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To receive the St. Stephens Star Newsletters by email, please contact Patty
Thomas - PThomas@ststephenshouston.org
St.
Stephen's Episcopal Church
E-STAR
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
Electronic Newsletter |
Mar
11, 2010
admn@ststephenshouston.org
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From
the Rector:
As
we move toward Holy Week I
am aware that facing death
lends a certain courage
which we might not have at
any other time in our lives.
I went to my friend David
Talbert's funeral today.
He is the third priest whose
funeral I have attended in
the last six months.
David was a friend of our
parish and a valiant, yet
quiet leader in our diocese.
One of the founders of
Integrity in the Diocese of
Texas, David was a stalwart
advocate for justice and
equality. He certainly
left his mark in his funeral
as well. David wrote a
special prayer to be added
to the prayers of the people
at his funeral, thanking God
for creating him to be a gay
man. His prayer asked
God to enable us to turn
those who oppress one
another into friends.
It was a loving and lovely
gift to the church gathered.
What would contemplating
your death give you courage
to do now? Rather than
being a morbid exercise,
this contemplation can lead
us to the truth of our
selves, the center of our
values. As you face
your cross, what do you have
the courage to offer?
Peace,
Lisa
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Foyers
at St. Stephen's
"Foyers"
is the name we use for
informal dinner gatherings held
monthly. We get the name Foyers
from the French word foyer
meaning "hearth". The
purpose of Foyers is to allow
St. Stephen's parishioners to
get to know one another and to
get to know newcomers in an
informal, friendly setting..
Foyers groups are open to the
entire community of St.
Stephen's.
Foyers
dinners are held on
Friday, Saturday, Sunday or a
weekday evening each month in
the homes of volunteer Foyers
hosts and occasionally at a
convenient restaurant. Groups
are kept small with only 8 to 10
in each.
New
Foyer groups are formed
every year during Lent and the
group meets each month for a
year until the following Lent
when new groups are formed. We
recommend that parishioners who
have been in Foyers groups for a
few years try to sign up for a
different day this year to make
it more likely that your 2010
group will include different
people from your past groups.
If
you're interested in
joining a 2010-2011 Foyers
group, please complete a Foyers
sign up sheet (found in the
gathering area or the church
office) and put it in the
Treasurer's mail box in the
volunteer office at the church.
Questions
or concerns about Foyers
may be directed to John
Cornwell, Foyers Coordinator at cornwell@rice.edu
or 713-828-9881.
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Palm
Crosses for Palm Sunday
Please
join the St. Stephen's Altar
Guild members on Saturday,
March 27, 2010 at 10 am in the
Gathering Area to make palm
crosses for Palm Sunday.
If you have ever wondered how
those palm crosses that are
distributed on Palm Sunday are
made, or you just want to hone
your skills, or share your
skills with others, we welcome
you. We typically need 300
crosses, so the more help we
have, the fewer each
"artist" has to
make. No experience, talent or
creativity necessary and
instructions are provided. If
you are able to help or would
like additional information,
please call Madeline Mauk at
(713) 646-1119 (work) or (713)
668-4178 (home) or (713)
443-5395 (cell). We look
forward to seeing you there.
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Lenten
Program
Continues On THursdays
6:30
pm Dinner and
Discussion
Who
is the Stranger?
A great group of more
than twenty gathered for
soup, salad and sharing
on Thursday. The
more the merrier and you
are welcome to join us.
March
18, its another
Rector's Soup and Salad,
as well as great
conversation at 6:30
p.m. in the Gathering
Area as we
consider the stranger
among us and
hospitality.
Child care is provided.
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Adult
Formation 9:30
am Sunday
Join
Us at Chatham Room This
Week
Examining
the ideas and practices
in: Sabbath: Finding
Rest,
Renewal,
and Delight in Our
Busy Lives by
Wayne Muller, as a way
toward inner joy and a
more productive life.
Come and join us..
We would like to see
you and have your
reflections, too.
Rev. Carissa Baldwin,
Julia Wolfe and Cal
Preece will facilitate
a discussion of this
interesting book
during February and
March.
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Mark
These Dates In Your
Calendar
 Mar
18, 25 Thursday
Lenten Program
Mar
21 Newcomer
Open House
Apr
4
Easter
Sunday
Apr
17 Havens
Center Auction
May
28 Newcomer
Family Picnic
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From
the Book of Common
Prayer
p
835, Prayers, Grace at
Meals (Adapted)
Give us grateful hearts,
for all your mercies, O
Sustainer of us all, and
make us mindful of the
needs of others; through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
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Holy
Week:
Transformation
in Community
St.
Stephen's will be
observing Holy
Week with some
new twists this year.
