St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church
FRIDAY JOURNAL January 17th, 2020
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We the people of Saint Stephen's in-the Field
Seek to know Christ, to share Christ, and to serve Christ,
recognizing his presence in all people, and reaching out in love
to each other and to the world around us.
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Sunday Services: January 19th
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Warbles from your Senior Warden
What a blessed time I had over Christmas! It was a time filled with family, filled with love.
My son and his family stayed for a week. We spent time with my daughter and her family and with my Uncle Earl. So many blessings! I actually had to take a break because it was too much for me. After 2 nights up after midnight, I caught a head cold and had to stay home for a few days. But I wouldn't change a thing.
I hadn't seen my grandsons from Arizona for almost 2 years! And I do not see Ella and Calvin as much as I would like. So to be with everyone non-stop for a week was a joy I can hardly contain. God certainly blessed me this past season. Pictures of our time together will remind me should I need a lift.
It says somewhere that God never gives us more than we can handle. But I think that should be amended to God never gives us more than we can handle because he is with us always. Good or bad. Joy or sorrow.
The first thing that I noticed when my son and his family left for the airport to return home was the quiet. Deafening quiet. For someone who lives alone and relishes quiet times, it is quite a change to add another 4 people to the household. But this brought joy! I loved hearing all those voices. And I missed them when they were gone.
Ella met the boys and her Aunt for the first time. She calls them by name already when shown a picture. Jonah, the 17 year old college student, says it is be cause he is pretty memorable. I must agree. To see all four of my grandchildren playing together was such a huge gift - I cannot explain it.
So God only gives us as much as we can handle. I think that is true when we are walking a difficult path. However, when it comes to joy and blessings, He gives and gives and we find that we have quite a high capacity for such things. So count your blessings and be filled with joy.
This may be my last Warbles. As of next week I will no longer be your Senior Warden. At the annual meeting we will elect new vestry members and delegates to convention. We will begin anew. There will be a training to add to our Sunday servers on February 16. Please consider a new way to share your gifts with our St. Stephen's family.
And never forget - God is with you. Walking along your path with you and giving you not only strength and perseverance - but joy and blessings unimagined.
Many blessings dear family,
Edy
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THIS SUNDAY!
ANNUAL MEETING!
there's one service this Sunday at 10:00am
Sunday, Jan. 19
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, 2020
Following the 10:00 service
Please plan to attend - we are church together!
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Wednesday, Jan. 29
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At Janet Thorsrud's house
6pm - Dinner is served!
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Pledge statements from 2019 that were not picked up have been mailed.
If you have been meaning to make a pledge to St. Stephen's but keep forgetting or haven't gotten around to it yet, it's never too late! Pledge cards are still available in the back of the church. We have a long way to go towards reaching our goal. Thank you for your generosity!
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The Episcopal Church in Almaden (ECA)
(6581 Camden Ave, San Jose CA 95120)
will be hosting our Village House guests starting
January 4, 2020 through February 3, 2020.
We are a small church that has hosted ladies for two years and have felt God's calling to support this outreach event.
But we need some of your help to fill some of the slots.
You will feel good having helped these ladies during the
cold weather in January. Thanks for all you do!
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GIFT CARD ORDERS
We made $180 from the gift cards
in Dec. and $1,963.70 for the year.
The next order will be on Jan 26th.
We made $75 by dinning out at
Armadillo Willy's.
SMUM would like Target cards to distribute for the holidays. If you are able this order will be used for the Thanksgiving exchange and the Nov order will be used for the Christmas exchange. Help if you can.
Our annual blanket making workshop will happen in January again.
Blessings
Janet
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From Jessica DG: I going to try to send weekly updates from the community garden to the parish. I'm writing them as poems to encourage economical writing.
When I was digging out the apricot
last summer I found a knob of white root
round, different from other gnarled, grafted roots
it moved, rose up when I pressed my rockworn
stiff fingertips against it. I grumbled,
unsure if I had hit a ground squirrel skull
a rock-hard pulverized PVC pipe
a pulped piece of plant production but
it was a bulb. I re-buried it back
where it had laid and kept on slashing the
sweet billowing green thicket of bad sprouts
and I forgot exactly what I'd seen.
Six full months passed. I saw a local woman who had lost her son
bent down to smell the blooming narcissus, face upturned to the sun
Anyone interested in a plot, there are 17 open ones as of this morning! Email Jane (
office@ssitf.org). If you're interested in helping in the garden, text Jessica (650-804-9044). The first person to text Jessica with the form of this poem will get a potted aloe plant at the next 10am service.
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Food for thought. . .
"Only through an inner spiritual transformation do we gain the strength to fight vigorously the evils of the world in a humble and loving spirit."
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-Trig for installing the 'new' microwave and Dottie for donating it.
-Dan for hauling wood to the community garden
-the Altar Guild for being flexible
-Jessica and her gardening friends
-the Communications Guild
-the Sunday School teachers
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NEEDING PRAYER SUPPORT?
Prayer is one of those things we often think about, might feel inadequate about, believe in but might be unsure how to proceed. How we pray is sometimes unique to each of us. The Church provides help in many ways. If you find yourself in need, of any kind (emotional, physical, spiritual, guidance, etc) consider how St. Stephen's can support you:
* there is a Biddings book at the back of the sanctuary where you can write in things before the service starts
* there is a prayer chain of committed pray-ers (who maintain confidentiality). Contact Robin, our Deacon, who will initiate that for you
* there is prayer at the altar every Sunday, where we all join you in the privacy of your need with the Priest
* there is a kneeling prayer station at the side of the church with candles, prayer book, all available anytime, not just Sundays
* turn to your neighbors and friends in church to share what's on your heart, ask for support in speaking to God about your needs (and tell them the updates next week!)
* tell people about your answers to prayer! and the miracles you witness, or how prayer changes YOU.
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Contact information for Rev. Karen:
Personal phone for emergencies or urgent matters: 408-781-1826
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Contact information for Deacon Robin:
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Please send any announcements or articles you want to have included, to:
evan.bryan1@gmail.com, by Thursday, 10am each week.
Evan Bryan
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St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church
7269 Santa Teresa Blvd; San Jose, CA 95139
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