Staying Safe and Staying Connected
Good Morning Saint Stephen’s Church,
We continue our life of daily prayer. The Lord be with you!
Today’s Prayer
Grant, O Lord,
Saint Benedict’s Prayer Book
that none may love you less this day because of me;
that never word or act of mine
may turn one soul from thee;
and, ever daring, yet one more grace would I implore,
that many souls this day,
because of me, may love thee more. Amen.
This prayer book was published by Ampleforth Abbey Press in 1993. Ampleborth Abbey is a Benedictine monastery located in York, England.
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 those affected by the wildfires in the west: for those who are grieving the loss of homes, possessions and loved ones, that their safety and security may be restored.
For comfort and healing for all who are affected by the Coronavirus: 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 all historical acts of injustice and oppression: especially those perpetuated against native, Black, Hispanic and various Asian Americans in this abundant land, that we may recognize racism in ourselves, in our church, in our society, and the times we have failed to take action.
For those on the Parish Prayer Chain: Charles, Joe, Doug, Debbie, Cindi, Doug, Hugh, Debby, Joan, Hank, Joan and Craig.
For those who are homebound: Stephen, Pauline, Joan, Janet and Marilyn.
Our Government Leaders: Donald Trump, President of the United States; Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York State; Gary McCarthy, Mayor of Schenectady
Our Church Leaders: Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop, William Love, and Daniel Herzog our bishops; James and Dennie our priests; Pat our deacon and Allison our Lay Reader
Those who are imprisoned: those particularly vulnerable at this time, especially the women in the Schenectady County Jail.
Members who request our prayers for strength and healing: Sid, Jean, Cindi, Mary Frances, Debbie and Joe.
For Liz & Paul – today is their wedding anniversary!
For all the blessings of this life.
For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion: Panama (Central America), Central Pennsylvania (The Episcopal Church), Kivu (Rwanda)
For all who have died: especially Kathryn, Reuben, Timothy, Dennis, Elsie, Robert, Dorothy and Helen.
For one another.
Something to share
The Eighth Sacrament
Now I have days I never think of you
just as my shrink predicted. Milestones pass,
the eighth month anniversary, the next,
disappearing like thunderheads across the gulf.But your presences, love, center my feet
this morning, running again around the block.
Now you are a monotonousness of grace-
light under my steps, the unseen seen,leading me, winded, back to our own house.
You’re there, you’re here, you are this sacrament
only the grieving know, together with the grieved.Which one of us is writing this? Me? You?
Why, both, of course, inspired by the light
when dawn throws down its crowns, the blinding luminous,shaping the fractured world into unbrokenness—
Peter Cooley
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.
If you need a prayerbook, and are not in a position to purchase one, please contact me: james.ross.mcd@gmail.com. I will make sure you have your own Book of Common Prayer.
Prayerbook Morning Prayer in Zoom – each morning. Join Dennie and me for an inter-active service of Morning Prayer at 9 am. Time to bring your prayer concerns will be provided. (contact me for the link: james.ross.mcd@gmail.com)
Our church campus is closed, except for our Eucharistic Ingathering on Sundays at 9:00 am. Please see our website for further information: https://st-stephens.church/. All other 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!
Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be at your back,
May the sun shine upon your face,
he rains fall soft upon soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
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+