A message from The Rev. Ernie Boyer
 


"For the present form of this world is passing away." 1 Corinthians 7:31
 
This is how the epistle for this coming Sunday ends. And it's true, the world is changing and, many would say, not for the better either. Church attendance is in a sharp decline. People now seem to prefer to interact with their media rather than with each other. Civility seems to be nonexistent, a concept from another age. And these are just a few, mild examples. The fact is, for many the world has come to seem a hostile and dangerous place. And yet, this was not what St. Paul was talking about. Although he anticipated that things might be difficult for a time, the world that he predicted - the new age which he envisioned as before us all - was a wonderful place, a place of spiritual and physical renewal, a place where peace and justice reigned, a place where God's will was truly manifest. "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done," we pray in the words Jesus taught us. For Paul, that Kingdom was just within reach.
 
Does it seem that way to us today? Looking around at current trends it can be hard not to feel pessimistic. And yet it is part of our faith that God is ultimately in charge. Yes, viewed from one decade to the next the most obvious trends may be towards injustice, violence, and greed, but viewed in the long-term, another pattern emerges. When the time-frame is centuries, not decades a very different picture appears. It's only been about 100 years, after all, since women got the vote in this country. It's been just over 150 years since the last slave was freed, and not much longer since a man, woman, or even child could be hanged in England for stealing food. Things are getting better. It might be slow, but it's happening.
 
As the Rev. Martin Luther King once said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Archbishop Desmond Tutu put it more simply: "The universe is slanted towards Love." Both quotes are meant to point to the same thing: the Kingdom of God is coming. It's just going to take longer than we first thought. So don't lose heart! Be at peace! Remember what Jesus said: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33). "For the present form of this world is passing away."
 
Peace and grace,
Ernie +  
Sunday Services:

Sunday, Jan 21         8 am   Holy Eucharist - 3rd Sunday After Epiphany
                                10 am    Holy Eucharist  
      Nursery Care
      Sunday School
 
 
 
 
Server Schedule for Sunday, Jan 21 & 28, 2018
(click above to access Server Schedule)
 


 
A Few Reminders from Janet Thorsrud:
 
First . . . 
This Saturday is another opportunity to help out at SMUM. They need our help in distributing food and sorting clothes. The address for SMUM is 778 S. Almaden Ave. You need to arrive by 8:30 AM so boxes of food are ready to be picked up by 9 AM. We offer our service on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month, so the next date will be Feb 3rd.
Second . . . 
St. Stephen's pre-school also needs our help, but in this case there isn't a time limit for starting. Anytime today (Friday) or Saturday will work. There is a pile of wood chips to be distributed on the playground for the children. Bring a shovel and a wheelbarrow, if you have one, and help for as long as you can. (There already are two wheelbarrows there, if you only have a shovel.) Hopefully this will be finished by Monday when the children are back in class.
Finally . . . 
I sent out an Evite to all the women in our congregation (those who have an email address). I invited you to help make fleece blankets at my home. The fun starts on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 5:30 PM and will continue till about 9:30 PM. There will be chili, cornbread, salad and lemon bars plus hot cider to drink while we finish making blankets. These will be distributed by SMUM to the homeless. If you get stuck in traffic or can't get to my home by 5:30, get here when you can. Bring your daughters if you want. The more the merrier.
There is a lot to do at St. Stephen's! Let's get busy!   


Gift Card Program
by Janet Thorsrud

Hey my friends,
You earned $240 this month for St. Stephen's by ordering gift cards for yourself and your family!!
The next gift card orders will be collected on Feb 4th. This means you can still order gift cards for See's candy in time for Valentine's Day. See's pays us 20% back on our orders, which is more than any other card! The candy also makes great thank you gifts.
Keep up the good work. 2018 is looking better than 2017!
 

Bible Study Resumes at St. Stephen's
by Edy Unthank

 
Our ongoing bible study meets again this
Tuesday, January 23, at
10am at St. Stephen's.  We will be discussing the gospel for the upcoming Sunday.  
 
