The week of October 29

Join us this week at St. Stephen’s

Monday October 29- November 4

All Saints Pre-Octave 

Wednesday October 31 –Eve of All Saints   

6:00 p.m. – Annual Requiem Mass

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/ preacher

Procession to the Memorial Garden

Incense will be offered at this Mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

Friday, November 2 

Fr. Jamie’s day off

Sunday November 4  – ALL SAINTS SUNDAY

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/preacher

Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour following

12:45 – Adult Forum

If you have not done so, please send any names of any departed loved ones you would like remembered to Fr. Jamie at frjamieparsley@gmail.com and he will make sure that their names placed on the altar on All Saints Sunday and that they are remembered at the Requiem Mass

The week of October 22

Join us this week at St. Stephen’s

Wednesday October 24 –   

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/ preacher

Incense will be offered at this Mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

Friday, October 26   

Fr. Jamie’s day off

Sunday October 28  – 21 Pentecost

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/preacher

Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour following

All Saints Octave begins

Beginning on Sunday, October 28^th, a list will be placed in the Narthex for you to write the names of your deceased loved ones so they may be remembered at the special Requiem Mass we will celebrate on Wednesday October 31. You can also send any names to Fr. Jamie at frjamieparsley@gmail.com and he will make sure that their names placed on the altar on All Saints Sunday and that they are remembered at the Requiem Mass.

+ A special altar will once again be placed in the Narthex. Please bring a photograph or other memento of your loved one to be displayed there from October 28 through November 4.

Bishop Carol's Visit/Consecration of the New Altar

On Sunday, October 21, Bishop Carol Gallagher made her annual official visit to St. Stephen’s. It was, as usual, a busy Sunday. We began the day by celebrating the baptism of Orianna Marie Rerick. We also welcomed two new members to St. Stephen’s, Kriss and Kip Vossler. Bishop Carol also blessed and consecrated our brand new altar. The ceremony, which included anointing the new altar with chrism, was solemn yet moving. As the Te Deum was sung and bells rung, the altar was vested with the fair linen and candles, and prepared for Holy Communion. The altar was built under by Mark McAlister of  Hurley’s Religious Goods in Fargo with suggestions and designs given by Fr. Jamie. The altar features a traditional design of the Agnus Dei (the Lamb of God) at the center, flanked by the Greeks symbols of Alpha and Omega.

Bishop Carol blesses the new altar.

Bishop Carol pours chrism on the altar at its consecration.

Alice Hauan the St. Stephen’s altar Guild assists in the vesting of the altar after its consecration.

The fair linen is placed on the altar after its consecration

“The gifts of God for the People of God.”

A matching plaque honoring Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as the Living Altar of the Living Bread, was also donated by Hurley’s and now graces the apse.

The designs of the altar and plaque blend perfectly with the newly installed stained glass windows that now grace the nave, especially the Bread of Life window beside which it now hangs.

A potluck followed.

Bishop Carol was once again pleased with the banner in her honor  which adorned the front of the church.

Orianna Marie Rerick was washed in the waters of new life on October 21

 Father Jamie and Bishop Carol welcome new St. Stephen’s members Kriss and Kip Vossler.                                                  

The cake says it all! Thank you, Bishop Carol.

Diocesan Convention 2018

Look at our wonderful St. Stephen;s delegates to Diocesan Convention in Bismarck (the priest was in Fargo officiating at a wedding)! 

Bishop Carol Visitation THIS SUNDAY

Steeple cross back up!

The newly painted “steeple cross” was put back up after a good scrubbing and repainting. It’s like a brand new cross!

Kristofer Sando and the MSUM Choir on October 19th

Our very own Kristofer Sando will be performing with the MSUM choir concert on Friday Oct. 19 7:30 pm the Glasrud auditorium which is in Weld Hall on the north side of campus.

All seats general admission ($10 for adult).   

Get there a little early in case they move it over to the Dille Center for the Arts.   

