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Parish Opportunities:
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Other Opportunities:
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We're pleased to present a special guide for your reference...
Our Parish Guide
contains information on:
- Programs you can participate in
- Ministries / Committees you can join to volunteer your time and talent
Below you will find featured opportunities to participate/volunteer at our parish, as well as other opportunities to
get involved... |
PARISH OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE/VOLUNTEER
St. Francis 101: Saturday, May 18 or Monday, May 19
Sunday, May 18 after 9:30AM Mass or
Monday, May 19 at 7:00PM
Brunsman Hall
A forum to ask questions about the parish and meet
volunteers and staff.
Open to all–especially new
parishioners.
Hosted by Fr. Anthony and the Parish Council.
Volunteer Electricians
Our parish center needs some help!
If you can volunteer to install switches and light fixtures,
please contact Joe Prassa: (916) 443-8084 x107 or
JoeP@stfrancisparish.com
Teens: Help with Coffee & Donuts
Join us in helping serve coffee and donuts
after the 9:30AM Mass every
4th Sunday.
Step Ministry Volunteers
Homeless not only for a room made of
bricks but homeless from being
rejected, unwanted, completely torn out
of society . . .That unwanted one is my
brother and my sister. . .We belong to
each other. –Mother Teresa
As a Step Minister you will have the opportunity to
serve as a welcoming presence for the homeless
guests of the St. Francis Step Ministry one day a
week from 6:00-7:30pm.
The Step Ministry helps
our parish provide them with a safe, peaceful and
private place to sleep in the Parish Center courtyard.
This ministry is rooted in Scripture and responds to
the call to welcome strangers, provide shelter to the
wanderer, love our neighbor, and not turn away from
the needs of others..
More Information:
Companions Needed!
Consider walking as a companion with someone who is discerning a call to
become a Catholic Christian.
Time commitment: two hours/week (on Thursday nights
or during a weekend Mass), usually for a year and a half.
Companions do not have to be either catechists
or saints–just regular folks willing to be present to
another on a consistent basis over a period of time. This
is a wonderful way to learn more about your faith, to get
to know another person in the parish, to grow in your
ability to talk a little about how you experience God in
your everyday life.
Companioning begins in April, when our parish will
welcome into the catechumenate people who are
inquiring into our faith.
More Information:
- If you are interested in this very important ministry and in
offering your support to those God is calling, please contact
Sr. Peggy Chambers:
(916) 443-8084 x103 or PeggyC@stfrancisparish.com. Thanks!
Exciting 2008 Centennial Volunteer Opportunity!
Our 2008 Centennial Celebration Committee is seeking a Volunteer Chair for:
Publicity
Coordinate publicity for centennial activities, to
include press releases, parish announcements, etc.
Experience in public relations or related field would
be helpful.
More Information:
Like Working with Young Children?
During the 9:30am Mass, from late September through mid-May, St. Francis
provides a preschool and Kindergarten program for children age 3-5.
We are seeking
adults to help teach and work with these children, especially adults who do not have children in this
age group and so will not have to choose between going to Mass without their own young children or
volunteering in their classes. We provide materials and mentoring.
More Information:
We Are Called To “Feed the Hungry” & “Shelter the Homeless”
“God comes in every voice, behind every face, in every memory, deep in every struggle.”
Our brothers and sisters who are homeless and find shelter with us every night need your generosity and prayerful support.
The cold, dark days of winter are especially daunting for those who live their lives on the streets,
as is this time of year with its festive, family activities.
During the holiday season, particularly, many of us want to share
with those who are most vulnerable among us. Below are some opportunities for you to consider:
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Step Ministry - Financial Support |
Donations provide the following services:
- $5:0 One night’s shelter & breakfast for 1 of our guests
- $10: One week’s breakfast for 1 of our guests
- $20: One night’s shelter & breakfast for 4 of our guests
- $35: One week’s shelter & breakfast for 1 of our guests
- $25: Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Dinner for 1 of our guests
- $50: Christmas Eve motel voucher for 1 of our guests
Green donation envelopes are in the racks in the back of church and may be placed in the collection basket
or mailed in.
More Information:
Learn more about our Step Ministry
Call Kay: (916) 443-8084 x111 |
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Breakfast Ministry - Food Items & Financial Support |
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Food Donations:
(Collection on the first Sunday of the month or brought to Parish Center)
- Individual fruit cups
- Individual fruit juice boxes
- Individual cold cereal boxes
- Individual oatmeal packets
- Peanut-butter crackers
- Breakfast bars
- Hot Chocolate packets
- Coffee
These are the items we use. We supplement these items with our purchases of cheese sticks, fresh fruit and milk.
