Weekly update week of October 8, 2018
Tuesday October 9
7 - 8:30pm Welcome Class (Auditorium).
Thursday October 11
7:30am Morning Prayer.
7:30pm Rehearsal for the 10:30am service choir.
Sunday October 14
8am Holy Eucharist Rite I, the Rev. Frank Dunn preaches and presides.
9:15-10:15am Forum “The Practice of a Talking Circle” by Darien Wals and Suzannah Weiss.
9:15-10:15am Manna and Mercy Bible study/series (Choir room).
10:10am Sharing the Gospel with Loaves and Fishes.
10:30am Holy Eucharist Rite II, the Rev. Frank Dunn preaches and presides.
Noon Pastoral Care team meeting (Mission conference room).
4pm Confirmation class.
5:30pm Misa Alegría (Spanish language liturgy). The candidate for ordination Yoimel Gonzalez Hernandez preaches and the Rev. Frank Dunn presides.
Stewardship Campaign 2019
Thank you for the many gifts of time and treasure you offer to St. Stephen and the Incarnation. In 2018, we've grown in the faith and as a community, through beautiful music, quiet morning prayers, small groups, and in many other blessings large and small. As we plan for next year’s budget, we hope that you will continue your support of St. Stephen’s by making a 2019 pledge. Since we don’t have an endowment or receive regular funding from the wider church, parishioner contributions make it possible to fund our continued life together.
We expect to receive approximately $312,000 in donations from parishioners this year. In 2019, we need to increase our donations by about $22,000 just to continue our current parish operations and make up for the decrease in the diocesan grant which currently supports a portion of our senior priest’s salary. If we receive donations beyond that amount, we will be able to pursue other parish goals (for example, increasing resources for Godly Play, funding initiatives to grow our congregation, or planning for badly needed capital repairs to the building).
Please consider pledging to support our church home next year. If you are renewing your pledge, please consider increasing the amount by 10% to help meet our operational costs or 15% or more to help us meet other parish goals and save for much-needed capital repairs. To let us know how much you plan to pledge, you can:
Fill out this google form: https://bit.ly/2A0iPMP
Email Nicole Martinez at ˂nicole.martinezmoore@gmail.com˃
Mail back the pledge form you receive in the mail
Fill out the pledge card at church and leave it in the offering plate
We encourage you to automate your pledge payments at http://tinyurl.com/ssi-give. Automating your pledge ensures continuity of revenue, which allows us to plan better. It is also easier for you-- you don't have to remember! Thank you, sincerely, for your support of our parish.
Sunday Forums
The Sunday Forums are happening each week from 9:15-10:15am in the auditorium. We offer time to gather as a community and focus on some aspect of our faith and our lives. A forum topic can be whatever is part of your journey with Christ inviting us to understand God working in our lives, to better know one another, and build the community of St. Stephen's and the Incarnation. Come hear our presenters and get to know others in the community. The Forums in the following Sundays will be:
October 14, Darien Wals, Restorative Justice Facilitator, and Suzannah Weiss, Yoga teacher in DC Public Schools, will lead us through the practice of a Talking Circle. This exercise is a core component of the restorative justice process. A Talking Circle creates a safe space to build connections and address conflict within a community. Please join us for this opportunity to engage in a process that will help us understand our calling to be peacemakers.
October 21, Joe Casazza will lead the Forum “Put all things in subjection under your Christ”: Submission to the will of God.
Personal Finance Workshop for immigrant to the U.S.
Join this workshop on Saturday, October 20 at Church of Our Saviour, Hillandale (map at shorturl.at/iv359) from 9am - 12pm for a bilingual (English and Spanish) workshop led by Lisa Kirchenbauer of Omega Wealth Management and her team which will focus on personal finances for people who have migrated to the United States. We encourage you to invite people who may find this workshop useful. Free. Please register by October 15 sending an email to the Rev. Sarabeth Goodwin at ˂sgoodwin@edow.org˃.
Diaconal Workshop Day (Bilingual)
If you are interested in discerning a call to the diaconate, attend at the Diaconal Workshop Day on Saturday, October 27 at All Souls Episcopal Church (2300 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008) from 9am - 2:30pm. This will be the required first step in the process. Two persons are required to attend with you: Your Senior Priest, and another layperson from the congregation who is likely to serve on the local discernment committee. The workshop includes learning about the ministry of deacons, the various steps in the ordination process, and the structure and requirements of the formation program. At the end of the day, those interested in moving forward will receive a nomination form. You can find more information on https://goo.gl/QWQwWy and you can register on https://www.edow.org/calendar-event-details/155. Please speak to Fr. Sam Dessórdi Leite or Deacon Susan Walker for more information.
Washington Interfaith Network event
The Washington Interfaith Network will be holding a meeting on October 11, 7pm in our Auditorium around immigrants' rights and legal services funding. The meeting will discuss next steps in the fight for at least $2.5 million in legal services funding for immigrants in DC and pursue strategies to engage corporate power and our DC attorney general around immigrant issues. Register at https://bit.ly/2DzKWpU or at https://is.gd/WINimmigrantaction2018
Urban Village Corporation Annual Meeting
We invite you to attend the Urban Village Corporation (UVC) annual meeting at St. Stephen's on Tuesday, October 9 at 7pm. The Urban Village Corporation includes tenants from the Urban Village apartments, people who live nearby, and members of St. Stephen's. The UVC is dedicated to the preservation and increase of affordable housing in our neighborhood. Membership is 50 cents - a bargain! Now is an important time to show your interest, as the developer is planning a significant construction project that will add more affordable units. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Bill MacKaye <wmackaye@reverbing.com> or 202-374-5100.
