God's Fool: Francis and the Franciscans: July 29

God’s Fool: Francis and the Franciscans,
Diocesan Summer Women’s Ministry Event

July 29, at the Cathedral, starting at 8:30AM.
Lunch is provided.

· Presenters are Gay Crouch (Cathedral member), Candia Thew (Holy Family Church, Santa Fe), and CeCe Evola (St. Michael’s, ABQ)

· Learn about the Franciscan commitment to Social Justice, Creation Care, and Sacred Ecology

· Consider how Franciscan practices might enrich your spiritual journey

· Be refreshed by prayer and quiet

· Make new friends and renew old friendships

Registration ($20 covers lunch and incidentals) and schedule below or contact Cindy Davis (cynthiadavisauthor@gmail.com)   

Click here to register. (Note--receipt will say Footprints from the Bible)

Tentative (Working) Schedule

8:30: Gathering and fellowship (snacks and coffee)
Welcome and Overview by presenters
Franciscan Joy, presented by Gay Crouch
Life of Francis, presented by CeCe Evola
Franciscan Rule and Formation, presented by Candia Thew
Lunch
Franciscan Focuses: Justice, Care of Creation, and Sacred Ecology
Closing prayers  

Bringing Creativity to Prayer and Worship Event

 

Bringing Creativity to Prayer and Worship
July 30, 8:30-3
St. Francis, Rio Rancho, NM

After TWO+ years of COVID-delay Women's Ministry is delighted that we can gather for this inspiring event. We'll be at St. Francis, Rio Rancho and there are some local in-home lodging options.
Linda Rounds-Nichols* is our leader. She will lead us in a full day workshop/ retreat event from 8:30AM-3:30PM on July 30 at St. Francis Episcopal Church, Rio Rancho. (2903 Cabezon NE, Rio Rancho) 

Come ready to use creativity and play as ways to joyfully pray and worship! During this retreat we will learn and experience a potpourri of ways to utilize rhythm, movement, and the visual arts in our prayer and worship. 

Because of the hands-on format, this will be totally in-personm and attendance is limited to 20 women.  Lunch will be provided. 

Download and Share this Flyer with your Parish and Friends!

$5 donation holds your spot, and will be used to thank St. Francis for their hospitality!

*Linda is a Veriditas trained Labyrinth Facilitator, a SoulCollage® facilitator, a member of the Spiritual Care Association, and of Spiritual Directors international, and is a lifelong spiritual seeker. Linda attends the Church of the Holy Spirit, Gallup and St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Sedona. She recently returned from a Veriditas retreat in France and is sure to inspire us all! 

ECW Triennial Cancelled for 2022

 

Following the decision by the Presiding Bishop and Executive Council to hold a pared down General Convention (Presiding Bishop’s statement to Executive Council regarding 80th General Convention – The Episcopal Church), the ECW board met to determine the best course this year. 

It was decided, "The National ECW Board voted this [May 22] to cancel the 2022 Triennial in Baltimore. This was a very difficult decision that affects many. More information will follow shortly from the National ECW President, Karen Patterson."

This doesn't affect the work of Women's Ministry in the DRG, and we are looking forward to the exciting summer event with Linda Rounds-Nichols at St. Francis, Rio Rancho and the Nov. retreat with Brother Angel Roque. 

Stay tuned for more info about these and other events!

Christmas Party and Outreach

 

Advent and Christmas!! 

Advent I is just around the corner and that means it's time for our annual Christmas Party. Last year we were entirely on Zoom. This year we'll be hybrid.
You can participate in-person at St. Francis, Rio Rancho (2903 Cabezon Blvd SE, Rio Rancho) OR via Zoom (maybe form a small group at your church or home to decorate cookies together).

Thanks to a thoughtful donation, there will be cookies to decorate at St. Francis, or you can bring your own. Remember to RSVP if you will be in person!

As part of the event, we'll be doing an Outreach Collection to support Clare's Closet at St. Francis. Bette Davis, head of the ministry speak at the party. Clare's Closet provides new and gently used children's clothing (infant to size 14), diapers, socks, underwear, baby equipment and supplies.

You can donate new or gently used items at the party, or donate via PayPal to Women's Ministry (link below) who will get the funds to St. Francis, or by sending a check to St. Francis (note Clare's Closet).
Another part of the Clare's Closet outreach is Gift Baskets for Afghan Refugees distributed through Lutheran Family Services.  
We'll also share one or two favorite holiday traditions or recipes. This would be a perfect event to invite a friend, fellow parishioner (or grandchild) to. 

Note the time is 2PM not our regular 10AM! 

Please RSVP (cynthiadavisauthor@gmail.com) if you plan to attend in-person so we'll ahve enough sprinkles and icing!

Contact Cindy for the Zoom link. If you have participated in the past, you'll get the link, automatically. 

Donate to Clare's Closet and/or Afghan Refugee Basket (note the PayPal account will say Footprints from the Bible)

Living into Pentecost

Today is Pentecost when the Church remembers the Holy Spirit coming like “rushing wind” and flames to the Apostles, and to us. The Spirit empowered them to go and proclaim the Good News, as Jesus had promised, “in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) From women and men in hiding, fearful for their lives, they became a force to be reckoned with in Jerusalem, the Roman Empire, and beyond!
On that first Pentecost, “there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’” (Acts 2:5-13)
The people in Jerusalem were amazed to hear the news of Jesus in their own languages. What does this event have to do with us as women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande? I think there are still people hungry to hear the Good News-the Gospel. Some of them may be in our churches, our communities, even in our own families. In our varied ministries we should be proclaiming the Good News of God in Christ.
St. Francis is credited with saying, “Preach the Gospel at all times, if necessary use words.” It is true that our actions do speak louder than our words. Too often, I for one, get caught up in the busy-ness of the moment and forget that I am supposed to be a reflection of the Gospel. Then I have to be reminded of what Psalm 16:8 says: “I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
If/when we do stay connected to God, then we are more able to be light, salt, leaven in the world. People around us need to hear the Good News 'in their own language'-be it a foreign language or the language of caring and love. Maybe it is the language of the world that will catch someone's attention or a bit of music or an invitation to an event or church service.
There is a lot of pain and fear in our society. We have the answer-Christ Jesus! What can we do individually and together to make Him known more and more to each person we meet? That is part of the conversation as women of the Diocese that I am looking forward to engaging in.
On this Pentecost, I encourage you to invite the Spirit into your hear anew. One of my favorite ‘Spirit’ songs is “Spirit of the Living God.” You can see it here. Next week we'll continue looking at some of the ministries women in the DRG are engaged in. I pray the Sprit of the Living God will indeed fall afresh on each of us in this Diocese so that we will be open to God's call.

Prayer of St. Francis

A favorite prayer for many people is the Prayer of St. Francis. It is often helpful to refocus on what is important in life-the love, pardon, light, joy, understanding, pardon, etc. Doing so helps us look outside ourselves to the needs of our neighbors.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

St. Francis is usually pictured surrounded by animals. For me, an image with greater impact is that of his encounter with the leper. As the story goes, Francis was on the road when he encountered another man. He was at first repelled by the sight of this person who was leprous. But rather than turn his back on a fellow human being, Francis embraced and kissed the leper and went on his way. When he looked back the leper was gone, and Christ was standing there.
Pondering that story can tell us a lot about how we are to act in relationship with our neighbors, esp. those we may not see eye to eye with or even distrust.