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August 24, 2016
The e-pistle
Your Weekly News Update from St. Stephen's
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In This Issue
The choir returns
Ground breaking
Welcome Home Sunday
School Supply collection
Beach clean-up day
Sunday school to begin soon
Vaccines are for everyone
One service in summer
Event Calendar
Service Times
Find us on Facebook
 
To The People of St. Stephen's   
 
Dear Friends,
 
As I begin my 16th year with you I pause to reflect on where we've been together and to give thanks to God for bringing my family and me to this remarkable enclave of the Body of Christ, this St. Stephen's Church and School Community.  Here we encounter Christ in the gathered community, worship God in the beauty of holiness, and are filled with the Holy Spirit to go out into the world to spread God's love through loving service to others.

And as we stand on the brink of a new program year, I look forward to what God might have in store for us in the year ahead.  We will formally kick off our strategic plan, "Our Faith, Our Future 2021," which you helped shape.  With our soon-to-be-installed labyrinth we will offer an inviting sacred space to our wider community. We will explore ways to partner with other groups in the areas of social justice and community service, as well as cultural partnerships (this latter will be kicked off by an author event showcasing the talented Brad Meltzer which we will host here on September 27 in partnership with the Bookstore in the Grove).  And shortly we will unveil a very bold and exciting master plan for our campus which, among other goals, will greatly enhance our church's physical presence in the Grove and ability to more fully live out our vision:  The Heart of the Grove, and reaching beyond.

We have an exciting year ahead of us in which I anticipate both challenges and joys, but through which I am, as always, confident of the Holy Spirit's abiding and guiding presence.

In Christ's love,

Pastor Willie Allen-Faiella

Choir rehearsals start September 1!
New members are welcome

2015-16 choir having fun

Everyone can sing, however much we might protest.  And singing in a choir, it turns out, has been shown to improve health and happiness.  Yes that's right - singing together is not only a perfect ice-breaker, it exercises the brain and body and releases powerful pain-blocking, happiness-producing endorphins.

After a laid-back summer of no Thursday night rehearsals, the St. Stephen's Parish Choir will resume Thursday night rehearsals for the 2016-2017 season on the first of September.  New choir members are eagerly welcome! If you enjoy singing with others you already know it's a great way to improve your health, well-being and social life.  If you haven't tried group singing yet, it's time to begin!

If you or someone you know would like to see what the St. Stephen's choir is all about, please contact our music director Scott Bracken-Tripp at [email protected].  Regardless of your ability or experience, there is a place for you in our choir! Rehearsals are on Thursday nights, from 7:30 - 9:00 at St. Stephen's.

Ground-breaking on September 10 
Our mayor and commissioner will join us to kick off our labyrinth

Beginning in Medieval times, labyrinths have been used as tools for meditation, prayer, and symbolic pilgrimage.

Parishioner Zachary Roncallo conceived the St. Stephen's labyrinth as a space for the use and enjoyment of the whole community. It began as as an Eagle Scout project, and the construction phase will be completed by his scout troop under the supervision of a general contractor.

Please join us as we break ground for this exciting project. Our clergy and Zack will be joined by Mayor Regalado and Commissioner Russell; the event begins at 5 p.m.

Welcome Home Sunday is coming
A full Sunday awaits on September 11

Be sure not to miss a "Rally Sunday" on September 11, when our various ministries will have informational booths, children will have an opportunity to register for Sunday School, and our choir returns!  In addition to our choir, we'll be welcoming back our school families as well as parishioners returning from vacations with a joint church-school worship service.

On September 11 we'll be saying, "Welcome home everyone!"

At 4 o'clock that same afternoon there will be an interfaith service at Temple Judea in solemn commemoration of those who have died from acts of violence and terrorism on September 11, 2001, and in the years since then.  Please plan to attend this service with our whole interfaith community. Pastor Willie is designing the service and our choir will be participating.  Temple Judea is located at 5500 Granada Blvd., Coral Gables
305.667.5657.
 
