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December 3, 2014
The e-pistle
Your Weekly News Update from St. Stephen's
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In This Issue
Advent Quiet Day
Angel Tree up
Christmas Trees on sale
Advent wreathmaking pictures
Concert singer on Sunday
Youth Notes
Christmas Services
Access our online directory
Rector's Open House
Event Calendar
Service Times
Find us on Facebook
 


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

Religion scholar Diana Butler Bass wrote a thought-provoking article about the over-hyped "war on Christmas" we hear about from certain media outlets.  "According to Christian tradition," she wrote, "Christmas' is not the December shopping season in advance of Christmas Day; rather, it is Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the Twelve Days following that run until early January."  During the time when the "war on Christmas" proponents would have us militantly saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone (regardless of their religious beliefs) the church is not merry.  Instead we live into a time of muted hope and expectation.  The four weeks leading up to Christmas is the season we call "Advent."

Butler Bass summarizes:  "Ancient Christian saints, theologians, and evangelists would be horrified that those who claim to stand for tradition have forgotten the most important aspect of it. Jesus Christ was not born that human beings would spend December shopping or saying, 'Merry Christmas.' Jesus was born to confront the rulers of this world with the love and justice of the God of Abraham -- that Jesus, the same Jesus who preached that the poor and marginalized were blessed, is the King of kings and Lord of lords. All earthly powers pale before him."  She concludes:  "And maybe, just maybe, the real war of this season is the War on Advent."

We lit the first candle of Advent in church this past Sunday.  Come join us the next three Sundays to experience the quiet "muted hope and expectation" of this season.  It is our much-needed antidote to the frenzy of the secular side of Christmas.

In Christ's Love,

Pastor Willie 
 
Join us for an Advent Quiet Day
Envisioning compassion this Saturday



"Compassion brings us to a stop, and for a moment we rise above ourselves." - Mason Cooley

On Saturday, December 6, from 9 am to 2 pm in the Parish Center, all are invited to give a gift to themselves this Advent season, joining us in a quiet time spent deepening our awareness of compassion.

This is the kick-off event for our 2015 focus on Reconciliation.  Pastor Willie will be leading this day of reflection.  A light lunch will be served.

Please RSVP to revwaf@sseds.org.
 
AIDS Ministry Angel Tree is up
Take an angel and return a child's gift



The St. Stephen's AIDS Ministry ANGEL TREE is up now, in the back of the church. Here is how you can participate in our yearly Angel Tree giving. 
  1. Take an angel with a child's age on it from the tree.
  2. Within the next week, go shopping and buy a gift for a child of that age.
  3. Bring it back unwrapped and place it under the tree. We need the gifts unwrapped so parents can pick out a gift for their particular child. 
We also give toiletry items to the adults in this program, so that they can have a little something too. If you have small shampoos, lotions, etc., please bring them in a bag and put them under the tree also.

NOTE:  All items are due back by Sunday, December 14, when the AIDS Ministry elves will sort and package them for delivery to the Food for Life program.

Many thanks for your help!

 

Christmas trees on sale! 
Help make our Christmas Tree Sale a success

Calling all parishioners!  Volunteer to help sell trees.
We need tree handlers and cashiers for
the joint church and school Christmas Tree Sale.  Please click on the following link to sign up to help: 

  

Click to View Volunteer Opportunities on VolunteerSpot

Questions?  Call Alvaro Coraspe at 786.287.4422. 

It's time to select your tree!



The children of St. Stephen's will be caroling in the church's Christmas tree lot this Sunday, December 7, from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.  It will be a lovely time to come and enjoy the carols while you pick out your tree.

These are choice Frasier Firs shipped directly to us from North Carolina.  We take very good care of our trees, but the sooner you take yours home and bring it inside, the longer it will last!

Proceeds from the sale of Christmas trees fund the charitable programs of St. Stephen's church and school. 
 
Families make advent wreaths
Intergenerational workshop last Sunday


Liam and Kieran Pafford add the finishing touches to their wreath (left), and Caroline and Caleb Carlson select greens for theirs.

Ayla Kalser-Mu�oz builds her wreath carefully (left), while Jessica Lamberti helps her son Dominic begin theirs.

Concert singer at St. Stephen's
Hear her Sunday at the 10:30 am service

We will present in our 10:30 am service this Sunday a remarkable singer who has dazzled audiences throughout the Atlanta area and beyond on many occasions. You will read below Jeann� Brown's bio and realize how fortunate we are to have her with us. She will sing two works: "Loveliest Immanuel" of Moravian composer John Antes and fitting for Advent II, "Watchman, tell us of the night" by Alan Hovaness. We hope you can be here Sunday to hear her.

