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
Hail, most loving little Jesus, sweetest love, far above all created love!
I greet Thee, and in the desires of all Christendom I embrace Thee.
Hail, most charming little Jesus, noble Child of Nazareth,
full rose of Jericho, blooming flower from Heaven!
Draw our hearts to Thyself and refresh them with Thy sweetness.
Hail, most lovable little Jesus, living Bread of Bethlehem, innocent Lamb of Jerusalem,
newly-born King of Judea! Receive us into the number of Thy chosen servants.
Hail, most beautiful little Jesus, watchful Shepherd of the heavenly sheep,
beloved fellow-Brother of all the children of men, delicate flower planted by the Holy Spirit
in the virgin heart of Mary, bright daybreak rising out of the dark night to the joy of the whole earth!
Drive away from us the darkness of sin.
Glory and praise be to Thee, tender, sweet little Jesus!
From the depths of my heart I pray and adore Thee because for the love of me and of all mankind
Thou wert willing to lie in the manger and to suffer such great poverty and misery.
I thank and adore Thy tender limbs and Thy tender hands and feet, and I praise the inexpressible love
which didst draw Thou forth from the bosom of the Heavenly Father, down to a poor and miserable stable.
Glory and praise be to Thee, noble little Jesus! I greet and praise Thee with the same fervent love
with which Thy mother loved and praised Thee so intensely.
Glory and praise be to Thee, most beloved little Jesus, sweet delight of eternal bliss
I greet and praise Thee with the same love which madst Thou leave Heaven and become a poor Child.
Glory and praise be to Thee, most precious little Jesus, joy and honor of Thy Heavenly Father!
I thank Thee through Thine Own sweet Heart which Thou hast revealed to the whole world through Thy birth.
I greet Thee over and over again, most beautiful little Jesus, sweetest delight of the Father’s Heart,
refreshment of sick souls. I offer to Thee my own heart for Thine eternal glory and service…
Gertrude the Great, 1302 “Greetings to the Christ Jesus”
Today is the eleventh day of Christmas. Merry Christmas; Keep feasting!
Gertrude the Great lived from 1256 through 1302, in what is now modern-day Germany. At age 4, she entered a monastery school and later became part of the monastic community. At age 25, she began having mystical experiences which are preserved in some of her surviving writings, such as The Herald of Divine Love. Themes in her writing include nuptial mysticism – mysticism that is focused on seeing one’s self as a bride of Christ – and commitment to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
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: Mary Frances, Jim, Eunice, Jane and Bruce, John, Audrey, Cheryl, Marissa, Melanie, Kathy, Joe, Debbie T, Donald, Nick, Roberta, Beth.
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: Tom, Ruth, Cindi, Mary Frances, Debbie, Joe.
For all the blessings of this life.
For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion: The Diocese of Abakaliki – The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) (Enugu Province).
For all who have died: Dawn Schlansker, Betty McCullough.
For one another.
Something to share
C:AD
This was the moment when Before
Turned into After, and the future’s
Uninvented timekeepers presented arms.
This was the moment when nothing
Happened. Only dull peace
Sprawled boringly over the earth.
This was the moment when even energetic Romans
Could find nothing better to do
Than counting heads in remote provinces.
And this was the moment
When a few farm workers and three
Members of an obscure Persian sect
Walked haphazard by starlight straight
Into the kingdom of heaven.
U.A. Fanthorpe
News and Updates
Fight Hunger Bag – SiCM has been selected to be a part of the Hannaford Helps Reusable Bag Program, which is designed to make it easy for customers to contribute to their local community. For the month of January, each time a $2.50 reusable Fight Hunger Bag is purchased at the Hannaford located at 5239 Western Turnpike in Guilderland, $1 will be donated to SiCM. The Fight Hunger Bags are located on displays around the store and at the checkout. For more information about the program, please visit hannaford.bags4mycause.com.
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 parish meetings and gatherings are canceled and postponed until further notice.
Our 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.