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November 27, 2013
The e-pistle
Your Weekly News Update from St. Stephen's
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In This Issue
Happy Thanksgiving!
Julie Moxley Wins Bishop's Lay Award
Ten Confirmed on Sunday
Christmas Trees On Sale
Volunteer to Help Sell Trees
World AIDS Day December 1
Angel Tree to Go Up Soon
Youth Notes
Advent Family Fun
Our New Website
Family Square Dance
Parents, Please Use Our "Cry Room"
Bagpipes at the Cathedral
Church Office Closed Over Thanksgiving
Event Calendar
Service Times
Find us on Facebook
 


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

Of the three great prayers ("Please," "Thank You," and "I'm Sorry"), "Thank You" is by far the happiest.  Gratitude opens the heart in a way that pleading or repentance do not.  Everyone knows this instinctively - I like to think that's why we have set aside a whole day for saying, "Thank you, God, for the abundance of good in our lives."

We can all be grateful for our friends and family, those who stand beside us and journey with us, and for the institutions that provide a framework for these relationships - schools and churches in particular.

Like a lot of people my age, I'm more grateful than I used to be for good friends, old and new alike.  As President Obama put it in last year's Thanksgiving Proclamation, "We are a people who draw our deepest strength not from might or wealth, but from our bonds to each other."  I say Amen to that.

So thank you Pr Willie and Rev'd Jo-Ann, Daisy and Conchita - my friends in the St. Stephen's office who keep me going; thank you, members of the Vestry who carry on the guidance of this church and school; and thank you, all you dear, dear people, at this church and everywhere, who every day recommit yourselves to being there for each other, and for me.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Robin Lawrie
Senior Warden


The clergy and staff of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church wish you and your family and friends a Happy Thanksgiving.  We give thanks for the bounty of God's continued Grace and pray that God's love surrounds  
and supports you on this day and always.

To help us feed our Thanksgiving guests, please bring your cooked turkey to the church this afternoon or evening.  All are welcome to come and help us serve tomorrow after the 10:30 am Mass.

This year our preacher at the Thanksgiving Mass will be The Rev'd Jonathan Archer from Christ Church.  Please come and give him a warm welcome.
 
Congratulations, Julie!
Julie Moxley Wins Bishop's Lay Award

Each year our Bishop, The Rt Rev'd Leo Frade, gives an award to an outstanding parishioner in each parish.  This year the St. Stephen's Lay award went to Julie Moxley.  Julie currently serves on the Vestry as our Outreach chair and has formerly served the parish as Stewardship chair. 

Julie started the Prosperity Center, now in its fourth year, in which taxes are prepared free of charge for low-income families.  She also started our Casa Valentina outreach, which organizes St. Stephen's volunteers to prepare monthly meals for young women who have aged out of the foster care system and must now learn necessary life skills.
 
Ten Confirmed or Received on Sunday
Congratulations everyone!



Congratulations to all who were confirmed or received at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church last Sunday during the Bishop's visit.  The adults pictured above, left to right, are The Rev'd Willie Allen-Faiella, Frances Alemany, Reagan Pace, Vivian Guzman, Derrek (Kris) Banks, Brenda Quesada, Tatiana Cantrell, Caterina Pareto, Robert Coulombe, Vivian Giuliani.  The Rt Rev'd Leo Frade is seated at center front (in case you couldn't tell).  Mark Williams was also received but is missing from the picture.
 
Christmas Trees Are Here!
Get Yours Now

Now is the time to get the freshest tree possible, take it home, and put it in water right away.  The proceeds from the Christmas Tree Sale benefit our Church and School.



Volunteer for Our Christmas Tree Sale!
Church and School join forces

For ten years now our church (SSEC) and our school (SSEDS) have come together to sell Christmas trees to the wider community.  Half the proceeds go to the SSEDS Financial Aid fund and half go to support various SSEC ministries.  We all agree it is a wonderful time of the year (the smell of the Fraser firs is heavenly) and we have a lot of fun.

Volunteering has become very easy, thanks to the efforts of SSEDS mom and parishioner Rebecca Weymouth.  She has set up a website for us to sign up.  To get a jump start on the prime selling days, follow this link.

December 1st is World AIDS Day
Matthew 25:40 Collection to Benefit St. Stephen's AIDS Ministry

aids ribbon AIDS hasn't gone away.  Not even close.  Yes, there are new "cocktails" that prolong the life of those who can afford them, but the effects of HIV/AIDS are still devastating to all those affected.

Many, many families in South Florida are suffering physically, emotionally, socially, and financially from the effects of this terrible disease.  Many are children.

On December 1st, we ask you to remember the hard work of our St. Stephen's AIDS Ministry which raises funds and directs them to agencies which serve this population.  We have designated this Sunday as December's "Matthew 25:40 Sunday," in which our entire loose plate collection will be given to the AIDS Ministry.

If you cannot be in church on December 1st and still wish to donate to the AIDS Ministry, please contact Russell Corbett.

Angel Tree Up on Sunday
Please Take an Angel and Return an Unwrapped Gift

Angle Tree By Sunday Our AIDS Ministry will have put up the Angel Tree in the back of our church, a yearly tradition at St. Stephen's.  On it hang paper angels, each with the age and sex of a needy child in our community whose family is affected by the HIV/AIDS virus.

