Updated: 5 days ago
Upcoming events
Compline for St. Mark the Evangelist
April 25, in the sanctuary, beginning at 8:45pm
This service for the close of the day is taken from the Book of Common Prayer and will include plainchant from the 1982 Hymnal, a hymn for Compline, an anthem, a Collect for St. Mark the Evangelist, and the Nunc Dimittis. Please join us!
Annual Parish meeting
April 28 at 12:30pm
We will be hearing about the rich variety of experiences of worship, service, and fellowship we have shared over the past year, opportunities to take part in our parish life over the year to come, electing new leadership, and thanking those who have given their time and talent to our church. Read the Nominating Committee's report on its slate of candidates for parish leadership and its recommendations for temporary adjustments to the parish bylaws. We will be sharing biographical information about the candidates for open vestry positions soon as well.
Monthly potluck gatherings
Everyone is welcome! Please bring a dish, drink, or dessert to share.
Upcoming potluck: May 30 at the home of Liz Foster and her family (see the RSVP sheet at the link below for the address)
Future dates:
Willing to host? Email sandraelizabethmoore@gmail.com, or indicate on page 2 of the RSVP form.
Urban Village Redevelopment Updates
May 5 after coffee hour (time when refreshments are served following the 10:30am worship service)
The Urban Village apartments that surround the church are affordable housing, built on land given by St. Stephen's for reparations in the 1970s. Urban Village is now undergoing redevelopment, potentially starting before the end of this year. Since our last update to the parish in December, we have received additional details on plans for the redevelopment. The construction will last 18-24 months and will quadruple the size of Urban Village with mostly market-rate units, affecting the church, our space users, the tenants of Urban Village and the supply of affordable housing in significant ways. The situation with Urban Village compounds the challenges we are already facing with our aging building and finances.
A group of parishioners working on our response to the redevelopment has done some brainstorming on the potential courses of action open to us. Please join us see the redevelopment plans, hear about the impact of the redevelopment on us and Urban Village tenants, and give input on the potential courses of action.
Questions? Talk to a member of the Urban Village group: Elizabeth Finley, Erin Hutson, Sandra Moore, Atiba Pertilla, Priscilla Phelps, and Isaiah Poole.
Noon Forum
This is a time of education and discussion, usually held on the second Sunday of each month. It begins after coffee hour (about 12:15pm).
Upcoming topics:
May 19: The Nicene Creed: Structure & Doctrines (Jim Frazer)
Volunteers are needed to lead upcoming Noon Forums. This could involve, for example, sharing your professional knowledge, facilitating a discussion, or introducing an organization or service opportunity. Some past forums were focused on the diaconate, rites of remembrance of the departed, Nicene Creed translations, the history of the Book of Common Prayer, bishops in the early church, the synoptic Gospels, the non-canonical Gospels, the Gospel reading for the day, and various service organizations. These are just examples; use your imagination, and don't be shy. Contact Jim Frazer if you would be willing to lead a Noon Forum session.
Small Group: Threaders of St. Brigid
Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday evening of the month
In the sanctuary
7 to 8:30pm
Light snacks provided
Bring your knitting, sewing, or other craft project, or come to learn. No experience necessary!
Contact: Jane Bishop
General announcements
Conversations with our new rector
Our new rector, Yoimel Gonzalez Hernandez, is excited to meet you! In his first few months, he will be meeting with groups of parishioners to get to know you, understand what draws you to St. Stephen’s, and your hopes for the future. Some of these groups will be based on common interests or experiences, such as parents of young children, YASSIs, seniors, choir, etc. There will also be general groups of parishioners, so don’t worry if you’re not part of a specific group. If you’re part of multiple groups, feel free to join any or all of the conversations relevant to you.
Interested in participating? Sign up and let us know your general availability. We'll schedule based on times that work for most people: https://bit.ly/SSIRectorChats
Our new rector has been called!
Read about our new rector, Rev. Yoimel Gonzalez Hernandez.
Healing Committee: Reflection and Update, April 2024
From 2022 to 2023, our church engaged in a healing process to work through the pain, confusion, and distrust that resulted from the departure of Father Sam and the decisions that led up to it. Led by the Healing Task Force, the process created space for parishioners to be heard, to release the pain we were carrying, to repair pain we caused others, and agree on how we would create a different future.
