Delilah's adoption finalization on 11/2 - she's officially a Priddy! 
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
This Week
November 9-16, 2017 
In this Issue
Stewardship Ingathering
Movie Lovers Group
Bishop retiring
S.A.G.E.S.
Gratitude...
Thanksgiving
Contemplative Garden Bricks
Ministry Spotlight
Advent Celebration
Book Club
Your Vestry Hosts this week are:
Vic Grace & Ronnie Sunderman
If you have any questions about St. Stephen's or have any comments or questions in general, you can reach out to them or find them this weekend.
We pray for...
  • those affected by the earthquakes,
    hurricanes, flooding and fires wreaking havoc across the world;
  • civil discourse grounded in respect;
  • refugees, immigrants and those without a home.
Service Schedule
Saturday
   5:00 PM - Holy Eucharist and Healing 

Sunday
  8:00am Rectors Bible Study & Coffee
9:30am Holy Eucharist
Following worship, Fellowship, Coffee and Refreshments 
11:00am Adult Formation & Education 

Wednesday  
12:15pm Mid-Week Eucharist
Office Hours
Monday-Thursday
10:00AM-12:00PM & 1:30PM-4:30PM and other times by appointment .  
St. Stephen's Vestry
Christina Priddy
-Rector's Warden
Vic Grace
-People's Warden
Jack Colaric
-Treasurer
Mary Heldenbrand
-Clerk
Vestry
Lyle Skillen
Vicki Bradshaw
Ronnie Sunderman
Bruce Brannan
Kristin McCartor
Paul Basha
Ken Carleno
Helpful Links



Stewardship Ingathering - THIS WEEKEND!
This weekend, Nov 11 & 12, will be our stewardship in-gathering. Thank you for prayerfully considering St Stephen's in your life and the life of our community. P lease remember to bring your giving cards to service this weekend.   
Game night - Tomorrow!
We will be playing Mexican Train this Friday, November 10 at 6:30 in the dining room.  Bring a snack! Come, Enjoy the Fellowship!

 
Bishop Kirk Smith retiring
Bishop Kirk Smith announced his retirement today. You can click here to read the letter he sent out that describes the timeline and more about his decisions and plans. You can also click here to get an in-depth look at the process the diocese will go through over the next 18 months as we search for a new bishop.
S.A.G.E.S next Thursday!
S.A.G.E.S. will meet on Thursday, November 16 for their monthly potluck in the dining room.  Bring a salad, casserole, bread or desert to share.  If you haven't joined us yet, please give us a try.  We are a group of parishioners---men and women who enjoy good conversation and fellowship.  All are welcome!
What are we thankful for as a faith community? 

This month, as we prepare for Thanksgiving, please take a moment or two to think about what you are thankful for at St. Stephen's.  Take a representative picture, or write a note about what you are thankful for in our community, and share it on our Facebook page or send to the office to be shared in the Highlights and posted on our Facebook page or website. 

Thanksgiving @ St. Stephen's
thanksgiving-dinner.jpg
November 23rd is Thanksgiving!  Come to church.  There will be turkey (fried), sausage dressing, gluten free dressing, and gluten free gravy.  Bring your favorite side dish to share.  No dish??? You can help with clean up.  Come around 12 noonish, bring your family, bring your friends, bring your appetite.  Any questions, ask April Priddy 602-957-2434.
Contemplative Garden Bricks
We are excited to announce we will be adding more bricks to our Celebration/Memorial garden to celebrate our joys and blessings as well as commemorate our losses. All proceeds go to support St. Stephen's and our ministries. We are asking for donations for each brick with a minimum of 
$20 to cover the cost. If you would like a brick/s please fill out a " brick order form" for each and return it to the office, either on-line or hard copy... We will collect all orders and once a month pick up your bricks. Our plan is to have them blessed at the alter and then immediately after the service go into the garden and place them with help from the Junior Warden Vic Grace.
Ministry Spotlight - S.A.G.E.S.

This week, we recognize our S.A.G.E.S. group. S.A.G.E.S - Service. Aging. Gifts. Education. Spirituality. is a group of 50's more or less men and women whose major focus is to get to know each other better. We offer fun activities on and off property; address aging issues identified by our participants; helpful to our neighbors; and supportive to outreach opportunities as they arise. They meet the third Thursday of each month at noon for a pot-luck lunch in our dining room.  Come join!  Contact Pat Davis, pdavis09@gmail.com or the church office, 
602-840-0437 for additional information.
Celebrate Advent with our Annual Concert & Dinner
Our Annual Advent Celebration on December 2nd will include a concert of your favorite Christmas music arranged and presented by our own David Zych at 5:30. Followed by our annual dinner which will be a festive holiday buffet this year at 6:30pm. Tickets are required for dinner and must be purchased in advance with a suggested donation of $15. Tickets will be available after services starting this weekend through Sunday, Nov. 26th or by contacting April Priddy at 602-957-2434. Everyone is invited to this wonderful celebration.
Wednesday Book Club - New book study started Wednesday
Our next book will be  The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World  by   Dalai Lama XIVDesmond TutuDouglas Carlton Abrams. This book is "a one-of-a-kind teaching, a rare delight for those who want to live their lives more fully...". These two great spiritual masters share their own hard-won wisdom about living with joy even in the face of adversity.  During a 5-day visit they share their personal stories of struggle and renewal. Now that they are both in their eighties, they especially want to spread the core message that to have joy yourself, you must bring joy to others. From the beginning the book was envisioned as a three-layer birthday cake: their own stories and teachings about joy, the most recent findings in the science of deep happiness, and the daily practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives. Joy can be transformed from a fleeting emotion into an enduring way of life.
Plan to join us on Wednesdays at 10:30 am. All are welcome!

We aspire to be an accepting community in which people will know Jesus Christ through worship, prayer, spiritual formation and fellowship. We hope our community will encourage all to use their God given gifts to serve others in the name of Christ.

Faithfully,

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church