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July 20, 2016
The e-pistle
Your Weekly News Update from St. Stephen's
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In This Issue
Krisan Lamberti
Readers are Leaders
A new St. Stephen's member
Labyrinth update
Website updates
Note from parish nurse
Author event here
Pokemon Go?
E-pistle bimonthly this summer
One service in summer
EpiscoParrot
Event Calendar
Service Times
Find us on Facebook
 
To The People of St. Stephen's 



A PRAYER FOR SUMMER VACATIONS
 
Lord, you have created us so that we need times of rest,
renewal and recreation.  We pray that our plans for leisure 
time away may fulfill your purposes for us.  We thank you for 
those occasions to enjoy the glories of your creation, 
especially for the beauty of the land and sea and sky; for the
 fascination of wildlife; for the excitement of looking forward 
to a change of place and a change of pace.
for the adventure of exploring new locations
and the warm memories of returning to those that are familiar.
 
We thank you for persons to share our pleasure and for those
who increase our joy by their companionship.
We ask for you providential care and protection as we travel.
Encourage us to celebrate your artistry in the beauty of the natural world
and your creativity in the diversity of the persons whom we shall meet.
As your gifts and blessings are new every morning,
nourish and sustain us by surprise or as a result of our seeking.
In the name of Christ, Lord of our lives and ruler of all nature.

Amen.
 

Blessings,

Reverend Jo-Ann
 
Krisan Lamberti appointed to post
Executive Director of Happening National Committee

Congratulations to Krisan Lamberti who was appointed Executive Director of the Episcopal Church's Happening National Committee at their annual meeting from July 10-14.  Krisan will serve a 4-year term, until 2020. Happening is the Episcopal Church's spiritual renewal program for high school students.

Krisan served on the Happening National Committee charged with creating the National Happening Leadership Conference this year.
 
Readers are Leaders
You can help children maintain their reading skills



Do you enjoy reading to children? The Readers are Leaders summer program in Elizabeth Virrick Park in Coconut Grove is seeking caring adults to read to children. 

Parishioner Carley Sullivan has been involved in setting up the program.  By offering as little as one hour a week, you can make a difference in the life of a child.

The program takes place on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. at Virrick Park, 3255 Plaza St., in Coconut Grove. If you are interested in helping out, please call Carley at 847-217-5955 or email her at [email protected].
 
We are proud to announce
The birth of baby Luis Mauricio



CONGRATULATIONS to Marielis and Marcus Laniado on the birth of their first child, son Luis Mauricio, on July 13, 2016, at Mercy Hospital.  The happy parents and newly-born son are all doing well.

Permitting process slows labyrinth plans
Please be patient while we comply with city requirements

Materials for the labyrinth have been ordered and will be delivered soon.  In the meantime, our application for a city permit has been submitted. We have been told we need to provide various surveys and other items which will take a while - so ground won't be broken just yet.

We've been working on our website
Check out our home page for the latest news

What you see at left is a small picture of our website's home page.  Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's had some changes lately.  These changes are primarily to add more content and organize it better. 

Scroll down a bit to find links to all our written sermons, Pr Willie's video series, important letters, interviews, and other information.

Many thanks to Gary Sullivan for his generous volunteer hours spent updating this site in various ways!

To follow us on Facebook, click here and like our page.

Follow StStevieCG on Twitter.

Follow StStevieCG on Instagram.

Be water-safe this summer
A note from parish nurse Camille Groom
 
We can make water safety easier if we divide it into 3 categories : Water safety at home, swimming pools, and boating safety.  This note is about the first two.

Sadly, drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1-4 years old. Young children are more likely to drown in a pool, while after 5 years of age, drownings occur in natural water - lakes, rivers and the ocean.

Follow these tips:
 
. Always watch children and NEVER leave them unattended
. Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and openings
. Have a charged phone close at all times
. If a child is missing, check the pool first
. Learn to swim and make sure kids do too
. Know CPR
. Understand the basics of life-saving
. Teach children that swimming in open water is not the same as swimming in a pool.They need to understand water currents, ocean undertow and changing weather.
. Always swim where lifeguards  are present.

If you would like more information on this subject, feel free to email Camille at [email protected].

St. Stephen's to sponsor author event
With Bookstoor in the Grove

Brad Meltzer, American political thriller novelist, non-fiction writer, TV show creator and comic book author, will be here at St. Stephen's on Wednesday, September 28, at 7 p.m. 

He is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate, and seven other bestselling thrillers.

Be sure to mark your calendars now for this exciting event.

What is Pok�mon Go?
And why should St. Stephen's care?

The video game of Pok�mon isn't new. It started in the late 1990s in Japan. The goal is to collect virtual creatures through various means.

What's new is the release of Pok�mon Go on the weekend before last. Run on an Android or iOS cell phone, the game uses your GPS and clock to detect your location and then make Pok�mons "appear" on the screen. You then capture the Pok�mons and continue on the quest to "Catch 'em all."

It's anyone's guess why Pok�mon Go has become wildly popular in such a short time - an estimated 7.5 million downloads in the first week! But the impact is that people of all ages are exploring new places as part of the game. And many of our churches - including St. Stephen's - are "stops," or frequent hangouts for virtual Pok�mons and real-life players.

Forward Movement (a publishing ministry of The Episcopal Church) has sent flyers, posters, bulletin inserts and more to churches throughout the country for use in enticing Pok�mon Go players inside, as long as they're here anyway.  That's why you might be seeing the Pok�mon posters and flyers around the church - not to mention on our Facebook page and our Twitter feed.

Want to play Pok�mon Go and have a smart phone? Download the app from your app store.  Please note, though, that since so many people are playing, the Pok�mon Go servers are notoriously down.  Why? Because the company is hesitant to invest in more servers for what may be a temporary fad.

E-pistle is bimonthly for the summer
Things slow down in summer at St. Stephen's. So do we.

This is a reminder that, as usual, the e-pistle will arrive in your inbox less frequently this summer, while there is less news to share.  E-pistle publication dates from now through August are July 20, August 3, August 17, August 31, after which weekly publication will resume.

One church service on summer Sundays
Please join us at 10:30 a.m. for Mass starting June 19

For the summer only, St. Stephen's will be having just one church service on Sunday mornings.  Please join us at 10:30 a.m. for a Mass with music this summer.  The 8 a.m. service will resume again in September.
 
Episcoparrot
 Enjoys the great outdoors
 
 

Upcoming Events
Don't Forget These Dates     

reminder
Wednesday, July 20 - Readers are Leaders at Vimmick Parck in Coconut Grove at 3 p.m.

Thursday, July 21 - Bible study in the Peacock Room at 10 a.m.

Wednesday, September 28 - Book signing at St. Stephen's at 7 p.m.

At St. Stephen's All Are Welcome 
 
Sundays 
Spoken Mass without music at 8 a.m.
(this service is on haitus for the summer) 
  Sung Mass with music at 10:30 a.m.,
with child care for children under three


Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 to 4.