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Preparing for Sunday
Serving this Sunday:
Eucharistic Ministers:
Gy. Dioguardi & Elizabeth Engelman
Lectors:
Tori Gebbie & Beth Ricciardi
Acolytes:
Megan Day, Thomas Day & Avery von Roeschlaub
Altar Guild:
Lori Murphy, Christina Fink, Maureen Benfield, Christine Cheng, Karen Lee
Coffee Hour:
Robin Schroeder & Elizabeth Engelman
Counters:
Gail Grossman & Rob Kerner
Ushers:
We'd like to include ushers weekly, please send the schedule to office@ststephenspw.org
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Barbara Bartocci was searching for the perfect birthday card for her husband a few years ago. She came across a promising one. On the outside it read: "Sweetheart, you're the answer to my prayers." Then she turned to the inside, which was inscribed like this: "You're not what I prayed for exactly, but apparently you're the answer."
For thousands of years, the Jewish people had been praying for a Messiah, a deliverer who would conquer their enemies and establish a kingdom of righteousness and might. Their deliverer would be powerful, a warrior and a king, and through his power, the Jews would again reign in peace and prosperity.
Then along comes Jesus, a poor carpenter with questionable friends. He claims to be the long-awaited Messiah who has come to set up a very different kind of kingdom. And so we can forgive even Jesus' strongest supporters for asking, "You're the answer to our prayers? Really?"
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Last Saturday night
Sunday
school kids got together and baked cookies for Carols and Cookies which will take place
this Friday
evening
Dec 16th
from
7-8pm
in the parish hall. Please come and enjoy delicious cookies and drink hot chocolate. Hope to see you there.
Many Thanks to Erica and the kids for all of the beautiful decorated cookies.
Last Sunday during
Sunday School we had another successful Christmas pageant rehearsal. Afterwards everyone had fun decorating the beautiful Christmas tree in the courtyard.
This
Sunday Dec. 18th is our very special Christmas pageant after the
10AM service in the parish hall followed by a visit from a very "special guest".
ALL ARE WELCOME
We will have a final dress rehearsal starting at
9:45AM.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
--Rhonda
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Upcoming
Annual Messiah Concert- Sat., Dec. 17, 7:30pm
Nativity Pageant- Sun., Dec.18 during Coffee Hour
Christmas Eve Family Service- Sun. Dec. 24, 5pm (children's sermon only)
Midnight Mass- Dec. 24, 10:30pm
Christmas Day Celebration- Sunday, Dec. 25,10am
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Announcements
Call for Musicians!:
Rachel Golder is organizing a Miracle of Christmas Orchestra to play during the 5 pm Christmas Eve Family Service. If you are interested, contact her at
rachel.golder@gs.com or (516) 713-1551. Music will be provided.
Call for Counters!:
Counters needed to help record the donations to the church. This usually takes place on Sunday after the 10am service. If you can spare an hour or so, once or twice a month, PLEASE contact Gail Grossman at
gaildg1@verizon.net or Maria Whisenand at
lmwhisendand@optonline.net.
Call for Office Volunteers!: The Parish Office needs volunteers. Please contact Bernadette Reyes
office@Ststephenspw.org or 516-767-0363. Thank you.
Baby Supply Exchange: St. Stephen's Baby Supply Exchange needs strollers (no jog strollers please) and winter clothes for toddler girls (ages 2-6 years). Call Leslie Bradshaw at 516-883-3003 to donate.
Save The Date: "Everything Belongs" on Sunday January 8, 2017 at 11:30 am in Parish Hall, Room 104.
All are welcome to attend the continuing discussion of what that means at St. Stephen's as we examine the oneness of all creation. Meeting, open to all, will take place after Coffee Hour and go for about 1 hour. Father Richard Rohr had conducted a conference last July on this topic, and Bob and Dolores Kazanjian-O'Brien will lead the conversation, based on a conference they attended at Fr. Richard Rohr Center for Action and Contemplation on that topic. The session on January 8th will focus on the work of one of the presenters, Christena Cleveland, who discussed findings from social psychology research, as well as experiences as a black, female professional.
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Vestry Nominations
St. Stephen's Annual Parish Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, January 22nd, 2017 in Parish Hall, following the 10 am Eucharist.
The election of new Vestry members will take place at the Annual Meeting Parish Meeting.
The St. Stephen's Vestry Nominating Committee - John Longmire (chair), Abby Chromy, Alan Dinn, Einar Haukeland, Melissa Murphy and Ellen Shields - has met several times and announces the following nominees:
For Vestry:
Catherine Fish
Rachel Golder
Stephen Sylvester
For Warden:
Roopali Gupta
The nominees' biographies can be found
here.
Many thanks to the Nominating Committee for their tireless efforts in the search and selection process of these four fine candidates, as well as to the nominees for their willingness to serve.
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A Daily Devotional
Looking for some inspiration? Try
Unity.org , publishers of
The Daily Word, available as a daily devotional, app and daily email.
The Unity movement was founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in 1889 as a healing ministry based on the power of prayer. They regarded Jesus as the great example rather than the great exception; interpreted the Bible metaphysically; and taught that God is present within all of us. You can subscribe to a daily email for $5 a year
here
.
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For Our Prayers
Dick & Jean, Virginia, Peter, Bob, Ann, Gerry, Julia Motch, Carol, Jo, Tom, Gerry, Darlene, Jeanne, Steve & Debbie, Dianne, Valerie, Nancy, Frank, Sue, Nina, Karen, Kevin, Ian, Richard, Donna V., Lisa F., Kitty, Justin, Tony, Mary M., Ross, Sue, Hank, Ilse, Derek, Gladys Van Colten, Howard, Libby, Charles, Roy, June, William, Carolyn, and Elizabeth.
To have someone entered onto our Prayer List please send an e-mail with the person's name & the requester's name to: office@ststephenspw.org. Your prayer request will be included for 4 weeks - please submit another request if you wish to have prayers continue after this time.
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Special Christmas & New Year Hours
Father Gary: On vacation starting Sunday, December 25th (following Christmas Day service) until Saturday, December 31st (New Year's Eve).
Parish Office: OPEN Monday, December 26th through Thursday, December 29th, 10am-1pm; closed Friday December 30th.
Consignment Shop: CLOSED Saturday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) until Monday, January 2, 2017. It will reopen Tuesday, January 3rd.
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