Please take a paper angel with you and return it by December 15th with an unwrapped gift for the child described on the angel.

On December 15th, the AIDS Ministry elves will sort the Angel Tree toys and gifts and deliver them to Food for Life Ministry, where parents will be able to select gifts to give their children on Christmas.

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Advent Schedule Changes 

The Middle/High School Youth Group will not meet on the Sundays of December 1, 8, 15, and 22.

The Children's Choir will practice upstairs in the Great Hall's Music Room at 9:30 am on the Sundays of December 1, 8, 15, and 22.   

The Godly play class will join with adults and older youth in the Great Hall to enjoy an Advent workshop on December 1. Other than that date, the class will meet as usual.
 
Children's Chapel will be held each Sunday morning (except December 29) at 10:30 in the parish center.

Christmas Pageant

Beginning on Sunday, December 8, Chris Faiella will hold practices for the annual Christmas Pageant in the Great Hall at noon on Sundays.  All children are invited to participate, and lots of adult help is needed.  Contact Chris (305-799-7287 or [email protected]) for additional information.

Advent Family Fun
Learn and Play Together on December 1, 9:30 am

Parents -- kids -- grandparents -- aunts & uncles -- everyone is invited to a special family event as we begin our Advent journey, the four weeks of preparation, longing, and anticipation leading up to the birth of our savior Jesus on Christmas Day.

Join parishioner Krisan Lamberti in the Peacock Room at 9:30 am on Sunday, December 1, to make a Jesse Tree, a decoration full of symbols of the Old Testament stories of Jesus' ancestors. 

Neither Sunday School classes nor Invest II for Adults will be offered on December 1.  Instead, creatively celebrate the start of this holy season season together with your church family.  For additional information about this special event, contact Rev'd Jo-Ann at 305-537-1297 or [email protected].
 
Our Website is Getting a Facelift
New Look, New Features Coming on December 2



Our St. Stephen's Website will soon have a new look.  In fact, it will be a brand new site.  The URL (website address) will still be www.ststephenscg.org, but it will take you to the new St. Stephen's Website starting Monday, December 2.  Please explore the site and see all it has to offer.

We've improved security measures also.  All our parishioners will be given a user name and password which will allow them access to our updated member directory and our prayer list. Look for this email a day or two after the launch of the site.

In the meantime, if you would like to access our new online directory, email your first and last name to [email protected].

NOTE:  The first time you visit any new site, be patient.  Newly-visited web pages can be slow to load, especially if they contain pictures.  Your next visit to the page should be much quicker.
 


Don't you think it's time your whole family
learned to do-si-do? 

Mark your calendars now for this great family event which will include a dinner, open bar, and a professional caller, coming in January.  Tickets will go on sale soon.  Proceeds will benefit the St. Stephen's AIDS Ministry.
 
Please Enjoy Church with Your Child
Feel Free to Use the Nursery or "Cry Room"

Our nursery and "cry room" at the rear of the church are available for fussy or restless toddlers and infants.  Feel free to leave your toddler with our nursery attendant, or if you prefer, you can relax, sit with your child, and watch the service through a large window and hear the service through the speaker in the cry room (which we also lovingly call the "Sky Box"). We also have a "soft space" in the side chapel where families can sit with their youngsters who might like to play quietly on the carpet.

Parents, please consider using these safe, clean spaces so that other members of the congregation will be free to fully appreciate the worship experience. 

Thank you!

Like Bagpipes?
Hear Them at the Cathedral on Sunday

Trinity Cathedral Next Sunday, December 1st, at 6 pm, members of the Anglican Chorale and Trinity Cathedral Choir will sing a special service entitled "Kirkin' O' The Tartans," which celebrates Scottish heritage.  This festive service features bagpipes,  flags, choral music, and kilts galore. " Kirk" is the Scottish word for church and a "tartan" is a plaid-patterned fabric that clans-or families--use to distinguish themselves.  

All are welcome to attend this much-loved and popular evening service.  Trinity Episcopal Cathedral is located at  464 NE 16 St.
 
Church Office Closed Over Thanksgiving

Our parish office will be closed from Thanksgiving through Tuesday morning.  Rev'd Jo-Ann will be available during that time for pastoral concerns.  Sally James will cover the phone part-time from Tuesday afternoon through next Thursday (a week from Thanksgiving).
 
Upcoming Events
Don't Forget These Dates     

 

reminder

November 28 - Thanksgiving Mass at 10:30, followed by Thanksgiving Meal at 11:30

Get your Christmas tree at St. Stephen's now.


December 1
- Advent Family Fun at 9:30 am

World AIDS Day.  Matthew 25:40 collection to benefit the St. Stephen's AIDS Ministry.

@OurTable - Dinner Church for Young Adults at 5:30 in the Parish Center

December 6-8 - Godly Play Training

December 15 - Angel Tree gift-sorting after the 10:30 Mass

January 5 -  Rector's Annual Christmas Open House, 5 pm

January 18 - Family Square Dance from 6 pm in the Great Hall

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