PARISH NOTES
Sunday 23 April 2017
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| The Risen Christ Appears to Doubting Thomas Newly restored mosaic in Basilica of the Holy Nativity, Bethlehem, c. 1155 |
FROM THE RECTOR
Easter is not over; it has just begun. Easter Day marks the start of a season of Fifty Days (or, in some reckonings, Forty Days), during which the Church engages in a prolonged meditation on the meaning and significance of Christ's Resurrection. On the Second Sunday of Easter (also known as Low Sunday) the Gospel reading always features the Apostle Thomas, who is absent at the first appearance of the Risen Christ to the disciples, and who disbelieves their report, declaring, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my fingers in the mark of the nails, I will not believe." A week later, Thomas has the opportunity to do just that, exclaiming "My Lord and my God" when he encounters the Lord. Jesus then proclaims blessed all those who believe without seeing. Please join us this Sunday as we explore the implications of what it means to believe without seeing in our own time and place. -- Fr. John D. Alexander
THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Second Sunday of Easter, Year A
Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Psalm 16
1 Peter 1:3-9
John 20:19-31
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Altar Flowers today are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Jeannine Lennihan Firestone, by Bruce and Sharon Lennihan.
Saint Mark the Evangelist (April 25) – a major feast day of the church year, will be celebrated this Tuesday with Angelus at 12 noon and Low Mass at 12:10 pm.-
Society of Mary Annual Mass and Meeting— will take place at All Saints’ Church, Ashmont (Boston), on Saturday 6 May at 11 a.m. The preacher is Fr. F. Washington (Tony) Jarvis. Suggested donation for lunch is $10. For more details, please visit the Society of Mary American Region website at www.somamerica.org. (If anyone is interested in carpooling from S. Stephen’s, please contact Fr. Alexander or Phoebe Pettingell. We will be leaving at approximately 9:30 a.m.)
Dwyer Organ Recital – On Sunday 7 May at 5:30 pm, Mark Dwyer, Organist & Choirmaster of Church of the Advent in Boston, will perform an organ recital featuring works of J. S. Bach, G. F. Handel, Dan Locklair, and C. Villiers Stanford. A reception follows in our Great Hall. Please join us for this special musical event. All are welcome.
Confirmations at St. John’s, Newport – We are pleased to announce that Bishop Knisely will be present at our two parishes’ joint celebration of the Feast of the Visitation (6:30 p.m. on Wednesday 31 May) and will be available to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation and/or receive members of other Communions into the Episcopal Church. If you would like to be confirmed or received at this service, please let Fr. Alexander or Fr. Yost know right away so that we can make the necessary preparations.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
Prayers have been requested for: Townsend, Norman, John, Shannah, Peter, Mark, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Gus, Leonard, Harrington, Joan, Katherine, Sally, John, Ed, Virginia, Kirsten, Beverly, Deborah, Yolanda, Angela, Bobby, Carlos, Rhoda, Ned, William, and James.
Birthdays this week: Leonard Gaucher (23 April).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: William Brazil (24 April 1995), Kenneth Raymond (24 April 2010), Hazel G. Wyss (25 April 1991), and Jeannine Lennihan Firestone (25 April 2013).
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the Church of Muranga South (Kenya): The Rt. Rev’d Julius Karanu Wa Gicheru; and in the Diocesan Cycle of prayer, please pray for the leadership and people of San Jorge’s, Central Falls and for the leadership and students of St. George’s School, Newport and for the people and clergy of St. Mark’s, Warwick.
THE SUNDAY ROTA
Acolytes – MC S Brazil SD D Malo; Thurifer J Starks; Crucifer F Pisaturo; Torches K Rejto, l Rejto
Lector – P Martin
Ushers – J Steiny, N Gingrich
Coffee Hour – The Rejto Family
THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Saturday 29 April
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2:30 pm
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
23 April
THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (W)
Morning Prayer 7:30 am
Low Mass 8 am
Sung Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer with EMBR* 5:30 pm
Daily Office Lectionary: Week of 2 Easter, Year One
Daily Mass Lectionary: Week of 2 Easter
24 April
Monday in Easter II (W)
Mellitus, Bishop of London, first Bishop at Saint Paul’s, 624
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
25 April
SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST (R)
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
26 April
Wednesday in Easter II (W)
Cletus, Pope and Martyr, c. 89
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
27 April
Thursday in Easter II (W)
Christina Rossetti, Poet, 1895
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
28 April
Friday in Easter II (W)
Peter Chanel, Religious, Missionary in the South Pacific, Martyr, 1841
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
29 April
Saturday in Easter II (W)
Morning Prayer 9 am
Low Mass 9:30 am
Eucharistic Adoration 10 am
30 April
THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER (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 (30 April)
Third Sunday of Easter, Year A
Acts 2:14a,36-41
Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17
1 Peter 1:17-23
Luke 24:13-35
