November 6, 2025 Newsletter
Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, November 9, 2025
You are welcome to the
8:00 a.m. Service of Holy Eucharist Rite I
the Rev. E. Weston Mathews, Celebrant & Preacher
the Rev. Joy Y. Warburton, Assisting Priest
the Rev. Dr. Nancy Searby, Deacon
10:00 a.m. Service of Holy Eucharist Rite II
with the St. Francis Choir
the Rev. E. Weston Mathews, Celebrant & Preacher
the Rev. Joy Y. Warburton, Assisting Priest
the Rev. Dr. Nancy Searby, Deacon
Please note that due to technical difficulties we are unnable to livestream the 10:00 a.m. service on this Sunday (NOV 9th) and the next Sunday (NOV 16th).
View this Sunday's 10:00 a.m. Worship Bulletin
5:00 p.m. Second Sunday Contemplative Worship service
Celebrant: the Rev. Linda Calkins
Reflector: Sandra Loucks
Reader: Rick Entsminger
Pianist: Jamie Kim
Cantors: Hannah Harris & Byron Smith
The Liturgy of the Word
The First Reading | Haggai 1:15b-2:9
The Response | Psalm 98
The Second Reading | 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
The Gospel Reading | Luke 20:27-38
Parish Prayer List
We pray especially for Lee, Luke, Terry, Amelia, the Wiley-Jimenez Family, the Wood Family, Cindy, Alessandro, Carl, Debra, Anne, Rachel, Travis, Pete, Susan, Pepin, Barbara & Bill, Jennifer, Helen, Dan, Park, Andy, Jeff Sr., Jessica,
Clara Sue, and Dut.
We give thanks for the Altar Flowers, given to the glory of God by Karen Butler in thanksgiving for her St. Francis Family.
We pray also for Franciscans who are preparing for Holy Baptism, including
Grace Czekaj, daughter of Katie Cjekaj;
Jaclyn Chappell, daughter of Alexandra & Scott Chappell;
Judy Fitzgerald and Brice Fitzgerald, children of Kristin Weston.
Sunday Forum & Jazz Dance Activites Canceled
Please note for Sunday, November 9th:
11:30 a.m. Forum with Lynda Davis on Veteran’s Presentation has been CANCELED.
2:00 p.m. Difficult Run Jazz Band & Tea Event has been CANCELED.
231st Diocesan Convention in Frederickburg, VA: November 6th - 8th
Please keep all clergy and people of the Virginia Diocese in your prayers as they gather. Delegates from St. Francis include the Rev. E. Weston Mathews, the Rev. Joy Y. Warburton, the Rev. Dr. Nancy Searby, and Lay Delegate Scott Perkins.
Please note that on Friday morning, Scott Perkins will lead the Convention in Opening Prayer.
Crèche Sunday, November 9th at the 10:00 a.m. service
Join us for another joyful celebration of Crèche Sunday on November 9, as we celebrate the youngest among us! The children of our St. Francis Crèche will lift their voices in song, reminding us of Jesus’ words: “Let the little children come to me," during the “Call to Worship” at our 10:00 am service.
Crèche Sunday will highlight the gifts and faith of our children through music — a wonderful opportunity for our church family to encourage, support, and celebrate them as they grow in faith and love.
Come ready to smile, sing along, and be inspired by the simple and beautiful faith of our children. Everyone is invited—bring your family and friends for this heartwarming Sunday!
Second Sunday Contemplative Worship Series
Sunday, November 9th, 5 p.m.
in the Sanctuary
Celebrant: The Rev. Linda Calkins
Reflector: Sandra Loucks
Reader: Rick Entsminger
Pianist: Jamie Kim
Cantors: Hannah Harris and Byron Smith
Through candlelit prayer, contemplative silence, poetry, beautiful music, and Holy Communion from the Iona Celtic tradition, this service is different from what we offer on Sunday morning. A brief reflection on spiritual journey will also be offered by a member of St. Francis.
This worship series will be held on the second Sunday night of each month (except for August.) If you are looking for a new or different way to worship and a space to find your sacred center in the midst of a busy, distracted life, this may be the service for you.
Growing
Stronger Together
Pledging for 2026
FOR THE EARTH WILL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA.
HABAKKUK 2:14
Give Us Your
Knowledge
We are THRILLED AND GRATEFUL
when you give us your KNOWLEDGE of how
you want to bless our
St. Francis church and community in 2026.
Please put your pledge in the church offering basket
or email your intention for 2026 to
Treasurer@stfrancisgreatfalls.org
As of November 4, 2025, 71 Franciscans have pledged $457,717,
which is 73% of the $630,000 goal.
