fàa fàxñ{xçëá V{âÜv{... where God s Table has a place for you. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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1 fàa fàxñ{xçëá V{âÜv{... where God s Table has a place for you. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 Sunday Worship Schedule September May 8 a.m. Quiet Eucharist 10 a.m. Festive Eucharist with music Inside this issue: Parish News 2-3 Upcoming Events 4-5 Thoughts from the Rector GOD S LOVE STORY CONTINUES... THROUGH OUR STORIES We are approaching a time in the liturgical calendar that finds its meaning in holy and mysterious events. What do Stewardship, Pilgrims and Native Americans sharing meals and a manger in distant Palestine have in common? The answer is found in God s Love Story in God s longing to bless us and use us to bless others and transform the world. Divine love bursts into the Story when primal elements collide and the universe is born. This Story has many chapters covering billions of years with long-ago beauty that we can witness in images caught by the Hubbell telescope. Our planet, birthed by divine love and populated with life forms, would one day welcome human beings who carry God s very image into the Story. Genesis calls this creation (and us) very good! Many chapters of struggle, discovery, exile and new beginnings follow. When Jesus is born among us, GOOD NEWS wakes us up to the glorious truth that life triumphs over death and light defeats darkness. As we journey to the manger, let us prepare to be astounded anew by love divine, all loves excelling born to set us free. You and I occupy a special chapter in this panoramic Story. God is calling us to claim the Story for our time and for this moment. It is in Thanks-giving and thankful-living that we must continue to TELL OUR STORY. We are all responsible today for St. Stephen s next chapter in God s Story of Love. Our broken world needs this Story. Our November Season of Stewardship will focus our attention on the GOOD NEWS of God s love here, in our midst, in each of our lives. Guided by thanks-giving and committed to the discipleship of thankful-living, our gifts of treasure, talent and time will assure that our Parish Home continues its loving mission into the next generation. Our Ingathering Pledge Sunday on November 20 th at 10am will culminate in a celebration brunch. Come and be energized by joy your family depends on your faithful support. With tidings of comfort and joy, Linda+ Merry Christmas! Christmas Eve 5:00pm Christmas Day 10:00am Come & welcome the Holy Infant! Contact Info Back

2 Page 2 PARISH NEWS The Epistle NOVEMBER EVENTS and CELEBRATIONS Diocese of Pennsylvania Convention at the Philadelphia Cathedral Nov. 4 th at 6:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist and Seating of the New Bishop Nov. 5 th from 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Convention business meeting. STEWARDSHIP: A Season of GIving Nov. 6th 8 & 10 a.m. ALL SAINTS DAY EUCHARIST Our Stewardship Season begins with remembering our loved ones. Please inform the office of those you wish to remember. Surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses Let us fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12) Nov. 13th 8 & 10 a.m. Stewardship Season Continues Celebration of Veterans Day and Harvest Sunday Nov. 20th 10 a.m. (one service) STEWARDSHIP INGATHERING AND FESTIVE BRUNCH Join your parish family for Brunch after the service. Let us share our many blessings and renew our commitment. O God our help in ages past Our hope for years to come! (Hymn 680) A Prayer of Self-Dedication Blessed Lord and Savior, you teach us that your love if free, your compassion is unconditional and your mercy is infinite. You have showered upon us blessings more numerous than we can count. You call us to live each day in thankfulness. In this season of giving we recommit ourselves to you, to others and to our beloved St. Stephen s family. Show us how to respond more fully and in new ways to the needs we see. Show us how to open ourselves to your Spirit working within us to make us agents of Good News. Thank you, Jesus, for calling us again, today, to Follow You. Amen. SHARED THANKSGIVING EUCHARIST: Wed. Nov. 23 rd at 7 p.m. St. Stephen s is hosting a regional Thanksgiving Service Offering: Items for the Food Bank are appreciated Please join God s people from area Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian churches

3 St. Stephen s...where God s Table has a place for you. Page 3 ADVENT and CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS BAZAAR Saturday, Dec. 3rd 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., parish hall Our Craft Group has been busy all year making delightful Christmas items. We will also have bake/cookie tables and select outside vendors. Lunch for sale from 11 a.m. 2 p.m. O Come all ye faithful! CHRISTMAS WORSHIP Christmas Eve Eucharist, Dec. 24th at 5:00PM Christmas Day Eucharist, Dec. 25th at 10:00AM ADVENT DINNER Sunday, Dec. 4th at 5 p.m., parish hall Ham will be provided; please bring side dishes and/or desserts to share. CRAFT GROUP Tuesdays 10 a.m. til 3 p.m. Parish Hall, Bring Lunch Christmas Poinsettia Memorials For those who wish to remember their loved ones at Christmas, envelopes will be in the Narthex starting November 27th and must be returned to the office by December 11th. The cost is $20.

