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 the twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Collect for the Day
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
The Gospel
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23:
When the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.” For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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 our armed forces around the world in harm’s way: We pray for the 13 U.S. soldiers who were killed near the Kabul airport in their aid to help Americans and Afghans trying to leave the country. May God be with their families in their sacrifice and may their deaths not be in vain.
For comfort and healing for all who are affected by the Coronavirus around the world: 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 as we continue to deal with the Coronavirus variants.
For all historical acts of injustice and oppression: especially those perpetrated 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 recognize the times we have failed to take action.
For a reverence for the earth as God’s own creation: that we may use its resources rightly in the service of others and to God’s honor and glory, and for wisdom, guidance, and persistence as we face the challenges of climate change and work for the flourishing and health of all the earth.
For those on the Parish Prayer Chain: Sharhonna, Chris, Louis, Philip, Rick, Louise, Clara, Robin, Jackie, Waid, Dan, Hugh, Debby, Irene, Jeanne, Theresa, Josh, Amy, Greg, Craig, Donald, Gerald, Molly, Kenny, Sonny.
For those who are homebound: Joan, Janet and Marilyn.
For our Government Leaders: Joseph Biden, President of the United States; Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State; Gary McCarthy, Mayor of Schenectady.
For our Church Leaders: Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop; 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, Vincent, Priscilla, Ruth, Mary Frances, Debbie, Joe.
For all the blessings of this life.
For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion: Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan.
For all who have died: Robert, Norman, and William.
Something to share
Song 9
1 Come kisse me with those lips of thine;
For, better are thy Loves then wine.
And, as the powred Oyntments be,
Such is the savour of thy Name:
And, for the sweetnesse of the same,
The Virgins are in love with thee.
2 Begin but thou to draw me on,
And thn, we after Thee will run.
Oh, King, thy Chambers bring me to:
So, we in thee delight shall finde,
And more then ine thy Love will minde;
And love thee as the Righteous doe.
3 And Daughters of Ierusalem,
I pray you doe not me contemne,
Because that blacke I now appeare.
For, I as lovely am (I know)
As Kedar Tents (appeare in show)
Or Solomon his Curtaines are.
4 Though blacke I am, regard it not:
It is but Sunne-burne I have got;
Whereof my Mothers Sonnes were cause:
Their Vineyard keeper me they made,
(Through envy which to me they had)
So, mine owne Vine neglected was.
5 Thou, whom my soule doth best affect,
O thy pastures me direct,
Where thou at Noone art stretcht along:
For, why should I be stragling spide
Like her that loves to turne aside,
Thy fellow shepheards flockes among
6 Oh fairest of all Woman kinde!
(If him thou know not where to finde)
Goe where the paths of Cattell are:
Their tract of foot-steps stray not from,
Till to the Shepheard Tents thou come,
And feed thy tender Kidlings there.
7 My Love, thou art of greater force,
Then Pharaoh’s troupes of Charet-hore.
Thy cheekes and necke, made lovely be
With rowes of stone, and many a chaine:
And, we gold-borders will ordaine,
Beset with silver studs for thee.
– George Wither, 1588-1667. Songs of the Old Testament., Hymnes, and Songs of the Church.
News and Updates
Our summer Sunday Eucharist begins at 9am. You will need to wear a mask, even if you have been vaccinated!
If you would like to attend the Sunday service from home, just visit: https://www.facebook.com/SaintStephensSchenectady/ at 9am and wait for the live stream to be posted. If there are technical issues with the livestream so that it stops, please try reentering. Do not wait for it to come back on. It may take a few minutes for the livestream to start again, so please be patient. The live video is automatically recorded, so it will be available for viewing later on in the day or week if you can’t be online at 9:00.
Prayers for Haiti and Afghanistan: https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/pressreleases/
Readings: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NEokU0y0Ib52gNIhwFn1gwnnFE9sIMwI/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=109485766909959793279&rtpof=true&sd=true
Sunday’s Bulletin: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IcrwU5rxhnqjZZjp4csAZFaKT5aVmD6d3e8RuWwsSMw/edit?usp=sharing
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 Daily Prayers as best we can: james.ross.mcd@gmail.com.
Prayerbook Morning Prayer in Zoom – each weekday & Saturday morning. Join us 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).
Our church campus is only partially open during the waning of the pandemic. Please see our website for further information: https://st-stephens.church/. Hopefully, most parish meetings and gatherings will resume this fall.
Our office email is: office@st-stephens.church.
Home Communions: If you or someone you know is unable to attend church on either a long or short‑term basis, please contact me (james.ross.mcd@gmail.com) if you would like to have communion brought to you. We will make visits on Sunday after our regular Eucharist at church.
We continue to comply with all of these: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html ; the NY Department of Public Health: https://www.health.ny.gov/ ; the Schenectady County Health Department: https://www.schenectadycounty.com/COVID19; and the Diocese of Albany https://albanyepiscopaldiocese.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cleaning_guidance_houses_of_worship.pdf.
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.
Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be at your back,
May the sun shine upon your face,
the rains fall soft upon soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of God’s 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.