We started with grief work in affinity groups, then shared our reflections and experiences together as a whole church. From these discussions, we identified three major areas to work on: how we make decisions, transparency and accountability, and envisioning a different future (e.g., a community of justice and care). We imagined what a new church could look like, with visioning sessions after the morning and the Misa services. From these sessions, the Healing Task Force drafted a set of community principles, which the congregation workshopped in coffee hours and a discussion after the Misa Alegria. The process closed with a healing service, including an apology letter read by former leaders to the congregation, and a liturgy of reconciliation. The vestry has formally adopted the community principles. Read more about the process and what we learned.
We have come through a lot, and we are experiencing seeds of new life - in the joyful news of our new rector, in the faces of newcomers, and in practicing new ways of being. With care and tending, these seeds can flourish into the multicultural community of justice and care that we envisioned.
At the annual meeting on April 28, we’ll reflect on where we are seeing new blooms, where we could still use some weeding and pruning, and how we can ensure we continue to grow into the church we want to be.
As a next step, we are putting together a team to help the church deepen our relationships and care for each other, disagree with love and respect, prevent and defuse conflicts, communicate clearly and kindly, and support one another in living into the principles. These skills are not just for church life, but are important in all aspects of our common life. Join us to build them for yourself and for St. Stephen’s. Contact Sandra Moore.
Children's Christian Education
Children can join one of our programs, sit with their parents, or roam the floor when they come to worship with their families. Child care is provided for infants and toddlers during the service in the first room off the left aisle (before the fire doors). Godly Play for 3- to 9-year-olds is in the Godly Play Room off the Auditorium (follow the left aisle through the fire doors all the way back). The kids leave the service before the readings and return for the offertory. Sunday School for 4th to 8th graders is in the corner room just off the Godly Play Room.
Supply clergy and pastoral care
Until our new rector begins in April, our worship services will be conducted by supply clergy. These visiting priests will preach and preside at communion during our Sunday worship services.
For pastoral care during this time, please do not contact these supply priests as their duties and responsibilities at St. Stephen’s are limited. For pastoral care needs or to discuss scheduling sacramental events such as a wedding, please contact Jane Bishop or 202-297-8627 (call or text).
Loaves and Fishes donations needed!
Loaves and Fishes needs your help! This program of our parish continues to serve meals on all weekends and federal holidays to many people who need them; food costs are also going up. You can donate by visiting our online donation page on Realm and selecting "Loaves and Fishes" from the drop-down menu or by writing a check to St. Stephen's and noting Loaves and Fishes on the memo line.
Loaves and Fishes volunteer opportunity
Our Loaves and Fishes program serves a prepared meal every Saturday, Sunday and federal holiday year-round. Many people in need come for food. If you are interested in volunteering with Loaves and Fishes, simply text Denize at 240-855-5874
Coffee hour
Join us after the 10:30am service for coffee/tea, light snacks, and fellowship. Please sign up to volunteer to bring snacks and help with set-up/ clean-up for our weekly coffee hour. Thank you for making this time possible!
A Gentle Reminder
Please keep your pledge up to date. Just like your household, the church has regularly monthly expenses we must meet, so your help in making regular pledge payments insures we can meet them. Thank you for your commitment and faithfulness to our community.
Updated: 6 days ago
The Nominating Committee is pleased to report its recommendations for Vestry nominations to be voted upon at the St. Stephen and the Incarnation parish's annual meeting to be held on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
1. The Committee recommends the following candidates for nomination:
Co-Senior Wardens: Atiba Pertilla and Jane Bishop
Junior Warden: Elaine Alston
Clerk: Carlos Rios
Vestry Members (three seats): full 3-year term ending 2027:
Liz Foster
Sandy Ovalle
Claudia Pabo
Vestry Members (two open seats): 2-year remaining term ending 2026:
Erin Hutson
Adan Luna
Vestry Members (two open seats): 1-year remaining term ending 2025:
Delmis Benavidez
Tony Lara
John Linn
Stephen Padre
Diocesan Convention: 2-year remaining terms ending 2026 (Delegate and Alternate):
Delegate: Ryan Knight
Alternate: Floor nomination.
We note that we have had more volunteers this year than there are seats available—which is wonderful, but it makes things more complicated than last year. We have therefore recommended four nominees for the two open Vestry seats with 1-year remaining terms. Parishioners are encouraged to allocate their two votes for these two seats in a way that will help to maintain our custom of balanced representation on the Vestry. (See Recommendation 3 below for details on the voting procedure.)
