Welcome to St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish Blog for Holy Week 2016.

 

Be thoughtful and kind to yourself and each other - every week.

 

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Maundy Thursday

24 March 2016

(Institution of the Eucharist with Hand Washing

and Stripping of the Altar)

 

7:00 pm    St. Stephen’s Church, Chester     Holy Eucharist

        10:00 pm    St. Stephen’s Church, Chester     Evening Prayer (BCP)

11:00 pm    St. Stephen’s Church, Chester     Taize Prayers    

11:45 pm    St. Stephen’s Church, Chester     Compline (BCP)

 

+  +  +  +  +  +  +

 

Good Friday

25 March 2016

 

11:00 am    St. Stephen’s Church, Chester    The Passion Gospel

 

+  +  +  +  +  +  +

 

The Great Vigil of Easter

(and Celebration of the First Eucharist of Easter)

26 March 2016

 

6:00 pm    All Saints’ Church, Canaan    Holy Eucharist

 

+  +  +  +  +  +  +

 

EASTER SUNDAY

27 March 2016

 

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

  9:15 am    St. George’s Church, East River    Holy Eucharist    

11:00 am    St. Stephen’s Church, Chester      Holy Eucharist    

 

Readings:    Acts 10: 34-43; Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15: 19-26;

John 20:1-18

 

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS: Due to vacations and illness, we did not have a quorum for the 21 March council meeting.

There are several items that require decisions that cannot wait unit the 18 April meeting.

Council will therefore have a brief council meeting in

the Parish Centre following the 11:00 am service on 3 April 2016.

REGIONAL COUNCIL: is hosting a workshop focusing on Finances, Parish Governance and Vital Church

on Sat, 9 April 2016 at 9:30-3:00 pm in St. John’s church hall, Lunenburg. 

 All council members and other interested parishioners are encouraged to participate. 

 Lunch provided for $10 each.

FOOD BANK:  Peanut butter is always needed.

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THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

MUSICAL FRIENDS  -  (Vintage Voices, Band, Tuneful Tots)

RESUMES on Mon, 4 April, 

from 1:00 - 4:30 pm – (Drumming Circle)

 

BIBLE TALK - on Wed, 6 April, from 10:30 - 12:00 pm in the Tyler Grant Room. 

All Welcome!   

                                                                               

CHOIR PRACTICE - on Thurs, 7 April, 7:30 pm in Tuck Hall.

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WORSHIP NEXT WEEK

Sunday, 3 April 2016

Holy Humour Sunday

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

          11:00 am          St. Stephen’s Church, Chester       Parish Family Worship

                                                           

Readings: Acts 5:27-32; Psalm 150; Revelations 1:4-8;

John  20: 19-31

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IN MEMORIAM

A donation has been received in memory of:

Barbara and George Romney, beloved mother and father, and

Amanda Romney, beloved niece and god-daughter.

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Welcome to St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish Blog for

Sunday, 20 March 2016

PALM (PASSION) SUNDAY

 

Send love out into the World.

 

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WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Sunday, 20 March 2016

PALM (PASSION) SUNDAY

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

                                           Readings: Luke 19: 28-40 and Luke 22:14 – 23:56

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

                                           Readings: Luke 19:28-40; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 23:1-49

                   11:00 am           St. Stephen’s, Chester                Liturgy of Palms (in Tuck Hall)  AND

                                                                                               Liturgy of the Passion

                                                                                               with Holy Eucharist

                                           Readings: Luke 19:28-40; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 22:14-23:56

                     4:30 pm           St. Stephen’s Chester                   Seder Supper in Tuck Hall

         

*** Please contact the Parish Office by noon on Friday, 18 March if you plan to attend the supper ***

  

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING – 7:00 pm on Mon, 21 March in the Tyler Grant Room

FOOD BANK – If you had no food, what would you like to find at the Food Bank?

PRAYER BREAKFAST – coming up on Sat, 26 March at 9:00.  All Welcome!