Prayers for our convention delegates/representatives

The prayers of St. Stephen’s are requested for our Convention Delegates and others representing St. Stephen’s as they head to Bismarck for  Diocesan Convention this weekend:

Jessica Anderson

John Anderson

John Baird

Steve Bolduc

Donna Clark

Sandy Holbrook

Annette Morrow

Amy Phillips

Dan Rice

Leo Wilking

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given the Holy Spirit to abide with us for ever: Bless, we pray, with the Spirit’s grace and presence, the bishops and other clergy and the laity soon to be assembled in your Name, that your Church, being preserved in true faith and godly discipline, may fulfill all the mind of him who loved it and gave himself for it, your Son Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

New Altar Arrives!!!

It was like Christmas in October this morning. The new altar arrived and it looks amazing! Thank you to Mark McAllister and the incredible staff at Hurley's for the great talent and hard work. 

Dedication of the Altar this Sunday when Bishop Carol comes for her annual visit. 

And as if the altar isn't enough, we also received this beautiful plaque of Our Lady, which ties in perfectly to our new windows! 

The week of October 15

Join us this week at St. Stephen’s

Wednesday October 17 –

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/ preacher

Incense will be offered at this Mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

Friday, October 19-Saturday October 20   

Diocesan Convention in Bismarck

Saturday October 20  

4:00 p.m. – Nuptial Mass at St. Stephen’s

Sunday October 21  – 22 Pentecost

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Bishop Carol Gallagher, celebrant/preacher

Children’s Chapel

Consecration of NEW ALTAR +  Confirmations/Receptions into the Episcopal Church +

POTLUCK following

Please pray for our Convention Delegates as they head to Bismarck for  Diocesan Convention:

Jessica Anderson

John Anderson

Steve Bolduc

Donna Clark

Annette Morrow

Amy Phillips

Dan Rice

Leo Wilking

Saying goodbye to our 48 year old altar

This morning, we offered our Sunday prayers and the Holy Eucharist for the last time at this altar, which has been the center point of our worship for 48 years. We are grateful for its presence and all that it represented to us in our worship life. Let us pray.

Holy God, you received the prayers of your holy ones from altars made of stone and wood and received the humble sacrifices of all your faithful ones at places set apart for worship of you; we give you thanks this morning for this altar. For almost half a century it has faithfully served you and us as a place on which our prayers were offered. It was here we made our Thanksgiving to you with the Body and Blood of your Son, Jesus, offered to you and shared with one another. Countless people have found you here, have offered you their joys, their sorrows, their pains and anxieties and their gratitude at this altar. We thank you for them, for the priests who have offered the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist here, the hands that made it and the resources that brought it to us. It will now be replaced with a new altar. We ask you to continue to bless this place with your Presence, let your Holy Spirit descend upon us here and from here share the Body and Blood of your Son, Jesus, with all those who come here to seek you. We ask this all in his holy name. Amen.  

The week of October 8

Join us this week at St. Stephen’s

Wednesday October 10 –   

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/ preacher

Incense will be offered at this Mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

Thursday October 11-12   

Fr. Jamie out of town

Sunday October 14  – 19 Pentecost

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/ preacher

Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour following

Vestry

Blessing of Pets 2018

A fun blessing of animals inside (because it was too cold outdoors) which included dogs, a cat and a "proxy" wooden lizard (representing a very real lizard).

Update on the new altar

I stopped by Hurley's today to see the progress on the new altar. It's been cut and is currently in the process of being varnished. Next step will be assembly, meaning it should be done next week! Consecration of the altar will be on October 21 when Bishop Carol Gallagher makes her annual visit to us.

Blessing of Pets

Steeple cross painted

The newly painted Steeple cross has been painted and it ready to be returned to steeple of the church.

10 years at Priest-in-Charge of St. Stephen's

October 1, 2008 - Very grateful today for 10 amazing years at Priest-in-Charge of St. Stephen's.

(Here are photos from my installation in October 2008)

The week of October 1

Join us this week at St. Stephen’s

Wednesday October 3 –   

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/ preacher

Incense will be offered at this Mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

Friday October 5   

Fr. Jamie day off

Sunday October 7  – 18 Pentecost

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant/ preacher

Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour following

1:00 p.m. - Blessing of Animals