Financial Donations:
Financial donations are welcome and appreciated to cover these expense items. We cannot use canned goods. PLEASE do not
drop off perishable items or clothing.
More Information:
Learn more about our Breakfast Ministry
Call Kay: (916) 443-8084 x111 |
Ride Needed! Can You Help?
One of our longtime older parishioners needs a ride to the 9:30am Mass. She lives just five blocks from the church
and is ambulatory, but cannot walk that distance on her own.
Please call Kay (916) 443-8084 x111 if you are able to offer a ride.
2007 Summer Film Festival DVDs
Theme: Suffer the Little Children
The four films screened at this year’s Summer Film Festival are now available for checkout in the Parish Library.
The theme of this year’s offerings was “Suffer the Little Children.” Titles include:
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, Born into Brothels,
Not One Less;, and Jesus Camp.
Discussion questions are also available with the DVDs.
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Movie Titles/Summaries:
- The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio
With ten children to feed, postwar Ohio housewife Evelyn Ryan (Julianne Moore) has gotten used to being resourceful,
stretching her husband’s meager salary to the limit. But when clipping coupons won’t cut it, she’s forced to rely on
her creativity and enters a jingle-writing contest for extra income. Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern co-star in this
uncommon comedy-drama based on a heartwarming memoir by Ryan’s daughter, Terry. (PG-13)
- Born Into Brothels
This Oscar-winning documentary is a portrait of several unforgettable children who live in Calcutta’s red-light district,
where their mothers work as prostitutes. Spurred by the kids’ fascination with her camera, Zana Briski, a photographer
documenting life in the brothels, decides to teach them photography. As they begin to look at and record their world
through new eyes, the kids awaken to their own talents and sense of worth. (R)
- Not One Less
Master Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou turns his lens on the travails of modern China’s peasants. Wei is a 13-year-old girl
pressed into serving as a substitute teacher in the school where she just graduated. To assist her in this task, she is
supplied with one piece of chalk for every day the teacher will be away. And she gets strict instructions: Since the
school’s subsidy depends on its head count, she is to return the full class to the teacher— ”not one less. But when a
student leaves for the city, she follows and strives relentlessly to bring him back. (G)
- Jesus Camp
This riveting Oscar-nominated documentary offers an unfiltered look at a revivalist subculture where devout Christian
youngsters are being primed to deliver the fundamentalist community’s religious and political messages. Building an
evangelical army of tomorrow, the Kids on Fire summer camp in Devil’s Lake, N.D., is dedicated to deepening the preteens’
spirituality and sowing the seeds of political activism as they’re exhorted to “take back America for Christ.” (PG-13)
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Sacred Movement Ministry Invites You!
If you feel called to be part of the dynamic group that enlivens our liturgies, you are in luck!
The St. Francis Sacred Movement Ministry is now open to new members.
More Information: Contact Pam at (916) 443-8084 x105 or
PamC@stfrancisparish.com
Catechumenate for Children
If you have a child already in 1st grade or above who needs to be baptized, or in 3rd grade or above who
has had no preparation for First Communion or Confirmation, please contact
Georgie Saydak, Director of Youth Faith Formation: (916) 443-8084 x112 or
GeorgieS@stfrancisparish.com, for information about the Sacraments of Initiation for older children.
Help with CLOW (Children's Liturgy of the Word)
Our program to break open the Word for our children needs your help in these areas:
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Leading the children and breaking open the Word |
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Shepherding the children safely across K Street to the Parish Center Chapel |
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Music: If you play guitar or another instrument and are willing to share your time and musical talent,
we invite you to help with our Children’s Liturgy of the Word program. |
If you can help as a shepherd or musician, please contact
Georgie Saydak,
Director of Youth Faith Formation:
(916) 443-8084 x112 or GeorgieS@stfrancisparish.com. Thanks!
Help with Annulments Needed
Can You Help With Annulments?
If you have experience working with individuals seeking annulments and are willing to volunteer your time,
Fr. Anthony would appreciate your help!
Please contact Fr. Anthony directly: AnthonyG@stfrancisparish.com
or (916) 443-8084 x100
Self-Help Groups
St. Francis Church hosts self-help groups, including:
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Narcotics Anonymous
- Al-Anon
For times and locations of meetings, please call the Parish Center: (916) 443-8084
Tithing Committee Seeks New Members
The St. Francis of Assisi Tithing Committee is looking for new members.
The committee meets four times a year to discuss and
discern how the parish will tithe to local, national and international charities.
