Upcoming Congregational Calendar and Events
Quick Dates
Saturday, November 5: 9:30am Advent Planning Workshop
Saturday, November 5: OSU football parking (afternoon)
Wednesday, November 9: 6:30pm Book Club at Fran Carr’s home
FALL BACK!
Daylight Savings Time ends THIS SUNDAY, November 6.
Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour on Saturday night!
Help us Plan Advent at St. Stephen’s!
Becky Michelfelder and Bill Miller invite you to an Advent visioning morning on this Saturday, November 5 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm (yes, there is a home game that day but kickoff isn’t until 8pm). Our time will include coffee and doughnuts, an Advent opening devotion, an introduction to the lessons, themes, and music of Advent. After a break we will launch into a planning session to include wild ideas, strategy, and task assignment. At 12:15pm we will conclude with closing prayer. Let us know you are planning to attend or just show up. Doughnuts while they last. Coffee all morning.
All Saints at St. Stephen’s
Desmond Tutu. Saint Francis. Mahatma Ghandi. Great Aunt Rachael. Muhammed Ali. Mother Theresa. Mother Jones. Mary Seton. Saints one and all, but perhaps not your own most revered examples of a holy loving child of God. This year, on All Saints Sunday, November 6, 2016, we invite each member of Saint Stephen’s to bring to the church that morning some emblem of their own personal saint. Someone who lived long ago but continues to inspire and guide you. A loving parent or relative who nurtures your faith journey. A writer, a poet, an artist, a dancer, a comic, a musician, ordinary people from all walks of life are candidates. On this day you can elevate anyone you wish to the Great Company of Witnesses in the heavens and on earth.
These items can be as simple as a name on a piece of paper, or a photo or painting, a relic, a pressed flower, anything (of reasonable size and modest value) that you can easily bring and place within the shrine. And even if you have no material object to bring, you can hold the sainted one in your heart and mind at the Open Table and reflect on their importance in your life.
This is the start of the “Generations of Generosity” season. In November we will pledge our material and spiritual treasures in support of furthering God’s mission of peace and justice here at the Church of Saint Stephen. Please join us.
AWAKE/AWARE
This Sunday, November 6, 2016, AWAKE and AWARE will combine (again), and we will talk about ‘Share, Save, and Spend’. What do we do with our time, talents, money, and all other resources? AWAKE and AWARE are the St. Stephen’s childrens/ teen/ older youth programs, where we discuss, learn, and do hands-on activities. Children ages 4-? are welcome.
Last Sunday, October 30, Rachael Smith started a great new thing in AWAKE/ AWARE. All of us gathered in the kitchen, and we prepared food for someone in n eed. And we talked about it. And we used the Sunday morning scriptures for a LOT of help. Did you know that Zaccheus, the short man in the Gospel lesson, followed Jesus, and gave half of his money to the poor? And paid everyone that he owed money to back four times what he owed? We have spiritual acts happening, right in our church, with our children.Oh, and we are going to do this monthly, to help someone in need, by preparing food, and we are calling it ‘ SERVE’ (Rachael’s idea). The next SERVE is Sunday, December 4.
On Sunday, November 20, AWAKE and AWARE will share a presentation to the congregation about the stewardship of our resources.
Carolyn Baginski will return with MAKE on Sunday, December 11, for another time for children to share their ideas via art.
The annual AWAKE Christmas Pageant will be on Sunday, December 18. We will have a special breakfast and rehearsal (for our non-rehearsal pageant) on Saturday morning, December 17.
Book Club News
Everyone is welcome! Book club will meet in November on the traditional second Wednesday of the month, November 9, 2016 at 6:30 PM at Fran Carr’s home. The November book is Jesus, the Life Teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary by Marcus Borg. Kindly let Fran know in advance if you plan to attend. 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! Planning ahead, we’ll be sharing favorite poetry in December.
First Ever Advent Spaghetti Dinner!
Sunday, December 4, 2016: 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Come join the fun and bring your friends, kids, and neighbors.
Enjoy a traditional spaghetti dinner: sauces, noodles of various sorts, meat balls, salad, bread, and a surprise dessert! Refresh your memory on those Christmas carols (anticipated “sing-off” of the Twelve Days of Christmas), and shop at the world bazar of craft items made by international artists to benefit emerging economic communities. At the end there will be a lightning tear down and sweep up and we’ll leave with only the memories. Wear something red and bring your jingle bells! Donations accepted but free for all! We’ll send an “Evite” closer to the date so we’ll be well prepared for the fun. To volunteer to help, contact Becky Michelfelder at rebecca_michelfelder@icloud.com
Service Opportunities
Volunteers Needed for Driving
We are seeking a few volunteers to pick Bill Platt up at Wesley Glen for church around 10:00am on Sundays. Please contact the Parish Office at parishoffice@ststephens-columbus.org if you can help.
NSI Donations for November.
As of this past Sunday, we’ve collected 172 boxes/bags of stuffing.
OUR GOAL IS 450 BY SUNDAY, NOV. 13.
Volunteer to Help with Diocesan Convention!
We, the Columbus Churches, are hosting the Diocesan Convention this year at the Crown Plaza up by the brewery. We still need VOLUNTEERS as pages and hospitality people. Please contact Fr. Stephen Smith at St. Patrick’s if you can serve in those positions. The Rev. Dr. Stephen Smith, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church 614-766-2664
BREAD News
The St. Stephen’s BREAD team (Rae Fellows, Kaethe Sandman, Norm Wernet, and Mignonne Whitlow) hosted house meetings over the past month to discuss our concerns for our community. We will pass along the information to the BREAD office.
Several members of the congregation joined the Justice Ministry Network, committing to supporting BREAD by bringing at least three people to the Nehemiah Action in May and attending the other events in the BREAD calendar.
The next step in the yearly cycle is the Annual Assembly, where we will hear what community concerns are dominant among the congregations, and listen to some personal testimonials. At that time, we will vote on an issue for BREAD to research in the coming year. This Annual Assembly takes place on November 14 at 7:00 at Christ the King Church, 2777 E. Livingston Ave. The BREAD team and the Justice Ministry Network members will attend.
BREAD… rises!
Around Town and Beyond
St. John’s Worthington invites you to a service of Choral Evensong
Sunday, November 13 at 5:00 p.m. (prelude beginning at 4:45)
Choral Evensong has long been an important part of the Anglican heritage. This quiet, meditative, music-filled service incorporates elements of drama and ritual that nourish our spiritual lives. The choir will sing a chant-based setting of the canticles by Everett Titcomb (1884-1968), responses by Andrew Carter (b.1939), and the anthem O Lorde, the maker of al thing by John Joubert (b.1927). The prelude begins at 4:45 and will be a set of four chorale preludes by Johannes Brahms and Sigfrid Karg-Elert with Jo Pascoe reading the poetry on which these pieces are based. The service itself starts at 5:00. We invite you to enjoy worship in a beautiful and historic space. St. John’s is located at 700 High Street in Worthington, on the southeast corner of the Olde Worthington Village Green (High Street at SR 161). Visit www.StJohnsWorthington.org for more information.
Refresh Your Soul Conference
Exciting news! ERS Parish Health Ministry (PHM) and Xavier University (XU) are partnering to present two days devoted to dementia care.
Refresh Your Soul 2017 – Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Overcoming the Struggles & Living Inspired: Monday, March 13, 2017 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. &
XU Dementia Care Summit: Tuesday, March 14, 2017 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location for both events: The Cintas Center at Xavier University
For more information or to download a printable flyer to share, please visit parishhealthministry.com/rys
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