Grapevine the St. Francis
ENCOUNTER g GROW g SERVE
September 2017
There are almost 3,000 families registered at our parish. If we spent 5 minutes with every single person from our parish and asked them to describe their faith life, I think we would get just as many varied answers. Everyone is in a different place. Some are passionate. Some are struggling. Some are healing. Some are questioning. Some are involved. Some are busy. Some attend Mass once a month. Some attend Mass every day. In the book “Forming Intentional Disciples,” Sherry Weddell unpacks a 2008 study indicating only 30 percent of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing, meaning they attend Mass at least once a month (p. 24). 79% of those who dropped the name “Catholic” and claim no religious affiliation did so before they turned 23 (p. 33). “I just gradually drifted away.” Why did they leave? Was it a specific Church teaching? Was it for lack of a solid Catholic education? Was it because the Mass wasn’t entertaining enough? Was it because of a more attractive Protestant Church down the street? Overwhelmingly, the answer people gave was they “just gradually drifted away.” “We can no longer assume.” For too long, the practices of “faith formation” or evangelization and catechesis at most Churches in America assumed that the first step in a journey of faith had already occurred. We assumed that Catholics believed in God and had a personal conviction to follow the Church. We also assumed that they believed in a personal God – or a God who mattered in their daily life and desired a relationship with them. We can no longer assume. We can’t assume everyone is in the same place in their faith life. And the burden is on us as a Church to ask the question “How are we helping Catholics overcome challenges to living out their faith, without taking for granted that they have encountered God in a lifechanging way?” Too often all the wonderful events, ministries, and service opportunities at our Church lack context. What event or ministry should I join if I am struggling with doubts about my faith? Where should I go if I want to grow deeper in my understanding of the faith? How can I experience Christian community? How do I share my faith with others? How should I get involved at Church?
A Clear Path of Discipleship This is why we want to begin promoting and communicating what we call a “clear path of discipleship.” This is the path all of us are called to journey and grow in. It is the path of conversion and deepening of faith. It is a path that begins with a life-changing encounter with a personal God and a personal commitment to follow Him. It then continues into intentional discipleship and growth in our understanding of and living out the faith. And ultimately we are sent out into the world to serve in the mission of Jesus. We abbreviate this path of discipleship with the three stages—ENCOUNTER, GROW, SERVE. The clear path of discipleship helps answer the questx=ions “What comes first?”, “What’s best for me right now?”, and “What comes next?” as we walk through the stages of growth as a missionary disciple. This clear path of discipleship empowers all parishioners to accompany others through an intentional path of discipleship. Walking the Path of Discipleship as a Parish In the upcoming year, we will begin walking as an entire parish along this path of discipleship. We can no longer assume everyone has had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Too many are leaving the Church. We will also begin organizing and communicating this clear path of discipleship, to help walk with each other deeper into the life of Christ. We are never “finished” growing. We are all called to renew our commitment to Jesus and to grow on this cyclical, not linear, path of discipleship. As Pope Francis said, “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her.” (Pope Francis, Joy of the Gospel #3). How different would our Church be next year if all of us committed to praying for a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, and helped our friends and fellow parishioners journey deeper into this encounter with Jesus? What impact would it have on the Church if we all walked with one parishioner deeper on the path of discipleship? We are convinced it would transform our families, our parish, and Grapevine with the joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And that makes it worth everything.
