Congregational News & Events – Week of February 10, 2019
The Fifth Week after the Epiphany
Service Times
8:30 am and 10:30am
The Rev. Eileen O’Reilly, Guest Celebrant and Preacher
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Choir Rehearsal – 8:30 am in the Chapel
Adult Bible Discussion Group 9:15am in Hobson Hall
Thrive! Children, Youth & Families Ministry Meet in Outer Office during 10:30am serivce, then upstairs in Hobson Hall
Campus Ministry Tuesday Night Oasis – 8:00pm, Sanctuary
Mid-Week Prayer and Luncheon – Wednesdays, 12:30pm
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From The Rev. John R. Johanssen
Out of Town February 5-12, 2019 The Rev. Eileen O’Reilly – Guest Clergy
I will be out of the office from Tuesday, February 5th through Tuesday, Feb 12th and will return to the office on Wednesday, February 13th. I have engaged The Rev. Eileen O’Reilly, Rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Cincinnati to supply for me on Sunday, February 10, 2019 for both services.
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Attention Lay Eucharistic Ministers and Eucharist Visitors (and those interested in serving)
It is time to renew licenses for Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) and Eucharist Visitors (EVs).
If you are currently taking communion to homebound parishioners, or would like to serve the chalice on Sunday mornings, please give your name to the Parish Administrator via email at parishoffice@ststephens-columbus.org. I will be arranging for a training in toward the end of Epiphany for those who are interested.
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2019 Vestry and Convention Delegate Elections – February 10, 17 and 24
At the December meeting the Vestry scheduled the 2019 Annual Meeting for Sunday February 24th.
Please refer to the following dates regarding 2019 Vestry and Convention Delegates:
Vestry and Convention Delegate elections will be on the following Sundays: February 10, February 17th, and February 24th (before the Annual Meeting.)
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any Vestry member.
The St. Stephen’s Vestry
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Sunday Morning Adult Bible Discussion for February 10, 2019
The Sunday, February 3rd, the Adult Discussion Group will focus on Chapters 2, 3 and 4 of The Acts of the Apostles. If you can, read these chapters in the Collegeville Commentary book, or any study Bible. Bring your comments and questions, take a seat at the table, and join the conversation. Everyone is invited! Oh, yes, coffee and donuts are available, too!
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Everyone is invited to join us on Sunday mornings at 9:15am in Hobson Hall for the discussion! The new “Big Read” of the Diocese of Southern Ohio has begun, and we are now beginning the Book of Acts. We are using the book The Acts of the Apostles by Dennis Hamm, from the New Collegeville Bible Commentary series, which is available at Amazon.com or other used book sources on the internet for about $10 to $20, depending on where you purchase it. OR, a good study Bible will have helpful notes and commentary.
http://dsobeloved.org/big-read-home/.
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DSO Big Read – Luke & Acts and the Beloved Community
We will explore the story of Jesus and the creation of the early church, as we deepen our discipleship and reflect on how the church can bear witness to Jesus’ love that overcomes all that divides us. We encourage churches to be creative about how they will study and explore Luke, Acts, and Beloved Community in their context.
The Luke & Acts bookmarks are to help us and other Episcopalians in our Diocese read the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts together between now and next Easter. Our Sunday morning Adult Discussion at 9:15 will be following this schedule. You are welcome to join it! Or, you can read the chapters of the Bible at home on your own. You can also go to the website http://dsobeloved.org/big-read-home/ for resources and help in understanding what you read.
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Thrive!
Our children’s spiritual formation classes (Thrive) is meeting this Sunday during the 10:30am service. Look for Rachael Smith and Daniel Buey in the “meeting room”.
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The Tuesday Evening Oasis Campus Ministry
Join us on Tuesday evenings to pray, sing, and meditate in the St. Stephen’s sanctuary. If you have any questions, contact Jared Talbot (itsjaredcoffintalbot@gmail.com).
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Clinking Quarters
All quarters offered in the Sunday collection plates are used to support our outreach ministries, particularly to purchase the food for our twice yearly meal at St. John’s, Franklinton. Each time you donate a quarter, clink it on the side of the plate so we can be reminded of the needs of our community and the good works that your quarters help fund.
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BREAD Update – “Hire and Better Pay! Don’t Throw Away!” Committee
(represented from St. Stephen’s by Norm Wernet and Rae Fellows)
Councilmember Elizabeth Brown reported that five companies have taken advantage of the new ordinance to encourage construction companies to hire people with criminal backgrounds. BREAD will be seeking a year-end evaluation of the ordinance’s impact. BREAD is also working collaboratively with Ohio State University to create worker-owned cooperatives in Linden. Initial discussions involve the creation of a food processing and distribution hub that would market products to OSU and other anchor institutions in Central Ohio. BREAD and OSU will be hosting two forums in March in Linden to increase awareness.
With your help, BREAD rises!
