The Guide A Newsletter for St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church Volume 69 Issue 8 August 2013

“That Funny Little ” - an Explanation of the

Some of you have asked about the significance of the “little black hat” that I wear to and from the altar. The answer is that it is called a biretta. Its use was common for nearly a thousand years. It was a way that you could easily identify clergy. Originally, it was an academic hat and since clergy were often the only persons in a town with an academic degree, the tradition of associating the biretta with the clergy stuck. In fact, the modern tassel and mortarboard are descended from the biretta. These days, most clergy have abandoned use of the biretta, yet some traditionally minded clergy still wear them. In typical usage, a cleric only wears the biretta when going to and from the altar, but may also choose wear it when preaching or giving absolution. It is also worn for outdoor services, except in processions of the .

For and , the biretta is black. Seminarians may wear a biretta without a pom. Canons and deans may wear a black biretta with a purple pom. Priests who have previously served as a or dean, but no longer hold that often have a red lined biretta, but revert to a black pom. Honorary canons may wear a black biretta with a red pom. may use a biretta in place of a when they are not the celebrant, or at services of Morning and Evening Prayer. The ’s biretta is entirely purple, but often with a green or grey lining.

Fr. Robert+

Christian Formation Kick Off Wednesday, September 4: 5:30pm Dinner Blessing of the Backpacks 6:00pm Service Sunday, August 11, @ 9:30 am HE Bring your kids, grandkids, friends, neighbors, & their backpacks! We will provide each backpack with Also beginning Wednesday, September 4: start-up school supplies, and ask God’s 6:30-7:30pm Mid-week Programs* blessing on the school year. *Special NEW Program for ages 11-14! See page 2 for more information. 7:30-8:30pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal Welcoming...All people Serving...Those in need Worshiping…God

www.ststephengi.org Church Office: 308.382.4961 or find us on facebook Prayers for the People If you or a loved one needs prayers, please submit that information to the church office. Prayers run in the weekly bulletin as well as the monthly Guide. Prayer Chain requests can be sent to Mary Kvetensky at 308.382.4090 or to Donna Weaver Smith at [email protected]

Prayers of Healing and Concern for: Marge, Laurie, Bob, Fran, Eric, Fred, Chandler, Larry, Becky, Ed, Steffanie, Travis, Corrine, Bob, Bill, Rita, Ann, Kathy, Paul, Shelly, Brad, Sharon, Deanna, Rachel, Taylor, Irene, Crnolos, Estella, Lee, Mary, Jim, Terry, Dennis, Tom, Mary Ann, Dave, D’Ann, Michelle, Deloris, Bobby, Gloria, Kimberly, Caryl, Warren, Anna, Noah, Kalea, Patra, Burnell, Larry, Dick, Deb, Emil, Bryan, Vera, and Donna. Prayers of Strength and Protection for those Serving Our Country: Michael, Ryan, Randy, Dustin, Charles, Sherri, David, Cathleen, Ben, and Seth. Prayers for the Departed: Billie Klentz. “May Light Perpetual Shine Upon Her.”

If you would like to add or remove a name to our prayer list or submit birthdays and anniversaries, please contact the church office 382.4961 or [email protected]

Allene Bish 8/1 Thor Larson 8/11 Dave and Barb Beck 8/1 Byron Moore 8/1 Beverly Burney 8/12 Joe and Ronna Kutlas 8/1 Stephanie Thompsen 8/1 Andrea McDonald 8/12 Jim and Karen Thompson 8/5 Gloria Wolbach 8/1 Fred Bosselman 8/13 Janelle Bish 8/2 Ben Hubbard 8/13 Jim and Leslie Lewis 8/6 Terri Roberts 8/3 Jamie Vinson 8/17 Jesse and Linden Prickett-Rigler 8/7 Kristin Essink 8/3 Mark Coe 8/18 Yousif and Omaima Toto 8/11 Steve Rasmussen 8/3 Pat Kirschbaum 8/20 Paul and Tricia Camplin 8/12 Jim Thompson 8/4 Kaled Chisholm 8/22 Dan and Lisa Prickett 8/16 Mike Coe 8/6 Fran Wheat 8/22 Lilly Miller 8/6 Lucy Hubbard 8/23 Nate and Jen Wieland 8/16 Natasha Richardson 8/7 Audrey Scott 8/26 Dennis and Chris Busboom 8/19 Joanne Rasmussen 8/8 Audrey Cushing 8/27 Jay and Dorothy Stoddard 8/22 Reece Lageaux 8/9 Sandy Fowler 8/27 David and Karen Colan 8/23 Kourtney Lewis 8/10 Audrey Williams 8/27 Dennis and Lisa Reisinger 8/27 Lloydene Pedersen 8/10 Mickey Mundorff 8/29 Travis Chisholm 8/11 Nate Lewis 8/30 Terry and Tracy Babcock 8/28 Tracy Goodman 8/11 Samantha Hansen 8/31 Blessing of the Backpacks

