Jan 2019 Guide - Amazon S3 · 2018-12-28 · Donna Weaver-Smith1/7 Rod Clement 1/12 Patrick Asabit 1/15 Emily Rauch 1/17 Virginia Diers 1/20 Carsten Bosselman 1/21 Sam Adenti 1/23

Volume 75, Issue 1

The Guide January 2019

A Newsletter of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church

Lorem Ipsum The Guide

New Year, New Beginning, New Opportunities

I’m excited! I don’t think I have looked forward to a new year in the same way for a very long time. New Years bring special opportunities, and nowhere is that more the case than with some of the exciting new changes at St. Stephen’s. As many of you know, St. Stephens and Messiah are going through a year long deeper partnership. This means a couple of things are changing. Our Sunday Service time is permanently changing to 10:00. That means you can certainly sleep in a little later. For those who are following our partnership with Messiah, this also means that we will have a chance to help them, and grow together at the same time. Two or three times each month, I will be leading worship at Messiah at 8:30 am. Those weeks that I am not at Messiah, St. Stephen’s will be blessed with the presence of Pastor Jim Fruehling as our preacher. I’m looking forward to the excitement of the Spirit’s leading in our joint adventure.

You may have noticed that your calendar in this Guide is a bit fuller. St. Stephen’s folks are cordially invited to share in the formation and education activities at Messiah, just as we welcome Messiah’s folks for ours. I am reminded of the words of the psalmist every time I see these opportunities, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people dwell in unity.” Ps. 133:1

Another new transition we will be having is in the replacement of our “Silent Sundays” with “Celebration Sundays”. We noticed that we lose a number of people on those Sundays where there is no music. Your Vestry also heard the voices of those who have wished for us to include some more up-tempo music. No, we’re not bringing in a band or trying to upend our traditions, but we will be playing music that might get your toe to tap. Marty and Dan are working hard on bringing us the best possible music on every Sunday, from our most traditional days to fresh expressions of old traditions wrapped with newer music.

Youth Sundays will also be evolving. Last year’s confirmation class expressed an interest in doing more of the liturgical functions. I hope you know what a positive move it is for our newly confirmed to take ownership of their faith and want to come to the table to serve the parish. I’m incredibly proud of them. Messiah has already been working on some of these expanded responsibilities for youth and I look forward to seeing that movement here at St. Stephen’s.

If you are like me, you will want our excitement to spread like wildfire. I want to remind you to please pick up some drop cards either on the narthex welcome table or from a vestry member. The key to maintaining our energy is inviting others to join us in our mission. The drop cards give you a non-threatening way to share your commitment to God through our ministry.

As 2018 comes to a close, I am reminded, and thankful, about how much I love being your rector. I have been with you on this journey now for 5 ½ years and it keeps getting better all the time. I am moved by your graciousness of spirit, your willingness to try new and uncharted things, and your responsiveness to the Holy Spirit. I think God is poising us for some really growing years ahead.

With much love,

Fr. Robert+

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Youth News

Happy New Year!! So many mixed

feelings come this time of year as we

just embraced the birth of Christ and

continue to prepare our hearts for his

new arrival. Some of us may be in the

“out with the old in with the new”

state of mind, it is a new year after all.

Whatever season you are in this new

year I pray for happiness, peace and the

love of the spirit be with you.

In December we held our Santa’s

workshop event and this year was

BIGGER than the last. This year we

had over 130 youth come and shop for

gifts for their families, and we wrapped

over 750 gifts. Thank you to everyone

who donated items, money, wrapping

supplies and their time to make this

event possible. The little ones of Grand

Island thank you!!!

Upcoming Events:

January 18th-20th: Middle School

Gathering in Kearney! We have 3

youth going to the MSG this year.

Please pray for safe travels and for the

Holy Spirit to stir a fire within them.

Blessings,

Courtney

January Birthdays

Fr. Ibrahim Kuku 1/2 Marilyn Albers 1/3 Sue Cameron 1/4 Caryl Mundorff 1/4 Donna Weaver-Smith1/7 Rod Clement 1/12 Patrick Asabit 1/15 Emily Rauch 1/17 Virginia Diers 1/20 Carsten Bosselman 1/21 Sam Adenti 1/23 Crooj Anglow 1/24 Lori Welte 1/29

Anniversaries Yohanna Jarry & Omaima Adenti 1/2 Bob & Marla Kutz 1/12

If you or a loved one needs prayer, please submit that information to the church office at 308-382-4961 or [email protected]

Prayers run in the weekly bulletin as well as monthly in The Guide.

Prayer Chain requests can be sent to Mary Kvetensky at 308-382-4090 or to Donna Weaver-Smith at [email protected]

If you would like to add a name (or remove a name from)

the prayer list or submit birthdays and anniversaries, please call the church office.

