St. Francis E-Blast April 2, 2026

St. Francis subscribes to a weekly service called Working Preacher, which provides some brief commentary on the bible readings for the upcoming weeks. It can be found on the Sermons & Services page on the St. Francis website (https://tinyurl.com/sermonspage). I encourage all of you to consider looking at it prior to Sunday, particularly if you are a lector for the week.

Participants in this Week's Services

Serving at 8 am

LEM: Linda Nash and Peggy Danford

Intercessor: Mary Kirk

Lector: Ron Coleman

Lector: Dale Rushton

Ushers/Greeters: Rebecca Engen and Jeff Krausse

Altar Guild: Jean Atwell, Traci Cronkrite, and Peggy Danford

Serving at 10:30 am

LEMs: Doug Horton, John Wisecaver, and Kevin Tucker

Intercessor: Mary Ann Schroeder

Lector: Bruce Schroeder

Lector: Mary Ann Schroeder

Ushers: Bob Sharp and PJ Janovicz

Usher/Videographer: John Vaught

Welcome Table: Paul Kyllo

Altar Guild: Joe Schiwek, Jr. Linda Ocheltree, and Kathy Miller

Flower Guild: Nancy Stephenson and Maureen Hamlin

Coffee Hour Hosts: Hospitality

Click here for the Full Church Calendar

This Week at St. Francis

Thursday, April 2

5:00 pm - Soup Supper

7:00 pm - Maundy Thursday Service

7:00 pm - AA Men’s Group

Friday, April 3

Labyrinth in Parish Hall

12:00 pm - Good Friday Liturgy

1:00 pm - Stations of the Cross

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Reconciliation of a Penitent (by appt. only)

7:00 pm - Good Friday Liturgy

Saturday, April 4

3:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Reconciliation of a Penitent (by appt. only)

7:00 pm - Easter Vigil

Sunday, April 5 - Easter Sunday

8:00 am - Spoken Eucharist

10:30 am - Eucharist, Live Eucharist on YouTube/Facebook

10:30 am - Church School

12:30 pm - Misa

5:00 pm - Taize

Monday, April 6

7:30 pm - AA

Tuesday, April 7

10:00 am - Backpack Buddies Sorting

12:30 pm - Bell Choir Rehearsal

1:00 pm - Backpack Buddies Packing

1:30 pm - Mahjong Group

6:30 pm - Profile Committee Meeting

Wednesday, April 8

12:00 pm - Noon Eucharist

1:30 pm - Finance Committee Meeting

4:00 - 6:30 pm - Drop-in hours with Mtr. Jaime

7:00 pm - Choir Rehearsal

7:30 pm - AA

Thursday, April 9

10:00 am - Book Group

12:00 pm - Threads of Love

2:00 pm - Contemplative Prayer Group

5:00 pm - Guys and Gals Nite Out

7:00 pm - AA Men’s Group

Friday, April 10

1:30 pm - Search Committee Meeting

Sunday, April 12

8:00 am - Spoken Eucharist

9:00 am - Adult Formation

10:30 am - Eucharist, Live Eucharist on YouTube/Facebook

10:30 am - Church School

12:30 pm - Misa

Parish Activities

If you would like your announcements to be included in this newsletter, or in the Sunday bulletin, please email them to the office at saintfranciswilsonville@gmail.com by Tuesday evening (7:30 pm). Please include a contact person within the announcement in case there are questions. Announcements will run for two weeks or until the event takes place.

Continuity & Change at St. Francis

Surprise! St. Francis will have Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter services this year!

Obviously, that is sarcastic. Of course we are observing Holy Week with services, as Christians have done for 2000 years. This evening (Thursday April 2) you are invited to the Parish Hall at 5 pm for a Soup Supper. (Thank you, Hospitality Committee!) Then to the Sanctuary for a Maundy Thursday service. Remember to wear socks you can remove for the Washing of the Feet.

Tomorrow, Good Friday, come in the morning to walk the Labyrinth in the Parish Hall, and stay for the service at noon and the Stations of the Cross afterwards. Or come in the afternoon to walk the labyrinth and stay for the evening service at 7 pm.

Saturday, many of us will be here during the day making the church beautiful for Easter. Our first Easter service is the Easter Vigil at 7 pm on Saturday. Teens are invited to come at 6:30 to help light the new fire, and to help welcome Sissi Cao, a teenager who is being baptized at the Vigil.

Easter Sunday, the choir will be here to lead our festive Eucharists at both the 8 am and 10:30 am services. Following the 10:30 service, children are invited to stay for an Easter Egg hunt.

For people who prefer a quieter Easter service, or who just aren’t willing to let go of the joy of the day, Easter Sunday will conclude with a Taizé service at 5 pm.

