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.

 

The week of December 11

 

Wednesday, December 11 – 15^th Fr. Jamie’s vacation

If you are in need of pastoral care while Fr. Jamie is away, or if there is an emergency, please contact Deacon John

 

Wednesday, December 13 – St. Lucy

6:00 p.m. – Liturgy for the Holy Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament

Deacon John, officiant

Annette Morrow, preaching

No incense will be offered at this liturgy

Supper afterward at a local restaurant

 

Sunday, December 17 – 3 Advent - Gaudete

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant

Deacon John, assisting

James Mackay, music

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:

Gaudete Sunday, December 17

Christmas Eve Mass, 7:00 am, December 24

Christmas Day Mass, 11:00 am, December 25

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

 

Andrew Urano to receive the Judge Nancy C. Dreher Pro Bono Distinguished Service Award

On December 19th Andrew Urano will receive the Judge Nancy C. Dreher Pro Bono Distinguished Service Award

for his long volunteer work (once a month for 19 years) in the field of debtor issues, bankruptcy, and student loan issues. The award was given jointly by U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota and Minnesota State Bar Association.

His name is shown as an award recipient in the Court's website indefinitely.  This is the second time Andrew is receiving the award from them, the first time was 2016.

 

Words of Wisdom: 

"Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can."
— John Wesley, Letters of John Wesley

From the Green Team:

“Earth is what we all have in common.”  ~Wendell Berry

 

 

A Letter from Fr. Jamie

 December 9, 2023

 Dear St. Stephen’s family,

 

The other day I was told I was a “rebel priest.” At first, I didn’t know how to respond to that. But as I thought about it, I realize: yes, I am. And rather than evade that monicker, I need to embrace it.

But I also realized: I am a rebel priest at a rebel parish. We are rebellious and defiant and passionately trying to live out the message of the Gospel, and the revolutionary commandment of God to love God and love others as fully and completely as we can. We have Christ in our Eucharist, in the hearing and proclaiming of the Word and in our presence with one another.

In addition, we have a beautiful Anglo-Catholic liturgy. We have bells and music and, at our Wednesday evening Mass, incense.

Most importantly, we have passion and commitment.

And we not only radically welcome people, but we also include them fully and completely. No one is ostracized here. No one here is turned away. No one here is snubbed or shunned or looked at strangely.

We are gay and straight, trans and cis, asexual or non-sexual, straight or “out there.” We are normal and weird, staid and radical, old and young. And everything in-between. We are imperfect but striving to be better than we are and in doing so to make the world a better place as well—to make the Reign of God real and present in this world.

Everyone knows we are welcoming. It is not secret that we are fully accepting. We are also very strong and committed. And when we stand up for something, we STAND UP. And we speak out loudly!

We were inclusive before inclusivity was expected of the Church. We welcomed and included people when other churches discarded or turned away. And we continue to do that. And we do so unapologetically.

That is what St. Stephen’s is.  

As I write this, we are getting ready to have our Pledge In-Gathering, which finishes the one time of the year in which we ask for your help to help being the unique, eclectic parish we are. We cannot do it without your pledges. We cannot do it without your time and your talent.

If you have already pledged, THANK YOU!! Thank you for contributing to the unique ministry we do here.

For those of you who have not pledged or have simply forgotten, it never too late. But, please do so.   Please consider filling out a pledge card and returning it so we can continue to do what we do. Or simply fill out our name and the amount you can pledge and send it by email to Laura Nylander at laura.nylander56@gmail.com  Or you can do a one-time pledge through our Paypal account at Ststephensfargo.org or by simply sending a check (also marked “pledge”) to 120 20 Avenue North Fargo.  All pledges are strictly confidential. Only Laura knows who gives what.

People assume pledging is so much harder than it really is. A pledge can be as little as $10 or #25 or $50 a month.

Or you can give a one-time pledge of the amount you feel most comfortable with.

          Your pledge is not about paying my salary. Your pledge is not only about paying the bills of St. Stephen’s. Your pledge is about contributing to a parish that makes a difference in this community, in the world and in our individual lives. It helps us be the place we are. It helps us as we continue to grow, continue to welcome new people each week in our doors, continue to be a place where God’s Spirit is alive and is shared with ALL people, no matter who they are.  But more importantly, we do what we say we do: when dire situations happen within the lives of our parishioners, we are there to help, to lend support, to be a supporting presence. That is what your pledge supports here.

          More than anything, however, please know how grateful and humbled I am to be serving as your Rector and priest. I am truly blessed by God to be serving a parish that is excited about what it is doing, that is renewed by its energy and committed to its very radical following of Jesus. Thank you for all you have given to me.

 

-peace,

Fr. Jamie+

The week of December 4

 

Tuesday December 5

Fr. Jamie out of town (back on Wednesday by 1:00)

 

Wednesday, December 6 – St. Nicholas

6:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist

Fr. Jamie, celebrant

Dan Rice, preaching

Deacon John, assisting

No incense will be offered at this mass

****Fr. Jamie’s Birthday supper at India Palace following***

 

Friday, December 8

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 10 - 2 Advent

11:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist

Pledge Ingathering

Fr. Jamie, celebrant, preacher

James Mackay, music

Children’s Chapel

Coffee Hour

Greening of Church following 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:

Pledge Ingathering, December 10

Fr. Jamie mini-vacation, December 11-15

Gaudete Sunday, December 17

Christmas Eve Mass, 7:00 am, December 24

Christmas Day Mass, 11:00 am, December 25

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

 

Words of Wisdom: 

“Generosity is the best investment.” ~Diane von Furstenberg

“No one can be the best at everything. But when all of us combine our talents, we can and will be the best at virtually anything.” 

~Dan Zadra

 

From the Green Team:

Why Are Animals Important to Humans and the Environment?

Every animal plays an important role in maintaining a healthy environment. The removal of just one species can have lasting impacts that can be irreversible, and even trigger the loss of other species. 

As humans, we rely heavily on every animal to help maintain a healthy environment with fresh air, water and land. Each species lost due to human interference can bring us one step closer to irreparable ecological damage.