A NEWSLETTER OF ST FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCH • 861 WILDWOOD LN, GRAPEVINE TX • SFATX.ORG
FROM THE PASTOR Dear Parish Family,
OFFICE HOURS Monday - 9:15 am - 8:30 pm Thursday (closed for lunch from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm)
Friday Sunday
9:15 am - 12:00 pm 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
CHURCH HOURS Monday - Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
8:00 am - 8:30 pm 8:00 am - 6:00 pm 8:00 am - 6:00 pm 7:00 am - 5:30 pm
MASS SCHEDULE WEEKENDS (nursery/guardería) Saturday Vigil 5:00 pm Sunday (no nursery) 8:00 am 10:00 am (en español) 1:00 pm 4:30 pm WEEKDAYS Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:30 am 8:30 am 6:00 pm 8:30 am 8:30 am
St. Francis of Assisi Church
861 Wildwood Lane Grapevine, Texas 76051 817.481.2685 // 817.488.3169 (f)
sfatx.org //
On August 1st, I celebrated my 4th anniversary as the pastor of St. Francis of Assisi. It is hard to believe that four years have already passed. It has been an honor and privilege to be here these last four years and I look forward to many more. St. Francis of Assisi is a very special parish. We have some of the most dedicated volunteers and staff I have ever known, and I would like to thank everyone for being so generous and kind to me. Please continue praying for your parish and me. This summer went way too fast. We said goodbye to Fr. Raul Martinez and Sister Rosie Rodriguez. We wish them both blessings on their new assignments—Fr. Raul as the pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Wichita Falls and Sr. Rosie with the Diocese of Houma–Thibodaux in Louisiana. They will both be missed. However, with every set of goodbyes comes a blessing of new people to serve our parish. We are excited to welcome Fr. John Martin and Sr. Yolanda Pineda. They will make an excellent addition to our church and we look forward to their contributions to the ministries at St. Francis. As we close out the summer, I would like to give a special mention of “Thank You” to all of those who made the Parish Picnic and BBQ Cook-off a great success. It was wonderful to see so many parishioners eating excellent BBQ, listening to the band and having fun riding the mechanical bull, playing games and enjoying themselves. I can’t wait for next year’s cook-off! I also hope you will make plans to join us for the next big parishwide event, our annual Community Fest, set for Saturday, October 7. The day is full of activities, with all the proceeds benefiting our St. Francis Outreach and the Grapevine Animal Shelter. More details are in this newsletter. As always, it will be a busy Fall at St. Francis. Our religious education classes are about to be in full swing, SFA Young Church has some wonderful opportunities for our youth, and we are continuing our efforts to fully realize ourselves as a parish of missionary disciples. Please make sure to check out our newly redesigned website and to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (@StFrancisTX). In His Holy Name, Fr. Flynn Pastor
Parish happenings PARISH HAPPENINGS
GRACE Feed Our Kids
The annual Parish Picnic & BBQ Cook-off on June 10 was another great success! Thank you to the 400+ people who attended, especially the teams who competed in the BBQ competition and anyone who volunteered! A special congratulations to our winning teams:
A big thank you to everyone at the parish who helped to make our participation in the GRACE Feed Our Kids Program a success! Due to the many generous food donations, as well as the participation of over 60 volunteers, St. Francis was able to feed around 140 kids for 4 days in July! This program was a wonderful opportunity for our parish family to live out our mission to 'reach the poor' and many volunteers acknowledged how it impacted them. Sandy Holcomb noted, "This program was a wonderful opportunity to serve the community with people of all ages from our parish. I enjoyed working alongside all of the volunteers and met some wonderful people!" Similarly, Connie Martin, another adult volunteer, said of her experience, "It really was great to see our kids wanting to make a difference - not just because they needed 'service hours' but because it is the right thing to do - give back!!" Judy Clampitt concured, "To see the smile on the children's faces was so gratifying for us. What an awesome project for the church to be involved in." We are already planning for next summer, when we will assist GRACE on Aug 6-10!
1st Place - Knights of the Holy Grill 2rd Place - The Notorious P.I.G. 3rd Place - Porkers Heaven 4th Place - Smokin' Ags
Vacation Bible School
Another Successful Year! Thank you to the volunteers and families that made our Vacation Bible School such a huge success! The children had fun, made friends, and learned a lot about the Rosary and our Mother Mary. Each day at VBS the children prayed one decade of the Rosary together. We also had Eucharistic Adoration and attended Mass together at the end of the week. Through the generosity of the children we were able to provide Gabriel Project with the following items: • • • • •
Baby Wash - 44 bottles Baby Lotion - 12 bottles Baby Food - 23 jars Newborn Diapers - 1,750 Baby Wipes - 13,806
Join us to Celebrate
Our Lady of Fatima’s 100 Year Anniversary Friday, Oct. 13 | 5:30pm Come join us for a special celebration of the 100 year anniversary of the final apparation made at Fatima on October 13, 1917. The event will begin with a presentation of flowers and multi-lingual rosary at 5:30pm, followed by Mass at 6:30pm, a candlelight procession around the Church grounds, and a small reception.
