St. Francis Weekly

August 19- August 26, 2026

Embodying God's love by building community through worship, inclusivity, and outreach.

Hello, Friends of St Francis!

Amory's Invitation: Sign Up for Fall Coffee Hour!

As summer winds down and we prepare for St. Francis' fall programs and to welcome back our amazing choir, it is also time to gear up for our fall Coffee Hours. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Amory Kenny. My husband, Billy, and I attend the 10 a.m. service. I will be overseeing sign-ups for our weekly Coffee Hour. Our goal is to get new participation from members of our community.

Below is the link to sign up for set-up, clean-up or simply picking-up the tray of goodies at La Rocca's on Old Long Ridge Road. It is all so easy and, as Rev. Joe has mentioned, it's an important extension of our Sunday communal worship at St. Francis — and a great way for everyone to connect.

In fact, we also want to try something new this fall: To encourage parishioners who attend the 8 a.m. service to join Coffee Hour in the New Church on the second Sunday of each month.

If you have questions or suggestions, I can be reached at Nickliot@aol.com or 203-829-4123.

FALL COFFEE HOUR SIGN-UP

St. Francis News ...

Movie Club: 'Remarkably Bright Creatures,' August 23, 4 p.m.

The St. Francis Movie Club will meet in the Historic Church Meeting Room at 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, to discuss "Remarkably Bright Creatures." The 2026 film tells the heartwarming story of a widow, a drifting young man, and a remarkably smart giant Pacific octopus who helps them connect and solve a decades-old family mystery. It can be viewed on Netflix.

Sing-Along Service with Evelyn Avoglia: Sunday, Aug. 30 at 10 a.m.

Educator and songwriter Evelyn Avoglia will be the featured musician at the 10 a.m. service on August 30. “Dr. Ev” will bring her guitar and lead us in traditional folk hymns and spirituals during worship.

Miles For A Mission Momentum!

We are making good progress towards our fundraising goal having reached 89% towards our $25,000 goal for our beneficiary, INTEMPO! Perhaps we can exceed our goal for this worthy cause?!! The in-person event will take place in one month on September 20th, while the virtual event will be September 14 - 20th.

You can participate in keeping up this momentum by registering, making a donation, buying a gift certificate (below) and spreading the word among your friends and family.

GIFT CERTIFICATES

You can support Miles for a Mission by purchasing a Gift Certificate available for sale on a first come, first served basis from:

Splash Car Wash $30
Stew Leonard's $100
Zody's 19th Hole $25
Tequila Mockingbird $75
Town Fair Tire $150
VR Brothers Car Wash $40

Click the button to make your selection 👇

Gift Certificates

Communion Beyond Church: Volunteer to be a St. Francis LEV

One of the most beautiful and foundational lay ministries at St. Francis is serving as a Lay Eucharistic Visitor (LEV). LEVs bring Holy Communion blessed in community during Sunday worship to parishioners who are unable to join us, carrying not only the precious sacrament but also the prayers, love, and presence of the entire community. It is a ministry of compassion, connection, and hope that reminds our homebound friends they remain a vital part of the Body of Christ. If you feel called to this ministry, we'd love to welcome you. Our next LEV training will take place over breakfast on the second Saturday, Sept. 12. If you would like to learn more or explore whether this ministry is right for you, please contact Rev. Joe or Cathy Ostuw.

Homecoming Sunday and Back-to-School Backpack Blessing: Sept 13

Join St. Francis for Homecoming Sunday, as we say goodbye to summer and to kickoff fall by celebrating our ministries and inviting children of all ages to bring their school backpacks to the 10 a.m. service to be blessed. Students who bring their backpacks to church for a blessing will receive a St. Francis prayer tag to carry with them throughout the school year. It will be the first Sunday for the Choir at the 10 a.m. service and the start our autumn Godly Play program, followed by a special coffee hour. We look forward to seeing you as the fall season begins.

Now you can access Miles for a Mission Donation, Registration, and Gift Certificate selection by selecting the 'Sign Up /Request / Donate' button below: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 👇

This Week's Multimedia

Watch Rev. Joe's sermon "Nevertheless, She Persisted: Pondering the Humanity of Jesus" from last Sunday.

The blessing of back-to-school supplies at Sunday's service, food distribution for B1C and a successful morning of filling backpack teams for our outreach ministry.