Join these Franciscans who have made their pledge to St. Francis for 2026:
Sunday School Continues Every Sunday
10:00 - 10:30 am
Ages 3 - 10
Join us every Sunday during the 10:00 a.m. service for Sunday School!
Children are invited to gather for stories, prayer, and activities that help them grow in faith and friendship. Children will return to worship during the sharing of the Peace.
Classes meet in the Red classroom upstairs next to the Nursery.
For more information or to volunteer, please email Rev. Joy at familyministry@stfrancisgreatfalls.org.
Sunday School Teacher this Sunday: Pam Tuma
Welcome our New Nursery Attendant at St. Francis: Juliet Bonafe
We are delighted to welcome Juliet Bonafe as our second Nursery Attendant at St. Francis! Juliet will be working alongside Rita to care for our youngest members and ensure the nursery remains a warm, safe, and welcoming space.
Together, Rita and Juliet will provide nursery care for three hours each Sunday, allowing for full coverage when Adult Forums are offered. This extended support enables parents to participate in these gatherings while knowing their children are cared for and engaged.
We also want to offer a special THANK YOU to all our wonderful volunteers who have helped staff the nursery in the past. We are deeply grateful for your time, care, and dedication in supporting St. Francis’ Family Ministry and nurturing our youngest members in faith and love.
Please join us in welcoming Juliet and celebrating the continued growth of our Family Ministry!
Family Ministry Open House
Mark your calendars! Family Ministry will host an Open House on Saturday, November 8, at 4:30 pm, in Millen Hall. All members and their families are invited for a conversation on our Family Ministry programs and discover ways to get involved.
More details will be shared soon — we look forward to seeing you there!
Youth Group Gathering
All teens are invited to our next Youth Group meeting on Saturday, November 15, at 5:00 p.m. in the Conference Room downstairs, across from Rev. Weston’s office.
Join us for food, fellowship, and faith-filled conversation as we grow together in Christ and plan activities for the coming months. Bring a friend — everyone is welcome!
For more information, or to RSVP (required), please email Rev. Joy at familyministry@stfrancisgreatfalls.org.
Fall 2025 Sunday Forum Hour Continues
November 16 at 11:30 a.m. "Reflections on Faith and Writing as Vocation" with Craig Gralley
Craig Gralley
Craig is a friend of St. Francis and former CIA Senior Executive. He is the author of "Hall of Mirrors-Virginia Hall: America's Greatest spy of WWII" and "Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute: An Untold History of Spacemen and Spies." Please be sure to invite your friends and family to church at 10:00 a.m. on this Sunday and stay for this community forum.
Music Notes from Director of Music, Larry Vote
St. Francis Episcopal Church Community Messiah Sing
If you are a lover of G.F. Handel’s Messiah, as a listener or singer, plan to come to the Community Messiah Sing at St. Francis on Saturday, December 13, at 5 pm. At that time Larry Vote, Director of Music, will lead the St. Francis Choir, soloists, players from the Paragon Philharmonic, organist, Sasha Beresovsky and members of the community in Part One, the Christmas Portion, of Handel’s immortal work. Bring your own score or purchase a score at the event itself. Bring a friend to join in mounting a large chorus in the grand style of Messiah readings taking place concurrently around the world. The Messiah Sing is free and open to the public. However, free will donations will be gladly accepted to help defray the cost of this event.
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Thank you for your generosity in supporting this year’s Thanksgiving Food Drive, for the many needy families served by Second Story (a local organization dedicated to youth and families.)
Alex Villegas, Outreach Manager at Second Story said our donations will make a huge difference and thanked us for our generosity, kindness, and support.
Outstanding Partner Award for St. Francis
An Outstanding Partner Award from Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington for”remarkable contributions and steadfast commitment to SMGW” has been awarded to St. Francis Church by Jennifer Longmire-Wright, Deputy Director of Development SMGW and accepted on behalf by Ginger Roll, Scott Perkins, Mimi Eldridge, Jack Mathias, and the Rev. E. Weston Mathews, this past Tuesday, November 4th at St. Francis.
For over two decades, St. Francis remains a proud partner of SMGW.
Learn more about SMGW visit their website here.
To get involved with SMGW and St. Francis, please contact Ginger Roll at rollginger@icloud.com
The Deacon's Corner with
Deacon Nancy Searby
Sharing the Good News of God's Love at the intersection of community and church
FACETS Hypothermia Shelter Program at St. Francis: December 21 - 27
St. Francis Church, in conjunction with Fairfax Area Christian Emergency and Transitional Services (FACETS), will host a hypothermia shelter for 40 of our unhoused neighbors during Christmas week. This is part of FACETS's yearly Hypothermia Prevention and Shelter Program, which ensures that no person loses their life to hypothermia during the winter season. Guests will arrive at St. Francis at 5pm each day and will leave by 7am the following morning, except for Christmas Day.
