St. Francis of the Islands Episcopal Church
590 Walthour Road, Savannah, GA 31410 Office: 897-5725 Fax: 897-6311 Website: www.sfoti.org Rector’s cell: 844-7412 email information to: stfrancisbeth@bellsouth.net
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Editor: Beth Westgate
OUR MISSION: To provide a spiritual home that celebrates God’s love and ministers to all through Jesus Christ.
Come join us for
(Gather at 3:00pm, Dinner is at 4:00pm)
Thanksgiving Dinner
Over 40 parishioners have already signed up to attend the covered-dish Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Francis. If you would like to participate, just call Serena Nasworthy with the number attending and bring a covered dish.
(If you have a Thanksgiving/Fall tablecloth, bring it with you) Fr. Jim’s Monday Night Class
In last Monday night’s class, we discussed how there is a dynamic dialogue between Scripture, Tradition and Reason. We discussed how tradition and reason played a key role in even the writing of Scripture. Tradition and reason were also present in the decisions to incorporate certain books in the Bible and to leave others out. It is extremely important that the dialogue with tradition and reason continue as we evolve in our personal and corporate interpretations and understandings of Scripture. We discussed how context is crucial to any understanding of scripture. How and by whom was the scripture chosen? Who wrote the Scripture and why?
Monday, November 19 at 7:00pm
The Third of Six Classes with Fr. Jim on Scriptural Authority
What Scripture is and is not…
a book of Science, Facts, Rules, Doctrines, Morals, Myth, Story, History, Legend, Fable, Art?
You are welcome to participate, regardless of attendance at prior classes.
Our topic is:
And yes, we discussed some of the issues raised by our local Can you offer a few hours each week to serve men and women who are battling cancer? Christ Church situation. In fact we had a member of Christ Church, as well as St. Thomas, at the Bible Study. Deacon Geri Nelson, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Some of the opinions expressed included:
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Sympathy for each side A desire to let them go and move on My own personal apology for letting my frustration get the best of me. I wrote in last week’s newsletter, with “a not very tolerant attitude” about the ones leaving the Episcopal Church. A sense that there are a number of Episcopalians, including some of our members, worried that the institutional church is moving too much in the direction of culture. Cont. on page 2
Isle of Hope, is asking for volunteers to help out at the Anderson Cancer Center at Memorial Health Hospital. Primarily, the volunteers work to make the experience less frightening and more positive. Those who are cancer survivors are especially “good medicine” because the patients will see in you what they hope for themselves.
Call Geri at 704-4110
Several of our youth attended New Beginnings #32 last weekend.
Thanks to Katie Zarada, Phillip Lucas and Sarah Howerter, who were staff members. The next Diocesan youth event will be Happening#80 (for youth in grades 10-12)
January 11-13.
Coming Events at St. Francis
Nov 16 & 17 Nov 17 Nov 18 Vestry Retreat Meals on Wheels Communications Committee, Social Justice Committee and Newcomers Committee meeting after the 10:15 service. 6:00pm Francis League of Youth (parish hall) Long-range Planning Committee 7:00pm Choir Rehearsal 7:00pm
Nov 21
We Have Books!!!
The office has extra copies of
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Crossing the Bridge
The Life and Works of The Reverend Paul Hoornstra.
The books are $22
(which includes tax)
All proceeds go to The Paul Hoornstra Mission Fund.
Monday Night Class… cont. from page 1
MASTER CALENDAR
There is a master calendar to keep track of functions and meetings at St. Francis. If you or your committee wants to use the facilities to meet, please call the office so that we can put you on our calendar.
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What we were taught as children about the Bible, may not reflect the deeper meanings intended for adults. What we were taught is hard to let go of, even in the face of new insights into Scripture, Tradition and Reason. When discussing Scripture with others, we must take into account our own personal agendas and life experiences. We must also recognize that others have their own agendas and life experiences which color their responses and interpretations of Scripture, Tradition and Reason.
We then discussed how these very same conversations have taken place for all time, in all places of the Church. One example was Emperor Constantine in the fourth century. He was trying to unify his Empire through using Christianity. He called all the bishops together to get them to quit arguing over these divisive issues, so there would be peace in his kingdom. I think we pretty much agreed that there has never been a time when we all agreed on theology, church & culture, doctrine or Scripture. That is a pretty good indication that we will probably never agree as human beings. After all, we, like Paul, do see through a glass darkly. Please join us as we continue to glance through that glass darkly in order to catch a glimmer of God, a glimmer of one another and a deeper understanding of ourselves and how we relate to Scripture.
Francis League of Youth
immediately after the 10:15 service
to clean the roadside on Johnny Mercer and then go to McDonald’s for lunch. We will not meet in the evening. We will be meeting this Sunday
Fr. Jim +
Treasurer
Fr. James B. Shumard
Volunteer Program Staff
Volunteer Clerical Staff
Christian Ed. Director
Pinckney Butler Fr. William Lea Beth Westgate Suzanne Boyd Jessica Smith Wanda Lucas
Music Director Assoc. Rector Communications
Amy Estes Pat Ness
Deacon Rector
Terry Barham Jim Bond Mary Ellen Butler Joan Connelly Wendi Diamond Hoot Gibson Rose Keever Nancy Meyer Heather Walker Luann Whitlow David Archer Lee Stehle
Sr. Warden Jr. Warden
OUR VESTRY:
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590 Walthour R. Savannah, GA 31410
St. Francis Episcopal Church