Welcome to St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish Blog for  Sunday, 17 January 2016. Grab a coffee – there’s lots of info to share this week! ***   *****   *** WORSHIP THIS WEEK 17 January 2016 The Second Sunday after the Epiphany  8:00 am           St. Stephen’s, Chester               Holy Communion  9:15 am           St. George’s, East River            Prayer & Praise  11:00 am          St. Stephen’s, Chester              Holy Eucharist Readings: Isaiah 62: 1-5; Psalm 35: 5-10; 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11; John 2: 1-11 ***   *****   ***

ANNOUNCEMENTS

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

Please bring committee reports ready for inclusion in the Annual Report to the Parish Council Meeting, Mon, 18 Jan at 7:00 pm in Tuck Hall.  If you are unable to attend the meeting, your committee reports can be dropped off at the Parish Office prior to the meeting.

SHOREHAM VILLAGE

Volunteer Orientation on Wed, 20 Jan at 10:00 am in the OT Room. 

Contact recreation@shorehamvillage.com or 902-275-5631 ext 233 for more information. 

FOOD BANK

Breakfast items are always needed.  Thank you.

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SPECIAL SERVICE

 We hope you will join us on Tues, 2 February at 7:00 pm in St. Stephen’s Church,

 Chester to celebrate Candlemas.

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Candles will be lit in remembrance of loved ones and for all who have been 

buried from parish churches in 2015.  Parishioners are

invited to light votive candles for loved ones (and may choose to take them home

 after the service).  If you are unable to attend but

would like a candle lighted in the name of a loved one, please submit the name to

 the Parish Office by 31 Jan.  Forms will be available at

 each church service this week.  There will be a free will offering to help with the 

cost of the candles.

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‘INVITED’ – LENTEN SERIES 2016

The Parish of St. Stephen’s, Chester and the Parish of St. Martin’s, Western Shore are jointly presenting the

Our Parish of St. Stephen’s, Chester and the Parish of St. Martin’s, Western Shore are jointly presenting the “Invited” Program.  This exciting program is highly recommended and was developed by The Diocese of Toronto and shared through the Diocese of NS & PEI.  It was developed in an effort to recapture an understanding of what it means to be invitational, so that we might be better able to share our faith with other people in our communities.

It is a series of short films and written resources that we will use as we seek to explore what it means to engage in Christian invitation. It begins with the conviction that invitation is at the very heart of the Gospel - Jesus invites each one of us to come and follow him, and being an invitational people is at the very core of our identity as Christians.  It recognizes that invitation comes in a million shapes and sizes – just like Christians – and that it can be found in simple moments just as much as in grand gestures.

The program is in a series of six sessions (2 hours each) on Tuesday nights – 6:30 – 8:30 pm

February 2    -    St. Stephen’s Parish Centre, Chester

February 16   -    St. Stephen’s Parish Centre, Chester

February 23  -    St. Stephen’s Parish Centre, Chester

March 1  -      St. Mark’s Church, Martin’s Point

March 8  -     St. Mark’s Church, Martin’s Point

March 15  -     St. Mark’s Church, Martin’s Point

Drawing on stories from people’s lives today, together with stories of invitation from the Bible,we hope you’ll be excited by it and grow in comfort with sharing the good news of the gospel.

·         Although the full program is recommended, if your schedule does not permit, please plan to attend as many sessions as you can.

·         If a drive is required, please contact the Parish Office at 275-3804.

Registration is open until Sunday January 24, 2016…a sign-up sheet will be posted in St. Stephen’s Church; also by calling the Parish Office at 902-275-3804, or Karan at 902-275-3143.

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THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

MUSICAL FRIENDS

(Vintage Voices, Band, Tuneful Tots) on Mon, 18 Jan, from 1:00 - 4:30 pm

                                                                          

BIBLE TALK

Held on Wed, 20 Jan, from 10:30 - 12:00 pm in the Tyler Grant Room.  All Welcome! 

                                                                                 

CHOIR PRACTICE

Held on Thurs, 21 Jan, 7:30 pm in Tuck Hall.

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WORSHIP NEXT WEEK

24 January 2016

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

              8:00 am         St. Stephen’s, Chester              Holy Communion

              9:15 am         St. George’s East River            Holy Communion

            11:00 am         St. Stephen’s, Chester              Morning Prayer

            4:30 pm         All Saints’, Canaan                  Holy Eucharist

Readings: Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19;

1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a; John 2: 1-11

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TAKE A MOMENT ON TUESDAYS

It was decided at Regional Council that every Tuesday between 12:00 and 12:05 pm, a moment will be taken to pray for the refugees of the world.

 We hope you will join us in prayer at that time

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT ….

Subject: How to Stay Safe

1.   Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20% of all

       fatal accidents.

2.   Do not stay home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home.

3.   Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur 

      to pedestrians.

4.   Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve

      these forms of transportation.

5.  Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in Hospitals. So, above all

      else, avoid hospitals.

However, you will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given time is at church!

And Bible study is safe, too. The percentage of deaths during Bible study is even less. So, attend church, and read your Bible. It could save your life.

You can go to church and just sit there being safe, which lots of people do. But if you move around a bit and get talking to some of the folks, you’ll find a whole batch of really neat fringe benefits.

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PARISH TRANSITION PRAYER

 O Faithful God, as your people, we cherish our memories and our history as a sacred gift. We ask you to guide us in our time of transition. Bless and direct the parochial committee as it carries out the work of finding a new rector, that through your Holy Spirit they may make wise decisions on behalf of the parish. Lead all parishioners in Your wisdom, that we might be receptive to change and growth. Give us Your grace to redirect our hearts that we may be willing to offer ourselves in joyful service. Do not allow fear, ignorance or pride to limit the work of your Spirit, nor allow tradition to prevent the creativity within us from bearing fruit. Open our hearts to the call of the Gospel. Give us courage and renewed hope, that we may meet the challenge of being the church of our time. We ask this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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