Another amazing day for the Pantry
Today at Stephen’s (StSt) Table food pantry, nearly 2,300 meals of food were provided to 191 people from 153 households. 19 volunteers from the parish and community made it happen! Thanks everyone -- with special thanks to coordinator Kevin Gardner!
And more connections were made
Also today, at Portland Convention Center, StSt Table was represented by Paul (and Deacon Ken Arnold for Communion in the Park) at a briefing and capacity-building training by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. New connections were made with the Dept of Agriculture (that provides our USDA food), Highland United Church of Christ, and the Nonprofit Association of Oregon. Stay tuned for more details for StSt Table. AND last Sunday the congregation of Wy’east Unitarian Universalist Church donated $280 for StSt Table; they are collecting more this week and plan to volunteer with Waverly Heights UCC at Saturday Breakfast on Feb 4.
And more people were fed
80 people from the parish and community enjoyed a Mardi Gras dinner last (fat) Tuesday night -- strawberry crepes, pancakes and ham from the family of Sue Rossiter & Alan Ashenburner and Robert. Also, Tuesday Chili served 66 people. Saturday Breakfast, 133. More thanks all around!
This Sunday 9am Adult Inquiry begins “Exploring the Season and Liturgies of Lent” led by The Rev. Richard Wallace and Barbara Hayes. The season of Lent offers us a profound opportunity for spiritual growth. One source of nourishment for this growth is found in the Sunday liturgies of the season. The aim of each Inquiry session is to examine various Lenten texts and explore how they can enrich our spiritual life. On Feb. 26, Oregon author Barry Lopez will introduce us to this Lenten Inquiry through his short story, “Disturbing the Night.” Then, the class will read documents from the Episcopal tradition that highlight the meaning of the season and address how it is a source of spiritual growth.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Lenten Supper and Poetry Series
St. Stephen’s 3rd Annual Lenten Supper and Poetry Reflection Series starts
Wednesday, February 29 at the Church and continues for 6 weeks through April
4. Supper begins at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall with the discussion starting at
7:00ish and lasting about an hour and a half. A brief Service of Compline at about
8:30 will conclude our gathering not later than 9pm. While all are encouraged
to come as often as possible, each discussion will look at an independent set of
poems, so feel free to come when you can to what has become a St. Stephen’s Lenten
tradition.
The poetry this year includes works by John Dryden, Elizabeth Bishop, Emily
Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Philip Levine, T.S. Eliot, and Dolly Parton. But
as great the poems may be, and some of them are decidedly not great, of more
significance is the mutual exploring of our relationships with the Divine that this
poetry may provide. Please join us in this journey of discernment in the fellowship
of a gathered community of seekers.
Please contact Ken Ballard or Dale Carr, so we may have a copy of the poetry for
you, or if you have a question. Email: quietwriter@clear.net Phone: (503)889-8549
Wednesday, February 29 at the Church and continues for 6 weeks through April
4. Supper begins at 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall with the discussion starting at
7:00ish and lasting about an hour and a half. A brief Service of Compline at about
8:30 will conclude our gathering not later than 9pm. While all are encouraged
to come as often as possible, each discussion will look at an independent set of
poems, so feel free to come when you can to what has become a St. Stephen’s Lenten
tradition.
The poetry this year includes works by John Dryden, Elizabeth Bishop, Emily
Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Philip Levine, T.S. Eliot, and Dolly Parton. But
as great the poems may be, and some of them are decidedly not great, of more
significance is the mutual exploring of our relationships with the Divine that this
poetry may provide. Please join us in this journey of discernment in the fellowship
of a gathered community of seekers.
Please contact Ken Ballard or Dale Carr, so we may have a copy of the poetry for
you, or if you have a question. Email: quietwriter@clear.net Phone: (503)889-8549
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
What's Happening at St. Stephen's
2012 Parish Directories are in!
Thanks to the amazing work of Faye Tayler, we have a beautiful new St Stephen's (StSt) Directory filled with colorful pictures of all our activities at the parish – and the Tayler’s have once again donated all the cost of printing the booklets. Thank You, Faye and Bob! You can get your Directory at church this week. Please limit one per household, or contribute $10 for extra copies.