THANK YOU! -  for the amazing generosity of those who made and 

delivered the delicious food;  for those who volunteered their time, 

energy and help before and after each event;  

for the very engaging speakers who came to entertain, inform and enlighten us: 

and to all those who joined in and supported the events.  

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HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Thursday, 24 March

(Maundy Thursday)

INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST

WITH HAND WASHING AND

STRIPPING OF THE ALTAR

                     St. Stephen’s, Chester                 7:00 pm          

     _______________________________________________________

Friday, 25 March

GOOD FRIDAY

                   St. Stephen’s, Chester                   11:00 am        

      _______________________________________________________

Saturday, 26 March

EASTER VIGIL &

THE FIRST EUCHARIST OF THE RESURRECTION

                   All Saints’, Canaan                       6:00 pm          

_______________________________________________

Sunday, 27 March

EASTER SUNDAY

                 St. Stephen’s, Chester                    8:00 am

                 St. George’s, East Chester              9:15 am

                 St. Stephen’s, Chester                    11:00 am

_____________________________________________________________

Food for Thought

No Pain, No Palm

No Thorns, No Throne

William Penn

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Welcome to St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish Blog

for Sunday, 13 March 2016

 

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WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Sunday, 13 March 2016

THE FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT

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

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

     11:00 am            St. Stephen’s, Chester           Parish Family Worship

4:30 pm            All Saints’, Canaan                 Holy Eucharist   

                                                            

Readings: Isaiah 43: 16-21; Psalm 126, Philippians 3: 4b-15,

John 12: 1-8

 

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

SEDER SUPPER:  at 4:30 – 6:30 pm on Sunday, 20 March in Tuck Hall.

If planning to attend, please sign the list at the back of the church

or call or email the Parish Office.  

A suggested donation of $10 (or what you can afford)

would be helpful to cover costs.

FOOD BANK:  Anything you give will be gladly received.

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‘Invited’ Lenten Series

Tuesday, 15 March from 6:30-8:30 pm.

St. Mark’s, Martin’s Point

Light snack provided.

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THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

MUSICAL FRIENDS  -  (Vintage Voices, Band, Tuneful Tots) on Mon, 14 March, from 1:00 - 4:30 pm

 

BIBLE TALK - on Wed, 16 Mar, from 10:30 - 12:00 pm in the Tyler Grant Room.  All Welcome! 

LENTEN LUNCHEONS:  at 12:00 pm on Wednesday 16 Mar – Surprise Speaker.

   The last lunch of the series – bring a friend!  

                                                                               

CHOIR PRACTICE - on Thurs, 17 Mar, 7:30 pm in Tuck Hall.

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WORSHIP NEXT WEEK

Sunday, 20 March 2016

PALM (PASSION) SUNDAY

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

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

     11:00 am          St. Stephen’s, Chester            Parish Family Worship

***4:30 pm          St. Stephen’s Chester               Seder Supper *** 

                                                      

Readings: Isaiah 43: 16-21; Psalm 126, Philippians 3: 4b-15,

John 12: 1-8

*** Please contact the Parish Office if you plan to attend the supper ***

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Food for Thought

I do not at all understand the mystery of grace -- only that it meets us

 where we are but does not leave us where it found us.
Anne Lamott

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HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Thursday, 24 March

(Maundy Thursday)

INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST

WITH HAND WASHING AND

STRIPPING OF THE ALTAR

St. Stephen’s, Chester              7:00 pm           Holy Eucharist

____________________________________________________________

Friday, 25 March

GOOD FRIDAY

St. Stephen’s, Chester             11:00 am          Holy Eucharist

____________________________________________________________

Saturday, 26 March

VIGIL & THE LIGHTING OF THE NEW FIRE

All Saints’, Canaan                  6:00 pm           Holy Eucharist

_______________________________________________________

 

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Last Lenten Learning – The Nard

The “nard” referred to in the Gospel for today was a thick fragrant oil made from a plant of the Valerian family, Nardostachys jatamansi. The plant grows only at high altitudes in the Himalayas of Nepal, China and India.  That makes it now, as in Jesus’ time, quite rare and expensive to obtain.  In addition, it is only the roots (rhizomes to be accurate) that are used to make the perfume.  These are crushed and distilled into a very aromatic amber oil.  The oil is and was used as perfume, incense, as a sedative and as a herbal medicine.  Nard is also called spikenard. 

