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Lenten Dinners — 2/28, 3/06, 3/13, 3/20 6pm
2/28 - 3/13 "Who we are and where we come from: A Look at Our Roots".
3/20 Seder Meal, presented by Bob Rothman from Congregation Ner Tamid.
Palm Sunday — March 24
Celebrate Palm Sunday at the 8am & 10am service.
Holy Week — March 24 - 30
3/27 Holy Wednesday: 7pm Tenebrae at St. Andrew’s (Torrance). A contemplative evening of light and music.
3/28 Maundy Thursday: 12pm Foot washing at Christ Church (Redondo). 7pm Holy Eucharist, foot washing, stripping of the altar, and the Watch at St. Cross (Hermosa).
3/29 Good Friday: 12-3pm Meditative service at St. Francis. Sit in the quiet of the chapel as we contemplate the last words of Christ; this is a come-and-go service. 7pm Veneration of the Cross at Christ Church (Redondo).
3/30 Holy Saturday, 8pm the Great Easter Vigil at St Francis.
Easter Sunday — March 31
Celebrate Easter at the 8am and 10am service, followed by our Easter Egg Hunt immediately following the service.
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Interactive Sermons?
No, it’s something different.
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Just what is an interactive sermon? The congregation takes part in the sermon, helping to craft it from beginning to end. That could be a fun exercise - but it’s not what we are doing. I give a short sermon, then ask the congregation if they have questions or observations, and from there we have a focused discussion. It is similar to (though not the same as) an EFM prompt, and if you’re unfamiliar with that, it is essentially a brief Bible study. We are worshiping in the chancel of the chapel, and it’s peaceful and low-key. Come join us on Wednesdays at noon!
—Fr. Jason
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Father Jason's Week in Review | |
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February 22: Got my REAL ID California Drivers License; pastoral phone calls; a whole pile of admin tasks.
February 23: Pastoral phone calls; prepared for graveside service on Saturday; sermon prep.
February 24: Graveside service; hospital visit; sermon prep.
February 25: Sunday services; Wayfarers Chapel worshiped in our chapel; active shooter training after church in the parish hall.
February 26: Met with Senior Warden; met with Bishop Taylor via Zoom; pastoral meeting; pastoral phone call.
February 27: Prepared for Lenten program; pastoral phone calls; admin tasks.
February 28: Prepared for Lenten program; staff meeting; noon Eucharist; delicious fish tacos for dinner followed by the Lenten program
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Undies Sundays!
Celebrate the Lenten Practice of Giving
March 3, 10, and 17
St. Luke’s Breakfast and Showers Program serving our unhoused neighbors needs new men’s underwear. Drop off packages of underwear in the narthex on Sundays, in the office during office hours, or at the Lenten Suppers. Boxer Briefs or Boxers only. Good brands include:
• Fruit of the Loom Cool Zone sizes M, L, or XL
• Kirkland Signature Boxer Briefs sizes M, L, or XL
If you have free shipping on Amazon, it’s easiest to order online.
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At our Easter services, we share our joy and celebration by way of extra-special music and decorations of our chapel and church. These extraordinary offerings require resources above and beyond our allotted funds, and so we invite those who would like to be part of this festive glory to donate.
Please fill out this form to contribute to the Easter flowers and/or music. The minimum suggested flower donation is $50.
Checks should be made out according to instructions on the form. Place your completed form and check(s) in the office or the Sunday collection plate.
The deadline for Easter flower dedications to be included in the Easter Sunday bulletin is Sunday, March 25.
We hope you enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of our Easter celebrations, which so deeply enhance our worship experiences! Many thanks to the Altar Guild, Choir, and Musicians.
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On Sunday, March 31, we'll have an Easter Egg Hunt for the children. If you would like to help make this a festive occasion, bring plastic Easter eggs filled with candy to the church office before Easter Sunday. Thank you! | |
Scholarship Fund Update
Ayomide (Ay) Olowookere is a freshman at UCLA pursuing a major in computer engineering.
