Friday, September 19, 2014

PARISH NOTES
Sunday 21 September 2014




FROM THE RECTOR

The indispensable foundation of Christian faith is the life, teaching, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the four Gospels at the beginning of the New Testament -- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John -- record the eyewitness accounts of who Jesus was and what he did. The first Gospel is attributed to Saint Matthew, the tax collector whom Jesus called to follow him. In the current year of the three-year cycle of the Sunday Mass lectionary, the Gospel readings are mostly taken from Saint Matthew's Gospel. Matthew's feast day falls on September 21, and so this Sunday we take the opportunity to celebrate his witness to Jesus Christ as both Apostle and Evangelist. -- Fr. John D. Alexander

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS

8 am – Proper 20, Year A – Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Jonah 3:10—4:11, Psalm 145:1-8, Philippians 1:21-30, Matthew 20:1-16

10 am -- Saint Matthew
Proverbs 3:1-6, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Matthew 9:9-13

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fall Programs – The Schola Cantorum returns to begin a new season of choral Masses next Sunday 28 September. The new calendar of events and liturgical music brochures are in the works and you should receive them shortly.

Sunday School – Our Sunday School program begins this morning at 10 am. Students in grades K through 12 are welcome to participate. Meet in the third floor classroom.

Episcopal Ministry at Brown / RISD – The Student Group continues its activities on Sundays with Evening Prayer in the Lady Chapel at 5:30 pm followed by supper. For more information, please see Fr. Sawicky.

Wednesday Afternoon Teas – We continue offering tea and other refreshments in the Narthex Wednesday afternoons at 4 pm. This is a great opportunity to open the church to students and passersby, offer hospitality, and enjoy one another’s company. Any parishioners interested in helping out (for example, by bringing baked goods, cookies, or cupcakes) are invited to contact Fr. Sawicky. In any case, drop by, have a cup of tea and say hello! We’ll pack up in time for Evening Prayer at 5:30.

Flower Memorial Opportunities – We will have altar decorations for the Sunday of the Visitation of the Bishop on October 5. This would be an ideal time for someone who wants to order flowers for the High Altar or the statue of our Lady in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving for blessings received. The cost per vase for the High Altar is $80 (both vases $160), and $65 for a vase at the Statue of our Lady. Please send a check to the parish office for the amount, and let Cory MacLean know the intentions for which the flowers are offered.

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

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

Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for The Church of the Province of Uganda: The Most Rev’d Stanley Ntagali, Archbishop of Uganda & and Bishop of Kampala; and in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the leadership and people of Sts. Matthew and Mark, Barrington: Patrick Greene; St. Matthew's, Jamestown: Kevin Lloyd; and for clergy of the Diocese: Mark DeWolf, William Locke, and Livingston Merchant.

THE SUNDAY ROTA

Acolytes - MC W Dilworth; SD R Noble; Thurifer D Latimer; Crucifer L Bledsoe; Torches V Johnson, L Rejto

Lector – E Alexander

Ushers – K Benziger, J Steiny

Coffee Hour – A Huff

THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S

PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS

Saturday 27 September
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2 pm

EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S

Friday 26 September
Reformed University Fellowship 7 pm

LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE

Sunday 21 September
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (G) - 8 AM
SAINT MATTHEW (R) – 10 AM
Morning Prayer 7:30 am
Low Mass 8 am
Sung Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer with EMBR* 5:30 pm

Weekday Office and Mass Lectionary: Proper 20, Year Two

Monday 22 September
Feria (G)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm

Tuesday 23 September
Feria (G)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:30 am

Wednesday 24 September
Our Lady of Walsingham (B)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm

Thursday 25 September
Sergei of Radonezh, Russian Monastic Reformer, Teacher, 1392 (W)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:30 am

Friday 26 September
Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, Spiritual Writer, 1626 (W)
Cosmas and Damina, Martyrs at Aegea, c. 287
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm

Saturday 27 September
Vincent de Paul, Founder of the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists), 1660 (W)
Morning Prayer 9 am
Low Mass 9:30 am

Sunday 28 September
SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (G)
Morning Prayer 7:30 am
Low Mass 8 am
Sung Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer with EMBR* 5:30 pm

* EMBR = Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD

NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (September 28)

Proper 21, Year A – Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost 
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