On August 11, 2013, at the Sunday morning Eucharist, remember to have your children or grandchildren bring their backpacks. The church will be providing some special school supplies and will ask God’s blessing on their academic pursuits for another year. Please remember to bring your child’s backpack! “Well, since you asked.”

One of the best things about being a new rector is all of the help that people offer to give you. St. Stephen’s has been no different. In fact, Ellen and I have been amazed at the offers of help to move, invitations to dinner, cards, gift certificates, and most of all, an immense sense of love. Often, our communications close with a common phrase, “Is there anything we can do for you?”

Well, since you asked, there actually are a number of things. No, this is not about personal things like dinner, gifts, or manual labor, it is something greater. Your rector is looking for co-laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. I have a vision for something great at St. Stephen’s. The foundation is already laid and I already have the correct persons to help me with the mission. The only trouble is that many of you have yet to realize that you are those people.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Some might say, we are a small church with less than 80 souls present on Sunday. I encourage you to learn to dream large and love large. Growing a church can be reduced to two pivotal phrases that have been given to me during my ministry: 1) “All you have to do is love them into the Kingdom. 2) Sharing the Gospel is as simple as one beggar telling another where to find food. So if we can love people and feed them, we can do the work of the Kingdom and grow our church; numerically, financially and spiritually. I have used these two phrases during my ministry and in both the churches I have served as rector have seen attendance rise by at least 10% per year. We need to radically love others and feed them the gospel.

“Go ye therefore into all nations…” Often Episcopal churches have a common demographic: aged, infirm and Caucasian. While those definitely are and should be a part of the church, the thriving parts of the Anglican Com- munion are predominantly African, Asian and Latino. Anglo culture no longer looks to the Church to be the struc- ture that shapes society. We believed the lie that our priests can take care of the growing the church all by them- selves. We put signs out that said “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You”, but failed to invite others to church. The ‘Christendom Culture” is still alive and well in minority communities. They need and want the church. To that end, and with the blessing of the Guiding Coalition, I will be devoting a great amount of my time to strengthening and reviving our Arabic worship, raising up a Hispanic outreach and solidifying the relationship with those who use the Community Center. We are a downtown church and we must have a downtown presentation of the Gospel that em- braces the linguistic and cultural aspects of the groups that God has sent us to include.

“You are the Body of Christ, and individually members of it” While we worship in a Sunday liturgy, we are far more than that. We are called to be “the city on a hill” which gives the light of Jesus to the world. We are called to be “salt and light” to arrest the decay of the culture and show how much God loves even the most broken parts of it. God loves everyone, and we each have a circle of influence, it is our task as the community of the baptized, to invite people to a place where they can be loved radically and grow spiritually.

“Who? Me?” Yes you! By virtue of the promises made in baptism, you are commissioned as an evangelist. Un- fortunately, many of us remember a time when people were not expected to be evangelists. Many grew up thinking that the task of the lay person was to “pray, pay and obey.” That is not the church revealed in scripture.

So to all of you that have asked me , “Is there anything we can do for you?” The answer is “Yes!” Join me on the next leg of St. Stephen’s journey. We are going to create a wonderfully diverse and inclusive church. We will grow, numerically, financially and spiritually. We will love people into the Kingdom and feed them with the Gospel. Will it be easy? No. Will we need to relinquish old prejudices and have to grow personally? Absolutely! But will it be worth it? Definitely! I will need your support, your prayers, and your help. As a baptized person, you are a fully commissioned evangelist with spiritual gifts that I, your rector, and the rest of the church will need. I need you to be present for . I need you to develop a love for others in our Grand Island community. I need you – ALL of you!

