Weekly Update week of 10.14.19
Tuesday, October 15
7pm Finance Committee Meeting in the Godly Play Room.
Thursday, October 17
7pm Fall Welcome Class in the Godly Play Room.
7pm Fall International Action: Please see below for more details.
7:30pm Choir rehearsal in the Auditorium.
Sunday, October 20
8am Holy Eucharist Rite I, Seminarian Joshua Paget preaches and The Rev. Sam Dessordi presides.
9:15am Forum. Join Joe Casazza who will lead a study of the Gospel, Luke 18:1-8.
10:10am Sharing the Gospel with Loaves and Fishes.
10:30am Holy Eucharistic Rite II, Seminarian Josh Paget preaches and The Rev. Sam Dessordi presides.
Noon Pastoral care team meeting in the Mission Conference Room.
3pm Confirmation class in English.
4pm Confirmation class in Spanish.
5:30pm Misa Alegría (Spanish language liturgy). The Rev. Sam Dessordi preaches and presides.
The 2020 Stewardship Campaign is Under Way
Thank you for the many gifts of time and treasure you offer to St. Stephen and the Incarnation. In 2019, 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 2020 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 have been receiving a temporary grant from the diocese to stand up the first few years of our senior priest’s salary. However, the amount of that grant is decreasing every year for the next several years, after which we will no longer receive this additional support. Additionally, after establishing a much-needed capital reserve in 2019, we will need to fund it aggressively in order to prepare for the major capital repairs that we expect to make in the next few years. We expect to receive approximately $332,000 in donations from parishioners this year. In 2020, we need to increase our donations by about $30,000 just to continue our current parish operations. Please consider pledging to support your church home next year. If you are renewing your pledge, please think about increasing the amount by 10% to help meet our operational costs or 15% or more to help us meet other goals and save for our home’s structural repairs.
To let us know how much you plan to pledge, you can:
● Fill out this google form: https://forms.gle/4H5RxJwe3qwWVx2A7
● Email Laura at <Lpop1009@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 set up automatic 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.
2020 Pledge Letters
The 2020 pledge letters are printed and available for you. Please stop at the rear of the sanctuary today on your way out and pick yours up. Thank you for your generous support of the church and its mission.
3rd Quarter Giving Statements
Giving statements were mailed out this past week to your address on record. These statements cover any gifts received by the church between 1.1.2019 and 9.30.2019. If you do not receive your statement or if you have questions about it, please contact Mike in the parish office at 202-232-0900 or <Mike@SaintStephensDC.org>. Thank you for your generous support of the church and its mission.
Help Set Up the Ofrendas (Altar) for the Day of the Dead on Wednesday, October 30, 6-9pm
You are invited to help set up the Day of the Dead Ofrenda, Wednesday, October 30 from 6-9pm. This year we will plan have special altars that will remember not only our deceased family members but those lost to gun violence, those lost while crossing the border and environmental losses. You’re also invited to bring your own suggestions of a theme and friends to help. Snacks will be available during the day.
We Need Your Help!
A group of folks picks up vegetables from the Columbia Heights (14th & Kenyon Streets) Farmers' Market every Saturday and takes them to Loaves & Fishes. If you have a car and could spare about an hour (12:30- 1:30pm), we need help on Saturday, October 19. Please contact Michele Lewis Muzzatti <mlewis0513@aol.com> or Donald Debevoise <donalddebe@gmail.com>.
Silent Weekend Retreat
Come join the Rev. Martin Smith and the EDOW Diocesan Retreat Committee for a silent weekend retreat November 1-3, 2019 at The Claggett Retreat Center to pray, explore, and reflect upon "Living in the Communion of Saints."For more information, contact Lesley Krauland ˂edowsilentretreat@gmail.com˃.
To register, visit https://bit.ly/2Ug3dxe.
Spirituality of Aging Sightline Series
Thank you for everyone's interest regarding the Series. Currently, registration for this Series is closed. We hope to have another Series next year. Thank you for your understanding.
Fall Internal Action October 17 at 7pm
The Washington Interfaith Network invites you to attend its Fall Internal Action on Thursday, October 17 from 7-9pm at First Rock Baptist Church, 4630 Alabama Ave SE. Whether you're a seasoned leader or you're new to WIN, we invite you to stand with your institution's core team in the urgent city-wide fight against displacement. We will report back on our work already underway, and discuss next steps as we continue to build a strategic path to power. The time is now to organize our people and ready ourselves for action. Please RSVP at: http://bit.ly/2M4DKo7. Will you commit to join us?
Diocesan Multicultural Festival, October 26th from 10am to 4pm
The Multi-Cultural Awareness of Gifts Incorporated - MAGI is calling all peoples of all ages to participate and celebrate the diversity of the body of the church with a day outdoors. We have reserved four pavilions at Wheaton Regional Park for this event and we expected to share our stories, to eat together, to play together and to dance. Parishes are in charge of the food so, bring your musical instruments and join us. Address: 2000 Shorefield Road, Silver Spring, MD.
Join Us For the 2019 Samaritan Ministry Gala on Saturday, November 9
Join us for “The Art of Change”, Samaritan Ministry’s 2019 Gala at The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Georgetown, on Saturday, November 9 at 6pm! The event will feature familiar elements from the past as well as new opportunities to both support Next Step, Samaritan Ministry’s signature program and meet new and old Samaritan friends. For more information please visit: http://bit.ly/2p5IhNJ. Registration can be found at the following: https://contra.cc/2pU6maT.