May this week be one of holiness and new insight for you, as we walk with Jesus and his disciples through the events of Holy Week.

Jaime+

We ask your prayers for St. Francis’ clergy transition

Eternal God, heavenly Father, we lift our congregation to you at this time of clergy transition. Give to us open hearts and discerning minds, a vision of the future to which you call us, and the grace and faith to live into it. This we pray in the name of the One who calls us to be instruments of your peace, Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Profile Committee Update

Parish Survey - The all parish survey is now closed. Thank you everyone who took time to complete the survey which is an important component of our Parish Profile and Search Process! We will share highlights of the survey during the month of April as they become available.

What’s Next???

Listening Sessions - On Sunday, April 19th and Sunday, April 26th we will conduct Listening Sessions after every Sunday service, plus a few extras. The purpose of these sessions is to learn additional information about your connection to St. Francis that will “tell our story” as we compose our Parish Profile. Please mark these dates on your calendar and plan to stay after your service of choice to enjoy refreshments and engage in conversation about your aspirations for our St. Francis community. Stay tuned for additional details…

Questions? - If you have any questions about our recent parish survey or the Profile Committee process, please contact one of our committee members.

Mary Kirk (chair), Susan Huffman, Marilyn Morgan, Christopher Onstad, Cindy Russell, and Jim Warram

Reminder: Lion's Club Donation Boxes

There are boxes in the Information Center to place your old reading glasses and hearings aids. The Lion's Club collects them when they are full.

Seat Cushions

Did you know we have seat cushions in the Sanctuary to make your experience more comfortable? They are in the back corner of the church, on the opposite side from the choir. Feel free to use one!

Adult Formation

Adult Formation in Easter Season will focus on Christianity in the 21st century, and how the Episcopal Church fits in the shifting paradigm. Change is hard, and profound cultural changes are hard for millions of people! We find ourselves now with division and conflict in most of our institutions, the church among them. We’ll use wisdom of our own experiences and Marcus Borg’s ‘The Heart of Christianity’, Rowan Williams' ‘Tokens of Trust: An Introduction to Christian Belief’, and Rebecca Solnit’s ‘The Beginning Comes After the End’. You may want to buy a book, but it’s not necessary. Join us Sundays, 9 am - 10 am, beginning April 12. We will take another pause Sunday (4/19) and Sunday (4/26) for our Parish transition work.

Easter Dinner Church

You are invited to an informal evening of food, conversation, study, and worship. This is a good way to explore what you believe and get to know other people. Please join us April 26 at 5 pm in the Parish Hall. We will celebrate Easter. Mtr. Jaime will make the main dish and we will have a potluck for sides, salads, and desserts. There is a sign-up sheet in the Information Center. We will pray, share about scripture, and have dinner.

Gals and Guys Night Out

On Thursday, April 9th, we will meet at Langdon Farms at 5pm. Please come and join this group from St. Francis for fellowship, food and drink, and a good time. You are always welcome to bring a friend.

See you there,

Doug and Rich

Teen Social Hour

Teenagers are invited to meet with Mtr. Jaime next Sunday, April 12, after the 10:30 service. We will meet in Wisdom House. Refreshments will be provided.

Decorate the Church

On Easter Sunday, the veil of Lent has been lifted, and flowers and joy come out in abundance. St. Francis looks breathtakingly beautiful on Easter Sunday, and our hearts feel this happiness. Many hands make this possible, so on Easter Saturday, April 4th, we gather and create beauty with lovely flowers. We gather at 9 am for a few hours, and have a fun time creating and sharing friendships - old and new. All flowers are provided. Previous flower arranging experience is not necessary. A sign-up sheet is in the Information Center for those who would to help on this glorious day.

Thank you.

Apryl Garmon and Jane Domagalski

Good Friday Labyrinth Walk

Ask...Listen...Receive...Gratitude

St. Francis is offering a Labyrinth Walk on Good Friday, April 3, from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm. (Closed from 12:00 noon until 1:00 pm, reopening again following the noon service.)

You are invited to come walk before or after the services. If you have never done the walk before, there will be a handout of suggestions for walking. The labyrinth will be in the Parish Hall.

Please be prepared to remove your shoes or use the provided shoe covers.

For more information contact Susan Cheever.

You are Invited!

In gratitude for our St Francis community, Oliver would like to invite all to his Eagle Court ceremony on April 13th. He'll be carrying St Francis in spirit!

Monday, April 13th

St Matthew Lutheran Church

10390 SW Canyon Rd, Beaverton, OR

rsvp: missymeskell@gmail.com

The Stations of the Cross (Via Crucis) at Mt. Angel Abbey

We will be holding a Stations of the Cross service in the Sanctuary of our St. Francis Church, following the noon Good Friday service (April 3rd). The Stations of the Cross are a chance for us to walk with Jesus as he travels from Pilate’s court to the cross.

