From the Rector

Dear friends, 

Even though All Saints’ Day is always November 1st in our liturgical tradition, we are celebrating it and the Commemoration of All Faithful Departed (Nov. 2nd)  this coming Sunday. Nov. 26th.  We Episcopalians rarely celebrate a feast day before the actual day and this Sunday is no exception.  Oh so many traditions!  Does it even matter?  Well, yes and no.  Our tradition might say yes, and our lives and hearts might suggest otherwise (I hope I don’t get in trouble with the ‘liturgical police’ for this – just kidding).  Honestly, I think every day is a day to celebrate the saints that have gone before us – the dead who’ve made a difference in our own lives.  But it is good to have a particular day when we all celebrate together

.  

We will be reading the Necrology this Sunday. The Necrology is the list of names of the people who have departed this life since Nov. 1st, 2021.  Our list has traditionally included all who have died in the past who we would like to remember for this year – a celebration of ‘All the Faith Departed’.  If you would like the name of a loved one added to the list, please email me at revkaren@ssitf.org NLT Saturday evening.  

Our service this Sunday is at St. Stephen’s but the names from both St. Stephen’s and St. John’s will be read.  I hope to see you there! 

Peace,

Karen+

Worship This Sunday:

Sunday, Nov 6th, 10:00am – Holy Eucharist

 at St. Stephen's

LIVE STREAM WORSHIP SERVICE

  BULLETIN

  St. Stephen’s church doors will be open every Sunday for worship. In-person services will continue to alternate with St. John’s but the live-stream from services at St. John’s will be projected at St. Stephen’s. Come to St. Stephen’s every Sunday!

2022 Pledge Campaign

It is time for our Annual Pledge Campaign and your support is vital.  Our theme this year is ‘More Than Enough’. You should be receiving a letter in the mail this week to learn more about our theme and how it applies to St. Stephen’s.  Please read it and prayerfully consider your stewardship of treasure this coming year.  Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Centering Prayer Retreat

The Rev. Amber Sturgess is leading a Centering Prayer retreat at All Saint's Carmel, Nov. 11-13. This is a beautiful and rewarding opportunity to learn more about and practice Centering Prayer! For more information click on the flyer below. 

Centering Prayer Retreat

Bible Study

Acts: Catching up with the Spirit 

We are doing a six-week study on the book of Acts with Biblical scholar, Matt Skinner.

Tuesday evenings via Zoom at 7pm.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87517609914

Wednesday mornings at 11:00am, in person at St. John’s

Volunteers Needed!

Santa Maria needs pantry volunteers to box groceries between 9:00am and 11:30am on weekdays. It’s a gratifying way to make a big difference in the lives of others. Call Santa Maria Urban Ministry at 408-292-3314. You must be at least twelve years old to volunteer. 

Poem from the Garden

This is our first week

of real rains, after

a quick Pacific

hurricane drenched

us a bit back in

September. We put

5 new oaks in the

ground on Wednesday,

Calero students

digging and patting,

planting, watering,

and getting the plants

ready to soak up

the new, blessed storms. 

A poem by Mary Oliver from her book Why I Wake Early:

                                           November

The snow

began slowly, 

a soft and easy 

sprinkling

of flakes, then clouds of flakes

in the baskets of the wind

and the branches

of the trees-

oh, so pretty. 

We walked through the growing stillness, 

as the flakes

prickled the path,

then covered it,

then deepened 

as in curds and drifts,

as the wind grew stronger,

shaping its work

less delicately,

taking greater steps

over the hills 

and through the trees

until, finally, 

we were cold,

and far from home, 

We turned

and followed our long shadows back

to the house,

stamped our feet, 

went inside, and shut the door.

Through the window

we could see

how far away it was to the gates of April.

Let the fire now 

put on its red hat

and sing to us.

Kudos to:

-Jessica, Rob, Nicholas, and Kristen for putting up our new sign at the beginning of the driveway. 

-Janet and Susan for working on the sign for our labyrinth. 

-Wanda for faithfully attending and voting on our behalf at the diocesan convention tomorrow.