I am so proud to be your rector. I can see the great challenges ahead, and I know it will not be easy. I promise to love you all and feed you with the Gospel. I need partners. Since you asked what you could do to help me, will you join me?

Fr. Robert

Your Rector, Servant and Friend “ From Our Past”...

Selections by Sue Clement

Found in the Archives, a pamphlet for a new Episcopal school in Nebraska: In 1902, the Rev. F. Porter Chittenden, Ph.D., founded a boarding academy in Kearney, NE, for young ladies. In 1887 he had been part of St John’s Military School for Boys in Salina, Kansas, which was still in existence in 1902. The Episcopal Bishop of Kansas, Elisha Smith Thomas was credited for encouraging the establishment of St. John’s. (ed. note: it is still in existence today) He also had a part in the gov- ernance of Kearney Military Academy (ed. note: in existence 1898-1923). This photo is of St. Mary’s Academy for young ladies. Some of you may recognize the building as Green Ter- race, the first women’s dormitory at the college in Kearney, Nebraska. St Mary’s Academy, started with high hopes, was in existence for only one year.

You might find the Requirements for Admission, and the Fees and Expenses to be of interest. Special New Ministries

Card Ministry – cards are now being sent to parishioners for birthdays and anniversaries, as well as to those celebrating milestones that are listed in the Sunday edition of the Grand Island Independent.

Blessing of Backpacks – this ministry provides conversation starter school supplies for our children while encouraging them to bring the message of God’s love to their schoolmates. It is our way of kicking off our fall Wednesday night program. See page 2 for details!

Sew to Soar – This ministry, begun in memory of Jet Hansen provides superhero capes for children fac- ing life threatening illnesses. If you sew or otherwise would like to be part of this effort, please contact Sarah Hansen or Samantha Hubbard. Patterns are available. A service to bless the capes before distribu- tion will be happening soon. Get more info: www.sewtosoar.com

Adopt –A –Bill – Have you noticed the new board in our Parish Hall? You can greatly help our church operating expenses by adopting either part or all of one of our regular bills. Envelopes are offered so that you can receive credit on your giving statement. Please remember that this is in addition to your current operating pledge. Bills range from $20 - $300 and are updated monthly.

 to Bob, Mike, Henry, & Rich for all the time & effort you put in dealing with maintenance issues,  to everyone that donated and supported the Camp Comeca Scholarship Fund,  to Fr Robert Lewis for his gift to the archives of a leather-bound & Hymnal Set copyright 1888, the same version that was used at our building’s in 1892,  to all of our signers that show up on short notice with a smile,  to all who gave to the Backpack Blessing Fund, and  to Mary Kvetensky for refreshing supplies for kid’s quiet table.

A heartfelt thank you from a visitor to the church office:

My name is Karen Stinson and I lived in Grand Island from 1966 until I graduated from GISH in 1975. Last year, when I read about Liz Mayer’s passing, I felt sad that I hadn’t seen her since leaving GI in 1975. I was also profoundly grateful as I read in her obituary that one of the many ways she reached out to others in her lifetime was to help young women go to college. I was one of those young women that she anonymously helped back in ‘75. I know that God worked through Liz to help many others, as well as me. I just want to say THANK YOU to Liz and the Mayer family and to God.

In gratitude,

Karen Stinson B. A. Liberal Studies, 1991 th st August 4th August 11th August 18th August 25 September 1 2013 Pentecost 11 Pentecost 12 Pentecost 13 Pentecost 14 Pentecost 15 Hosea 11:1-11 Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 Isaiah 5:1-7 Jeremiah 1:4-10 Jeremiah 2:4-13 Psalm 107:1-9, 43 Psalm 50:1-8, 23-24 Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18 Psalm 71:1-6 Psalm 81:1, 10-16 Colossians 3:1-11 Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Hebrews 11:29-12:2 Hebrews 12:18-29 Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Luke 12:13-21 Luke 12:32-40 Luke 12:49-56 Luke 13:10-17 Luke 14:1, 7-14

Jeannette Jeannette Organist 9:30 am String Trio Fran Wheat Schmidt Schmidt

Spencer Goodman, Emily Rauch & Mary Swift & Kutlas & Ryan Jepson & Acolytes 9:30 am & Rich Webb Maddie Wieland Emma Goodman Joe Prickett Rich Webb

NEED NEED Nursery 9:30 am Brittany Korensky Brittany Korensky Brittany Korensky VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER

Altar Guild 9:30 am Ronna Kutlas Cris McElroy Susan Cameron Joan Barton Leslie Lewis

Lector 9:30 am Abbey Kutlas Sue Clement Cathi Swift Lisa Prickett Sam Barton

Prayers of the 9:30 am Tracy Babcock Leslie Lewis Terry Winslow Dan Prickett Jim Lewis People

Subdeacon 9:30 am Susan Cameron Rod Clement Jim Lewis Don Young Susan Cameron

Kathy Patton & Rich & Roxie Bob & Jenny Raynette Martin Bob Allison & Ushers 9:30 am Vern Webb Webb Dobbins & Kathy Patton Vern Webb

Vestry Member 9:30 am TBD

Sam & Joan Terry & Dennis Rod & Sue Jerre Mallory & Sam & Joan Counters 9:30 am Barton Bjorkman Clement Raynette Martin Barton Jay and Dorothy NEED NEED NEED NEED Coffee Hour 9:30 am Stoddard VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER

Tom & Liz Altar Flowers 9:30 am Baxter

ARE YOU CURRENT ON YOUR VACCINATIONS?

With school “just around the corner”, it is a time to go through our checklists for many items…. one being ensuring that your student is ready by meeting all of the health requirements. But, what about the adults? Are you current on your vaccinations, health exams and screenings?

Be sure to discuss your needs as well as your child’s needs this fall. Go to www.cdc.gov/vaccines for a schedule of recommended immunizations. Many immunizations do not offer lifetime protection and require boosters.

Kathy Parish Nurse

2013 St. Stephen’s Leadership

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Weekly Summer Schedule at St. Stephen’s

Sunday 9:30 am Holy Eucharist

1:00 pm Arabic Worship Service is on hiatus

Monday 6:45 pm AA Study Group Rector The Rev. Robert Lewis st [email protected]

9:00 am 1 Monday: Guiding Coalition 6:30 pm 3rd Monday: Vestry 2014 Senior Warden Dave Jepson [email protected] 7:00 pm 4th Monday: Community Center Committee 2014 Junior Warden Mike Timmerman 8:00 pm Young Procrastinators AA meeting [email protected]

Tuesday 9:00 am Holy Eucharist (Chapel)* 2014 Vestry 9:45 am Staff Meeting Vacant

Wednesday 1:00 pm 1st & 3rd St Martha’s Guild 2014 Vestry Raynette Martin [email protected] 8:00 pm Young Procrastinators AA meeting 2014 Vestry Roxie Webb Friday 8:00 pm Young Procrastinators AA meeting [email protected]

2015 Vestry Dave Beck

[email protected] August 2013 Events link 2015 Vestry Dennis Bjorkman August 11 Blessing of the Backpacks [email protected]

August 15 Deadline for September GUIDE article submission 2015 Vestry Kathy Stoddard [email protected] August 17 in Papillion - Women's Ministries Summer Retreat 2016 Vestry Carol Chisholm Click to register: Women's Ministries [email protected]

2016 Vestry Karen Colan [email protected] SAVE THE DATES: 2016 Vestry Byron Moore September 4 is Christian Formation & Dinner Kick-off [email protected]

September 4 Chancel Choir reconvenes rehearsal at 7:30pm Parish Nurse Ministry Kathy Stoddard

[email protected] September 6 - 8 at Timberlake Ranch Camp—H.S. Youth Event Click to register:NOVO Music Ministry Dan Korensky [email protected] September 8 Chancel Choir begins singing at Sunday Worship Financial Secretary/CFO Leslie Lewis October is Pastor Appreciation Month [email protected]

October 13 is Pastor Appreciation Sunday Parish Administrator Elisa Day [email protected] October 18 - 20 in Omaha, NE - 146th Annual Council Custodian Henry Mayer The Guide

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 410 W. 2nd St. Suite #10, 68801 PHONE 308-382-4961 FAX 308-384-6688 Postmaster: Address Service Requested “The Guide” 410 W. 2nd St, #10 Grand Island, NE 68801

How can you connect with St. Stephen’s? Phone: 308.382.4961 Fax: 308.384.6688 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ststephengi.org

Church Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Summer Worship Services: Holy Eucharist on Sundays at 9:30 am, & Tuesdays at 9:00 am Join us for Worship

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