MORE INFO: sfatx.org/fatima the St. Francis
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PARISH HAPPENINGS
FOLLOWING JESUS RETREAT
The response of our parish family to this retreat was astounding! So many people had something positive to say about Fr. Flynn’s message and about the opportunity to come together as a church family. It's apparent we really addressed a need for an encounter with Christ that comes not just in the norm of attending sacred liturgy, but also in our daily lives. We saw Him not only in the mystery of the Eucharist that day, but also in the eyes of our neighbors. We look forward to hosting more retreats and opportunities for encounter in the coming year!
Ministry spotlight
St.Francis MOMS, or Ministry of Mothers Sharing, is a group for mothers who are striving to be good role models for their children and each other. The "Day Moms" Group meets the third Wednesday of every month at 9:30am and the "Evening Moms" Group meets the third Thursday at 6:30pm. Complementary childcare is provided. The group gathers for prayer, speakers, crafts and fellowship, and also hosts monthly Mom’s Night Outs and Playdates. All moms are welcome! For more info, email stfrancismomsgrapevine@gmail.com.
LISTEN TO SOME OF THE TALKS FROM THE RETREAT: sfatx.org/jesus
LIVING THE MISSION: THE NEXT STEPS The various ministries of this parish encompass so many opportunities to grow in our faith, through bible studies, prayer groups, study groups, and retreats. This fall, in addition to pursuing growth in our knowledge of the faith, the goal is to create more opportunities for cultivating our mission as active servants of our parish and our community. With the help of all our various ministry leaders and our many dedicated volunteers, we will be exploring new avenues of charity that include everything from home-town service projects to the planning of full-blown mission trips, all in the hope of taking the encounters with Christ that we receive here in our home parish out as a witness to our city, our country, and our whole world. Stay tuned for how you can get involved!
A RELAUNCH OF THE
NEWCOMERS COMMITTEE When joining a new parish community, the friendly welcome of another parishioner has a huge impact! If you feel called to help welcome new families into our parish community and the mission of St. Francis, then consider joining the Newcomers Committee! We are excited to refocus, revamp, and relaunch this committee in the coming months and are looking for a group of individuals to help us welcome and journey with new parishioners as they transition. If you are interested in this ministry or have ideas you’d like to contribute, please fill out the form at
sfatx.org/newcomers-committee. We will be in touch in the coming weeks about a kick-off meeting!
Community Fest ANNUAL
SATURDAY
OCTOBER 7
Benefiting: St. Francis Outreach & The Grapevine Animal Shelter SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY - SAT, OCT 7 8:30 am - 10:30 am
Burrito Breakfast
8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Garage Sale
8:30 am - 2:00 pm
Bounce Houses & Free Play Areas
9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Book Nook
9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Silent Auction Baskets
9:30 am - 2:00 pm
Kids’ Games (midway games with prizes, face painting, piñatas)
10:00 am - 10:30 am
Pet Blessing
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Pet Adoptions
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Petting Zoo
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Hot Dog Lunch
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Boogie Woogie Choo Choo
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Bingo
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Popcorn & Cookies
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Vigil Mass
DINNER AUCTION ($25/person • $50/family max) 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Drinks & Appetizers
6:30 pm - 7:15 pm
Dinner
7:15 pm - 8:30 pm
Live Auction
8:30 pm
Raffle Drawing
For more information, to purchase dinner auction tickets and view the online auction items, and to sign-up to volunteer, visit:
sfatx.org/fest
Please make plans to join our annual Community Fest!
