PARISH NOTES
Sunday 6 May 2018
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| Baptism of Cornelius the Centurion by Peter Michel Corneille, c. 1658 The Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia |
FROM THE RECTOR
The Sunday before Ascension Day is traditionally observed as Rogation Sunday: a time to acknowledge our dependence on God for all the gifts of Creation, and to pray for the fruitfulness of the earth during the coming summer and harvest. Please join us on this joyful occasion of praise, thanksgiving, and intercession. -- Fr. John D. Alexander
THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B
Psalm 98
Acts 10:44-48
1 John 5:1-6
John 15:9-17
THIS SUNDAY’S MUSIC
Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla (1590-1664)— Missa Ego flos campi
John E. West (1863-1929)— The woods and every sweet- smelling tree
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Visit of Bethlehem Artworks – Beautiful hand-made olive wood religious articles made by Christian families in Bethlehem and Jerusalem will be on sale next Sunday, May 13th, after both Masses. Bethlehem Artworks is an organization that provides assistance to over 100 Palestinian Christian families each week. Hand-made rosaries, statues, crosses and nativities make wonderful presents for family and friends; or an opportunity to add a beautiful hand carved religious item for your home to be cherished through generations. The religious articles are made by the suffering Christian families in the Holy-Land, and are their means of spreading the word of Jesus, a goal that began two thousand years ago. The Christian population in the Holy Land has dropped from over 65% to under 2% just within the last ten years. Crafting these religious articles is the primary means for providing for the livelihood of Christian families in the Holy Land.
Episcopal Ministry at Brown & RISD (EMBR) – Sunday evening prayer with EMBR continues this evening in the Lady Chapel at 5:30 pm.
Commemoration of May Departed – of this parish whose year’s mind falls during May will be included in the Low Mass tomorrow, Monday 7 May, 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 the parish office at office@sstephens.necoxmail.com. 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.
The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ – Please mark your calendars for a joint celebration by the three Episcopal parishes of Providence’s East Side (Saint Martin’s, Redeemer, and Saint Stephen’s) this Thursday, 10 May, at Saint Martin’s Church, 50 Orchard Avenue, at 7 pm. Fr. Alexander will be the preacher.
The S. Stephen – The copy deadline for the next and final issue this season of the parish magazine is this Friday, May 11. If you would like to contribute an article or review to be considered for publication, please send electronic copy (preferably in Microsoft Word or Apple Pages format) to Phoebe Pettingell at phoebe114@aol.com.
Epiphany Soup Kitchen – S. Stephen's next opportunity to supply the volunteers for the ESK will be this Saturday 12 May. We had 76 guests last week and 82 the week before. Our numbers have been slowly rising. We need a minimum of five volunteers. We can use as many as eight. Please let Bruce Lennihan know if you can help. His email address is michelleisgreat@comcast.net
May Procession of Our Lady – will be next Sunday, 13 May, (fittingly, Mother’s Day) at the 10 am Mass. We need volunteers to carry the statue of Our Lady and to assist the ushers in directing traffic. Please call the parish office or speak to one of the clergy if you would like to help.
Coffee Hour Rota – We need someone to take over the responsibility of organizing the rota of Coffee Hour hosts. Please speak to Fr. Alexander or Cathy Bledsoe if you might be interested.
The Parish Barbecue – is scheduled for Sunday 3 June (the Solemnity of Corpus Christi), which will also be the last regular choir Sunday of the season, and Sunday School Recognition. We need lots of volunteers to help with the setup, cooking, serving, and cleanup. Please call or email Susan in the parish office to sign up to help.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
Prayers have been requested for: Elizabeth, Richard, Norman, John, Shannah, Sister Carolyn, Lynne, William, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Gus, Leonard, Harrington, Joan, Elizabeth, Sally, Sandy, John, Phebe, Ed, Gregory, Richard, Colin, Sandy, Kiersten, Beverly, Mary, Zac, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Douglas, Beverly, Allora, Carlos, Betsy, Rhoda, William, James, and Louis.
Birthdays this week: Karen Vorbeck Williams (Wednesday 5/9).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Robert Hale Ives Goddard (6 May 2003), Edna Rawlings (6 May 2014), Marion Beverly Hall (8 May 2010), Bertha Isabelle Hughes (10 May 1992), Estelle "Peg" Duncanson (10 May 2006), Agnes Charette (12 May 1984), and Edward Brown Williams, Jr. (12 May 1991).
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for The Anglican Church of Kenya: The Most Rev’d Jackson Ole Sapit, Primate and Archbishop of All Kenya; in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for the people and clergy of Ascension/ la Iglesia de la Ascension, Cranston and of Ascension, Wakefield.
THE SUNDAY ROTA
Acolytes – MC J Ihnen; Subdeacon R Noble; Thurifer J Starks; Crucifer F Pisaturo; Torches R Callanan, TBD
Lector – E Alexander
Ushers – George Ryan and Bruce Lennihan
Coffee Hour – Tom Oakes and Nancy Gingrich
THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S
PARISH PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Monday 7 May
Guild of All Souls 6:00 pm (Lady Chapel)
Tuesday 8 May
Vestry 7:00 pm (Library)
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Saturday 12 May
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2:30 pm (Great Hall)
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
6 May
THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (ROGATION SUNDAY) (W)
Morning Prayer 8:00 am
Low Mass 8:10 am
Solemn Mass 10:00 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
Daily Office Lectionary: Easter VI, Year Two
Daily Mass Lectionary: Easter VI
7 May
Monday in Easter VI (W)
Harriet Starr Cannon, Founder of the Community of Saint Mary, 1896
John of Beverly, Monk, Bishop, 721
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6:00 pm
8 May
Tuesday in Easter VI (W)
Julian of Norwich, Mystic, Teacher, c. 1417
Noonday Prayer 12:00 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
9 May
Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishop, Teacher, 389 (W)
Pachomius, Abbot, 346
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
10 May
THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Noonday Prayer 12:00 noon (at S. Stephen’s)
Solemn Mass 7:00 pm (at S. Martin’s)
11 May
Friday in Easter VI (W)
Noonday Prayer 12:00 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
12 May
Saturday in Easter VI (W)
Morning Prayer 9:30 am
Low Mass 10:00 am
13 May
THE SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER: SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION DAY (W)
Morning Prayer 8:00 am
Low Mass 8:10 am
May Procession of Our Lady and Solemn Mass 10:00 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (13 May)
Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year B
Psalm 1
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
1 John 5:9-13
John 17:6-19
