PARISH NOTES
Sunday 4 March 2018
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| Moses Receiving the Law Mosaic, Saint Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, 6th century |
FROM THE RECTOR
At the beginning of every Mass (in Rite One) the priest recites the words of Jesus known as the Summary of the Law: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." This threefold love of God, neighbor, and self is the central principle of all Christian ethics and spirituality. In this Sunday's reading from Exodus, we hear again the Ten Commandments, the core of God's Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Traditionally, Commandments 1 through 4 have been understood to explain in fuller detail what it means to love God, while Commandments 5 through 10 explain what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves. The Gospel reading in turn shows that the love of God and neighbor can take "tough" forms, as Jesus drives the moneychangers and merchants from the Temple precincts. Still, love is what we aim to realize in our relationships with God, neighbor, and self as we pursue the Christian journey through Lent, and through life. -- Fr. John D. Alexander
THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Third Sunday in Lent, Year B
THIS SUNDAY’S MUSIC
Plainchant—Missa XI (Orbis factor)
John Cook (1918-1984)—Author of Light
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Commemoration of the Departed—of this parish whose year’s mind falls during March will be included in the Low Mass tomorrow, Monday 5 March at 6:00 pm (preceded by Evening Prayer at 5:30 pm). If you have any names to add to the list of those remembered, please email Fr. Alexander. See GAS announcement below.
Guild of All Souls: St. Stephen, Proto-Martyr Branch – S. Stephen’s celebrates a parish Requiem Mass on the First Monday of most months at the 6:00 pm Mass. Departed members of the parish whose anniversaries fall during the month are remembered in prayer, and anyone may submit additional names of the departed.
Lenten Series – This year’s Lenten Series will consist of supper and presentation and discussion of the series “Growing a Rule of Life,” developed by the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE). It will be on Sunday evenings in Lent from 6-8 pm (February 18 & 25, March 4, 11, & 18), followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Lady Chapel.
Stations of the Cross – continues this Friday evening. We gather in the Lady Chapel at 6 pm. All are welcome and cordially invited to attend and participate in this moving devotion.
Holy Rosary – as an extra Lenten devotion, the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary will be recited on Saturdays in Lent following the 10 am Low Mass. All welcome: no prior experience needed!
Episcopal Ministry at Brown & RISD (EMBR) – Sunday evening prayer with EMBR continues this evening in the Lady Chapel at 5:30 pm. Please join us in the Great Hall after for supper and our Lenten series at 6:00 pm.
Easter Flowers – If you would like to make a flower offering at Easter – in thanksgiving or in memoriam - please fill out the enclosed envelope and either put it in the offering plate or return it to the parish office no later than Friday 23 March. Offerings and their intentions will be acknowledged in the Easter Kalendars.
Nave Flooring Project – Over the coming few months the entire tile floor under the pews will be covered over with a layer of birch paneling that will vastly improve the church's appearance and create a smooth surface underfoot. This project will not impact our Sunday worship schedule, but please exercise all due care and avoid any areas that have been cordoned off for this construction.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
Prayers have been requested for: Geoff, Rollin, Norman, Shannah, Sister Carolyn, Lynne, William, Gerald, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Gus, Leonard, Harrington, Joan, Sally, Sandy, John, Ed, Gregory, Virginia, Richard, Colin, Sandy, Kiersten, Beverly, Jonathan, Zac, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Douglas, Beverly, Allora, Carlos, Chris, Rhoda, William, and James.
Birthdays this week: George Ryan (Tuesday 3/6) and Bill Dilworth (Friday 3/9).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Josephine Garrett Brown (7 March 1989), Hilda Grace Stevens (7 March 1991), Ruth Hannah Godfrey (9 March 1987), and Robert Russell Sandstrom (10 March 2016).
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the Province de L'Eglise Anglicane Du Congo: The Most Rev’d Zacharie Masimango Katanda, Archbishop of the Congo & Bishop of Kindu; and in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for those who are preparing to serve God as ordained ministers in the church.
THE SUNDAY ROTA
Acolytes – MC J Ihnen; Subdeacon/Crucifer R Noble; Thurifer J Starks;
Torches L Verdelotti, G Benziger
Lector – RG Noble
Ushers – Tom Bledsoe and Bruce Lennihan
Coffee Hour – Modu and Family
THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S
PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS, & MEETINGS
Sunday 4 March
Lenten Discussion & Video Series 6:00-8:00 pm (Great Hall)
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Friday 9 March
Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) 7:00 pm (Great Hall)
Saturday 10 March
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2:30 pm (Great Hall)
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
4 March
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT (LA)
Morning Prayer 8:00 am
Low Mass 8:10 am
Solemn Mass 10:00 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament 8:00 pm
Daily Office Lectionary – Lent III, Year Two
Daily Mass Lectionary – Lent III
5 March
Monday in Lent III (V)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6:00 pm
6 March
Tuesday in Lent III (V)
Noonday Prayer 12:00 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
7 March
Perpetua, Felicity, and Companions, Martyrs at Carthage, 202 (R)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
8 March
Thursday in Lent III (V)
Edward King, Bishop of Lincoln, 1910
Noonday Prayer 12:00 noon
Low Mass 12:10 PM
9 March
Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, c. 394 (W)
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Stations of the Cross 6:00 pm
10 March
Saturday in Lent III (V)
Morning Prayer 9:30 am
Low Mass 10:00 am
Holy Rosary 10:30 am
11 March
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT (LA)
Morning Prayer 8:00 am
Low Mass 8:10 am
Solemn Mass 10:00 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament 8:00 pm
NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (11 March)
Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year B
