St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION Location: 735 Old Lexington Highway U.S. POSTAGE The Grapevine Mailing Address: PO Box 265 P-A-I-D Chapin, SC 29036 PERMIT #33 December 2016 ~ Advent/Christmas Address Service Requested CHAPIN, SC 29036 From Fr. Manning… Dear St. Francis parish family and friends, As most of you know, the Church year does not run concurrent with the secular one. Our new Church year began on 11/27/2016 with the First Sunday of Advent. For those of our family who are new to the Episcopal Church (and as a refresher for long-time members), here is a brief expla- The Grapevine nation of what Advent is and what is its significance for us. December 2016 Advent/Christmas Advent is what we call the 4 Sundays (and their weeks) before the day of Christmas. Collectively, these days and weeks are referred to as The Season of Advent (or just “Advent,” for short). Since the day of the week on which 12/25 falls varies from one year to the next, so also does the length Staff: Contact Information: of the Season of Advent. The Rev. Slaven L. Manning Phone: (803) 345-1550 Fax: (803) 345-7798 Each of our Church seasons has a color associated with it, and the color is symbolic. The color of Rector Advent can be either purple (signifying the royalty of our Lord) or Marian blue (honoring Mary as Website: www.stfrancischapin.org The Rev. Deacon Ann F. Pilat E-mail: [email protected] the mother of our Lord). Here at St. Francis, we are privileged to have blue vestments and appoint- Deacon for Hispanic Ministries ments and so the color within our Sanctuary transitions from the green of Pentecost to Marian blue Office Hours: for Advent. Mrs. Cindy Epps Monday-Friday ..................... 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Parish Administrator The word “Advent” is a form of the Latin word for “coming.” During the Season of Advent we Sunday Services: Mr. Joseph Schroer Worship ....................... 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. prepare for, and await, the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ … both His first appearance as a child Director of Music (Coffee Fellowship following both services) born of the Virgin Mary and His eventual second coming to judge both the living and the dead. Christian Formation ............................. 9:30 a.m. Ms. Marilyn Becker (Sept.– May.) During this year’s Season of Advent, make it a point to slow down (both physically and spiritu- Organist ally) and to focus on what has tritely been called “the reason for the season” of Christmas. Nursery provided ............. 9:15 a.m.– 12:00 p.m. Through all of the noise and busyness of parties and shopping and retail frenzy, listen for and hear Mrs. Bertina Floyd (September-May) the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit telling us to prepare the way of the Lord. May You find 10:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Pianist at 8:30 worship within our hearts and minds this Christmas, O Lord, a place prepared for You. (June– August) Mrs. Deanna Boyle Thrift Shop: Peace and Joy! Nursery Care Provider Phone: 945-2222 Hours: Fr. Manning Mrs. Kathy Elkin Friday ............................................. 1:00-4:00 p.m. Sexton Saturday ............................ 10:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m. Mrs. Karen Wade Thrift Shop Manager Our mission at St. Francis of Assisi is to love, grow and serve. How to Contact Your Clergy and Vestry From the Senior Warden…The 94th Convention of the Upper Diocese occurred as th Fr. Slaven L. Manning Sonny Epps 2016 advertised on November 4 at St. John’s in Columbia. The proceedings for the curious are accessible [email protected] .......... 803-932-8456 Stewardship ................................. 803-292-1977 through the Diocesan website, but of immediate interest is that Fr. Slaven was confirmed by the Bishop or [email protected] [email protected] as Dean of the Midlands Convocation and also elected by the Convention as a member of the Diocesan Ecclesiastical Disciplinary Board. Deacon Ann F. Pilat Carolyn Evans 2016 ............................... [email protected] ....................... 920-5705 Communications ................................. 932-0331 And what a great Auction! Outstanding food and fellowship, and ± $16,000 taken in! Disposition of the [email protected] Janice Fergusson proceeds still undetermined, but plans are for it to go to St. Francis programs. Thanks to all who made it happen, not least coordinators and visionaries Allie and Carol, financial trackers Janice and John, auc- Treasurer............................................. 345-9729 Pat Goodale 2018 ............................................ tioneers Rick and Phil, bartender Dennis, and the apparently tireless kitchen crew! [email protected] Fellowship .......................................... 