FIELDNOTES

November 2023

 The Monthly Newsletter of 

St. Francis-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church

Malvern, Pennsylvania

Don't forget to change your clocks before you go to bed on November 4, 2023!

November Speaks

It struck me the other day just how important the rites and rituals of November are, and how powerfully they can speak to us, and lead us toward that rich vision that Advent brings.

Think about it: We begin November with All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, our recognition that the living and the dead share in a mystical communion in God. Next comes Election Day, which by definition is “the first Tuesday following the first Monday” in November. Election Day is our corporate act of social liturgy, on which we participate together in the practical, concrete act of managing our life on Earth together. Next comes Veteran’s Day, when we remember that this corporate life together requires the tangible sacrifices of many, especially those who serve in our armed forces at home and abroad. Only then - when we have reflected on our mystical communion, our corporate management of creation, and the sacrifices required - only then do we reach the celebration of Thanksgiving.

Do you see where I’m going with this? If we let those other days speak - All Saints’, All Souls’, Election Day, and Veterans Day - they give us a powerful picture of our life together, and move us toward our celebration of Thanksgiving. And that special day becomes more than just a day to be thankful for our individual blessings, but also a day to reflect thankfully on what it means to be a human family, created in God’s image and working - together - for the common, God-inspired good.

And how does our Christian Year end? How do we wrap up all of these important November moments? We gather for worship on “Christ the King” Sunday, the last Sunday after Pentecost, and remind us of the character of life to which God calls us. And while we may be tempted to see this final Sunday before Advent as a celebration of the divine ego - Christ is King, and no one else - perhaps we should instead let those rites and rituals of November speak, and bring us to that Sunday with a wholly different idea: "Kingship" in God's Kingdom can only be understood through the complete self-giving of Christ for the life of the World.

Having read all that, don’t let November pass by too quickly. While the “holiday season” may still be a few weeks ahead, this month is rich with reflection on how we are meant to live together as a human family - recognizing one another, working together toward a common good, and making the necessary sacrifices to protect one another from harm. All of these lead us toward a heart full of thanksgiving, and gather us up in the love of God expressed in Christ our King.

Happy November,

Fr. Kevin

Deacon Collection

Thank you! Your generosity towards the collection of First Aid supplies is greatly appreciated by this Deacon and all the people that will benefit by your donations!

November 1 - All Saints Day Service of Remembrance

St. Francis Churchyard Cemetery

A service of prayer and remembrance for our friends and loved ones buried in the St. Francis Churchyard Cemetery will be held on Wednesday, November 1^st at 11:30 am.

The short prayer service will take place at the outside Altar, near the Cross. In inclement weather, the service will move into the Church to the front of the Nave.

November 4: Men’s Breakfast Fellowship

The next Men’s Fellowship Breakfast will be held on Saturday, November 4, 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.

November 5: All Souls Remembrances

The Feast of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day) will be observed this year on Sunday, November 5. The Parish Office is collecting names of family members and friends who have died over the last two years to be read from the Altar at Eucharist.



To submit a name, please email the office: [email protected]. In addition, members are encouraged to bring photographs of any loved one who has died to be placed on the Altar during the service that Sunday morning.

These can be dropped off in advance of that Sunday (preferred), or brought to the service that day. All pictures will be returned.

November 6: Election Eve Prayer Services

Every election is important! And every opportunity to participate should be approached with respectfulness and prayer.

On Monday, November 6, St. Francis will offer two, brief, non-partisan “Election Eve” services of prayer at 12pm and 7pm.

Everyone is invited to attend. Please consider spending 30 minutes preparing your heart and mind for this sacred task.

Book Group - November 17

Calico Joe by John Grisham.  

When he arrived at Veterans Stadium Joe was understandably nervous. The manager told him “You’re starting at first and hitting seventh.” 

In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. He quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America. The baseball is thrilling, but it is what happens off the field that makes Calico Joe a classic.

BROWN BAG LUNCH – November 21, 2023



We welcome Stephen Skoufalos, President Great Valley School District Education Foundation to the Brown Bag Lunch on Tuesday, November 21, Noon-1PM

The Great Valley School District Education Foundation was established in the early 2000s. The foundation, originally known as "The Foundation at Great Valley", was conceived by a group of passionate community members, including parents, educators, and business leaders. Recognizing the need for additional funding and resources to enhance educational opportunities for students, they aimed to create a strong partnership between the community and the school district. In 2019, the foundation was renamed to the "Great Valley School District Education Foundation" to reflect our direct support for the school district goals and initiatives. Throughout our history, the foundation has played a pivotal role in funding various educational initiatives that go beyond the standard curriculum.

Some of these initiatives include Venture Grants that promote innovative learning, scholarships and dual enrollment, community outreach through the Good Neighbor Program, and support for student artists.

Throughout its existence, the Great Valley School District Education Foundation, through its partnership with the school district, has significantly impacted the learning experiences of all GVSD students. By fostering strong community involvement and support, the foundation has shaped the future of education in the area and contributed to the overall success and growth of the Great Valley School District. For more information, please go to www.gvsdef.org. Stephen has been a Foundation board member since 2015 and President of the Board since 2018.

Next Brown Bag Lunch is scheduled for Tuesday, December 12^th. Our presenter will be Sara Wein, Executive Director, National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI). Please feel free to extend this invitation to your family, neighbors, and friends. Mental illness is a national crisis and all of us, in one way or another may be impacted. Please mark your calendars and we look forward to seeing you.