Contemplative Prayer Group

A contemplative prayer group meets twice per month on Thursday at 2 pm in the Parish Hall library. We do Lectio Divina and sit for Centering Prayer, among other devotions. Our next meeting will be on April 9th and 30th at 2:00 pm. If you are interested in Silent Prayer or Contemplation and want to join the prayer group or ask for more information, please contact Lucia Jorge-Nebert (call or text: 971-341-2068, email: lnebert@yahoo.com) or Marcia Burdon (text only: 503-380-7820, email: mlburdon@hotmail.com).

Taizé Prayer at St. Francis

For a time of prayer, reflection, and peace, please join us for Taizé prayers at the Cross of San Daminano. Come to the church at 5:00 pm for the service or 4:30 pm if you would like to sing through the chants prior to the service.

Our next Taizé Prayer service will be Sunday, April 5th.

Mark Stewart Presentation

The story of the Battle of Midway is an incredible tale of information, misinformation, sacrifice, luck, destiny, and fate! Join historian Mark Stewart on Saturday, April 25th, in the Parrish Hall at 3pm to explore this fascinating episode in American history. Mr. Stewart will discuss not just the actual battle but the doctrines, decisions, and build up to the world-changing events of early June 1942. Bring a friend interested in World War II history.

Parish Outreach

William Temple House

Update: The St. Francis congregation provided ten van loads of donations to the William Temple House Thrift Store last year!

As we continue through 2026, please continue to donate clothing, electronics, furniture, and household goods so William Temple House can provide counseling services, food, and other items to those in need. Thank you!

Cold weather items including blankets, sleeping bags, and warm clothing are especially needed now; please consider donating any of these items if you are no longer using them. Again, thank you.

Wilsonville Food Bank

Thank you, St. Francis members, for your continued donations of cereal, canned meat, cleaning supplies, and pet food this past week. Each of these items were taken by the shoppers at the food bank on Tuesday. Tuesday, we had a larger group than usual grace our doors, which was unexpected as Tuesday was our last day at the current facility. We will be in a new location starting Wednesday, April 1st; no fooling! We ran out of canned vegetables, canned fruits, flour, cooking oil, bread, and canned meat. Fortunately, we have an order from the Oregon Food Bank coming and are able to make this purchase from funds donated to the food bank. Remember that you may wish to bring food or make direct donations of money to the food bank. When the food bank has sufficient food donations more money is available for the support of families facing utility shut-off, or emergency overnight shelter, or purchasing a heavy blanket or coat, etc.

I was asked by a member about buying large items at Costco and other warehouse type of grocers. The member wanted to know if they should open a large bag of rice and put the rice into smaller plastic bags. At the food bank, we must ensure the integrity of the food. When food is donated, we check the integrity of the packaging first. We have had food boxes that are sealed at the top but the bottom corner had been chewed by rodents and when the box is opened as a safecheck, it is not unusual to find rodent droppings. If the integrity of the packaging is intact, then we check the expiration or use by date. The FDA provides a guideline of approximate extra time a food product can be used beyond the expiration date, if at all. Baby food for example, is never distributed beyond its use by or expiration date. But some adult food in a can may be used for XX number of months after the expiration date, for example. If the food is not expired, and is in a large packaging, then we will place it into smaller bags using a sanitary method to do that. Coffee in large containers is often separated into smaller plastic bags so that more persons can have some grounds to make a few pots of coffee. Boxes of granola bars, small packs of cookies, small bags of chips are often separated and placed in a smaller bag together so that more people can have a variety of snacks. When food is separated from its original container, we have to post a copy of the UPC or QR code next to the food item. Laundry detergent pods are frequently separated so that we can offer each person needing detergent at least 6 pods for them to take. We label the bags with the name and scent of the product. Thus, it is best to leave the items in their original packaging and we volunteers will take care of the best way to distribute the food or product so that as many persons as possible have the need met. Large cereal boxes and peanut butter jars are left as is and reserved for larger families. If you want to go an extra step you can make labels at home with the name brand of the donated item and other important information to go with your donation (this is helpful with laundry detergent pods, for example).

Please continue to bring at least one item each month. The shopping cart in the narthex is where your donations can be placed. Stop by the new facility to check it out! That way, you know where it is located so that you can direct a person in need to the new location. The new location is on the ground floor of the Vuela apartments (9749 SW Barber St.) at the Wilsonville Transist Center near the intersection of Kinsman Rd. and SW Barber St., across from the Coca-Cola plant. The door to the facility is at the west end of the building. Thank you for caring for your neighbors, St. Francis community!