FIELDNOTES

April 2025

 The Monthly Newsletter of 

St. Francis-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church

Malvern, Pennsylvania

Holy Week and Easter Schedule

Palm Sunday               April 13 @ 10am        Liturgy of the Palms & Eucharist

“Blessed Be” Concert  April 13 @ 4pm          Choral Reflections on the Beatitudes

Maundy Thursday       April 17 @ 6pm          Agape Meal & Stripping of the Altar

Good Friday                April 18 @ 12pm        Solemn Vigil from the BCP

Great Vigil of Easter    April 19 @ 8pm          The primary service of Easter

Easter Day                  April 20 @ 8am & 10am

Business as Usual?

Life is busy. The people I talk to - teens, young parents, mid-lifers like me - we’ve got a lot going on. Then I talk to the retired folk. Sheesh. It’s hard to keep up with people over 65! Once they step out of the “daily grind” it’s like their calendar goes crazy. In fact, those are the people - the retirees - I have to “work out” a schedule with the most. They’re all over the place!

I think about this busy-ness (not just retirees, but all of us) as we draw close to Holy Week. No, this is not a lecture about “slowing down” and attending all the Holy Week services. (More on that later…) Rather, it’s about what really happened during Holy Week, and how that relates to us. Because, in a very real way, nothing happened during Holy Week.

“What ’choo talkin’ bout Fr. Kevin?” I hear Arnold Willis shouting. Yes, that’s right. You heard me. Nothing happened.

Oh, sure, there were events in Jerusalem that week. There was some rabble at the gate; another “holy man” causing a raucous. There was an arrest, a trial, a conviction. Bit of a crowd. There was a “perp” walk and some crucifixions. Some quacking about a lost body. And then (to quote another famous American sitcom), “yada yada,” life moved on.

That’s the part we don’t usually get about Holy Week: the banality. From our perspective, Holy Week begins with palms and hymns and praises, and ends with the glories of the resurrection, and in the middle, there is love and heartbreak and betrayal and loss. From our perspective, Holy Week - the Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ - is a drama, intensified to cosmic proportions. The heavens themselves grow dark, and the earth cracks open, and all creation reacts. From our perspective, Holy Week is the centerpoint in time and space, around which all the rest of history revolves.

But for “almighty” Rome, what we call Holy Week was just “business as usual”.

I want to remind us of that - that sense of “business as usual” - as we ourselves travel once again toward Holy Week. Because the events we remember during Holy Week still occur - as they did some two millenia past - in the midst of an unredeemed banality. Even as we wave our palms, sing our hymns, gather for an Agape meal, stand vigil at the Cross, and bear witness to the Resurrection, there are very real “principalities and powers” in our world that are driven to acts of hatred and violence rooted in the same suspicions and fears that corrupted some religious leaders and pervaded Rome some two millenia past. The Church’s celebration of the ultimate act of love - the self-giving of God in Jesus Christ - continues to take place against this backdrop of decidedly unoriginal sin. If we open our eyes to it, our news feeds are filled with last meals and betrayals, arrests and trials, perp walks and “crucifixions”. The writer of Ecclesiastes was right. There is “nothing new under the sun.” Unless . . .

Unless, that is, the people of God allow the Passion of Jesus Christ to truly be the universal, counter-cultural, heaven-darkening, earth-shaking message it was always intended to be.

To approach Holy Week as mere “religious observance” is to neutralize it and contain it. It’s to choose, as a prayer in the Iona Abbey Worship Book says, an “easier faith and a tamer dove.” A Palm Sunday, a Maundy Thursday, a Good Friday, an Easter morning that make no practical difference in the world are part of the same unredeemed banality that once made crucifixion commonplace. A quick glance at recent history alone will prove it: Even the Church risks embracing a faith that is, at best, only “business as usual.”

But, thanks be to God, this is a Gospel that will not be silenced! When the seemingly inveterate suspicions and fears of our world rise up to perpetuate their mundane cruelties, the Gospel is there to speak. We are invited to be the voice, but if not us, Jesus said, the very stones will cry out.

