Fellow Franciscans,
For those of you that participated in Sunday’s services, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really enjoyed the Litany that we used to mark the beginning of our mutual sabbatical with Fr. Ben. I pray that this will be a time of transformation for us all.
In his morning meditation on Monday, Fr. Richard Rohr (in discussing the concept of Church which we inherited from the Jews) said “that there has to be some kind of collective good or collective transformation that bands together, because there is no way that we as individuals can stand alone against corporate evil or systemic sin. Here the individual is useless. The individual will be bowled over and lose.” This is the time for us to band together as a Franciscan community not for Fr. Ben, not for the Diocese, not for the National Church, but for us: the body of Christ that is St. Francis Episcopal Parish.
I challenge all of us to use this sabbatical to learn, and grow into a stronger, more loving community. There are many opportunities for service and worship at St. Francis: Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Freedom School, Tai Chi and Sunday morning Eucharist services. Find something that challenges you in your spiritual journey so that we, as the Parish, can transform ourselves into what the Divine is calling us to be.
Blessings.
Your Brother in Christ.
Jeff Hobaugh, Sr. Warden