Staying Safe and Staying Connected
Good Morning Saint Stephen’s Church,
Today is Easter Wednesday
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Today’s Prayer
Christ our Passover Pascha nostrum
Book of Common Prayer, p. 83
1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; *
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
Christ has been raised from the dead, *
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.
From Our Prayers of the People
Today, let us pray:
For the just and proper use of your creation; for the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For comfort and healing for all who are affected by the Coronavirus, and for physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the sick and the suffering, may God grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience, and may God keep them healthy and safe.
For all essential workers; for police, firefighters, EMTs, postal workers, sanitation workers, grocery personnel, delivery and transport workers, and all who must report to work because what they do is essential for our well-being, health, and safety.
For those on the Parish Prayer Chain: Leah, Kevin, Wim, Mia, Nick, Joe, Doug.
For those who are homebound: Stephen, Pauline, Joan, Janet and Marilyn.
Those who are imprisoned: those particularly vulnerable at this time, especially the women in the Schenectady County Jail.
For those in need of healing: Mark, the Guiles family, Cindi, Peter, Mary Frances, Debbie, and Joe.
For all the blessings of this life.
For Cynthia L – today is her birthday!
For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion: Missouri (The Episcopal Church) and Western Mexico (Mexico)
For all who have died: especially Irene, David, Frances, George, Howard, Hazel, William, Marjorie, Mary and Fred.
For one another.
Something to share
Over the chaos of the empty waters
Sts. 1-2, A Monastic Breviary, 1976; st. 3, Hymnal 1982
Over the chaos
of the empty waters
hovered the Spirit,
bringing forth creation:
so from the empty tomb
the Second Adam
issued triumphant.
By the same Spirit we,
regenerated
into the body of our risen Savior,
seek through the power
of the new creation
life everlasting.
By the same Spirit
we are called to worship
God our Creator, Savior, Sanctifier,
of whom the glory,
in both earth and heaven,
is manifested.
Resurrection
Resurrection doesn’t come as we expect. Resurrection comes amid tears in locked rooms, to people face-first with death. In our own loss and grief today, we may believe God is with us, that resurrection is true. But we may not feel it. If you are afraid or grieving, you are not alone. That’s how the first Easter was too. Jesus will come to you as you are.
Br. Luke Ditewig, Society of St. John the Evangelist
Easter basket Riordons made for grandparents:
Reminders
If you have an update/news, a prayer or poem or something inspirational you would like us to share with the congregation, please send it to us. Please also send us any prayer requests. We will incorporate these into the Morning Prayers as best we can.
Our church campus is closed. All parish meetings and gatherings are canceled and postponed until further notice.
Our goal is for all of us to stay in touch and connected in this time of isolation.
Share this news, and spread some love, not the virus!
Be of good courage. We are in this together, and we will be together again soon. God bless you and may God be with us in the days ahead.
Peace,
James+