PARISH NOTES
Sunday 27 January 2019
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| James Tissot, Christ unrolls the Book in the Synagogue, c. 1886-1894. Brooklyn Museum, New York |
FROM THE RECTOR
As Christians, we are “People of the Book”— our life together presupposes and depends upon God’s self-revelation in inspired Scriptures that authorize our communal beliefs and practices. But “no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation” (II Peter 1:20). Hence reading from the sacred text is an integral part of public worship, as is a sermon or homily to help us understand the scriptural message in our own context. The two go together: scripture and commentary; text and context. Without lucid commentary, the text may remain obscure and confusing; without a solid grounding in the text, a sermon or homily can degenerate into a recitation of the preacher’s idiosyncratic opinions and prejudices – or as one wag once put it, one’s “favorite Reader’s Digest illustrations.” In this Sunday’s Gospel, set in the synagogue of Nazareth, Jesus reads and then comments on verses from the Prophet Isaiah. His commentary unites as never before the sacred text with the hearers’ context by declaring: “Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Perhaps the challenge for us, then, Sunday by Sunday, is not merely to understand the sacred text but also to discern its fulfillment in the world around us where its divine Author is still present, active, alive, and dynamically working to bring healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope. – Fr. John D. Alexander
Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10
1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a
Luke 4:14-21
Francis Jackson (b. 1917) – Service of Holy Communion in G major
Herbert Howells (1892 - 1983) – Behold, O God our defender
Welcome to S. Stephen’s – especially to our visitors and guests! We’re glad to have you with us. Please join us for the Annual Parish Meeting Luncheon 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.
Annual Meeting – All are welcome to come upstairs for lunch and our Annual Parish Meeting following the 10 a.m. Mass today. Only duly qualified parish members – a list of whom will be distributed – are entitled to voice and vote at the meeting, but everyone else is invited to listen in. It is a good way to become better acquainted with our parish and its mission.
College Ministry – The Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD (EMBR) welcomes back all students for the Spring Semester! EMBR meets every Sunday at 5:30 pm for Evening Prayer, followed by a meal. All are most welcome and invited!
Royal Martyr Day Celebration – Evening Prayer will be celebrated in commemoration of Charles Stuart, King of England and Martyr (1649) at 6 pm on Wednesday 30 January at the Church of the Holy Nativity in Weymouth, Massachusetts. At the reception following, Fr. Harold Birkenhead, Rector, will sign copies of his new book, Investigating Cromwell: In the Matter of the Murder of King Charles I. Please let Fr. Alexander know if you are interested in traveling to Weymouth to take part in what promises to be an inspiring and memorable evening.
Candlemas – Our joint celebrations of major feasts continue with Mass for the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple at Saint John’s, Newport, on Saturday 2 February at 11 am. The music will feature the “Little Organ Mass” of Joseph Haydn. Fr. Alexander will preach. Please mark it in your diary to attend this principal feast of the Church Year, marking the fortieth day after Christmas.
The S. Stephen – We welcome articles, essays, reflections, poems, photographs, drawings or other creations to be considered for publication in our parish magazine. Our next copy deadline, for the Lent 2019 issue, is Friday 15 February. Discuss your ideas with or send your submissions to Phoebe Pettingell, Copy Editor, or the Rector, Editor-in-Chief.
Prayers have been requested for: Elizabeth, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Richard, Norman, John, James, Shannah, Terri, Sister Carolyn, Lynne, Fred-Munro, William, Gus, Leonard, Harrington, Joan, Sandy, John, Phebe, Jack, Richard, Ann, Colin, Sandy, Kiersten, Beverly, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Beverly, Allora, Carlos, Rhoda, William, Roger, and James.
Birthdays this week: Thomas Bledsoe (Wednesday 1/30), Nathan Callanan (Friday 2/1), and Charles O’Boyle (Saturday 2/2).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Sterling C. Poitier (28 January 1996), Florence Matilda Colvin (30 January 1994), the Rev. Dr. Ronald Parks Conner (30 January 2011), and Anna Waterman Jackson McCoy (30 January 1985). Recently Departed: the Rev. Canon Gregory M. Howe; Sharon Burdett.
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for the Pray for the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil: The Most Rev’d Naudal Alves Gomes, Primate of Brazil & Bishop of Curitiba; in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, for the Center for Reconciliation and all who seek to be reconcilers in our state, nation and world.
