• Allen AME Food Pantry
• The Presbyterian Church on Edisto Food Pantry
• Saint Francis Blessing Box (self-serve, non-perishable items)
• Fresh Express, which brings fresh produce to the Island every 3^rd Thursday

Saint Francis is honored to support the Citadel Episcopal Cadet Fellowship on Monday, November 3rd by providing a home-cooked meal at The Citadel Boathouse. After dinner, cadets gather for a short time of spiritual reflection, and it’s a meaningful way to connect and serve.

We’ve got the main course covered, but we need a parishioners to bring a batch of brownies all totaling enough to feed about 90 cadets. If you’re able to drop them off at church on Sunday, November 2nd, that would be a huge help.

Volunteers are also welcome to join us at the Boathouse to help set up at 5:30 PM and serve dinner at 6:00 PM. If you’d like to come along, we’re happy to arrange a carpool, just coordinate with Barb and Bill Houston.

Thank you for being part of this ministry and helping us share food, fellowship, and faith.

• Sacred space for worship
• Functional offices for staff and ministry leaders
• Classrooms for learning and spiritual formation
• Gathering places for fellowship and community connection
• Welcoming venues for social events and outreach

New Foyer Groups Are Here!

Six new foyer groups have been formed and are listed below. In creating these groups, the goal was to pair people who may not know each other well and who haven’t been in the same foyer group over the past two years.

Names marked with an asterisk (*) have graciously agreed to convene the first gathering and will aim to bring the group together at least once before the end of the year. The plan is for each group to meet three or four times before the end of May, just to have fun and get to know one another beyond the church walls.

Sharon and Joseph aren’t assigned to a specific group, but they’re open to joining if invited and usually attend when available.

[Follow this link to view the group list.]

Yes, the work continues! This past week, a chimney sweep inspected the fireplace and thankfully, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Repairs are already underway to make it safe for use, which is especially welcome as nighttime temperatures dip into the 50s. The house currently has no central heat, so a working fireplace will make a big difference.

Thanks to the electrical work by Frank and Marshall, the tangled electrical mess left in Diane and Dennis’ attic has been sorted out. Now, space heaters can safely run in the bedrooms without tripping the breaker box.

Very soon, Frank Barnett, Bill Houston, and possibly Marshall Horstmann (if he’s back in town) will begin building a shed to protect the newly installed pump for the house’s well.

And finally, I’d love to share a short video that Diane Meggett made to express her heartfelt gratitude to all those who have helped restore her home thorough prayer, financial gifts and hands-on work.

Just click on the image below to see the video. 

         Hearts and Hands

What is our Hearts and Hands Ministry? Hearts and Hands is a meals ministry that supports our church family during times of need. Think of it like the "take a penny, leave a penny" tray at a cash register—if you're able to give, we welcome your help; if you're in need, we're here for you.

If you're willing to cook a meal, please reach out to Jean Murray, to be added to the contact list for when the meal chain is activated. And if you’ve been ill, hospitalized, or could simply use a helping hand, contact Jean or Fr. Joseph to receive support through this ministry. 

As we look ahead to our upcoming Sunday speakers, we’re excited to continue sharing the heart of Saint Francis ministries through personal stories. Recently, Pat Neumann beautifully reflected on her role as a Lay Eucharistic Minister.  Bill Houston shared his experiences with our music program. This week, November 2, Frank Burnett will share how he’s been involved in home repair efforts for those in need within our community. And finally, on November 9, Rosalie Crouch will share her passions about feeding the hungry. You will not want to miss these heart-felt reflections.

For your convenience, we’ve included electronic copies of both the stewardship letter and pledge card, originally mailed on October 9. We invite you to prayerfully consider your commitment to our shared ministry. Please help us with next year's budget process by returning your pledge card either to the church office or in the collection plate by November 16.

Together, let us continue growing in faith and shaping the future of Saint Francis.

             

Faith in the Numbers

The church budget process is, at its core, an exercise in faith. I preach that truth and teach it often. Yet, sometimes the black-and-white realities of this world creep in and challenge that faith. This past Monday was one of those moments.

The Saint Francis finance committee gathered to finalize recommendations for our 2026 budget. Their task: to prepare a financial plan to present to the vestry. I knew the challenges going in. We’re no longer receiving the $50,000 diocesan grant. We’ve taken on $17,242 in mortgage interest for our new property. And when you look at the numbers, there’s little to no discretionary spending. About 64% of our budget goes toward salaries and associated costs for our two employees, our priest and our musician. That’s the reality of a small church. And I’ll admit, I was dreading facing it.

But then something unexpected happened.

As we sat around the table, reviewing the budget line by line, no one panicked. In fact, the atmosphere was calm, grounded, even hopeful. The wisdom of your leaders caught me off guard. Not because I doubted their insight, but because I had become so consumed by the numbers that I forgot to lean on faith.

Then someone said it plainly: a few years ago, you made a conscious decision to invest in a priest. We also choose to invest in a musician and in property for our future home. These weren’t impulsive decisions, nor were they made with the illusion that any one investment would be a silver bullet. Quite the opposite. Our leaders knew that in the short term, these choices would stretch us. We were fortunate to receive the diocesan grant for a few years, but even before that grant was on the table, we knew where we’d likely stand today.

So what am I saying?

Building a church from the ground up is hard work. It takes vision, commitment, and above all, faith. From the formation of our first worshiping community to every step since, faith has been our foundation. This year our finance committee will likely present a budget with a minus sign in front of it, and we’ll need to draw from the abundant resources built up in years past. How much we’ll need to draw depends on how our stewardship program unfolds this year.

As you prayerfully consider your pledge, I ask you to remember: have faith. God’s got this.

Joseph+