Garage Sale • Pet Blessing FREE! Kids Games Dinner Auction Live Music
St. Francis Outreach
The Mission of St. Francis Outreach is to connect the hearts, hands, and efforts of our parish community to meet the basic necessities of our brother and sisters in need. Through the efforts of many volunteers and the generosity of the parish family, the Thrift Store and food pantry have developed into one of the outstanding emergency assistance centers in the Grapevine area today. Last year, our Outreach provided over $150,000 in assistance to 1,400+ families in need!
The Grapevine Animal Shelter
The Grapevine Animal Shelter offers pet adoptions, stray animal pick-ups, care for unwanted animals, and more, within the Grapevine community.
the St. Francis
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OUTREACH IN ACTION
Preparing for Adopt A Family A THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS MINISTRY OF OUTREACH Each year around this time, St. Francis of Assisi Outreach begins preparing for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. The important Adopt a Family project provides assistance to many families within our St. Francis and larger Grapevine community who might not have special holiday celebrations otherwise. Family sign-ups will begin October 19. Last year, we assisted 282 families through this program and expect as many, if not more, this year! Here's how you can help: Our Angel Trees will go up in the foyers of the Church on November 18-19 and will remain up through December 2-3. All gifts purchased for this project are due no later than December 10, so that we may sort, package, and distribute to the adopted families in time for Christmas.
1.
Because it's humbling enough to ask for assistance during the holidays, we ask for the gifts to be unwrapped so that the parents of the adopted families may have the joy of seeing and wrapping their own children's gifts.
2.
The adopted families are also assisted with any financial needs for utilities, rent or unforeseen expenses during the holidays, as well as into the New Year. Look for angels on the trees that specifically list some of these needs. Each adopted family also receives a complete dinner box for Thanksgiving and Christmas! The boxes include giftcards so that the families can purchase any perishables for the meals. Our goal is to allow them to celebrate a special holiday meal with their families without the financial constraint of the extra food expense. We welcome donations of food and giftcards for this purpose in the coming months - look for more details in the bulletin!
3.
This program would not be possible withouth the tremendous generosity of our parish family. We at St. Francis Outreach love this time of the year and are so very thankful to all of you for your support!
STAFF Q&A MARCI HOuLE
In May, we welcomed Marci, one of our newest staff members. Marci has wasted no time jumping into the life of St. Francis. For those who haven't had the pleasure of meeting her yet, here is a bit about her: Describe your role AT THE PARISH. As the Coordinator of Adult Catechesis and Evangelization, I am tasked with inviting and enabling an ongoing conversion to Christ amongst the members of our parish! On a more practical note, this means that it is my job to organize, structure, and/or assist the many adult-sponsored/run/attended ministries and missions of this parish in achieving each of their individual goals, in conjunction with the overall mission of the parish. Tell us a bit about your family AND BACKGROUND. My mother and I go way back – as in, it’s nearly always been just me and her, the dynamic duo. I graduated from Weatherford High School and then attended Franciscan University, where I earned a bachelor of arts degree in English (writing), Theology, and Catechetics. I’m currently pursuing my master’s degree in Catechetics and Evangelization from Franciscan, through their online program. What ARE 3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOURSELF? Dedicated. Creative. Random. Rebellious. (Hence 4 words instead!) What IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Blue! But a dark blue, like the sky right before the stars are visible; not a light blue, pastels are bleagh. What'S A Favorite Bible Passage? John 14:15-17. These verses always seem to pop up whenever I’m going through turbulent or confusing times. What is your favorite PLACE? EUROPE. Like, everywhere I’ve ever been to in Europe. What is AN INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOU? I can wriggle my ears. It’s a completely useless talent, but that’s all I’ve got in my back pocket. What is your favorite part about working here? The people! I have yet to meet anyone who isn’t awesome, friendly, and fun to be around.
