June / July Peace and Blessings, Fr. Milton THE REV. MILTON C. WILLIAMS, JR.

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1 June / July 2018 For the past school year I have been mentoring an eighth grade student at Canterbury School here in Greensboro. Canterbury is a Pre-K through 8th grade independent Episcopal school and I am proud to serve on its Board of Trustees. On occasion, I meet with my mentee at Canterbury for lunch. Having lunch together gives us mutual opportunity to talk and listen to each other as we share the stories of our lives. Just this week I asked him how did he feel now that in a few weeks he will be graduating from Canterbury and moving on to one of Greensboro s public high schools? I m a little bit nervous, he said. I m not sure if they will like me, the coaches, the teachers and the students. I m comfortable here at Canterbury. I ve been here since kindergarten and I know what this place is like. Living through transitions in life, no matter how old you are, be it a thirteen years old middle school student or a middle-aged priest with more life and labor behind me than I have in front of me, can be both exciting and challenging all that the same time. Our beloved parish, Saint Francis, is living through some exciting times of transition. So much is happening around here, and even though we are at the cusp of summer, things are not slowing down, not one bit. Our vestry has approved funding to begin making much needed upgrades to our parish communication network. Phase 2 of our Capital Campaign has been rolled out; our office staff is being reconfigured which includes the calling of a new Children and Youth minister still at the TOP of the list of things that will happen soon. It feels as if our common life together can be summed up as a perpetual state of graduation with everything moving from one level to the next highest level. How exciting! My prayer for Saint Francis as it is for my mentee is that as we continue to graduate through life, we would in all things give God thanks for journeys completed and praise for all that is yet to come. Peace and Blessings, Fr. Milton THE REV. MILTON C. WILLIAMS, JR.

2 T HE R EV. D R. A N D R E W H A R M O N (D R E W +) Dear friends in Christ, It s hard to believe that summer is upon us. These past few months have been full of life and love, as we have journeyed alongside one another. Like many of you, Anna and I have taken on the responsibility of tending to a garden plot in the St. Francis Community Garden. It has been wonderful for our family to get our hands dirty while we watch seeds sprout and flowers and fruit appear. While my thumb is hardly green, there is something about spending time away from many distractions and screens, hunched over the red clay ground with sweat stinging my eyes, that speaks deeply to what it means THE REV. DR. ANDREW HARMON to be human. Of course, being at home with creation is not foreign to the Christian tradition. Our first parents were said to be crafted from the dust; righteous ones are compared to trees planted by streams of living waters; there are parables about seeds falling on soil both fertile and rocky. Planting, tending, and harvesting a garden plot give us plenty of images for a life of faith and of our shared life here at St. Francis. We are called to get our hands dirty in this world; we are held accountable for over- or underwatering; we are afforded the opportunity to participate in a harvest, the fruit of which has come about by forces outside our control. At St. Francis, we are tilling the soil and beginning to plant seeds. Our Outreach Committee continues to forge partnerships. Our Adult Formation programs have planted questions and yielded growth. Newcomers are in our midst each and every week, an exciting sign of new life. There is so much more, but just as the seasons are changing, so too are things at St. Francis changing. There will be weeds, to be sure, frustrations and challenges that threaten the promise of a full harvest. But I am grateful that we are here alongside one another, getting our hands dirty, trimming the outgrowths. Above all, I am grateful to God, who guides us in the tough, sometimes monotonous, work of tending to new life. Peace to you this summer, Drew+ 2

