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DECEMBER
2009
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First-Wednesday
Service of Healing and Hope with The Holy Eucharist On December
2, the 5:30 PM midweek service will be the Holy Eucharist (instead
of Evening Prayer). The service will include a litany of healing,
anointing, and communion around the holy table.
Annual Parish
Meeting REPORTS for 2009 and BUDGET requisitions for 2010, are
due from ministry coordinators, committee chairs, and program leaders
BY DECEMBER 20. Preparation for the church’s annual meeting report
gets underway mid-December so it will be ready for the meeting on
January 24. Reports and budget requests may be brought to the church
office or e-mailed (ststephens@sbcglobal.net).
Newsletter
deadline is the 10th of each month for entries in the next issue.
Vestry will
convene December 14 at 5:30 PM for their regular meeting (the 2nd
Monday this month instead of 3rd).
Stuff ‘n’
Fold is Tuesday, December 22, at 10:30 AM to prepare the January
newsletter for mailing. (Note: This date is a change from the usual
last-Thursday schedule for Stuff ‘n’ Fold.)
2010 pledges
are still welcome following the November 22nd Celebration Sunday
Ingathering. 100% participation in return of pledge cards is requested
by the vestry so that they may prepare the 2010 budget based on
information on returned cards. Cards are in pewracks, the narthex,
and the office-area foyer.
The Search
Committee for a Rector for St. Stephen's has been meeting regularly
and is moving ahead with the initial tasks invovlved in the search
process. If you know a priest that you would like to have the committee
consider, now would be the appropriate time to make this suggestion.
Please make your recommendation to Louise Cummins, chair of the
search committee. Her phone number is 799-7812 or you may email
her at louise.cummins@gmail.com. Thank you, Maggie
Nominations
of people to fill vestry vacancies and for delegates to the annual
diocesan convention may be made in writing to the Nominating committee
of the vestry. This committee is made up of the outgoing vestry
members: Barbara Arrington, Charlotte Burt, Britt Pharris, Phil
Rapstine. Nominations must be received by the committee by January
3. Vestry personnel serve 3-year terms. Convention delegates serve
two years, attending deanery meetings as well as the annual diocesan
convention (usually the last weekend in October). Persons being
nominated for vestry or delegates must have been a member of the
parish for at least 6 months..
Next
month and beyond . . .
January 3
Sunday School resumes
January 6 Wednesday schedule resumes: 5:30 PM Midweek service
7:00 PM Choir rehearsal
January 24 Annual Parish Meeting, after 10:30 AM Holy Eucharist
NOVEMBER
2009
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Confirmation and Reception with The Holy Eucharist is scheduled
Wednesday, November 11, at 7 PM. Celebrant will be The Right
Reverend J. Scott Mayer, Bishop of our Diocese of Northwest Texas;
he will confirm and receive recent Inquirers’ class participants
who are thereby joining the Episcopal Church. A reception honoring
the confirmands will follow the service. Confirmands will have a
time prior to the service at 5:30 to visit with the bishop; they
will be served a light supper at that time.
Christian
education news for everyone!
On Sunday, November 22nd, something quite special is planned
in preparation for the Advent season. A multigenerational workshop
in the parish hall from 9 AM-10:00 which will involve the whole
church is scheduled that day. Stations will be set up through which
parishioners will rotate to make Advent wreaths, bookmarks, and
do other activities that relate to the season. Please sign up to
be a part of this inspirational new event at St. Stephen’s. All
planning and materials will be provided; we just need you to help
us make this a fabulous beginning to Advent. Any questions? Call
Nora Stubblefield (797-3086).
All Saints’
Day is Sunday, November 1
Names of the faithful departed will be read in the morning’s
services. (Note: Daylight-saving time ends Nov 1st, 2 AM.)
First-Wednesday
Service of Healing
and Hope with The Holy Eucharist On November 4 the
5:30 PM midweek service will be the Holy Eucharist (instead of Evening
Prayer). The service will include a litany of healing, anointing,
and communion around the holy table.
Newsletter
deadline is the 10th of each month for entries in the next issue.
Vestry will
convene November 16 at 5:30 PM for their regular meeting.
Stuff ‘n’
Fold to prepare the next newsletter for mailing will be Tuesday,
November 24, at 10:30 AM. (Note: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday
this is a change from the group’s last-Thursday schedule.)
Schedule
changes associated with Thanksgiving holiday:
Wednesday 5:30 PM service and other evening activities are not
scheduled November 25. (Scheduling will resume December 2.)
.On Sunday, November 29, Sunday School will NOT meet.
The new Church
Year begins November 29 with the First Sunday of Advent. Lectionary
texts will be those designated for Year C. Subsequent Advent Sundays
are December 6th, 13th, and 20th. Happy new Liturgical Year!
EYC (Episcopal
Youth Community) invites youth of all Lubbock parishes to the
following gatherings this month:
Nov 1 - regular Sunday meeting (middle-high school), 4-5:30
PM at St. Stephen’s. Note: St. Stephen’s will host all 1st-Sunday
EYC meetings; the parish is asked to provide drinks, snacks, sponsors.
