PARISH NOTES
Sunday 14 June 2020
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| The Defenders of the Eucharist (17th century) by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). Oil on canvas. John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL. |
THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a
Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
John 6:51-58
THIS SUNDAY’S MUSIC
Herbert Howells (1892 – 1983)—Two slow airs: 1. Rather slow with gentle feelingImprovisation on “Lauda Sion Salvatorem”
Herbert Murrill (1909 – 1952)—Carillon
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.
A WORD FROM FATHER LOCKE
This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi, giving thanks for the gift of the Holy Eucharist and the Real Presence of Our Lord in the sacrament. The feast came into the Church in the 13th century as a way to more joyfully celebrate this gift apart from the solemnity of Maundy Thursday in Holy Week.
In our Gospel reading Jesus says he is “the living bread which came down from heaven”, and then shocks his listeners by telling them they must eat his flesh and drink his blood. Doing so is to abide - or as Paul says, participate - in Jesus. We are united with Christ, and with one another, as we take his very presence into our lives.
The current pandemic with its worship restrictions makes this a difficult, almost painful celebration this year. The prayer for spiritual communion in the Kalendar for this Sunday’s Mass reminds us that we can be joined to Christ through the offering of the Eucharist, even if we are not able to physically receive the Sacrament.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Virtual Offices and Masses – To access and view the LIVE (and archived) services, please visit the parish Facebook page here (you do not need a FB account to tune in). To access accompanying Daily Office and Low Mass readings and resources (as well as archived services), please visit the parish website sermon page here.
Virtual Coffee Hour – Please join us for our Virtual Sunday Coffee Hour tomorrow, 14 June, at 11:30 am. To attend, please click here. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact Junior Warden Alison Huff via call or text at 401-465-8029 or email (alisonhuff12@gmail.com), or Jacob Ihnen via call or text at 712-348-5848 or email (jacob_ihnen@alumni.brown.edu). Thank you!
A Note About Easing Restrictions – While the Governor has issued permission for reopening churches to the public, we are intentionally going slowly for safety’s sake, following Bishop Knisely’s counsel. The participants you see at our online Masses may if they wish receive Holy Communion with the Priest/Celebrant. For the time being, we are limiting total in-person participants to five. Then we shall see about enlarging these numbers as we learn the various protocols for avoiding COVID-19 infections.
Monthly Commemoration of the Departed – whose year’s mind falls during June will be offered virtually this coming Saturday, 20 June, 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 Nancy Gingrich know. This Mass is sponsored by the Guild of All Souls, St. Stephen Protomartyr Branch: all are welcome and invited to attend!
Recurring Email Scam – It has been brought to our attention that a common scam has returned where an email sent from someone claiming to be our priest asks for a favor. Please do not respond to this email if you receive it. For more information on this scam and how to report it, please see this article from the Federal Trade Commission.
Concerning Pledges and the Sunday Offering – A key worry in this time of physical distancing is that our inability to gather as a church damages our income. 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. Thank you for your love of S. Stephen’s.
Prayers have been requested for: Virginia, Richard, Beverly, Patti, Eli, Terry, Ethel, Chipper, Donna, Carl, Kade, Sherri, Charles, Lola, Ruby, Norman, John, Diana, Sarah, Shannah, Lynne, Gus, Harrington, Joan, Robyn, Sandy, John, Dylan, Phebe, Jack, Hunter, Bruce, Richard, Ann, Beth, Sandy, Nancy, Antonio, Emma, Olivia, Raphael, Kiersten, Katie, Beverly, Tom, Gail, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Susan, Beverly, Empy, Carlos, Rhoda, William, Crystal, Roger, Louis, and Christopher.
Birthdays this week: Charles Andrews (Sunday 6/14), DeOnte Latimer (Sunday 6/14), Andrew Campbell (Friday 6/19), and Modu Johnson (Saturday 6/20).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Palmer Congdon (14 June 1989), Agnes McCoy (16 June 1984), J. Carter Brown (17 June 2002), Rafaello Fasano (17 June 1944), and John P. Ladds (18 June 2018). Recently Departed: Maxine Faith (Troyer) Bontrager (6/7/2020).
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for the Church of the Province of Myanmar (Burma): The Most Rev’d Stephen Than Myint Oo, Archbishop of Myanmar and Bishop of Yangon; in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, for all retired clergy of our Diocese.
PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS
Saturday 20 June
Guild of All Souls 10 am
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Saturday 20 June
Epiphany Soup Kitchen (Meal Pickup Only) 2:30-4:30 pm
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
* ALL IN-PERSON SUNDAY AND WEEKDAY SERVICES LIMITED TO 5 PEOPLE TOTAL
* ALL SERVICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS
Sunday 14 June
CORPUS CHRISTI (W)
Virtual Low Mass 10 am
Daily Office and Mass Lectionary: Proper 6, Year Two
Monday 15 June
FERIA (G)
Evelyn Underhill, Spiritual Writer, 1941
Virtual Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Virtual Low Mass 6 pm
Tuesday 16 June
FERIA (G)
Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, 1752
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Wednesday 17 June
FERIA (G)
Virtual Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Virtual Low Mass 6 pm
Thursday 18 June
FERIA (G)
Bernard Mizeki, Catechist and Martyr in Rhodesia, 1896
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Friday 19 June
FERIA (G)
Gervase and Protase (Gervasius and Protasius), Martyrs at Milan, 2nd cent.
