With countless donations received, cookies consumed, halls decked, and presents opened, St. Francis Inn Ministries welcomed the birth of Jesus with open arms and with the hope of renewed faith and strength in our ministries.

On behalf of our guests, we thank you for giving of your hearts and prayers this holiday season; this ministry is simply not sustainable without the support of our wide network of volunteers and benefactors.

Just to give a couple of updates on what’s shakin’ in Philadelphia:

Since just before Thanksgiving, our sidewalks have been torn apart by the city with the goal of beautifying Kensington. New concrete was recently poured and we are looking forward to full use of our yard and our gate when it dries (probably by the end of the week). Seemingly simple changes had to be made to our normal operating procedures such as parking Cappy, our 15-passenger van, on the side street and loading and unloading through the side door and unifying our senior and single lines (typically they form lines starting in the same place but going in opposite directions) because of limited use of the sidewalk. These blips in the system weren’t earth-shattering, but disruptive enough to welcome back the old routine.

Like the rest of the east coast, we are experiencing our seventh or so straight day of sub-30 degree weather. For many, this means bundling up with an extra layer of long johns and gloves, turning the heat up just a bit, and avoiding the outdoors as much as possible. But for our guests who are dependent on the food of the Inn, avoiding the blistering cold is impossible; turning their shut-off heat up isn’t an option; and to get that extra layer of long johns or gloves, they have to endure the frigid trek to the Inn to get them. I’m not calling for guilt-ridden, radical simplicity, just an awareness of what you have, giving thanks, and praying a little longer for those who don’t have it.

We are expecting a warm-up within the next couple of days. We are learning to appreciate the seasons, the warmth (funny that 35 degrees is warm), and the sunshine. I pray that wherever you are begins to see the sun and feel its warmth soon too!