If you are interested in joining the committee please contact Stephen Tholcke.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Needed
Your community is calling for you to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.
For more information on this ministry and training sessions,
please contact Deborah Jones, Liturgy Coordinator:
(916) 443-8084 x109 or DeborahJ@stfrancisparish.com
Ministers of Hospitality Needed
Are you interested in becoming a Minister of Hospitality (formerly known as Ushers or Greeters)?
For more information on this ministry and training sessions,
please contact Deborah Jones, Liturgy Coordinator:
(916) 443-8084 x109 or DeborahJ@stfrancisparish.com
General Mills Box Tops & Campbell's Labels
Earn Cash for St. Francis Elementary School
Please bring your General Mills cereal box tops and Campbell’s Soup labels for St. Francis Elementary School.
Just drop them in the jar marked “BoxTops” at the main entrance to the church. Thank you for your support!
General Mills Box Tops for Education:
Participating Products
Campbell's Labels for Education:
Participating Products
A Call For Youth Ministers
It has been said that our Youth are the Church of the Future – actually, the youth are in our Church right here and now!
If you are interested in helping the Church of the Future, you are invited to become part of a team that ministers in the
present to teens and younger adolescents in our High School and Jr. High Youth Ministry Programs.
We want to provide fun, faith-filled opportunities for our youth to experience the love of God and to help them grow in that love.
Please consider sharing your time, talent and faith with our teens.
Interested? Questions?
Please email Georgie: GeorgieS@stfrancisparish.com
Join Our Teen Group
The St. Francis of Assisi Parish Teen Group (Grades 9-12) welcomes graduating 8th-graders and high-school age teens.
For more information about our group, or to join,
please contact
Georgie Saydak at (961) 443-8084 x112 or
GeorgieS@stfrancisparish.com
In-Home Caregivers
Our Outreach office often receive requests for a list of caregivers who provide services for elderly and infirm individuals
needing various levels of In-Home Care. We'd like to expand our list.
If you are a caregiver and would like your name added,
or if you know of a caregiver who would like to be on our list,
please contact
Kay: (916) 443-8084 x111 or KayS@stfrancisparish.com
2006 Summer Film Festival DVDs
The DVDs from the 2006 Summer Film Festival screenings are now available for checkout in the Parish Library:
Black Robe, The Ninth Day, The Apostle, The Long Walk Home,
The Passion of Joan of Arc.
Discussion questions are included.
Movie Summaries
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE/VOLUNTEER
Camp Pendola Registration
Sign up now for Camp Pendola. Registrations for the
2008 summer season are now being accepted. Camp
offers fun outdoor activities for six to seventeen year
olds. This summer, Camp Pendola is being held at Camp
Ross Relles, north of Nevada City near Malakoff Diggins
State Park. Camp activities are set in a Catholic environment.
Camp Pendola operates under the Catholic
Diocese of Sacramento.
More Information:
Holy Land Pilgrimage: Saturday, May 24-Wednesday, June 4 or
Saturday, Sep 20-Wednesday, Oct 1
Led By: Franciscan Fr. Mario DiCicco, OFM
President & Rector of Franciscan School of Theology,
Berkeley
Fr. Mario writes, “I invite you to come
along with me to share this deeply moving experience of
faith. This pilgrimage will truly enrich your faith, deepen
your knowledge of Holy Scripture, and increase your love
for Jesus the Lord.” Fr. Mario has lived in the Holy Land
and conducted many pilgrimages each year since 1976.
More Information:
Weekend Retreat: Friday, May 30-Sunday, June 1
Simplify, Simplify, Simplify Everything
Facilitator: Sr. Jose Hobday, OSF
Location: Mercy Center in Auburn
Simplify everything in your person, in your community, in the larger world.
Sr. Jose insists that simplicity can be a
positive renewal as well as a way of joy and freedom.
Living more simply becomes pleasurable and delightful
and Gospel clean if practiced daily and in every aspect of
life.
This weekend will not be a strictly silent retreat but
will invite an atmosphere of reflection.
Sister Jose Hobday
is a Seneca elder and a Franciscan from Tucson, AZ. Keynote lectures, workshops and retreats keep her traveling 75,000 miles a
year, cut back from 150,000 as a concession to her age. A profound storyteller and sage full of wisdom and humor, her latest
books are Simple Living: The Path to Joy and Freedom and Stories of Awe and Abundance.
More Information:
Sr. Nora's Place
2nd Thursday of each month
Would you consider volunteering once a month to bring a meal for 14 mentally-challenged women who reside at
Sr. Nora’s place? Sr. Nora’s Place is across from Friendship
Park on the premises of Loaves & Fishes. St.
