ONLINE PARISH NOTES

Sunday 26 October 2014

The Lord said to my Lord ... (Psalm 110:1, quoted in Matthew 22:44)

FROM THE RECTOR

What is stewardship? From a Christian perspective, it is simply the recognition that we are not the absolute owners of anything we possess. All belongs to God, who has entrusted various portions of his bounty into our care during our earthly lives. We are ultimately accountable to God for our use and disposition of the time, treasure, and talent that he has given us. We are stewards. 

As members of the Church, moreover, we have been entrusted with the care of our parish: from the upkeep of its buildings to seeing that it has the resources necessary to fulfill its mission of proclaiming the Gospel in worship and music, in preaching and teaching, in outreach and service.

It is a mistake to think of stewardship in oppositional terms as a zero-sum game between "us" and "them" in which some entity alien to ourselves ("the Church") tries to squeeze our hard-earned money from our wallets, and we decide how much we can afford to part with. We are the Church. Christian stewardship is simply what happens when a parish community takes collective financial responsibility for its shared mission and ministry.

A key component of this taking of responsibility is acquainting ourselves with the parish's financial situation: its blessings, challenges, and opportunities. The purpose of this Sunday's stewardship brunches is to share some facts and figures that will help clarify our financial situation so that we can make the most responsible decisions possible with respect to our collective stewardship of all that God has entrusted into our care in this life. I look forward to seeing you there.
-- Fr. John D. Alexander

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS

Proper 25, Year A – Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Leviticus 19:1-2,15-18, Psalm 1, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Matthew 22:34-46

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to all visitors and guests – we’re glad that you’re here. We will not have our customary coffee hours today, but please join us for one of our Stewardship Brunches following the 8 or 10 am Mass this morning. It is an opportunity to sit down, enjoy breakfast in the company of fellow parishioners, and hear a brief presentation on our stewardship goals for 2015.

Altar Flowers today are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Megda Dunham Hawkins by the Altar Guild.

Saint Simon and Saint Jude (October 28) – a major Holy Day of the Church year, will be kept this Tuesday with Morning Prayer at 8 am and Low Mass at 8:30.

All Saints Day (November 1) – a principal Holy Day of the Church year, will be kept this Saturday with Morning Prayer at 9 am and Low Mass at 9:30 am, as well as at the 10 am Solemn Mass next Sunday (November 2).

Society of Mary -- will meet for Holy Rosary this Saturday, November 1, following Mass for All Saints Day in the Lady Chapel. Coffee and a meeting will follow in the Great Hall.

Daylight Saving Time ends this coming Sunday, November 2, at 2:00 am. Please remember to set your clocks back one hour to avoid being an hour early for Church!

All Souls Day – Requiem for the Commemoration of all Faithful Departed will be kept on Monday 3 November at 6 pm, preceded by Evening Prayer in the Lady Chapel at 5:30 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 Wednesday, October 29th.

Housing Needed – If anyone has or knows of an apartment or similar accommodation suitable for a single S. Stephen’s parishioner returning to the area after a number of years away, please contact Fr. Alexander.

Episcopal Ministry at Brown / RISD – The Student Group continues its activities for the academic year with Evening Prayer in the Lady Chapel at 5:30 pm followed by supper. All students, undergraduate and graduate, are welcome and invited. For more information, please see Fr. Sawicky.

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.

Wednesday Afternoon Teas – We continue offering tea 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 pack up in time for Evening Prayer at 5:30.

Windows and Floors – you may have noticed the absence of the rugs in the sanctuary, as well as the removal of one of the vent panels in the Ames memorial window on the north wall. These are preliminary steps in two exciting projects now in the works; the repair and refinishing of the sanctuary floor, and the restoration of the stained glass windows along the north aisle of the nave. We’ll keep you posted on further developments.

Brass and silver polishing – We are looking for capable volunteers to polish our brass and silver fixtures and accoutrements. If you are willing to help, please see Fr. Alexander.

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

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

The faithful departed: Year’s mind: Clifton Milner Fidler (28 October 1983) and Heather A. Morgan (31 October 1997); Recently departed: John Andrew, Priest; Gary Fertig, Priest; Thomas Shaw, Bishop.

Birthdays this week: James Alexander (October 30th).

Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for The Church of Ceylon (E-P to the Archbishop of Canterbury) Colombo - (Ceylon): The Rt. Rev’d Dhiloraj Ranjit Canagasabey Kurunagala - (Ceylon), The Rt. Rev’d Greg Shantha Kumar Francis; and in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for clergy widows of the Diocese: Juanita Juhr, Karen Robbins-Taylor, Marie Robinson, Gloria Phillips and widower, Daniel Harvey.

THE SUNDAY ROTA

Acolytes - MC W Dilworth; SD S Brazil; Thurifer L Verdelotti; Crucifer L Bledsoe; Torches V Johnson, G Benziger

Lector – P Pettingell

Ushers – S Brazil, T Oakes

Coffee Hour – Stewardship Brunches following the 8 and 10 am Masses

THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S

PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS 

Sunday 26 October

Stewardship Brunches (following the 8 and 10 am Masses)

Wednesday 29 October

Afternoon Tea 4 pm

Saturday 1 November
Society of Mary 10 am (following Morning Prayer at 9 and Mass at 9:30)

EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S

Friday 31 October
Reformed University Fellowship 7 pm

Saturday 1 November

Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2 pm

LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE 

Sunday 26 October
TWENTIETH 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 25, Year Two

Monday 27 October
Feria (G)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm

Tuesday 28 October
SAINT SIMON AND SAINT JUDE (R)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:30 am

Wednesday 29 October
James Hannington, Bishop, and Companions, Martyrs, 1885 (R)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm

Thursday 30 October
Feria (G)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:30 am

Friday 31 October
Feria (G)
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm

Saturday 1 November
ALL SAINTS DAY (W)
Morning Prayer 9 am
Low Mass 9:30 am
Holy Rosary 10 am

Sunday 2 November
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (G) – 8 am
SUNDAY AFTER ALL SAINTS DAY (W) – 10 am
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 2)

8 am – Proper 26, Year A – Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost
Micah 3:5-12, Psalm 43, 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13, Matthew 23:1-12

10 am – Sunday after All Saints Day
Revelation 7:9-17; I John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12