Announcements

Readings for October 5 - The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost

The Feast of St. Francis & The Blessing of the Animals
The Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost

We will be worshipping The Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost at 10:00 AM with the service being led by Rev. Linda McConnell. The Blessing of the Animals will be at 10:45 AM. Service will be held outdoors, weather permitting, in St. Clare's Chapel.

This Sunday the Readings will be:

Job 39:1–18
Psalm 121
Acts 4:32-35, 5:1-11
Luke 12:13-21

Click Here to View the Service Bulletin

 

 



The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

On October 4, The Episcopal Church celebrates the feast day of Francis of Assisi, an Italian friar, beloved saint, and one of the most venerated individuals in Christian history. He founded the Franciscan Order for men and the Order of Saint Clare for women, and he is also widely known for his love of nature and animals. Perhaps the most famous prayer attributed to St. Francis is:

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light; and
where there is sadness, joy.

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.

But did you know St. Francis is also credited with these inspiring and challenging quotes?

  • Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
  • If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.
  • While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart.
  • All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.
  • A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.


Celebrate the Feast Day of St. Francis!

**If there is anyone that would like to bring dog or cat treats to share with our furry guests after the blessing, we would be most grateful!**


Deanery news: Annual Diocese Convention

The annual convention of the Diocese of California will be 17-18 October at Grace Cathedral. Tony Mei and Harry Lehmann are our delegates, and Robert Tarleton is the alternate delegate.
 
Two key points of business at the convention will be approval of the Strategic Vision Plan and approval of proposed Resolutions. Both of these can be accessed at the DioCal Convention website (https://www.diocalconvention.org/).
 
Members of the parish are encouraged to read the Bishop's letter to the laity (dated 19 September) and at least the first 12 pages of the plan. Those pages set the stage, provide context driven by the listening sessions held in 2024, and summarize the Focus Areas and Goals of the plan. The remaining 78 pages detail initiatives tied to the goals in the first year and then in the second and third year of the plan's implementation.  Choose those goals that resonate with you and read on...
 
If you have any concerns about the plan, please share them with Tony (preferably before October 7th) and Harry and Robert.  The specified date is the evening when the Executive Council votes on the plan.
 
There are currently 9 resolutions that will be voted upon. Please peruse them and let our delegates know if you have any issues with them.
 
- Tony Mei
 


Virtual Services

 

 

Join Now

 
Click above to join or enter our "Meeting ID" and password manually.

Meeting ID: 4158921600
Password: 94945


Native Pollinator Garden Update

 
On October 2, several members of the church met with Keystone Permaculture and Home Ground Habitats to discuss the initial phases of a design that they created for us. We got to see the amazing potential that our space holds! We are still working on solutions for irrigation, as our current system needs repair.

 Once planted, we will be working to be certified by the National Wildlife Federation to be a Community Wildlife Habitat. Stay tuned!
 

https://www.stfrancisnovato.org/st_francis_wildlife_habitat_project

 


Experiencing God with Saint Francis of Assisi

 

Never have we needed more to experience God — to feel God. Francis of Assisi was spiritual before anyone used that word, and he was religious in the best ways. We love him because he cut through the paraphernalia to get back to religion where it belongs: working in the human heart, making a difference in everyday life.

In this new e-course, Jon M. Sweeney, an independent scholar known for his many books about St. Francis, has identified 20 ways of experiencing God from early Franciscan sources. Anyone can do these things. Examples will be offered through personal anecdote, medieval text, explanation, and discussion. These experiences include “Freeing captive creatures,” “Praying alone at night,” “Allowing yourself to weep,” “Standing between those who fight,” “Making a cross with your arms,” and “Praying ‘Who are you, God? And who am I?’ ”

Jon will introduce each as he explains the legacy of Francis of Assisi, the world’s most popular saint, as we look toward the 800th anniversary year of his passing in 2026. And Jon will offer parallels from many other spiritual teachers of other traditions including Thich Nhat Hanh, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Mary Oliver.

This e-course consists of:

  • 30 emails sent daily
  • 1 hour Zoom with Jon M. Sweeney on Friday, October 3, 5 - 6 pm PT / 8 - 9 pm ET (new time). Jon will discuss how to prepare for and participate in the celebration of St. Francis' Feast Day on Saturday, October 4.
  • Online Practice Circle where you can response to Jon's comments for each day, answer questions and prompts he poses, and share your experiences with the suggested practice of the day.

Learn from St. Francis how to truly experience God and share your experiences with our community.
Subscribe from the link below. (4 CEHs for chaplains available.)

Monday, September 29 - Tuesday, October 28

$85.00
Subscribe


AURA at Grace Cathedral

 

Witness architecture come to life through powerful storytelling!
 

Step into a one-of-a-kind immersive experience that transforms Grace Cathedral into a living canvas. From the moment you arrive and take in the cathedral's awe-inspiring façade in the heart of San Francisco, you'll be drawn into an evening unlike any other. Visit the link below to book your tickets! 
 
Book Now


St. Francis Office Space Available to Rent

 


Announcement to Share?

Do you have news or a community event that you would like to share with your fellow parishioners? You are welcome to submit articles for the Transitus to Nova@StFrancisNovato.org anytime before Thursday at noon. I look forward to hearing from you!

-Nova Alexander



St. Francis Community Pantry News

 

Pantry Donations

Online Giving - Please use this link that leads directly to our new online platform.

 Donate to the Pantry Online!

Other ways to donate - There is a donation box on the Narthex entry table where you can drop some dollars. You may also add your cash or check to an offering envelope marked "PANTRY" and add to the offering plate during the service. 

 
 

Other ways to donate - There is a donation box on the Narthex entry table where you can drop some dollars. You may also add your cash or check to an offering envelope marked "PANTRY" and add to the offering plate during the service. 

Please visit https://stfrancisnovato.org/st_francis_community_pantry 
for information and donation ideas.  

If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Ellis at evbuch@yahoo.com or Nova Alexander at nova@stfrancisnovato.org.

Thank you for your support!

 
Donate to the Pantry Online!