YOUTH MINISTRY
THE RECIPE FOR A YOUNG CHURCH SUMMER: Fun Excursions, Weekly Prayer, & Powerful Retreats
Steubenville Lonestar A Reflection by Micah Keen
Steubenville Lonestar was so amazing. This conference gave me the kick i needed to improve my prayer life and strengthen my relationship with God. It's crazy to me how over just 3 days I grew so much in my faith and was able to experience so much love from God. My favorite part of the conference was probably adoration because I truly got to experience Jesus Christ through the Eucharist. Eucharistic Adoration changed the game for me and I realized how greatly I wanted a strong relationship with God. Another part I enjoyed was the women's talk by Sister Miriam James. I can speak for all the St. Francis ladies who attended Steubenville that the women's talk helped us to see ourselves as beautiful in our own and in God's eyes. Along with the amazing talks, the beautiful masses, and absolutely amazing Eucharistic adoration, there were so many resources at Steubenville. I had the opportunity to speak to so many different people about vocations, opportunities for mission trips, and just about common questions of the Catholic church. I found it so amazing how small and close the community felt, despite there being hundreds of kids. Everyone was so open with each other and friendly even though we were all strangers. Along with all of this, the music was so beautiful. Praise and worship was always a blast and you could feel God in that space. Steubenville was such a wonderful experience that allowed me to grow in my faith and strengthen my relationship with God. I am now so much stronger than I was and have a much better prayer life thanks to Steubenville Lonestar and everyone there. I love Steubie!!!
Camp Covecrest
A Reflection by Isabel Barron Camp Covecrest in Tiger, GA was one of the most beautiful weeks of my life. hands down. I met so many amazing life long friends and I saw God working through so many individuals. From waking up every morning to pray in their beautiful chapel to adoration by the lake, everything was a highlight. I grew stronger in my faith with the support I had from my amazing community of people here at Covecrest. When I showed up to load the bus I didn't recognize anyone and now I've grown so close to these people who were there with me and I can't wait for next year. Everyone was in different places in their faith but we all supported each other and grew together. Although there were hundreds of kids there through games and small group we got to know so many new faces. Everyone was open and friendly. I think the biggest thing that brought everyone together was the common goal. Everyone there wanted to grow stronger in their faith and help other people in the process. That really showed in some of our small groups, through the summer missionaries, and in praise and worship. In praise and worship it was beautiful to see so many people profess their faith without hesitation. Everyone, regardless of singing capabilities, was pouring their heart out through the lyrics and the sense of community in those moments was something you don't experience enough today. Camp Covecrest helped me and so many people to grow closer to God, each other, and to be proud of being Catholic! #BestCampEver the St. Francis
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CIS OF A N A
SS ISI
ST. FR
SCHOOL NEWS
P RESCHOOL
St. Francis of Assisi Preschool is about to start its 24th year of classes and care for the children of our parish and community. We have a few remaining spots, so be sure to contact the Director, Karen Bedore, for more info or to schedule a tour at 817-481-2685 x230 or kbedore@sfatx.org. The preschool was extremely busy as we finished out last school year in May! We had our May Crowning in the Chapel and left a basket of flowers for Mary for the month. We talked about all the wonderful things our parents do for us, and made both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gifts. Our End of the Year School Blessing was extra special, as Fr. Martinez took time to teach the children how to sing and the hand motions for "Hallelujah!" And our Pre K4 graduation ceremony was fun, joyous, and bittersweet as our students move on to kindergarten in the fall. It is wonderful to see how much the children have grown in 9 months. As is tradition, our school year ended with a fabulous Tropical Splash Day. Sand table, water play, bubbles and popsicles made this a day to remember. We were all busy this summer preparing for the start of preschool again, and can't wait for the students to return the first full week of September. We know this year is going to be wonderful as we continue to watch our students flourish in their studies and faith! Please stop by and visit us if you are at the Church on a Tuesday or Thursday between 9am-2pm!
