The
Guide
A Newsletter for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
Volume 69
Issue 11
November 2013
Why Do We Wear That and What Does it Mean?
This month, the liturgical garment is the maniple. A maniple is a small towel that
is worn on the left fore arm of the celebrant. It is usually part of a matched set in
the color of the day, but there is precedent to always wear a white one. Its history
began with the handkerchiefs held in the palm of the hand by Roman citizens. In
time it because used as a towel for the washing of feet. Strictly speaking, the
towel used when the celebrant washes his hands also derived from this small
handkerchief.
The maniple is the vestment of Subdeacons. In fact, at a solemn Eucharist, the
three sacred ministers; celebrant, deacon, and Subdeacon all wear them.
Although Subdeacons are not considered an order any longer, the Anglican office
of licensed lay reader and licensed chalice minister are the modern equivalent.
The maniple denotes servanthood. It is a tactile reminder that the clergy are servants first and leaders second. In the
years following the 1960’s, the maniple gradually fell out of use. Most vestment companies now only offer a maniple
as a special order item. The argument is that the maniple is ornamented far beyond its original function and that it gets
in the way. When we understand the New Testament ideal of servanthood, we understand that servanthood is the
highest calling of the saints. Thus, since it is a royal calling, it is most fitting that it is decorated like the rest of t he
vestments. As for the argument that it gets in the way, it does, and so should our servanthood get in the way of serving
ourselves. Clergy need reminders of their calling to be servants.
The maniple is put on with the following prayer: “Grant, O Lord, that I may remember the need to pick up the basin
and towel and may this towel remind me to be a servant.”
Nov. 22nd from 5-8 P.M
St. Stephen’s will participate in the
Downtown Christmas activities by holding
a .”Decorate a Marshmallow Snowball”
Open House in the Parish Hall.
Please invite your friends & neighbors to
come, bring their families and have fun being
creative while enjoying cookies, hot chocolate,
and coffee. We could use volunteers &
Christmas decorations. Please call office,
or see Dave Jepson with questions or
to volunteer to host or donate needed items.
Welcoming...All people
,
United Thank Offering
Ingathering
Sunday, December 1
at the 10:30am service
Empty out your “Blue Box” and bring a check
made out to St. Stephen’s Church for the amount.
Don’t have a “Blue Box” yet?
Check the sign-up desk, or see Raynette Martin!
Serving...Those in need
Worshiping…God
www.ststephengi.org Church Office: 308.382.4961 or find us on facebook
Prayers for the People
If you or a loved one needs prayers, please submit that information to the church office.
Prayers run in the weekly bulletin as well as the monthly Guide. Prayer Chain requests can be
sent to Mary Kvetensky at 308.382.4090 or to Donna Weaver Smith at [email protected]
Prayers of Healing and Concern for: Marge, Laurie, Bob, Fran, Eric, Fred, Chandler,
Larry, Becky, Ed, Steffanie, Travis, Corrine, Bob, Ellen, Bill, Rita, Ann, Kathy, Paul, Shelly,
Brad, Sharon, Rachel, Tom, Taylor, Irene, Deanna, Crnolos, Estella, Lee, Mary, Jim, Terry,
Mary Ann, Dave, D’Ann, Michelle, Deloris, Bobby, Gloria, Kimberly, Caryl, Vera, Warren,
Anna, Burnell, Larry, Dick, Bryan, Dennis, Ron, Tyler, David, Brock, Elisa and Heather.
Prayers of Strength and Protection for those Serving Our Country:
Michael, Ryan, Randy, Dustin, Charles, Sherri, David, Cathleen, Ben, and Seth.
