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A message from The Rev. Ernie Boyer
 


It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
     to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
     and your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp,
     to the melody of the lyre.
For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
     at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
                                                - Psalm 92: 1-4
 
Every morning I go for a long walk. I generally use this time to pray and to reflect on next Sunday's sermon. I walk early enough that, during these shorter days of winter, most of my walk is in darkness. When I start out, it is always as dark as midnight. In the course of the walk the eastern sky gradually lightens. Only in the last few minutes of my time outside does the sun push over the horizon - sometimes as a blazing ball of red, sometimes as a darkly yellow disk behind grey clouds.
 
Winter in California is not nearly the time of quiet withdraw that I found it to be during my years living in New England. Even here, though, with so many trees bare and the fall's leaves still piled on the ground growing soggy with rain, there is a stillness during this time of year, a sense of nature resting. At the same time, with the hills growing greener with each successive week, there is also a sense of new growth.
 
I have been particularly struck this last month with how much beauty there is during the dark hours just before daybreak this time of year. Especially stunning are the moments immediately preceding sunrise. There have been a number of days in recent weeks when the grass in the park that I walk across has been covered by frost, for example. As the first light of the sun appears, the thin dusting of crystals turns suddenly into a brilliant silvery carpet. Muddy rain puddles left over from recent storms are transformed into shimmering pools, and the few red leaves still clinging to the trees are remade into tiny, iridescent stained-glass windows. Everywhere the magnificence of God's world shines forth. This is true all the time of course, but there are those special moments when we have the grace to see it.
 
I pray during these cool and rainy weeks of Winter, as January gives way to February, that you too may find time to delight in God's wonderful world!
 
Peace and grace,
Ernie +
 
Sunday Services:

Sunday, Jan 28         8 am   Holy Eucharist - 4th Sunday After Epiphany
                                10 am    Holy Eucharist  
      Nursery Care
      Sunday School
 
 
 
 
 


Janet Thorsrud sent several photographs of the blanket-making project at her home last Tuesday. As you can see, many people gathered to make fleece blankets, which will be given to the homeless. It was a great cause and a great time!







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

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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