3 S T R E N G T H E N I N G THE F O U N D A T I O N - C A P I T A L C A M P A I G N P H A S E 2 Strengthening the Foundation Capital Campaign Phase 2 The buildings and grounds of our St. Francis campus provide the facilities for us to deliver our ministry and to worship God in a beautiful and nurturing setting. Based on raising just over $1.4 million with 160+ pledges during the Capital Campaign in 2014, our project committee oversaw significant improvements and much needed renovations to our campus. These included: 1. New basic infrastructure including heating and air conditioning systems, roofs and security systems; 2. Parish Hall refurbished including a new sound system and lighting; 3. A new renovated space for the choir which contains their practice facilities and dressing areas; 4. A refurbished sanctuary including floors, lighting and sound system; 5. Heated and cooled corridors flanking the sanctuary and connecting the whole campus together; 5. A new and expanded office area, which was badly needed; 6. A newly redone exit driveway and resealed parking areas; 7. Renewed garden sprinkler systems and newly planted areas; and 8. New restrooms and parlor to accommodate weddings and other events. St. Francis borrowed money to fill the gap between the cost of the project and the pledges. Part of the difference is due to a timing difference between the donations and the expenses, the rest attributable a funding gap. The current loan balance is approximately $500,000 having been reduced from $760,000. Over 100 pledging families having completed their pledge in full. For this we are thankful! For those with remaining Phase 1 pledges outstanding, your pledge payment is important to give our church the liquidity to continue to make our monthly loan payments. But this will not pay the loan in full. The Vestry, with the support of the Finance Committee, has set a goal to raise additional funds sufficient to pay off the loan early, establish a capital reserve fund and replenish church funds that were tapped to fund emergency capital needs before the original campaign was launched. Our goal for Capital Campaign Phase 2 Strengthening the Foundation is participation of more than 160 pledges that total $500,000-$550,000. The general campaign will begin in earnest in late summer with pledges to be paid between 2018 and Your support in honoring your Phase 1 pledge and in participating in Phase 2 this fall will enable St. Francis to be debt free and to have a strong financial base to support our ministry. We are planning town hall meetings in late summer/early fall to present more details and to answer questions. 3

4 T HE R EV. A U D R A A BT Invited Outward in Mission 4 Ways to Get Involved Right Now with Community Ministries Contact the Rev. Audra Abt, Missionary Associate if you are interested in any of these ministries below (audra@stfrancisgreensboro.org) Community Health Clinics The Congregational Nurse program wants to develop a satellite ministry in Northeast Greensboro, and Church of the Holy Spirit s location is a good one for making basic health services accessible to the immigrant and low-income families living here. We will offer two clinics this summer to begin outreach and develop a stronger sense of needs and concerns. * Saturday, June 23 from NOON 3:00 PM * Thursday, July 12 from 4:00 7:00 Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit (3910 Yanceyville St) THE REV. AUDRA ABT We need people to help with: Offering games and activities for kids Preparing a free, health-conscious community meal Basic physical and mental health screening (seeking professionals interested in this part) Puerta Abierta, house church ministry with Latino immigrants This worshiping community is composed of people from Latin America and the U.S. who are dedicated to forming caring relationships across social lines of class, language, and culture. We meet monthly in each other s homes for Eucharist (Holy Communion worship) and fellowship meal, and you are invited! Here are upcoming gatherings: * Saturday, June 30 * 6:00 8:00 the Rivera home (1507 Talley St, GSO 27407) Please bring a dish to share for the potluck meal afterward. House Church worship is simple and humble, but it includes all the elements of a Sunday Eucharistic worship in an intimate environment. Dress is casual, and we do a lot of singing and reflecting on the Scriptures (with translation, so that all voices can be heard and understood) to build community and a sense of fellowship. (Continued on page 5) 4

5 T HE R EV. A U D R A A BT ( C O N T ) (Continued from page 4) Local Mission Camp for Convocation Youth July for Grades 5-12, Volunteer opportunities for older youth and young adults! 9:00 AM 5:30 Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit (3910 Yanceyville St) Lunch and Dinner provided Please indicate your interest to Rev. Audra Abt (audra@stfrancisgreensboro.org) This mission camp offers youth opportunities to interact with others from around the Episcopal convocation (Greensboro, High Point, Burlington & Asheboro) to grow in faith through Scripture study, worship, and service projects in the community and at churches. In 2017, youth from 8 area congregations connected with community groups and agencies to learn about their work of providing refuge and building strong communities. One day, they helped the Triad Nepalese Community Center prepare their new grounds for an upcoming revival (left) The invitations above are all made with hopes that you will sense God s invitation somewhere to allow your life to be transformed as you get involved with people whose lives and cultures are different from your own. Please don t hesitate to be in touch with me if you have any questions! - Audra + Missionary Associate at St. Francis 5

