Sounds of Saint Francis by Gaines Hurdle

SOUNDS

2/17PancakeSupper6pm 2/18AshWednesdayServices 8:30am &7pm

2/19SavvySeniors12pm

2/22-2/22IWWCMealPrep

2/28PubTrivia6pm

3/7RiseAgainstHunger

3/8LentenEvensong5pm

3/11BookClub11am

3/14LentenFishFry6pm

3/21LentenPlayDate9:30-11:30

3/29PalmSundayService9:15 4/2LambSupper6:15pm

4/2MaundyThursdayVigil7:30pm 4/3SolemnLiturgyGoodFriday12pm

4/4HolySayurdayService9am

4/4EasterVigil7:30pm

4/5EasterService8am&9:15

4/5EasterEggHunt10:30

4/8BookClub11am

4/12CharityBabyShower10:30

4/16savvySeniors12pm

5/2ContemporyWorship& Potluck5pm

5/13BookClub11am

5/21SavvySeniors12pm

From our Rector

StoriesofawakeningfaithdominateourGospelreadings onSundaysthisLent,aparticularfeatureofYearAinthe cycleoflectionaryreadings.Onthe2 -5 Sundaysin Lent(March1-22)wewillreadaseriesofnarratives fromSt.John’sGospelthatrecountJesus’encounterwith Nicodemus(John3),theSamaritanwoman(John4),the manbornblind(John9)andMary,Martha,andLazarus (John11).

Thesearesomeofthemostcompellinganddramatic textsintheGospels,andtakentogether,theyshowJesus engagingwiththebreadthofhumanexperiences RespectableNicodemuscomestoseeJesusatnight, waryofthesocialcostsofengagingwithacontroversial teacher.Thewomanatthewellisnotorious,butalso readytosharethenewsofwhatshehasfoundinhim Themanbornblindexperiencesagreatmiracle,butthen facesunexpectedhostility.Jesus’friendsatBethany grapplewithdeepdisappointment,butthenseeLazarus restoredtolifeinthegreatestmiracleofJesus’ministry

SundayHolyEucharist8am& 9:15am

SundayAdultForum10:30am

TuesdayHolyEucharist10:30 TuesdayMidweekBibleStudy11am

WednesdayMorningPrayer8:30am

WednesdayEveningPrayer5pm

FridayMorningPrayer8:30am

FridayEveningPrayer5pm

Intheseencounters,Jesusalsorevealsimportanttruths abouthisidentityandmission.HetellsNicodemusthat Godhassenthiminlovesothat“whoeverbelievesin himshouldnotperish,buthaveeternallife.”Tothe womanhedescribeshimselfastheonewhofillsour deepestthirst,sothatinknowinghimwefindwithin ourselves“awellspringinguptoeternallife.”Tothe blindman,heistheLightoftheWorld,andhisraisingof Lazarusshowshimtobe“theResurrectionandtheLife,” throughwhomalonewemayfindalifeofjoyandpeace withGodthatlastsforever.

Iencourageyoutotrackthesegreatstoriesthisholy season,seeinginthemaninvitationtodrawnearerto Christ,deepeningyourownfaithandlifeofdiscipleship.

From The Desk of Pastor Allison

The Gift of Work

InthebookofGenesis,whenGodcreateshumans,hegivesthema mission.HetellsthemtotakecareofandtendtheGardenofEden.Work isagift.Itbecomesharderaftersinenterstheworld.Atthatpoint,work includesthemiseryofthorns,mosquitoes,tediousmeetings,andcrashing computers,butthefactremainsthatmeaningful,life-givingworkisone ofGod’sgreatgiftstous.

Youngchildrenwillsometimesgetupsetifyoudon’tletthemhelpon somechoreoranother IoncehadatoddlerIwasbabysittinggointo fullmeltdownmodebecauseIwouldn’tlethimhelpmewashthedishes. Heknewinstinctivelythatbyparticipatinginthelittlehouseholdtasks, hewasdoingsomethingmeaningfulandbuildingconnectionswithme. Youngchildrenlearnandgrowbyimitatingandworkingwiththose aroundthem.

WhenwedotheworkofGod whenweworkalongsideourLord,that’s exactlywhathappensforus.WegrowclosertoJesus,andwebecome morevirtuouspeople.Welearnandbecomebydoing.

ButwhatistheworkofGod?

Hemakestheworld,creatingbeautyandgoodness.Thecreatorofthe worldandacarpenterinJoseph’swoodshop.Wetoo,cantendhis gardensandarrangeflowersandmakemusicandcookdeliciousfood andcarvefurniture.