St. Francis Church avidly supports Catholic education and
HTCS Upcoming Events:
We12:welcome back the following teachers in new roles: Asencourages our summer break comes to atheir close, theschool, Holy Trinity parishioners to consider parish Holy Eighth Grade Class Trip May faculty and staff look forward to partnering with you in Trinity, for their children. Holy Trinity offers grades PK - 8th, • 17:Cindy Rizzo (Curriculum & Instructional Specialist) May 1st Communion Mass, 8:25am on-site before and after care, and tuition assistance. your child’s education for the 2017-2018 school year. We • Wendy McAdams (Business Manager) May 19: Kindergarten End of Year Program 2:00pm renew our commitment tostrives providing a challenging Holy Trinity Catholic School to provide a superior and • 25:Jackie Cummings Religion) May Candlelight Service(Middle 8:25am / School 8th Graders Last Day exciting academic environment in which students grow education which produces life-long learners, faithful Graduation 7:00pm St. Francis We alsoEighth sendGrade blessings and our bestatwishes to Church all those servants, and influential Motivated the desire daily in their Catholic leaders. faith and becomebycommunity teachers and staff who will not be returning this fall. for continuous improvement, members whogrowth learn, and serve, and lead. and inspired and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, the faculty and staff of Holy
This year we welcome several Trinity Catholic School model andnew teachteachers and staff: and(5th responsibility (the & 3 R’s). • reverence, Bryan respect McLain English/LA Social Studies) • Holy Ann Wang (4th & 5th Math and Religion) Trinity students gain the tools, knowledge and needed to advance in life and&continue learn, • discipline Katie Watts (4th English/LA Social to Studies) serve and lead in their communities and beyond. • Jasmin Perez (1st Grade) ForHoust more information go to& www.holytcs.org • Amy (7th Literature 8th English/LA) To schedule a tour 817-421-8000 x 121 or admissions@holytcs.org • Rey Avilles (2nd Grade) • Hollyann Annis (Pre-Kindergarten) • Elizabeth Vickers (Office Manager)
2017 Annual Appeal Kick-Off Party
All parish families and friends are invited to our North May 30: Giving Field Day Texas Day Cook Out on Thursday, September 14th. eveningoff filled with face painting, May 31: Join Endus of for Yearan Party-Kick the summer with an jump houses, games and activities as we raise money for all school celebration at Hawaiian Falls, 1- 5:00pm. Holy Trinity Catholic School through NTGD. Make a donation of any size and your family's dinner is on us!
Educating Beyond Academics!
www.holytcs.org • 817.421.8000
Staff Blog Samplings
Are You Mission-Minded Or Maintenance-Minded? Edmund Mitchell Director, Catechesis & Evangelization Why are some organizations, companies, and maybe even some Churches just not that exciting to be a part of? Looking back on history, there is a strong case to be made that organizations with a strong, compelling, world-changing mission are the most exciting to be a part of. The mission gives us a compelling answer to the questions: Why? Why do we exist? Why are we doing what we’re doing? Why should we make sacrifices or do the hard things? It isn’t very compelling to be part of an organization that is primarily focused on maintenance, or maintaining a status quo. What if our goal in marriage was to stay the same forever? Or what if your job at work was to keep everything exactly the same? What if the Church you went to was only concerned with everything staying exactly the same? Would you feel welcomed? Would you grow closer to God? It is interesting that Jesus had very little patience with the Pharisees of his time, people who were very concerned with maintaining a status quo around a legalistic view of religion. An organization with a world-changing mission is contagious. You want to be a part of it and help change the world! A strong mission directs all our energy, time, talent, treasure, and prayers towards a common goal. We start working together. And everyone has a clear picture of where they fit in the mission. As Viktor Frankl said, “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how.’” The exciting part is Jesus gave our Church the greatest mission ever: “Go, and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). This is called the Great Commission, and it is the mission of the Church. It’s called evangelization, and it’s “in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exists in order to evangelize.” (Evangelii Nuntiandi #14). Every Catholic Church in the world participates in this mission and carries it out in a specific corner of the world. So we could say, the mission of St. Francis of Assisi is to “Go, and make disciples of Grapevine!” And when people become disciples, or followers of Jesus, they also take up this mission. Pope Francis adds that these are then “missionary disciples.” “In virtue of their baptism, all the
members of the People of God have become missionary disciples.” (Evangelii Gaudium #120). So what does it take to transform a Church and a city for Jesus Christ? We need a mission, and missionminded leaders. Here are some differences in thinking between mission-minded leaders and maintenance-minded people. Mission-Minded Leaders will change the world, and they will change our Church. They are: • • • • • • •
Frustrated by the status quo Others-focused Don’t give up when things are challenging Roll up their sleeves Enjoy the team effort Not afraid of mistakes or failures Excited by intentional change (with purpose and meaning) • Inspired by the mission-minded vision: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
“Will this help us reach new people? Lets take a risk.” "How many disciples are we making?" “Will this increase our ability to reach new people?” “We have to be faithful to the future.” "How can this need be met (by the Church)?" "How many non-Catholics live within 2 minutes of us?"
