Congregational News & Events – Week of February 18, 2018
This Sunday at St. Stephen’s
February 18, 2018
First Sunday in Lent
Sunday Morning, February 18th Services
8:30am and 10:30 am – The Sanctuary
DSO Exodus Big Read Class 9:15am in Hobson Hall
Choir Rehearsal 8:30am in the Chapel.
Children Youth Families Ministry – Meeting Room (Outer Office)
Noonday Prayer (and Lunch) Wednesdays, 12:30pm in the Sanctuary/Hobson Hall
Campus Ministry Wednesdays at 6:30 pm
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Rachael Smith named new director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries
Dear people of St. Stephen’s,
Some months ago when parents and others met to reflect on which direction we wanted to head as we opened a new chapter of ministry with our children we identified that we wanted them to know scripture and their Episcopal heritage in a somewhat organized fashion, but also to be always encouraged to do their own thinking and to connect their interior life of faith with their public life of action. Last summer we posted the position for a coordinator and waited. The beginning of January Rachael made known that she was willing to answer the call to become our next director. I give thanks to God. And Rachael!
Rachael’s undergrad degree was in political science, she holds ateaching certificate, has years of experience in food education, grew up in the Episcopal church, and was a camper from childhood at Procter Camp and Conference Center. In as much as no one we have found sells curriculum for a church like ours, it is a wonderful asset that Rachael has years of experience actually writing curriculum and can tailor the program to our needs. Her years of working with our children packing Manna Lunches and also cooking meals for folks in need has given her direct experience with them in dynamic situations.
Stay tuned for more from Rachael as she leads us into a new configuration of ministry to and with our children and youth and their families in the months ahead. And please thank her and pray for her as she begins her work. Becky M.+
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Invite – Welcome – Connect
Update: Be a “Friend” of Our Church on Facebook
St. Stephens has a Facebook page. Maybe you didn’t even know that. If you are a Facebook member, you can find it at https://tinyurl.com/ycncaxkq.
Facebook could become an important way of helping potential new members find a way to worship with us, and you can help!
If you are on Facebook, go to the St. Stephen’s page by following the link above. “Like” our page so that our postings will appear in your Newsfeed. Next, click on “Following” and choose “See first” from the menu.
If you are already receiving posts from the St. Stephen’s page, you will need to make an adjustment to your Newsfeed. Under Facebook’s new anti-fake news policy, you will no longer see the posts of pages you have “Liked” at the top of your Newsfeed unless you choose to see them. To make the choice, click on the three dots to the right of Newsfeed. On the menu, select “Edit preferences.” A box will open. Click on the “Prioritize who to see first” link. There you will see all of your “Friends” and the pages of organizations you have “Liked.” Click on the picture representing the St. Stephen’s page. Then, if you wish, you can choose more friends and pages to see first, up to thirty. Click on “Done” and close the “Edit preferences” menu. Now you will always see the St. Stephen’s posts.
And so will all your “Friends” when you share a St. Stephen’s post. That’s the whole point. Some of your friends may have no church. Maybe something they read or a picture they see in a St. Stephen’s shared post may intrigue them and get them thinking. Maybe they might ask you to tell them about your church. Maybe they might just show up without asking! So if you see a St. Stephen’s post that you think will interest others, click on your “Share” button to let them see it.
Our “Invite Welcome Connect” work group would like to make our Facebook page more attractive to both members and newcomers. But we need writers, members who are willing to submit poems, meditations, stories and essays on a regular basis so that we can post them to the site and keep it fresh and lively, week after week. If you would be willing to write something for the site, either weekly or occasionally, please contact Elliott Bush at ejb4367@gmail.com. Submissions need to be no more than 800 words in order to meet Facebook guidelines. Contributions can be anonymous. You do not have to use Facebook to be a contributor. Our Facebook administrators will post your writing for you. Please let us know you want to share your talent with our members and potential members.
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Soup & Study Sunday 2/18/17
St. Stephen’s third Soup and Study of 2018 will be Sunday, February 18 at 6:00pm in the Chapel. The topic will be group discussion of “Is There Evil in the World?” A main dish will be provided. Please bring a side or dessert to share. Look below for the full schedule:
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DSO Big Read – Week 26
There are 3 opportunities to engage with the Exodus journey. Each begins with a very interesting video clip produced here in the diocese by people you may know as they show us what Exodus means to them where they are. Where will the road take you? Read below for dates and times:
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NSI Collections for February and March:
Trade-In Bake Sale Begins 2/18/18
Collection for Easter: Mac n’ Cheese
Starting 2/18, after Lent begins, the children in Awake will be collecting personal items not covered by SNAP/EBT (toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, etc.) for the Trade-In Bake Sale, where parishioners “trade-in” personal items for baked goods. Collecting personal care items will continue through the rest of February and all of March.
