Epiphany and a New year!
Dear St. Stephen’s church family,
Love and blessings in this week of prayer for Christian Unity. Pray for other churches in Saskatoon, Christians all over the world, and for friends and families of differing denominations. Pray that we may cooperate and encourage one another as we seek to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.
Some news for the week:
1. Services for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Continue over the next few days: Today (Thursday), there is a noon hour service and lunch at Queen’s House. Friday January 24th: morning service at 8 am, at Resurrection Lutheran Church. Friday evening–Ceilidh!–Singing, dancing and fun! Refreshments provided. 7:30pm at Christ Church Anglican, 515 28th Street West, Saskatoon. Closing Service at 3 pm on Sunday, January 26th at St. Philip Neri.
2. Some of the youth group are going to a play on Saturday—Every Brilliant Thing.
It’s at the Refinery and is presented by a Christian Theatre company called Burnt Thicket. The play deals with the theme of suicide.
3. Soup and Small Groups—
If you’d like to be a part of a small group—3 or 4 people who gather monthly to share and grow in faith, we are hosting an information and start up session on Sunday, January 26th, after the 10:30 service. We’ll talk about what it means to be in a small group and how it works. Come and see!
4. Tuesday Chat Café—Tuesday, January 28th at 5:30 pm.
Come and share a meal and fellowship with others. The main course is Chicken. Bring a side or a dessert and $2 towards the cost of the meal. All welcome.
5. Saturday, February 1st at 1:30 pm. The Rev. Eyad Ajii will be joining us to share about ministry in Syria and the Jordan
After living and serving in the church in Syria and Jordan his whole life, The Rev. Eyad now serves in the Diocese of Saskatchewan. Please come and learn more about the church. Bring a friend!
6. AGM—Our Annual General Meeting is set for Sunday, March 8th, after the 10:30 service.
A light lunch will be available for all who attend the meeting. Please sign up so we know how many people to expect! The AGM is a great way to learn more about the goings on in the parish in 2019 and to look ahead to 2020 as we seek to love and serve the Lord, the world and each other.
Parish Cycle of Prayer:
We pray for all members of our parish, especially those who have come in the past year. We pray that our life together may be strengthened and deepened. We pray for all who have come to the parish from the neighbourhood and community. We pray that they may find what they are searching for and draw nearer to the light of faith. We pray that St. Stephen’s church may be a beacon of hope and faith for our neighbours and community.
We pray for: Iona and family and for Kitty and family.
The theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is: “They showed us unusual kindness” (Acts 28:2). This verse refers to Paul’s reception on the island of Malta, when his ship and crew washed up on shore. Pray this week that you may be able to show unusual kindness to others. Pray for an opportunity and act on it! And give thanks as you call to mind various times and places where you have been the recipient of unusual kindness.