Palm
Sunday: There
will be two Eucharists,
one at 8:30 and one at
10:30 a.m. We
will bless and process
with palms from the
playground into the
Nave. Each of us
will get to be a
character in the
Passion story.
Holy
Wednesday:
The Presence Group
will serve as worship
leaders for Tenebrae
at 7p.m. The
feel of this liturgy
is contemplative and
it prepares us for
coming events.
Taize chant will be
used to help us pray
the psalms appointed.
Maundy
Thursday:
At 7 p.m. we gather in
the Nave to experience
God's love in
community through
divine hospitality.
Foot washing and
Eucharist will both be
offered.
Good
Friday:
At noon and 7 p.m. we
meet to offer the
Passion story as our
story. We will
confront God's
breaking open
exclusion and
exclusivity through
self-emptying love.
The church will be
open until 7:30 p.m.
for prayer and
meditation.
Easter:
The Great Vigil of
Easter will be
celebrated at 6 a.m.
We enter into the
story of our salvation
and renew our life as
community as a
resurrected people.
If you or your child
desires baptism, this
is the next available
time. Call the
office now!
Breakfast will follow
the service.
Eucharist:
We will continue our
celebration of
resurrection with Eucharists
at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30
a.m.
Breakfast will be
served between
services and the Egg
Hunt will be held at
10:00 a.m.
The
photo will not
be taken at Easter; we
will be doing it on Pentecost,
May 23.
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Havens
Center Floors Will Be
Re-done
Mar 12 thru Mar 18
 The
floors at Havens Center
are scheduled to be
re-done during Spring
Break. During the
period from Mar 12-Mar
18, groups and meetings
regularly scheduled for
the facility have been
moved to alternate
venues in the St.
Stephen's Church and
School complex.
Be sure to check the
schedule to see where
your group will be
meeting.
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We
need auction items for
this year's
Havens
Center Auction!
If you have original
art or handmade
jewelry to donate, if
you have event tickets
to share, if you can
host a dinner or offer
a service, if your
business would like to
contribute an
item...the Havens
Center would love to
hear from you!
Please bring donations
to the volunteer
office any time
between now and Easter
Sunday, April 4.
Please attach a note
with your name on it,
so we can call you if
we have any questions.
Thanks!
Go
behind the scenes at
the Havens Center
Auction!
Needed are 10-12 cooks
7-8 servers to help
plate food in the
kitchen
12 people to help
clean up, in shifts
4 people to be
"runners"
during the live
auction
If you can help for
part of the evening,
please sign up on the
poster in the
Gathering Area, or contact
Susan Hawes at
se_hawes@yahoo.com or
832-778-7033.
Tickets
for the annual Havens
Center Fundraising
Auction will be on
sale this Sunday!
Tickets are $35 per
person. There
will be a table in the
Gathering Area after
each service.
The auction will be
held at 6 PM on
Saturday, April 17th,
in Pecore Hall.
This year's theme is
"New
Beginnings" as we
celebrate the
afterschool program's
new partnership with
the YMCA. Child
care will be
provided for an extra
charge benefitting the
Honduras Mission.
Please sign up for
child care when you
buy your ticket.
Please consider
sponsoring a ticket
for a Havens Center or
Y staff member when
you buy your
ticket--or if you
cannot attend but
would like to
contribute.
We look forward to
seeing everyone there!
Please
contact Susan Hawes at
832-778-7033 or se_hawes@yahoo.com
if you have something
that you would
like to donate.
Buy
Tickets Today!
Donate Today!
Enjoy Fellowship on
April 17, 2010
6 pm
Auction and Dinner
Special Guest
Auctioneer and MC
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We
need your response this
week, if you want to
attend with St.
Stephen's as a group.
We need to advise
Congregational Beth
Israel.
Passover
Seder Invitation
Congregation
Beth Israel and
The
Metropolitan
Organization Cordially
Invite you to attend a:
Passover Seder
For
Interfaith Clergy and
TMO Member Congregations
Wednesday,
March 24, 2010
Congregation
Beth Israel
5600
N. Braeswood Boulevard
Registration: 6:00 p.m.
Seder and Dinner:
6:30-8:30 p.m.
St.
Stephen's parish members
will attend as a group.
If you are interested in
attending this event,
please email the parish Respond
by E-mail Here by
March 16th with your
name, phone and email so
that we can create
registration forms for
you.