Also on September 11: Community Service Opportunity
Join with our school to help fill backpacks for refugee children

We will be partnering with our school to provide filled backpacks to the children of 27 refugee families currently being sponsored by Episcopal Migration Ministries, many of whom will join us for worship at the 10:30 Mass on September 11. The children range in age from 5 to 12.  The SSEDS student council will provide the backpacks, our church community is asked to provide the supplies with which to fill them.

Some of the needed items are:

#2 Pencils

� Pencil Sharpener

� Colored Pencils

� Highlighters

� 12-inch Ruler

� 5-inch Blunt Tip or Point Tip Scissors

� Glue Stick

� 4 oz. Glue

� Wide Ruled One-Subject Notebook

� Composition Notebook

� Loose-Leaf Filler Paper, Wide Rule

� Folders

� Crayons

Please bring these with you to church at 10:30 on Sunday, September 11.

A joint community service project with our school on Saturday, September 17

Please join our entire St. Stephen's church-school community as we work together to make our Windsurfer North Beach on Key Biscayne more beautiful.

Best SHADY cleanup site on Rickenbacker Causeway! Plenty of parking.
Please come prepared! 
  • Wear appropriate closed-toes shoes or water shoes and comfortable clothes.
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses and hat are highly recommended
  • Bring gloves (we suggest reusable working, gardening or dish gloves that you can pick up at the grocery store / home depot)
  • Bring Water in a reusable container. Let's reduce our plastic waste and refuse single-use disposable plastic water bottles, when possible.
  • Snacks
*International Coastal Cleanup will provide garbage bags, data collection cards, and a giveaway goodie bag.
Everyone that participates must register online (even if you are coming together). Click here for more details and to sign up.

Volunteers must check in and sign waivers before any materials will be distributed. 

Sunday school starts on Sepember 18
Registration on September 11 and 18

A poster made by our Sunday school children
Bring your children to Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. starting September 18. Preregistration starts on Welcome Home Sunday, September 11, and you can also register your children on September 18.
 

More information will follow.
 
Parish Nurse Notes
Vaccines are for Everyone

August is National immunization month, and we are reminded that adults, like children, have a recommended immunization schedule. Remember to talk with your doctor to see if you are up to date with your vaccinations, in particular pneumococcal pneumonia and influenza.
 
It is shocking to know that every year, an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 adults in the US die from vaccine preventable diseases or their complications. Influenza and p. pneumonia are two such preventable lung diseases.
 
Adults over 50 are at greater risk of being hospitalized (at an average length of stay of 6 days) for p. pneumonia than those 18-49. Even healthy adults (without lung disease) are at risk because our immune systems weaken with age.
 
Pneumococcal pneumonia is spread through coughing or sneezing, and symptoms are fever, sweating and chills, cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing with chest pain.
 
Flu (Influenza) is spread by coughing and sneezing. It often involves the entire body and may include fever, headache, muscle aches, sore throat, cough, and congestion.
 
Take time to talk to your doctor to see if you're up to date on the CDC recommended vaccinations.
 
Stay well,

Camille Groom, RN, MS
Parish Nurse
 
8 a.m. service to return on September 18
In the meantime, please join us at 10:30 a.m. for Mass

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 September 18th, in a new, more contemplative format led by Father Stowe. Come check out an alternative way to experience the Holy Eucharist.
Upcoming Events
Don't Forget These Dates     

reminder
Thursday, September 1 - First choir practice of the season at 7:30 p.m. at the church.  All are welcome to join us.  See our music director Scott Tripp with questions.

September 5 - Have a happy and safe Labor Day!

Saturday, September 10 - Labyrinth ground-breaking, 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 11 - Welcome Home Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

- Interfaith Service at Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd., Coral Gables, at 4 p.m.

Saturday, September 17 - Beach Cleanup Day

Sunday, September 18 - We resume our two Sunday morning services (8 a.m. spoken Mass returns).

- Sunday School and Invest 2 for adults resume classes.

- ECW to meet in the Parish Center after the 10:30 a.m. service

Wednesday, September 28 - Brad Meltzer book signing at St. Stephen's at 7 p.m. at St. Stephen's in the church auditorium. 

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.