Hetendssoulsandbodies.Hespeakswordsofgentlecomfortandhard truths.Helovesthemostvulnerableandneglected.Hefeedscrowds.He tendswounds.Heseespeopleoverlookedbyothers.Heteachespeopleto prayandshowsushowtoforgive.Mostofall,Heoffershissuffering deathforthesalvationoftheworld.

Workisoftenhardinthisfallenworld,wherethingsdonotworkaswe wantthemto.Weedsgrowinthesoil.Toolsbreak.Peopledon’tget along.Theprocessissometimesslowerthanwewantittobe.Butwhen wejoinourburdenstoJesus’self-offeringwithprayer,weshareinthat redemptiveworkofsalvation,too.Theburdenswebearwithgracecan lightentheburdenofothers.Thegriefwesufferwithpatiencecanhelp uslearntocomfortthosewhomourn.Andtheprayersweofferfor othersinthemidstofourhurtoftenbearthegreatestfruit.

Whenyouthinkofwhat spiritualpracticesyouwantto takeonorgiveupthisLent,I encourageyoutothinkabout workyoucantakeonthatwill helpdrawyouclosertoyour Lord.Whenyoufastorgive almsordosomegoodwork orpray,itisallworkthatyou aredoingwithJesus(notjust forJesus).Likeafour-yearoldhelpingdadwiththe gardeningormomwiththe dishes,yougettowork alongsideyourSaviorand Lord.Asyoudo,seehow you’regrowinginvirtue, becomingmoreliketheOne you’rehelping,andgrowing closertoJesus.Spendtime withhim(prayer),do somethingthatreflectshis love(almsgiving),andjoin yoursacrificestohisgrace (fasting).Andwhatevergood workyoudoalreadyinyour dailylife,makeahabitof offeringittoGodand thankinghimforthechance tohelpouteachday.

From the Keys of the Choirmaster

OurOrgan….whatdidwerenovate?Whatdidn’twerenovate?

Today,withsomepictures,Iwillgiveyouatouroftheorgan.

1.What’snew:Wereplacedourconsoleandaddeddigitalstops.Inadditiontothedigital additions,wehavedigitalbackupsforourpipestopswhentheydon’twork.Someofthemare inusenow.Let’shavealook:

a.Theconsole:Thiscontrolstheorgan,whichisthepipesand chests,andnowalsoamplifiersandspeakers:

b.Someofourstopsarenew,andallofthosearedigital,meaning thatcomputersoundsamplesarewhatyouhear,controlledbymy playingthemonthekeyboards.Thestopsthataredigitalonlyare theonespulledoutinthesenextpictures,alongwithsomestops thatarepulledoutasdigitalreplacementsforpipestopsthatfor onereasonoranotherarenotfunctionalcurrently.

i.GreatandPositivdivisions:Thepositivisthebottom keyboard.TheGreatisthemiddlekeyboard.OntheGreat, TheFirstDiapasonisadigitalstop,alongwiththeFlute Celeste,ErzählerandErzählerCelestestopsandtheDouble Trumpetstop.TheChimesarealsodigital,andtheTremolois adigitaleffectonlyonthedigitalstops,notthepipestops.Of note:ThegreatTrumpetstopistheonlyreedstoponthe wholeorganwhichiscurrentlyreliableenoughtoplaythe pipes.Allotherreedsontheorgan(inred)areeithernew digitalstops,ordigitalback-upsofcurrentlydownpipestops. OnthePositiv,theViolaandViolaCelestestopsarenew digitalstops,alongwiththeclarinetandtuba.TheNasat22/3 stopisdigital,untilweconvertthecurrentLarigot11/3pipe stoptotheNasatsoundthatwewant,whichinvolves12more pipes,andaprojectrelativelyfarinourfuture.The Krummhornstopisapipereedstopthatdoesworksomeof thetime.

•SwellandPedaldivisions:NewdigitalstopsontheSwellincludetheLieblichGedackt,Geigen Prinzipal,Oktav,Trompette,Oboe,VoxHumanaandClairon.

Currently,theFagotandSchalmeipipereedstopsarebeingplayedbydigitalback-ups,asthepipesarein terribleshape,andwon'tevenstayintune.

Renovatingorreplacingthose73pipesareatthetopofourlist.ThePedalhasnewdigitalUntersatz, KontraPosauneandSubbassstops.Thepipereedstopsallhaveoneproblemoranotherthathasususing digitalback-upsrightnow.