Zen Wednesday in the evening
Looking for a way to be as compassionate with yourself as you are with others? Rev. Deacon Ken Arnold is leading a Zen Meditation class every Wednesday at the church, 7-8:30pm. Come for an orientation & tea this Wed, Feb 15 @ 7pm. So far, 7 from StSt are signed up. All are welcome.
Companions training
We have 15 signed up so far to attend Companions Training next Saturday, Feb 18, 1-3:30pm, led by Rev. Dr. Craig Rennebohm, author of Souls in the Hands of a Tender God and founder of Mental Health Chaplaincy in Seattle. We hope to have Table Companions who sit with guests at StSt Table meals and pantry, Street Companions who hand out food and conversation after CiP, and Sunday Morning Companions who assist folks coming to the church during worship times. The training will help us better understand and help those who live with serious and persistent mental disorders. It will teach us how to engage with those suffering from the traumatic stress of homelessness and poverty. Interested? RSVP to Paul at JPaulDavis@prodigy.net.
Mardi Gras Pancakes on (Fat) Tuesday
Tues, Feb 21, at 6pm, StSt Table will host a pancake dinner for Shrove Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras; aka Pancake Day in the UK). All are invited and the meal is free! Come have a festive meal with your neighbors in the parish and community. Operation Nightwatch’s Tuesday Night group will join us before they break for Bible Study at 6:30. For those able to donate, this will be first of many fundraisers in our “150 by the 150th” campaign for the many programs of the church. We intend to raise $150K by StSt’s 150th birthday next year. More info about the traditions of Shrove Tuesday at http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/shrove.html.
Ash Wednesday Services
Feb 22, 12:15pm and 7pm Eucharist will be held on the first day of Lent.
Lenten Supper & Poetry Series
All are invited to our 3rd annual supper and poetry reflection group in the parish hall during Lent, Feb 29-Mar 28. Supper served at 6:30 p.m. A reading and discussion of selected poetry starts at 7, led by Ken Ballard and Fr. Dale Carr. For more details, email quietwriter@clear.net.
Thanks to the amazing work of Faye Tayler, we have a beautiful new St Stephen's (StSt) Directory filled with colorful pictures of all our activities at the parish – and the Tayler’s have once again donated all the cost of printing the booklets. Thank You, Faye and Bob! You can get your Directory at church this week. Please limit one per household, or contribute $10 for extra copies.
Zen Wednesday in the evening
Looking for a way to be as compassionate with yourself as you are with others? Rev. Deacon Ken Arnold is leading a Zen Meditation class every Wednesday at the church, 7-8:30pm. Come for an orientation & tea this Wed, Feb 15 @ 7pm. So far, 7 from StSt are signed up. All are welcome.
Companions training
We have 15 signed up so far to attend Companions Training next Saturday, Feb 18, 1-3:30pm, led by Rev. Dr. Craig Rennebohm, author of Souls in the Hands of a Tender God and founder of Mental Health Chaplaincy in Seattle. We hope to have Table Companions who sit with guests at StSt Table meals and pantry, Street Companions who hand out food and conversation after CiP, and Sunday Morning Companions who assist folks coming to the church during worship times. The training will help us better understand and help those who live with serious and persistent mental disorders. It will teach us how to engage with those suffering from the traumatic stress of homelessness and poverty. Interested? RSVP to Paul at JPaulDavis@prodigy.net.
Mardi Gras Pancakes on (Fat) Tuesday
Tues, Feb 21, at 6pm, StSt Table will host a pancake dinner for Shrove Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras; aka Pancake Day in the UK). All are invited and the meal is free! Come have a festive meal with your neighbors in the parish and community. Operation Nightwatch’s Tuesday Night group will join us before they break for Bible Study at 6:30. For those able to donate, this will be first of many fundraisers in our “150 by the 150th” campaign for the many programs of the church. We intend to raise $150K by StSt’s 150th birthday next year. More info about the traditions of Shrove Tuesday at http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/shrove.html.
Ash Wednesday Services
Feb 22, 12:15pm and 7pm Eucharist will be held on the first day of Lent.
Lenten Supper & Poetry Series
All are invited to our 3rd annual supper and poetry reflection group in the parish hall during Lent, Feb 29-Mar 28. Supper served at 6:30 p.m. A reading and discussion of selected poetry starts at 7, led by Ken Ballard and Fr. Dale Carr. For more details, email quietwriter@clear.net.
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