Which is why it’s important - this year, and all years - to let Holy Week be more than an “inconvenience”. To be counter-cultural, the Passion of Jesus in all its fullness must continue to shock us out of our routine; to open our eyes not just to the world in which this Passion happened, or continues to happen, but to the world that Passion calls on us to create. Easter is not the end of Holy Week, but the beginning of Holy Work. Our Holy Work. The work of God in Jesus Christ to create a new backdrop to the human story, not filled with suspicion and fear, but painted with God’s radical belonging and unconditional love.

That’s a tall order for the Church, and a lifetime of labor for each and every Christian. But it is decidedly not “business as usual”.

Fr. Kevin+

Vestry Notes

March 11, 2025

Accounting Warden Lisa Buono reported that revenue is currently ahead of schedule, which has helped to cover unusually high utility costs. Our overall financial position is good.

John McGovern reported that the Building Committee is considering bids for upgrading interior church lighting and investigating carpet cleaning services.

John Groch provided an update on progress by the Grounds Committee, recently separated from the Building Committee for effective oversight of these committees’ responsibilities. A chart specifying grounds responsibilities (e.g., lawncare, cemetery, meadow) has been developed, including persons responsible for each area.

John also reported progress on the Season of Creation environmental fair scheduled for September 27. A participant application form will be sent to prospective exhibitors (e.g., Sugartown Strawberry Farm, Chester County Food Bank) to invite them to the event on church grounds.

Fr. Kevin reported on Justice and Action Committee activities, including the presentation on how to support the transgender community by a representative from Arrive Therapy (Paoli) on March 16.

As Vestry Member of the Month, Roberta Torian reported having very positive conversations with chairs of selected ministries for February.

Father Kevin reported that the recent Acolyte/Youth brunch was a great success and that worship and adult education planning meetings were scheduled to advance these areas of parish activity.

New Member Spotlight: Meet the Millers!

Catie Miller has fond memories of occasionally coming to St. Francis as a child with her grandparents, the Helfrichs.  Her mother Cathy (the Helfrich’s daughter) is also a newer member of our parish. When Catie and her husband Dan moved to West Chester from Havertown two years ago, she knew she wanted to get back to attending church with their young family. Dan and Catie were married in 2022, after meeting online, and becoming engaged on a lovely vacation in Key West.

Dan and Catie’s daughter Kimberly is 12 years old, attends Rosemont School of the Holy Child, and is our newest Acolyte. Their darling baby girl Mackenzie was recently baptized at St. Francis. Catie is a Project Manager for Equus Capital, working on the new Ellis Preserve complex in Newtown Square. Dan is a Superintendent for Hankins Group, a commercial builder in the Exton area. While their demanding jobs, along with parenting, does not provide much time for hobbies, they both enjoy home improvement projects. Dan also likes to sneak out to the golf course when he can, and Catie enjoys visiting the pool and beach in the warmer months. If you have not yet had the pleasure of meeting the Miller family, please be sure to say hello!

New ways to support St. Francis!

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ALL Meetings, Events, and Repairs



PLEASE call (610-647-0130) or email (stfrancisfields@stfrancisfields.org) Diane Faison in the church office to schedule ANY events at the church!

Doing this helps prevent scheduling conflicts.

April 1: Enneagram Growth Group

The Enneagram Growth Group meets on the 1^st Tuesdays of each month, from 6pm to 8pm, at the Dellaria residence in Paoli. The next meeting is Tuesday, April 1.

For more information, contact Fr. Kevin or Donna Dellaria (donnadellaria@gmail.com)

April 5: Men’s Breakfast Fellowship

The monthly Men’s Fellowship Breakfast will be held on Saturday, April 5 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.

April 11: Book Group

On April 11 at 7:30 pm the Book Group will be discussing a classic: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.

They are an unlikely pair: George is "small and quick and dark of face"; Lennie, a man of tremendous size, has the mind of a young child. Yet they have formed a "family," clinging together in the face of loneliness and alienation. Laborers in California's dusty vegetable fields, they hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. But George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own.

Our selection for May 16 will be The Violin Conspiracy by Brendon Slocumb. This is a mystery about a black classical musician whose family heirloom violin is stolen on the eve of the most prestigious classical music competition in the world.

