Upcoming Congregational Activities
Saturday, Sept. 3: OSU Football Parking for home games begins in the St Stephen’s lot
Sunday, Sept. 11: Welcome back Choir and AWAKE/AWARE
Parish potluck after the 10:30am service
Wednesday, Sept. 14: 6:30pm Book Club at the home of Cory and Matthew Strauss
Pastoral Care Coverage
Deacon Pam Elwell has graciously agreed to be the coordinator for pastoral care calls. Several clergy will be available for pastoral care: The Rev. Bruce Smith, the Rev Deacon Sherm Everett, the Rev. Karl Stevens, and the Rev. Deacon Pam Elwell. Please call Pam first—she will know who is on call at any particular time. Pam’s contact information is: 614-736-1204 or pamelwell@gmail.com .
Sunday, August 28
This Sunday, August 28, we welcome The Rev. Karl Stevens to preach and celebrate at both services.
Choir Resumes on September 11
The Parish Choir will resume their Sunday morning Rehearsals on Sunday, September 11 at 8:30am. There are openings in all sections of the choir. Only you can give your voice to our liturgical life here at St Stephen’s. Those who sing pray twice.
Awake, and Aware
AWAKE and AWARE start on Sunday, September 11!!!
NSI Donations for August
The item for August is canned fruit.
OSU Football Parking
OH! IO! It’s that time again folks: its Buckeye Football season! St. Stephen’s parish will once again provide parking for the Saturday home games, and in the process raise money for our community. If you would like to help, please volunteer for one or more of the following dates: October 8th, and 29th, November 5th and 26th. We are asking for two volunteers per date. Please contact to volunteer; he will let you know the parking details and provide you with the needed materials.
Thank you in advance for your participation and spirit, and may God bless and keep you.
From the Sexton
PLEASE check the office area and the kitchen for items that have been left behind at St. Stephen’s. There are dishes, umbrellas, cups, etc. Yes, these are the basic ‘lost and found’ items left at church. You may find that one thing that you have been missing for months, so check it out.
St. Stephen’s Potluck Dinner and after service celebration and remembrance;
St. Stephen’s Potluck Dinner following the 10:30 am service, on September 11. Can you help? What can you bring? Let me, Jeff, know.
Welcome Task Force seeks volunteers
We need more volunteers for our new “Welcome Table.” Duties involve greeting newcomers and answering their questions. Time involved: one Sunday every other month. See Sunday’s Host to find out more and volunteer.
BREAD Updates
BREAD summer progress — The “Welcome, Columbus” initiative that was begun three years ago has gained momentum, and a broad group of organizations are collaborating to push city government to adopt a municipal identification. A meeting with city council president Zach Klein occurred in June, and he is becoming receptive to the idea.
BREAD has an annual cycle, and as we finish up the summer investment drive (It’s not too late to invest!) the St. Stephen’s BREAD team is planning our listening process, when we gather in “house meetings” to discuss our concerns about our communities and what we worry about when we wake up at night. Times and dates will be announced soon, and we invite everyone to participate. It’s in naming our concerns and discussing injustices that we can work toward solutions.
BREAD… rises!
Tech Guru Needed!
St. Stephen’s is looking for someone with experience in commercial networking and computer tech to assist with occasional issues that arise with our aging infrastructure. If you have such experience and would be interested in helping out, please contact the Parish Office or the Wardens.
Thanks!
TIME TO CLEAN OUT THE OLD SHOES!
The Worthington Linworth Kiwanis Club is collecting shoes. ALL shoes. Even the one at the back of the closet that has no mate. We are collecting for A Step Forward, an organization that redistributes the shoes through microenterprise partners in developing nations for impoverished people to start, maintain, and grow an enterprise to feed, clothe and house their families.
There will be a collection box in the parish hall near the back door throughout the rest of August and September.
Please speak to Julia or Wayne Sheppard if you have questions.
The Big Table
The Big Table is an event organized by The Columbus Foundation in order to facilitate and strengthen community conversations and understanding. All across the city on August 30th, host sites will hold open discussions with the intent of hearing as many voices as possible as they talk about strengths and challenges faced in community. Neighborhood Services Inc. will be a host site and would love to invite any that are interested to join us.
August 30 from 5-7pm at NSI
RSVP to info@neighborhoodservicesinc.org
Book Club News
All are invited to book club meetings. The book being discussed in September is Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson. We will meet on Wednesday, September 14 starting at 6:30 PM at Cory and Matthew Strauss’ home. We’ll share a potluck super followed by the book discussion. Please bring something to share (main dish, side dish, dessert, beverage). Join us; it’s fun! Kindly let Matthew and Cory know in advance if you plan to attend. For those who you wish to read ahead, the book for the October book is A Killing in the Hills by Julia Keller.
Earthkeeping Summit
Saturday, September 24, 2016, 10:00am-5:00pm at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Dr, Columbus, OH 43210.
These are challenging times: Climate disruption, social injustices, violence and inequities, call out for our urgent response. Ohio Interfaith Power & Light invites persons of faith, good will, change-makers, and justice-seekers to gather for the 2016 Earthkeeping Summit. We will gather in discernment to discover how we can work together, with hope, for climate and social justice.
Dr. Melanie L. Harris, Associate Professor of Religion at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, will offer the keynote message: “There is a Balm…Eco justice, Hope, and Renewal.” Through story and song, she will connect social and environmental justice and provide the context for the day. Her message comes on the 25th anniversary of the formation of the 17 Principles of Environmental Justice.
For more information and to register for the Earthkeeping Summit click here: http://www.ohipl.org/earthkeeping-summit-2016-2/
Mental Health Fist Aid Training
Coming Wednesday, October 5, 2016
to St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Dublin, Ohio
8 am – 5:30 pm
There are 4 reasons to become a Mental Health First Aider:
- To be prepared: Just as you learn CPR, learn how to help
in a mental health crisis.
- Mental Illnesses are common: 1 in 5 adults in any given year.
- You care: Be there for a friend, family members, or colleague.
- You can help: People with mental illnesses often suffer alone.
Parish Health Ministry has already heard success stories as a result of our programs held over this past year. Register today as seating is limited! Please see attached flyer for registration information and cost.
Continuing Education Nursing: 8 contact hours. This offering has been approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing through the OBN Approver Unit at Upper Valley Medical Center OBN-005-92.
Reminder: If you’re mailing something to the church, especially time-sensitive materials, we recommend using the PO Box! St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, PO Box 82263
Columbus, OH 43202