If you would like to add or remove a name to our prayer list or submit birthdays and anniversaries,
please contact the church office 382.4961 or [email protected]
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
10/1
Xavier Briseno
10/15 Josh Soden
10/2
Sara Cunning
10/16 Clayton Vinson
10/2
Terry Babcock
10/17 Ann Thorndike
Tyler Hooker - 11/4
Max Empfield - 11/16
10/4
Jan Moore
10/18 Chris Busboom
Rodney Fiedler - 11/5
Amy Webb - 11/18
10/4
Kami Webb
10/21 Calvin Camplin
Yvonne Leisinger - 11/7
Deb White - 11/19
10/5
Brooklyn Plummer
10/21 Riley McDonald
Alice Mahood - 11/7
Robert Lewis - 11/20
10/8
Stacia Dreier
10/22 Ronna Kutlas
Sue Regier - 11/7
Terry Winslow - 11/20
10/8
Spencer Goodman 10/24 Blakeley Wooden
Jim McElroy - 11/9
Gene Van Wie - 11/21
10/8
Kycen Miller
10/25 Lee Ramsey
Burnell Cameron - 11/9
Eveta Gebraeil - 11/23
10/8
Chuck Peek
10/25 Rich Webb
Abbey Kutlas - 11/10
Joe Kutlas - 11/26
10/9
Jay McElroy
10/27 Nate Wieland
Ellen K. Lewis - 11/13
Hunter Cook - 11/27
Joe Prickett – 11/13
Sarah Hansen - 11/30
10/13 Eryn Korensky
10/28 John Albers
10/14 Ethan Briseno
10/28 Sue Clement
10/14 Toree Wieland
10/29 Louis Kuku
Tom Baxter - 11/1
Bob Chisholm - 11/14
Raynette Martin - 11/2 Bud Rasmussen - 11/15
Congrats!
OCTOBER
Rodney and Tami Fiedler 10/2
Jim and Jean McElroy 10/6
Don and Stacia Dreier 10/8
Don and Becky Young 10/8
Andrew and Olya Pedersen 10/16
Mick and Sandy Fowler 10/21
Ryan and Shannon Plummer 10/27
to Joe Prickett,
Hastings High School’s
2013Homecoming King!
NOVEMBER
Lesley and Dusty Dugan - 11/1
Fred and Kaila Roeser - 11/2
Tom and Liz Baxter - 11/6
Gene and Connie Van Wie - 11/19
Mark and Cindy Coe - 11/27
Don and Virginia Diers - 11/29
Jim and Pat Kirschbaum - 11/29
Unless the Lord builds the House……
Perhaps the greatest challenge to being a rector is the idea of “growing” the parish. People have long understood
a healthy church as a “full” one. But before we put too much stock in that idea, I want us to consider a spiritual
principle found in Psalm 127: “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the
LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”
It is natural to expect that a church should grow in numbers. But that is a symptom of a greater reality. We simply cannot expect a church to grow in numbers unless the church is healthy. When we understand that it is God
who builds us to be the people He desires us to be, we are on a good footing to make that growth happen.
As a parent, one of the great curiosities of growth has been that often Edwin had to “chunk up” before he “grew
up”. A period of good nutrition, feeding on the Word of God, developing strong individual prayer habits, and
learning how to engage our ever shifting post-Christian culture are all key to “chunking up” spiritually. It has
occurred to me that St. Stephen’s is in such a period. I see that many faces that have disappeared are reappearing
and there is a push to do a new thing.
Although there is no sure-fire, across the board recipe for church growth, there is a surefire formula to great a
committed Christian. We must take our own spiritual walk seriously or else we become like the one who seeks to
take the speck out of another’s eye when a log remains in our own. If we allow God to build the church in his
way and in his time, the structure will last. If, however, we focus on numbers and not on health, the growth may
never come.
So where are you with the Lord? Do you have a dynamic prayer life? Do you read and study the Word regularly? Who keeps you accountable on your Christian walk? Do you have a rule of life, or even seek spiritual
direction? Do we make Sunday worship a priority, or make excuses? All of these questions have to be asked by
us all, or else we will labor in vain.
Let us labor on! If those questions were uncomfortable for you, I ask that you pray for a spiritual “chunking up.”
As a parish, when we become devoted to Jesus by being spiritually healthy ourselves, we can expect that God
will begin to swell our numbers week by week. Let us labor on and not lose heart. God has a plan for us, but let
Him build His house.
In His love and light,
Fr. Robert+
Your Rector, Servant and Friend
Thank You, from the Bottom of our Hearts, to:
 Joan Barton for “keeping us posted” with the bulletin board & tract rack,
 Raynette Martin and Karen Mayer for supplying food and clean up for Christian Ed dinners all of September! We
need more volunteers like you!!
