Saint Francis of Assisi
1181 –October 3, 1226
“All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.”
St. Francis from Canticle of the Creatures
St. Francis remains one of the most beloved of all the Saints. Renouncing all worldly possessions he not only rejuvenated the Church of his day but also founded an Order that is still flourishing.
Francis relinquished worldly goods, but he embraced creation as a sign of God’s providence and goodness. His love of creatures rose from a deep and abiding sense of the presence of God in all creation.
For their part, the animals responded to the Saint’s gentle ways and found in him a tender friend and protector. He championed them, requesting a law be made that “men should provide well for the birds and beast as well as the poor so that all might have occasion to rejoice in the Lord.”
On the Sunday closest to his Feast day, October 4, the Church of St. Barnabas
will celebrate the life of Saint Francis. We will gather with those “creatures” who
touch our lives and receive with them God’s Blessing.
Please join us in the Blessing of these animals we love. AND BRING YOUR PET!
Community Storehouse- For the last several years, the SEEKERS Home Group has been sponsoring a collection on the first Sunday of every month to benefit the Community Storehouse of Keller. Items of need have included canned foods, paper items, toiletries, and boxed foods. Monthly needs are announced in the Encourager prior to the first Sunday collection.
The Community Outreach committee is please to report that
the Community Storehouse was very appreciative of St. Barnabas’ donation
of 40 turkeys. Members of our congregation were so generous that we actually
had money left over! This will be used to help out the Storehouse during
the holiday season when the need is the greatest. Due to the hurricanes,
the Storehouse has experienced a much higher number of applications for help
and a decline in donations.
World Missions –
The Purpose
To be a catalyst for the churches in the Diocese of Fort Worth to become
a part of Bishop Iker's commission and spread the Gospel across every barrier
of language, distance and culture. This is accomplished through communication,
education, inspiration, and coordination.
The Goal
For every church in the Diocese to be involved through study, financial support,
specific prayer or sending out their own missionaries.
The Strategy
Offer mission educational opportunities. Offer information on missions, missionaries
and the opportunities available to us in our Diocese. Encourage, support
and act as a resource for people from our parishes to experience missions
for a short or long term. Help coordinate and encourage strong relationships
with our companion Diocese of Northern Mexico and Malawi.
At
St. Barnabas the Apostle, we have taken the first steps in partnering with
our Companion Diocese of N. Malawi. Since we are a mission congregation,
which has received a multitude of blessings over a short period of time,
we must reach out in mission to those who have less. In 2004, St. Barnabas
was able to donate $900.00 to the General Operating Fund of N. Malawi. This
past August, in conjunction with our third anniversary celebration, we kicked
off a campaign to foster a more proactive relationship between St. Barnabas
the Apostle and N. Malawi by raising enough money to become a Centurion Partner.
Through the Centurion Program, we are helping to underwrite the monthly stipend
for a priest or deacon and will be given the name of a deacon to pray for
and communicate with. www.fwworldmission.org
Cub Scout Pack 195
Our Pack currently has approximately 40 Cub Scouts divided into 5 Dens. Each
Den meets on a weekly basis, and the Pack Meetings are once a month. During
the Pack Meetings, different Den's perform skits, tell jokes, and receive
advancement awards. We usually prepare a fun activity for the meeting that
involves teamwork and there are usually door prizes. Throughout the course
of the year we plan various other activities as a Pack, such as camping,
Spaceship Derby and Pinewood Derby. The derbies are activities where the
Scouts build and race their very own space ship and derby car. Community
Service Projects include Scouting for Food which we deliver to the Community
Storehouse in Keller. We coordinate trips to famous air craft carriers and
battleships and sleep aboard while learning tons of awesome information about
them. Scout Sunday and our Blue and Gold Banquet, which are held in February,
honor the Anniversary of Cub Scouts.
St. Barnabas the Apostle-Keller, TX
St. Barnabas has raised $600.00 to send to the Anglican Communion Network
to help aid the Diocese of MS and LA. Locally, we have been collecting
clothes, household supplies and food for two families who are staying with
teachers at Lone Star Elementary, where we hold services. We are also working
with the Lone Star PTA in providing school supplies and backpacks to students
who have been forced to relocate. One of our parishioners is coordinating
efforts with several local agencies to find homes for evacuees. To date,
sixty families had been placed through these efforts.