Church School

Church School dates are April 13 & 27 and May 11 & 25. Church School is the 2nd and 4th Sunday in the month.

Ages are Kindergarten through 5th grade.

Lenten Opportunities



Our Lenten programs continue with The Final Day: A Lenten Journey through the Gospels (Sundays @ 8:45am & Wednesdays @ 10am), and The Lost Art of Kindness (Wednesdays @ 6pm, St. Peter’s Church, Malvern), as well as a time of contemplative prayer (Sundays @ 6pm).

Coming in May... John Groch will be teaching us about the Nicene Creed. Stay tuned for details.

Spring Supper Six

After a successful re-launch of Supper Six last Fall, let’s keep the fun going with another Supper Six in April/May.

Supper Six is designed to help parish members get better acquainted with one another and to give new members a way to meet other members.  Participants are placed into groups of six, with one person or couple hosting an evening of dinner and fellowship at their house on a date agreed upon by the group.  A new member (or new member couple) is invited to join the group. 

In the Supper Six format, the host (couple or individual) provides the main course, and the others in the group provide an appetizer, salad, dessert, etc.; whatever your group decides to do. The main thing is to just have fun.

There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex. Please sign up by April 6^th if you would like to participate in the Spring Supper Six.  You can contact me at jkculver26@gmail.com or 610-724-1322, if you have any questions, or to sign up.

Judy Culver

April 20: Easter Egg Hunt



Please join us for an Easter egg hunt after the 10 am service on Easter Sunday, April 20.

Bring a basket or bag to gather eggs. 

All children are welcome!

BROWN BAG LUNCH

Please mark your calendar and join us on Tuesday, April 22, at Noon for our monthly Brown Bag Lunch. We will celebrate “Church Farm School History Month " with Mr. Christopher Kramaric, Chief Advancement Officer, as our guest speaker, joined by a few of his students.

 The Reverend Dr. Charles W. Shreiner founded Church Farm School to instill orphaned boys and young men with character based on three central tenets: the value of religion, the value of hard work, and the value of education. Shreiner, a single mother's son, had the vision to “help people as he had been helped, so there evolved in his mind a school for boys whose mother was their sole support.” On April 1, 1918, Church Farm School opened its doors to five boys from West Philadelphia Episcopal churches who bedded on straws ticking in an old carriage house. Students – as young as 10 – worked the farm half the day and spent the rest of their time pursuing academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities. Today, Church Farm School supports young men from various backgrounds for whom the school represents an extraordinary opportunity to pursue an all-boys, college preparatory education at an uncommonly affordable price.

Located on 150 bucolic acres in the heart of Chester County, the School emphasizes leadership, curiosity, good sportsmanship, and core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, and brotherhood. All graduates go on to the nation’s leading colleges and universities, and Church Farm School ensures their persistence through a unique Alumni Success Program.

Thank you. We look forward to seeing you on April 22. Attendees are encouraged to arrive by 11:45 AM to allow mingling time and get their lunch and beverage so we can promptly start at noon.

BBL Ministry Team: Shirley Warren, Cindy VanHefter, and Sheila Rees

Funeral for Richard W. Partridge

The Funeral for Richard "Dick" Partridge will be Saturday, April 26 at 11 am.

Visitation with the family will be 10 am to 10:45 am.

April 26: Everett Beauregard Foundation

Community Quest

A family-friendly scavenger hunt through Malvern Borough. Tickets are $25 and teams of 3 - 4 people are recommended. 

This is our largest fundraiser of the year. The funds we raise go to helping kids in underserved communities choose a different path. In the last year we have donated to Philly Youth Basketball ($10,000 to their Sixth Man Center), The Charles L. Durham Library in Mantua (we donated a shelf of books and $5,000) and Unity in the Community (giving kids the opportunity to apprentice as mechanics /carpenters and gifting them the tools they need when they graduate - we donated $10,000). 

We are doing great work in Everett's name!

https://www.everettbeauregard.org/event-details-registration/the-everett-beauregard-foundation-1st-annual-community-quest

Vacation Bible School July 28 to July 31

We hope you can join us for VBS at St. Francis Monday July 28^th thru Thursday July 31^st from 9:00am to 11:30am. Children age 4 to 5^th grade are welcome. Our program is again from Grow Curriculum and is titled Step Right Up”. Registration forms will be available soon. Any questions please contact Sherri Lewis.

