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Saint Stephen's Church
in Providence
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News and events for the
week of May 8
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The Fourth Sunday of Easter |
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mosaic detail, Christ the Good Shepherd |
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Mass Setting:
Tu es pastor ovium
Claudio Monteverdi (1567 - 1643)
Voluntary: Messe à la usage des Couvents
Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth
Benedictus qui venit
François Couperin (1688 - 1733)
Psalm 100, Jubilate Deo
chant: Thomas Attwood (1783 - 1856)
Motet: Little Lamb (from Blake's Songs of Innocence)
William Cutter (b. 1956)
Voluntary: Messe à la usage des Couvents
Offertoire sur les Grands Jeux
François Couperin
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Dear Friends,
The image of Christ the Good Shepherd is one of my favorite images of Jesus. It is one of the great "I am" statements in John's Gospel, and he speaks of a Good Shepherd, who, unlike the hired hand who cares not for the sheep in his charge, in contrast cares not just for the sheep in the pen, but goes out and seeks after the lost sheep. The Good Shepherd is good because he loves his sheep, and will even risk his life - yes, even lay down his life for the sheep. The Greek word for "good" in John's Gospel can also be translated as "beautiful." Jesus is a beautiful or attractive Shepherd, in the sense that his manner of life and his character are attractive - we are drawn to him, and to the sound of his voice.
Perhaps the most profound aspect of the relationship between the Good Shepherd and his sheep is that intimate quality of being known. Jesus tells us the Good Shepherd knows his sheep, and they know him, because they know his voice. Just as Mary Magdalene recognizes the Risen Lord when he says her name, so we too sense and know in our deepest core the voice of Jesus the Good Shepherd when he calls us, even by our very name. We instinctively know, like a sheep or any other pet we might have, the sound of that voice that is one of safety and comfort - of joy and protection - a voice that says, "with me you are home."
The image of Christ as Good Shepherd is the one most frequently found in early Christian art. They needed no reminder of the cruelty, trauma, and shame of crucifixion. Some of the most ornately decorated spaces in the early house churches were the baptistries. These highly symbolic spaces, adorned with important images of Jesus and of all those events in Scripture which prefigured Baptism, underscored the importance of Baptism as entry into the life of Christ and the life of the Church. In Baptism, we are buried with Christ in his death, and can thus share in his Resurrection. In Baptism, we are marked as Christ's own for ever - a single sheep out of many redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. That Lamb is paradoxically the Good Shepherd, who will risk life and limb to go in search of us, even in the valley of the shadow of death, only to emerge with us being carried in safety upon his shoulders, bringing us home and rejoicing as he does.
What a joy it will be on this Good Shepherd Sunday to baptize a new child into the faith, that we may welcome her into the Body of Christ, her eternal home; this child will die to sin and be raised to newness of life, receiving the fullness of God’s grace that she may faithfully serve him all the days of her life. In the closing words of Henry Baker's beloved paraphrase of the twenty-third psalm, which we will sing at communion, "Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise within thy house for ever."
Yours in the love and joy of our Risen Lord,
Fr. Benjamin +
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Funeral Mass for Leonard Gaucher |
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The funeral mass for our beloved Len Gaucher, a parishioner for many decades, will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, May 14th. In sure and certain hope of the Resurrection, our prayers continue to ascend for the repose of his soul, as well as for his daughter Sara. |
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This Sunday! Bethlehem Artworks |
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Beautiful hand-made olive wood religious articles made by Christian families in Bethlehem and Jerusalem will be on sale the weekend of May 8th after all services. Bethlehem Artworks is an organization that provides assistance to over 100 suffering families each week.
Hand made rosaries, statues, crosses and nativities will make wonderful presents for family and friends; or an opportunity to add a beautiful hand carved religious item for your home to be cherished through generations.
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Summer Weekday Mass Schedule |
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Please be aware that we will go to a “Summer Schedule” once again this year between Memorial Day and Labor Day. There will be no masses on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. As a result, that means the daily masses offered are: Tuesday (noon), Thursday (noon), and Saturday (9:30 morning prayer, 10:00 mass). Sunday Mass schedule stays the same. |
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Mark your calendars!
Two Important Dates
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As was announced in January, our esteemed James Busby will be stepping down from his duties at S. Stephen’s at the end of June. Please mark your calendars for two important dates on which we will celebrate and acknowledge his invaluable service, dedication, and accomplishments over the past 29 years of our parish life. On Sunday, May 22, we will have a special reception after Solemn Mass in the Guild Hall to celebrate and toast Maestro Busby.
On Sunday, June 19, the Feast of Corpus Christi, James will play and conduct his final liturgy at S. Stephen’s. Please make every effort to be in attendance for both of these significant days in the life of S. Stephen’s Church. A special “purse” is being collected to present to Mr. Busby as a token of our gratitude and appreciation for all he has done. Please send checks to the office or place in the offering plate with a memo for “Busby purse.” There is also an online giving option on our Vanco platform for this special collection.
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This Coming Week at S. Stephen's |
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May 8 – The Fourth Sunday of Easter
8:00 am – Morning Prayer & Low Mass
9:55 am – Sunday School
10:00 am – Solemn Mass & Baptism of June Randall
11:15 am Coffee Hour
Monday May 9
Gregory of Nazianzus, Bishop of Constantinople, 389
5:30 pm – Evening Prayer
6:00 pm – Low Mass
Tuesday May 10
Feria
12:00 pm – Noonday Prayer & Low Mass
7:00 pm - Vestry Meeting (via Zoom)
Wednesday May 11
Feria
5:30 pm – Evening Prayer
6:00 pm – Low Mass
Thursday May 12
Feria
12:00 pm – Noonday Prayer & Low Mass
Friday May 13
Feria
12:00 pm – Noonday Prayer & Low Mass
Saturday May 14
Feria
10:00 am - Funeral Mass for Leonard Gaucher
(no Morning Prayer or Low Mass)
2:30 - 4:00 pm - Epiphany Soup Kitchen
May 15 – The Fifth Sunday of Easter
8:00 am – Morning Prayer & Low Mass
9:55 am – Sunday School
10:00 am – Solemn Mass
11:15 am -- Coffee Hour (Guild Hall)
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Prayers have been requested for: Charles and Sandra Calverley, Fr. Norman Catir, Trudy Egan, Fr. Harrington Gordon, Richard Hogarth, Andrew Oliver, Bryan Ripley, Rhoda Steinhart, Fr. Allan Warren, and Christopher Whittingham.
Birthdays this week: Karen Williams (5/9).
Anniversaries this week: Bruce & Sharon Lennihan (5/9).
Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood: Fr. Gary K. Sturni (5/8).
The faithful departed: Recently Departed: Leonard Gaucher.
Year’s Mind: Beverly Hall (5/8); Estelle "Peg" Duncanson (5/10).
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we are asked to pray for Eglise Anglicane du Rwanda (5/8); The Diocese of Lexington – The Episcopal Church (5/9); The Diocese of Liberia – The Church of the Province of West Africa (5/10); The Diocese of Lichfield – The Church of England (5/11); The Diocese of Limerick & Killaloe – The Church of Ireland (5/12); The Diocese of Lincoln – The Church of England (5/13); The Diocese of Litoral Ecuador – The Episcopal Church (5/14). In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer we are asked to pray for the Church of the Good Shepherd, Pawtucket.
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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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