Staying Safe and Staying Connected
Good Morning, Saint Stephen’s Church,
We continue our life of daily prayer. The Lord be with you!
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Today’s Prayer
God bless Love!
If anyone so will, let Love make him free in a different way…
Since you, O Love, can do all with love,
Give me, for the sake of love, the fruition
That delights the loving soul through your highest goodness!…
Love wills all love from noble spirits,
And that they bring their works into conformity with it,
And that they rejoice with memory
And delight in Love with joy.
Praise and honor be to Love,
To her great power, to her rich teaching;
And by her consolation may she heal the pain
Of all who gladly brave Love’s vicissitudes.
– Hadewijch, 1248 from “Love’s Great Power”
Hadewijch was a thirteenth-century Flemish mystic. Scholars identify her with something called “love mysticism,” which was a movement focusing on the emotional experience of love as union with God. Like many notable Christian women writers, Hadewijch was a beguine. Beguines were women who chose to live a monastic lifestyle, but without formal vows and with greater freedom to choose various forms of study and work. There is not much known about Hadewijch life beyond what can be found in the writings that she left behind.
From Our Prayers of the People
For the special needs and concerns of our congregation.
For people throughout the world: in places of war and strife, and for all victims of violence and oppression.
For the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine, that wisdom and courage may prevail in the cause of peace.
For the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and for all who affected by violence and war;
For those who have taken up arms, whether aggressively or defensively, that a spirit of peace may reign in their hearts and in their lands.
For our allies around the world in harm’s way: for those who are still trying to leave Afghanistan and the Ukraine; may God be with them and their families.
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 vaccinations, may God grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience, and may God keep them healthy and safe.
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: Waid, Kenny, Myra, Candace, Daryl, Joan, Charline, Ralph, Mary Ann, Joe, Jeanne, Theresa, Josh, Donald, Judith, David
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; Michael G. Smith and Carol Gallagher, Assisting 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: Mary Ann, David, Janet, Marilyn, Eunice, Ruth, Mary Frances, Vincent, Priscilla, Joe, and all their families.
For Jean – today is her birthday!
For all the blessings of this life.
For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion: The Diocese of Liberia – The Church of the Province of West Africa (West Africa Province).
For all who have died: Melanie Kidder, Harry Wemple, Gwendolyn Robbins, Grant Towne, and Donald Atkinson.
For one another.
Something to share
The Avowal
As swimmers dare
to lie face to the sky
and water bears them,
as hawks rest upon air
and air sustains them,
so would I learn to attain
freefall, and float
into Creator Spirit’s deep embrace,
knowing no effort earns
that all-surrounding grace.
– Denise Levertov
News and Updates
Confirmation – Bp. Michael Smith will hold a regional confirmation service at All Saints’ Cathedral next Saturday, May 14th at 10am. A group of six people from St. Stephen’s will be confirmed and others will attend. All from St. Stephen’s are invited to attend. Come and support our confirmands!
A special Coffee Hour to honor the confirmands will be given on Sunday, May 22nd in Begley Hall after church. All are invited!
Organ Recital – On May 15th at 3pm the nationally known organist and composer, Alfred Fedak and his student, Susan Lohnas, will give an inaugural organ recital at St. Stephen’s. Come, support the music program at our church and hear our organ in its splendor!
A variety of music will be played for the recital. In Daily Prayers every few days a brief description one of those pieces will be featured.
Triptych on “Built on the Rock” Alfred V. Fedak
Al Fedak’s Triptych on “Built on the Rock” consists of three brief and contrasting treatments of the Lutheran hymn tune KIRKEN DEN ER ET GAMMELT HUS. The tune, written by Ludwig Lindeman (1783-1832), was composed for a text by the prolific Norwegian hymnwriter and pastor Nicolai Grundtvig (1812-1887). Its first stanza is:
Built on the Rock the Church shall stand
even when steeples are falling.
Crumbled have spires in every land;
bells still are chiming and calling,
calling the young and old to rest,
but above all the soul distressed,
longing for rest everlasting.
– Translation by Carl Doving (1867-1937)
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 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 Holder 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.
Masks are optional for all gatherings at the church.
Our office email is: office@st-stephens.church.
Our goal is for all of us to stay in touch and connected.
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.