Your help is needed to support this effort. Please sign up on one or both Sign Up Genius sign up pages. One is for volunteers (greeters, dinner teams, hospitality teams, breakfast teams, plus other support positions) and one is for donations of perishable and non-perishable foods and supplies. You can also support monetarily by clicking the Give button on St. Francis's website; PayPal has an option for FACETS in the drop down menu.
Sign Up for VOLUNTEERS
Sign up for DONATIONS of FOOD/SUPPLIES
We are excited to have a number of coalition partners joining us to support the shelter. These partners include the Young Men's Service League, and other Episcopal churches in our North Fairfax region. Additionally, Temple Rodef Shalom and Congregation Beth Emeth have generously offered their support on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when our guests will be with us for the whole day. We look forward to working with our partners to provide a safe, warm, and festive shelter for the most vulnerable among us. We welcome additional coalition partners, so please share this information with anyone you know who would like to contribute in some way. Thank you for joining this important work of loving our neighbors in Fairfax County.
If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Maxson jessica.c.maxson@gmail.com or Scott Perkins ohio4csp@hotmail.com
Global Mission Partner Country Meet-Ups
Across the Diocese of Virginia, many congregations have partnerships within the Anglican Communion around the world. Some are partnered with dioceses and/or congregations in the same country. The Diocesan Global Mission Advocate Team is kicking off a series of virtual meet ups to connect people who have or would like to have relationships in differing contexts. The first two meet ups will be for Tanzania and South Sudan. We will spend our time learning about the ministry of others and sharing our own stories. The hope is that we will all benefit from working together and be able to deepen our relationships, both with each other in our diocese and in our ministry areas. As the African proverb says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Tanzania Meet Up
November 17th, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
Join via Zoom
South Sudan Meet Up
November 18th, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
Join via Zoom
Are you interested in a meet up for another area?
Email Us!
Please join the South Sudan Meet Up to share our work with Bishop Isaac and Mama Nora and the Diocese of Ezo, Episcopal Church of South Sudan, and learn about others working with community in and from South Sudan.
Bishop Isaac Sends Heartfelt Thanks
From Bishop Isaac, following the recent donation of funds to Ezo by St. Francis in support of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
Greetings from the Episcopal Diocese of Ezo.
Just writing to let you know that our diocesan team carried out distribution of basic items to the vulnerable displaced people from Tambura with the fund you sent recently. The IDPs were so excited to receive the assistance. The items are including clothes, food items including flour, groundnuts and salt. They also received soaps.
Thank you so much for contributing towards the support to the vulnerable people.
Every blessing.
+ Isaac
We are Seeking Two New Members for our 2026 Vestry Committee
With two of our current members rotating off the Vestry early next year, please consider praying about and running for Vestry in 2026 for a 3-year term. Elections will take place at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 25th, 2026. If interested, please contact either our
Senior Warden, Lynda Davis lyndacdavis@aol.com,
Junior Warden, Pepin Tuma pepintuma@gmail.com, or
Priest-in-Charge, Weston Mathews rector@stfrancisgreatfalls.org
Thank you for your consideration.
FOR THE COMMUNITY
In the Millen Hall Theatre Space at St. Francis
NOV 14, 15 @ 7:30pm
NOV 21, 22, @ 7:30 pm
NOV 28, 29 @ 7:30 pm
About the event
Winner of the 2009 Tony-award for best play.
What begins as a polite meeting between two sets of parents, convened to resolve a playground scuffle between their children, quickly spirals into an evening of accusations, shifting alliances, and brutal honesty. In Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage, civility is tested as social masks slip, and the refined surface of adulthood cracks to reveal something far more primal.
With biting wit and razor-sharp dialogue, Reza exposes the fragility of manners, the absurdity of self-importance, and the wild chaos lurking just beneath the rules of polite society. Hilarious, unsettling, and uncomfortably relatable, God of Carnage is a comedy of manners without the manners—where the real playground may not belong to the children at all.
Featuring Tim Byer, Nate Eagle, Samantha Mitchell, Arianne' Warner
Directed by Natasha Parnian
Stage Managed by Katelyn Burton
________________
Doors open 30 min before performance.
PLEASE NOTE: Online ticket sales close 30 min before the show. After that point, tickets can be purchased at the door, while supplies last. This show is recommended for ages 16 and up. A limited number of student tickets (10 per performance) are available online and at the door-first come, first served.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds. Rainchecks and exchanges are considered on a case by case basis.
