ONLINE PARISH NOTES

Sunday 16 November 2014

The Widow's Mite, Sant' Appolinare Nuovo, Ravenna (6th cent.)

FROM THE RECTOR

This Sunday is Stewardship Sunday at S. Stephen's. The appointed Gospel reading illustrates the concept of Christian Stewardship well. A man goes on a journey and entrusts substantial sums of money to his servants. When at length he returns, he demands an accounting of what they have done with it. He rewards the two who made good use of what was entrusted to them, but punishes the one who buried it in the ground for safekeeping. Similarly, God has entrusted all our earthly wealth and possessions to us for this life. Today's Gospel suggests that the key to making good use of what has been entrusted to us is the willingness to take risks, to be open and generous, in the confidence that God will take care of all our needs. A key compnent of our Christian calling is to offer back to God, for his Church and its mission in the world, a portion of all that he has given us. We are called to give generously, abundantly, and sacrificially. Will we rise to the challenge?
-- Fr. John D. Alexander

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS

Proper 28, Year A – Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost
Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18, Psalm 90:1-8, (9-11), 12, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Matthew 25:14-30

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Altar Flowers today are given to the glory of God and in thanksgiving for the life and love of Tyrone Gingrich, by Nancy Gingrich.

Stewardship Sunday – During both Masses today we have the opportunity to bring our pledges forward and put them in the basket to be offered at God’s altar. Additional blank pledge forms are available from the ushers for those who did not receive them. We are grateful for whatever you can pledge. “Every little bit counts.” The results of the Stewardship Campaign so far will be announced at the end of Mass. Please help us make this Stewardship Sunday an occasion when we express our love for God and his Church through the generosity of our pledges.

Thanksgiving Day Services – Masses for Thanksgiving Day will be offered on Wednesday 26 November at 6 pm (preceded by Evening Prayer at 5:30 pm) and Thursday 27 November at 9:30 am (preceded by Morning Prayer at 9 am). It is fitting to begin our Thanksgiving Day festivities by coming to Mass to give thanks to God for our many blessings.

Advent Lessons & Carols – On Sunday 7 December at 5:30 pm we will offer our annual service of Lessons & Carols. Seasonal readings and musical selections set the stage as we prepare for the coming of the infant Lord. A reception follows in the Great Hall. All are welcome and invited to attend.

New Seating Arrangement in Lady Chapel – Starting in Advent (which begins Sunday 30 November) we will be experimenting with a new arrangements of the seats in the Lady Chapel, in the “collegiate” style of rows of seats facing each other rather than facing forward. We hope this arrangement will enhance our worship in this space; and we will evaluate how well it works over a period of several months.

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

Prayers have been requested for: Nicholas, Jonno, Nancy, Patrick, Will, Townsend, Norman, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Harrington, Davaughn, Richard, Hugh, Beverly, Deborah, Beverly, Angela, Rhoda, Henry, Jim, James, Richard, Lynne, Diane, Kathleen, Richard.

The faithful departed: Year’s mind: Eric Ernest Bernard Hall (16 November 1987), Alice Esposito (18 November 1994), Florence Ingram (20 November 1998), and Stanley Cozzens Bodell (20 November 2010); Recently departed: Mark Dyer, Bishop.

Birthdays this week: Karl Benziger (17 November).

Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for pray for The Lusitanian Church (Extra-Provincial to the Archbishop of Canterbury), Portugal: The Rt. Rev’d José Jorge De Pina Cabral; and in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the leadership and people of St. Elizabeth’s, Hope Valley: Richard Schweinsburg and Christine Burton; and for clergy of the Diocese: Gary Lemery, John Cannon, Ashley Peckham, Ann Pelletier, and Marcia Sessions.

THE SUNDAY ROTA

Acolytes - MC R Rose; SD R Himes; Thurifer L Bledsoe; Crucifer D Callanan; Torches C Sylvia, L Hooks
Lector – M Johnson
Ushers – R Widmer, B Lennihan
Coffee Hour – R G Noble, M Johnson

THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S

PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS

Wednesday 19 November
Afternoon Tea 4 pm

EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S

Friday 21 November
Reformed University Fellowship 7 pm

Saturday 22 November
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2 pm

LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE

Sunday 16 November
TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (G)
Morning Prayer 7:30 am
Low Mass 8 am
Solemn Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer with EMBR* 5:30 pm

Weekday Office and Mass Lectionary: Proper 28, Year Two

Monday 17 November
Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, 1200 (W)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm

Tuesday 18 November
Elizabeth of Hungary, Princess of Thuringia, 1231 (W)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:30 am

Wednesday 19 November
Hilda, Abbess of Whitby, 680 (W)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm

Thursday 20 November
Edmund, King of the East Angles, Martyr, 870 (R)
Priscilla Lydia Sellon, Restorer of the Religious Life in the Church of England, 1876
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:30 am

Friday 21 November
The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Blue)
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm

Saturday 22 November
Cecilia, Martyr at Rome, c. 230 (R)
Morning Prayer 9 am
Low Mass 9:30 am

Sunday 23 November

LAST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST: CHRIST THE KING (W)
Morning Prayer 7:30 am
Low Mass 8 am
Solemn Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer with EMBR* 5:30 pm

*EMBR = Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD


NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (November 23)

Proper 29, Year A – Last Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King)
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24, Psalm 95:1-7a, Ephesians 1:15-23, Matthew 25:31-46