Wednesday, December 13, 2017

PARISH NOTES
Sunday 17 December 2017

Bartolomé Esteban Murillo,
St. John the Baptist with the Scribes and Pharisees, c. 1655
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, England

FROM THE RECTOR

This Sunday's Gospel reading describes John the Baptist: "He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light." In the gathering darkness, we are all called to bear witness to Christ, the light of the world. Join us this Sunday as we contemplate John the Baptist's witness to the One coming after him. -- Fr. John D. Alexander

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS

Third Sunday of Advent – Year B
Psalm 126
Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8,19-28

THIS SUNDAY’S MUSIC

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina—Missa “Ecce ego Joannis”

Orlando Gibbons—This is the record of John

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Saint Thomas the Apostle (December 21) – a major Holy Day of the Church year, will be kept this Thursday with Noonday Prayer at 12:00 and Low Mass at 12:10 pm.

Decorating the Church for Christmas – will take place next Sunday, December 24, following the 10 a.m. Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. A light lunch of pizza and salad will be provided in place of Coffee Hour. Many hands will make light work. To help our planning, if you intend to participate, please RSVP to Susan in the parish office at (401) 421-6702, ext. 1, or by email.

Schedule of Christmas Services – Christmas Eve: (Sunday, 24 December) Family Mass with Carols - 5:30 pm; Solemn Mass of the Nativity - 10:30 pm. Christmas Day: (Monday, 25 December) Morning Prayer 9:30 am, Low Mass 10:00 am.

New Year's Day Dinner – for those in need will be held in the Great Hall on Monday 1 January. There will be two sittings, 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. A bus will bring guests from other parts of the city as in past years. Volunteers are asked to contact Susan Brazil.

Episcopal Visitation – of the Rt. Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely, Bishop of Rhode Island, will take place on Sunday 11 February, the Last Sunday after the Epiphany. Anyone interested in being Confirmed or Received into the Episcopal Church on this happy occasion, please contact Fr. Alexander right away. (There will also be an opportunity for Confirmation at a diocesan-wide service during Eastertide at a location to be announced.)  

 Pledge Cards – If you have not returned your pledge card for 2018, please do so. If you have not received one, they are available from the ushers. Your financial support of S. Stephen’s during the coming year makes a difference and is deeply appreciated.

Nominations Committee – at the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 28, 2018, the following vacancies must be filled: (a) Two seats on Vestry, four-year terms--outgoing occupants Louis Verdelotti and Danielle Malo are not eligible for re-election; (b) one seat on Vestry three-year term--current occupant Bill Dilworth is eligible for re-election; (c) Senior Warden, three-year term, to be nominated by Rector; (d) Treasurer, one-year term; (e) Clerk, one-year term; (f) two Diocesan Convention Delegates, one-year term; (e) two Diocesan Convention Alternates, one-year term. The members of the Nominations Committee are: Cathy Bledsoe, Susan Brazil (Chair), Bill Dilworth, Nancy Gingrich, and Bobby Rose. Please contact any of them if you have any recommendations for nominations or indeed if you would be interested in standing for election yourself.

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, Norman, Shannah, Sister Carolyn, William, Gerald, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Gus, Leonard, Harrington, Joan, Sally, Sandy, John, Ed, Virginia, Richard, Priscilla, Kiersten, Beverly, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Douglas, Beverly, Allora, Carlos, Rhoda, William, and James.

Birthdays this week: Louise Wells (Sunday 12/17).

The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Constance Margaret Maxwell (17 December 1986), Dorothy Denison Dunlap (17 December 1986), and Kathleen Herbert Congdon (22 December 2005).

Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the Diocese of Wyoming - (VI, The Episcopal Church): The Rt. Rev’d John Smylie; and in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, please pray for the people and clergy of St. Thomas, Greenville and of St. Thomas, Alton.

THE SUNDAY ROTA

Acolytes – MC S Brazil; Subdeacon F Pisaturo; Thurifer R Noble; Crucifer L Verdelotti; Torches V Johnson, R Callanan

Lector – Modu Johnson

Ushers – Simon Newby and Karl Benziger

Coffee Hour – Society of Mary

THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S

EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S

Saturday 23 December
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2:30 pm (Great Hall)

LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE

Sunday 17 December
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (Rose)
Morning Prayer & Low Mass 8:00 am
Solemn Mass 10:00 am

Daily Office and Mass Lectionaries: Advent III

Monday 18 December
Proper for December 18 (V)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6:00 pm

Tuesday 19 December
Proper for December 19 (V)
Noonday Prayer 12:00 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm

Wednesday 20 December
Proper for December 20 (V)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6:00 pm

Thursday 21 December
SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE (R)
Noonday Prayer 12:00 noon
Low Mass 12:10 PM

Friday 22 December
Proper for December 22 (V)
Noonday Prayer 12:00 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm

Saturday 23 December
Proper for December 23 (V)
Morning Prayer 9:30 am
Low Mass 10:00 am

Sunday 24 December
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (V)
Morning Prayer & Low Mass 8:00 am
Solemn Mass 10:00 am

CHRISTMAS EVE (W)
Family Mass with Carols 5:30 pm
Solemn Mass of the Nativity 10:30 pm

NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (24 December)

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