PARISH NOTES
Sunday 22 March 2020
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| Healing the Blind Man (1832) by Václav Mánes (1793–1858). National Gallery Prague, Czech Republic. |
THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Ephesians 5:8-14Psalm 23
St. John 9:1-41
A WORD OF WELCOME
Welcome to Saint Stephen’s – S. Stephen’s Church is in the midst of Brown University and serves the communities of the East Side of Providence, North Providence, East Providence, and beyond. It is a parish of the Diocese of Rhode Island in the Episcopal Church in the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Anglo-Catholic tradition informs and shapes our life together. We are a diverse community uniting all sorts and conditions in the worship of Our Lord Jesus Christ and aim to offer up the best we have in liturgy, music, preaching, teaching, fellowship, and service.
Concerning Pledges and the Sunday Offering – Dear Members and Friends of Saint Stephen’s: A key worry in this time of physical distancing is that our inability to gather as a church damages our income. A parishioner reached out wondering whether it was safe to send pledge envelopes in the mail. We have heard nothing from the public health authorities about the risks of virus transmission through the mail, so feel free to mail your check to the church. Alternatively, it is quite straightforward to give online by clicking here to visit S. Stephen’s online giving page, where you can use the payment portal week by week or set up a recurring direct deposit program with your bank. We are grateful for your generous response to our appeal for pledges in this transition year. Now the challenge is for us to receive and collect these pledges. We don’t know how long this period of physical distancing will have to last. If you are experiencing financial difficulties which hurt your ability to keep a pledge you made before this crisis of the coronavirus, please do not hesitate to let us know. You may contact Father Mead at 917-592-5947 or email him at andrewcraigmead1@gmail.com. Thank you for your love of S. Stephen’s.
The Annunciation of Our Lord Jesus Christ (March 25th) – a major feast of the church year will be kept virtually this coming Wednesday with Evening Prayer at 5:30 pm, and Low Mass following at 6 pm.
Stations of the Cross – Saint Stephen's Church will virtually offer Stations of the Cross at 6 pm on Fridays in Lent through (and including) April 3. This is a great opportunity to experience this moving devotion anew or indeed for the first time! All are welcome to tune in!
College Ministry – The Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD (EMBR) continues its meetings virtually this Sunday, 22 March, at 5:30 pm for Evening Prayer. All are most welcome and invited to participate!
Easter Flowers – If you would like to make a flower offering at Easter for the altar in our virtual Easter Mass – in thanksgiving or in memoriam - please make a list and write a check with “Easter Flowers” in the memo line and mail both to the parish office no later than Sunday 5 April.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Virtual Offices and Masses – To access and view the LIVE (and archived) services going forward, please visit the parish Facebook page here. To access accompanying Daily Office and Low Mass readings and resources (as well as archived services), please visit the parish website sermon page here. Concerning Pledges and the Sunday Offering – Dear Members and Friends of Saint Stephen’s: A key worry in this time of physical distancing is that our inability to gather as a church damages our income. A parishioner reached out wondering whether it was safe to send pledge envelopes in the mail. We have heard nothing from the public health authorities about the risks of virus transmission through the mail, so feel free to mail your check to the church. Alternatively, it is quite straightforward to give online by clicking here to visit S. Stephen’s online giving page, where you can use the payment portal week by week or set up a recurring direct deposit program with your bank. We are grateful for your generous response to our appeal for pledges in this transition year. Now the challenge is for us to receive and collect these pledges. We don’t know how long this period of physical distancing will have to last. If you are experiencing financial difficulties which hurt your ability to keep a pledge you made before this crisis of the coronavirus, please do not hesitate to let us know. You may contact Father Mead at 917-592-5947 or email him at andrewcraigmead1@gmail.com. Thank you for your love of S. Stephen’s.
The Annunciation of Our Lord Jesus Christ (March 25th) – a major feast of the church year will be kept virtually this coming Wednesday with Evening Prayer at 5:30 pm, and Low Mass following at 6 pm.
Stations of the Cross – Saint Stephen's Church will virtually offer Stations of the Cross at 6 pm on Fridays in Lent through (and including) April 3. This is a great opportunity to experience this moving devotion anew or indeed for the first time! All are welcome to tune in!
College Ministry – The Episcopal Ministry at Brown and RISD (EMBR) continues its meetings virtually this Sunday, 22 March, at 5:30 pm for Evening Prayer. All are most welcome and invited to participate!
Easter Flowers – If you would like to make a flower offering at Easter for the altar in our virtual Easter Mass – in thanksgiving or in memoriam - please make a list and write a check with “Easter Flowers” in the memo line and mail both to the parish office no later than Sunday 5 April.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
Prayers have been requested for: Virginia, Richard, Beverly, Maxcine, Ethel, Chipper, Donna, Carl, Kade, Sherri, Norman, John, Shannah, Terri, Beth, Lynne, Gus, Harrington, Joan, Robyn, Sandy, John, Dylan, Phebe, Jack, Hunter, Bruce, Richard, Ann, Sandy, Nancy, Antonio, Emma, Olivia, Raphael, Kiersten, Katie, Beverly, Tom, Gail, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Beverly, Empy, Elizabeth, Carlos, Rhoda, William, Crystal, Roger, Christopher, Beth, Sarah, Diana, Ruby, and Lola.
Birthdays this week: Ernest Drew (Sunday 3/22).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Richard A. Mayforth (22 March 1998), Corinne Esther Joslin (23 March 1984), Virginia Marie Disley (24 March 1990), Anthony Verdelotti (25 March 1959), Bette Drayton (26 March 2004), John F. Brazil (26 March 1982), and Dorothy Adams Bellman (27 March 2005).
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui: The Most Rev’d Paul Kwong, Archbishop of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui & Bishop of Hong Kong Island; in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, for clergy widows and widowers of the Diocese.
THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S
PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS
Friday 27 March
Virtual Stations of the Cross 6 pm (Nave)
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Saturday 28 March
Epiphany Soup Kitchen (Meal Pickup Only) 2:30 pm (Great Hall)
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
Sunday 22 March
THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT: Laetare Sunday (Rose)
In-Person Services Cancelled
Virtual Low Mass 10 am
Virtual Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
Daily Mass and Office Lectionary: Week of Lent IV, Year Two
ALL IN-PERSON WEEKDAY SERVICES CANCELLED
Monday 23 March
Monday of Lent IV (LA)
Gregory the Illuminator, Bishop and Missionary of Armenia, c. 332
Virtual Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Virtual Low Mass 6 pm
Tuesday 24 March
Tuesday of Lent IV (LA)
Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, Martyr, 1980
Gabriel, Archangel
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Wednesday 25 March
THE ANNUNCIATION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (W)
Virtual Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Virtual Low Mass 6 pm
Thursday 26 March
Thursday of Lent IV (LA)
Harriet Monsell, Founder of the Community of Saint John the Baptist, Clewer, 1883
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Friday 27 March
Friday of Lent IV (LA)
Charles Henry Brent, Bishop of the Philippines, and of Western New York, 1922
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Virtual Stations of the Cross 6 pm
Saturday 28 March
Saturday of Lent IV (LA)
Virtual Morning Prayer 9:30 am
Virtual Low Mass 10 am
Sunday 29 March
THE FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT (LA)
In-Person Services Cancelled
Virtual Low Mass 10 am
Virtual Evening Prayer w/ EMBR 5:30 pm
NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (29 March)
Fifth Sunday in Lent (Year A)
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Psalm 130
Romans 8:6-11