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This
Week At St. Stephen's
Sunday,
Mar 14
All Day
Havens Center Floor Work
8:30 am
Holy Eucharist, Rite II
- Nave
9:15 am
Christian Education-
Young People
9:30 am
Christian
Formation-Adults-
Chatham
10:30 am
Holy Eucharist,- Nave
1:15 pm
Presence Group - Library
Monday,
Mar 15
All Day
Havens Center Floor Work
9:00 am
Transgender Support
Group -Chatham
Noon
Scripture Study- Library
1:30 pm
Census Bureau Training -
Chatham
6:00 pm
Census Bureau Testing -
Chatham
7:30 pm
UN Choir Rehearsal-
Pecore Hall
Tuesday,
Mar 16
All Day
Havens Center Floor Work
10:00 am
New Mothers Group -
Chatham
5:30 pm
Roadwomen - Pecore
Hall
Wednesday,
Mar 17
All Day
Havens Center Floor Work
9:15 am
LaLeche League - Chatham
6:30 pm
Bible Study- Gathering
Area
8:00 pm
AA Meeting -
Chatham Room
Thursday,
Mar 18
All Day
Havens Center Floor Work
12:30 pm
Job Search Group -
Library
6:30 pm
Lenten Study - Bentley
Room
6:30 pm
Transgender Free Yoga
- Pecore Hall
7:00 pm
PFLAG - Chatham
7:00 pm
St. Stephens Choir
Rehearsal - Choir
Friday,
Mar 19
6:00 pm
FotoFest Exhibit -
Havens Center
7:00 pm
COSA Speak Your Truth
- Chatham
7:00 pm
Houston 911 Truth -
Pecore Hall
Saturday,
Mar 20
8:00 am
Rosary Group- Nave
Noon
FotoFest Exhibit -
Havens Center
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Lessons
for the Fourth Sunday in
Lent
Joshua
5:9-12
Psalm 32 Page 624, BCP
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
Lectionary
OnLine
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Prayer
List
In our
community we pray for
Adele Cross Nissen,
Joseph Flannery,
Margie and Angie
Reynolds, Steve
Allison, Alex Paulido,
Maud Lipscomb, Charo,
Kelly, Fran Flanagan,
Mrs. Sauer, Sondra
Thewalt, Bill Thewalt,
Catherine Dreuse,
Eric, Corsalie, Rose,
Harold, Alma Mauk,
Jon, Carla Rae
Gerardino, Anne
Wallace, Edith Lazarou,
Elizabeth Rogers,
Morgan Cornelison,
Will Johnston, Charles
Tanner, Charles Storer,
Dorothy Allen, Daniel
Ruiz, Alex, Jon,
Brinson, Haney Goswick-Cross, Janet
Gilmore, Ron Barr,
Judy Rollins, Tyler
Patton, Jim Gentry,
Tracy Condon, Linda
Wade, for the
unemployed, and for
those affected by war
especially Drew
Huffman.
We
want to honor all your
prayer needs. Requests
will be kept on the
Prayer List for 3
weeks. Should you
desire more time,
please contact the
church office.
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Colors
have meaning in our
lives.
They
define our hopes and
concerns.
Red
says "I love
you" while Pink
says "I care, I am
aware". Yellow
is the color to
show support of our
troops and Green
speaks of environmental
concerns. Purple
is the color of
Lent.
Blue
is a very special color
for it says,"Thank
you, God, for all your
many blessings.
The coins in my Blue Box
help to pass your
blessings forward.
You
still have time to
become a Blue Boxer.
Boxes are available at
the back of the church
or in the Gathering
Area. Presentation
will be Ascension
Sunday, May 16th.
This
spring's UTO collection
will be May 16th at both
services.
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Laid-Off,
Out of Work
Never
Good, but opportunity
may be just around the
corner.
Job
Search and Networking
Support Group Meets
Thursdays.
Join
us for Lunch.
Brown
Bag Lunch-Thursdays
@ 12:30
In
the Library
If you are between
jobs or would just
like to network with
your fellow St.
Stephen's members
who are, please join
us in the Library on
Thursdays for a
brown bag lunch,
support and
fellowship. We
will be meeting with
other members who
have offered to help
with resumes, how to
structure an
effective search and
more.
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BIG
for CCSC/smallfor LOTS
Hygiene
Kit drive for
Christian Community
Service Center and
Lord of the Streets
is underway and will
continue through
Palm Sunday, March
28. We need the
following items:
CCSC
Needs
2
Big Bottles of
Shampoo
Deodorant
Hand Can Opener
LOTS
Needs Travel Size:
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Bar soap
Shampoo
Comb
Deodorant
Tissues
Wash Cloth
Socks
Hygiene
Kit Items are for
Christian Community
Service Center
and
Lord of the Streets
Homeless Center.
Deliver items to
Donation Box in church
Gathering Space. Both CCSC
and LOTS
are outreach
ministries of St.
Stephen's Episcopal
Church, Houston,
Texas, 713/528-6665.
For additional
information contact Peg
Nevers pegnev@earthlink.net
or Joel
McGlasson jmcglasson1@comcast.net.