Come one! Come all! Step Right Up and see the marvelous wonders waiting for you at our carnival! Carnivals are more than a place for enteratinment - they're an invitation to see something extraordinary. The best part? Everyone is invited! In this four-day series, kids will explore how Jesus, like a great carnival barker, calls out to us to show us something wonderful. In these four lessons, we'll discover how Jesus invites us to use the gifts God gave us, show God's love to someone new, thank God for forgiveness, and share God's story with everyone!

From: Virginia Webb ( Meadow Minders Committee Member)



 Spring is here and with it trees, plants and flowers sprouting,

blossoming and our Church Meadow will awaken from its

“Winter slumber. “ God has entrusted us to protect,

nurture and continue what He

Has created. We need to care NOT only for each other

but also, for the natural resources, wildlife and beauty

surrounding us here at St. Francis. We are: “Meadow Minders”.

 I am so excited and feeling blessed to be a part of

this important Committee at St. Francis. I feel

especially called to be a part of this Committee.

 I am a former Environmental Librarian and have worked

on conservation/ research projects in the past

 including “care and mitigation of Chesapeake Bay

Watershed groundwater pollution.”

I feel a special connection to the serenity and

Beauty of nature as well.  This love of nature started

in my Girl Scout Camping days . We would

have our Sunday Church Service in the “Green

Cathedral”. It was a designated outdoor space with

 trees, flowers and Bird and an altar with benches.

  I have a demanding and

busy life now, and being out & involved in Nature is GREAT

for my mental and physical health.  I do not

know a lot about the individual plants, wildflowers

and grasses but each Committee member

enlightens me, answers my questions and I am learning!

Pray for us!

Office of Government Relations

Creation Care



The Episcopal Church’s Covenant for the Care of Creation is a commitment to practice loving formation, liberating advocacy and life-giving conservation as individuals, congregations, ministries and dioceses. 

For God’s sake, standing alongside marginalized, vulnerable peoples, we will advocate and act to repair Creation and seek the liberation and flourishing of all people.

April 22 is Earth Day. There may be an activity to help the earth in your neighborhood. Join one of those and/or go to Creation Care on the Episcopal Church website.

 https://www.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/office-government-relations/

Circle of Friends

The Circle of Friends will meet in person, in the library, on Wednesday, April 23 at 5:30 pm.

If you are unable to join us in person but would still like to participate, packets can be prepared for pickup or delivery as needed. 

Please contact Shelley Steel at 610-299-3963 or shelleybsteel@gmail.com.

Thistle Hills House 2025

Thank you for your recent donations!

The women at the Thistle Hills House are very grateful but

supplies are still needed!

We are still collecting for Thistle Hills House in Coatesville.

When shopping, take the list with you and throw something extra in the cart! Anything you can give would be greatly appreciated by the women who live at Thistle Hills House!

Please be as generous as you can!

A list of needs is in the Narthex and below!

Much appreciated!!

Ministry to Refugees

Nationalities Service Center is increasing its efforts to serve as many refugees as possible and is in need of sofas, upholstered chairs and kitchen tables and chairs. 

Please send photos to John Groch at 610-547-3583. 

NSC has many volunteer opportunities (nscphila.org).

Altar Flowers

Honor a loved one or celebrate a special occasion by signing up for our weekly flower memorials. For a donation of $50, your dedication will help adorn our altar with beautiful flowers during the service your choice and will brighten the life of a shut in.

To reserve a date, please use the book in the back of the church, find the date of your choice and fill in. Entries in pencil are only for one year and entries in pen will be considered permanent and reoccurring.  

Your generosity and remembrance will be a blessing to our parish community.

Thank you for your support! Pamela Hudson, 484-787-6669 

St. Francis-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church

689 Sugartown Road

Malvern, PA 19355

610-647-0130

stfrancisfields@stfrancisfields.org

stfrancisfields.org

The Very Rev. Kevin Dellaria, Rector

 Diane Faison, Parish Administrator & Deacon

Joe Perry, Music Director