A Note from Martin Butler, NSI Executive Director
Easter is almost here! We anticipate that we will be distributing 350 to 400 Easter Food Baskets this year. Could you help us by bringing in 350 boxes of Mac n’ Cheese? Last year we distributed 555,939 meals. Our Easter Food Basket distribution will start Monday, March 26th and continue through Thursday, March 29th. We are asking that you bring all of your boxes of Mac N Cheese to us by Thursday, March 22nd. To schedule a time to drop off, outside of our normal business hours 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, please contact us at either mbutler@neighborhoodservicesinc.org or abridges@neighborhoodservicesinc.org. Our Easter Food Basket Pack Up Party will be on Thursday, March 22nd from 5:00 to 7:00, if anyone is interested in attending, please let us know! We are grateful for all of your faithful support to NSI.
Respectfully,
Martin
P.S. See you on the 25th!
(For more info on how you can help NSI, please click on the following to access the January 2018 NSI Newsletter:
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BREAD Update
BREAD… rises!
“Youth and Family Concerns” Committee
At the Annual Assembly in November, BREAD members voted to tackle youth and family concerns. A new research committee made up of members from the various congregations in BREAD got started on this topic at the Research Kickoff in December. The committee plans to meet with 30 professionals and will provide updates at upcoming BREAD meetings. They’ve already learned some startling information such as:
– There are not enough services for all of the youth and adults who have mental illnesses in Franklin County. The services are not coordinated which makes getting help more difficult.
– There are grandparents taking care of their grandchildren and they often do not have enough resources available to them. A grandparent taking care of 3 of their grandchildren through kinship care would receive about $1,500 LESS per month than a foster parent taking care of the same 3 children.
– This community needs about 54,000 units of affordable housing to meet the needs of families who want safe and affordable places to live.
If you’re interested in representing your congregation on this committee please talk to a leader of the justice ministry/Rodef Tzedek Network or call the BREAD office at (614) 220-9363.
On the Welcome Table in the front of the Sanctuary, there are copies of the January BREAD Justice Committee January Update available. If you would like to review the report online, please click:
From your B.R.E.A.D. team:
Rae Fellows, Kaethe Sandman, Norm Wernet and Mignonne Whitlow
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Campus Ministry Worship
Campus Ministry Wednesdays at 6:30 pm
Campus Ministry Wednesday evenings resumes in the Chapel with dinner, discussion, and prayers.
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Book Club for February
Book Club News: Book Club is currently voting on the books for 2018 from a list suggested at the January meeting. If you aren’t on the book club mailing list and wish to have a copy of the list and/or vote, please contact Cynthia Whitacre (whitacrc@oclc.org). Votes are due by the end of the day February 14. In February we are meeting on Wednesday, February 21 at 6:30 PM at Julia and Wayne Sheppard’s home (614-286-2826, mmesheppard@yahoo.com). Note that this is the third Wednesday, a change from the normal 2nd Wednesday just for this month. We’ll begin with a potluck meal (please bring food and/or beverage to share) followed by discussion of the book The Dogs of Littlefield by Suzanne Berne. All are welcome! Announcement of the books selected from the voting will be made at the February meeting.
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Calling St. Stephen’s Soul Sisters!
You are invited to participate in fellowship with the women of St. Stephen’s in the Spirit of Friendship, Encouragement, Support, Gratitude, Hope, and Love as we share a moment in life’s journey together. It is a time out from daily doings to just BE in Friendship over a cup of tea with conversations to feed the soul.
We meet twice monthly: the first Thursday morning of the month will offer a “Coffee Klatch” from 9:30-11:30am for those available to meet during the day (kiddos welcome)the third Thursday evening offers a “Girls Night Out or In” from 7:00-9:00pm.
Always looking for monthly hosts and/or open to ideas for places to meet or excursion sites conducive to conversation & new experiences. Contact Kaitlin Raver, Coordinator, with any questions at kaitlinraver@gmail.com or (614) 956-8550 with any questions. Looking forward to spending some time with St. Stephen’s wonderful “Soul Sisters”!
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Mount Carmel Church Partnerships Newsletters
Copies of the January 2018 Mt. Carmel Church Partnerships Newsletter and October 2017 Community Resources Listing can be found on the Community News table in Hobson Hall. The Weekly Scoop for February 8-18, 2018 and February 18-24, 2018 newsletters are posted on the bulletin boards in the Outer Office and in the front of the Sanctuary. Also included are a flier and brochure for 2018 Foundations of Faith Community Nursing classes.To read online, click on the links below:
January 2018 Mount Carmel Church Partnership Newsletter
Community Resources October 2017
Weekly Scoop February 8-17, 2018
Weekly Scoop February 18-24, 2018
Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Brochure 2018
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