Christmas Caroling

 Thursday evening a group of St. Stephen's Carolers went around to the homes of parishioners who were not able to make it to the Christmas Masses and sang for them.

(Photos by Amy Phillips) 

Prayers of Thanksgiving for baby James

 I ask prayers of thanksgiving for baby James, son of Amy Morrow- and Josh Stalboeger, born Christmas Eve at 11:001 pm 5 lbs, 15 oz.

 

God our Creator,
thank you for the waiting and the joy,
thank you for new life and for parenthood,
thank you for the gift of James.
May he learn to love your world
and the whole family of your children;
through Christ our life.
Amen.

 

-peace,

Fr. Jamie+

Christmas Tide at St. Stephen's

 Sunday, December 24 – 4 Advent

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant 

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, music

Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour

 

7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve Mass

Fr. Jamie, celebrant 

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, music

 

Monday, December 25  Christmas

10:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant 

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, music

 

 

 

Wednesday, December 27  St. Stephen (transferred)

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant 

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, music

Incense will be offered at this mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

 

Friday, December 29

Fr. Jamie’s day off*

*please refrain from sending Fr. Jamie emails, text messages, Facebook messages or phone calls on his day off unless it is a pastoral emergency.

 

Sunday, December 31 – I Christmas

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant 

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, music

No Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour

 

Fr. Jamie’s Office Hours

Monday-Thursday – 1:00-3:00 (Or anytime by appointment.)

We would love to see you in person but if you are unable to attend please join us for Mass livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/@st.stephensfargo

 

Upcoming Events:

January 7 - Epiphany observed – Proclamation of the Date of Easter / Blessing of Chalk

January 14 – Vestry meeting

January 28 – Annual meeting/Bishop Brian Thom visitation

January 29 – February 12 Fr. Jamie on vacation

 

St. Stephen's Carolers

The St. Stephen's Carolers will be meeting at the church at 5:30 on Thursday December 28 to have cider and treats and then go caroling to St. Stephen’s parishioners who are unable to make it to church.

 

Bishop election

The election for Bishop Brian Thom will be held on Sunday, January 7 at 4:00 p.m. The delegates of St. Stephen’s will have an opportunity to gather at St. Stephen’s to join the Zoom election.

 

 

Bishop Thom Visit to St. Stephen’s

Bishop Brian Thom will be making his first official visit to St. Stephen’s on January 28, which is also our Annual Meeting Sunday.

We will be also be doing Confirmations, Receptions and celebrating New Members on that Sunday. If you would like to be confirmed, received or welcomed as a new members, please contact Fr. Jamie

 

Words of Wisdom: 

“A worthy New Year’s resolution, perhaps, is to take no hatred into the New Year without requiring it to restate its purpose.” ~Robert Brault

 

From the Green Team:

Some Eco-Friendly New Year’s Resolution Ideas

Start Recycling

Plant a Garden

Purchase a Reuseable Water Bottle

Become a Better Driver

Compost Lawn Trimmings & Organic Food Waste

Use Eco-Friendly Junk Removal

Upgrade to Energy Star Appliances

Turn Off Lights

Use Rechargeable Batteries

Reduce Winter/Increase Summer Thermostat

Shop Locally

Eat Less Meat & Dairy

Upcycle More, Purchase Less

Buy a Hybrid or Electric Car

Carpool

Take Public Transportation

Upgrade to Low-Flow Toilets

Adjust Your Water Heater to 120°

Replace Old HVAC System to High-Efficiency

Eat Out at Farm-to-Table Restaurants

Order Fewer Items Online

 

Christmas Letter from Fr. Jamie

 

My Friends at St. Stephen’s,

 

As we near the joyous celebration of the birth of Jesus and prepare to celebrate all that that birth means to us,  we also find ourselves looking forward to the new year of 2024. 

 

It has been an exciting year at St. Stephen’s. We began (and just recently, with great joy finished) our sacristy renovation.  As with any building project, there were frustrations, delays and a battle with impatience. But, here we are! And the church building has never looked more beautiful! St. Stephen’s is truly a place which reflects the fact that all we do begins from the center point of our parish—our altar. We also made a major commitment to Creation Care and Eco Justice this year with the establishment of the “Green Team,” a committee dedicated to helping St. Stephen’s become an ecologically sound place, and a witness to the larger community of the we all should be striving to do. Also, almost every Sunday we have visitors and potential new members in our pews. Our church continues to be a holy and welcoming place to people who need a place wherein they feel welcomed and accepted.