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JUSTICE
FOR JANITORS
INTERFAITH
"BLESSING OF THE
BROOMS"
MARCH
17 4 - 5 PM
JONES
PLAZA DOWNTOWN HOUSTON
Dear
Friends,
It appears that, after
a long delay,
negotiations for a new
contract for the
hard-working janitors
of Houston may be possible in
March. However,
the janitors expect
strong opposition and
the gains achieved
three years ago are
threatened.
To support the
janitors in their
struggle for a decent
life, an
interfaith
"Blessing of the
Brooms" hosted by
Archbishop Joseph
Fiorenza will be held
on March 17. We
invite you to
participate in this program. Free
parking will be
provided for
participants.
Please email or
call me if you think
you will be able
to participate in
this important
program.
Best wishes,
Dave Atwood
(832)693-5710
E-mail
Dave Atwood here
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Those
Assisting at Sunday
Services on Mar 14
Check
to see if you are on
the list
8:30
am
Altar Guild: Lyle
Bolster, Ronnie
Johnston, Georgia
McGlasson, Dwight Wolf
Linen Guild: Dwight
Wolf
Flower Guild: Sandy
McClain
Bread Baker: Randall
Lamb
LEV: Sandy Clark
Acolyte: Tom Cordell
Lessons & Psalm:
Tom Cordell
Chalice Bearer: Tom
Cordell
Hospitality: Rick
Adams, Elizabeth
McClintock
Ushers: Rick Adams,
Elizabeth McClintock
10:30
am
Altar
Guild: Lyle Bolster,
Ronnie Johnston,
Georgia McGlasson,
Dwight Wolf
Linen
Guild: Dwight Wolf
Flower
Guild: Sandy McClain
Bread
Baker: Randall Lamb
LEV:
Sandy Clark
10:30
am
Crucifer:
Pat Bozeman
Acolyte: Ben Flannery
First
Lesson: Melinda
Flannery
Second Lesson: Bruce
Farrar
Prayers
of the People: Julia
Wolf
Chalice Bearers: Becky
Udden, Max Zimmerman
Children's
Chapel Leader: Mark
Edge
Children's
Chapel Music: Patrick
Flannery
Hospitality:
Dwight and Julia Wolf
Cantor:
Julie Marx
Ushers:
Marty Wright, Shiela
Ferguson, Bob French,
Martha French
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Easter
Is
On Its Way
Honor
Someone with a
Lily |
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Donations for the lilies
at Easter are a great
way to honor our loved
ones, partners, spouses,
and those who have
passed away. You
can donate a lily with a
$10 donation. Make
your checks payable to
St. Stephen's Episcopal
Church, and indicate on
the memo line that it is
for Easter
Lily. Or
you can let the church
administrative assistant
know by email (admn@ststephenshouston.org)
or phone (713-528-6665)
that you would like to
donate for the Easter
Lilies and then place
your contribution in the
offering the following
Sunday. Deadline
for inclusion of your
donation in printings is
Wednesday, March 30, at
12 noon.
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Living
the Now Moment with Joy
Dr.
Eileen M. Raffaniello
Barbella
2010
Spiritual Growth Retreat
Episcopal
Church Women
The
Diocese of Texas
Friday, April
9-Saturday, April 10
Camp Allen, Texas
Rejoice in hope,
endure in affliction,
persevere in prayer.
Rm 12:12
Reasons to Attend:
Establish,
re-establish or deepen
a personal
relationship with
Christ.
Meet new people and
make new friends.
Share spiritual
discoveries with other
Christian women.
Enjoy the glorious
environment of Camp
Allen.
For More Information
and Registration
Materials go to Episcopal
Church Women
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Never
too Late to pick up....
A
table of resources
Books and leaflets for
Lenten reading and
meditation, in the
library off the
gathering area.
There is additional
material in the
Meditation Room on the
second floor.
Please sign out any
material you take with
you on the sign-out
sheet .
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Leap
Forward
Return
Of Daylight Savings Time
Don't forget to
adjust your clocks
Saturday at bedtime,
you don't want to be
late to Sunday
Services.
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CELEBRATE
BACH!
AN ORGAN RECITAL
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Deadlines
for inclusion in our
publications and bulletins:
Wednesday at 12 noon for the
Sunday Bulletin
Thursday at 12 noon for the
E-Star
These deadlines help us to have
time to produce the documents in
good form.
E-Star is currently produced by
the volunteer staff.
Submissions for the Sunday
Bulletin and the E-Star can be
sent to
admn@ststephenshouston.org
Thank you for your
suggestions and please let us
know what more we can do to
provide the information you
desire.
E-Star Scribe
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church |
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