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Sunday, February 26th, was a joyous day for the parish when Bishop Provenzano visited us and had lunch with the vestry. March is Lent. On Saturday, March 4th, the annual vestry retreat in St. Cecilia Room is titled, "Wind in our Sails." We will be looking at where we are in the cycle of a parish life, what's great in our church, and how we communicate with one another. Our traditional Wednesday Lenten Soup and Program starts March 8, and continues March 15, 22, 29 and April 5 in the St. Cecilia Room - enjoying soup and salad together at 6pm, and 7pm with an open forum of comments and questions in our faith journey.
Lent is a season of the Christian Year where Christians focus on simple living, prayer and fasting in order to grow closer to God. It is 40 days or about one-tenth of a year, like a tithe our time. It is a great time to return to God and re-focus our lives to be more in line with Jesus. It is a run in changing your lifestyle and letting God change your heart. I invite you to come along with St. Stephen's Church in an observance of a holy Lent.
On the Lenten journey with you,
Gary+
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"Open Mic Lent"- Bring your questions and/or comments about religion, faith and living. We will break bread together, discuss, share and pray.
Lenten Soup and Discussion schedule:
Where: St Cecilia Room
When: 6:00
soup;
7:00
discussion; see dates below
What: A vegetarian soup and non-vegetarian will be offered on all evenings. Fresh bread and a delicious salad will be offered as well. (The salad is Chris Cutting's famous greens with Craisins, walnuts, oranges with raspberry dressing:)) This will be followed by our "open mic" discussion and prayer.
Thanks to our soup chefs:
March 8
- Melissa Murphy (V), Mary Meade
March 15
- Eva Turel (V), Sue Dinn
March 22
- Dolores O'Brien (V), Cathy Adelhardt
March 29
- Elsie Wikstrom, Linda Ives
April 5
- Sue Massingill, Ellen Shields
Any questions, email
Ellen.shields26@gmail.com
or call
516-578-9856
.
Join us and share in our Lenten family gathering.
Peace,
Ellen Shields
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Sunday School and Youth Group News
Such a GREAT way to end the month of February!!
The kids sang a song for the Bishop on Sunday February 26th.
They sounded SO great!
Thanks so much, Rachel, for your beautiful accompaniment on the guitar.
SHROVE TUESDAY:
On Tuesday evening February 28th, St. Stephen's got together to celebrate Shrove
Tuesday. Thirty-five of us ate delicious "All You Can Eat" Pancakes, Bacon and Sausage. A good time was had by all!!!
Thanks so much to everyone that helped set up and clean up.
This tradition is such a fun and sweet way to spend the evening before Ash Wednesday.
A very special thanks goes out to IHOP in Manhasset. ALL of the pancake batter, butter and syrup was graciously donated by them. SO AMAZING!!!
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| Many hands make light work! |
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THERE IS SUNDAY SCHOOL MARCH 5th 10AM
March 12th is Girl Scout Sunday. Please come and show your support for these wonderful girls. They make such a great and positive impact in our community.
If you are a Girl Scout, don't forget to wear your vest :)
Girl Scouts will meet in the front entrance of the church at
9:45
, so we can be ready to walk down the aisle after the choir.
Sunday
School kids will begin in church with their parents and then after the ceremony we will proceed to class.
March 19th - 10 AM Sunday School
March 26th - 10 AM Sunday School
The Youth and
Sunday School will be rehearsing
The Passion in the church during coffee hour from
11:30-12:30. Rehearsal will also be
Sunday April 2nd at the same time. The Passion play will be on Palm
Sunday, April 9th, during the
10 AM service.
I will be giving out parts withn the next week via email.
Please mark these important dates on your calendar for April:
Friday night April 7th, Hot Cross Buns Bake
The
Sunday School kids are welcome to come and help bake Hot Cross Buns in the parish hall from
5PM-6:30PM.
There will be pizza for dinner.
Sunday, April 23rd- Helen's Walk in Sands Point, Please contact Rhonda to register.
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Caps for Kids is Going Strong!
So far, 20 caps have been donated.
Awesome!!! Thank you so much!
There is still the whole month of March to show your support.
Please consider donating a knitted cap for a child in need at the Cohen's Childrens' Hospital.
They are in DIRE NEED and really need our help.
Baskets are located at both entrances of the church.
-Rhonda Fay, Children and Youth Group Minister
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Bishop Provenzano's Visit to St. Stephen's
Bishop Provenzano visited St. Stephen's this past Sunday, February 26th at the 10 am service. Eschewing the pulpit to speak directly to the congregation from the front of the church, he said that he first wanted to begin with an apology to St. Stephen's. He referenced his last visit to the congregation, in November, 2014, when our church was in turmoil and had broken with Father Stuart, creating much division. He said his handling of the situation was wrong, and while trying to heal it he had made it worse because he was angry.
He then spoke to the Gospel reading of the day-- the story of Christ's Transfiguration. Christ asked his disciples to come down off the mountain, and follow him. Bishop Provenzano asked the congregation to get out their cell phones, and text their contacts a message from St.Stephen's. It is our job to carry our faith out into the world. He noted that, "the Good News is that we are the hands and feet of Christ, and need to act like it, and stop keeping our faith a secret." He mused that we are more likely to post our last meal on Facebook than any reference to our faith in Jesus Christ, or our membership in St. Stephen's and what that means to our lives. We can grow our parish by letting our friends know about what happens at St. Stephen's, and they will be attracted to join us.