4 Page 4 PARISH NEWS The Epistle Oct. 2nd St. francis of assisi Blessing of the animals Creative Season Sundays embraced animals, nature, and a reminder of Earth s beauty. All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all. (Hymn 405) MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Fri/Sat Nov 4th/5th Annual Diocesan Convention Sun Nov 6th All Saints Sunday and Remembrance of Loved Ones Sun Nov 13th Veterans Day Remembrance and Celebration of Holy Baptism Sun Nov 20th Ingathering of Pledges and Festive Brunch, one service at 10 a.m. Wed Nov 23rd Thanksgiving Eve Service 7 p.m. Join our area churches. Mon-Wed Nov 28th-30th Diocesan Clergy Retreat Sat Dec 3rd Christmas Bazaar, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Parish Hall Sun Dec 4th Advent Dinner, 5 p.m., Parish Hall Sat Dec 24th Christmas Eve service 5:00 p.m. Sun Dec 25th Christmas Day Service 10 a.m. Coming in 2017: January (date to be announced) Annual Meeting February 5 Visitation from Bishop Rodney Michel, one service at 10 a.m.

5 St. Stephen s...where God s Table has a place for you. Community Dinners The Joy of Fellowship September Dinner Italian Night October Dinner Pork & Sauerkraut Page 5

6 VESTRY REFLECTION This Summer I Became a Mother By: Heather Jo Wingate It happened in a very nontraditional way. My husband, Tiago, and I became foster parents to a sweet newborn whom we fell in love with immediately. Most couples don't dream of becoming parents in this exact way, and the same was true for us. Our journey to parenthood was long, complicated, and many times heartbreaking. There were times I thought I would never be a mom. There were even times I wondered if God had forgotten me. But of course he had not! There were other plans for me, and as flawed as the journey seemed, it was beautiful and perfect. Our sweet foster baby has since been reunited with biological family (as such is the usually the goal in the foster care system) but I was blessed to enjoy many months with a child that not only fulfilled my dream of being a mommy, but showed me how truly good God is in all the "nontraditional" ways. GREAT NEWS: SPIRITUAL CARE FOR OUR MILITARY Armed Forces Bishop Elected The Rev. Carl Wright, rector of St. Andrew s Church, Pasadena, Md., was elected suffragan bishop for armed services and federal ministries on the second ballot on Sept. 20 during the fall meeting of the House of Bishops. Lt. Col. Wright, 57, has served as deputy command chaplain for the Air Force Global Strike Command, at Barksdale AFB, La. The strike command provides combat-ready forces to conduct strategic nucleardeterrence and global-strike operations. Wright enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in He was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Maryland Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. In 1993, Wright was commissioned as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force and holds a master of divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va., and a master of sacred theology degree from the School of Theology, University of the South, in Sewanee, Tenn. He is an associate member of the Order of the Holy Cross. Wright will be ordained and consecrated on Feb. 11. His office will be based in Washington, D.C. -Excerpt from Episcopal Church Public Affairs Office

7 DIRECTORY UPDATES Please welcome! Kevin & Rosita Wright 119 Shisler Avenue Aldan, PA Rosita (cell) Kevin (cell) Please keep in your prayers those on our Standing Prayer List in the Bulletin. NEWSLETTER PUBLISHING SCHEDULE Have news you d like to share? Please provide a copy to Bonnie Prendiville via to blp722@aol.com or by leaving it in her mailbox in the office. The next edition will cover Jan/Feb so articles will be due Dec 15th. Please note that some editing may be required for formatting and space reasons. FOOD PANTRY HOURS Sundays 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m Wednesdays 10:30 11:30 a.m. St. Stephen s Vestry TERM EXPIRES IN 2017 TERM EXPIRES IN 2018 TERM EXPIRES IN 2019 John Bartholomeo Debbie Werts Ginny Thompson Heather Wingate Barbara Stump Joan Durbano Connie Wright Bonnie Prendiville Dave Hash Rector: The Rev. Linda Kerr Rector s Warden: Debbie Werts Accounting Warden: John Bartholomeo Vestry Secretary: Bonnie Prendiville Treasurer: Frank Prendiville NEXT VESTRY MEETINGS: Wednesday, November 7 p.m., Lounge Wednesday, December 7 p.m., Lounge

8 St. Ste phe n s Episcopal C hurch 199 W. Baltimore Avenue Clifton Heights, PA Phone: E: ststephensclifton@verizon.net Rector: revlkerr@comcast.net We re on the web! Like us on Facebook at Episcopal-Church/ St. Stephen s Preschool Located in Parish Hall, the building adjacent to the church building. Phone: Like us on Facebook at Our Mission Statement St. Stephen s is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. We are a loving church family which encourages regular ministry and parish activities beyond Sunday worship. We share our time, talent, and treasure with others in need. We will continue our work to bring God s message more fully to our community through increased outreach and evangelism.