Francis of Assisi
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The Prayer Attributed to St. Francis What the St. Francis?! The Shocking Relevance of Francis Today Lord, make us instruments of your peace. St. Mark’s Parish Program 2017 - 2018 Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; Dear Friends in Christ: where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; I invite you to be inspired. where there is despair, hope; I invite you to be inspired by a holy man who dared to take Christ literally and by so doing became where there is darkness, light; a Christ-like inspiration for generations to come. where there is sadness, joy. Do you ever wish that Jesus was more real to you? Do you ever desire a greater grace, a more holy transformation where the joy of Jesus dances in your life? Do you ever want to be an instrument of God’s peace and have the wisdom to help solve the vexing challenges of the day? Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; If any of this rings true, you could use a good dose of Francis of Assisi. Eight hundred years after to be understood as to understand; he lived, Francis is shockingly relevant. The Franciscan way is exactly what the world needs today. This is why the Pope took his name. to be loved as to love. I invite you, during the coming year, to immerse yourself in the life and teachings of St. Francis and to be inspired by Christ, just as Francis was. It could change your life and the world around you. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; On the following pages you will see a spread of spiritual possibility. The only thing needed is you. So come to St. Mark’s—pray, participate, ponder and catch the power that transforms and makes and it is in dying that we your heart smile. You will not regret it. are born to eternal life. Amen Maranatha, —Book of Common Prayer, page 833 The Reverend Peter F. Walsh Rector let us sow love brought love, pardon, union, faith, hope, light, and joy through Adult Forum consolation, understanding, and love – all in the Spirit of Christ. Is this Sundays at 9AM in Morrill Hall not what we need today? What The St. Francis?! Francis and the prayer have been mobilized again and again. The prayer rose to prominence when there was a need to bring peace and to end The Shocking Relevance of Francis Today WWI and WWII. In 1986 Pope Saint John Paul II called upon Francis to be the Come Sunday mornings at 9AM to plunge into the life and teachings of Patron Saint of a gathering where all the world’s religious leaders came to St. Francis and ponder how the prayer attributed to St. Francis can Assisi to pray for peace. Archbishop Tutu and Mother Teresa each used the transform your life. prayer when they received the Nobel Peace Prize. But most importantly, it is used by millions of people as a prayer to transform their daily lives. The Francis Film Festival Join fellow parishioners and learned guests as we explore how Francis and Beginning Sunday, September 10 this prayer transforms our world today. at 9AM in Morrill Hall Guest speakers and preachers will include: • The Reverend Jay Sidebothom will speak about spiritual renewal in Brother Sun, Sister Moon the Episcopal Church. The life of St. Francis of Assisi is one of the greatest stories ever told. We • Dr. Stephen Post, devout Episcopalian, international speaker, author, and will begin our study of Francis with one of the greatest tellings of that expert will speak on how living to give makes you happier, healthier, more story, in the movie Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Franco Zeffirelli. This classic hopeful, creative, resilient, and successful. movie has moved many to a deeper life in Christ, including the prominent • The Very Reverend Andrew McGowan, Dean of the Berkeley Divinity Christian writer Jim Wallis, who wrote of the film: “I was completely School at Yale, will cover Francis’ visit with the Sultan and his unprepared for my first meeting with the saint. I left the theatre stunned engagement with Islam. and speechless. On the way home in the dark car, I quietly began to weep. • The Reverend Nicholas Porter, founder of Jerusalem PeaceBuilders, will Never before had I encountered a life so consumed with the gospel…His speak of peacemaking efforts with youth in the Holy Land. utter obedience to Christ was radiant in exposing the places where my commitment was still so compromised.” Other topics will include how Francis might approach the war on terror; how Francis’ love for creation can be applied to our world; how Each session will begin with a brief review. Then we will watch a Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Tutu embodied Franciscan peacemaking portion of the movie together and reflect in small groups on what we in overcoming apartheid; how to practice Franciscan spirituality; how to have seen and how it applies to our lives. apply the prayer of St. Francis to political discord and the divisive role of media; and last but never least, listening to fellow parishioners sharing the The Francis Film Festival will be followed by a speaker series. inspiration that St. Francis is to them. Reflections on the Shocking Relevance of Francis Today Speaker Series where there is injury, Francis and the prayer attributed to him are shockingly relevant today because they inspire us to live to give for the love of the Lord. Next to the Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalm, the Prayer attributed to St. Francis is likely the most influential prayer in Christianity today. Francis did not write the prayer, but it became associated with him because it summed up his understanding of the way of Jesus. In a world plagued by pardon hatred, injury, discord, doubt, despair, darkness, and sadness, Francis Liturgy and Music Church School The Prayers of the People The children of the church school will learn about St. Francis during During the coming year we will add the Prayer attributed to St. Francis to a series of Special Event Sundays. We will talk about how St. Francis the Prayers of the People at the 10AM liturgy and periodically include some preached to the birds and animals of the forest, how he tamed a wolf that of Francis’ other prayers. was terrorizing a village, and how fish would linger near his boat to hear him speak. We will discover that he was so moved by the Spirit that he October 4 would often dance and play the zither as he preached, and that he has a St. Michael’s Lutheran Church & St. Mark’s Episcopal Church surprising connection to our own Christmas Pageant. In the Franciscan spirit of reconciliation and in celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation (the 95 Theses were posted on October With a very special blessing of the animals in the fall, music and dance 31, 1517) and to live out the Episcopal-Lutheran Concordat (an agreement offerings throughout the year, a springtime Earth Day celebration, and a to share mutual ministry), St. Michael’s will host a Reformation movie night possible visit from St. Francis himself, we will get to know the story of this and potluck at 6:30PM in their Parish Hall. Later in the year we will share a remarkable saint who lived his life in praise of the Creator. Sunday Holy Eucharist here at St. Mark’s with our brothers and sisters in Christ from St. Michael’s. Episcopal Youth Community October 8 Celebration of St. Francis Day and the Blessing of the Animals Using the Prayer attributed to St. Francis, the Episcopal Youth Community We will celebrate St. Francis Day at the 10AM service, honoring Francis’ will devote various Sundays to discussing some stanzas of the prayer in preaching to the birds with a dramatic blessing of birds with the children relation to our everyday lives. of the parish. Then at 5PM, we will celebrate the traditional blessing of the • We will begin the year (Sept. 24) with a discussion on the life and history animals. of St. Francis and the prayer attributed to him. • The subject of what it is to be an instrument of God’s peace will be December 17 explored on St. Francis’ Day (October 15). Children’s Homily and Teaching on the Christmas Pageant • On All Saints’ Sunday (November 5), Maggie Converse, eating disorder St. Francis put together the first live nativity scene in Greccio, Italy. This recovery coach and yogi, will take on “where there is hatred, let us sow nativity scene, with live animals, was the predecessor of our Christmas love” with a poignant talk on teen self-image. Pageant, an extravaganza which would have delighted Francis. On the • Parishioner Lance Minor will speak on “…not so much seek to be 17th the Church School will receive a rousing telling of the first Christmas consoled as to console” with an important talk on grief and loss (date tbd) pageant by Father Peter as a lead up to our own pageant on December 24. • Liam Miranda of Athlete Ally will take on the line “…to be understood as to understand” talking about LGBTQ and transgender issues (date tbd) April 22 • During Lent we will address “for it is in giving that we receive” by donating Earth Day • The Spirit of St. Francis and Care for Creation a portion of our possessions.