In ancient Greece, lavender from a species grown in the Syrian city of Naarda was used to make a perfume they called nard.

Anointing with nard is mentioned in today’s gospel from John, and in different setting in the Gospel of Mark (14:3-9) where a Mary (no surname or other identification) pours nard on Jesus’ head at a meal in the house of Simon the leper in Bethany.  The disciples all rebuke her, and Jesus defends her actions in the same way as in John’s version.

Nard or spikenard in also mention in Song of Songs 4:13-14 as a sensuous perfume. 

 

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Welcome to St. Stephen’s Anglican Parish E-News

for Sunday, 6 March 2016.

Should you no longer wish to receive this weekly message,

please contact the Parish Office by return e-mail.

 

Happy Mothering Sunday! 

 

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WORSHIP THIS WEEK

Sunday, 6 March 2016

THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

(Mothering Sunday)

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

        11:00 am           St. Stephen’s, Chester              Parish Family Worship

                                                                       

Readings: Joshua 5: 9-12; Psalm 32: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Luke 15: 1-3

 

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

SEDER SUPPER:  4:30 – 6:30 pm on Sunday, 20 March in Tuck Hall.

Please call or email Parish Office if you wish to attend this meal. 

If there is interest in the Parish, a suggested donation of $10,

or whatever you can afford, will help to cover costs.

The Seder Meal is a formal family dinner at which the Haggadah,

the story of the Exodus when God delivered the Jewish people

out of slavery in Egypt by passing through the Red Sea. 

The meal is held yearly at the beginning of Passover.

Symbolic foods help to illustrate the story.  The meal is lamb

(with potatoes, veggies, and dessert). 

Four small cups of wine (or grape juice) are consumed

as part of the ritual.

This meal is part of our salvation history,

a meal Jesus celebrated with his disciples.

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SCHEDULE CHANGES:  Please note the following changes in our March schedule:

Sunday, 13 March    4:30 pm    All Saints’, Canaan    Holy Eucharist

Sunday, 26 March    6:00 pm    All Saints’, Canaan    Easter Vigil

FOOD BANK:  Juices and cereals are always welcome.

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‘Invited’ Lenten Series

Tuesday, 8 March from 6:30-8:30 pm.

St. Mark’s, Martin’s Point

Light snack provided.

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THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

MUSICAL FRIENDS  -  (Vintage Voices, Band, Tuneful Tots) on Mon, 7 March, from 1:00 - 4:30 pm

 

BIBLE TALK - on Wed, 9 Mar, from 10:30 - 12:00 pm in the Tyler Grant Room.  All Welcome! 

LENTEN LUNCHEONS:  at 12:00 pm on Wednesday 9 Mar – Speaker: Lina Kadray: Topic: Syrian Culture.  

                                                                               

CHOIR PRACTICE - on Thurs, 10 Mar, 7:30 pm in Tuck Hall.

 

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WORSHIP NEXT WEEK

Sunday, 13 March 2016

THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

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

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

          11:00 am           St. Stephen’s, Chester            Parish Family Worship 

4:30 pm            All Saints’, Canaan                    Holy Eucharist 

                                                                     

Readings: Isaiah 43: 16-21; Psalm 126, Philippians 3: 4b-15,

John 12: 1-8

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 Food for Thought

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love,

a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

Mother Theresa

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Before you go to bed on Saturday,

12 March ....