WEEKLY UPDATE WEEK OF 02.25.19
Thursday February 28
7:30am Morning Prayer.
7:30pm Choir Rehearsal.
Saturday March 2
Noon Godly Play training (Godly Play room)
Sunday March 3
8am Holy Eucharist Rite I, the Rev. Linda Kaufman preaches and presides.
9:15am Forum: St. Stephen’s Lenten planning team will help us turn from the season of Epiphany and towards Lent, as the 40 days of preparation for Easter begin after Ash Wednesday.
10:10am Sharing the Gospel with Loaves and Fishes.
10:30am Holy Eucharist Rite II, the Rev. Linda Kaufman preaches and presides.
5:30pm Misa Alegría (bilingual service). The Rev. Sam Dessórdi Leite preaches and presides.
Calling all teachers, parents, people at St Stephen’s who want to help our children love God!
Matthew 18:5 – As Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” We use the Godly Play curriculum as our Christian Education program. It is an engaging, Montessori style of learning through stories and wondering. We have invited one of the best Godly Play trainers, Arlene Decina from Burke, VA to lead and inspire us in this ministry to our children.
DATE & TIME: Saturday, March 2 Noon to 4pm
PLACE: Saint Stephen’s, Godly Play Room (just off the Auditorium)
CHILDCARE: Provided in the Choir Room (just off the other side of the Auditorium)
REGISTER: Email Jane Bishop, with your name(s), phone number, and names of ages of children who will need childcare) - ˂bishop.jane9@gmail.com˃
QUESTIONS: Contact Jane Bishop via email or call/text: 202-297-8627
Bring back your blessed Palms from 2018!
It is that time of the year when we bring our blessed palms to church. Following ancient Christian tradition, we will prepare for Ash Wednesday by burning last year’s blessed palms. Please bring your palms and we will have a ritual for burning them on the last Sunday of Epiphany after each service.
Setting up an account to access your information
Last year the church migrated parishioner, pledge, giving and profile information to a new system called Realm. Unlike our previous system, Realm is internet based, meaning you can access only your information (password secured) any time you desire. This system contains many features that improve the operations of the church. To individual parishioners, there are a also a number of benefits. The first two we will take advantage of are: your ability to review your pledge and giving history anywhere you have access to a browser; the second benefit is your ability to review profile information and edit it as needed, (name, address, phone number, email, spouse, children, etc.).
The plan is to roll out invitations to establish an account over the next several months, in roughly alphabetic order. The first invitation emails will go out the week of February 25, 2019. (If you would like to establish your account sooner, please email ˂Mike@SaintStephensDC.org˃.) All active parishioners that have an email on file will be sent an invitation. The email you will receive is below.
Ash Wednesday 2019
Lent is Coming
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 6. Here is some basic information for the upcoming Lenten season with more details to follow.
Ash Wednesday services with imposition of ashes will be held at 8am and noon in English. The 7pm Ash Wednesday service will be in English and Spanish. Our Lenten Friday series will begin on Friday, March 15 with bilingual Stations of the Cross at 6pm followed by a simple supper and bilingual events. The Lent Liturgy Planning Team is offering the theme “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” for the season of Lent. We will use the Ignatian imaginative and sensory approach to meditate on Gospel passages.
Come explore the five weeks of Lent through the lens of Psalm 78 verse 19, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness?” It will be a holy season in our hearts, minds and lives.
Lenten Opportunities-Sign Up Sheets on Bulletin Board in Parish Hall
There will be many offerings to gather as a community during Lent. See signup Sheets on the bulletin board in the parish hall for:
Preparing the Sanctuary for Lent on March 5th,
Liturgy Retreat on March 9
Fridays in Lent Simple Suppers
If you are not able to sign up send an email to Mary Alcuin ˂Kelly-marykelly9748@yahoo.com˃ for your area of interest.
Pancake supper, Shrove Tuesday, March 5, 2019 and Preparing Sanctuary for Ash Wednesday and Lent
The Lenten Liturgy planning team invite you to join them for a pancake supper in the parish hall on Tuesday, March 5 at 6:30pm for pancakes and sausage. After supper help prepare the sanctuary for Ash Wednesday and Lent. Let us know if you can join us-sign up sheet on bulletin board in parish hall.
Lenten Liturgy Retreat
Our Pilgrimage to Jerusalem - Reflecting and Learning about the Easter Triduum of Holy Week. Save the date, Saturday March 9, 2019, 10am to 3pm, at Saint Stephen and the Incarnation. Lunch included. You can register with Mary Alcuin Kelly (˂marykelly9748@yahoo.com˃) or Fr. Sam Dessórdi (˂samdessordi@yahoo.co.uk˃).
Requiem eucharist March 2 at St. Stephen’s for the Rev. Horace Allen
Dr. Horace Allen, a Presbyterian liturgical scholar who was professor of worship at Boston University School of Theology for many years, died February 5 in Brookline, MA. He was most widely known for his leading role in creation of the Common Lectionary and the successor Revised Common Lectionary, the three-year cycle of Bible readings that is now used in most liturgical churches in the Americas. He was a frequent worshiper and service participant at St. Stephen’s in the years of liturgical testing that were part of the development of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. A eucharist for the repose of his soul will be celebrated at St. Stephen’s on March 2 at 11am.
