Thought of the Week

There are so many exciting events in the next couple of weeks.

This weekend our service times are changing. First, our Sunday morning services will be going back to the normal 10am time. Second, in case you haven't heard, the evening service is moving to Sunday night, and so there will no longer be a Saturday night service. This Sunday evening will be a special kick off to this change. As school has started we will be celebrating and encouraging our younger members with the blessing of the back packs. What this means is that we will gather to make sure all our school aged members know that they are being supported as they go back to the formational work of learning and growing. All Students are encouraged to bring their back packs! We will also be gathering on the lawn after the service to grill hamburgers and hot dogs. If you haven't signed up to bring something please let me know what you can contribute. Third, this weekend is the deadline for bringing your school supplies so that we can send them off to the Dominican Republic. Yes, it will be a big and exciting weekend indeed!

Then, next Thursday the 22nd at 8 pm, we will gather in the church for a very special concert. Our Music Director and Organist will be conducting Faure's Requiem with our choir and a large number of guest musicians. See more details in the special announcement below. St. Stephen's has been a formational presence in Armonk since 1842 and as the town celebrates the 50th anniversary of our Art Show we will be taking part in the party. This concert is an offering to the community in the anniversary celebration. I hope you can join us and bring a friend. The concert is free.

Finally on Sunday September 25th, all of our Sunday morning programs will be back in action. Our choir will be starting back having just accomplished their wonderful concert. Sunday school will be starting back up that Sunday morning as well. Our children start downstairs promptly at 10 am...don't be late, there are going to be so many fun things to learn and activities to do. The last thing starting up that Sunday will be our Adult Education. Fr. Josh will be leading a class about stained glass windows. You can find more information in the Weekly Announcements below.

The Fall is a busy time, and there are so many exciting things going on. I hope that you will be able to come and experience as many as possible. I think these next couple of weeks point to year ahead filled with abundance and such abundance is always a gift. Thanks be to God.

See you in Church!

Fr. Josh

 Photos of the Week 

 The Kathie, Chris, and Kyle making progress on the church yard poles.

Photo by Claire Turner

Our new sign on Maple Avenue!

 Our retired sign after years of welcoming the community.

photos by Fr. Josh

Special Announcement

St. Stephen's Church, Armonk

presents

FAURÉ
REQUIEM

 Baritone ~ Howard Davies      Conductor ~ James Turner

Soprano ~ Claire Turner         Piano ~ Preston Smith

 Also featuring

Organ Music

Organists ~ Preston Smith & James Turner

 and

 The Renaissance Vocal Ensemble

~

Thursday, September 22, 2011

at 8:00pm

~

St. Stephen's Church,

50 Bedford Road, Armonk, New York 10504

Free Admission

Weekly Announcements

VESTRY MEETING, SEPTEMBER 13th at 7:30

 The Vestry will meet this evening in the Bethany Room.

FALL SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE SCHEDULE RESTARTS SEPTEMBER, 18th

This Sunday we will go back to our 10 am service.

SATURDAY EVENING SERVICE TO MOVE TO SUNDAY EVENING

In lieu of our Saturday Evening Services, we will be starting a Sunday Evening Service at 5:30, and this Sunday, September 18th will be our first Sunday Evening Service.

BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKS

Because many of our young people will be running the race across the street on Sunday morning September 18th, we will be Blessing the Backpacks at the Evening Service on the 18th and immediately following the service we will be having our Welcome Back to St. Stephen's Fall Cookout. If you wish to donate a side dish or dessert, a sign up sheet is on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall.

COLLECTING SCHOOL SUPPLIES

We will once again be collecting for Dr. Todd Herold's foundation and we ask that you bring in school supplies for children of the Dominican Republic by September 18th. For more information about where the supplies go, visit Dr. Herold's foundation website, www.chiromission.org.

SUNDAY SCHOOL WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 25th

Sunday school for the children will begin at 10:00. Please meet downstairs in the Sunday school classrooms prior to Services on September 25th.  

ADULT EDUCATION SERIES TO BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 25th

New Adult Education Topic: Stained Glass Does it all.

Stained glass can set a mood. It can tell a story. It can be purely decorative or can be dedicated in someone's honor. There are symbols and there are statements. There are stories and there are themes. Some eras are better than others and some examples are beautiful beyond words. I hope you can join us as we talk about and look at lots of examples. At the culmination of our windowed journey, we will be visiting the Union Church of Pocantico Hills here in Westchester to see their Mattise and Chegall windows. Class starts Sept. 25 at 9 am in the Bethany Room.

FRIENDSHIP SUPPER

The Desmarais Family has graciously offered to host the next Friendship Supper on Friday, September 30th at 7pm. Please join us at their home at 26 Deer Creek Lane, Mt. Kisco. Please RSVP to Laura Johnson at ljohnson6@metlife.com.  Children are welcome!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 CONCERT OF CHORAL AND ORGAN MUSIC Please join us here in church at 8pm on Thursday, September 22, for a performance of Fauré's Requiem by our greatly expanded choir. The concert will also include organ music from our guest organist and accompanist, Preston Smith, and choral items sung by The Renaissance Vocal Ensemble.

Welcome Back to St. Stephen's Fall Cookout 

Immediately following  the 5:30 Sunday Evening Service, we will have our Welcome Back to St. Stephen's Fall Cookout.  If you still wish to contribute a side dish or dessert,  you may still do so.  Please contact MaryBeth at office.ststephens@gmail.com. 

Those of you that signed up, here is what you have offered to contribute. 

Condon - Dessert

Lunder - Dessert

Milani - Fruit Salad

Ramsey - Macaroni Salad

Weisner - Tossed Salad.