From the Rector

Dear friends, 

Aside from ‘the reason for the season’, what is your favorite thing about Christmas? Is it the food, cookies, gift giving, gift receiving, decorating the Christmas tree, being with family and friends, attending the Christmas Eve service with your family?

For me it’s music.  I love all those other things too, but music touches me in a particular way.  Some of the lyrics of the traditional hymns can even move me to tears.  Portions of Handel’s Messiah definitely do.

I have a little exercise for you to do before coming to church tomorrow, or watching from home: First, choose your favorite Christmas hymn. If you have several favorites, pick just one.  Then, look up the lyrics. Try reading them without singing. Take your time and let the words sink in. 

Pick a favorite verse.  Then narrow that down to a favorite word or phrase. 

Take time to reflect on that word or phrase before coming to church. Sometimes the story of Christmas in Luke is so familiar (think Linus’ recitation in A Charlie Brown Christmas), that we don’t take notice of the ‘wow’ factor.  It’s an amazing love story! Maybe having a particular word or phrase will help you notice something you hadn’t before, or hear something new.  

Blessings and peace,

Karen+

Worship This Sunday:

Sunday, Dec 25th, 10:00am – Holy Eucharist

 at St. John's

LIVE STREAM WORSHIP SERVICE

Christmas Eve - Christmas Day

BULLETIN

Christmas Eve - Christmas Day

  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!

Mark your Calendars

Saturday, 12/24, 4pm – Christmas Eve Candlelight Service at St. John’s.

Sunday, 12/25, 8:30am – Christmas Day, spoken Eucharist at St. Stephen’s

Sunday, 1/1, 10:00am – Morning Prayer with music.

Friday, 1/6, TBD – Epiphany Dinner at St. Stephen’s.

Sunday, 1/8, 10:00am – Holy Eucharist, The Rev. John Buenz presiding, at St. Stephen’s.

Sunday, 1/15, 10:00am – Holy Eucharist, The Rev. Julie Nelson presiding at St. John’s.

Poem from the Garden

We tried to take out

the oleander

but found the stumps were

too big for my own

chainsaw. We reached out

to an arborist 

for a quote and while

he thought on it, 3

of our new fruit trees 

arrived early. All good

chances for growth and

improvisation and 

grace. It will just look 

messy for a bit. 

- Jessica Dickinson Goodman

“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

-Dr. Suess

Kudos to:

-Andy and Trig for cleaning up the garbage heap that someone chose to dump in our parking lot. 

-Trig for working on our outside lighting – it’s a work in progress. 

-Janet for coordinating the Epiphany dinner and Susan for playing the piano.

While I’m away . . .

Rev. Karen will be out of town from 12/27 – 1/8.  

For pastoral emergencies, please reach out to the Rev. Mary Blessing (408-219-5306) or The Rev. Ernie Boyer (650-793-9327) 

For all other matters/concerns, contact our Sr. Warden, Janet Thorsrud via email (thorsrud@sbcglobal.net) or phone: 408-281-2156