Bishop Provenzano met with members of the congregation
during coffee hour, and then followed that with a lunch with the Vestry.
John Longmire's report of that luncheon discussion can be read
here.
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Daylight Savings Time Begins on
Sunday, March 12th!
Set clocks forward one hour! Be on time for church :)
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Announcements
Finn MacCool's wanted to give a thank-you gift to St. Stephen's for the re-opening of their restaurant after the fire. They decided to provide the Bishop and Vestry lunch on Sunday, February 26th, for free. We would like to thank the owners, Geraldine and Connie O'Reilly, very much for their generous offering and their neighborliness.
Come See St. Stephen's own perform in "Crazy for You!"
Colin Schroeder will be playing in the orchestra and Megan Day and Daisy Griffin will be on stage!
"Crazy for You" performance dates are March 2, 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m., and March 5 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for students and complimentary for senior citizens.
This musical will be performed in Weber Middle School's auditorium while the Schreiber High School auditorium undergoes renovations.
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Winter Choral Concert at Sands Point Preserve - Saturday, March 4th, 2pm-4pm
: St. Stephen's Choir, along with choirs from The Community Synagogue, Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, and the United Methodist Church, will be performing in an interfaith concert, taking place in the Hempstead House. Admission: free for Members of the Preserve; Non-Members pay $10 per car. Address: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, New York, 11050.
For Whom the (Carillon) Bells Toll!:
St. Stephen's has a brand new carillon, which will be installed by Neill Carillon Service. The bells will resound once again on Palm Sunday. Many thanks to Elisa Delaney and Alan Dinn for their efforts on this project, and to Justin Newby, whose generous $15,000 donation has made this possible.
Help Team LI #103 celebrate Grace Church of Massapequa's New Food Pantry Ministry!
:
They are collecting non-perishable, easy to prepare food items at each of their team meetings and ask all outside communities to match their donation by donating 4 or more of the above items per person. Drop off is at Montfort Chapel, 26 S Saxon Ave in Bay Shore, on Saturday April 1st (Serenade @ 8pm) and Sunday, April 2nd (Closing @ 4pm).
See Flyer.
Babysitter or Housekeeper Available:
If you or someone you know is looking for a babysitter or housekeeper, please contact Patricia Firmino (516) 306-2263 or firmpatricia@gmail.com.
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Read Sunday, March 5th, readings here.
Serving March 5th at 10 am:
Eucharistic Ministers:
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Diana von Roeschlaub & Kurt von Roeschlaub, Jr.
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| Lectors: |
Bob O'Brien & Dolores Kazanjian O'Brien
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| Acolytes: |
William Longmire, Milan John & Avery von Roeschlaub
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| Altar Guild: |
Gail Grossman, Carol Wright, Mary Meade, Sue Mittelstaedt & Karen Lee
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| Coffee Hour: |
John & Lucy Day
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| Counters Schedule: |
Tish Davis & Gail Grossman |
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Parish Calendar
Throughout March:
The Youth will be collecting items these months to send to the troops, and the Sunday School will be collecting "CAPS FOR KIDS" for Cohen's Children's Hospital. Leave your donations in the baskets located at the church entrances.
Saturday, March 4th, 9:30am-3:30pm:
Vestry Retreat in St. Cecilia Room.
Wednesday, March 8th:
Noon Healing Service.
Wednesday, March 8th, 6pm-8pm:
Lenten Soup with discussion in St. Cecilia Room.
Sunday, March 12th:
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME STARTS - Spring Forward 1-hour!
Sunday, March 12th, 10am Eucharist:
Girl Scout Sunday.
Tuesday, March 14th, 8pm:
Wardens Meeting in the Parish Office.
Wednesday, March 15th:
Noon Healing Service.
Wednesday, March 15th, 6pm-8pm:
Lenten Soup with discussion in St. Cecilia Room.
Tuesday, March 21st, 8pm:
Vestry Meeting in St. Cecilia Room.
Wednesday, March 22nd:
Noon Healing Service.
Wednesday, March 22nd, 6pm-8pm:
Lenten Soup with discussion in St. Cecilia Room.
Wednesday, March 29th:
Noon Healing Service.
Wednesday, March 29th, 6pm-8pm:
Lenten Soup with discussion in St. Cecilia Room.
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Ministry Schedule
Find out if you're on the schedule
here.
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Coffee Hour
Thanks to our Coffee Hour volunteers!
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For Our Prayers
Dick & Jean, Virginia, Peter, Bob, Ann, Gerry, Carol, Jo, Tom, Gerry, Darlene, Jeanne, Steve & Debbie, Valerie, Nancy, Frank, Sue, Nina, Karen, Ian, Richard, Donna V., Lisa F., Kitty, Justin, Tony, Mary M., Ross, Sue, Hank, Gladys Van Colten, Howard, Charles, June, William, Carolyn, Elizabeth, Erica, Ann Alletta, Don, Sally & Ed, Dorothea, John P, and Officer Mike.
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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