The Good News
January 2004
Shepherd’s Embrace to Perform January 4
New Schedule at St. Francis, Alta
Book Study of New Heavens, New Earth, by Fr. John Spencer
Thank you for MANY generous donations
Chillicothe Children’s Christmas Gift Program Again A Success
Special Thanks To Bill and Ruth
Christmas Cards For St. Jude’s Ranch
We will kick off our 11:00 AM contemporary worship service on January 4 with special music by the Christian vocal group, Shepherd’s Embrace The group is made up of Candice Hogden and her sisters Crystal (Hogden) Bartels and Connie (Hogden) Skwierawski. Many of you have the tapes or CDs so don’t miss the opportunity to hear them perform live at St. Francis. All our members from St. John’s are also invited to attend this special event!
St. Francis Sunday Schedule Beginning January 4
8:15 AM Morning Prayer
9:00 AM Holy Eucharist
10:00 AM Refreshments
10:15 AM Church School (All ages)
11:00 AM Holy Eucharist
The 9:00 AM Sunday Eucharist will the “traditional” St. Francis rite. The 11:00 AM will be a contemporary Eucharist for those seeking a more spirited atmosphere in worship.
Please note that we’ve moved Morning Prayer from 8:30 to 8:15 AM to accommodate those arriving for the 9:00 AM Eucharist.
Please note that we’ve moved Morning Prayer from 8:30 to 8:15 AM to accommodate those arriving for the 9:00 AM Eucharist. Please join us for this office if you can. The Eucharist begins each Sunday at 9:00 AM.
Morning Prayer 8:15 AM
Eucharist 9:00 AM.
We will hold our first combined annual meeting of St. Francis and St. John’s on:
o Sunday, January 25th,
o 2:00 PM at
We ask each member or family to bring a light desert or snack to share during the meeting. Items of business will include electing our first combined Bishop’s Committee to represent the combined missions. Each mission will have four voting representatives whose names we will select and send to the Bishop for appointment.
In addition to the Bishop’s Committee, there will be a subcommittee at each mission called the Mission Committee that will see to local business and events.
We will also review and approve our final budget plans for 2004.
All adult communicants (age 16 and up) in good standing who are donors of record during the past year at either mission are eligible to vote at the meeting.
St. Francis Church School Resumes
Beginning January 4 at St. Francis, we will resume our Sunday Christian Education and Training programs at St. Francis:
Adult Education:
· We will begin with a study of C. S. Lewis’ classic book, Mere Christianity, taught by Ruth Holmes, Dave Quigg, and Fr. Spencer.
The children and youth classes will all be based on Bible-focused curriculum:
· Tiffany Bragdon will teach the Toddler/early elementary group.
· Mary Kay Gamage will teach the Elementary group.
· Don Bragdon and Ron Nielson will teach the Junior/Senior High group.
We still need assistants to work with Mary Kay and Tiffany. If you are interested, call Fr. John.
Book Study of New Heavens, New Earth
Fr. Spencer will lead a book study of his recent book, New Heavens, New Earth starting Wednesday evening, January 28th, immediately following the 6:00 PM Eucharist at St. Francis.
The book focuses on the Hebrew world-view that underlies the Bible in order to make it possible to understand the New Testament books as the earliest Christians would have. If you want to develop a clearer understanding of the Bible as a whole, plan to take part!
There is no charge other than the cost of the book. All proceeds from sale of the book go to benefit The Christus Center ministries operated by Fr. Spencer and his wife Candice.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase at St. Francis. Advance copies are available at Lagron-Miller in Peoria, or can be ordered on-line from any of several vendors … see Books page.
A Special thank you to all who have donated items during our move to the “new” St. Francis:
· Bob and Mimi Truitt, Bill and Ruth Holmes: A VERY generous gift of the new electronic Technics keyboard!
· Mark and Mary Kay Gamage, and Bishop Ackerman: Special funding for advertising.
