This will be the last newsletter until September.  We usually take a break during the summer months and so shall we this year.  

UPDATE ON AFFILIATION

You are all aware that there has been a glitch in the process of our attempting to affiliate with the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.  There are not now, nor have there ever been, any “issues between the Episcopal Missionary Church and St. Francis.”  The issue has been the money that I held in two bank accounts as treasurer of the Diocese of the Western States.  That has been transferred to the EMC.  The delay in the transfer was due to the fact that the Episcopal Missionary Church had no tax exempt status.  Therefore, according to Texas State Law, I was unable to transfer the money until such a time as they achieved that status. 

On Wednesday, May 27, I met with Bishop Jack Iker and Father Ryan Reed, Chairman of the Standing Committee for the diocese at Bishop Iker's office.  We had a very nice conversation and he suggested a two pronged approach.  Since he is going on sabbatical for the summer, he is sending Father Tom Hightower down to Austin on Sunday, June 21, to preach at our 11:00 am service and to answer whatever questions we might have. Father Hightower is a senior priest of the diocese who is very knowledgeable about the bishop, the diocese and ACNA.  Bishop Iker himself will visit with us on Wednesday, October 21 in the evening for a meet and greet.  Barring any unforeseen problems, it is his intention to welcome us into the diocese at the Diocesan Convention in November.  More details on that as we get closer.

NURSERY POLICY

With the growing number of children using the nursery at church the Vestry has thought it best that the parish have a policy to safeguard the health of all the children of our parish.  The policy includes guidelines for immunization and general overall health that we believe will be protective of our children.  If it is not there already, the policy will be posted on our website and in the nursery itself.  If you have any questions please contact a member of the Vestry and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Now that Sunday School is over for this school year I want to thank Missy Nelson and Doug Cooper for their outstanding work with our children over the past year.  I also want to thank anyone who substituted for Missy and Doug when they were not able to be there to teach.  This is an extraordinary commitment on the part of our teachers who must prepare and execute these lessons every week for the benefit of our children.  Of course, parents are always the first teachers of their children in all things and especially with regard to matters of transferring the “faith once delivered” to their children.  But our Sunday School is such an important supplement to that teaching.  We have always had a Sunday School because of dedicated people like Missy and Doug and with your help, we always will.  If you are inclined to help out with this ministry in some way, please contact Missy.

Also, by way of thanks, I want to single out Jim Crandell for maintaining the website for our parish.  This is something that goes on behind the scenes, but in this age of technology is absolutely necessary to our attracting new members and providing information on what we do here.  As some of you may know, Google has recently put out an edict that all websites had to be user friendly for phones or they will punish offenders in some way.  (Believe me when I tell you that I don't understand any of this).  Jim has been working diligently to comply with this demand and is continuing to update our website to make it even more informative.  I am grateful to Jim for all of this, not to mention his taking care of posting my sermons to the website every week and sometimes more often.  Thanks, Jim.  

One final Thank You!  As I announced in church on Pentecost, we have discontinued the Anglican Rosary on Tuesdays at noon. For years now Becky Hunt has done this alone.  I always regret it when we have to cancel something (especially prayer) due to lack of interest.  But I want to thank Becky for her steadfastness in keeping this ministry going for as long as she did.

See you in September!

Summer of Life

Every summer for the months of June, July & August, the Central Texas Coalition for Life has an online sign-up form for volunteers to pray on the sidewalks in front of the two local abortion facilities - Planned Parenthood on Ben White and the Austin Women's Clinic on South IH-35.  This is on a week-by-week basis to accommodate for those who have inconsistent schedules during summer time.  It has been proven that when there are volunteers on a regular basis, more lives are saved and hearts are changed!   
Go to http://centraltexascoalition.com for more information.
 

Anglicans for Life
Phoebe Hughes



Anglicans for Life received a lovely letter of thanks from Lori DeVillez for the $400.00 and diapers AFL took to them.

Doug Cooper braved the rain to walk for Texas Alliance for Life's "Walk for Life" and raised $475.00 for TAL.

We are going to be on vacation until September, but hope everyone will continue to bring diapers, sizes 3, 4 and 5 as the babies will not be on vacation.  

Thanks to all of you who have helped with our mission to support the sanctity of life and we count on your support in the future. 

For Life. 

Intercessory Prayer Group



St. Francis has an active intercessory prayer group.  If you would like to submit a prayer request, place your written request in the prayer box on the right side of our worship area. You may also e-mail your request to giacolone@grandecom.net.

Hymn for the Persecuted Church



Metre: 8787D  Tune: Austria (“Glorious things of thee are spoken”)

Father, in the name of Jesus,
hear our prayer for those in pain:
Scattered through the hostile nations
many suffer for Your name.
You have promised to Your people
opposition from the world.
Now sustain them, yes, protect them
by the truth found in Your Word.
 
Satan uses persecution
to instil a frightening fear,
threatening to destroy the body,
telling them that death is near.
Give them courage, noble courage,
never to deny Your name.
In the footsteps of the martyrs
may they spread abroad Your fame.

Be with those in Muslim nations
where to choose You is to die.
May the motives of fanatics
be exposed as Satan's lie.
Where the Hindu is intolerant
of the faithful Christian few,
may their loving witness conquer,
showing Christian attitude.
 
Raise up leaders in Your Church, Lord,
people of integrity,
who will lead by their example
as You, Lord, want us to be.
May Your people in each nation
work in loving harmony.
Change the hearts of the oppressors,
break the yoke of tyranny.

Words: Hugh G Wetmore (c) 1999 (written for the annual International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church)

Calendar

Rector - The Rev. Canon Len Giacolone
Music Director and Organist - Paula Blaha

Church Groups
Vestry Members -  Senior Warden, Mark Rambin; Junior Warden, Keith Harrell; Treasurer, Michael Ready; Secretary, Jim Crandell; Grady Collins, John Hatley, Anne Idsal,   Ed Sandlin, Fr. Len Giacolone
Acolytes - Fr. Len Giacolone
Altar Guild - Becky Hunt
Anglicans for Life - Phoebe Hughes
Austin City Prayer Walk - Amy Crandell, Claire Ducker
Choir - Amy Crandell
Christian Education for Youth - Missy Bernard, Doug Cooper
Christian Education for Adults - Fr. Len Giacolone
Evening Prayer - Jim Crandell
Home Group Hosts - Claire Ducker, Anne Idsal, Kim & David Norris
Hospitality - Kim and David Norris
Intercessory Prayer Group - Fr. Len and Nancy Giacolone
Mothers' Prayer Group - Charlotte Ready
Newsletter & Pew Sheet - Amy Crandell
Nursery - Missy Bernard & Grace Rowse
Prayer Shawl Ministry - Charlotte Ready
Readers - Mark Rambin
St. Claire's Guild - Eileen Cole
St. Polycarp's Guild - Jim Crandell
Ushers - Al Parker
Webmaster - Jim Crandell
Women's Bible Study - Becky Hunt
Women of the Church - Leanne Read
5th Sunday Nursing Home Service - Amy & Jim Crandell


Newsletter Submissions
Newsletter articles are gladly accepted for inclusion in the next month's newsletter. E-mail to amytcrandell@gmail.com by the 20th of the month.