We have also proposed deferring the election of an additional Delegate and Alternate with full 3-year terms until the 2025 Annual Meeting (allowing the Vestry to make interim appointments later in 2024 for the January 2025 Diocesan Convention only). (See Recommendation 4 below.)
2. The Committee also recommends that the Annual Meeting suspend the Bylaws in order to allow two Co-Senior Wardens to be elected and serve until the 2025 Annual Meeting.
The Bylaws currently provide for only one Senior Warden, so this action is needed to let us elect two Co-Senior Wardens in accordance with our recent practice.
3. The Committee recommends that the Annual Meeting suspend the Bylaws to allow a separate election for each class of Vestry seat (i.e., those expiring in 2027, 2026, and 2025).
The Bylaws currently provide for a single vote for all open Vestry member seats, with the nominees receiving the most votes being assigned to the seats with the longest terms. Especially this year, when we have a total of seven Vestry member seats to fill, this voting procedure would make it difficult to achieve balanced representation on the Vestry, or to ensure that some nominees are not elected to terms longer than they have agreed to serve. Having separate class votes will allow one election for the three Vestry member seats with terms expiring in 2027, a second election for the two vacant seats with terms expiring in 2026, and a third election for the two vacant seats with terms expiring in 2025. (If a class has as many open seats as nominees, and there are no nominations from the floor, then the nominees for the seats in that class may be elected by acclamation, as we have sometimes done in the past.)
The voting procedure in the Bylaws, which under this recommendation would apply separately to the election of each class of Vestry member seats, provides that a candidate who receives a majority of votes is elected to an open seat. If no candidate receives a majority for one or more of the open seats then a second, or if necessary a third vote is taken among the top candidates (including up to twice as many candidates as the number of open seats); but on a third vote the candidates with the most votes are elected even without receiving a majority.
4. The Committee recommends that the Annual Meeting suspend the Bylaws to defer until the next Annual Meeting the election of a Diocesan Convention Delegate and Alternate with 3-year terms expiring in 2027 (allowing the Vestry to fill them by interim appointments).
The Parish is allowed to send (voting) Delegates and (usually nonvoting) Alternates to the Diocesan Convention held in January each year. The Bylaws provide for these Delegates and Alternates to be elected to 3-year terms "staggered from each other insofar as possible." The Parish did not elect Delegates or Alternates last year, although the Vestry filled a vacant Delegate position temporarily by interim appointment. It was recently realized, however, that we are allowed to send two Delegates and two Alternates to the Convention.
This Annual Meeting will elect a Delegate and an Alternate to 2-year remaining terms expiring in 2026. We have recommended a nominee for Delegate, and encourage nominations for Alternate to be made from the floor. If no Alternate is nominated and elected, however, then the Vestry could fill that position later (likely in October or November) by an interim appointment lasting until the 2025 Annual Meeting.
In view of the Bylaws' intention that terms be staggered, as well as the fact that so many other positions are open this year that we have not found time to recruit broadly for the Diocesan Convention spots, the Committee recommends deferring the election for the other Delegate and Alternate positions until next year. Under this recommendation, the Vestry would seek to fill these positions later by interim appointments lasting until the 2025 Annual Meeting, and that meeting would then vote on nominees to fill both positions to the end of their terms.
Background
The Nominating Committee comprises Jim Frazer, Jesus Lopez, and Laura Popielski.
The Committee was nominated by a Co-Senior Warden and approved by the Vestry on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. Under the Bylaws, the Committee is required to post its list of candidates in a convenient and conspicuous place in the church building and to make other reasonable efforts to promulgate its recommendations at least 30 days before the April 28 Annual Meeting (that is, by Good Friday, March 29). We also plan to gather short biographies from the nominees and to distribute those when available.
The Committee's priorities in developing its slate of nominations were (i) to find qualified and committed officers, (ii) to maintain continuity on the Vestry (both to help support our new Rector and because we have an unusual number of open seats this year), (iii) to find nominees committed to serving their full 3-year or 2-year terms (so that there will be fewer open seats next year), and (iv) as always, to seek balanced representation reflecting the diversity of the Parish. We thank and deeply appreciate the many people who have stepped forward to offer their time and energy to St. Stephens / San Esteban.