This will continue until we begin the Lenten study on Mark 25.
Deacon Robin has the books for this study.  If you would like to join in the Lenten study, please pick up a book before the first meeting so that you can begin the short daily readings which on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 14.   
 
The Lenten study will meet on Sundays after church and on Tuesday mornings, whichever is convenient for you.   
 
The first session will be on Sunday February 18.
 
Also, there are some people who are interested in meeting for a Lenten study in the evening in different people's homes. Depending on how people feel about it, this could also include dinner. If this interests you, please contact Fr. Ernie on Sunday or at boyer.ernest@gmail.com.

Village House Warming Center -- Volunteers Needed
Episcopal Church in Almaden
by The Reverend Robin Poppoff

Volunteers are needed again this year to serve at the Village House Warming Center at the Episcopal Church in Almaden.
     
Location:  Episcopal Church in Almaden, 6581 Camden Ave,
San Jose, CA 9512 0
Phone Contact:  (408) 268-0243
 
Welcome to the group sign up page for Village House at ECA found at:

Welcome to all who would like to join us, from all faiths. On this page you will find links to all the volunteer spots available for the January, 2018, rotation of Village House Warming Center at ECA.

Following is a link to a video presentation by Libby Escheverria, the social worker who is working with Village House and the women who will be our guests at the daytime warming center in January.

If you will be volunteering at the Warming Center, please find time to watch this training video before you serve.
 

Thanks for being the hands and feet of Christ to our guests.

Save the dates 
 
Faith & Innovation Conference
You're invited to the annual 2018 Faith & Innovation Conference at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Saratoga to explore the question, "What is the future of community?" Political viewpoints and issues and online communications have changed the quality and frequency with which we experience community. Join us Saturday, February 24, 2018, 9 am - 3:30 pm at St. Andrew's. Watch for details in future issues! 
 
Jesus Seminar on the Road at St. Jude's
David Galston and Bernard Brandon Scott will be the speakers at the Jesus Seminar on the Road at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Cupertino, to be held February 2-3. Their topic is "Taking Jesus Seriously: Building on the Wisdom Tradition." Register before January 19 for reduced rates.   David Galston will also be the featured speaker at St. Jude's Community Forum, held on February 4 from 9:15-10:15 am.
 
The Good Book Club: Reading the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles 
               
  A wide range of resources, from prayers to videos to study guides, are now available from the more than 25 partners presenting the Good Book Club, a church-wide program that invites the reading of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles during the liturgical seasons of Lent and Easter. Led by  Forward Movement,   the Good Book Club readings begin the Sunday prior to Ash Wednesday (February 11), and finish on Pentecost (May 20).
               
 Presiding Bishop Michael Curry described The Good Book Club as an opportunity to "read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the Holy Scriptures." He noted that "The Gospel of Luke tells the story of Jesus" while "the Acts of the Apostles tells the story of those who followed in the footsteps of Jesus."
               
 Many resources for the Good Book Club, including daily readings, are available  here  including daily readings.
                
 Read the full announcement online   with links to resources, Bishop Curry's video message, and more.


Friday Journal editor needed.....

Please let Father Ernie know if you would be interested in a volunteer position at St. Stephen's to edit and publish the weekly Friday Journal, or possibly a monthly newsletter with updates as needed throughout the month.  Experience with Constant Contact is a plus, but we could train you.  We are working to simplify the format of the newsletter, and are open to new ideas.  We estimate that the time requirement is 2 to 3 hours per week and it can be done from home. 

Let us know what you think.....
This Friday Journal has a new format.  Please let us know what you think by responding to  boyer.ernest@gmail.com 


If you wish to submit an article for the Friday Journal, please send it by email by Thursday noon of each week to  boyer.ernest@gmail.com.  Thank you.

Place article copy here. Be sure to make the articles short and concise as people tend not to read much more than a couple of paragraphs. Place article copy here.
St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church
7269 Santa Teresa Blvd; San Jose, CA 95139
www.ssitf.org    office@ssitf.org 
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