· Fr. John and Candice: New Credence Table (sanctuary), new Piscina (Altar Guild sink), new sign components and changeable letters for front of church, new hallway and restroom rugs, new phone for kitchen, “What We Believe” signs and frames.
· Brad and Connie McLaughlin and Candice Hogden: New small Christmas tree for parish hall.
· Brad and Connie McLaughlin, Ted and Helen Becker, Fr. John and Candice: New votive candle & holders for Christmas Eve.
· Candice Hogden: Hand-made 2003 Christmas Banner.
· Bill and Barb Parker: Altar Guild cabinet for sacristy.
· Chuck and Nick Flagg: For moving our wooden sign.
Everyone’s generosity is really appreciated and we thank you for all the gifts. (If we have missed any, please call the office and remind us!!)
Also, another BIG thank you to everyone who worked so hard to accomplish our move. May God bless us all in this new endeavor!
A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the Christmas Eve services, especially to our musicians.
Special “Thank yous” to:
Candice Hogden, who put together a program of magnificent music
Faith Brodkorb
Martha Brodkorb
Paul Brodkorb
Wayne Brodkorb
Joanne Carter
Terry Carter
Becky Gamage
Michael Gamage
Mary Kay Gamage
Elisa Glavash
Erika Holmes
Ruth Holmes
Joan Quigg
Katherine Quigg
David Redfield
Juanita Redfield
Fr. John Spencer
Chillicothe Children’s Christmas Gift Program Again A Success
Special thanks to Connie McLaughlin, St. Francis again had a successful collection of gifts and funds to support the Christmas gift program for underprivileged children in Chillicothe. In addition to numerous gifts, we donated $110.00 for the project. Giving from the heart is Christ’s joy reaching out to others. Thanks!
Just another word of thanks to Bill and Ruth Holmes who continue to work so diligently — almost daily — keeping our new website up to date. It is full of useful information, Bible trivia, a “Stump The Vicar” contest, Bible links, and links to our diocesan site, maps to our churches, and more!
The site is a great way to keep up with happenings and doings at St. Francis and St. John’s! Pass on the URL to friends and family, former St. Francis church attendees, etc!
Just a reminder: Don’t file your federal income tax return before you get your contributions statement from the church. There is a rule that if you make an individual contribution of $250.00 or more, and you file your return before you get the receipt confirmation from the church, that you may not be able to deduct the contribution. It’s a crazy rule, but then we’re dealing with the IRS!
You are invited to attend Connie McLaughlin’s baby shower, hosted by Mary Kay Gamage and Debbie Welch. The shower will be at Mary Kay’s, 802 W. Brookforest Dr. on Sunday, February 1 at 2 PM. We hope you can share this exciting time with Connie and her little blue baby bundle to be!
Christmas Cards For St. Jude’s Ranch
It’s impossible to keep all the lovely cards you receive during the holidays. You look at them many times, possibly keeping a few in a drawer, and then eventually throw the rest away. A worthwhile way to recycle those cards is to send them to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. They precision cut the designs out of the front of the cards and design new cards with them, and then sell them to supplement their various activities. This year when you are through with your cards, please bring the front of the cards to church, and we can send them off to the Ranch. This information came to me from Fr. Gene Combs, who is personally acquainted with the Ranch, as it was through the Ranch (and a few other things) that he found his vocation. This is a wonderful way to keep those beautiful cards in circulation a little longer.
An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil…he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is good…he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “ Which wolf will win?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one we feed.”
Snail Mail: 2910 W. Alta Lane, Peoria, IL 61615
Emergencies: 309-645-9949
Email: office@saintfrancischurch.net
St. Francis Office: 309-243-2404 Fax: 309-243-2404
Fr. John Spencer: 309-274-3952
Fr. Louis Mahue: 309-691-6125 Fr. Jim Marshall: 309-364-3330
St. John’s Church Office: 309-364-2419