God of Carnage is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
ONGOING WEEKLY ACTIVITIES AT ST. FRANCIS
Morning Prayer offered MON-FRI, at 8:00 a.m. via Zoom
All are invited to immerse themselves in this supportive offering from St. Francis Church where we regularly pray for one another and our mission in the world. We pray using the Forward Day by Day daily prayer link of the Book of Common Prayer that automatically updates for each day's readings (link: https://prayer.forwardmovement.org/pray). On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, we pray Rite I, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we pray Rite II.
Click here to connect to Morning Prayer via Zoom.
Zoom ID: 968 1679 4908; Passcode: church
Contemplative Prayer: Mondays at 7:30-8:30 p.m.
We hope you can join us via Zoom videoconference.
For more information and any questions, please contact the coordinator for the program: Kathy Anderson, 703-476-9065 or kquinnanderson@gmail.com.
Click here to connect to Contemplative Prayer via Zoom.
Zoom ID: 998 1159 6134; Passcode: church
Men’s Group: Wednesdays 8:35 a.m.
Reading and Discussing the Book of Hebrews
All are welcome. Questions? Contact Stu Edwards elchivogoat@cs.com
Click here to connect to the Men's Group via Zoom.
Zoom ID: 922 8116 0056; Passcode: church
St. Francis Social Hour meets on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.
Join us for casual conversation. Grab your favorite beverage and let's reconnect!
Click here to connect to the St. Francis Social Hour.
Zoom ID: 935 2210 0835; Passcode: church
Thursday Afternoon Bible Study at NEW TIME of 3:00 p.m.
Meetings take place via Zoom on Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to join and participate in interesting discussions.
This fall, we will be studying Lord, Teach Us to Pray by John C. Purdy, a Kerygma resource that offers meaningful insights into the power of prayer.
Our group meets weekly via Zoom, creating a welcoming space for learning, reflection, and fellowship. Whether you have joined us before or are new to the group, we would love to have you with us.
The resource book is available here:
https://kerygma.com/products/lord-teach?_pos=2&_sid=013c64283&_ss=r
For further information contact Amelia Logan at ameliavinteriors@gmail.com
Click here to connect to the Thursday Afternoon Bible Study.
Zoom ID: 836 1505 5434; Passcode: TABS24
Women's Group Coffee on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to NOON at Starbucks in Great Falls
The St. Francis Women's Group has an open invitation to meet at the Starbucks in Great Falls every Friday morning. Please join us.
Second Story Dinners: Sundays at 5:15 p.m.
Needed: Volunteers to prepare and deliver Sunday dinners to the Second Story Teen Crisis Center on Gallows Road. Volunteers work solo or in pairs, according to their wishes.
Dinners are made on the first, third, fourth, and fifth Sundays of the month. The count for a meal typically ranges from five to eight persons. It has been as many as twelve. Volunteers receive reminders when their Sundays are coming up.
Please contact Jennifer Murphy at jenniferomurphy@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer for this ministry or if you have any questions.
Do you have a news item you would like to share through the Weekly Franciscan? Or do you have a photo from life at St. Francis you would like to submit? We welcome and rely on your participation.
admin@stfrancisgreatfalls.org
Clergy and Staff
The Rev. E. Weston Mathews, Priest-in-Charge
The Rev. Joy Y. Warburton, Associate for Family Ministry
The Rev. Dr. Nancy Searby, Deacon
Ms. Lynn Fallon, Parish Administrator
Mr. Larry Vote, Music Director
Mr. Sasha Beresovsky, Organist
Ms. Cristi Leslie, Creche Preschool Director
Ms. Carol Withers, Bookkeeper
Mr. Dominic Pelegrin, Sexton
Ms. Rita Arteaga, Nursery Attendant
Ms. Sandra Loucks, VTS Seminarian
2025 Vestry Members
Lynda Davis, Senior Warden
Pepin Tuma, Junior Warden, Christian Formation
Cathryn Lee, Register, Christian Fellowship
Molly Reynolds, Treasurer
Kathy Anderson, Worship & Spiritual Care
Chris Giragosian, Mission & Mission Partnerships
Elizabeth Kim, Evangelism & Communications
Jessica Maxson, St. Francis Music & Arts
Larry Pratt, Stewardship & Fundraising
Steve Riihimaki, Family Ministry & Creche Board
Brice Eldridge, Facilities Manager, Creche Board Chair, Rise Against Hunger Chair
facilities@stfrancisgreatfalls.org
