PARISH NOTES
Sunday 12 February 2017
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| Sermon on the Mount Contemporary Icon |
FROM THE RECTOR
Years ago, an experienced older priest was addressing a group of clergy at a retreat. He offered one memorable bit of advice: "Sunday morning should be the day to which you look forward more than any other day of the week. When you wake up on Sunday, you should feel excited as you anticipate getting up, going to church, and worshiping with your parish community. The morning you don't feel that sense of joy that it's finally Sunday again, you know that something's gone wrong in your spiritual life that needs to be addressed." I'm happy to report that even after twenty-four years of priestly ministry, I still feel that sense of joyful anticipation every Sunday morning. Even when it's a bit muted by lack of sleep or worry about this or that situation--or even the odd "spiritually dry patch"--nonetheless it's still always there at some level. But that priest's advice holds good for all of us, lay and ordained alike. The ability to gather for worship on the Lord's Day is a great privilege, an incomparable joy, never to be taken for granted but always cherished as we faithfully take our part in the Church's offering of praise and thanksgiving to God the Holy Trinity. -- Fr. John D. Alexander
THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Epiphany 6, Year A
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 or Sirach 15:15-20
Psalm 119:1-8
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:21-37
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Altar Flowers – today are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Alan Reniere by Brian Ehlers.
Great Hall Floor – Beginning tomorrow, Monday 13 February, we will be having the Great Hall floor refinished. Epiphany Soup Kitchen will serve sandwiches to go on the 18th, and there will be no Coffee Hour following the 10 am Mass on the 19th. By Sunday 26 February the room should be back in full use.
Eucharistic Adoration – This Saturday 18 February, the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament will sponsor approximately an hour of silent prayer and meditation in the Lady Chapel before the Blessed Sacrament, beginning shortly after the end of the 9:30 am Mass, and concluding by 11 am. All are welcome and invited to participate.
Compline at Christ Church, New Haven – Frank Pisaturo and Fr. Yost are organizing a pilgrimage to Christ Church, New Haven, to attend their Compline service. Compline is a prayer office found in our Book of Common Prayer, typically done in the late evening. Christ Church is known for its beautiful sung services held throughout the semester. We plan to travel to New Haven on Sunday 19 February by car pool. We will leave S. Stephen's around 5:30pm, leaving ample time for travel. Compline service is at 9pm. If you are interested in joining, and/or assisting with carpooling, please email Frank at pisaturof@gmail.com.
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper – Our annual pancake supper will be Tuesday 28 February from 5:30 – 7 pm in our Great Hall. Tickets are available at the door. Please let us know if you plan to attend by calling the parish office at 401-421-6702, ext. 1 or via email. All are welcome. Come enjoy a final culinary indulgence before Lent, and join in the burning of last year’s palms to make new ashes for Ash Wednesday.
Ash Wednesday Services (March 1) – Morning Prayer & Blessing of the Ashes will be celebrated at 8 am in the Lady Chapel. (You may receive ashes at this service.) Sung Mass will be celebrated with the Imposition of Ashes at 6 pm in the main church.
Lenten Series – Plan on joining us on Sunday evenings In Lent for Evening Prayer, Supper, and the series “Charles Chapman Grafton and the Genesis of America Anglo-Catholicism” featuring various distinguished speakers – more details to follow.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
Prayers have been requested for: Virginia, Martha, Donald, Townsend, Norman, John, Shannah, Peter, Sister Carolyn, Michael, Richard, Mark, Michael, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Gus, Stephanie, Leonard, Harrington, Joan, John, Ed, Virginia, Shane, Jan, Richard, Jerry, Joel, Sandra, Emily, Beverly, Deborah, Yolanda, Angela, Bobby, Katherine, Sally, Carlos, Loretto, Rhoda, Ned, Michael, James, Michael, Peter, and Weldon.
Birthdays this week: Alison Huff (12 February), Elizabeth Schumann (13 February), The Rev. M. P Schneider (14 February), and Lucas Bledsoe (17 February).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Thomas Greene Cure, Priest (13 February 2001), Alan Edward Reniere (15 February 2013), Christopher Dunstan (16 February 1994), Gary Lee Stamps (17 February 1991), James W. Randolph (17 February 1985), and John Walker (18 February 2008). Recently Departed: Kathleen Anderson, Robert J. C. Brown, Priest, Kenneth Okkers, Priest, and Deacon Timothy Rice.
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the Church of Lusaka (Central Africa): The Rt. Rev’d David Njovu; and in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for retired clergy of the Diocese.
THE SUNDAY ROTA
Acolytes – MC S Brazil SD F Pisaturo; Thurifer L Verdelotti; Crucifer R Noble; Torches DO Latimer, V Johnson
Lector – J Steiny
Ushers – T Bledsoe, P Pettingell
Coffee Hour – Rejto/Elliot Family
THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Saturday 18 February
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2:30 pm
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
Sunday 12 February
THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY (G)
Morning Prayer 7:30 am
Low Mass 8 am
Solemn Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer with EMBR* 5:30 pm
Daily Office & Mass Lectionary Epiphany 6 (Year One)
Monday 13 February
Absalom Jones, Priest, 1818 (G or W)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
Tuesday 14 February
Cyril and Methodius, Missionaries to the Slavs, Patrons of Europe, 869, 885 (W)
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Wednesday 15 February
Sigfrid, Bishop, Apostle of Sweden, 1045 (G or W)
Thomas Bray, Priest, Missionary, Founder of the SPCK, 1730
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
Thursday 16 February
Feria (G)
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Friday 17 February
Janani Luwum, Archbishop of Uganda, Martyr, 1977 (G or R)
Angelus 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Saturday 18 February
Simeon of Jerusalem, 1st century (G or W)
Morning Prayer 9 am
Low Mass 9:30 am
Eucharistic Adoration 10 am
Sunday 19 February
THE SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY (G)
Morning Prayer 7:30 am
Low Mass 8 am
Solemn Mass with Holy Baptism 10 am
Evening Prayer with EMBR* 5:30 pm
*EMBR=Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD
NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS
Epiphany 7, Year A
Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18
Psalm 119:33-40
1 Corinthians 3:10-11,16-23
Matthew 5:38-48
