Canticle
December 23, 2014
Page 1 of 5
Newsletter of St. Francis Episcopal Church of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
He was in the world, and the world
came into being through him; yet the
world did not know him.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Dec 24th
7:00 pm—Christmas Eve
The Collect of the Day
for next Sunday, First Sunday after Christmas
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things to your wellbeloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Click on this link to read the upcoming bible passages: The Lectionary Page
Isaiah 61:10-62:3, Galatians 3:23-25;4:4-7, John 1:1-18, and
Psalm 147 or 147:13-21
Service
Wednesday, Dec 24th
Following service—
Traditional reception will
be hosted by Sam and
Greta.
Regular Events
Men’s Group
2nd Mondays, 6:30 pm
Undercroft
Outreach Ministry
3rd Sundays following
Christmas Eve at St Francis
Please join us for a celebration of
the birth of our Lord and Savior this
Christmas Eve, Wednesday,
December 24th, beginning at 7:00
pm.
worship. Sunday School
area downstairs.
Vestry
3rd Mondays, 6:30 pm
Hearth Room
Worship Committee as
announced
Outside Groups
Following the service Sam and Greta will be hosting a “Traditional Reception”
in the undercroft. The reception is open to everyone. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share.
Yoga
Saturdays, 10-11 am
Undercroft
A.A. Open Meeting
2nd Saturdays, 7:00 pm
Undercroft
A.A. Regular Meeting
Tuesdays, 7:00 pm
Undercroft
Canticle
December 23, 2014
Page 2 of 5
Newsletter of St. Francis Episcopal Church of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
A Christmas message from Bishop Miller
I saw a stable, low and very bare
A little child in a manger,
The oxen knew him, had Him in their care,
To men He was a stranger,
The safety of the world was lying there,
And the world’s danger.
SALUS MUNDI (Mary Coleridge 1861-1907)
Dear Friends in Christ,
I came upon this poem recently while at the annual Lessons and Carols service at St. Paul's, Milwaukee. Read by two children at
the close of the service, it was for me a poignant reminder of our Lord's call to receive the kingdom of God as a child.
We gather this year and every to join our voices to the heavenly chorus, to the songs of the angels singing Glory to God in the
highest and peace to his people on earth. We make the pilgrimage to Bethlehem with the shepherds to see the Babe lying in a
manger. As we gaze on the Christ Child we see as this poem poignantly reminds us “the safety of the world and the world’s
danger.”
In Christ is, of course, our safety. He is the source of our sure and certain hope that nothing can separate us from Gond’s love. God
so loved the world that he gave. We can rest safely in Jesus knowing that we are loved beyond measure and our destiny is
assured.
That blessed assurance sends us out and there is where the danger begins. The love of Jesus calls us to proclaim God’s plan, God’s
way, and God’s will to a world that either does not want to hear it or worse yet has grown deaf because of the disconnect
between the words and the lives of the ones who have been given the message.
The Good News of Christmas is that the Word has become flesh. The challenge of the nativity is for us the body of Christ to
enflesh the Word anew.
Blessed Christmas to all from my family to yours
In Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Steven A. Miller
Bishop of Milwaukee
Canticle
December 23, 2014
Page 3 of 5
Newsletter of St. Francis Episcopal Church of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
JD and Sally Polley are hosting a Christmas open house at their home
in the Falls on Christmas Day from 3:00-8:00 pm (they’re flexible on
these times I’m told.)
Sally will be serving spinach lasagna as well as meat lasagna. In
addition to the lasagna there will be a variety of soft drinks available
as well as brandy, rum and spiced rum. It has been suggested if you
want something other than what is offered that you are welcome to
BYO.
You are also invited to bring a dish of your choice to share or come as you are! Questions? You
can reach Sally at 414-940-6799.
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Dousman will be broadcasting via webcast the Trinity Institutes annual conference. Among the guest speakers this year is
The Most Rev. Justin Welby, The Archbishop of Canterbury.
The conferences central topic will be economic inequality and “...practical tools we can use to make a positive economic impact.”
WHERE: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 36014 Sunset Dr, Dousman, WI
WHEN: Two Opportunities:
Saturday, February 7, 2015 9:00am-Noon
Monday, February 9, 2015 6:00pm-8:30pm
COST: $25.00 per participant
For more information or to register please click on the following link:
Lifelong Christian Formation
Open Staff Meetings
Mother Martha will begin holding a 10:30 am Staff Meeting on Mondays in the Hearth Room to give each of
us an opportunity to bring up subjects and questions that need to be discussed. The meetings are open to
everyone and will begin after the holidays on Monday, January 12th.