6 201 8 B O OK S A L E P HO TO S Photos by Bill Welch 6

7 B O O K S A L E P H O T O S 7

8 B O O K S A L E S U M M A R Y Wow! How does the St. Francis Book Sale just keep getting better every year? Not only in revenue, but also in St. Francis goodwill. There s never been a more cheerful place than St. Francis Episcopal Church, April 21-28, as people moved books into the Parish Hall, organized them for the sale, helped customers shop, fed the volunteers, then toted books and bags to people s cars. Special thanks go to the Committee and the Sorters. Under the exceptional leadership of Chair Andrea Pollina, the Book Sale Committee met all challenges head on and smoothed over any hiccups. The Sorters, drawing on the expertise of Garage Manager Mark Hamby, have done an excellent job all year of categorizing and boxing books and items most likely to sell. We also upgraded our media presence to include more visible electronic billboards and an advertisement on NPR, continued the Sponsorship Program, and had fantastic commemorative t-shirts for the volunteers. This combination led to our best Book Sale to date both in terms of customers and money raised for Outreach, over $61,000! A summary of the sales for the year compared with the last two years is as follows: Book Cart 1,164 1,160 1,221 Holiday Market + Misc 1,757 2,017 2,158 Online Sales/Dealer 25,204 15,134 17,436 Sponsorships ,300 11,475 Subtotal before Sale: 28,126 32,611 32,290 Preview Party 4,085 3,397 4,426 Thur-Sat Sales 44,126 51,893 56,784 Subtotal (Wed-Sat) 48,211 55,290 61,210 Total for the Year: 76,337 87,917 93,500 After expenses (table rental, advertising, credit card fees, supplies for the garage, and salary payments), we will clear almost $82,500 for Outreach. This money will mostly be used here in Greensboro to benefit a number of worthy charities and organizations. (Continued on page 9) 8

9 B O O K S A L E S P O N S O R L I S T We could never have had such a successful sale without the support of our generous Sponsors. Thank you! Title: Best Logistics Group and Triad Freightliner of Greensboro; Platinum: Judith and Craven Williams; Dr. Seuss Sponsor: Triad Urgent Care, PLLC; Gold: Kaley Orthodontics; Plybon & Associates, Inc.; Brown-Gardiner Drug Co.; Ferne and Bill Dickey, Marianna and Gary Harris and Cheryl and Emerson (Jr.) Dickey; Emily Ragsdale; Silver: Delancey Street Movers; Reynolds House Interiors, Action COACH Business Coaching Bronze: Mary Dator, Margaret Montana and John Owen, Anonymous, Ken and Gail Huggins, Larry and Marty Upson, Anonymous, Andrea and Ralph Knupp, Ann Oakley, Jim and Jane Woody, Melissa and Jerry Harrelson, Kris and David Cooke, Larry and Susan Tysinger, Fran Collier, Lynn and Melissa Sandlin, Sandra and Michael Shields, Barbara and Bruce Haldeman, Midge Sponge, Robert Dixon and Susan French, Joe and Nancy Stiefel, Ellen and Bruce Lyon, Millie and Bill Ronemus and Sharon Barnes Individual: Charlotte Layton, Beth Bramhall, Mike and Mary Flinn, Jeff and Lori Phillips, Carole Fisher, Blanche Stevens, Ella Wertz, and Ken and Claudia Clarke Other: Sandra Lecrone and Cindy Butner B O O K S A L E S U M M A R Y ( C O N T ) (Continued from page 8) We are already working in the sorting garage to get ready for next year's sale. We always need new book sorters! Sorting takes place every Wednesday and Saturday at 9 a.m. and usually lasts an hour. It is easy to learn the sorting process, and you can join us any Wednesday or Saturday you are free. Please contact Mark Hamby at mark@stfrancisgreensboro.org if you are interested in sorting. As always, we appreciate your continued generous donations of books, textbooks, small electronics, movie DVDs, video games, audiobooks, and music CDs (in good condition). Also, please like the St. Francis Annual Book Sale page on Facebook. And please stop by and browse the book cart in the office. Mark adds more current fiction and nonfiction on a weekly basis! 9

