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
To the One who numbered my days,
I walk with you and you with me. There is nowhere I can go that you couldn’t find me. There is nothing I could do or leave undone that would separate me from your Spirit. How could I forget when there is so much good to name, so much kindness to remember?
And yet I do. I see myself through the eyes of the world and not through the eyes of Love. Help me shift my mind. Help me renew my mind with your words.
I proclaim that I was formed by you. I know that I am still being formed by you. I am becoming. And until the day that all is perfected, I live in the reality of Heaven on Earth, of the Kingdom of God being established in me.
I live in the truth that I am Wonder, fully made.
Amen.
– Kevin Garcia
Kevin Garcia has authored the book, Bad Theology Kills: Undoing Toxic Beliefs and Reclaiming Your Spiritual Authority. Kevin also creates web content such as a podcast and videos for progressive Christians and provides spiritual directing and life coaching services. He is a graduate of the Practical Theology program of Columbia Theological Seminary. This prayer is inspired by Psalm 139 and was included in a devotional available on the “Our Bible” app, which hosts a variety of devotional content.
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: 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, Marilyn, Eunice, Ruth, Mary Frances, Vincent, Priscilla, Joe, and all their families.
For all the blessings of this life.
For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion: The Missionary Area of Macau – Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui.
For all who have died: Alison Gavin and Charles Wylie
For one another.
Something to share
Here We Are, Aging Together, Just Like We Said We Would
For your birthday, we pretend
prehistoric. I fill our apartment
with inflatable dinosaurs, scaly ice
cream cake, and raw meat.
You have always wanted
a birthday just like this: carbon
dated back
to before humans
decided to chew
all sorts of things. We play pretend
so well you can barely smell the plastic,
or remember anything about outside
and the blood moon that hangs there,
red and wanting
to become
a whole new animal in your eyes.
Time is passing. We can feel the second
hand, gently carving
new trails along our skin.
I recently eroded the landscape
of my body
by choice, and you
drew a fresh map,
topographical and understanding.
My blood was outside
my body and you kept
the carnivores at bay.
This is what we’ve promised
one another, to try and live
and live and live
until the earth caves in.
We have built a home
and the ceiling is so high
everything feels about to echo—
all the things we say
growing older, and quieter, and
drifting further away.
-Kayleb Rae Candrilli
News and Updates
Organ Recital – On Sunday, June 12th at 3pm the nationally known organist and composer, Alfred Fedak and his student, Susan Lohnas, will give an 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.
Prelude & Fugue in f minor Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest musicians and composers in the history of Western music. Well-known as an organ virtuoso, he composed many works for organ such as this prelude and fugue. This particular piece was probably conceived during Bach’s early career as a court musician in Weimar, and was completed and published some years later when he was Thomaskantor in Liepzig.
Hi-Tech Parish Ministry – If you are interested in learning how to live-stream our church services there will be a training after church this morning. Please meet Dan Schuldt directly following the service in the front of the church.
SiCM Summer Meals for Kids – Although we’re still waiting to hear from NYS about the
specifics for the state-sponsored summer meal program, SiCM is planning to serve bagged meals from Wednesday, June 29 through Friday, September 2 at over two dozen sites. Because so few children came to the site at St. Stephen’s last summer, we will not host a site this year. However, we have put in a request to serve meals at the Central Park pavilion the first two weeks of July, needing at least four volunteers each day. Watch for an email with an update and a sign-up sheet.
Lunches for St. Joseph’s Place – Three to four persons meet each month at the SiCM Hub, 837 Albany Street, from 9 to 10 a.m. to make sandwiches and fill lunch bags. If you would like to help even once, contact Richey Woodzell. Thank you to those who have contributed money for this ministry; if you want to contribute, make a check out to St. Stephen’s and mark it “St. Joseph’s lunches.”
Street Soldiers – Please join us after the service this Sunday, June 12, to make bagged lunches and sandwiches for Street Soldiers. We will also be going to Zion Lutheran Church later that afternoon from about 3-5 to help with set up and distribution of food and items. Please see Bethany or email her at office@st-stephens.church if you would like more information or would like to join.
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 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 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.