St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church
FRIDAY JOURNAL April 17th, 2020
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Sunday Services: April 19, 2020
|
|
|
|
The 10:00 service will be via video on our website Sunday morning at 10:00
|
|
|
Reflections
As the days progress in this unusual time, I find myself sitting in my backyard quite a bit. It feels good to look up at the sky and hear the birds sing, and inhale the fragrance of my sweet peas, their heady aroma filling the air, and transporting me to a different time. My mother always planted sweet peas, and when I smell them, I am a child again.
It is in these times, reflecting on nature, that I am most able to talk to God and thank him for all my many blessings. I don’t think I will ever take anything for granted again. My family, my home, the food we eat, the hugs we share. I miss my children and grandchildren terribly, but thank goodness for Facetime! When we were children, my grandparents had to wait for photographs to be mailed to them. Now, we can connect every day. That is a blessing.
I miss all of you too. I am so thankful for Karen and the team that puts together the Sunday worship services. As I participate in the service, I can feel you all around me. I can hear your voices raised in prayer and song. That is a blessing.
Dennis and I have a new puppy too! He is a Golden Retriever named Creedence. He certainly fills our days with joy and a lot of hard work. I forgot what work a puppy is. He is a new life, living and thriving in this world. He doesn’t know that our world has changed. He only knows that he is loved and cared for. That is a blessing.
May God keep you safe and healthy. I look forward to seeing you all, in person, soon. You are all blessings to me.
Susan
|
|
Sunday Worship
I hope that you are worshiping at the 10:00 service virtually!
I encourage you to set aside a special place, light a candle, and participate in the liturgy with the bulletin.
It’s simple. All you have to do is go to our St. Stephen’s website (
www.ssitf.org
) and scroll down to see the video. I will send an email with a link to the bulletin and our virtual coffee hour.
|
|
Alleluia! The Lord is Risen!
Holy Week was, shall we say, rather unique this year. Easter was unlike any other. So much was different and yet, the story never changed – and it never will. “The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia” – Even in a pandemic, even when fires blaze through acres of land, even when school shootings shock us. Even when reclaiming those Alleluias we’ve missed so much doesn’t feel the same - the truth remains: “The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!”
How did you celebrate Easter day? Did you watch our Diocesan service, or maybe the National Cathedral’s service?
What else did you do at home to prepare for Easter? Did you dye Easter eggs, or make deviled eggs, or put out Easter decorations at home? This is a picture of what the Eswine’s did in their driveway!
I’d love to see pictures of something you did at home to celebrate Easter. Email your pictures to Rev. Karen and we’ll make a collage for the next Friday Journal!
|
|
|
|
Financial realities and how you can help . . .
|
Having virtual services means that your generous offerings cannot be put in the offering plates on Sunday. We do have to continue to pay our bills. Please mail your pledge checks or any other donations to the church office, or you can use the ‘Donate’ button on our website and pay with a credit card. Thank you very much!
|
|
Virtual Coffee Hour!
We have had a few people joining in our virtual coffee hour and it’s great to see familiar faces. It would be so nice to see many more of you! There is no limit to the number of people. All you have to do is click on the link below. It might take a minute for the link to fully open, but be patient. You might get a prompt that says click here if the meeting doesn’t open. If you do, just click on the link and click ‘join now’. Be sure to have both audio and visual open. If not, we can help you turn them on once you get into the meeting. I’ll have a few other introductory instructions to help us hold the conversation without distraction. You are welcome to call me (Rev. Karen) before the meeting if you’re having trouble. Click here to join the meeting at 11:00am. Hope to see you then!
|
|
Lent Madness Winner
For those of you who kept up with Lent Madness, and for those of you who lost track when we were interrupted by a COVID-19 shelter in place.
|
The Supreme Executive Committee of Lent Madness congratulates Harriet Tubman for winning the 2020 Golden Halo. Harriet became the 11th saint to wear the highly coveted crown by defeating the always-inspiring and statuesque runner up, St. Joseph. She joins previous Golden Halo winners George Herbert (2010), C.S. Lewis (2011), Mary Magdalene (2012), Frances Perkins (2013), Charles Wesley (2014), Francis of Assisi (2015), Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2016), Florence Nightingale (2017), Anna Alexander (2018), and Martha of Bethany (2019).
|
Here's how you harvest peas from the garden, if you
happen to pick your way across the crushed pine bark
that highlights the spare space between the garden beds
on some afternoon when we can walk freely home.
You slip your hand between the pruned-off branches of
the old apricot, tent-poles of a verdant arched
canopy of sweet peas turning the sun's light green,
a shade usually only given us in the old deep woods.
You should leave the pods that are flat, only the barest hint of
peas within them. Look for those fully filling their
p-cups. You can snip them off at the stem or tug
their thin crowning high cuff between your fingertips.
You can eat fistfuls of the sweet peas whole and raw
or keep them dark in their pods and replant with awe.
Arike and Jessica are maintaining the garden during brief visits on Wednesday mornings and Saturday afternoons. The elders are still using the garden, for which we are all grateful and protective.
|
|
I remember a story about a Rabbi during a natural disaster. He was asked how he could explain such a tragic act of God. The Rabbi answered that the disaster was an act of nature. The act of God occurred when people stepped up to help each other. –
found on a Facebook post
|
|
Kudos to:
-Maria, Janet, Trig, Jessica, and Robin for help make and post the videos of our Sunday services .
-Rowena, Elena, Melissa, and Frances for making protection masks. Please contact Rowena if you’d like to get one.
-All who signed up to pray during the overnight Prayer Vigil.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Contact information for Rev. Karen:
|
Personal phone for emergencies or urgent matters: 408-781-1826
|
|
Contact information for Deacon Robin:
|
|
Editor's Note
Please send any announcements or articles you want to have included, to:
evan.bryan1@gmail.com
, by Thursday, 10am each week.
Evan Bryan
|
|
St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church
7269 Santa Teresa Blvd; San Jose, CA 95139
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