10 B O O K S A L E T H A N K Y OU By our unscientific calculations, the number of volunteers was the largest number to date: 201 Volunteers. Another Wow!!! All 201 Volunteers, THANK YOU!! Join us again May 4-11, 2019! Hilda Abimbola Linda Algood Karen Arnold David Baker Kitty Baker Nick Baker Darlene Ball Anna Barclay Bob Barclay Savannah Barclay Sharon Barnes Betty Barry Dennis Barry Wes Bartlett Lisa Bauman Chris Beaman Doris Bradley Beth Bramhall Thu Bray Julie Brennan Jessica Brown Martha Anne Buffaloe Wes Buffaloe Phyllis Campbell Hugh Carlson Joyce Carroll Pat Caskie Celia Cepeda Lynda Cook Kris Cooke Debbie Cox Jim Cox Vara Cox Ann Crandall Wilson Crenshaw Paul Crowell Sean Damrel Steve Damrel Anna Dancy Jane Darnell Linda Duncan Kathy Dunn Julia Ebel Donna Ehinger Linda Erickson Mary Flinn Tammy Franza Bet Frassinetti Jeremy Friday Alice Gaines Mike Gaines Jeff Gardiner Sherry Gibson Leigh Glasgow Shirley Gough Janet Greene Niles Greene Angela Greiner Judy Hagge Mark Hamby Anna Harmon Melissa Harrelson Lane Hartley Brenda Hartsell Larry Hartsell Sonia Haslam Julie Haviland Leanne Hines Ginger Hinton Five from Malachi House Kathie Huff Gail Huggins Ken Huggins Chris Hutchison Elaine Hyatt Larry Hyjek Bill Johnson Cameron Johnson Karen Johnson Dan Jones Denise Jones Marcia Jones Al Kamperman Bill Kilmartin Laura Kilmartin Paul Kilmartin Melinda Kimble Kyle Kitchen Michelle Koehler Robert Koehler Paul Krauss Sally Krauss Chad Lackey Sonny Lackey Austin Leland Anita Lindsey Kevin Lotz Anna MacKenzie Brian MacKenzie Cory MacKenzie Grant MacKenzie Kate MacKenzie Bob Madtes Melinda Madtes Joannie Mahaffey Ron Mangrum Charlene Marchant Kaye Mathews Kenny McCall Celia McDowell Harrison McDowell Robert McDowell Alex Mize Allison Mize Emma Mize Margaret Montana Bill Moore Jenny Naples Chase Newell Kay Nicolls John Oakley Liam O Brien Emery Otterberg Laura Otterberg Cameron Peck Larry Phillips Sandy Pittman Mary Plybon Andrea Pollina Chris Pollina Ethan Pollina Jacob Pollina Maddie Pollina Liz Powell Emily Ragsdale Angie Raizen-Cepeda Elijah Raizen-Cepeda Michael Raizen-Cepeda Paloma Raizen-Cepeda Claudia Reich David Reich Chris Relos Millie Ronemus Pat Russell Scott Russell Lynn Sandlin Melissa Sandlin Rich Saunders Mary Fran Schickedantz Alex Schwitter Kendra Schwitter Max Schwitter Don Shafer Martha Shafer Sandra Shields Ches Singleton Jeanne Singleton Don Smith Peggy Smith Shirley Smith Doug Speight Cam Spong Midge Spong Blanche Stevens Joseph Stiefel Lisa Strandberg Jane Stubbs Van Stubbs Virginia Summerell Janice Sund Steve Sund Bill Sutton Marsha Sutton Ann Sykes Jim Tanner Martha Taylor John Teer Pam Torconal Chris Toensing Susan Tysinger Larry Upson Marty Upson Roselba Uribarri Courtenay Vass Happy Waller Shay Walters Jim Weeks Becky Welch Bill Welch Sherry Welch Ella Wertz Sharon Wisell Jane Woody Jim Woody Robin Wooten Dottie Worsham 10