Since her professional debut with Robert Shaw, Jeann� Brown has touched the souls of her audiences with her "consistently exciting ... and radiantly beautiful" classical, operatic and spiritual performances on the concert stage.  She has appeared as featured soloist with Symphony Orchestras throughout the United States and Europe and has toured with Houston Grand Opera's production of Porgy and Bess, and played leading roles in many other premiere performances.

We hope you can be here Sunday to hear her!

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First pageant rehearsal this Sunday at noon
Children and youth ages three and older are invited to take part in the annual St. Stephen's Christmas Pageant.  Rehearsals will be held on Sundays, December 7, 14, and 21 at noon in the Great Hall and on Wednesday, December 24, at 2 pm.  The pageant is presented as part of the 4 pm Family Mass on Christmas Eve, December 24.  Parents and grandparents are needed to help with costumes and other behind-the-scenes tasks.  To learn more, contact Chris Faiella at (786)218-1117 or cjfaiella@hotmail.com.

Sunday School and Youth Group Birthday Party for Jesus
Sunday School and Youth Group classes will have a festive birthday party for Jesus on December 21, at 9:30 am.  We will have a pinata and Miss Annie will lead us in singing Christmas carols.  Each child is asked to bring a new, unwrapped gift for a child of the same age.  Presents will be shipped to our partner church, Divina Providencia, in the Dominican Republic in time for their Epiphany celebration.  Gifts should be modest and not require batteries.  Questions?  Contact Rev. Jo-Ann.

Intermediate Youth Group trip to science museum
The Intermediate Youth Group trip to the Miami Science Museum will take place on Sunday, December 7.  The group will leave following caroling in the Christmas tree lot and return to St. Stephen's at around 5 pm.  Please R.S.V.P. by December 4 to Rev. Jo-Ann (305-537-1297 or jmurphy@sseds.org) or Julie Gabriel (786-246-2903 or jhill@audubon.org).

Middle/High School Youth Group Top Chef Party
Members of the Middle/High School Youth Group and their friends are invited tot a Top Chef competition and party on Saturday, December 6, from 5 to 8 pm in the Great Hall's professional kitchen. Come for competitive cooking, challenging ingredients, sushi appetizer and prizes to the winning team of Chefs!

R.S.V.P. to Daisy Holcombe by text or email stating who is coming and how many friends; (cell: 786-399-9669 or email daisyholcombe@gmail.com).


 

Sending Christmas Cards?
Find an up-to-date directory of parishioners online



Good news:  We keep an online directory of parishioners on our website for your use.  To access our membership directory,

1.  Go to the upper right corner of the St. Stephen's website home page and click "Members"  (see the blue arrow above).

2.  In the form you will then see, type in your user ID and password.
  • Your user ID is your last name (unless there is more than one parishioner with your last name.  In that case, if just your last name doesn't work, add your first initial at the end.)  Example:  User ID - smith, or smithj
  • Unless you have changed it, your password is SSEC2013 or SSEC2014 (all caps!), depending upon the year your information was entered. Long-time members will have the first password.  Members who joined St. Stephen's this year are likely to have the latter password.
3.  From the members' menu, select the directory.

If you have trouble accessing the directory, please email lrlawrie@gmail.com.

 

Rector's Open House
Save the date!

christmas cookies Each year our rector, Pastor Willie, hosts a holiday open house for all parishioners and friends at her home.  All are invited to taste her wonderful home-made food (perennial favorites such as caviar mousse and beef-horseradish dip) and enjoy the company of other parishioners.  Come any time after 5 pm on Saturday, January 3, and stay as long as you like.

Watch for your email invitation with address and driving directions, coming soon.

Upcoming Events
Don't Forget These Dates     

 

reminder

Saturday, December 6 - Quiet Day from 9 am to 2 pm in the Parish Center

- "Top Chef" competition and party for youth from 5 to 8 pm in the Great Hall

Sunday, December 7 - First Pageant rehearsal at noon in the Great Hall

- Intermediate Youth Group trip to the Miami Science museum after choir practice

- ECW luncheon at Kitty Morgan's house after the 10:30 am Mass

- @OurTable, dinner church for young adults, in the Parish Center at 5:30

Sunday, December 21 - Birthday party for Jesus at 9:30 am

Saturday, January 3 - Rector's open house 
 

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 three
and Children's Chapel for children seven and under
1st & 3rd Sundays
@Our Table, a dinner church 
 at 5:30 pm (child care available)
Parish Center

Christmas Services 
Christmas Eve 
Christmas Pageant at 4 pm 
"Midnight" Mass at 10:30 pm 
Christmas Day 
Low Mass at 9 am 
Christmas 1, December 28  
Lessons and Carols with Eucharist at 10:30 am



Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.