On the other hand, Maintenance-Minded People are: • Territorial (my pew, my group, my time, my parking spot, etc.) • Me-focused • Get frustrated by challenge • Rarley invite people • Resistant to any change • Afraid to make mistakes or to fail • Avoid conflict • Discouraged by the mission-minded vision: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
“Will this make people upset? Don’t try it.” "How many members do we have?" “How will this affect me?” “We have to be faithful to the past.” "How can the staff meet this need?" "How many Catholics live within 20 minutes of us?"
Are you willing to be mission-minded? We need your help! Join us as we follow Jesus on the mission of building a Church of missionary disciples in Grapevine! This was adapted from an episode of our parish podcast, The Frank Show. Listen in: sfatx.org/frank the St. Francis
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St. Francis Families What drew you to St. Francis of Assisi Parish? When we first moved to Flower Mound 24 years ago, I met a little old lady who told me about St. Francis and how much her granddaughter loved Fr. B. She told me to go over the dam road, turn right, turn right again by the horses and the church will off to the left. The following Sunday we found our way there and immediately felt at home.
Toeniskoetter Family Tell us a bit about your family. We (Julie & Joe) have been married for 28 years and have 4 children. Joe is a computer consultant with HealthCatalyst and Julie is a substitute teacher. Laura (not pictured above) is 23 and lives in Austin. Bryan is 21 and a Special Olympics athlete. Amy is 17 and a senior at Flower Mound High School. She is also president of the Circle of Friends club. Sam is 16 and a junior who plays basketball at Flower Mound High School.
What parish ministries are your family involved in? Joe is a member of Knights of Columbus. Joe, Bryan, and Sam serve as ushers at the 10 o’clock mass. Amy is a core member for Young Church Middle School. Julie taught faith formation for 11 years and was a RCIA sponsor. Before Laura moved to Austin, she was a member of the 10 o’clock choir. How would you explain our parish to an outsider or fallen away Catholic? St. Francis is home, where the members are like family, they accept you for who you are. In every issue, we will feature 1-2 families from our parish. Each of these families contributes to what makes St. Francis a thriving community. We are honored they call us home. To nominate a family to be featured, contact dmilliken@sfatx.org.
What is an interesting fact about your family that people may not suspect or know? Even though we are both Aggies, we did not meet at Texas A&M. We met at a Young Adults picnic at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Austin. What do you love most about the parish? Of course we love Fr. Flynn and his emphasis on the youth programs, but mostly the other members of the parish. What is a favoirte scripture passage for your family? Romans 12:2 - "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Our family is unique, having a child with special needs. We know that we will never be “a normal family.” This verse is a reminder that accepting God’s will is what is important; and good things can come from not conforming and being different. We are all better people because of Bryan.
TAIZÈ PRAYER
Prayer in the spirit of the Taizè Community is a meditative form of common prayer. Gathered in the presence of Christ, we sing uncomplicated, repetitive songs, uncluttered by too many words, allowing the mystery of God to become tangible through the beauty of simplicity. Taizè Prayer is ecumenical, and so we open our doors to other Christians who would like to pray with us.
SEPTEMBER 21 • OCTOBER 19 • NOVEMBER 16 DECEMBER 21 • and continuing into 2018!
