|
Monday, Nov. 18 – 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal
Tuesday, Nov. 19
6:00 pm Finance Committee Meeting
7:00 pm Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 20
10:00 am Healing & Reconciliation Holy Eucharist
5:00 pm Good Grief Support Group
Thursday, Nov. 21 – 1:00 pm Quilters and Knitters Group
Monday, Nov. 25 – 7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal
Tuesday, Nov. 26 – 7:00 pm Taizé Service and Reception
Wednesday, Nov. 27
10:00 am Healing & Reconciliation Holy Eucharist
11:00 am Good Grief Support Group
Thursday, Nov. 28
Thanksgiving Day, church office closed
1:00 pm Quilters and Knitters Group
Friday, Nov. 29 – Thanksgiving Day, church office closed
For more events, visit our calendar.
| |
Stewardship by the Numbers: Part 3 | |
|
In the first two articles we covered our Annual Operating Disbursements and Operating Receipts, which constitutes our Operating Budget. This week we will discuss the short and long-term investments managed for St Francis. Due to pre-paid pledges (pledges paid in one installment at the beginning of the year), and several large Restricted Funds, St Francis has a positive cash position. In order to put that cash to work for St Francis we have made a series of short-term investments to generate interest which adds to our Operating Receipts. These investments are actively managed by the Treasurer and Business Manager with the concurrence of the Finance Committee. This is simply cash flow management. Since the investments are liquid, if we unexpectedly need the cash, it is available to us, but while it is not being used, it is generating income for the Parish.
We have three Long Term Investment Funds: The St Francis Church Endowment Trust, The Operations Endowment Fund, and The St Francis Scholarship Fund. These funds are managed by the Investment Committee, chaired by the Treasurer, and governed by the Investment Policy Statement. The Investment Policy Statement outlines the parameters of how the funds will be managed and is reviewed and approved by the Vestry. Our long-term investment portfolio is currently valued at over $4M.
The St Francis Church Endowment Trust was approved by the Vestry in December of 1976, and exists to cover non-routine expenses. The Trust specifically prohibits using the monies for anything included in the Operating Budget. Most recently we have used the fund to support the Episcopal Relief Fund for Ukraine, to pay for our recent Rector Search, and for the land use attorney we hired to help us address the issue of the City of PVE including our property in their response to the state for how to provide more low and very low-income housing units. Generally, we target no more than 5% of the value annually for use, but can go higher if the Vestry approves. In 2024, we have not yet had a need to tap into this fund.
The Operations Endowment Fund was created specifically to provide a source of funding for our Annual Operating Budget. The fund allows for up to 5% of the prior year's balance to be taken as part of the operating receipts in the following year. Therefore, if the fund’s balance at the end of 2023 was $1M, we could include up to $50K in our Operating Budget for 2024. As the fund grows, so does the opportunity to our Operating Budget. As reported last week, 22% of our 2024 Operating Receipts are from the Operations Endowment Fund. We take these funds in quarterly draws. If we find that we do not need all of the funds ( as was true in 2023) we can chose to not take one or more of the draws, and leave the money in the fund to be invested. Bob Pilmer proposed The Endowment fund to the Vestry in July 2007, it was subsequently approved. This fund has grown from Bob’s modest, yet generous, donation to over $3M in value today. The Operations Endowment is a great place to donate monies that will continue to add value to St Francis for years to come.
The St Francis Scholarship Fund creates income to help our scholarship recipients. Every year, St Francis supports many college students with computers, books, and other financial aid to help them afford a college education. When you participate in one of the many fundraising efforts by our tireless Scholarship Committee, your donations go to this fund which continues our long-standing effort to lift up students from low-income backgrounds.
Our investment approach is conservative and well-balanced. The Investment Committee meets bi-annually or as needed. We review reports and outcomes quarterly. We are very fortunate to have had Fred Henry at the helm as Treasurer and appreciate all that he does to keep these funds healthy for us. Next week we will address an important element of our Financial Management: Restricted Funds
| |
Ed Hinz is organizing a workday on Saturday, November 23, 9:00 am to noon, to clean the interior of the church, especially the windows and benches. For details, contact Ed at 310-418-8138 or email kn6jn@yahoo.com. | |
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to resign over handling of youth abuse scandal | |
Rector's Reflection
Banners
| |
|
One of the things that first struck me about St. Francis were the banners hanging at the back of the chancel, the ones that say, “Love God, Love Your Neighbor, Serve the World.” It was the first time I’d ever seen such a thing in an Episcopal Church, though I’d only served churches east of the Mississippi, and banners in the chancel might be common practice in the West. The banners do a good job of summarizing our baptismal covenant, and the symbolism of the cross hanging between them is perfect (the epitome of God’s love for us flanked by our call to love as we are loved).