 

As we look forward to 2024, we do so anticipating a personal dream I have hoped for St. Stephen’s since I became priest here: the establishment of an Endowment Fund! This Fund will help us to continue to be the place we are for future generations. More information on this will be forthcoming in 2024.  Let’s face it: the dust never settles at St. Stephen’s!

 

Serving as St. Stephen’s continues to be truly one of the most fulfilling experiences of my priestly life. Our life together of ministry, worship, music and outreach has been a source of great personal joy for me and has helped me to see how gracious God is in showering blessings upon faithful, committed people who truly do seek after God.

 

As we move forward together into this future full of hope and potential growth, I ask for your continued prayers for St. Stephen’s and your continued presence on Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights and whenever else we gather together to worship and to do ministry. Please know that I pray, as always, for each of you individually by name over the course of each week in my daily observance of the Daily Office (Morning and Evening celebration of the Mass. Above all, know that I give God thanks every day for the opportunity to serve such a wonderful, caring and loving congregation of people who are committed to growth and radical hospitality.

 

My sincerest blessings to you and to all those you love during this season of joy, hope and love.

     PEACE always,

Fr. Jamie+

Advent- Christmas, 2023

at St. Stephen’s

 

Sunday December 24   4 Advent + 11:00 am  Holy

Eucharist

Christmas Eve 7:00 pm – Holy Eucharist

 

Monday December 25 –   Nativity of Our Lord  + 10:00 am

Holy Eucharist

 

Wednesday December 27 –St. Stephen (transferred) 6:00 pm – Holy Eucharist

 

Sunday December 31 –1 Christmas  11:00 am – Holy

Eucharist

Christmas at St. Stephen's

 

The week of December 18

 Wednesday, December 20

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant 

Amy Phillips, preaching

Deacon John, assisting

No incense will be offered at this mass

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

 

Friday, December 22

Fr. Jamie’s day off*

*please refrain from sending Fr. Jamie emails, text messages, Facebook messages or phone calls on his day off unless it is a pastoral emergency.

 

Sunday, December 24 – 4 Advent

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant 

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, music

Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour

 

7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve Mass

Fr. Jamie, celebrant 

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, music

 

 

 

Fr. Jamie’s Office Hours

Monday-Thursday – 1:00-3:00 (Or anytime by appointment.)

 

We would love to see you in person but if you are unable to attend please join us for Mass livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/@st.stephensfargo

 

Upcoming Events:

Christmas Eve Mass, 7:00 pm, December 24

Christmas Day Mass, 11:00 am, December 25

Mass of the New Year /St. Stephen, 6:00 pm, December 27

 

Bishop election

The election for Bishop Brian Thom will be held on Sunday, January 7 at 4:00 p.m. The delegates of St. Stephen’s will have an opportunity to gather at St. Stephen’s to join the Zoom election.

 

 

Bishop Thom Visit to St. Stephen’s

Bishop Brian Thom will be making his first official visit to St. Stephen’s on January 28, which is also our Annual Meeting Sunday.

We will be also be doing Confirmations, Receptions and celebrating New Members on that Sunday. If you would like to be confirmed, received or welcomed as a new members, please contact Fr. Jamie

 

Sacristy Renovation Completed

The renovation of the sacristy was finally completed this past week when the sink was installed.

Today, after Mass, several people gathered as Fr. Jamie led an impromptu blessing on the sink and gave thanks for all who made this renovation possible and for all worked hard on the campaign.

 

 Words of Wisdom: 

The best Christmas gift is to realize how much you already have.

 

From the Green Team:

Transportation is the No. 1 source of carbon dioxide emissions associated with the holidays. Limit driving as much as possible during the holidays by "stacking" your visits to places that may be further away.

If you're going to go visit one family or one set of friends, go visit everyone on the same trip, don't make three or four trips.

If each family in the U.S. reduced gas consumption by 1 gallon, or opted to drive 20 miles less, it could lead to 1 million tons of reduced greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Clean Air Partnership.