Canticle
December 23, 2014
Page 4 of 5
Newsletter of St. Francis Episcopal Church of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Bobby McFerrin….
There’s a name I’d not heard in a long time. Remember the song “Don’t Worry Be Happy” from an age ago? Mother
Martha sent a link to me of a video of McFerrin performing at the Montreal Jazz Festival. I
watched it and then read this quote from McFerrin on his own gifts:
"This is what I want everyone to experience at the end of my concert is
everyone has this sense of rejoicing. I don't want them to be blown away by
what I do, I want them to have this sense of real, real joy from the depths of
their being. Because I think when you take them to that place, then you open
up a place where grace can come in." Bobby McFerrin
Grace is exactly what he drew out of his audience that evening as he led them to perform a
spontaneous a cappella rendition of Ave Maria. It was beautiful to watch. See for yourself and enjoy.
"Good morning, Phil", I said as I entered his room, “and Merry Christmas to you and here is
a card for you. I won't stay to long for it is about lunch time for you.”
"I really am not hungry today", Phil said. "So what is happening", I asked.
"Chaplain, you will never guess what happen this morning to me.” Phil remarked “I received
mail from the company who owns this nursing home and I was sure that it was a bill. But as
I opened it I was shocked to see a check for $70.00 addressed to me.”
“Do you remember a couple of months ago I told you that someone had stolen
money from my room?" he asked. I nodded and indicated that I’d been
praying that the money would be returned to him since I knew how much he
Deacon’s Corner
needed it.
"I never thought that I would ever see the money again, but that isn’t the only miracle that’s happened to me this
morning.” Phil exclaimed. Sometime ago, while my sons were cleaning out my house in preparation for selling it,
they found my collection of baseball hats that I have collected over the years.” Phil continued, “One of the hats was
from the Arizona and displayed the ship and the ship name on it. But even as the boys handled the hats they began
to crumble from age and distress in their hands.”
“I mentioned this to one of the men on staff here last week. This morning that same staff member turned up with a
brand new hat just like the one that had been ruined. That hat really meant a lot to me, for it reminds of me two
childhood friends that are now buried in the bow of the Arizona.” Phil said.
Smiling he told thanked me for my prayers and told me he hoped that I’d have a Christmas as merry as he was
having. I left with tears in my eyes and a warm heart knowing that God had made a fellow veteran and a friend a
very happy man and confirming and knowing that these were truly miracles from God.
Deacon Ken Castello
Canticle
December 23, 2014
Page 5 of 5
Newsletter of St. Francis Episcopal Church of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
The Week Ahead
Service for Sunday, December 28th
Christmas Eve Service
Server
Chuck Sherry
NT Lector/Epistle Reader Julie Maddox
Chalice Bearer/Psalmist
Torch Bearers
Altar Setup
Server
Julie Maddox
Karen Jacobs & Shala Johnson
Sue Hafert
OT Reader/Psalmist
Evelyn Castello
Ushers
J. D. & Sally Polley
Crucifer
Ron Johnson
Craig Korn
NT Lector/Epistle Reader Karen Korn
Sonny & Amira Anderson
Altar Takedown
Sue Hafert & Ron Johnson to visit
Kilpatricks
Lay Eucharistic Visitors
Chalice Bearer/Psalmist
Chuck Sherry
Counter
Sally Polley & Chuck Sherry
Altar Setup
Leslie Thorkleson
Altar Takedown
Linda Mary Kupcho
Old Testament Reader
Barb Spain
Ushers
J. D. & Sally Polley
Crucifer
Kurt Hoff
St Francis Episcopal Church
Vestry
Mailing Address:
P.O. BOX 194
Menomonee Falls, WI 53052
Church Location:
N84 W16525 Menomonee Av
Menomonee Falls WI 53052
Senior Warden: Craig Korn
Clergy
Junior Warden: Ron Johnson
Rector: The Rev. Martha Berger
Vestry Members:
Deacon: Ken Castello
Class of 2015 & Class of 2016
Priest Emerita: Sue Clark
Jan Leisner, Jud Williams,
JD Polley, Mary Jancik
Class of 2017
(262) 251-7420
Sue Hafert, Barb Spain