The16Posaunespeakssoslowly,thatittakessecondstosound,ifatall.The8Trompetesharespipes withthatPosaune.The4Regalisaseparatesetofpipesthatcyphers(getsstuckon)often,andisthe sillieststopIhaveeverheard.Itwouldbegoodtoreplacethose32pipes.Inaddition,the16Posaunehas halflengthresonators(only8feetatthelongest).Staytuned,therewillbemoretofollow

AdultForumFortheLentenSeason

Copiesofthebookwillbe availableattheparishandare $20.Therewillbealinktopay forthemthroughRealm. For moreinformation,contactparish seminarianAustinHackelat ahackel@vts.edu

TheparishLentenstudywillbeon ErikVarden’sbookTheShattering ofLoneliness:OnChristian Remembrance.Vardenisaformer fellowofSt.John’sCollege, Cambridge,aformerabbotof MountSaintBernardAbbeyin CharnwoodForest,thebishopof Trondheim,Norway,since2019, andtheleaderofthe2026Vatican Lentenexercises,“Illuminatedbya HiddenGlory.”ForVarden,the universalexperienceofloneliness isconfrontedbytheChristian convictionthatnopersonistruly alone.Remembranceisthekey, andineachchapter,Vardeninvites hisreaderstorememberGod’s savingactsthroughouthistory.In thesereflections,Vardenmoves beyondtheproblemofloneliness towhatitmeanstobehuman.

-Austin

LentenCalendar

February17th ShroveTuesdayConfessions5:30pm PancakeSupper6pm

February18th AshWednesday8:30am&7pm

March8th

March14th

March21st

March29th

April2nd

April3rd

April4th. April5th

From our Outreach Committee A Lenten Service Opportunity

InterfaithWorksWomen’sCenterprovidesshort termhousingandmealstosomeseventywomen astheyworktowardself-suffciency.Case managersconnectclientstovocational,medical andlegalservicestoassisttheirtransitionto independentlivingandstable,longterm employment.

TheSt.FrancisOutreachCommitteehas contributedbothoutreachfundingandin-kind assistancetoIWWCforover25years,andis againlookingforbothexperiencedandfirst-time volunteerstohelp.

Volunteersareneededto1)pre-shopaweek’s breakfastandlunchsuppliesandpapergoods,2) transportandservedinnersforapproximately35 womennightlyand3)preparedailybaglunches.

BreakfastandlunchsuppliesaresuppliedbytheOutreachCommitteeandstoredin theHallkitchen.Supplyshoppingtakestwotothreehours;dinnerservingand lightcleanupislessthantwohours,andlunchprep(typicallyintheSt.Francis kitchen)islessthananhour.Reimbursementfordinnercostsisavailable.All InterfaithWorksactivitiesarepre-approvedforStudentServiceLearningHoursat bothMCPSandmostprivateschools.

St.FrancisWeekatIWWCprovidesauniqueopportunityforfellowshipaswellas communityservice.YouthGroupmembers,Scouts,families,andfriendsfrom outsidetheparishareespeciallywelcome,andvolunteersarewelcometojointhe residentsfordinner.

IWWCislocatedaboutfifteenminutesfromPotomac,justoffE.GudeDriveina safelocationwithplentyoffreeon-siteparking.NewcomerstoSt.Francisare especiallyencouragedtoparticipate:it’sagreatwaytomeetpeopleandget involvedinparishlife.

Lookforsign-upsheetsinearlyFebruaryonthebulletinboardadjacenttoSt. FrancisHallandonline.Directionsandmenusuggestionswillbeposted.

ContactSusanDolan(240-472-379)s.leighdolan@gmail.comor AndyJordan(301-299-3162)marionaj@aol.comwithanyquestions.

Francis Hall

ThisMarchwewillonceagaincometogethertofeedthehungry.Througha verygenerousdonationfromMattJillings,theentirecostofRiseAgainst Hungerhasbeenunderwritten,inhonorofhis“Mum”.Whenasked,Mattvery elogentlyexplainedthat“BehindsponsoringaRiseAgainstHungermeal packingeventatSaintFrancisisthedesiretohonormymother,andourkids Grandmother,Harriet,awomanwholovedbeingintheChristiancommunity andwhoconsidereditherdutytohelpothersinneed”.

“Youcangivehopetofamiliesandchildreninneedacrosstheglobe.Every donationhelpscreatelastingchangeandsupportssustainablehungerrelieffor thepeopleinremotecommunities.Itstartswithameal-andleadstobrighter futuresforfamailiesandcommunitiesworldwide.”