Baking Cookies for Cookie Walk

Our annual Cookie Walk will take place on Saturday, December 2, from 9am to 11am.

We need members of St. Francis to do two things.

1.) Start baking cookies! (Or at least make your plans to bake.) ANY cookies or other baked items should have known allergens clearly labeled.

2.) Start telling your friends and neighbors! We need more people from outside of St. Francis buying cookies.

Contact Michelle Samet for information on this important event at [email protected]

All proceeds go to the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County.

SAVE THE DATE & MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Saturday, December 2 from 9:30-11:30am   

Advent Mini-Retreat “Come, Lord Jesus”

St. Francis’ Sanctuary

Join Fr. John and Nina Whitnah for a time of reflecting on the major theme of Advent: the coming of Jesus past, present, and future. We will look at some passages of Scripture, enjoy a variety of songs and hymns, ponder other literature that will all provide encouragement in our waiting and preparation for the full coming of Christ’s reign in our lives and in our world.

SAVE THE DATE

Please save, Sunday, December 10^th (11:30AM–12:30PM) for a post-sabbatical presentation by Fr. Kevin. More to come later.

SAVE THE DATE

SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 2024

(9:00AM-10:15AM)

CPR/AED TRAINING

Most people feel helpless during a cardiac emergency. Would you, a family member or friend know what to do if you saw someone collapse? Increase your confidence and reduce your fears and hesitation during an emergency by being trained in Hands-on CPR.

In 2018, St. Francis purchased an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and two training sessions were held in 2018 and 2019; however, because of COVID all in-person training were cancelled.

Please save Saturday, January 6, 2024 (9:00AM-10:15AM) for this very important training.

Thank you!

Clothing Collections for Church Farm School

Church Farm School Requests Gently Used Clothing for Scholars Church Farm School is an independent boarding and day college preparatory school for bright, motivated young scholars in grades 9-12 looking for an extraordinary educational opportunity at a reasonable cost.

To help these terrific scholars with their wardrobes (they are required to wear coats and ties for Chapel, dress in business casual attire for school and keep their clothes in good condition), the school enthusiastically requests donations of gently used or new clothing, appropriate for teenage boys in sizes small, medium, large and extra-large. 

Greatly needed at this time are: Men’s sweaters (S, M and L), Men’s blazers (Size 34, 36, 38, 40), Belts (black and brown, size 32, 34, 36 and 38), warm jackets, hats, gloves, and ties.

Donated items can be put in the bin located in the narthex.

For more information about donating clothes please contact Cindy VanHefter, [email protected]

Coffee Hour



Coffee Hour hosts are needed for 2024! Please consider hosting a Sunday or two.

Contact Sue Kelly by email at [email protected] or 267-304-2419 or sign up in the Narthex.

Youth Group



Youth Group meet now in collaboration with St. Peter's of the Great Valley and St. John's, Concord.

The next meeting is November 26 at St. Francis-in-the-Fields. The December meeting TBD.

This will be for both High School and Middle School students!

For more information, please call Diane Faison at 610-647-0130 or email at [email protected].

Garden News

• The church vegetable garden contributed 409.20 pounds of fresh vegetables during the 2023 garden season.
• This is 203 % over 2022. 
• All the vegetables are cut and handled so they are ready to be placed for client selection of the West Chester Food Bank. Most days the intake person says they go from the intake door to clients.
• We package in thin plastic bags supplied by the Chester County Food Bank.
• What a difference a great new fence makes. Taller and stronger.
• What a difference special spikes make so the neighborhood ground hog stayed outside. Thanks to Erich Meyer for the spike solution and installation.
• What a difference 6 new beds made by Eagle Scout project under the leadership of Dan Goff makes. Eagle Scout backs purchased new lumber and hardware for the raised beds. The Scouts also turned over all the soil. That is a big help.
• We also added two additional beds so our total of beds is now eight (8).

What did we grow and harvest:

Different types of lettuces, green beans, cucumbers, lots of pepper varieties – up to 8. We always grow basil, scallions, zucchini, radishes. For the past two years we had cherry tomatoes and they don’t grow on our schedule. 

What happens next in the garden schedule. We receive and review the 2024 plant and seedling information from the Chester County Food Bank, In 2024 we will be charged a $225 fee for their Garden support for seeds and seedlings. We start turning over the garden soil in the 8 beds in late March. We plant in April.

Thanks to everyone for your support and help. We appreciate your help and especially all our casual but oh so necessary people who water during the summer. 

Mahala J. Renkey

Circle of Friends

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, November 29 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.

Additionally, if you know someone who would benefit from a note of encouragement, well wishes or any other message from our ministry, please contact Sue and we will add them to our list. We want to ensure we're reaching those who need it most. 

Immigration Ministry

Refugee assistance update: the seventh furniture collection for refugees, in collaboration with Nationalities Service Center, will take place first week of October. 

To make a donation, please text photos of the items to John Groch. Include your address. John will give you detailed information about pickup date and time as soon as possible.

 Thanks!

Altar Flowers

With the holidays approaching there are many opportunities to donate flowers for the altar, which are given to parishioners who are not well or are homebound. The flower book has been updated with pages until December 2024. There are many opportunities to sign up for flowers in November and December. Multiple entries can be made on one Sunday. 

With regards to next year, I copied any entry which was placed in ink from the previous year.  Please check your entries if you have entered a permanent request to be sure it is correct. The cost for the flowers is the same- $50 per Sunday.   

Thanks. If you have questions contact Pam Hudson, [email protected].