In the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, baptism is between the person being baptized, God, and the church; the community is left out, as is any relationship between the baptized and the outside world. Promises are made to renounce the devil, the vain pomp and glory of the world, the sinful desire of the flesh, and the like; the godparent or initiate then promises to either instruct or learn the Lord’s Prayer, Apostle’s Creed, Ten Commandments and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul’s health. It seems highly transactional.
Maybe it’s my evil nature, but the questions in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer seem much more appropriate to my circumstances: Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ, seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself, strive for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being? I will, with God’s help. The covenant in the 1979 BCP spells it out for me in ways the previous prayer books didn’t (the 1928 is essentially the same as the first Book of Common Prayer written in 1549).
One of the most difficult spiritual practices I have is recognizing that everyone is a child of God, covered by God’s love and grace. This doesn’t mean that I agree with everyone or even try to get along with everyone; it means that I work not to judge or define people by what annoys me most about them. I’ve said before that one of the reasons the early church is full of hermits is that that’s the easiest way to love your neighbor. When St. Francis dedicated his life to God, he went to live by himself in a cave, which seemed so appealing that he soon had a huge following of people.
All of the various types of media are clamoring for our attention, and what gets our attention is conflict. There are Buzzfeed articles with the title, “Thirty pictures guaranteed to raise your blood pressure.” Why would I ever click on that, unless I had dangerously low blood pressure? But those articles get clicked on, people look at the pictures and get angry, and engage and comment. This isn’t a call to put our heads in the sand; there are things that should make us angry and/or upset. It’s a call—a reminder—to remember that the people making us angry are beloved children of God.
If we can remember that Christ willingly chooses to dwell within all people, and to treat people as such, we can do ourselves a great favor. Dehumanizing someone we don’t like or agree with typically doesn’t harm them; it harms us and creates barriers between ourselves and God. We will not agree with or like everyone, and that is not our call. We are called to love, as we are loved; we are called to recognize that God loves all people.
When we respect the dignity of every human being, we are in effect respecting God who created them. God didn’t create anything or anyone that is worthless or evil. At the end of each day of creation, God looked at what had been made and said that it was good. So let us love God, love each other, and in so doing, serve the world.
| |
Fr. Jason's Week in Review | |
|
November 8: Day off.
November 9: Left the house at 6:00am for Diocesan Convention at the Riverside Convention Center - it’s the first time I’ve never slowed or stopped on the 91! It was good to see people from the diocese. The convention opened with an all female-led Eucharist. I was asked the following questions by people I’d just met: is your church falling into the ocean like the rest of PV or do you have parishioners who have lost their homes, and: are you the church letting Wayfarers worship in your sanctuary?
November 10: Sunday services; we had 25 people at the 8am service and 87 at the 10am; Wayfarers once again did an amazing job with coffee hour (they have the second Sunday of each month); we prayed for veterans at both services and passed out flags at the 10am, in honor of Veterans Day.
November 11: Veterans Day. In the morning I had two teeth extracted on one side of my mouth and a post put in for an implant on the other. The oral surgeon is a veteran and served at Camp Shelby in Mississippi.
November 12: Spent the day in recovery; that was a lot of work done to my face the day before.
November 13: Took the morning off, but went into the office in the afternoon to tend to admin duties and catch up on email; finished bulletin for renewal of wedding vows and family blessing for a service this Saturday.
November 14: Wardens’ meeting; admin tasks; met with nominations committee.
| |
Spiritual Formation:
Who is Jesus? | |
|
Each Sunday, Dec. 1 to Mar. 30 at 9:10 AM | St. Francis Library
Have you ever wondered about Jesus? Are you questioning and inquiring, curious, or perhaps, doubtful of Jesus and what he is saying? Ever wonder what Jesus may really be saying to us? Where did Jesus come from?
