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Prayers for Christmas: Dreams and Goals

dec31_sylvia

“My hope for the new year is that everyone I love fulfills their dreams and goals.” 


Sylvia, a student worker at the pastoral juvenil vocacional in Bolivia where missioner Lynn Myrick teaches English and coordinates a film series.

On this New Year’s Eve, Franciscan Mission Service certainly doesn’t believe that “old acquaintances should be forgot and never brought to mind”.

In fact, we look forward to strengthening our partnerships and forming new ones in the new year. It is our dream to become a central point where the laity and religious can gather to share, celebrate and promote the Franciscan charism.

How we’re working on these partnerships in 2012:

  • Potential new mission site: Our program director Rhegan Hyypio will travel to Brazil in May to meet with Franciscans to explore the potential of starting a new mission site there. Having sent missioners — including Rhegan — to Brazil in the past, we are very excited about the possibility of returning to serve its people again.
  • Franciscan Soup Suppers: Lay people and religious are invited to gather each month to socialize over soup and bread. There will also be a featured presentation on a Franciscan related theme, followed by small group discussion. The monthly gatherings will be held at Casa San Salvador (our DC headquarters). Join us for our first in the series on Sunday, January 29. All who are interested are welcome to join us from 5 to 7 p.m.
  • Franciscan Symposium weekend: We have a beautiful tradition of working with other mission-sending organizations for the joint formation of our missioners. Knowing the benefits of such collaboration, we hope to meet with other Franciscan full-time lay volunteer programs in a symposium this February.The two-day gathering will allow us all to dream and consider how we can collaborate our efforts to support Franciscan service and to share the Franciscan charism with the laity.
Please keep FMS in your prayers in 2012 as we strive to attain our dreams and goals. And as a reminder: It’s not too late to show your support this year by making a tax-deductible donation.

May all of our friends — old and new, near and far— have a Happy, Healthy and Holy New Year!

Lynn Myrick is a returned missioner who served with her husband Joel Vaughn in Cochabamba, Bolivia from 2009 to 2012.