Dave Jepson and Jim Lewis for mowing and lawn care of the church yard,
Thank you to Betty Crittenden for set-up and clean up of the Parish hall on 9/11,
Kathy Stoddard, Jerre Mallory and Ellen Lewis for help around the office,
Mary Kvetensky for helping with the wedding while Fr. Robert was at Annual Council,
to Carol Chisholm for heading up our Stewardship Campaign; also to Sue, Jim, Jen, Kathy, & Yolande for sharing
thoughts on stewardship, and...
 Special thanks to all who have helped make Wednesday Christian Ed night a success. You know who you are and
we appreciate your work, as does God.
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“ From the Archives”...
Selections by Sue Clement
When Father Robert wrote in last month’s Guide about holy places, I was reminded of the photos that
show our church as a physical presence in this very spot since 1871. Our first church was constructed in
1871, facing west, on the corner of Cedar and Second Street on land donated by the Union Pacific Railroad. The photo below left, taken in 1875, shows the surrounding area at that time. Unpaved roads and
newly-planted trees, plus a low fence, define the property. Although the outside of the building might be
considered plain, the decorated bell tower and the cross on the arched door lead to a nave with stained
glass windows, oak pews, and a pipe organ. When construction began on our stone church (the cornerstone was laid in 1888) the original building was moved to the north side of the lot (which the Parish Hall
now occupies) and worship services continued to be held there until the new church building’s consecration in 1892. At that time the church was deconstructed and the wood used to build a home in southeast
Grand Island (I have been unable to discover which home). The pipe organ and bell were relocated to the
stone church. The newer photo, below right, shows the outside vertical siding on the 1871 church more
plainly. A glimpse can be seen of the Guild House on the right, home of the Guilds, the Sunday School,
and the Thrift Shop at various times through the years before its donation to Stuhr Museum in 1967.
Walking to Bethlehem
We once again began our 100-mile walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be present at the birth of Jesus. We began on October 1, however, there’s still time to join in. So you may begin logging your miles from your walk, swim,
run, elliptical or biking exercise. There will be historic facts and meditations to refer in hopes of creating a more
spiritual atmosphere for your journey. Please sign-up in the parish hall and pick up your packet. We will make it
there by Christmas Eve! It is a push but consider the fact that Mary & Joseph had to make this walk over the
course of 8 – 10 days, pregnant and on a donkey. Challenging ourselves physically and mentally can lead us to a
spiritual experience to share with others in addition to the health benefits of exercise.
As always, please be sure that you are physically healthy to engage in such activity and pay
attention to hydration during any exercise. Call with any questions… Looking forward to
seeing you on the “trail”!
Kathy
Parish Nurse
Fitness and a Healthy Lifestyle
Cathi Swift
Have you been thinking about beginning a fitness or healthy lifestyle change, but you aren’t sure
how to start? Any change in lifestyle is a challenge, but should not be overwhelming. The same applies to
fitness and healthy lifestyles.
If you haven’t exercised or evaluated your diet in awhile, think back to grade school math class. A good way to
look at the balance between fuel taken in (calories eaten) and energy expended (calories burned), is to track
the amount for a day or two.
Example: Calorie intake:2300 Exercise:400 = net intake of 1900 calories.
Based on present height ,weight and your age, you need a minimum number of calories for basic metabolism—that is to maintain your present weight with a sedentary lifestyle. For example, if you weigh 130 pounds,
are 63 inches tall, and are not active, you need 1550 calories per day to maintain that weight.*
But to get started, you really don’t need to do all the math. Start by meeting small goals:
1. Walk for 10 minutes each day for 2 weeks.
2. Give up one sugary drink per day: soda, juice, latte, or beer for 2 weeks.**
3. No calorie intake after 8:00 PM.
After two weeks, if you like, add in more minutes to your walk. Decide to delete another “empty calorie” food,
or substitute a new healthier choice. Brown rice, high fiber breads and wraps are good choices for improving
the efficiency of your metabolism.
Consider the concept of “mindfulness” as you begin your new routine. Practice focusing on the present as you
walk. It will take practice, as our minds tend to wander to things that distract us—grocery lists, guilt, worry,
and obligations. I tell myself “don’t think thoughts now—just BE”. Count steps, anything to get you to the
present moment. Once you are able to focus on the present moment, your spiritual walk begins. It is in the
quiet “open” state of mind that we become aware of God’s presence with us.
