Next Steps
Seven unhurried steps, in roughly this order, from a first Sunday to being at home here.
Nobody has to take these in order, and nobody is counting. Some people move through all six in a season and some take five years over the first two. Both are perfectly good ways to join a parish.
Come to worship
Come once, and then come again a few weeks later. One Sunday tells you very little about a parish; three or four will tell you almost everything. Sit where you like, join in as much or as little as you wish, and let the service carry you rather than trying to keep up with it.
Service timesLet us know you were here
Fill in a welcome card, either in the pew or online, and someone from the parish will be in touch. We will not put you on anything you have not asked for, and telling us you came is not a commitment to anything at all. It simply means we know your name the next time you walk in.
Welcome cardCome to St. Francis 101
Four Sunday mornings at ten o'clock, and the quickest way to understand this parish. We cover who we are, how we worship, where you can connect, and how we live our faith in service. Children are included rather than parked, with their own gathering each week. The series ends with a Liturgy of Belonging during worship.
18 October to 8 November 2026 · 17 January to 7 February 2027 · 11 April to 2 May 2027
Email Noelle to joinCome to something midweek
Sunday morning is a poor place to meet people, because everyone is going somewhere. Wednesday evening is the opposite: dinner from half past five with nothing to book, and then formation for every age in the household at half past six. It is the fastest way to stop being a stranger here.
Wednesday nightsFind your people
A parish this size is really a collection of smaller rooms, and almost nobody feels at home until they have found one of them. That might be a Bible study, a supper club, the men's group, Soul Sisters, the choir, or a table of other mothers on a Wednesday night. Ask us and we will point you at the two or three most likely to suit you.
Formation FellowshipDo something
Serving is the step people postpone longest and regret postponing. You do not need to be a member, you do not need to know what you are doing, and you can start with something that costs you one morning. Read a lesson, help in the nursery, cook for a parish supper, carry a basket at the offertory.
Ways to serveMake it official
When you are ready to say out loud that this is your church, there are four ways in, depending on where you have come from: baptism, confirmation, reception, or the transfer of your membership from another Episcopal parish. None of them is a test, and none of them is in a hurry.
Becoming a memberNot sure which step you are on?
That is the most common position of all, and it is a good reason to email rather than a reason to wait. Tell us a little about yourself and we will suggest one thing, not six.
Email Noelle