Please Pray

For those in need of healing or other concerns:

Robin, Beth, Kelly, Ellen, Jan, Cody, Jon & Heather, Travis, Abbi, Vera, Tom, Les, Anne, Jason, Deb, Kenny, Janelle, Lonnie, David, Maurie, Richard, Stacia, and Libi

For those serving in the military:

Cathleen, Dan, Jake, Lucas, Sean, Seth, Tim and Tyler

For those who are homebound: Virginia, Bob & Marla, Mickey & Caryl, Vera, Audrey, Fran & George, Marge, Connie, Bob and Tom


January 2019 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 New Year’s Day Church Office

Closed for Holiday

7:00pm Women’s Bible Study at Choco- late Bar

2 6:30pm Choir Rehearsal 7:00pm Men’s Group (M) 8:15pm Young Procrastinators AA Meeting

3 9:45am St. Mary’s Bible Study 7:00pm Youth Bible Study at Choco- late Bar

4 3:30 Good News Club 8:15pm Young Procrastinators AA Meeting

5 10:00am Exercise (M) 12:00pm Sudanese Bible Study 4:30pm Sat. Supper (M)

6 8:30am Worship (M) 10:00am Holy Eucharist & Coffee Hour 11:30am Sandwich Sun 1:00pm Arabic Worship 2:30pm Holy Eucharist at Riverside Ldg 6:30pm NA Group (M)

7 9 am & 5 pm Quilting (M) 4:00pm Girl Scouts Mtg. 6:45pm AA Study Group 7:00pm CEF Meeting 8:15pm Young Procrastinators AA Meeting

8 9:00am Holy Eucharist 10:00am Office Staff Meeting 7:00pm Women’s Bible Study


10 7:00pm Youth Bible Study at Choco- late Bar


12 10:00am Exercise Class (M) 12:00pm Sudanese Bible Study 4:30pm Sat. Supper (M)

13 8:30am Worship (M) 10:00am Holy Eucharist & Coffee Hour 11:30am Sandwich Sun 1:00pm Arabic Worship 6:00pm Ignite! 6:30pm NA Group (M)

14 9:00am Quilting (M) 6:45pm AA Study Group 7:00pm Council Meeting (M) 8:15pm Young Procrastinators



17 9:45am St. Mary’s Bible Study 7:00pm Youth Bible Study at Choco- late Bar


19 10:00am Exercise (M) 12:00pm Sudanese Bible Study 4:30pm Sat. Supper (M)

20 8:30am Worship (M) 10:00am Holy Eucharist & Coffee Hour 11:30am Sandwich Sun 1:00pm Arabic Worship 6:30pm NA (M)

21 9 am & 5 pm Quilting (M) 4:00pm Girl Scouts Mtg. 6:30pm Vestry Meeting 6:45pm AA Study Group 8:15pm Young Procrastinators AA Meeting



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26 10:00am Exercise (M) 12:00pm Sudanese Bible Study 4:30pm Sat. Supper (M) 5:30pm Holy Eucharist at Central City

27 8:30am Worship (M) 10:00am Holy Eucharist/Potluck /Annual Meeting 11:30am Sandwich Sun 1:00pm Arabic Worship 6:30pm NA (M) 7:00pm People First of Nebraska

28 9:00am Quilting (M) 6:45pm AA Study Group 8:15pm Young Procrastinators AA Meeting



31 7:00pm Youth Bible Study at Choco- late Bar

Middle School Gathering

5

January 6

Epiphany 1 Youth Sunday

January 13 Epiphany 2

January 20 Epiphany 3

January 27 Epiphany 4 Celebration

Sunday

February 3 Epiphany 5

Youth Sunday

Celebrant Fr. Robert Fr. Robert Fr. Robert Fr. Robert Fr. Robert

Preacher Fr. Robert Rev. Jim Fruehling Fr. Robert Rev. Jim Fruehling Fr. Robert

Organist Marty Garringer Marty Garringer Marty Garringer Marty Garringer Marty Garringer

Verger Ryan Jepson Dave Jepson None Dave Jepson Ryan Jepson

Acolytes Charlee Condy Naleah Baier Bennett Korensky Edwin Lewis Naleah Baier

Altar Guild Sandy Fowler Rhonda Hillman Christy Jepson Susan Cameron Sandy Fowler

Lector Collin Jepson Tracy Babcock Lisa Prickett Kaeleigh Post Bennett Korensky

Prayers of the People

Ryan Hillman Terry Babcock Sue Clement Dan Prickett Raegen Hillman

Subdeacon Raegen Hillman Kiley Keck Kaeleigh Post Don Young Ryan Hillman

Ushers

Edwin Lewis & Kaylee Condy

Bob Allison & Mike Timmerman

Terry & Volunteer Kathy Patton &

Volunteer

Collin Jepson & Colton Berg

Counters

Mike & Donna Weaver Smith

Dennis Bjorkman & Volunteer

Rod & Sue Clement

Terry & Tracy Babcock

Mike & Donna Weaver Smith

Vestry Member

of the Day

Dave Jepson Becky Young Mike Timmerman Kiley Keck TBD

Coffee Hour Hosts

Youth

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers Needed

Youth

Altar Flowers

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers Needed

Sandwich Crew

Youth E.C.W. Men of the Church Volunteers

Youth

Cleaners

Bennett Colton & Chloe Deven Raegen Mya

* Consider where your spiritual gift fits * Investigate what is involved

* Shadow someone * Serve with joy


New Years Resolutions for You and Your Church Excerpts by Dr. James Emery White, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

