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July 8, 2015
The e-pistle
Your Weekly News Update from St. Stephen's
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In This Issue
Memorial Service for Oliver Strong
Invest 2 Sunday
Collection this Sunday to Mother Emmanual
Sabbatical Schedule
Pants for Ladies of the Closet
Youth Notes
Episcopaparazi
EpiscoParrot
E-pistle summer schedule
Event Calendar
Service Times
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To The People of St. Stephen's  
Dear Friends,

In the aftermath of the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, which our rector was able to attend, we can reflect on a few of the changes made there which will affect the Episcopal Church as a whole and, by extension, St. Stephen's.  Among them are these:
  • We elected Michael Curry as our new Presiding Bishop.  He will serve a nine-year term.  Full story here.
  • We approved a canonical change authorizing new marriage rites with language which can be used by same-sex or opposite-sex couples.  Full story here.
  • We voted to divest Episcopal Church of fossil fuel holdings and reinvest in clean renewable energy.  Full story here.
  • We increased the budget for evangelism and included an initiative for racial reconciliation.  Full story here.
  • We took steps toward revising our alcohol use policy.  Full story here.
Find out more about these and other General Convention resolutions here.

On a local note, the Labyrinth Committee has made some progress on exploring the idea of a labyrinth for the front of our church, but more still needs to be done before we can make a full report to the vestry and membership.  If you would like to be on this committee, please contact the Rev. Jo-Ann Murphy at [email protected].

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th, and that this summer will continue to bless you and yours.

Robin Lawrie
Communications Director

Memorial Service for Oliver Strong
July 9 at 5 pm

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church

celtic cross

A memorial service for Oliver Strong will be held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church on Thursday, July 9, at 5 p.m.  Interment in the Nepenthe Garden will follow the memorial service. Afterward there will be a school-sponsored reception on the church and school grounds. 
 
Invest 2 returns Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
Series on Forgiveness

Invest 2 logo Our discussion based on Desmond Tutu's book, "No Future Without Forgiveness," will continue this Sunday morning in the Peacock Room at 9:30.

The Wired Word, presenting discussions on the intersection between faith and current events, will return starting July 19.  It will be led by Duff Masterson in the Peacock Room.

Matthew 25:40 collection this Sunday
To go to Mother Emmanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston

Mother Emmanuel Church, Charleston, NC
Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.  - Matthew 25:40

As you may know, we designate one Sunday each month as "Matthew 25:40" Sunday, and that month's collection is earmarked for a charity selected by the rector and the outreach coordinator. 

This month our Matthew 25:40 collection will be taken this coming Sunday, July 12, and will go to Mother Emmanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC, in memory of the Emmanuel Nine.  Please be generous as the collection plate is passed.
 
Pastor Willie's Sabbatical Schedule 
Today she arrives in Belgrade      

Belgrade
 
Today, Pastor Willie and her daughter Sophia will arrive in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, for the first week of the overseas travel part of her sabbatical. 

July 8- August 17: Travel to former Yugoslavia, Greece                  and Italy
August 25: Pastor Willie's first day back in the office
August 30: Joint Church and School Welcome Home Mass 
                 picnic with Community Brunch

Pastor Willie's blog is live at www.mybalkanodyssey.wordpress.com.  Click on the link to read her posts.  You can also follow Pastor Willie's blog by clicking on the gray "FOLLOW" button in the lower right of your screen when viewing the blog.

Got men's pants?
Ladies of the Closet want them

Especially in small sizes, since men who live without roofs tend to live without extra calories also.  The Ladies are looking for waist sizes 32 to 38, or even smaller.

Please bring the pants to the church office during office hours.  The Ladies of the Closet will distribute them after our Community Brunch at the end of each month. 
 
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Sunday School and Children's Chapel Schedule

St. Stephen's Sunday School classes and Children's Chapel program are on summer recess and will resume September 13

A summer music program for children of all ages led by Analy Mendez, our Children's Choir director, is being held at 10:30 a.m. in the Parish Center on Sundays through July, except that there will be no program on July 19.

Our nursery for infants and toddlers under 3 will be staffed each Sunday morning during the summer.

Seen at coffee hour by EpiscoPaparazzi
Caught participating in the Eighth Sacrament

It's been called the Eighth Sacrament - Episcopalians do love their coffee hour.  And so it is with us here at St. Stephen's.




EpiscoParrot*
The world's most unsellable parrot arrives at St. Stephen's



*EpiscoParrot retweets Episcopal sources at twitter.com/episcoparrot.

E-pistle still arriving every other week
And resuming weekly schedule in August

The e-pistle will arrive every other Wednesday throughout the summer (remaining summer issues are July 22, August 5, and August 19), then resume weekly publishing again after August 19.


Upcoming Events
Don't Forget These Dates     

 

reminder


Sunday, July 12- Invest 2 at 9:30 a.m. in the Peacock Room

Sunday, July 19 - The Wired Word at 9:30 a.m. in the Peacock Room

Sunday, August 30
- Joint church and school Welcome Home Mass and Picnic with community brunch

Sunday, September 13 - Sunday school classes and Children's Chapel resume regular schedule, and 8 a.m. Sunday service resumes

At St. Stephen's All Are Welcome 

 
Sundays 
Sung Mass with music at 10:30 a.m.,
with child care for children under three
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 5.