321-5888 Ned Rowe 2016 [email protected] At the beginning of each of the 2 years of my tenure as Senior Warden, I charged the Vestry with en- Senior Warden .................................... 345-9356 gaging brain before mouth, and make sure that anything they said (or did) could positively answer the Rick Scollon 2018 ............................................ question: “How does this help St. Francis?” Again, specifically HOW does it help. I greatly regret that I ............. [email protected] Youth ... .............................................. 315-6539 have recently become aware of unhelpful if not vicious rumors arising from various groups at St. Fran- Chuck Neubecker 2017 [email protected] cis and being widely circulated, both within and without. We’re all human and imperfect Christians, Junior Warden ................................... 364-1668 but toward the end of addressing, and it is to be hoped squashing, a few of the sillier pieces of misinfor- [email protected] Phil Steude 2017 Christian Education ............................ 345-1767 mation, I submit the following: [email protected] - “…nobody knows where he (Fr. Slaven) lives…” Not so, a number of people know where he Bertina Floyd 2018 and Linda are renting prior to building, and if you don’t and need to, why not ask him or the Office Clerk of Vestry ................................... 345-1051 staff? [email protected] Richard Walters 2017 ......... - “… (Fr. Slaven) will only be here 2-3 years, he wants to go back to Texas…” Don’t be silly, Finance ... .......................................... 932-2230 or perhaps you are just unaware that he and Linda are working through house plans and preparing to Roger Banta 2018 [email protected] build in the Chapin area. Not Texas, South Carolina. Outreach . .......................................... 781-3711 - “The Rector wants to run everything.” Sadly, this one isn’t unique to our current Rector … [email protected] Peggy Williams 2017 we’ve heard it about our previous ministers … so one more time, go to Articles VII and VIII of the St. Pastoral Care ....................................... 932-0092 Francis Bylaws, and Canons of the Episcopal Church, III.9. Hello? Priest-in-Charge (if appointed by a Les Duncan 2016 [email protected] Bishop) and Rector (if elected by a parish). RECTOR – the guy we elected and hired to lead us and BE Spiritual Growth & Discipleship ....... 345-3584 IN CHARGE! rotceR ro egrahC-ni-tseirP (for mirror readers). lalDanyaS pa’Huj * (for Klingons or [email protected] other aliens who use Klingon as a lingua franca). Is this clear enough? Did I leave any groups out? In addition to the rumors, the negative talk has got to stop. Helpful criticism is just that – help- Get to Know Your Vestry Representative of the Month ful – but the parking-lot and dinner-party negative grousing serves no positive purpose and may, in fact, Your Vestry Representative for December is Pat Goodale, Liaison for Fellowship be part of the problem. If you are not part of the answer, at least don’t be a part of the problem (or the problem itself). I anxiously await an explanation of the ways rumors and discussions (and other silli- As a cradle Episcopalian, I have spent my entire childhood and adult life as an active nesses) HELP St. Francis, its missions and congregation. Otherwise, put a sock in it: you’re doing dam- member of Episcopal churches in Virginia, Florida, New Jersey, Alabama, and South age, because some people believe it, plus it makes you look as if you want to harm St. Francis. Carolina. I have had the privilege of serving on both Mission Committees and Vestries in my former parishes. I have been an EFM mentor for many years and loved teaching Thus ends 2 years servitude as your Senior Warden. As a parish we’ve accomplished a staggering list adult Sunday School. and can reasonably expect much more positive in the year and years to come, if we can as a whole keep from damaging ourselves. Before we kids growing up in the country ran off unsupervised with sharp My education includes an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from sticks, fishing poles, or (gasp!) knives and guns, perhaps to hunt the snark or jump in a pond (another Faulker University in Montgomery, Alabama and a Master’s degree in Management from Southern gasp!) without a lifeguard, a favorite aunt would say, “Y’all play purty now, y’ hear?” What more can I Wesleyan in the upstate. I retired from the American Red Cross four years ago having held various leave you with? Y’all play purty now, y’hear… positions for National Headquarters in Washington, DC. My focus and response was primarily in disas- ter services where I was privileged to serve at many of the major disasters in our country, including 9/11, over my 39 year career. My job was also what I believed to be my calling. My interests outside ( * To avoid confusion, be advised that Klingon does not have a word for “Rector”. I’ve substi- of church include genealogy and the Newberry County Museum project.