Nov 8, 15, 22 - regular Sunday meetings at St. Paul’s (16th
St & Av X), 4-5:30.
Nov 29 - no meeting (EYC does not meet the last Sunday of
each month.
Nov 13-15 - fall rally for high school youth, BQCC, Amarillo.
The EYC website
– www.lubbockeyc.org –
has up-to-date information regarding scheduling additions and changes.
More eucharistic ministers are needed at the 8 AM Sunday Holy Eucharist.
Anyone from the group of 10:30 ministers who is willing to assist
with this shortage may contact scheduler Michael Pullen. In addition,
anyone interested in becoming an 8:00 eucharistic minister may contact
Kara Wischmeyer to arrange training and licensing.
From
the Vestry . . .
A grand “thank you” to all who filled out and returned the parish
surveys. Information gathered will be vital in creating a parish
profile to present candidates who will consider a call to minister
as a priest at St. Stephen's. Thanks also to Stephani Windham for
coordinating, and to many loving hands for preparing, the excellent
lunch at our parish town hall September 27. That day’s meeting with
Nancy Igo from our diocesan office was informative and helpful in
leading us to move to the next step of receiving the rector God
has in store for St. Stephen's. To those who took part in the meeting,
thank you for your time and valuable input.
Please join
us at the CROSS (Communion Received On SaturdayS) Life’s expectations
are difficult and constant. There are some weeks when it is impossible
to go to church on Sunday. Work or travel demands often require
that we are “on the road” bright and early Sunday morning. For families
in which both parents work, Sunday may be the only day when they
can slow down, relax, and spend time with the children. After all,
everyone needs a Sabbath! Based upon this need and with the bishop’s
encouragement, Mother Pat Russell will celebrate the Holy Eucharist
(Rite Two) every Saturday for diocesan parishioners and friends
in Lubbock and across our Llano Estacado deanery. These services
will be held at 5 PM beginning November 28, 2009 (the eve of 1st
Advent). The CROSS will meet at All Saints’ Episcopal School, 3222
103rd St, Lubbock, in the small gym. Childcare will be provided.
Dress is very casual. It is hoped that this new service will provide
the Holy Eucharist and an opportunity for Sabbath. Please join us
when your schedule allows.
Mother Pat+
Introducing
SignChiDoTM
SignChiDoTM
– The Art of Moving
Prayer – is a relaxation exercise form created and
designed as a unique approach to stress management. A class in SignChiDoTM
is being offered every Thursday at 5:30 PM at St. Christopher’s
Episcopal Church (42ND St and Elgin Av). SignChiDoTM differs from
other forms of exercise meditation in that this program was founded
based on brain function. Sign language stimulates the brain in a
different area than all other movement. This cognitive function,
when combined with slow-rhythmic movement, has been found to enhance
memory, concentration, spiritual awareness, and create an overall
sense of well-being. SignChiDoTM is intended for people of all ages,
regardless of their physical abilities. It can be practiced anywhere,
requiring no special equipment. This makes SignChiDoTM a great tool
to help deal with stress on a daily basis. For more information
please contact Nancy Igo, diocesan facilitator, (806) 763-1370 x5
or nigo@nwtdiocese.org , or SignChiDoTM at www.signchido.com.
Treasurer’s
update . . . St.
Stephen’s continues to have a blessed year in 2009. Operating revenue
at nine months was $180,245.00, which is $4,200.00 in excess of
budget. Overall operating expenses were $187,967.00, representing
a cash net deficit of $7,722.00. As reported earlier, Spring Fling
raised $21,239.00 for church operating needs, choir/choir scholarships,
and outreach. In September the vestry elected to fund anticipated
choir needs through April 2010 in the amount of $8,000.00 from the
Spring Fling fund. Discussions continue regarding applications of
the remaining funds. Bursting-with-Blessings campaign continues
to collect from pledges to the building expansion. At September
30 we had cash on hand of $44,775.00 and pledges receivable of $152,634.00.
Our financing with American State Bank has a balance of $107,473.00;
with our Diocese of Northwest Texas a balance of $81,652.00. The
Vestry and the Finance Committee continue to monitor and manage
the business of the church to maximize use of its resources. We
look forward to continued success in 2009, together with launch
of the Stewardship Campaign and associated budget plans for 2010.
We are grateful for our many blessings. Gaylon Simmons, treasurer
Next
month and beyond . . .
December
20 - 4th Sunday of Advent (Regular schedule) Noon: Hanging of
the Greens and light lunch
December 24
- Christmas services (Thursday): 6 PM Family service 11 PM Festival
Eucharist : The Nativity of Our Lord
December
27 - 1st Sunday after Christmas (Regular schedule of services;
NO Sunday School)
December
30 - NO Wednesday 5:30 PM service or other activities
January
3 - 2nd Sunday after Christmas (Regular schedule of services;
Sunday School resumes)
January
10 - 1st Sunday after the Epiphany -- The Baptism of Our Lord
February
17 - Ash Wednesday April 4 - Easter Day
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