Saint Stephen’s Weekly Prayers for the week of October 16, 2022
Good Morning, Saint Stephen’s Church,
From Our Prayers of the People
Anglican Cycle of Prayer: Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central
de America
Our Leaders: Joseph Biden, President of the United States; Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State; Gary McCarthy, Mayor of Schenectady
Our Church Leaders: Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop; Michael G. Smith and Carol Gallagher, Assisting Bishops; and Allison de Kanel, our lay reader
Those who are in need of strength and healing: Mary Ann Harrington, David Humphrey, Marilyn Causey, Eunice Chouffi, Mary Frances Hatfield, Vincent Avila, Priscilla Sprague, June Russell, Bill Frank, Chris Holder, and Joe White
Those who celebrate baptisms this week: Vera Crates, Joe Palko, Laura Fronk
Those who have died: Walter Fleischmann, Naomi Vanda, Marilyn Riddle, Winifred Corkum
This week’s Lessons
COLLECT
Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
FIRST LESSON
Genesis 32:22-31
The same night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
PSALM 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; *
from where is my help to come?
2 My help comes from the Lord, *
the maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved *
and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.
4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel *
shall neither slumber nor sleep;
5 The Lord himself watches over you; *
the Lord is your shade at your right hand,
6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, *
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; *
it is he who shall keep you safe.
8 The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in, *
from this time forth for evermore.
SECOND LESSON
2 Timothy 3:14-17;4:1-5
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.
GOSPEL
Luke 18:1-8
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
News and Updates
Music Today
Prelude Even Me Bradbury/Haan
Opening Hymn #544
Sequence Hymn LEV #178
The Offertory Anthem Psalm 121 Sorenson
Closing Hymn #530
Postlude Prelude & Fugue Bach
Current Announcements
Lectors: Linda Emaelaf, Chris Jones
Celebrant / Officiant Update:
10/23- Mother Sally Heiligman
10/30- Allison de Kanel -Morning Prayer Service
11/6- Father Marshall Vang
11/13- Mother Sally Heiligman
11/20-Father Marshall Vang
11/24-Thanksgiving service-Father Marshall Vang
11/27- Mother Sally Heiligman
Today we welcome Father Marshall Vang as our celebrant.
Save the date – Please join us after the 9:30 service on October 30 for a family / parish fun Halloween Coffee Hour with pumpkin decorating and halloween crafts and activities. All are welcome to come. We will have donuts, cider, pumpkins and decorating supplies. If you’d like to carve your pumpkin, please bring necessary tools to do so. Costumes welcome (at church and coffee hour!) Questions – contact Bethany Schuldt.
November 6! Save the date! Save your change! Time Change Day is November 6; we are using our Change Day Funds (remember it’s not just coins – a few $5s is change for a ten, two of them changes a twenty…) to support the local service of “Things of my Very Own” which provides help and care to our community’s abused kids. They recently had their facilities ruined by a flood. The money would help rebuild their place.
Vestry Update – Dan Schuldt has been approved as our new Senior Warden and Erin Cohen has been approved as Junior Warden for the remainder of this year.
Committee Chairs – A new committee chair, Susie Olsen, has been found for the rector search committee. As a reminder, other committee chairs include: Transition: Budd Mazurek; Service / Outreach: Richie Woodzell; Worship: Allison de Kanel; Education: Bethany Schuldt; Pastoral Care: Carole Merrill-Mazurek; Fellowship: Carole Merrill – Mazurek & Linda Emaelaf; Health and Safety: Doreen May; Finance: in need of a chair; Building & Grounds: in need of a chair; Personnel: Linda Emaelaf; Nominating Committee: Erin Cohen; Communications: Dan Schuldt; First Friends; Bethany Schuldt & Erin Cohen. Please reach out to any of the committee chairs with questions or concerns in those areas. Thank you!
The Vestry Minutes can now be found in the secure area of our website. Visit https://st-stephens.church/vestry-minutes/ to see what the Vestry has been up to. We will also be posting the minutes on the bulletin board next to Begley Hall.
Coffee Hour – Please consider signing up for coffee hour on the homepage of our website or in the nave extension. Many dates are open for the remainder of fall.
SiCM pantry donations- We are collecting personal care items for the month of October. Donations of spices and 8-oz reusable bottles (with lids) are always welcome.
The minutes before and after worship are reserved for meditation and prayerful reflection accompanied by the organ prelude and postlude. We are delighted that our bonds with each other are renewed and strengthened when we come together on Sunday, but we ask that conversation be reserved for spaces outside the Church before and after the Eucharist. Thank you.
| All Saint’s Day Flowers We will be celebrating All Saints Sunday on November 6, 2022. If you would like to contribute to the altar flowers for that day’s service please return this slip by Sunday, October 30. Thank you! In memory of ____________________________________ Given by ________________________________________ Check amount enclosed $__________________ |
Adult Education Opportunities in our area-
| Registration Now Open for the Albany Diocese Daughters of the King Assembly Saturday November 5, 20229:00am – 3:30pmRegistration at 8:30am Christ the King Center, Greenwich, NYGreat Hall & Chapel Registration form: https://files.constantcontact.com/2f974ad1701/78568058-0532-41c5-a1e6-1951df525dc5.pdf Annual Bible Symposium: The Rev. Dr. James Haddix on Isaiah November 5 | 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM Please join us for our Annual Bible Symposium with The Rev. Dr. James Haddix and his presentation, “Seeing & Knowing: Isaiah’s Visions of Sight, Sense, and Sound in Shifting Times.” Tickets must be purchased online by Oct. 29 to include lunch.https://www.cathedralofallsaints.org/events/bible-symposium-2022 |
Reminders
Prayerbook Morning Prayer in Zoom – each morning – contact Becky Holder for the link: becky.holder@gmail.com.
Our office email is: office@st-stephens.church.
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.