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Saturday 20 June
FERIA
Virtual Morning Prayer 9:30 am
Virtual Low Requiem Mass 10 am (Black)
Sunday 21 June
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (G)
Virtual Low Mass 10 am
NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (21 June)
Third Sunday after Pentecost (Year A)
Jeremiah 20:7-13
Psalm 69:7-19
Romans 6:1b-11
A Note About Easing Restrictions – While the Governor has issued permission for reopening churches to the public, we are intentionally going slowly for safety’s sake, following Bishop Knisely’s counsel. The participants you see at our online Masses may if they wish receive Holy Communion with the Priest/Celebrant. For the time being, we are limiting total in-person participants to five. Then we shall see about enlarging these numbers as we learn the various protocols for avoiding COVID-19 infections.
Monthly Commemoration of the Departed – whose year’s mind falls during June will be offered virtually this coming Saturday, 20 June, 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 Nancy Gingrich know. This Mass is sponsored by the Guild of All Souls, St. Stephen Protomartyr Branch: all are welcome and invited to attend!
Recurring Email Scam – It has been brought to our attention that a common scam has returned where an email sent from someone claiming to be our priest asks for a favor. Please do not respond to this email if you receive it. For more information on this scam and how to report it, please see this article from the Federal Trade Commission.
Concerning Pledges and the Sunday Offering – A key worry in this time of physical distancing is that our inability to gather as a church damages our income. 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. Thank you for your love of S. Stephen’s.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
Prayers have been requested for: Virginia, Richard, Beverly, Patti, Eli, Terry, Ethel, Chipper, Donna, Carl, Kade, Sherri, Charles, Lola, Ruby, Norman, John, Diana, Sarah, Shannah, Lynne, Gus, Harrington, Joan, Robyn, Sandy, John, Dylan, Phebe, Jack, Hunter, Bruce, Richard, Ann, Beth, Sandy, Nancy, Antonio, Emma, Olivia, Raphael, Kiersten, Katie, Beverly, Tom, Gail, Deborah, Bryan, Angela, Bobby, Susan, Beverly, Empy, Carlos, Rhoda, William, Crystal, Roger, Louis, and Christopher.
Birthdays this week: Charles Andrews (Sunday 6/14), DeOnte Latimer (Sunday 6/14), Andrew Campbell (Friday 6/19), and Modu Johnson (Saturday 6/20).
The faithful departed: Year’s Mind: Palmer Congdon (14 June 1989), Agnes McCoy (16 June 1984), J. Carter Brown (17 June 2002), Rafaello Fasano (17 June 1944), and John P. Ladds (18 June 2018). Recently Departed: Maxine Faith (Troyer) Bontrager (6/7/2020).
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer – In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for the Church of the Province of Myanmar (Burma): The Most Rev’d Stephen Than Myint Oo, Archbishop of Myanmar and Bishop of Yangon; in the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, for all retired clergy of our Diocese.
THIS WEEK AT S. STEPHEN’S
PARISH PROGRAMS, EVENTS & MEETINGS
Saturday 20 June
Guild of All Souls 10 am
EXTRA-PAROCHIAL EVENTS HOSTED AT S. STEPHEN’S
Saturday 20 June
Epiphany Soup Kitchen (Meal Pickup Only) 2:30-4:30 pm
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
* ALL IN-PERSON SUNDAY AND WEEKDAY SERVICES LIMITED TO 5 PEOPLE TOTAL
* ALL SERVICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS
Sunday 14 June
CORPUS CHRISTI (W)
Virtual Low Mass 10 am
Daily Office and Mass Lectionary: Proper 6, Year Two
Monday 15 June
FERIA (G)
Evelyn Underhill, Spiritual Writer, 1941
Virtual Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Virtual Low Mass 6 pm
Tuesday 16 June
FERIA (G)
Joseph Butler, Bishop of Durham, 1752
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Wednesday 17 June
FERIA (G)
Virtual Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Virtual Low Mass 6 pm
Thursday 18 June
FERIA (G)
Bernard Mizeki, Catechist and Martyr in Rhodesia, 1896
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Friday 19 June
FERIA (G)
Gervase and Protase (Gervasius and Protasius), Martyrs at Milan, 2nd cent.
Virtual Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Virtual Low Mass 12:10 pm
Saturday 20 June
FERIA
Virtual Morning Prayer 9:30 am
Virtual Low Requiem Mass 10 am (Black)
Sunday 21 June
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST (G)
Virtual Low Mass 10 am
NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS (21 June)
Third Sunday after Pentecost (Year A)
Jeremiah 20:7-13
Psalm 69:7-19
Romans 6:1b-11
