Staying Safe and Staying Connected
Good Morning Saint Stephen’s Church,
We continue our life of daily prayer. The Lord be with you!
Today is Good Friday
What Happened This Day?
Jesus endured false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. Eventually he was sentenced to death by crucifixion, one of the most horrible and tortuous methods of capital punishment known at the time.
Before Jesus was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced his head with a crown of thorns. Jesus initially carried his cross alone, but eventually was aided by Simon of Cyrene who was compelled to carry the cross for him to Calvary where, again, Jesus was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the cross. He was crucified with two bandits, one on his right and one on his left.
The evangelists record Jesus saying various things from the cross. At the point of death, his final words were:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Matthew 27:46b; Mark 15:34b
Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. Luke 23:46
It is finished. John 19:30
Later Jesus was taken down from the cross and hastily buried in a new tomb which had been hewn out of the rock. A stone was rolled against the tomb. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.
Friday’s events are recorded in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:42.
Today’s Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, we pray you to set
your passion, cross, and death between your judgment and
our souls, now and in the hour of our death. Give mercy and
grace to the living; pardon and rest to the dead; to your holy
Church peace and concord; and to us sinners everlasting life
and glory; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you
live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
– Book of Common Prayer, p. 282
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, and for those administering the vaccination, 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: Waid, Dan, Hugh, Debby, Irene, Jeanne, Theresa, Josh, Amy, Greg, Craig, Donald, Gerald.
For those who are homebound: Joan, Janet and Marilyn.
For our Government Leaders: Joseph Biden, President of the United States; Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York State; Gary McCarthy, Mayor of Schenectady.
For our Church Leaders: Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop, William Love, and Daniel Herzog, retired bishops; James and Dennie, our priests; Pat, our deacon emeritus and Allison, our Lay Reader.
For those who are imprisoned: those particularly vulnerable at this time, especially the women in the Schenectady County Jail.
For Members who request our prayers for strength and healing: Eunice, Marilyn, Priscilla, Ruth, Cindi, Mary Frances, Debbie, Joe.
For Vicki, Patricia & Joan – today is their baptismal anniversary!
For Paul & Harper – today is their birthday!
For all the blessings of this life.
For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion: The Diocese of Bathurst – The Anglican Church of Australia (New South Wales Province) .
For all who have died: Clark, Sara, William, Emma, Dorothy.
For one another.
Something to share
Were You There?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when the sun refused to shine?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Afro-American Spiritual
News and Updates
Holy Week Schedule
Good Friday – April 2, 2021
Good Friday Liturgy video: https://youtu.be/BOZgmyk2sPQ
Music for Good Friday: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gXzKnkzfG6vwXj29cUaxERPHWbudHWhB6-RdQLYsTjM/edit?usp=sharing
Good Friday PowerPoint: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSvmgIop6eZZstz3kybHRRsLoWJqQFPxfJ6jfL26zXEgfXyBsWF9uYCix5v5-Wl-g/pub?start=true&loop=false&delayms=15000
Stations of the Cross PowerPoint:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQzgbSWcQvTJGvb-EZOYzAroN2NpdQOMxfRgpIV0SzNHArq_Yyz4HZY6MGEtMkE-w/pub?start=true&loop=false&delayms=30000
Good Friday Readings: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zoGZVRNnka8fF36oHx2tktFMXTDSzdLXZFVglhK9Z8A/edit?usp=sharing
National Cathedral Good Friday Noon Liturgy: https://cathedral.org/lent/
Easter Vigil –April 3, 2021
9:00 am Morning Prayer on Zoom
Any time – Lighting of the first fire,
Nine lessons,
Renewal of Baptismal vows
and Hebrew response Slideshow
Any time – Vigil Liturgy Video on YouTube
Easter Day – April 4, 2021
8:00 am Morning Prayer on Zoom
9:00 am Eucharist live on Facebook
Reminder
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 or postponed until further notice.
Our office email is: office@st-stephens.church.
We continue to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html and the NY Department of Public Health https://www.health.ny.gov/ for information, updates, and guidance
Be careful what you read online. There are reports of false information circulating in an attempt to create fear and confusion. It is critical to discern what and how something is said as well as what is not said. And, God forbid, always remember – any online or texted-based solicitation from me for money is A SCAM. Do not reply to such messages. Delete them.
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.