Acolytes – MC R Noble, SD F Pisaturo, Thurifer J Starks, Torches G Benziger and C Sylvia
Lector – A Campbell
Ushers – Simon Newby and Nancy Gingrich
Coffee Hour – Annual Parish Meeting Luncheon
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Friday 1 February
RUF Meeting 4-11 pm (Great Hall)
Saturday 2 February
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2:30 pm (Great Hall)
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
27 January
THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY (G)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:10 am
Solemn Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
Daily Mass and Office Lectionaries: Epiphany III, Year One
Monday 28 January
Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor, 1274 (W)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
Tuesday 29 January
Andrei Rublev, Monk and Iconographer, 1430 (W)
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Wednesday 30 January
Charles, King and Martyr, 1649 (R)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
Thursday 31 January
John Bosco, Founder of the Salesians, 1888 (W)
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Friday 1 February
Brigid, Abbess of Kildare, 523 (W)
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Saturday 2 February
THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE
Solemn Mass 11 am (at St. John’s, Newport)
3 February
THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY (G)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:10 am
Solemn Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (3 February)
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany (Year C)
Psalm 71:1-6
Jeremiah 1:4-10
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30
THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Third Sunday after the Epiphany (Year C)
Psalm 19Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10
1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a
Luke 4:14-21
THIS SUNDAY’S MUSIC
Francis Jackson (b. 1917) – Service of Holy Communion in G major
Herbert Howells (1892 - 1983) – Behold, O God our defender
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Welcome to S. Stephen’s – especially to our visitors and guests! We’re glad to have you with us. Please join us for the Annual Parish Meeting Luncheon 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.
Annual Meeting – All are welcome to come upstairs for lunch and our Annual Parish Meeting following the 10 a.m. Mass today. Only duly qualified parish members – a list of whom will be distributed – are entitled to voice and vote at the meeting, but everyone else is invited to listen in. It is a good way to become better acquainted with our parish and its mission.
College Ministry – The Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD (EMBR) welcomes back all students for the Spring Semester! EMBR meets every Sunday at 5:30 pm for Evening Prayer, followed by a meal. All are most welcome and invited!
Royal Martyr Day Celebration – Evening Prayer will be celebrated in commemoration of Charles Stuart, King of England and Martyr (1649) at 6 pm on Wednesday 30 January at the Church of the Holy Nativity in Weymouth, Massachusetts. At the reception following, Fr. Harold Birkenhead, Rector, will sign copies of his new book, Investigating Cromwell: In the Matter of the Murder of King Charles I. Please let Fr. Alexander know if you are interested in traveling to Weymouth to take part in what promises to be an inspiring and memorable evening.
Candlemas – Our joint celebrations of major feasts continue with Mass for the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple at Saint John’s, Newport, on Saturday 2 February at 11 am. The music will feature the “Little Organ Mass” of Joseph Haydn. Fr. Alexander will preach. Please mark it in your diary to attend this principal feast of the Church Year, marking the fortieth day after Christmas.
The S. Stephen – We welcome articles, essays, reflections, poems, photographs, drawings or other creations to be considered for publication in our parish magazine. Our next copy deadline, for the Lent 2019 issue, is Friday 15 February. Discuss your ideas with or send your submissions to Phoebe Pettingell, Copy Editor, or the Rector, Editor-in-Chief.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
Prayers have been requested for: Elizabeth, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Richard, Norman, John, James, Shannah, Terri, Sister Carolyn, Lynne, Fred-Munro, William, Gus, Leonard, Harrington, Joan, Sandy, John, Phebe, Jack, Richard, Ann, Colin, Sandy, Kiersten, Beverly, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Beverly, Allora, Carlos, Rhoda, William, Roger, and James.
Birthdays this week: Thomas Bledsoe (Wednesday 1/30), Nathan Callanan (Friday 2/1), and Charles O’Boyle (Saturday 2/2).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Sterling C. Poitier (28 January 1996), Florence Matilda Colvin (30 January 1994), the Rev. Dr. Ronald Parks Conner (30 January 2011), and Anna Waterman Jackson McCoy (30 January 1985). Recently Departed: the Rev. Canon Gregory M. Howe; Sharon Burdett.
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for the Pray for the Igreja Episcopal Anglicana do Brasil: The Most Rev’d Naudal Alves Gomes, Primate of Brazil & Bishop of Curitiba; in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, for the Center for Reconciliation and all who seek to be reconcilers in our state, nation and world.
THE SUNDAY ROTA
Acolytes – MC R Noble, SD F Pisaturo, Thurifer J Starks, Torches G Benziger and C Sylvia
Lector – A Campbell
Ushers – Simon Newby and Nancy Gingrich
Coffee Hour – Annual Parish Meeting Luncheon
THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Friday 1 February
RUF Meeting 4-11 pm (Great Hall)
Saturday 2 February
Epiphany Soup Kitchen 2:30 pm (Great Hall)
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
27 January
THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY (G)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:10 am
Solemn Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
Daily Mass and Office Lectionaries: Epiphany III, Year One
Monday 28 January
Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor, 1274 (W)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
Tuesday 29 January
Andrei Rublev, Monk and Iconographer, 1430 (W)
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Wednesday 30 January
Charles, King and Martyr, 1649 (R)
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
Thursday 31 January
John Bosco, Founder of the Salesians, 1888 (W)
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Friday 1 February
Brigid, Abbess of Kildare, 523 (W)
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Saturday 2 February
THE PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE
Solemn Mass 11 am (at St. John’s, Newport)
3 February
THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY (G)
Morning Prayer 8 am
Low Mass 8:10 am
Solemn Mass 10 am
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (3 February)
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany (Year C)
Psalm 71:1-6
Jeremiah 1:4-10
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30
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| Christ in the Synagogue at Nazareth. Fresco, c. 1350. Visoki Decani monastery, Kosovo |