Francis parishioners volunteer on the 2nd Thursday of
the month. The rewards are big smiles and hugs.
More Information:
Samaritan Counseling Service
Consdering marriage counseling? Coping with grief?
Having trouble surviving the teen years? Samaritan
Counseling Center provides individual, couple, family,
and child counseling, with a unique emphasis on a
Christ-based perspective. Fees based on ability to pay,
and many insurance plans are accepted.
More Information:
Pastoral Assistance for Victims
The Diocese of Sacramento provides pastoral care to persons who have suffered sexual abuse by members of
the Catholic clergy and other Catholic Church workers.
Please call toll-free (866) 777-9133 if you are seeking
assistance in coping with this tragic situation. Assistance
is available in English and Spanish.
Mercy Volunteer Corps: Year of Service
Interested in giving a year of service? Mercy Volunteer Corps, a lay volunteer program
sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, provides opportunities
for men and women over the age of 21 to give
a year of service to those in need. The program
emphasizes service, community and prayer.
More info:
Sacramento Young Adult Ministry: Thursdays
7-8:30PM, St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sacramento
A group of adults in our 20s-30s gather together each week to share and learn more about the Catholic Faith.
We meet from 7-8:30 pm each Thursday in the Cabrini Room at Saint Mary’s on M & 58th St.
More info:
2008 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: January 18-25
Pray without ceasing (Thess. 1:5,17) is the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (JAN 18-25).
Begun in 1908, these days have been set aside each year so that Christians the world over may share the prayer of unity.
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(1 Thessalonians 5:12a, 13b-18 )
But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters... Be at peace among yourselves.
And we urge you, beloved to admonish the idlers,
encourage the faint-hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil,
but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all
circumstances; for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you. |
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A Little History:
In 1898 the Rev. Paul Wattson, an
Episcopal priest, and Sr. Lurana
White, an Episcopal sister, founded
the Society of the Atonement at
Graymoor, Garrison, New York.
Eleven years later, Pope Pius X corporately received
the community of Friars and Sisters into full communion
with the Catholic Church. Fr. Paul and
Mother Lurana initated the annual “Church Unity
Octave” of prayer in 1908, from January 18, the
Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, to January 25, the
Feast of the conversion of St. Paul.
Following the Second Vatican Council, this octave of
prayer was renamed the “Week of Prayer for
Christian Unity.” Today, the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity collaborates with the Faith
and Order Commission of the World Council of
Churches to promote the worldwide observance of
the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.” The 100th
annual observance this year has as its theme,
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thes.5:17). |
Worship Resources for the Week of Prayer and throughout 2008:
Francis House: "Give A Night Holiday Appeal"
Francis House is a faith based community agency providing life-changing opportunities through resource
counseling, direct services, education, support groups, spiritual resources and referrals.
Francis House had its origins here at St. Francis parish 37 years ago. For the last 17 years, it has been a community agency
supported by 18 interdenominational churches. Last year Francis House responded to approximately 19,000 requests
for help from those in need. 85% of all Francis House resources are distributed directly to the poor in the form of vouchers,
counseling and hospitality services.
Please consider Francis House’s "Give a Night Holiday Appeal" for those in need. Provide a gift for a
friend or relative who might be difficult to shop for and, at the same time, aid us in our mission to serve
the underprivileged. Your gifts make a difference in people’s lives, rekindle a sense of hope, and provide
the first step toward community.
More Information:
Care Packages for US Troops
Each week, your prayers are requested for those serving in the Armed Forces. Sponsoring a care package and including a personal message is special way to touch the lives of our deployed troops around the world.
More info: Operation USO Care Package website
Help Southern CA Fire Victims
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Those who wish to assist victims of the fires in Los Angeles,
Ventura and Santa Barbara counties may:
- Send a check to:
Catholic Charities’ Fire Relief Fund
1531 James M. Wood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
- Call (213) 251-3494
To help fire victims in San Diego county, you may:
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Donations: Musical Instruments
Cristo Rey High School, Sacramento
Cristo Rey High School, in its second year, is beginning a music program for its students.
They are seeking donations of guitars, stands, or any musical instruments.
More info: See bulletin for contact info.
Diocesan Scripture Institute: Available Online
Presentations on the Bible are given every Tuesday, 7-9PM at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. They are digitally video-recorded and
available for viewing over the internet free of charge.