11 V A C A T I O N B I B L E S C H O O L St. Francis Episcopal Church presents Vacation Bible School July 30 through August 1, Polar Blast! Chilling with new friends & learning that God s love is cool! 9:00am - 12:00pm. This registration form and $25 will reserve your child s place. Child s name: age as of 8/1/18 Parent s name(s): Street: City: Zip: address: Phone number(s): Allergies and/or medical conditions: Emergency contact name and number in the event you cannot be reached: Eligible students are ages 3 through rising 5th grade. Children must be toilet trained. VBS starts at 9:00am and ends at 12:00pm. A peanut free snack will be supplied. Campers should dress for a mess and active play. Parents should apply sunscreen and insect repellant before VBS. Emergency Permission and Photo Release: -We hereby agree to hold harmless St. Francis Episcopal Church and Day School or anyone acting on behalf of St. Francis, from any and all liability resulting from injury to my child,, that may occur at Vacation Bible School. I authorize any agent for St. Francis Episcopal Church to admit my child for emergency medical treatment as necessary in the event that such care is needed and I cannot be immediately contacted. -We agree/disagree for our child s likeness or work to appear in print or social media associated with St. Francis Episcopal Church. Parent signature: We can t do this without volunteers! You can help us during VBS by: shepherding small groups of children to stations serving snacks arts and crafts games music storytelling If you are not available during VBS, you can still help by: sending in snacks or juice Questions? Contact Denisa LeHeup at (336)

12 A R O U N D S T. F R A N C I S FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE Would you like to be involved in planning events at St. Francis? Then join the Fellowship Committee! We organize several fun events during the year; we help with events such as newcomers /bishops receptions; we host Lemonade on the Lawn. Please contact Susan Tysinger at sgtysinger@triad.rr.com for more information or to join the committee! WOMEN'S EVENING PRAYER Save The Date - Wednesday, June 13th Please join the Women of St. Francis in church on Wednesday June 13 at 5:30 for Evening Prayer led by The Reverend Ginny Bain Inman. Hope you'll stay for refreshments in the courtyard afterwards before we all scatter for the summer. Come and bring your friends! MEALS ON WHEELS/MOBILE MEALS Mobile Meals has become Meals on Wheels. Beginning with our June 1 delivery, we will pick up the meals behind the new Senior Resources at Guilford Bldg at 1401 Benjamin Pkwy. This is in the former Greensboro Orthopedics Office. We need more substitutes. At this time the St. Francis list is down to 4 substitutes. If you are interested, please contact Jane Woody (336) It's only once a month for a couple of hours. GOT WIFI ACCESS? YES! We now have an available wifi access point for Parish and guests. If you are needing internet access, the new network is called Parish and the password is psalms4:8. Feel free to use and share. 12

13 A R O U N D S T. F R A N C I S SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE 8:00 am Holy Eucharist 9:45am - Nursery 10:00 am Holy Eucharist DON'T GIVE UP ON GIVING THIS SUMMER! Many Franciscans travel during the summer and are away from Greensboro. The church, however, still needs your consistent financial contributions to continue the new thang that began earlier this year. Consider setting up a bank draft at your back or giving online in order to keep your gifts regularly coming in. If you'd like an update on your pledge to date, please feel free to call Linda or Blair at the church office ( ) to find out your pledge balance. Blessings for a great summer! LEMONDAE ON THE LAWN Please join us for lemonade in the courtyard after the 10:00am service. Take advantage of this opportunity to grab some refreshment and chat with old and new church friends. ST. FRANCIS DIRECTORY! THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT! ACS, the software company that supplies our member directory and online giving now has an app for having those services available on your mobile phone. Just go to your app store on your mobile phone and download the free 'Church Life" app. Then follow directions using the same username and password you use when you access online giving or the online directory from the website. Its that easy! The information you access is secure and will be as updated as the information we have in the office. So get connected! 13