Nominations for Vestry positions may also be made from the floor at the Annual Meeting. (Before you nominate someone, however, please confirm with them that they are willing to be nominated and, if elected, to serve their term in that position.)
The Committee and the Parish are also grateful to the current Vestry, including especially those who are rotating off the Vestry and those who have agreed to be nominated for new terms (sometimes in new positions). The current Vestry comprises:
Rev. Yoimel Gonzalez Hernandez (Rector, from April 21, 2024; ex officio)
Atiba Pertilla (Co-Senior Warden)
Erin Hutson (Co-Senior Warden)
Elaine Alston (Junior Warden)
John Linn (Clerk)
Sarah Padre (Treasurer; non-voting, appointed by Vestry)
Lindsey Foss (Vestry Member; 3-year term expiring 2024)
John Payne (Vestry Member; 3-year term expiring 2024)
Jesus Lopez (Vestry Member; 1-year term expiring 2024)
Elizabeth Finley (Vestry Member; 3-year term expiring 2025)
Jim Frazer (Vestry Member; 3-year term expiring 2026)
Stephen Padre (appointed as temporary occupant)*
Adan Luna (Vestry Member; interim term)
Sandy Ovalle (Vestry Member; interim term)
Isaiah Poole (Vestry Member; interim term)
Ryan Knight (Convention Delegate; interim term)
Adopted on March 23, 2024 and respectfully submitted to the Vestry and the Parish of St. Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church / San Esteban y la Encarnaciòn Iglesia Episcopal.
-Jim Frazer
-Jesus Lopez
-Laura Popielski
*no voice or vote, "seat-warmer" for quorum purposes only
We are excited and delighted to announce that the Rev. Yoimel Gonzalez Hernandez, currently Associate Rector at St. Alban’s in Washington, D.C., has accepted a call from the Vestry of St. Stephen and the Incarnation to serve as the church’s next Rector. He will begin his tenure at St. Stephen’s next month, in April 2024.
Rev. Yoimel Gonzalez Hernandez is originally from Cuba, where he studied theater and theology. He served in different leadership positions in the Presbyterian Church of Cuba and the Cuban ecumenical movement for over twenty years before coming to the United States in 2016 and joining The Episcopal Church. He was ordained in the Diocese of Washington in 2019 and since then, in addition to serving at St. Alban’s, has also been dean of the diocese’s Latino Deacons School and collaborated with other diocesan initiatives. He has also been active in the wider church, serving as an alternate deputy at the 2022 General Convention and as a deputy to this year’s General Convention, as well as a delegate for The Episcopal Church to the 2022 Assembly of the World Council of Churches. In addition to these activities, he has supported a variety of nonprofits in the D.C. region, particularly those that support Latino and LGBTQ+ individuals and communities. He is passionate about formation and collaborating in God’s kingdom while doing multicultural ministry, and we are looking forward to him bringing all of these gifts to St. Stephen’s.
Many members will remember that St. Stephen’s was Yoimel’s first home parish when he became an Episcopalian. We sent him out to begin his path toward ordained ministry in 2018, and we are overjoyed to now be welcoming him back as our Rector. We will have more to share about welcoming Yoimel in future editions of the newsletter, but for now we will share his greetings to us all:
Dear family of St. Stephen’s and the Incarnation and Misa Alegría:
It is with great joy and gratitude that I have accepted the invitation of the Vestry to be your Rector. In a few weeks, I will be among you as your pastor and partner in mission, and we will have many opportunities to worship, pray, and continue to bear witness to God’s grace.
Many of you already know me because I was a member of St. Stephen and the Incarnation, and it was among you that I went through my discernment process to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church. I am sure there will be many opportunities to meet those who have joined the family of St. Stephen and the Incarnation since I left to answer my call to the ordained ministry.
You were my family, my shelter, my friends, and my church in the most difficult times after I arrived in the United States as an immigrant. I hope that now, you and I, in shared ministry, can continue to be the family, the shelter, the friends, and the church for many others who are looking for a faith community to call their spiritual home.
As we prepare for this new phase together, I invite you to continue walking in faith during this Lent, carrying your own crosses until we reach the foot of Jesus’ cross in Holy Week. God will sustain us along the way, and together we will have time to dream and celebrate during Easter.
God bless you and sustain you on the journey,
Yoimel