He has assimilated well into the college experience and so far his classes have largely been a review of what he had already learned in high school, but the classes are becoming more difficult. In July 2023, the St. Francis Outreach Scholarship Fund (SFOSF) helped Ay buy a MacBook Pro laptop computer, which he absolutely loves. It has been a great help in his studies, especially since all of his college textbooks are in digital format.
For more about the St. Francis Outreach Scholarship fund, click here.
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By Your Side Training Winter 2024 | |
The Canterbury
April 15 through May 13
6:30 to 8:30 PM
Since 2011, the mission of By Your Side (an Episcopal Communities & Services Compassion Program) has been to support people in times of change and difficulty, particularly in health crisis, and to be at their bedside at the end of their lives as needed. More than five hundred volunteers have been trained to be a compassionate presence.
We continue to develop teams of people to serve in hospital and long-term care settings, especially in our ECS communities. There, team members have had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of what it means to really be "with" the residents they support, and residents become even more aware of the needs of neighbors having difficulty with changes in their lives, with challenging diagnoses or increasing frailty. In the larger community, individuals and spiritual care teams strengthen their understanding of what being together through the end of life can really look like. We all gain tools for taking care of ourselves while being present for those around us. The pandemic brought all of us to an acute awareness of life's fragility, realizing that what is most important is connection. Please join us in this exploration. There is no obligation to volunteer.
Our next 10-hour training is at The Canterbury, 5801 Crestridge Rd, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 on Monday evenings, April 15—May 13, from 6:30 t0 8:30 pm. For further information and to register, you may contact Susan Bown at sbroun@ecsforseniors.org or (626)403-5424. A fee of $70.00 (which includes all materials) is due by the second class. ECS team members are complimentary; scholarships are for public enrollees. CE (2 hrs.) for nurses is available for an added $30.00 under California Board of Registered Nursing Provider CEP 16239.
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Lenten Devotional
Enrich your Lenten practice with the St. Francis 2024 Lenten Devotional. The devotional contains reflections written by members and clergy of St Francis. Each day in Lent has a reflection based on the daily readings assigned by the Common Lectionary for the Lenten Season. The thoughtful reflections published in these booklets have been at the center of a Lenten practice for many in our community, and we hope that this year these writings will continue to challenge and inspire.
Pick up your copy at the church office, or download your copy as a PDF.
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Lent 2024 with South Bay Episcopalians | |
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Check out all the Lent and Holy Week worship opportunities in the South Bay area offered by St. Francis, St. Andrew's, St. Cross, and Christ Church.
Download this flyer as a PDF.
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Sunday Holy Communion
8:00 am
Rite I in-person worship in the Chapel, with hymns. This service is not live-streamed.
10:00 am
Rite II in-person worship in the main church with choir and music.
For other worship services and parish events, visit our calendar.
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Livestream Worship and Sermons Online
We livestream Sunday 10am worship on Facebook and YouTube. You can view past sermons or entire livestreams on our YouTube channel.
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Nursery School and Sunday School
Sunday school for children in kindergarten through fifth grade will be held in the Parish Hall from 9:50 am to 10:40 am (ish ... the kids typically come in at the Peace). There is a nursery for children 6 months to 5 years old.
Contact: Kristina Pelá
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Pastoral Care
In need of prayer? Send prayer requests to Fr. Jason.
Contact Kristina Pelá to arrange for a Lay Eucharistic Minister to safely bring you communion.
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Parish Directory
Our directory is available online. If you need the password, contact the church office or email Claire Erbeznik.
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Calendar of Events
All of our worship services, events, and small groups are listed on our church calendar.
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Communications
and Notices
Please send all notices you wish to be included in the enews or bulletins to Father Jason.
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Coffee Hour
Ministry
To volunteer to help one week after the 10am worship service, see the sign-up sheet at Sunday coffee hour.
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Yoga with Jill
A spiritual mind and body practice led by Jill Lynch in the St. Francis Parish Hall.
Mondays 11:00-12:30 pm – Level 1/2 Hatha for Strength and Mobility
Wednesdays 9:00-10:30 am – Level 1 Gentle Yoga for Vital Mobility and Balance
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