you’re interested, go ahead and order the book and begin reading the Introduction and Chapter One for the first class! There is scholarship money available if help is needed buying the book. Be sure to email Jude+ if you need help. So, mark your calendars for the 6 Tuesday evenings Jan. 5 – Feb. 9!!!

Morning prayer twice-weekly, led by Paula+, and Compline three times per week, led by Jude+ and a team of lay leaders. Each service includes the traditional service, plus words from the leader, and explanations of the readings. They are prayerful and quiet, a far cry from the turmoil of the world, and medicine to help us heal and be comforted and inspired.

You do not need to have a Facebook page to view our content. Just click here to view our page. If you don't have a facebook account, or have forgotten how to log into it, just ignore any prompts to log in etc. The page should be visible to anyone. Still having trouble? Email Susan Marshall, for help.

Livestreams are also saved to our Facebook page, so you can watch again at any time if you miss one. Plus our sermons are also available as separate audio recordings here.

Zoom groups -

Behold! An open invitation to any knitters or crocheters to call or text Anna Eakins...for an interesting Covid project. 310 297-0701.

At the current time, our monthly newsletter is on hiatus, but we'd still love to hear from you. If you have any updates or items you would have submitted for publication in normal times, send them along to Susan and we will publish them in this enews instead!

We are here to do our best to help you with whatever you may need. We know circumstances are difficult for many at this time. For help of any kind, or just for a Zoom or Facetime or phone call, please email or call Paula+ or Jude+ at any time.

If you are in a position to do so, (only if - no guilt), you may also donate to Paula+'s Discretionary Fund to help those at St. Francis in financial need. Send checks to 2200 Via Rosa, PVE 90274, made out to St. Francis Church, with 'Rector's Discretionary Fund' in the memo line. Thank you!

Email Paula+, 310-995-6519

Email Jude+, 310-701-5966.

View or download our bulletins - bulletins will be posted in time for livestreaming.

Click here to read The Episcopal News Update - Joy to the world! A Christmas 2020 message from Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

Contacts:

Paula+, 310-375 4617 x223.

Jude+, 310-375 4617 x225.

You are not interrupting our work - you ARE our work!