Inquirers, seekers, those wondering about baptism or confirmation, and those seeking a deeper connection to something beyond ourselves: all are invited to conversations about Jesus on Sundays between services in the St. Francis Library.
Conversations will be based on our Sunday readings and we will meet Sundays at 9:10-ish to 9:45am. We will begin on the first Sunday of Advent and continue through the Sunday before Holy Week.
Please contact me, Deacon Celeste, at 310-913-1069 or email at cstump@thecanterbury.org. to RSVP or to answer any questions. I look for to speaking and meeting with you.
Peace,
Deacon Celeste
| |
|
Special 25% discount tickets for the St. Francis Episcopal Church community.
Use Promo Code SFE25 (case sensitive) Enter code before selecting seats
There is no better way to experience the sounds of the holiday season than to be surrounded by the a cappella voices of the Catalyst Chamber Ensemble. You will be immersed in warm candlelight, exquisite harmonies, and the melodies we all hold so dear. The crystalline sound created by the voices of Catalyst will have you closing your eyes and dreaming of the beauties of Christmas.
For questions or more information, contact the box office at 562-900-2863
| |
Get Involved at St. Francis | |
|
Good Grief Loss Support Group: Alternating Wednesday mornings (11 am to noon) and evenings (5 pm to 6 pm) in the St. Francis Library. For people suffering loss of any kind including death, divorce, loss of health due to an illness or accident, et al.
Men’s Corner: Monthly for dinner at Corner Bakery. Contact Ed Hinz (kn6jn@yahoo.com).
Quilting and Knitting Group: Thursdays at 1 pm in the Board Room. Contact: Anna Eakins (annatkozaki@gmail.com).
SAGES (Senior Adult Group of Episcopalians): Group outings, social gatherings, guest speakers, and more. Contact: Kristina Pela (krab3@yahoo.com).
St. Anne’s Guild: Meets on the 4th Monday of Sept-June at 6pm. Join us for fellowship, plan church events (like the Rummage Sale and Antiques Show), potluck dinners, and our Christmas charity event! Contact Anna Eakins.
St. Teresa’s Guild: Meet a few times a year to raise money for charities that support women and children through dues and our famous Chinese New Year event. Contact: Robin Pano.
Friars: Meets as needed to cook meals for Parish events (e.g. Lenten Suppers). Contact: Dick Briggs.
Yoga: All Levels Hatha Yoga for Strength and Mobility: Mondays, 11 am to 12:30 pm. All Levels Gentle Yoga for Vital Mobility and Balance: Wednesdays, 9am to 10:30 am. Contact: Jill Lynch (jillfenskelynch@gmail.com).
Download our 2024 Get Connected booklet (PDF) for a list of all our ministries and small groups.
| |
|
Consider making a donation of altar flowers in honor of a special occasion or in memory
of someone you love. (The suggested donation is $50.) Contact Jessica Salazar in the church office at 310-375-4617 or by email.
| |
Each week we change the photo in the header of this weekly email newsletter. But we need more up-to-date photos... Get your photo featured! You can submit your photos of the St. Francis campus, events, and people to us at social@stfrancispalosverdes.org for consideration. We'll even run your name as a photo credit. So get snapping—we can't wait to see what you create! | |
|
Liturgy and Worship
Sundays at 8:00 am
Holy Eucharist Rite I with hymns in the Chapel.
Sundays at 10:00 am
Holy Eucharist Rite II with choir and music in the main church.
Wednesdays at 10:00 am
Healing & Reconciliation Holy Eucharist Rite II with hymns in the Chapel.
Taizé: Last Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm
A meditative service of music and prayer in the Chapel. (No communion.)
For other worship services and parish events, visit our calendar.
| |
|
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.
| |
|
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
| |
|
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.
| |
|
Parish Directory
Our directory is available online. If you need the password, contact the church office or email Jessica Salazar.
| |
|
Calendar of Events
All of our worship services, events, and small groups are listed on our church calendar.
| |
|
Communications
and Notices
Please send all notices you wish to be included in the enews or bulletins to Father Jason and Wayne Hastings.
| |
|
Coffee Hour
Ministry
To volunteer to help one week after the 10am worship service, see the sign-up sheet at Sunday coffee hour.
| |
|
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
| | | | |
