St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church
FRIDAY JOURNAL August 27th, 2021
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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: August 29th, 2021
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Dear Friends,
I’ve had the pleasure of spending the last few days in Pacific Grove with my family – the people I love the most, in a place that I treasure! With a relatively large and lively family, I found myself needing a little quiet time this morning so I took a walk along the coastline. I’ve walked the path numerous times. The sounds, smells, seals, friendly faces and morning greetings were all familiar. And yet, as I trod the silty path, I began noticing little things that spoke to life in general – things I noticed as if for the first time:
-Seagulls are extremely, even annoying noisy. Clearly they have something to say but maybe I’m just irritated because I don’t understand their language.
-The sky is gray and heavy. Sometimes it stays that way for a long time, but the sun does come out eventually.
-There are times when the path breaks into two or three and you have to choose one. One might be a little rocky, but with a better view. Another might be more of a challenge, but it’s worth a try. One might be completely safe and predictable. At some point they all converge – different paths, different experiences, same destination.
-Everyone has their own pace. Age has very little to do with it.
-People stop to notice what is beautiful – seals, birds, crashing waves, boats. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and God provided it all.
-Succulents are spikey, round, prickly, large, small, spread out, or tall. They are strong and resilient. With all their differences, they remind me of people.
Those were just my observations, about 10,000 steps worth, but I think God reminds us all that there are lessons to be learned in the ordinary, familiar places in our lives. Thanks be to God!
Blessings and peace,
Karen+
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9:30am indoors at St. John’s
Our service will be indoors, with masks. We continue to alternate Sunday services between St. John’s and St. Stephen’s.
Everyone is welcome to attend all services!
They will also be live streamed so that if you are not physically at church, you can participate from home.
Click below for links to the service and bulletin.
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Pray for the conflict in Afghanistan.
Holy God, we pray for peace in Afghanistan, especially for those whose lives were lost in the most recent bombing that killed at least 90 Afghans and 13 service members outside the airport in Kabul where thousands were hoping to escape. We pray in the name of your son, Jesus, the true peace-giver. Amen
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GOODWILL is coming to St. Stephen’s again!
Save up your donations for the Goodwill truck that will be stationed in our parking lot on Sunday, Oct. 16th. A specific list of items that are not accepted will be provided but for now, remember that they do not accept furniture. More to come!
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Cardboard needed!
Please bring in all that cardboard you know you’ve been wanting to get rid of! The landscapers (Jessica & Co.) need it for weed control on the embankment.
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It’s done!! Our gratitude is too deep for words for the Labyrinth Guild who, with their collaborative, and strenuous work, have finished the labyrinth! The taking down of the yellow caution ribbon and stakes was not the celebration I dreamed about, but it was a joyful, even emotional moment. When asked what they learned they said they never expected it to take so long. They learned that creating a labyrinth is much more complicated than it looks, that it requires blood, sweat, and tears, and that the joy of seeing it finished is priceless. Come to church Sunday and see it, walk it, reminisce about Edy, and give thanks! |
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The Path; A Journey Through the Bible
We will be studying the Bible from Genesis to Revelation one chapter at a time. This is your opportunity to learn more, dig deeper into scripture, and understand how the stories all tie together to tell the overarching story of God’s love for God’s people.
Classes will meet weekly on and Wed at 11:00am and an evening zoom meeting at 7pm. The class will begin Sept 22nd if books come in. The price of the book is discounted based on how many books are purchased. The will not be more than $15.00. Please contact Rev. Karen via email if you if you are interested in taking this course or if you have questions.
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Poem from the Garden
The evening primrose
stalks arc and wobble
in late summer, their
yellow blossoms turned
to brown husked horns, chock
full of seeds. They may
look dead to us, but
to the green birds born
above the belltower
they are an open
buffet when there is
little else to eat, a
place to perch and thrive.
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Food for thought:
“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow”.
-Mary Anne Radmacher
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Kudos to:
-Jessica for the message she sends about our community garden to the wider community.
-All who were at church last Sunday to welcome the Rev. Mary Blessing.
-Deacon Robin for donating a new pop-up tent
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New Contact Information for Rev. Karen!
Please use this new number to contact Rev. Karen for calls or texts:
(669)270-7479
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We grieve today with those who grieve over Afghanistan, the people who call it home indeed, the people exiled or suddenly having to leave, and the men and women from other countries who have made sacrifices in recent years in the cause of that country's future.
We remember with renewed sadness the loss of lives of military personnel during the years of this country's involvement in Afghanistan, conscious of the questions that must today be troubling the minds of those in our community who were bereaved, those who were wounded on operations, and those who were forever changed by experiences suffered there.
In the name of Jesus Christ, the peace-giver, we pray, AMEN.
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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 prayer chain of committed pray-ers (who maintain confidentiality).
* tell people about your answers to prayer! and the miracles you witness, or how prayer changes YOU.
Please submit prayer requests to Rev. Karen.
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Contact information for Rev. Karen: |
Personal phone for emergencies or urgent matters: (669)270-7479
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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
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St. Stephen's in-the-Field Episcopal Church
7269 Santa Teresa Blvd; San Jose, CA 95139
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