It's that time of year again. We're going to lose weight, exercise more, get out of debt, stick to a budget, stop smoking, save for the future and spend more time with family. What would a set of New Year's resolutions look like for you and your church, your role as a leader, or simply as someone who wants to live a life of strategic Kingdom investment? 1. Pray more. So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD … ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty (Zechariah 4:6, NIV). 2. Invest in my spiritual gift(s). Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress (I Timothy 4:14-15, NIV). 3. Get more intentional about evangelism. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some (I Corinthians 9:22, NIV). 4. Care for myself spiritually. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me (Philippians 3:12, NIV). 5. Make the tough decisions I know are best. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace (Acts 20:22-24) 6. Confront debilitating patterns of sin. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1, NIV). 7. Do the hard work needed to build community. If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over (Matthew 18:15, NIV). 8. Keep in touch with contemporary culture. From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders. … All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take (I Chronicles 12:32, NLT). 9. Quit comparing myself to other Christians, other leaders and other churches. Turning his head, Peter noticed the disciple Jesus loved following right behind. When Peter noticed him, he asked Jesus, "Master, what's going to happen to him?" Jesus said, "If I want him to live until I come again, what's that to you? You — follow me." (John 21:20-23, Msg) 10. Read more. Timothy, please come as soon as you can. … When you come, be sure to … bring my books … (II Timothy 4:9,13 NLT) 11. Prioritize my family. A leader must be well-thought-of, committed to his wife, … attentive to his own children and having their respect. For if someone is unable to handle his own affairs, how can he take care of God's church? (I Timothy 3:2-5, Msg) 12. Refuse to use ministry to satisfy my personal ambition. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not (Jeremiah 45:5, NIV). 13. Love people, not just crowds. If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love (I Cor. 13:1-3, Msg). 14. Be more open to change. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:19, NIV) 15. Stay focused on the vision. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47, NIV).

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Sign up to enrich

our parish life

by

Hosting Coffee Hour and/or

Giving Altar Flowers

in honor of or in memory of

a loved one or event.

Sign-up sheets are in the parish hall or you can call the church office

2019 Annual Meeting and Potluck Lunch

Sunday, January 27th

We gather to celebrate all St. Stephen’s was able to accomplish in 2018 and look ahead to how we can best impact our community

and honor God in 2019.

Ministry Leaders, please submit your report to [email protected] no later than January 15st.

If you have had a change in your contact information, please let the church office know so our directory will be up to date. We’ll have directories for

you to take with you that day.

Everyone is encouraged to attend, regardless of membership status.

St. Stephen’s is happy to announce it has an

agreement in place with Action Cab Company

to supply transportation to anyone who needs

a ride to a church event.

Give them a call at 308 381 1010

and they will bill the church.

No muss, no fuss.

Give it a try.

The Guide Volume 75, Issue 1

Welcoming…ALL People Serving…Those in Need Worshiping…God

www.ststephengi.org (308) 382-4961 Like us on Facebook

How can YOU connect with St. Stephen’s?

Worship Services Holy Eucharist on Sundays at 9:30 am, in Arabic at 1:00 pm

Tuesdays at 9:00 am First Sunday of month at Riverside Lodge at 2:30 pm

Quarterly Solemn Evensong & Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Christian Education (September – May) IGNITE! for Middle/High Schoolers Second Sunday of Month at 6:30 pm

Contact Information: Phone: (308) 382-4961

e-mail: FrRobert @ststephengi.org Mail: P. O. Box 2317, Grand Island, NE 68802

Website: www.ststephengi.org Like us on Facebook – St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Grand Island

Church Office Hours: Monday – Thursday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

THE GUIDE St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church P. O. Box 2317 422 W. 2nd Street Grand Island, NE 68802-2317 Address Service Requested

St. Stephen’s Leadership and Staff

Rector The Rev’d Dr. Robert Lewis [email protected]

2018 Rector’s (Sr.) Warden Paul Fischer

Spirituality & Community Development

[email protected]

2018 People’s (Jr.) Warden Mike Timmerman

Building & Grounds [email protected]

2019 Vestry Dave Jepson

Evangelism & Church Growth [email protected]

2020 Vestry Becky Young

In-reach Ministries [email protected]

Kiley Keck Parish Life

[email protected]

Music Ministry Dan Korensky

[email protected]

Office Manager Lynne Nuss

[email protected]

Youth Director Courtney Berg

[email protected]

Organist Marty Garringer

[email protected]

Documents

Jan 2019 Guide - Amazon S3 · 2018-12-28 · Donna Weaver-Smith1/7 Rod Clement 1/12 Patrick Asabit 1/15 Emily Rauch 1/17 Virginia Diers 1/20 Carsten Bosselman 1/21 Sam Adenti 1/23