It is by this that they will know you are my disciples, by your love for one another. — Jim Dalton
PRAISE AND ADORATION
Holy , holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Amen.
ALTAR FLOWERS
The altar flowers for Sunday, September 27, were given to the Glory of God and in celebration of the birthday of Shelly Nelsen; given and arranged by Laura Phillips.
Liturgical Offerings for the week
MONDAY, September 28
Noonday Prayer – 12:00 PM, Facebook Live: Prayers with Pat
TUESDAY, September 29
Morning Devotional – 8:00 AM, on Facebook Live: Java with Jim; Theme this week – Reconciliation
Compline – 7:00 PM, on Facebook Live: Twilight with Toby
WEDNESDAY, September 30
Noonday Prayer -12:00 PM, on Facebook Live: Prayers with Pat
Bible Study – A Journey with John, Day 45, John 19:31-42, using Google Meet
THURSDAY, October 1
Morning Devotional – 8:00 AM, on Facebook Live: Java with Jim; Theme this week – Reconciliation
Compline – 7:00 PM, on Facebook Live: Twilight with Toby
FRIDAY, October 2
Noonday Prayer – 12:00 PM, on Facebook Live: Prayers with Pat
SATURDAY, October 3
Compline – 8:00 PM, on Facebook Live: Late-night with Laura
SUNDAY, October 4
Sunday Worship, 10:30AM, Facebook Live
Celebrant/Sermon: Rev. Toby Rowe
Deacon: Rev Joyce Dalton
Assisting Priest: Rev. Jim Dalton
Prayer for the Week
We have had a number of friends and family who have died this week. This seemed to be an appropriate prayer for the week.
BEREAVEMENT
My God,
why have you let this happen?
why did you forsake us:
Creator – why uncreate?
Redeemer – why desttroy wholeness?
Source of love – why rip away
the one I loved so utterly?
Why? Why? O God?
In this pit of darkness,
hollowed out by grief and screaming,
I reach out to the one I loved
and cannot touch.
Where are you, God?
Where are you,
except here
in my wounds
which are also yours?
God,
as I hurl at you
my aching rage and
bitterness,
hold me,
and stay here
until this hacked-off stump
of my life
discovers greenness again.
–Angela Ashwin, The Book of a Thousand Prayers
These are Difficult Times, Covid 19
Why is St. Stephen’s not gathering for worship, other churches are meeting? I’m sure that question has crossed the mind and even the lips of some of our members. Here are the best current information about where we stand?
New Cases in Arkansas for the Past Week
Sept. 27 487
Sept. 26 809
Sept. 25 897
Sept. 24 1086
Sept. 23 982
Sept. 22 617
Sept. 21 641
This totals 5,519 new cases in Arkansas for the week.
Arkansas has had 81,242 cases of Covid19 (C19)
Arkansas has had 1,208 deaths from C19
The US has had 7,140,000 cases of C19
The US has had 205,000 deaths from C19
Worldwide there have been 33,100,000 cases
Worldwide there have been 998,000 deaths
The development of a vaccination for C19 or any other disease is a three (3) phase process. The Centers for National Institutes of Health are cooperating to develop the vaccination and it is currently in the 3rd and final phase. Then the Center for Disease Control must make the final decision on widespread use of the vaccination. There is light at the end of this tunnel.
The vast majority of our St. Stephen’s family wants to wait to gather until the vaccine has been made available.