PARISH NOTES 

Sunday 10 February 2019 

Henri Pierre Picou, The Miraculous Catch of Fish, 1850s Nantes Museum of Arts, Nantes, France

FROM THE RECTOR

Embarrassment, shame, and guilt have a legitimate place in human life. Psychologists tell us that these sensations are necessary for smooth social interactions and the harmonious functioning of society. Fear of them deters us from words and actions that offend others or are morally wrong in themselves. They prompt us to make amends and try to repair relationships when we have transgressed. But they can be a two-edged sword. Misplaced or excessive shame or guilt can be paralyzing. Even when our sense of unworthiness is appropriate and warranted, we need to move beyond it to enjoy a good and happy life.

In this Sunday’s Old Testament reading the Prophet Isaiah is overcome with guilt in the presence of Israel’s Holy God: “Woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips …” In the Gospel, Simon Peter is similarly overcome with guilt when he encounters God’s presence and power in Jesus manifested in a miraculous catch of fish: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” In both cases, however, God immediately removes the guilt and supplies everything needed to respond to his call. True religion does not inculcate shame and guilt but rather supplies their antidote. Our God forgives our sins, takes our guilt away, and calls us to follow him and share his love. And that is cause for celebration indeed. – Fr. John D. Alexander

THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS 

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany (Year C)

Psalm 138 
Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13)
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11

THIS SUNDAY’S MUSIC

Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583 – 1643)—Missa sopra l’aria della Monaca

Gerald Near (b. 1942)—Holy Is the True Light

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.

Monthly Requiem – for the departed of this parish whose year’s mind falls during February will be offered Saturday 16 February at 10 am (preceded by Morning Prayer at 9:30 am). If you have any names to add to those to be remembered, please let Fr. Alexander know. This Mass is sponsored by the Guild of All Souls, St. Stephen Protomartyr Branch: all are welcome and invited to attend!

College Ministry – The Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD (EMBR) welcomes all students, both undergraduate and graduate, to join us in fellowship this semester. EMBR meets every Sunday at 5:30 pm for Evening Prayer, followed by a meal. All are most welcome and invited!

The Nuns, the Priests, and the Bombs – This Monday, 11 February, at 5:30 pm, Brown War Watch is hosting a screening of this documentary film about Catholic anti-nuclear activists. A panel will follow featuring the film's director, Helen Young, investigative journalist Alex Nunes, and activist Frida Berrigan. Co-sponsored by the Department of Middle East Studies and the Department of Religious Studies. Location: Metcalf’s Friedman Auditorium at 190 Thayer Street. All welcome.

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 this Friday, 15 February. Discuss your ideas with or send your submissions to Phoebe Pettingell, Copy Editor, or the Rector, Editor-in-Chief.

Way of Love – A kick-off event for this Episcopal Church-wide program of “Seven Practices for Living a Jesus-Centered Life” will be hosted at Saint Mary’s Church, Portsmouth, RI on Saturday, 16 February, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All who are interested in learning more are encouraged to attend; please click here for more information.

From the Hood to the Hill – On Saturday 16 February at 6 pm, Central Congregational Church, 296 Angell Street, Providence, will host its annual Darrell West Lecture on Religion and Politics featuring U.S. Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black, the first African-American to hold that position and a nationally acclaimed author and spiritual leader. A Q & A session and book-signing will follow the lecture, which is free and open to the public with no advance registration required. For more information, please click here.

Blue Heron Concert – On Sunday 10 March at 4 pm, Blue Heron, Boston’s premier Renaissance choir, continues its Ockeghem series with one of his most celebrated works, the astoundingly complex yet captivatingly beautiful Missa Prolationum, constructed (like Bach’s Goldberg Variations) as a series of canons at different intervals—but Ockeghem’s are double canons, in which four sung parts are generated from two written ones. A truly mind-expanding musical experience, here at S. Stephen’s Church! For ticket pricing and more information, click here.

Spring Organ Recital – On Friday 22 March at 7:30 pm, please join us for an organ recital with International Concert Organist Katelyn Emerson. This event is co-sponsored by the RI American Guild of Organists (RIAGO) and S. Stephen’s Church.

FOR YOUR PRAYERS

Prayers have been requested for: Elizabeth, Hannah, Kaitlyn, Mary, Richard, Norman, John, James, Shannah, Terri, 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: Christopher Butler (Sunday 2/10), Alison Huff (Tuesday 2/12), and Elizabeth Schumann (Wednesday 2/13).

The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Madeline Thatcher Howes (10 February 1986), the Rev. Thomas Greene Cure (13 February 2001), Alan Edward Reniere (15 February 2013), and Christopher Dunstan (16 February 1994). Recently Departed: Sr. Carolyn Darr, SSM.

Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for the Anglican Church of Canada: The Most Rev’d Frederick Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada; in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, for our seminaries and our schools for deacons as they prepare our postulants and candidates for Holy Orders.

THE SUNDAY ROTA

Acolytes – MC D Malo, SD R Noble, Thurifer F Pisaturo, Torches G Benziger and C Sylvia
Lector at 8 am – C Whittingham
Lector at 10 am – M Johnson
Ushers – Patricia Barnes and Ernest Drew
Coffee Hour – Society of Mary

THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S

PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS

Sunday 10 February
Evening Prayer w/ EMBR  5:30 pm (Lady Chapel)

Rector’s Online Book Group  8-9 pm (Videoconference)

Tuesday 12 February
Vestry Meeting  7 pm (Library)

Saturday 16 February
Guild of All Souls  10 am (Lady Chapel)

EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S

Friday 15 February
RUF Meeting  4-11 pm (Great Hall)

Saturday 16 February
Epiphany Soup Kitchen  2:30 pm (Great Hall)

LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE

10 February
THE FIFTH 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 V, Year One

Monday 11 February
Our Lady of Lourdes (Blue)
Evening Prayer  5:30 pm
Low Mass  6 pm

Tuesday 12 February
FERIA (G)
Noonday Prayer  12 noon
Low Mass  12:10 pm

Wednesday 13 February
Absalom Jones, Priest, 1818 (W)
Evening Prayer  5:30 pm
Low Mass  6 pm

Thursday 14 February
Cyril and Methodius, Missionaries to the Slavs, Patrons of Europe, 869, 885 (W) 

Noonday Prayer  12 noon
Low Mass  12:10 pm

Friday 15 February
Sigfrid, Bishop, Apostle of Sweden, 1045 (W)
Thomas Bray, Priest, Missionary, Founder of the SPCK, 1730 (W)
Noonday Prayer  12 noon
Low Mass  12:10 pm

Saturday 16 February
FERIA
Morning Prayer  9:30 am
Low Requiem Mass  10 am (Black)

17 February
THE SIXTH 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 (17 February)

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany (Year C)
Psalm 1
Jeremiah 17:5-10
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 6:17-26

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, The Prophet Isaiah, between 1726 and 1729 Ceiling fresco, Patriarchal Palace, Udine, Italy