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September 11, 2013
The e-pistle
Your Weekly News Update from St. Stephen's
Join Our Mailing List
In This Issue
A Prayer for Peace
Cooking for Casa Valentina
Youth Classes in Swing
Invest 2 Sept. 15
Youth Notes
Parish Directories Available
Clean Up With Us
Trivia Night
Oktoberfest
Food For Haiti
Event Calendar
Service Times
Find us on Facebook
 



  To The People of St. Stephen's
Dear Friends,

Every three years the governing body of our church meets in General Convention.  The convention is composed of two houses:  the House of Deputies, (clergy and laity elected from each diocese), and the House of Bishops.  This model was adopted by the Episcopal Church when we were established in 1789, patterned on the bi-cameral model of the US Congress.  Following that model our leader, the Presiding Bishop ("Archbishop" in most churches in the Anglican Communion) is
elected by General Convention.  Our current Presiding Bishop is the Most Rev'd Katharine Jefferts Schori.

At the next General Convention in the summer of 2015 we will be electing our future Presiding Bishop.   

At this time a nominating committee has been formed and they are seeking input from all of us about what we hope to see in our next "PB."  The committee has distributed a survey and have asked each of us to fill it out (even if you don't happen to be an Episcopalian!).  This is our opportunity to help chart the future course of our church, so please do take a few moments so that your voice may be heard in this process. 

The survey is here.

In Christ's Love,

Pastor Willie

A Prayer for Peace
A Sad Anniversary


















Each of us who is old enough to remember can recall exactly where we were, whom we were with, and what we were doing 12 years ago today.  By day's end over 3,000 people had perished in the two towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and over a field in Shanksville, PA.

Today we watch with concern as war continues in the Middle East, particularly in Syria.  As Christians we worship the Prince of Peace and so we pray:

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: so mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all people may be gathered under the banner of the Prince ofPeace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and forever.  AMEN (The Book of Common Prayer, page 815)

Cooking for Casa Valentina
Looks Like the Beginning of Something Good!
 null Pictured in the foreground above are Dominic Lamberti, Caroline Carlson, Kylie Coulombe, and Maria Sardina, some of the volunteers who helped cook a meal for Casa Valentina last Sunday.  As a bonus, participants got the secret of the Lamberti spaghetti sauce (hint: one secret involves shredded zucchini). 

Julie Moxley, our Outreach Coordinator, plans more of these "Cooking for Casa Valentina" events.  The next one will be on Sunday, October 6, after the 1j0:30 am Mass.  Contact Erin Clancy for more information.
 
Sunday School Is Starting!
Sign Up Now

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Sunday School classes are offered for children ages 3  through 5th grade.  Classes begin at 9:30 am on September 15.  This year all classes will meet in the McFarlane Room (purple on the map below) for Godly Play.

The St. Stephen's Middle / High School Youth Group will meet in the Hingston Youth Cottage (yellow on the map below) on Sunday mornings each week at 9:30 am and at other times as announced.

The Intermediate Youth Group for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders begins with a Marlins game.  Details are in a following article.
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Invest 2 Starts on September 15th
"What Do We Talk About When We Talk About God?"

Invest 2 logo St. Stephen's Sunday Morning Adult Education program will begin on Sunday, September 15 at 9:30 am when Pastor Willie will lead a discussion of Rob Bell's latest book, "What We Talk About When We Talk About God."  This provocative book challenges our assumptions and encourages us to examine who we say God is. 

Pastor Willie asks participants to obtain their own copy of the book,  It is available at The Bookstore in the Grove.  Mention St. Stephen's and receive a 20% discount. 

This fall Invest II will meet in the Peacock Room (peacock blue on the map below).
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Intermediate Youth Group Trip to Marlins Stadium

The St. Stephen's Intermediate Youth Group for third, fourth, and fifth graders will kick off the year with a trip to Marlins Stadium on Friday, September 27 to see one of the season's final home baseball games (Marlins versus Tigers at 7:10 pm). There is no cost for this outing but reservations are required, so please let Rev'd Jo-Ann know as soon as possible how many will be going. The group will leave St. Stephen's at 6:30 pm and return by 9:30 pm.

