Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Saint Stephen’s Weekly Prayers for the week of February 5, 2023

Good Morning, Saint Stephen’s Church,

Intercessions this Week

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: The Anglican Church of Papua

New Guinea

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, Marilyn Causey, Eunice Chouffi, Mary Frances Hatfield, Vincent Avila, June Russell, Bill Frank, Chris Holder, Sal Belardo, Samantha Humphrey & the Humphrey Family, and Joe White

Those who celebrate birthdays this week: Pat Jones

Those who celebrate anniversaries this week: Allison & Paul de Kanel; Keith & Christine Nelson

Those who have died: Helen Morris, Edna Philips, Alice Hurst

This week’s Lessons and Prayers

5 Epiphany

The Collect and Scripture Readings for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Year A

COLLECT

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

FIRST LESSON

Isaiah 58:1-9a

Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.

“Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

PSALM 112

¹ Hallelujah!
Happy are they who fear the Lord *
and have great delight in his commandments!

² Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *
the generation of the upright will be blessed.

³ Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
and their righteousness will last for ever.

⁴ Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.

⁵ It is good for them to be generous in lending *
and to manage their affairs with justice.

⁶ For they will never be shaken; *
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.

⁷ They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *
their heart is right;
they put their trust in the Lord.

⁸ Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
until they see their desire upon their enemies.

⁹ They have given freely to the poor, *
and their righteousness stands fast for ever;
they will hold up their head with honor.

¹⁰ The wicked will see it and be angry;
they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *
the desires of the wicked will perish.

SECOND LESSON

1 Corinthians 2:1-12

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this;for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” — these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.

GOSPEL

Matthew 5:13-20

Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

News and Updates

Music Today

Prelude Thy Strong Word Behnke

Opening Hymn #381

Sequence Hymn #691

Offertory Anthem Shines the Light Dengler

Closing Hymn #632

Postlude Exultemus Rawsthorne

Current Announcements

Ushers: P. Nelson, R. Stefanski

Lectors: L. Emaelaf

Celebrant: Father Marshall Vang

Celebrant / Officiant Update:

2/12-Mother Sally Heiligman + lector training following the service

2/19-Father Marshall Vang

2/22 @5:30 -Father Marshall Vang- Ash Wednesday

2/26 – Morning Prayer – Allison de Kanel + Street Soldiers lunch making

There will be a short lector training following the service today, and another next week. Please plan on attending one of the two if you will be a lector on the upcoming schedule.

Locking up the Church – We have started scheduling people to lock up the church after Sunday services. If you are interested in being on the list (detailed directions available) please see Erin Cohen. If you are the last person to leave the church, whether or not you’ve locked up, please double check that the door you leave from is shut and locked.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper — Don’t miss the traditional Pancake Supper from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21, in the Parish Hall, marking the last time for festivities before Lent begins on Wednesday. Menu includes pancakes (gluten free available with prior notice to Linda Emaelaf by Sunday, February 12), sausages, and beverages. Price is $7.00 – Adult; $4.00 – ages 5-12; $20.00 for a family. This includes all you can eat! Bring your family, your friends, and your appetite! Volunteers are needed to help set up, cook, serve, and clean up. Sign up sheet in the back of the church. And don’t forget to bring last year’s palms that evening so they can be burned to use for Ash Wednesday’s ashes.

SiCM Pantry requests The Rev. Phil Pantry needs baby food and formula as well as diapers in sizes 4, 5 and 6. Requested personal items are toothbrushes & toothpaste and adult diapers in sizes L, XL and 3XL.

SiCM’s “Souper Bowl Sunday” is February 12! There will be a container in the nave extension for donations to the SiCM pantry.

Please join us in praying for Samantha Humphrey’s safe return and for the Humphrey family during this difficult time.

Bishop Search News A new Bishop Search Announcement has been posted on our website. To view it here visit: https://albanyepiscopaldiocese.org/episcopaltransition/
For a PDF version of the announcement click here.