From your B.R.E.A.D. team:
Rae Fellows, Kaethe Sandman, Norm Wernet, and Mignonne Whitlow
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NSI News
Neighborhood Service, Inc., is our neighborhood food pantry, supported by multiple congregations in the north campus area. The need for food services is increasing, and St. Stephen’s is responding. Although the government shutdown is over, food stamps for February were delivered early, in late January. This is expected to put more pressure on families in February, as their monthly allotment will run out earlier than anticipated.
Collection for February: Pasta (no egg noodles, please)
Why not egg noodles, you ask? Because Neighborhood Services has a really inexpensive source for egg noodles and would rather have us donate other kinds of pasta so they have variety for their clients. When you are shopping during February, please put some boxes of pasta in your cart for donation to Neighborhood Services.
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In the month of January, St. Stephens donated 149 cans of canned fruit, clothes and other items to Neighborhood Services, and in 2018, St. Stephen’s donated a total of $5,061.67, which helped NSI serve 33,155 people and distribute 612,902 meals during the year.
Thank you all for your generosity!
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Girl Scout Troop #6019 (Rachael Smith, troop leader), that meets here in Hobson Hall is devoting some of their cookie sale profit to purchase nonfood items for NSI. The rest of the congregation can help at the Lenten trade-in bake sale that has become a St. Stephen’s tradition.
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Save the Date! St. Stephen’s Day Tour at Neighborhood Services, Inc, 1950 N. Fourth Street (Columbus) March 3, 2019 at Noon
(after the 10:30 service and brief town hall meeting, shuttle service available)
The dynamic Director of NSI, Martin Butler, will be our guide to the great services NSI provides and the opportunities available to St. Stephen’s members to further our service and deepen our relationships with our neighbors. Lunch will be provided during Q & A time at end of tour.
RSVP to Kaitlin Raver (614) 956-8550 or kaitlinraver@gmail.com with number attending for meal planning purposes and if transportation is needed. There is plenty of parking available.
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Hunger/Run Walk 5K to benefit NSI – March 24, 2019, Fred Beekman Park
Kaethe Sandman is organizing a group of St. Stephen’s parishioners for this event. Registration is online at https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/Columbus/OSUHungerRun.
The run should take about 30 minutes, and the walk 45-60 minutes. Since we are so close, we can carpool to west campus and return not-too-late for the 10:30 service.
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For more info on how you can continue to help NSI, please click on the following link: https://www.neighborhoodservicesinc.org/take-action
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Book Club for February 2019
The February Book Club meeting will be on Wednesday, February 13 starting at 6:30 PM. We’ll begin with a potluck meal; please bring food and/or beverage to share. The meeting will be at St. Stephen’s in Hobson Hall, which is reserved for us that evening. There ought to be plenty of room in the parking lot next to the church. Cynthia Whitacre will be serving as host, so kindly let her know if you plan to attend (614-975-7814 or whitacrc@oclc.org). After dinner we’ll be discussing Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks, a book of short stories. Remember that voting for books for the rest of the year is due by the meeting date. Please send your votes to Cynthia. If you need the voting list, compiled from the January meeting, please let her know. Everyone is welcome!
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Save the Date! Upcoming Music Events at St. Stephens!
Amanda Rose-Hobbs is a Choral Scholar with St. Stephen’s choir and will be presenting a recital with her colleague, Brooklynn Grace, on Sunday, February 17th at 12:30pm in the Sanctuary. Admission to the recital is free; a free-will donation can be made to assist Amanda and Brooklynn to raise funds for an upcoming tour with the Capital University Chapel Choir.
On Sunday, February 24th, please join us in the Sanctuary after the Annual Meeting to enjoy the beautiful sounds of the Telos Trio from Rochester, New York.
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Calling St. Stephen’s Soul Sisters!
Hi “Soul Sisters” of St. Stephen’s!
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.
New for 2019: All morning gatherings on the 1st Thursday of each month will be held in the Chapel at St. Stephen’s. Centralized for all, no need to remember where to show up, and kid-friendly! Coffee and breakfast treats will be provided. If you need a ride, transportation can be arranged.
February 2019 Meeting Dates:
- February 7 @ St. Stephen’s Chapel, 9:30am – 11:30am
- February 21 – TBA soon!
(Always looking for monthly hosts and/or open to ideas for places to meet or excursion sites conducive to conversation and 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 Mt. Carmel Church Partnerships Newsletters for February 2019, Weekly Scoop Newsletter for February 10-16, 2019, and Health Living Center Wellness Activities list for Winter 2019 can be found on the Community News table in Hobson Hall. Also available are the Mount Carmel Diabetes Prevetion Program Class Listings for January-March 2019 and a flyer for the Diabetes Prevention Program.
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As we prepare for Refresh Your Soul, we wanted to let you know that we have a small amount of scholarship funding available to those who may not be able to pay the full price. Please feel free to let others know. If you would like more information regarding this and to obtain an application, please contact Rose Lindeman at rlindeman@erslife.org.
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