FROM THE RECTOR:

CONGRATULATIONS

. . . .to Fiona Campbell, Philip Crandell, Gordon and Christopher Griffin, Laura Hitt, Kyle and Andrew Hunt, Donald Kitchell, Wes Stults and Tim Williams who received the Sacrament of Confirmation through the laying on of hands and anointing by the Right Reverend William W. Millsaps, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Church, on Sunday, February 26, 2006 here at St. Francis. This was the third time Bishop Millsaps has been with us for Confirmation and as usual it was a great celebration.

Thanks to Bishop Millsaps for taking the time out of his busy schedule to be with us.

I want to thank Father John for preparing the children for the reception of the sacrament. As for me, I had a great time doing the adult class. Even though there were only three adults to be confirmed this year several members of the congregation showed up each week for a refresher course in the articles of faith and Anglican practice. It was a terrific class if I do say so myself.

LENT

Lent begins on Wednesday, March 1, with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. For your convenience there will be two services again this year to allow you to begin your Lenten observance properly. At noon we will have a Holy Communion service during which we will have the imposition of ashes. This ancient custom is a sign for us of the nature of our Lenten observance and a reminder that our lives are deeply affected by sin. Penance of one sort or another is always recommended as well as an increased attention to what matters most in our lives, that is, our relationship with God.

At 7:00 p.m. we will pray the Stations of the Cross to be followed by the imposition of ashes. Each Wednesday evening during Lent, we will also have the Stations with a brief sermon on either the Passion or some other Lenten theme. I will be using a different version of the Way of the Cross this year than the one we have used in the past. It is good to try something different occasionally and we will see how you like this version.

I suspect that there may be hundreds of versions of this ancient devotion. You may have noticed that I have used the term ‘ancient’ more than once in this article. It’s just a reminder that our faith and the various expressions of it go back many centuries and that our ancestors in the faith were no less serious about its practice and witness. I am frequently amazed when I delve into the history of our faith how faithful and courageous they were in proclaiming their Lord.

Speaking of ancient rituals, Father John will continue to lead Evening Prayer on Friday evening at 5:30. As we have said several times in the past it is a great way to begin the weekend.

THE CUP OF BLESSING WHICH WE SHARE

The great tradition of receiving Holy Communion in the species of both bread and wine is both correct and the fullest expression of the sacrament which Jesus told us to do “in remembrance of me.” This great gift should always be received in both the Body and the Blood of Christ when this is practicable. This, however, is not always the case. For instance, some members of our parish are unable to receive the Body of Christ because of a gluten intolerance. The full Body and Blood of Christ is available to them under the species of wine alone. Likewise, there is no lack in the sacrament if a person is able to receive only in the form of bread. With this in mind I would ask you to be mindful of your fellow parishioners if there is any possibility that you might have something that might be communicated to someone else through the sharing of the cup. Whether you drink from the cup, dip the host in the cup or have the priest dip it, it is wise to refrain from the cup if you are sick, have been sick or think you may be, until such a time as you are completely well. Again, you miss nothing in the sacrament by receiving only the Body or the Blood of the Lord. Please think about the person who will drink from the cup after you.

GAMES NIGHT!

Family Games Night is not for kids only! Do you know that over half the people who come to the Family Games Night could only be considered young in that they are young at heart? Over half the participants are adults –without children at home. On the first Friday of each month, a fun-loving group gathers in the meeting room from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for a light pot-luck dinner and a couple hours of playing some rather unusual board games. If this sounds interesting to you, just come on down and join us!

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NEWS

Each Sunday, the children gather in for classes at 9:30 am. We are truly blessed with parents who are willing to be sure their children go to Sunday school, children who will go, and adults who are willing to work with our youth. During March, Wanda Stults will finish her unit titled Who are you? and Steve McCown will take over leading the youth class in a discussion of the Sunday lectionary lessons. My thanks go to both of them.

The younger children will continue their study of New Testament lessons with me. Please pray for the leaders and children of our Sunday school program.

The next nursing home visit will be the 5th Sunday of April.

-Amy Crandell

MOTHERS’PRAYER GROUP

All mothers and grandmothers of the church are invited to attend the mothers’ prayer group at the home of Kay Francis, 125 Golf Crest Cove, in Lakeway. The group spends an hour on the second Monday of every month at 11 a.m. praying for their families. For more information, call Kay Francis at (512) 261-4325.

The Austin Police Department is seeking volunteers to work with their Crisis Response Team. The Crisis Response Team consists of APD employees and team leaders who respond to requests from uniformed officers to provide on-scene emotional and mental health support to victims of crime and trauma. Volunteers receive training in crisis counseling and always work with a staff member. It requires a commitment to complete 40 hours of training over two consecutive weekends and, after that, signing up to work one shift per month. If you are interested or if you would like more detail, please contact Steve McCown (282- 2310)

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