the catholic community of st. francis of assisi
Stewardship Without Assumption
JaVon Hansknecht joined the staff of St. Francis of Assisi as the Director of Justice and Peace in the summer of 2023, bringing an open mind and knowledge of the parish’s welcoming reputation, and for its supportive outreach to those in need. JaVon was now leading the effort to provide that outreach through the dozens of ministries under the Justice and Peace Office’s umbrella. Since the beginning of Father David McBriar’s tenure as our first Franciscan pastor at St. Francis, a tithe from the parish’s offertory, received through the generosity of our parishioners, has been provided to support the Justice and Peace office. Father David always made sure that the parish was looking outward in service.
Volunteer Spotlight: Pam James
Pam James can weave, and not just a great story! Pam has been in Weaver’s Guilds, each with over 200 members, in three different states, Colorado, Texas, and North Carolina, and has been an avid weaver and mixed media artist for a long time. Every two years, there is a convention where she says, “Every well-known weaver attends and is probably teaching a class.” This past year, the convention was in Wichita, Kansas, where she entered a piece in the Mixed Media category and won 3rd Place!
How does this correlate to her work at St. Francis? She weaves her love of art with her leadership of the ‘Care for Creation’ ministry at St. Francis. “I’ve always been a bit of an ‘eco-freak,’” says Pam,” I grew up with the idea that you mustn’t waste. My sister-in-law is kind enough to call me resourceful, but I’m just cheap! I’ve always asked myself, ‘Why would I throw that away? I can use that.’” She exclusively uses ‘recycled yarn’ in weaving, embracing the ‘reuse’ principle of Care for Creation.
Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministry is a ministry at St. Francis of Assisi in which trained and supervised laypeople, called Stephen Ministers, provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing life’s challenges, whatever those challenges may be. The USCCB highlights the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching on its website. Of these seven themes, there is one that Stephen Ministry addresses directly: Call to Family, Community, and Participation. Stephen Ministers are ready to walk alongside those in need and provide comfort and support for as long as needed. As it says in James 2:14-17, “Our faith is dead if we ignore others in need.”
Stephen Ministers listen, understand, accept, and pray for and with their care receivers. They are trained in active listening to walk with those dealing with stress, grief, life transitions, or other concerns. They offer empathetic listening, unconditional positive regard, and other resources and referrals as needed. They do not offer advice but create a non-judgmental, completely confidential environment for care receivers to express themselves, ensuring they feel safe and respected.
