Saint Stephen’s Daily Prayers, Wednesday, November 25, 2020

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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

God our Mother,

Living Water,

River of Mercy,

Source of Life,

in whom we live

and move

and have our being,

who quenches our thirst,

refreshes our weariness,

bathes

and washes

and cleanses

our wounds,

be for us always

a fountain of life,

and for all the world

a river of hope

springing up in the midst

of the deserts of despair.

Honor and blessing,

glory and praise

to You forever.

Amen  

Medical Mission Sisters

The Medical Mission Sisters are a religious congregation of women in the Roman Catholic Church founded in 1925 and dedicated to providing the poor of the world better access to health care. They were formerly officially known as the “Society of the Catholic Medical Missions”.

The congregation grew out of the experiences of Dr. Anna Dengel, a native of Austria. Dr. Dengel had served for several years as a medical missionary to the poor of what was then Northern India and today is the nation of Pakistan. She had experienced firsthand the unnecessary sickness and death of countless Muslim women and children, whose customs kept them cut off from medical care administered by male physicians.

After months of traveling to give talks about the conditions in India, and speaking with many members of the clergy, Dr. Dengel became convinced that only a group of Religious Sisters who had been professionally trained as physicians could reach these women, who were cut off from adequate medical care by cultural and religious traditions. Such a project, however, was contrary to canon law of the time, which prohibited members of religious institutes from practicing medicine.

Nevertheless, she drew up a Constitution for the Community she had in mind and wrote that the members were “to live for God…to dedicate themselves to the service of the sick for the love of God and …to be properly trained according to the knowledge and standards of the time in order to practice medicine in its full scope, to which the Sisters were to dedicate their lives.”

Permission was granted on June 12, 1925. The original members, despite being denied the ability to profess religious vows officially because the Catholic Church had yet to approve Sisters working in the medical field, lived as professed Sisters just the same. Finally, in 1935, after the Medical Mission Sisters had grown, the Catholic Church changed its regulations and approved Sisters’ working in medicine and all of its branches. The Medical Mission Sisters then made their public, canonical vows, and they began to establish communities around the world.

From Our Prayers of the People 

For the special needs and concerns of our congregation. 

We remember people throughout the world: in places of war and strife, especially refugees and all victims of violence and oppression.

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:  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:   Sylvia, Irene, Jeanne, Bridget, Josh, Amy, Edwina and her husband, Donald, Mark, Cheryl, Marissa, Zeta, Paul,  Karen, and Kevin, Ruth, Claudia.

For those who are homebound: Joan, Janet and Marilyn.

Our Government Leaders: Donald Trump, President of the United States; Joseph Biden, President-elect 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 emeritus 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: Budd, Ruth, Jean, Cindi, Mary Frances, Debbie, Joe.

For Doreen & Ralph – today is their wedding anniversary!

For all the blessings of this life.

For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion:  Sapele (Nigeria) The Rt Revd Dr Blessing Erifeta

East Kerala (South India).

For all who have died:  especially Porter, Thomas, Carol, Jane, Rossman, Helbert,  Stephen.

For one another.

Something to share

A “Prayer for Masking”

May I see the holy moment

in the wearing of this cloth –

a sign to the world that I care –

a tangible and visible way of living

love for my neighbours,

as I love myself.

Since my lips will be covered,

may I uncover my heart,

that people would see my smile

in the crinkles around my eyes.

Since my voice may be muffled,

may I speak clearly,

not only with my words,

but with my actions.

As the elastic touches my ears,

may I listen carefully –

may I be full of care –

for all those I meet.

May this simple piece of cloth be

shield and banner,

and each breath that it holds,

be filled with divine love.

By all I hold sacred,

by the love that is intended,

I say these things,

I take this action.

May it be so.

May it be so.

Richard Bott, Moderator of The United Church of Canada

News and Updates

Thanksgiving Eucharist Live stream – tomorrow morning —- Just  visit:  https://www.facebook.com/SaintStephensSchenectady/ before 10am on Thursday the 26th and wait for the live stream to be posted.

If you plan to attend in person tomorrow morning, November 26th at 10:00am, for the celebration of Holy Eucharist, to help you understand what to expect, please watch the video below:

Prayerbook Morning Prayer in Zoom – tomorrow morning and every morning.  Join our parishioners for an inter-active service of Morning Prayer at 9 am. Time to bring your prayer concerns will be provided.  (contact Becky for the link:   becky.holder@gmail.com)

The Stewardship campaign is underway with the mailing of pledge materials, which you should receive last week. Please read these materials carefully and prayerfully reflect on your contribution. If you have not received the mailing, please let us know. We need the participation of all members if we are to sustain our ministries, meet unexpected expenditures and continue to provide support for others in our community. You can mail us your pledge or drop it off at the church.  If possible, we hope you can submit your pledge as an act of Thanksgiving. Thank you.

Double Your Generosity This Holiday Season – Sow seeds of resilience this Christmas season with a donation that doubles! Until 12/31, your tax-deductible donation will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $765,000. Now, you can do even more to spread hope and sow seeds of resilience and lasting change when the world needs it most.

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: james.ross.mcd@gmail.com.

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 Becky for the link:   becky.holder@gmail.com).

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. 

Our church campus is only partially open due to the current pandemic.  Please see our website for further information: https://st-stephens.church/. Most other parish meetings and gatherings are canceled and postponed until further notice on our website.

Our new office email is: office@st-stephens.church.

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.

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