14 T HE R E A C H F R O M T H E O U T R E A C H C O M M I T T E E The Power of Love If you watched the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle or even if you didn t, you have probably and proudly witnessed Bishop Michael Curry s sermon on The Power of Love. As we celebrated the birthday of the church on Pentecost Sunday, Father Milton spoke again about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which has led Christians forth to do God s work in a powerful way since that day. We are not alone. The spirit of God is with us. The power of love is in us, and it spreads like fire! As you know, the Outreach Commission has been charged with finding a project that would have a greater impact in our community, creating a meaningful relationship between the recipients and our parish. After much research, meeting with directors, talking with parishioners, and prayerful discernment, we have chosen two areas. Since the tornado struck east Greensboro residents in April, we have been called loudly to address housing as the greatest need in our community and we will partner directly with Community Housing Solutions, under the leadership of Gene Brown. We will also give assistance to Habitat for Humanity. The second area we are called to help is that of mental health, through Sanctuary House, directed by Jodi Schibley, and the Greensboro Mental Health Association. Please visit their websites for more detailed descriptions of what they do. In the coming weeks, we will begin our work by asking Gene Brown and Jodi Schibley to submit proposals for ways in which we can help them, both financially and in partnership otherwise, through volunteering or helping with special projects or events. Both endeavors will be sustainable over the next 3-5 years, using the mission funds saved each year from the Book Sale, and depending on the need and success of our partnerships. The Spirit is already moving through the parish of St. Francis. On Pentecost Sunday, thirteen men stepped up to volunteer on a Habitat for Humanity work crew, and six women volunteered to feed the workers. More help will be needed with Community Housing Solutions as well, in the coming months and years, as they rebuild homes for those who are clinging to home ownership as valued members of their communities. Habitat and CHS will probably divide the area for logistical purposes, and some of our volunteers could assist either group, depending on the skill level the jobs require, and the time our volunteers are available. Habitat hopes to be up and running by mid-june after FEMA completes its assessment, and Community Housing Solutions should be organized by July 1. If you are interested in joining a work crew or would like to help feed the workers, please contact Mike Flinn at mikef@triad.rr.com. More details will be shared directly with volunteers as they come to light. (Continued on page 15) 14

15 (Continued on page 14) We will continue to grant funds to ministries that support our wrap-around services to those who are affected by poverty and hunger, such as: Greensboro Urban Ministry, Wheels 4 Hope, Rise Against Hunger, Reading Connections, Malachi House, and our own EYC and Day School in the form of scholarships for those in need. We ask for your continued prayers, comments, and questions. You can contact us at outreach@stfrancisgreensboro.org. We invite you to join our committee. Outreach meets typically on the third Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Red Carpet Room. We are always looking for new members. It s a great time to be a Franciscan! 15

16 S T. F R A N C I S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H A Parish of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina The Rt. Rev. Samuel Rodman, Bishop The Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple, Bishop Suffragan The Rt. Rev. Peter Lee, Assisting Bishop P A R I S H S T A F F Rector: The Rev. Milton C. Williams, Jr. Assistant Rector: The Rev. Dr. Andrew Harmon Choir Director: Sam Doyle Junior Choir Director: Jane Woody Assistant Choir Director: Benita McFarland St. Francis Day School Director: Kit Hargett Parish Administrator: Linda Allgood Book Sale Manager and Membership Coordinator: Mark Hamby Bookkeeper: Blair Barnett Sextons: Jack Steelman & Bo Edwards Custodian: Rigoberto Bautista ST. FRANCIS VESTRY: Senior Warden: Chris Relos, Junior Warden: Bruce Lyon, Clerk: Kathie Huff, Treasurer: Rick Saunders, Sonia Haslam, Robb Hutchison, Dana Koval, Mary Dator, Melinda Madtes, Dick Maxwell,, Lynn Sandlin, Virginia Summerell, Jim Woody St. Francis Church: , St. Francis Day School: ST. FRANCIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 3506 Lawndale Drive Greensboro, NC 27408