Lych Gate

MUSIC AT ST. FRANCIS

The 2010 budget for St. Francis necessitated some serious cuts. One major cut was dropping the full time Choir director/organist. We now only have four committed choir members. The small number is not sufficient to reasonably perform choir music. Supply organists will be used for Sunday hymns and service music.

Where does that leave music at St. Francis? Reverend Dee posed the question and I volunteered to help answer it. Now I am turning to you, the parishioner for help. Do we want a music program at St. Francis? (I will show you how to voice your opinion below.)

· One alternative is to put together a Choir for special occasions; the first would be Easter season and the second Christmas. It would require volunteers for the Choir and some weeks of practice. It would not require participating every Sunday.

· Second alternative would be to have a choir participating every Sunday. With either program we would need Choir members.

Many questions are still unanswered however if we have volunteers and know what the congregation desires we can go to the next step. First we need volunteers. Those interested, please email me at the following, (earichardson@windstream.net) with your name and telephone number. This in no way obligates you to a choir but will give us an answer as to how many will seriously consider volunteering. All are invited especially those in High School.

We invite ALL parishioners to let us know their desires and any suggestions. Please email me, (at address above), call me (828-863-1234) or drop a note in the plate on Sunday.

PLEASE RESPOND, No response will be considered as favoring the elimination of a music program at St. Francis, save an organist.

Ed Richardson

What St. Francis Does Well

At the annual meeting we answered the question "What does St. Francis do well?" The following is a summary of your responses.

High School Class Project

The High School Sunday School class began a project during Advent that will not be finished until 2034. They collected items or wrote prayers pertaining to those things in the community or in the world that they are concerned about and/or those areas in which they see hope for the future. Even the container everything was put in had significance - the class used a cookie tin which symbolizes the spirit of hospitality and cheerful giving that exists at St. Francis and their prayer that this spirit will spread throughout the community and beyond. A marker stone will be engraved and placed over the location of the container. The class is to return on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2034 in order to dig up this container, look at and read the contents, and reflect on the changes that have taken place in the 25 intervening years

Through The Lych Gate

Of Saint Francis Episcopal Church

Week of 10-17, 2010