St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
180 Route 539, Whiting, NJ 08759
Phone: 732/350-2121, Fax: 732/350-6000
[email protected]
www.saintstephenswhiting.org
A parish of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey
The Rt. Rev. William H. (Chip) Stokes, Bishop
The Rev. Paul A. Van Sant, Sr., Rector
Sandra Gaskill, Treasurer
Randy Walton, Assistant Treasurer
Pam Unger, Organist & Choir Director
Colleen Clover, Parish Administrator
Tom O’Brien, Sexton
Janet Spieth, Office Volunteer
Wardens and Vestry 2016
Janet Spieth, Rector’s Warden
Jim Jados, Property Warden
Audrey Green, Bob Pomykala, Richard Smithson
Shelagh Bluni, Paul Gerhauser, Pat Russo
Carol Cavanaugh, William Bodine, Randy Walton
JoAnn Smithson, Clerk
Mission Statement
To proclaim the faith that our years have engendered: to use the diversity
of our Episcopal experience while working toward a common goal; to teach
the young about Jesus and to reach out and affect the lives of those in the community.
"Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them." Matthew 7:20
Welcome to St. Stephen's Church!
We thank you for joining us for worship today. Please stay for coffee hour, and sign our guest
book at the podium in the Narthex. If you are looking for a church home, you have just found it.
We would love to have you at St. Stephen’s. Arrangements for weddings and baptisms can be
made by speaking directly with the Rev. Paul A. Van Sant, Sr., Rector.
To Report Illness, Hospitalization, etc.
Please notify the church office 732/350-2121 of any illnesses or hospitalizations.
If it is an emergency you may also reach Janet Spieth, Rector’s Warden at 732/716-1656 or
Father Paul at his home 609/268-2864.
TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
HOLY EUCHARIST RITE II
PROPER 25
Hymnal
The Word of God
Processional Hymn: “How lovely is your dwelling place”
Patriotic Hymn: 717 V4
Opening Acclamation
S102 Trisagion
Collect of the Day
First Lesson: Sirach 35:12-17
Psalm 84
Second Lesson: Second Letter to Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Insert
Gradual: “Word of God, Speak”
Gospel: Luke 18:9-14
Sermon — The Rev. Paul A. Van Sant, Sr.
The Nicene Creed
Prayers of the People Form VI
Confession and Absolution
The Peace
Announcements
Offertory Anthem
Doxology: “All things come of thee O Lord”
OCTOBER 23, 2016
8 & 10 am
BCP
517
S120
S125
S136
S152
680
686
314
521
HOLY COMMUNION
The Great Thanksgiving
Eucharistic Prayer A
Sursum Corda
Sanctus
Memorial Acclamation
The Lord’s Prayer
Breaking of the Bread
Fraction Anthem
Communion Hymns:
“O God, our help in ages past”
“Come, thou fount of every blessing”
Post Communion Hymn “Humbly I adore thee”
Post Communion Prayer
Blessing
Recessional: “Put fourth O God, thy Spirit’s light”
Dismissal
355
Insert
Insert
Insert
Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost
Serving in the Liturgy today:
Lector 8:00 am
LEM 8:00 am
Altar Guild 8:00 am
Ushers 8:00 am
Lector 10:00 am
LEMs 10:00 am
Altar Guild 10:00 am
Ushers 10:00 am
Mary Storey
Dottie Strohm
Mary Storey, Betty Corino
Mary Storey, Glenn Mortimer, Bill Bodine
Peg Smith
Stefanie Rotsaert, Bill Bodine
Barbara Lavinio, Carol Cavanaugh
Al Thompson, John Brown
CALENDAR FOR WEEK OF
Insert
358
392
393
Today
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
361
368
364
365
Friday
Saturday
OCTOBER 23, 2016
October 23, 2016-October 29, 2016
Holy Eucharist
AA Meeting
Alter Guild Meeting
8 & 10 am
8:00 pm
1:00 pm
Closed AA Meeting
Art Class
Closed AA Meeting
Chime Choir
Healing Service
Choir Practice
2:00
9:30
3:00
7:00
10:00
1:30
pm
am
pm
pm
am
pm
Pineland Symphonic Band
9:30 am
AA Meeting
AA Meeting
3:00 pm
8:00 pm
Everyone is welcome to come to the coffee hour after worship.
The Church Office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to
2:00p.m., with appointments scheduled beginning at 10:00 a.m.
All baptized Christians are invited to receive Holy Communion at our Lord’s
Table, regardless of your church affiliation. We encourage you to share with
us in this sacrament.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,
Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 25
October 23, 2016
and to walk humbly with your God?”
From the book of Micah 6:8
Collect of the Day
The Rector, Vestry and Parishioners of
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
Invite you to attend a dinner honoring
Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and
charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you
command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. A men.
Susan D. Miller
Owner/Manager of Bob’s Hardware
And
First Reading
Sirach 35:12-17
Brian Brindisi
Ower/Manager Brindisi’s Heritage Family
Monday November 14, 2016
3 pm – 4 pm Food Pantry Tour
4:15 pm - Appetizers 5:00 pm - Dinner
*a donation of 15.00 per ticket
suggested to help defer costs
Seating is limited!
For tickets, call 732-350-2121
Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it; and do not trust to an unrighteous sacrifice; for the Lord is the judge, and with him is no partiality.
