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Forming Intentional Disciples
From Fr. Bennet Tran, Pastor: One of the more significant books that has influenced my thinking and ministry is Sherry Weddell's Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus. I hope that we as a parish will engage with the insights offered by Weddell. In the coming months, we will insert a summary of a chapter of the book in the bulletin the first and third Sundays and include it in these e-newsletters. I hope this book will spark interest in our discussions about what is happening in the Church among our family members and friends and encourage us to take action to respond to the signs of the time. The book is readily available on line.
Chapter 2:
We Don't Know What Normal Is
Summarized by Brad Bursa, edited and revised November 2018.
After traversing the statistical landscape in Chapter One, Weddell opens Chapter Two with another discouraging statistic: only 6% of Catholic parishes agreed that spreading the faith was a high priority compared to 57% of African American and 75% of conservative Protestant congregations. The Catholic statistic would be laughable if it were not such a brazen failure on the part of the Church to live out her identity - which Vatican II describes as "missionary by her very nature."
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Women of Wonder Evening Social
Join women of St. Stephen's parish for an evening of fun
tonight,
February 21,
6:30-9:00 p.m. in The Refuge. We will have wine tasting and game night. Invite a friend! We look forward to seeing you!
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Used Book Sale on Saturday, February 23!
Stop by the Faith Community Center for our annual used book sale from
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Most books are 50 cents; children's books are 25 cents.
Books to donate? Drop off at the east entrance of the FCC (across from the school entrance) through February 22 during regular business hours. Please NO: encyclopedias, dictionaries, cassette or VHS tapes, text books, or magazines.
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Mardi Gras is March 2 - Have You Made Your Reservation?
Remember to make your reservation for our 20th Anniversary Gala!
Best of the Live Auction Raffle tickets are available as well.
Learn more about the festivities on the
Mardi Gras web page
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February 23/24 is Commitment Weekend for the Catholic Services Appeal
What does your faith mean to you? Faith is something so personal that words cannot easily explain it. Faith can bring peace amidst turmoil, and true joy even in difficult circumstances. As Catholics, we are called to freely live out our faith and to give back to others as Christ has poured Himself out for us.
The Catholic Services Appeal Foundation (CSAF) is an independent non-profit focused solely on supporting 20 designated outreach ministries and nothing else. By partnering with the CSAF, you help those in need: the hungry, the orphan, the sick, suffering, dying and grieving. You assist in ministering to the imprisoned, evangelizing Catholic youth and college students, and strengthening families. You enable the sacraments to be provided to Catholics young and old alike.
To join in the work of the CSAF, simply connect via your mobile device to
csafspm.org, or complete a paper pledge form and drop it in the collection basket or mail it directly to the Foundation's office in Plymouth, MN. Thank you for responding to the Gospel call to serve the poor, support life, strengthen faith and transform lives by God's grace - Unified We Rise!
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Ash Wednesday
Street Evangelizing
Over the last several Ash Wednesdays, some of the St. Stephen's staff like Fr. Kevin Manthey, Fr. Joe Kuharski, Sr. Mary Anne Schaenzer, and Fr. Matt Shireman have gone out to the streets to offer ashes to anybody who will stop. This Ash Wednesday (March 6), we would like to invite our parishioners to do the same. The schedule for the street evangelizing is as follows:
9:00 a.m. Instructions and Prayer in St. Paul Room
9:30 a.m. Street Evangelizing in Anoka
10:30 a.m. Sharing of Experiences in St. Paul Room
11:00 a.m. Finish
If you would like to participate, please contact Fr. Matt Shireman via
email or call 763-421-2471.
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Four-Part Series "What to Do: A Conversation on Life and Death Issues" to Begin March 12
Come join us for an informative series called "What to Do: A Conversation on Life and Death Issues" on
four Tuesday evenings, March 12 - April 2. The series hopes to combine Catholic teaching regarding life, the meaning of death, and what our options are regarding health care with real-life, real-world cases. We will have guest speakers who are experts in moral theology and medicine.
The evenings begin at 6:45 p.m. with hospitality in the Faith Community Center; presentations will follow at 7:00 p.m.
Learn more.
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FORMED Pick of the Week
At every Mass, we celebrate God's real presence with us here, in the church. This week's FORMED Pick of the Week will help you explore the truth of Christ's presence in the Eucharist with the first episode of FORMED's most popular series, Presence: Mystery of the Eucharist. Take some time this week to appreciate the "source and summit" of the entire Christian life.
If you haven't already created your personal log in information, please visit
ststephenchurch.formed.org
to enter your email and a password.
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Stations of the Cross at St. Stephen
The Christian life is a journey. Many of us experience this, but there is one person's journey that means more than ours and that is the journey of Jesus Christ. His journey to the cross at Calvary gives our journey to Heaven meaning. Many of us who have traveled to the Holy Land have had the privilege to walk the very way of the cross of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. For centuries, this has been, and continues to be, a pilgrimage for thousands of pilgrims each year.
Learn more.
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Now Collecting Old Palm Branches
All are invited to place old palms in the baskets located at all of the church entrances until March 5. You may also bring smaller blessed religious items that you are looking to discard if the items are able to be burned (prayer cards, books, etc.).
On the evening of March 5 (Fat Tuesday) at 6:30 p.m., we will have a prayer service where we will burn the palms and other miscellaneous items.
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Enjoy Some Peaceful Time in the Presence of the Eucharist
Each moment you spend in Christ's Eucharistic Presence will increase His Divine Presence within you. Come to adoration.
The Adoration Chapel has a
need for one or more committed adorers for the following hours:
1:00 a.m. Wednesdays,
3:00 a.m. Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. Fridays, 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Saturdays, and 11:00 p.m. Thursdays.
If you can give one hour a week to be present to Christ in the Eucharistic Chapel, please call Joyce Schumacher at 612-860-3830.
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Growing Through Loss Grief Support Sessions to be held at St. Stephen
A series of six sessions will be held on six Thursday evenings (6:45 p.m. check-in, 7:00 p.m. actual start time) beginning March 7. If you are dealing with loss due to death, this may assist you in your journey. You may come for just the presentation and leave or you may stay for the small group discussions, which are facilitated. The first topic is "The Transformative Nature of Grief." There is no fee. There are brochures entitled, North Metro Grief Support Coalition: Spring 2019, in various areas in the church building and in the parish office. Anyone is welcome to attend.
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Parish Office Hours
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Monday and Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. when Faith for Life is in session; otherwise closing at 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Saturday: 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.
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St. Stephen's Church| 525 Jackson St. Anoka, MN| 763-421-2471|
Email |
Website
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