To view the video presentations, visit:
Diocesan
Scripture Institute webpage
Counseling: Christ the King Retreat Center
Christ the King Retreat Center offers counseling for individuals and couples.
Payment is based on a sliding fee scale. Evening appointments are available.
Call Christ the King Institute for Counseling and Spiritual Direction (916) 783-9005 for information or appointment.
More Information:
Community Chaplain Program
Sacramento County’s nationally-recognized community chaplain program responds with law enforcement to homicides, suicides,
drownings and other tragedies, providing profound comfort to traumatized survivors.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer community chaplain, or if you just want to learn how to care for
people in crisis:
Pastoral Assistance for Victims
The Diocese of Sacramento provides pastoral care to persons who have suffered sexual abuse by members of
the Catholic clergy and other Catholic Church workers.
Please call toll-free (888)777-9133 if you are seeking assistance in coping with this tragic situation.
Assistance is available in English and Spanish.
Wellspring Women's Center
Wellspring Women’s Center provides hospitality to women in the Oak Park community. Please consider
helping one morning a week, 7:30-11:30am, preparing food in the kitchen, serving guests, answering phones,
working with children, greeting guests, dishwashing, or just visiting with guests over coffee at their tables.
If you would like to make a difference in the lives of women and children, please contact Sr. Jane (916) 454-9688 x202.
Furniture for Families in Need
The Sacramento Diocesan AIDS Ministry is seeking furniture for families in need: dressers, beds, kitchen tables, sofas,
bookshelves and lamps.
If you can help, please see bulletin for contact info.
Sisters of Mercy: 150th Anniversary
Where There is Need, There Is Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy are commemorating their 150th Anniversary in Sacramento with a historical exhibit
at the Discovery Museum Gold Rush Center through February 9, 2008.
More Information:
Mentors for Children in Foster Care
Wonder, Inc. is recruiting for mentors for children in foster care.
Commitment: 8 hours/month for one year, to lead a child
(ages 6-12) on excursions in music, the arts, sports, volunteer service, dining out and nature.
More Information:
Bingo for Cerebral Palsy
Saddle Pals
Thursdays: 6:30PM
Fridays: 6:30pm & 11pm
Sacramento Bingo Center
United Cerebral Palsy/Saddle Pals bingo is back and ready to go. Come visit us at the beautiful new Sacramento Bingo Center
located at 3399 Arden Way (Watt & Arden).
We’re playing Bingo: Thursday night 6:30pm, Friday night 6:30pm, Friday late night 11:00pm.
More Information:
Emancipation Baskets
Each year, approximately 300 to 600 youth emancipate from the Sacramento County foster care system. These youth are forced
to begin a life of independence at the young age of 18 or 19.
Child Protective Services' Independent Living Program
coordinates the collection of household items that are placed in baskets and given to foster kids who are aging out of the
system. These baskets are presented at an annual graduation ceremony and are an immense help in getting these teens started
in their new living arrangements.
With your help, we can make sure each youth emancipates with a care package or basket to
help them in their transition.
More Information:
Volunteer at Francis House
Francis House is a resource counseling center that assists the poor in breaking the cycle of poverty. It is a safe and
enjoyable environment, where clients greatly appreciate receiving the direct services and referrals provided them.
If you can give a few hours each week to help those less fortunate,
please contact: Forrest Reed, Program Director at (916) 443-2646.
More Information:
St. Francis Retreat: Fire Damage Recovery
The Franciscan retreat house in San Juan Bautista recently suffered a fire: their stately victorian House burned to the ground,
and the friars’ home and belongings, kitchen and dining rooms, upper conference room and all files and equipment were destroyed.
The friars are now living in the Casita; the Chapel serves as a conference room; and the offices are in a 30-year-old double-wide
trailer. Despite this loss, St. Francis Retreat is open, with dining al fresco or in their “luxurious tent.”
The friars request the financial support of the community as they struggle to recover from this loss. Checks can be made out to
Bring Back St. Francis and sent to:
St. Francis Retreat
P.O. Box 970
San Juan Bautista, CA 95045.
More Information:
Diaper/Clothing Drive
The Sacramento Life Center is in need of diapers, new or gently-used baby clothes, and diaper wipes for their baby closet.
Each year, the Sacramento Life Center helps hundreds of women facing an unintended pregnancy, and the baby closet is a vital
part of the services offered.
More Information:
Maryhouse seeks Volunteers Maryhouse, a daytime hospitality shelter for homeless
women and children at Loaves & Fishes, is looking for volunteers in the following areas:
Knitting/Crocheting class; Arts and Crafts Class; Bible Study/Spirituality Group.
More Information:
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