He will not show partiality in the case of a poor man; and he will listen to
the prayer of one who is wronged. He will not ignore the supplication of
the fatherless, nor the widow when she pours out her story. Do not the tears
of the widow run down her cheek as she cries out against him who has
caused them to fall? He whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be accepted, and his prayer will reach to the clouds. The prayer of the humble
pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord; he
will not desist until the Most High visits him, and does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Craft and Vendor Fair 10:00 am
Psalm 84
1
2
How dear to me is your dwelling, O LORD of hosts! *
My soul has a desire and longing for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
The sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *
by the side of your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.
CHIME CHOIR: Wednesdays 7:00 - 8:30 pm
CHOIR PRACTICE: Thursdays 1:30 pm
ECW Meetings 2016: Thursday, June 2, September 1, December 1 at 1:00 pm
ORDER OF ST. LUKE: 2nd Thursday of each month after Healing Service
PINELAND SYMPHONIC BAND: Fridays 9:30 am
CHAPEL CLOTHES LINE sells well to groups and
meeting at our church. Now accepting LADIES AUTUMN/
WINTER clothes ONLY in TOP condition, (clean, with no
missing
buttons, tears or stains). Also, continue to use the FOUR BINS
in our parking lot for out of season clothing, all men’s wear, and
other items. We are very appreciative of your kind donations to,
and purchases from, this fundraising project.
LAY EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS NEEDED There is an
3
Happy are they who dwell in your house! *
they will always be praising you.
4
Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way.
5
Those who go through the desolate valley will find it a place of springs*
for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
URGENT call out for Lay Eucharistic Ministers for our 10:00 a.m. service. Two LEMs are needed at this service.
ST. STEPHEN’S PRAYER CHAIN is in need of additional
members. The Prayer Chain is a dedicated group of parishioners who
will pray for any who are in need. If you are interested or would like
further information, please contact Greta Pearl at 732/350-7584 for details. Greta is the contact when placing, on the Prayer Chain, your name
or the names of family, neighbors, or friends who would like prayers
for healing, comfort, or any other purpose.
CARE GIVERS VOLUNTEERS JoAnn Smithson is the Congregational
6
They will climb from height to height, *
and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
Coordinator for Care Givers Volunteers here at St. Stephen’s. Please continue to use the
mailbox in the Office to put in your hours. JoAnn’s phone number is 609/268-0821.
HEALING PRAYERS The Order of St. Luke provides prayers of healing to anyone
after Holy Communion on the last Sunday of the month at each service. Members are
also available every Sunday after the services. Look for a member near the baptismal
font if you would like a prayer of healing after any service.
Second Reading
Second Letter to Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
YOUR PERSONAL ESTATE PLANNING Prayerfully consider making an
endowment gift to St. Stephen’s as part of your estate plan.
RECTOR’S DISCRETIONARY FUND Thank you to all who have donated.
There are parishioners as well as other members in our community who benefit greatly
from this valued fund. If you wish to contribute, please use the basket on the back table.
.
“Two hearts one Path
Two Promises one covenant
Two Lives, made one through Christ”
Mr. and Mrs. Toriano Swain
For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure
has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept
the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not
only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. At my first defense
no one took my part; all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the message fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter
Danielle Andrea
And
Jason Carlos
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Abelardo Gonzalez
At St. Stephen’s Church, Whiting NJ
Saturday, the Fifth of November
Two thousand and sixteen
At Four O’clock
Holy Gospel
Luke 18:9-14
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were
righteous and despised others: "Two men went up into the temple to pray,
one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed
thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I
give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not
even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful
to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather
than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who
humbles himself will be exalted."
Welcome to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
The gospel reading in the liturgy today has to do with our approach to God in prayer. It
is not the proud Pharisee’s bragging prayer but the humble confession of the sinner
which brings God’s response.
Announcements
October 23, 2016
A special thank you to everyone that contributed to ‘Noisy Sunday’ We raised 178.00!
Our total for Cropwalk was 873.00! Thanks goes to Lillian Fink and Stefanie Rotsaert
for walking.
Prayer to send out LEMs with the Sacrament:
Celebrant: N. we send you out to shar e Communion this week with those who have
been entrusted to your care.
People: May you car r y the pr ayer s of all of us as you take this
Sacrament of Christ’s presence.
Celebrant: Continues with a closing pr ayer .
The writer of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus) tells us much the same as the
reading from Luke. When we approach God in pride, our way is blocked by our own
ego. When we confess our wrongdoings, God hears and responds with forgiveness.
The Sanctuary Candle is given to the Glory of God in
Honor of Valerie Thompson
The second reading is presented as Paul’s final words to Timothy when Paul was in
prison and facing his imminent death. That approaching martyrdom finds Paul
confident in the good he has done, but, like the tax collector, he is aware of his total
dependence upon God.
We, the community of faith, are put into right relationship with God not because of our
success being good, but because we place our whole trust and confidence in God. We
strive to give up all and follow Jesus not in order to earn God’s favor, but as our
response to the unswerving love God has for us.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Y ear.
Copyright © 2009 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.
By Virginia and Susan Clarke
The Altar Flowers
are given to the Glory of God
In Memory of our daughter, Kim Gundacker
By Dorothy and Bill Kaster
ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNION SERVICES
The Pines
1st Sunday of each month at 9:30 am
AristaCare
1st Monday of each month at 2:00 pm
The Arbors
2nd Monday of each month at 2:00 pm
The Pines
3rd Monday of each month at 2:00 pm
Crestwood Manor
4th Monday of each month at 2:00 pm