Acolyte Training This Coming Sunday

There will be an acolyte training session this coming Sunday, September 15, immediately after Mass in the church.  Adults, teens, and children in third grade or older are invited to serve as acolytes (altar servers) at St. Stephen's. Acolytes are assigned on a rotating schedule and serve once each month as torch bearers, crucifers, thurifers, and boat bearers.  Training is required for new acolytes, and experienced acolytes are encouraged to participate for review.  Please contact Rev'd Jo-Ann ([email protected] or 305-537-1297) with questions.

New Parish Directories Available
Pick Up Yours on Sunday!

null If we ran out of new church directories last Sunday before you could get yours, you can pick one up this Sunday from an usher in the back of the church.

One per family, please.
 
St. Stephen's Cleans Up!
Join Us on Saturday, September 21

null St. Stephen's parishioners are staking a claim in this year's International Coastal Cleanup and need your help!  We will be helping to clean up the Windsurfer Beach North on Key Biscayne on September 21st from 9am - noon. Join thousands of volunteers in over 100 countries helping to clean our precious beaches and waterways. These volunteers remove over 200 tons of debris each year from Florida alone!

Please bring work gloves and wear comfortable clothing. Bring sun protection and a reusable water bottle.  All other cleanup supplies (trash bags, data cards, and pencils) will be provided by your site manager. If you can bring a signed Volunteer Release Form it will help to streamline the registration process. 

Register online here.
 
Trivia Night is Coming September 28
Start Practicing Now!



Why are flamingos pink?  What is the name of the dot over the letters i and j?  What is the 12th prime number?  Which group of animals is called a parliament?  Which direction is George Washington looking from Mount Rushmore?

These are questions that most definitely will not be asked on trivia night - but it will help to go over all the useless information in your brain before September 28 at 7 pm.  That's when you and your team will be asked to answer a series of multiple choice trivia questions to compete for prizes during our Fourth Annual Trivia Night. 

Start choosing your teams now.  Tickets will be on sale in church this Sunday or you can contact the parish office to buy one (305)448-2601 or [email protected].
 
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Want to Be the Change? Here's a Way
Volunteer to Make The World Better

  Saturday, Ocnulltober 19 - 50,000 Meals for Haiti, 2-4 pm.  Join volunteers from area Episcopal churches and schools to prepare 50,000 meals for needy families in Haiti.  Food will be distributed to Episcopal schools in Haiti through the South Florida Haiti Project.

 
To volunteer or donate money to defray the costs of the meals, contact Julie Moxley at [email protected].
 
Upcoming Events
Don't Forget These Dates     

 

reminder

September 15 - Spiritual Growth programming begins

September 21 - Coastal Cleanup on Windsurfer Beach North, Key Biscayne, from 9 to noon.

September 27 - Intermediate Youth Group (4th and 5th graders) Marlins Game Kickoff.  Meet at the church at 6:30 pm.

September 28 - Trivia Night!

October 5 - Oktoberfest family fun at All Souls Episcopal Church, 5 pm

October 6 - Blessing of the Animals at the 10:30 am Mass

ECW meeting after the 10:30 am Mass

October 19 - Assembling meal packets for the hungry in Haiti.  Watch the e-pistle for more information.

November 3 - ECW meeting after the 10:30 am Mass

At St. Stephen's All Are Welcome 

 
Sundays 
Said Mass at 8 am
Sung Mass with choir at 10:30 am,
with child care for children under 3
and Children's Chapel for children 7 and under  

The Noon Healing Mass on Wednesdays
is on hiatus.
 
 2750 McFarlane Road
Just west of Peacock Park
Coconut Grove
305.448.2601

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 5