MORE INFO: sfatx.org/taize
St. Francis Families What is a favoirte scripture passage for your family? Our family's favorite bible verse is probably 1 John 4:7b - "If we love one another, God remains in us and his loves brought to perfection in us." Also a current favorite, especially with the girls, is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).
Bateman Family Tell us a bit about your family. My husband Frank and I (Angeli) met and married in El Paso, Texas (my hometown) on November 24, 2007. This year will be our 10th anniversary! We were married there at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church by Bishop John Stowe (now of Lexington, KY). Frank works for a transportation and logistics company as a Group Logistics Director, overseeing several automotive accounts. I was working in Human Resources. Frank received a job transfer bringing us to the DFW area in June 2011. We became pregnant with our first girl, Nina, shortly after our move (born in February 2012) and then our second daughter, Cora, was born in September 2014. I am currently a stay-at-home mom and the Media Relations Chair (volunteer) for the DFW affiliate of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
What is one way your family prays together? Our favorite family tradition is our bedtime prayer. We love reflecting on our day with our children at bedtime and really love the quiet prayer time we get. For me it is such a blessing to hear about how my child has seen the day. While I have thought that my day has been complete chaos, my children found great joy in the smallest of things and thank God for them. It really warms my heart. What drew you to St. Francis of Assisi Parish? We began coming to St Francis almost 3 years ago after attending another nearby church. We found a sense of community immediately. What parish ministries are your family involved in and what Mass do you typically attend? I joined the MOMS group shortly after we joined the parish, and I have really enjoyed getting to know the other Moms and their families. You can usually find us at the Sunday 10am mass. What do you love most about the parish? We are blessed to have made the friendships we have made here at St. Francis and look forward to continuing to do so.
MINISTERIO HISPANO Soy la hermana Yolanda Pineda MCSH, nacida en Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico. Religiosa Misionera Catequista de los Sagrados Corazones de Jesús y de María. Ingresé en esta Congregación en el año 1984. He misionado en los estados de New Jersey y Texas. Siendo los dos últimas lugares en San Juan Apóstol de North Richland Hills y San Bartolomé de Fort Worth, TX de esta Diócesis. Me da mucho gusto poder compartir mi fe ahora con ustedes en esta parroquia. Les animo a perseverar en la oración (Efesios 6,18) personal y familiar y estar unidos a través de la Eucaristía como una sola comunidad y gran Familia de Dios. Bendiciones para todos!
I am Sister Yolanda Pineda and I was born in Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico. I am a Religious Missionary Catechist of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I entered this Congregation in 1984, and I have been in mission in the states of New Jersey and Texas. The last two places were in St. John the Apostle and St. Bartholomew of this Diocese. It gives me great pleasure to share my faith now with you in this parish. I encourage you to persevere in personal and family prayer (Ephesians 6:18) and to be united through the Eucharist as one community and great Family of God. Blessings to all of you! the St. Francis
Grapevine
11
861 Wildwood Lane Grapevine, TX 76051
NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID GRAPEVINE, TX PERMIT NO. 87
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PARISH EVENTS
2017-2018 DATE EVENT 9.10-9.15
Catechesis & Young Church Begins
9.13-15
40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration
9.17
14th Annual SFA Golf Tournament
10.7
St. Francis Annual Community Fest
10.13
Our Lady of Fatima Celebration
11.29-12.1
40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration
TBA
Advent Mission
12.10
Annual Christmas Concert
1.12-1.14
Confirmation Retreat
1.26
Volunteer Appreciation Event
02.14
Ash Wednesday
02.14-16
40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration
TBA
Lenten Mission
4.1
Easter Sunday
4.22-4.26
Catechesis & Young Church Ends
5.12
Young Church Senior Mass & Banquet
5.30-6.01
40 Hours of Eucharistic Adoration
6.09
Parish Picnic & BBQ Cook-off
*All event dates subject to change*
ALL PROC EEDS BEN EFIT OUR ST. FRAN CIS OUTR EACH!