St. Stephen's Weekly Touchstone
  
February 22, 2011
 
The Week leading up to the Eighth Sunday after the Epiphany

Thought of the Week

This morning when I arrived at the church office I noticed that work had begun to take care of the trees in our graveyard.  There were two men up in the two chestnut trees next to the columbarium, as you can see in the Weekly Picture below, who were trimming away dead branches and pruning them for our trees' good health.  In case you didn't know, Ruth Clausen has set up a program for all the plants around our grounds to be taken care of.  We are trimming, fertilizing, and bedding the trees that beautify our church.  We are also removing the invasive species, vines, and poison ivy around our grounds.  Sometimes it is easy to let things like this go, but I believe that these practices are foundational for long term health. 

March 9th is Ash Wednesday, a day that we gather to remember that we grow out of the soil of creation just as our trees and flowers do.  We will be reminded that we are dust and to dust we will return.  Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, a season in which we are called to do the foundational work of pruning and fertilizing our relationships with God and each other.  We are also to work on getting rid of the invasive and poisonous things that choke out the healthiness of our spiritual lives. 

I encourage you to enter into this Holy Lenten Season with your sights on your long term health, maybe even your eternal health, so that when we flower the cross on Easter Day it will reflect the blossoming of your heart.

See you in Church!

Fr. Josh
Weekly Picture
Trees being worked on
Trees in Graveyard being worked on, note guy in the tree in middle.
picture by Fr. Josh  

Weekly Announcements

 

Ash Wednesday Services:

Please join us for the Imposition of Ashes and Holy Eucharist on Ash Wednesday, March 9th, at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm.  The 7:00 service will include music.

 

Wednesday Noon Day Services:

The Wednesday noon day services at St. Stephen's will be on hiatus during Lent,  March 16th - April 13th, as we will gather at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church for the Community Ecumenical Lenten Services. St. Stephen's will be hosting the service and luncheon on March 23rd.  There is a sign up sheet in the Parish Hall to bring a dish for the luncheon, please help us offer hospitality to our neighbors.

 

New Lenten Adult Education Series:

In the Season of Lent we will be reading and discussing Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.  The dates are March 16, 30, April 6, and 13 (no March 23rd class).  There is no prior knowledge or work required and all are welcome to participate.  We meet Sunday mornings at 9 am in the Bethany Room.  Join us for these enjoyable and informative gatherings!

 

Friendship Supper:

The Billet family will be hosting our next Friendship Supper (adults only please) on Friday March 11 at 7pm.  Please email Laura Johnson to RSVP and let her know what dish you are bringing at: ljohnson6@metlife.com.

 

Sunday Servers:

The Sunday Servers will not be notified by separate weekly e-mail as it is now included in the St. Stephen's Weekly Touchstone.  Please note the section below titled: "Sunday Servers."

 

Fr. Josh Paternity Leave: 

Fr. Josh will be out of the office Thursdays and Fridays from January 13 through May 6 with the exception of Holy Week (April 17-23). He will also be away the week of March 15-21. As always, Fr. Josh is available for Pastoral Emergencies, please don't hesitate to contact him at the numbers below. 

 
Weekly Readings

 

Our first reading of the week will be Isaiah 49:8-16a

See the reading here:  http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=165405606

 

Our Gospel reading of the week will be Matthew 6:24-34

See the reading here:   http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=165405532

Sunday Servers

 

Ushers:    Trina and Rich Fontaine                                                   

Acolyte:  Michael Ramsey 

Chalicist:  TBA

Reader:     Don Gregg                                                                      

Altar Guild:   Tina Wolf                                                

Coffee Hour:  Billet

For any questions or needs, you may contact Father Josh Condon; office - 914-273-3812, Rectory - 914-273-4570, cell - 917-753-1997,

or by e-mail: jcondon.ststephens@gmail.com