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S. Stephen's Church
in Providence
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"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." (Acts 7:56) |
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THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
28 February 20210
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Lorenzo Monaco, Abraham, c. 1408/1410, Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT (YEAR B)
Click the readings above for links to the RSV
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Organ: Miserere à 4, William Byrd (1539 – 1623)
Mass: Kyrie IX, “O Pater excelse”
Plainsong Mass for a Mean, John Sheppard (1515 – 1558)
Psalm 16, Conserva me, Domine, Tone I
Organ: Christe Redemptor, John Bull (1562 - 1628)
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Dear beloved in Christ,
This Sunday, we will hear of the covenant established long ago between God and Abraham – a covenant that was defined by faith: specifically, Abraham’s faithfulness to God, and God’s faithfulness to Abraham and his descendants.
Long before I ever could have known or imagined I would be the rector of a parish, or that I would end up living in Rhode Island and be incredibly blessed to serve you as your parish priest, it was my annual tradition to spend several days on Block Island as part of my summer vacation. One particularly vivid memory is of returning to the beach after a late dinner. It was completely dark, but the tide was out, so there was a good portion of sand to lay on. Flopping onto damp sand and staring up into the night sky, there seemed to be more stars in that sky than I could ever before recall seeing in my entire life. It was beautiful beyond words. And then I remembered God’s promise to Abraham: “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness. (Gen. 15:5,6)
As St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “No distrust made Abraham waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.”” (Rom. 4:20-22)
Abraham could not have known then that God was not talking about only biological descendants, though they were numerous as well. Abraham would be the father of Israel – yes – but he is also the father of the new Israel of God, which came to be defined by faith in God, and not blood or tribal membership. This new Israel which was defined by faith in Jesus as Messiah is the Church, and Abraham stands as our father in faith – the father of billions upon billions of faithful children of God who have known the love of Christ Jesus.
We are called even now to be faithful – to trust in God’s promises, especially in times of adversity, or when hope seems lost. God has that perennial tendency to create something out of nothing, even life out of death. Sometimes, God’s promises are only fully revealed in the long term, instead of the immediate future – what we might call “the fullness of time.”
The experience of this global pandemic has tried us, and the short-term goals and alterations to our lives that we were willing to make last March and April have stretched out into nearly a year now. We are nearly there – there is an end in sight. We’ve come this far by faith. Keep the faith, and peer over the hilltop and into the distance with the eyes of faith: there is a promised land, and a light and the end of the tunnel. We. Will. Get. There.
Faithfully,
Fr. Benjamin+
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Update on worship at S. Stephen's |
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While I had hoped to give you a more concrete update this week, including a “Return to In-Person Worship date,” we are still closed to in-person worship with the exception of those who participate directly in creating the livestream liturgy. However, the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases in Rhode Island continues to decline and the number of vaccinations continues to increase! This is good news on many fronts, and I hope to give you more substantive information next week. Please continue to pray that these trends stay on their present course, and know that we are anticipating a return to in-person worship in the coming weeks. |
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Multiple Parish Lenten Study |
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Four historic Anglo-Catholic parishes (St. Stephen's, St. John's Newport, St. Paul's Brooklyn, St. Thomas' in Toronto) are joining forces to offer a special Wednesdays in Lent series at 7 p.m. each week via Zoom. "The Eucharist in a time of Pandemic: Sacramental Theology for when you cannot receive the Sacrament," will begin on Wednesday, February 24 and run for five sessions through Wednesday, March 24. Please register for the event at this link: once you register, Zoom information will be sent to you.
If you are interested in recordings of the sessions, please e-mail the office.
Wednesday, 3 March
Patristic Development with Fr. D'Angelo & Fr. Humphrey
How did the Church Fathers interpret the Biblical Witness?
Wednesday, 10 March
Medieval Unfolding with Fr. Straley & Fr. Ogburn
Amidst the Black Death, how was the Eucharist understood and practiced?
Wednesday, 17 March
Reformation Response with Fr. Ogburn & Fr. Humphrey
What lasting insights did the English Reformation impart?
Wednesday, 24 March
Anglo-Catholic Synthesis with Fr. Humphrey & Team Faculty
How does Anglo-Catholic theology and practice promise life in the midst of death?
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Volunteers for Sunday Masses |
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We are seeking people to serve as lectors and camera operators during our Sunday masses. If you are interested and are comfortable being socially distanced in the church with others, please write to the office at office@sstephens.necoxmail.com or by phone at 401.421.6702: training is available. Thank you to all who have and continue to fill these positions. |
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You can mail your pledge card or weekly/monthly offering to the church office, or pledge online here. Thank you for all the many ways in which you are already supporting S. Stephen’s.
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Prayers have been requested for: Carmen Alba, Patti Barnes, Lola Campagna, Ruby Campagna, Rev. Norman Catir, Diana Clarke, Sarah Clarke, Grace Deneault, Harrington Gordon, Joan Gordon, Barbara Hartford, Rev. Jay C. James, Conrad Johnson, Ann Brooke Mason, Beverly Myers, Beverly Ryan, Rhoda Steinhart, Crystal Sylver, and Christopher Whittingham.
Birthdays this week: George Ryan (3/6).
The faithful departed: Recently Departed: James Howley. Year's mind: Flora Hilda Harding (3/2), Alice Hunt (3/2), Mary Chase (3/2).
Anglican and Diocesan Cycles of Prayer: In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for the Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America. In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for St. David's-on-the-Hill, Cranston.
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This Week at St. Stephen's |
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EVENTS THIS WEEK
Wednesday 3 March
"The Eucharist in a time of Pandemic: Multi-Parish Lenten Study"
7 pm
Saturday 6 March
Epiphany Soup Kitchen (Meal Pickup Only) 2:30-4 pm
LITURGICAL CALENDAR & SERVICE SCHEDULE
Sunday 28 February
THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
Sung Mass 10:00 am
Daily Office and Mass Lectionary
Monday 1 March
David, Bishop of Menevia, Patron of Wales, c. 601
Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6:00 pm
Tuesday 2 March
Chad, Bishop of Lichfield, c. 602
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Wednesday 3 March
John and Charles Wesley, Priests, 1791, 1788
Sung Evening Prayer 5:30 pm
Low Mass 6 pm
Thursday 4 March
Thursday in the second week of Lent
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Friday 5 March
Friday in the second week of Lent
Noonday Prayer 12 noon
Low Mass 12:10 pm
Saturday 6 March
Saturday in the second week of Lent
Morning Prayer 9:30 am
Low Mass 10:00 am
Holy Rosary 10:45 am
Next Sunday
THE THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT
Sung Mass 10:00 am
Zoom Coffee Hour 11:30 am
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