Practicing mindfulness as you eat, or before you eat, as in a blessing or thanksgiving for the food, can reduce
stress before eating. When possible, avoid eating food in the car, or from drive-ups. Eat meals at the table
when possible, with the TV off. Put on some music that you enjoy instead. Eat slowly, and concentrate on the
sensory part of the food-the color, the flavors, texture, and smells. When I prepare food, I say a short prayer.
That way, my secret ingredient is love. “Lord, please bless this food to our use, and us to your loving service.”
Adding this ingredient will make any recipe taste better!
St. Stephen’s Parish will complete our Walk to Bethlehem Program this month. Please find at least 10 minutes
per day to walk with your St. Stephen’s family. My family will be on the journey—will you join us?
*There are Apps, like MyFitnessPal that you can use on your computer or Smartphone that can help you track
your calculations.
** That soda, sugary drink, or beer has 150 calories. Take that X 365 days in a year, and you have 15,750
calories. Since one pound of fat is 3500 calories, dropping that one soda per day, you‘d lose 15.64 pounds.
Save a Life!
November 9-11, 2013 is National Donor Sabbath Weekend:
Our congregation supports organ, eye and tissue donation as
the gift of life and the expression of our highest humanitarian ideals.
We ask all members of the congregation consider becoming donors.
For more information, go to www.DonatelifeNebraksa.com
or call 1-800-718-LIFE
Downtown Christmas
Open House in Parish Hall
Nov. 22nd - 5-8 pm
November 3
November 10
November 17
November 24
December 1
Pentecost 24
Pentecost 25
Pentecost 26
Christ the King
Advent 1
All Saints &
Consecration
Sunday
Veteran’s Day
8:00 am
Susan Cameron
Susan Briseno
Karen Borgheiinck
Sandy Fowler
TBD
10:30 am
Leslie Lewis
Ronna Kutlas
Roxie Webb
Joan Barton
TBD
8:00 am
Susan Cameron
Don Young
Jim Lewis
Terry Winslow
Susan Cameron
10:30 am
Cathi Swift
Jay Stoddard
Lisa Prickett
Liz Baxter
Tracy Babcock
8:00 am
Terry Winslow
Susan Cameron
Don Young
Jim Lewis
Terry Winslow
Jim Lewis
Sue Clement
Dan Prickett
Leslie Lewis
Terry Babcock
8:00 am
Don Young
Terry Winslow
Susan Cameron
Don Young
Jim Lewis
10:30 am
Liz Baxter
Rod Clement
TBD
Sue Clement
Rod Clement
10:30 am
ALL VESTRY
MEMBERS
Byron Moore
Roxie Webb
Raynette Martin
TBD
Acolytes
10:30 am
Maddie Wieland
Emily Rauch, &
Samantha Hansen
Ryan Jepson &
Edwin Lewis
Abbey Kutlas &
Joe Prickett
Ushers
10:30 am
Bob Allison &
Vern Webb
Bob & Jenny
Dobbins
Jim & Pat
Kirschbaum
Kathy Patton &
Raynette Martin
Bob Allison &
Vern Webb
Counters
10:30 am
Sam & Joan
Barton
Dennis & Terry
Bjorkman
Rod & Sue
Clement
Raynette Martin &
Jerre Mallory
Sam & Joan
Barton
Coffee Hour
10:30 am
CONSECRATION
SUNDAY
POTLUCK
Rich & Roxie
Webb
Fr. Robert Lewis
& Family
Raynette Martin
Jim & Leslie
Lewis
St. Stephen’s
Church
Joe & Ronna
Kutlas
Fr. Robert, Ellen,
& Edwin Lewis
Dave & Kathy
Stoddard
Dave & Kathy
Stoddard
November
2013
Altar Guild
Lector
Prayers of the
People
10:30 am
Subdeacon
Vestry Member
of the Day
Altar Flowers
11/17/13
Blood Pressure
Checks
After the 10:30
am service at
Coffee Hour
Sunday
Emma Goodman
Maddie Wieland
&
Emily Rauch, &
Spencer Goodman Samantha Hansen
Stewardship Moment
Let us give freely and out of a
full heart, expecting no gain
for our own ends, knowing
that God is looking over our
shoulder. ~ Carol Chisholm
November 22nd - 5-8 pm
Snowball Decorating
Open House
in the Parish Hall!
