PARISH NOTES

Sunday 9 October 2016

Cleansing of the Ten Lepers, Illuminated Manuscript

Codex Aureus Epternacensis, c. 1035-1040

FROM THE RECTOR

The motivation of Christian worship is gratitude and thanksgiving to God: "for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory" (BCP p. 58). It's not primarily about what we get out of it -- although the paradox is that when we approach worship seeking not to fulfill our own needs but rather to offer God the praise and thanks that is his due, we are almost always blessed in unexpected and overwhelming ways. This week's Gospel reading from Luke features a Samaritan leper who, alone out of ten who were healed, returned to render thanks to Jesus. His example teaches us much of the nature of authentic Christian worship. -- Fr. John D. Alexander

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS

Proper 23, Year C
2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c
Psalm 111
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Luke 17:11-19

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Altar Flowers today are given to the glory of God and in thanksgiving for the marriage of Molly Bledsoe and Alex Krogh-Grabbe on October 8th.

Columbus Day (October 10) – As with all public holidays falling on Monday, Low Mass tomorrow will be offered at 9:30 am, preceded by Morning Prayer at 9 am.

Do Lord Remember Me: The Black Church in Rhode Island – a ground-breaking exhibit on the 250 years history of its formation and function as the community’s moral compass, town hall and developer of artists, thinkers and doers, opens Tuesday, October 11th, 5pm, at the First Baptist Church in America, 75 North Main Street, Providence, RI, followed by a keynote address by Rev. Doris Hooks at 6 pm. The event is free & open to the public. For more information, contact Ray Rickman at rickman@rickmangroup.com or (401) 421-0606.

Blue Heron Concert – Next Sunday 16 October at 4 pm, Blue Heron, Boston’s premier Renaissance choir, will perform their concert entitled Ockeghem at 600 in the nave. For tickets and information, visit their website at www.blueheron.org.

All Souls Day – Requiem for the Commemoration of all Faithful Departed will be kept on Wednesday 2 November at 6 pm. If you would like the names of departed loved ones read at the Mass, please legibly fill out the form included in today’s Kalendar, and either give it to an usher or slip it through the office door mail slot before you leave. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, October 27th.

James Alexander Wedding – We are delighted to announce the marriage of James Alexander to Cris Barros at 5 pm on Saturday 5 November 2016 at S. Stephen’s. (Many parishioners will remember James (Fr. Alexander’s son) attending S. Stephen’s until he went off to college in Philadelphia in 2008.) All parishioners are cordially invited to attend. To assist with the planning, parishioners who would like to attend the reception, which will follow in the Great Hall, are asked to RSVP to Cory MacLean (office@sstephens.necoxmail.com or 401-421-6702, ext. 1) in the Parish Office no later than Friday 14 October.

Goodwill Industries – There is a clothing collection box in the Great Hall for the next few weeks on behalf of Goodwill Industries. One of their objectives is helping people in need to find employment, and to that end, they are accepting donations of clothing suitable for job interviews. If you have anything you can contribute, please bring it.

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

Prayers have been requested for: Martha, Donald, Townsend, Norman, John, Shannah, Peter, Sister Carolyn, Michael, Richard, Mark, Michael, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Gus, Stephanie, Harrington, John, Ed, Jan, Richard, Jerry, Joel, Sandra, Yolanda, Angela, Bobby, Sally, Carlos, Loretto, Rhoda, Ned, Michael, Henry, James, Weldon, Dianne, and Elizabeth.

Birthdays this week – Deborah Abel & Robert Henry (October 11)

The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Lester Wilkinson (9 October 1983), Elizabeth A. Olsen (10 October 1999), James K. Walker (11 October 2008), and David W. Marsland (14 October 1993).

Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the Church in the Province of the West Indies: The Most Rev’d & The Hon. Dr. John Holder, Archbishop of West Indies & Bishop of Barbados; and in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the members and ministries of the Episcopal Church Women.

THE SUNDAY ROTA

Acolytes - MC D Malo; SD R Armidon; Thurifer L Verdelotti; Crucifer F Pisaturo; Torches DO Latimer, K Rejto
Lector – P Pettingell
Ushers – T Oakes, R Viti
Coffee Hour – E Hooks & L Latimer

THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S

PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS

Tuesday 11 October
Vestry Meeting 7 pm

EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S

Sunday 9 October
Episcopal Ministry at Brown/RISD 5:30 pm

Saturday 15 October
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2:30 pm

Sunday 16 October
Blue Heron Concert: Ockeghem at 600 4 pm

LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE

Sunday 9 October
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (W)
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 23, Year Two

Monday 10 October
Paulinus, Bishop of York, Missionary, 644 (G or W)
Thomas Traherne, Poet, Spiritual Writer, 1674
Morning Prayer 9 am
Low Mass 9:30 am

Tuesday 11 October
Ethelburga, Abbess of Barking, 675 (G or W)
James the Deacon, Companion of Paulinus, 7th century
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm

Wednesday 12 October
Wilfrid of Ripon, Bishop, Missionary, 709 (G or W)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm

Thursday 13 October
Edward the Confessor, King of England, 1066 (G or W)
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm

Friday 14 October
Samuel Isaac Joseph Scherechewsky, Bishop, Translator of the Scriptures, 1906 (G or W)
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm

Saturday 15 October

Teresa of Avila, Carmelite Nun, Teacher, 1582 (W)
Translation of the Image of Our Lady of Walsingham, 1931
Morning Prayer 9 am
Low Mass 9:30 am

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

NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (16 October)
Proper 24, Year C
Genesis 32:22-31
Psalm 121
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Luke 18:1-8