2023 March Franciscan

March2023

There are moments in life when it feels as if the universe has come around full circle. I am having one of those moments now. A significant part of my 2022 sabbatical time was spent in South Africa. This was not my first occasion to visit that country. This visit to Johannesburg and Cape Town privileged me with the opportunity to reconnect with some of my seminary classmates, former colleagues from Trinity Church, Wall Street, New York, as well as forge new relationships with clergy and laity.

The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi, of Johannesburg was one of those new relationships begun while on my three-month sabbatical. Dean Xolani, his family and the good people of Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Johannesburg, offered me far more than extreme hospitality. They offered me an opportunity to engage in self-examination and reflection. My time spent in Johannesburg and Cape Town was sacred time. Issues of liberation theology, racial identity, cultural and social privilege, were all constant themes of personal reflection. Fr. Xolani and the cathedral community gave me a safe space to do the interpersonal work that God was and is calling me to do. Because of the time spent on my sabbatical, I know that I am a better person and a better priest today.

And then, Fr. Xolani comes to visit me here in Greensboro, much sooner than either of us expected. This past February 15-23, I was able to share with the Dean some of my greatest joys. Hosting the Dean in my home, taking road trips from eastern to western North Carolina, having him see and know this parish family that I love, traveling to and spending days at Virginia Theological Seminary and Washington, DC, and of course, the sharing of good food and drink. This was all sacred time well spent. Although the Dean has visited the United States on many occasions, for work and pleasure, while on this visit, Fr. Xolani was able to see and understand himself in a new and different context. I am confident that he returned home to South Africa feeling that he was a better person and a better priest for having spent days with us.

Indeed, there are moments in life when it feels as if the universe has come around full circle.

THE VERY REV. MILTON C. WILLIAMS, JR.

The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi ’ s visit

In 2022 Father Milton goes to South Africa. In 2023 The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi, Dean of the St. Mary's Cathedral, Johannesburg, South Africa, comes to St. Francis, Greensboro.

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Asheville The Cathedral of All Souls, Sierra Nevada Brewery, and Biltmore St. Clare Women

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visit Friars Greensboro ↓ Canterbury and → ICRCM

The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi ’ s

The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi ’ s visit

→ The Rt. Rev. Samuel Rodman XII Bishop Diocesan of North Carolina, and The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi, Dean of the St. Mary's Cathedral, Johannesburg, South Africa

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← Wake Forest ↓ Wellspring ↓ Standing Committee and the Trustees

The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi ’ s visit

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↓ The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi preaching at St. Francis ↓ Sunday Reception at St. Francis

The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi ’ s visit

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Sunday Reception at St. Francis

The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi ’ s visit

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↓ Virginia Theological Seminary

The Very Rev. Xolani Dlwathi ’ s visit

→ Students of Color at VTS ↓ Washington National Cathedral ↓ ↓ The Dean at the US Capital

Note From Father Matt

The Nawrozi Family continue their resettlement and acclimation here in Greensboro. The past months have seen major milestones reached.

The family has settled into their new apartment at Glen Haven and have made connections with several other Afghan refugee families in the community. The new apartment is a major upgrade in community and surroundings compared to their first apartment. Mohammad continues his work at Gilden Yarns in Mocksville, and has moved up to Machine Operator. Mohammad is also learning the joys of filing taxes, as 2022 was his first year of income in the US.

Ajwa (2 yr. old daughter) has made great progress in her socialization thanks in large part her participation in St Francis’ Day School. She attends three days a week and enjoys it. This is no small thing. Thank you to the many transportation and tuition volunteers that have helped with this.

Marwa (4 yrs. old) continues her weekly Physical Therapy and Speech Therapy visits where she has made visible improvement and continues working hard on further improvement. She is also at the top of the list for evaluation by Guilford County Schools Exceptional Children’s program which is a pre-req for admittance to the Gateway Center.

Sometime in April or May, the family will begin the process of applying for permanent asylum status with the goal of eventual US citizenship. They are currently still classified under temporary Refugee Status.

Perhaps the biggest news of all is the family is expecting their third child, a son, due in late April. Wasima has been attending all well mother doctors’ visits and all is looking good.

These are all major milestones in the life of Nawrozi Family. Looking ahead there will be two major needs coming up. The first is tuition for Ajwa to continue attending St. Francis’ Day School. There are several ways you can help sponsor her for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. Donations are being accepted now. You can make donation to sponsor 1 or 3 months of tuition or make a smaller donation that we will combine to cover any left-over months. For more information on how to get involved with the Nawrozi Family please contact Fr. Matt (matt@stfrancisgreensboro.org) or call the church office.

Finally, we want to offer a big thank you to the dedicated group of volunteers (from both St. Francis and St. Barnabas) who continue to provide support on everything from doctor visits, to school transport, to car shopping, to how to deal with the “cable guy”, and more. The family remains immensely grateful for this support. THANK YOU.

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THE REV. MATTHEW ADDINGTON

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Wednesday

Pancake Supper Ash

Treasurers Report

This is the report of the financial results for the fourth quarter of 2022 for St. Francis Episcopal Church.

For our Operating Accounts for the quarter, we received $272,614 in Revenues versus a budget of $279,793. This puts us negative to budget in the amount of $(7,179). Pledge revenue was a little under budget for the quarter and very slightly for the year.

The total revenue budget for the year is $764,468. Actual giving was $786,292. ‘Special gifts’ were budgeted at $50,000 but we actually received $59,066. We received $19,000 from the Diocese since we hired Matt from inside the Diocese. These extras, plus moving $35,000 from Contingency had given us a balanced budget for 2022. Pledges are $519,954 vs. YTD budget of $525,000. Pledges prior year was $14,555 vs. a budget of $5,000. Most other categories were close to budget.

Total Expenses for the quarter are $185,738 versus a budget of $192,180. For the year we are $11,646 under budget in expenses. This mainly due to not replacing Felicia when she left in the summer until this year.

Because of the above revenue over budget and expenses under budget, we showed a gain of $33,40 for the year. Since the initial 2023 budget showed a shortage of $96,000 vs. pledge and other revenue, the Vestry voted to apply this as revenue to 2023 We also have $20,000 in additional gifts that are applied to 2023 as revenue We expect $10,000 to $12,000 in interest from bank to apply to 2023 revenue. We are planning some fund raising and any additional loss would be covered by the $92,000 on deposit in the daily operations bank account.

For the year we took in about $17,670 in Capital contributions. The payment is a little over $4,000 a month against this loan. Since we are out of money after February, we started a gift drive for this that is being matched dollar for dollar by the Legacy (Endowment) Committee up to $13,500 which should allow us to pay this off and burn the note.

The Day School year started in July with September being the first month we actually had students and revenue. We are positive $3,082 for the year which is good this time of year for the Day School as usually it is slightly negative. We have 58 students and expect to break even for the year.

The Endowment Fund now has a balance of $821,960, up from $720,502 last year. This is mainly due to additional contributions.

Please feel free to call or email me with questions.

Thank you all,

Rick Saunders, Treasurer Rsaund1612@aol.com,

919.619.8624

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Fourth Quarter Fourth Quarter YTD YTD YTD ACTUAL BUDGET ACTUAL BUDGET VARIANCE Revenues $272,614 $279,793 $786,292 $764,468 $21,824 Expenses $185,738 $192,180 $752,822 $764,468 $11,646 Net Margin $86,876 $87,671 $33,470 $0 $33,470