November
2013
St. Stephen’s Leadership
v
Regular Weekly Schedule at St. Stephen’s
Sunday
8:00 am
10:30 am
1:00 pm
Monday 6:45 pm
9:00 am
6:30 pm
7:00 pm
6:30 pm
7:00 pm
8:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am
9:45 am
Wednesday 1:00 pm
6:00 pm
6:30 pm
6:30 pm
8:00 pm
Thursday 9:45 am
Friday
8:00 pm
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
Arabic Worship Service
AA Study Group
Guiding Coalition Meeting (Rector’s Office)
1st Monday: Disaster Preparedness Committee
2nd Monday: Financial Planning & Review
3rd Monday: Vestry (Canterbury Room)
4th Monday: Community Center Board
Young Procrastinators AA Meeting
Holy Eucharist (Chapel)
Staff Meeting
1st & 3rd St Martha’s Guild
CE Dinner in Parish Hall (PH)
CE Classes
Chancel Choir Rehearsal
Young Procrastinators AA Meeting (PH)
1st & 3rd Thurs - St Mary’s Bible Study
Young Procrastinators AA Meeting (PH)
NOVEMBER 2013 Events
2
3
8
10
10:00 am
5-7 pm
13
17
22
24
28
28 - 29
All Souls Requiem
All Saints & Consecration Sunday, Baptisms,
& Potluck Lunch following 10:30 am service;
Daylight Savings Time ends - set clocks back
Habitat for Humanity Open House (Annex)
Fire Drill following 10:30 am service,
ECW meeting following Fire Drill at Coffee Hour
Fire Drill during Christian Education
Blood Pressure Clinic during Coffee Hour
“Marshmallow Snowball Decorating” (PH)
Christ the King Sunday
Happy Thanksgiving!
Office & Community Center closed for holiday
SAVE THE DATES:
December 1 1st Sunday of Advent & UTO Sunday
December 4 6:00 pm Celebration of New Ministry with
Bishop Barker for Fr. Robert Lewis, dinner following
December 7 2:00 pm ECW Advent Tea at Kathy Patton’s home
December 22 5:30 pm Evensong & Benediction for St. Stephen
Rector The Rev. Robert Lewis
[email protected]
2014 Senior Warden Dave Jepson
[email protected]
2014 Junior Warden Mike Timmerman
[email protected]
2014 Vestry
Vacant
2014 Vestry Raynette Martin
[email protected]
2014 Vestry Roxie Webb
[email protected]
2015 Vestry Dave Beck
[email protected]
2015 Vestry Dennis Bjorkman
[email protected]
2015 Vestry Kathy Stoddard
[email protected]
2016 Vestry Carol Chisholm
[email protected]
2016 Vestry Karen Colan
[email protected]
2016 Vestry Byron Moore
[email protected]
Parish Nurse Ministry Kathy Stoddard
[email protected]
Music Ministry Dan Korensky
[email protected]
Financial Secretary/CFO Leslie Lewis
[email protected]
Parish Administrator Elisa Day
[email protected]
Custodian Henry Mayer
The Guide
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
410 W. 2nd St. Suite #10, 68801
PHONE 308-382-4961
[email protected]
Postmaster: Address Service Requested
“The Guide” 410 W. 2nd St, #10
Grand Island, NE 68801
How can you connect with St. Stephen’s?
Phone: 308.382.4961
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ststephengi.org
Church Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Worship Services:
Holy Eucharist on Sundays at 8:00 am & 10:30 am; Tuesdays at 9:00 am
Christian Education:
Dinner on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm; Classes from 6:20 pm – 7:30 pm
Veteran’s Day
The office will be closed
November 28-29
to celebrate the
Thanksgiving
holiday.
November 10th
Thank you to
all of our
Veterans!
Join us for Worship
GIVE YOUR GARBAGE
ANOTHER LIFE.
TAKE THE PLEDGE.