PARISH NOTES

Sunday 21 October 2018

Lorenzo Monaco, Christ as Man of Sorrows (1415-1417). Private collection.

FROM THE RECTOR

This Sunday’s readings emphasize Christ’s role as Servant. The Old Testament reading from Isaiah 53 speaks of “the righteous one, my servant” who by his suffering makes many to be accounted righteous. The Gospel reading from Mark 10 holds up the Son of man, who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Christ is the Servant first of God and then of those he came to save. When James and John the sons of Zebedee ask to sit one at his right and one at his left in his glory, he asks them whether they are able to drink the cup that he must drink and be baptized with the baptism with which he must be baptized—alluding to his imminent suffering and death. In other words, the pattern of Christian discipleship is not self-affirmation or self-fulfillment, but humble service of God and our neighbor even at the cost of total self-sacrifice. Paradoxically, however, this way of sacrificial self-giving is the only sure path to perfect freedom, fulfillment, and glory. Join us this Sunday as we explore what it means to be servants of Christ, the Servant of God. – Fr. John D. Alexander

THIS SUNDAY’S MUSIC

John Taverner (1490-1545)— Missa Sancti Wilhelmi

Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)— Vere languores nostros

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS

Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost 
– Proper 24, Year B 

Psalm 91:9-16
Isaiah 53:4-12
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to S. Stephen’s – especially to our visitors and guests! We’re glad to have you with us. Please join us for Coffee Hour following the 10 a.m. Mass in the Great Hall upstairs. If you have any questions or special needs, please speak to one of the ushers, who will be glad to assist you.

Memorial Organ Recital – This evening, October 21st, at 5:30 pm, the annual Memorial Recital at S. Stephen’s will feature Choirmaster and Organist James Busby and guest Kevin Darrow, oboe. With works of J. S. Bach, Felix Mendelssohn, César Franck, Guy Bovet, Joseph-Ermend Bonnal, and Louis Vierne. A reception follows the service. All are most welcome and invited to attend!

Reception following Recital – It’s not too late to sign up on one of the sheets in the Narthex and Great Hall to bring food items to the reception following the Memorial Recital this evening!

Saint James of Jerusalem (October 23rd) – a major feast of the church year, will be kept on Tuesday with Noonday Prayer at 12:00 noon, and Low Mass following at 12:10 pm.

The S. Stephen – All Saints and All Souls 2018 Issue is in the mail and available in the Narthex and online by clicking here.

Budget Committee – The Vestry Committee charged with drafting a parish budget for 2019 will begin meeting soon, and needs to include some parishioners who are not Vestry members. Anyone interested in finding out more about this volunteer opportunity, please speak to Treasurer George Ryan or Senior Warden Tom Bledsoe.

Volunteer for Acolyte Rota – Fr. Alexander is seeking parishioners young and old who would like to be trained to serve as acolytes for the 10:00 am Mass on Sundays and for special services throughout the year. Please get in touch with him if you are willing or know someone else who would be. Thank you!

College Ministry – The Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD (EMBR) will be meeting next Sunday, October 28th, at 5:30 pm for Evening Prayer with dinner to follow. All undergraduate and graduate students are most welcome and invited to attend!    

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

Prayers have been requested for: Elizabeth, Richard, Norman, John, Shannah, Sister Carolyn, Lynne, William, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Gus, Leonard, Harrington, Joan, Patricia, Sandy, John, Phebe, Gregory, Jack, Richard, Colin, Sandy, Kiersten, Beverly, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Beverly, Allora, Carlos, Rhoda, William, and James.

The faithful departed:  Year’s Mind: Mary Elizabeth Moss (21 October 2017). Recently Departed: Lawrence DeCesare, John Hall (Priest), Pamela Haselock, Edward K. Hooks, and F. Washington (Tony) Jarvis (Priest).

Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for The Church of the Province of West Africa: The Most Rev’d Dr. Daniel Sarfo, Primate & Metropolitan, CPWA, Archbishop of the Internal province of Ghana and Bishop of Kumasi; in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, for those who serve on the Diocesan Commission on Investments, Commission on Finance, Program and Budget Committee, congregational stewardship committees, treasurers, auditors, bookkeepers and all those who are stewards of the wealth God has entrusted to the church.

THE SUNDAY ROTA

Acolytes – MC F Pisaturo, SD J Ihnen, Thurifer J Starks, Crucifer L Verdelotti, Torches R Noble and W Dilworth

Lector – M Johnson

Ushers – Chris Martel and George Ryan

Coffee Hour – Nancy Gingrich, Tom Oakes, and Louis Verdelotti

THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S

PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS

Sunday 21 October

Memorial Organ Recital  5:30 pm (Nave) 

EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S

Friday 26 October

RUF Meeting  4:00-11:00 pm (Great Hall)

Saturday 27 October

Epiphany Soup Kitchen  2:30 pm (Great Hall)

LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE

21 October

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (G) 

Morning Prayer  8:00 am

Low Mass  8:10 am

Solemn Mass  10:00 am

Memorial Recital (no Evening Prayer)  5:30 pm

Daily Mass and Office Lectionaries: Proper 24, Year Two

Monday 22 October

FERIA (G)

Evening Prayer  5:30 pm

Low Mass  6:00 pm

Tuesday 23 October

SAINT JAMES OF JERUSALEM (R)

Noonday Prayer  12:00 noon                                         

Low Mass  12:10 pm

Wednesday 24 October

Raphael, Archangel (W)           

Evening Prayer  5:30 pm

Low Mass  6:00 pm

                                      

Thursday 25 October

Crispin and Crispinian, Martyrs at Rome, c. 287 (R)

Noonday Prayer  12:00 noon

Low Mass  12:10 pm

Friday 26 October

Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, Scholar, 899 (W)
Cedd, Abbot, Bishop of the East Saxons, 664 (W)

Noonday Prayer  12:00 noon

Low Mass  12:10 pm

Saturday 27 October

FERIA (G)

Morning Prayer  9:30 am

Low Mass  10:00 am

28 October

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (G) 
Morning Prayer  8:00 am
Low Mass  8:10 am
Solemn Mass  10:00 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR  5:30 pm

NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (28 October)

Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost – Proper 25, Year B

Psalm 126
Jeremiah 31:7-9
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52

Maestro de la Ventisilla, Apostles James and John, Sons of Zebedee (1501-1533). Museum of Santiago and the Pilgrimages, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. In this painting, a bearded James bears his emblem of a pilgrim’s staff and hat with a scallop shell, while John is depicted as a young man bearing his emblem of a chalice with a snake. (According to legend, in Ephesus John was given a cup of poisoned wine to drink; when he blessed the cup the poison departed the cup in the form of a snake.)