“Beloved and Sovereign God, you bring us into your realm of justice and mercy. By your Spirit, give us your wisdom, that we may treasure the life that comes from you through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Friend. Amen.”
As we gather each Sunday, we receive the healing that makes us well and sends us forth to be signs of God’s mercy for the world. We will gather for worship on this 9th Sunday after Pentecost July 30th at 10:00 am. You can also participate through the livestream and recording at www.ststephenslutheran.org.
There is usually a Children’s Church / Sunday School program planned during worship. Please contact Leslie Lapp 476-4700 for more info. The Family Room is always available adjacent to the sanctuary for little one’s activities if you need it. We love having children in church and all that brings as part of worship!
Coffee Fellowship: Please contact our Church Administrator Leslie if you are willing to host. We need you!
Upcoming Events:
- Synod Assembly / Bishop Election: Sept. 15 – 17th – Burlingame, CA
Pastor Jim, Margaret Schraft, Steven Hendrickson attending - October Small Group Meetings led by Pastor Jim: “Who are we as a church after the pandemic? What do we sense God calling us to in the next 5 years?”
- Confirmation / 70th Anniversary Celebration: Sunday, October 29th
Prayers:
- For Lupe as she undergoes abdominal surgery soon. For her sister who was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer and prepares for hospice care.
- For Debra’s son James as he enters his 4th month of recovery.
- For Margaret sister older sister Karin as she recovers from a broken hip and a bad fall.
- For Jeannette’s grandson Conrad as he recovers and heals from eye surgery /torn cornea. And for the family of Sonya Miller (spouse of former Bishop Lyle) who passed away recently. For neighbor Ralph as he struggles with advanced aging and despair.
- For friends and family of Susan: Chelsea, John, Mateo and Tim.
- For Bill’s niece Linda to receive urgent resolution of her present medical condition and for adequate care going forward.
- For Jody, Renny, Iris and Evelyn as they move to LaCrosse, WI for the next year. Bring strength, patience and courage in their transition.
- For Nancy’s friends and our neighbors at St. Stephen’s Senior Housing: Jane, Annetta, Joyce, Bentley and Jeannie. Also for James, John, and Elida
- For Kim’s grandsons Isaac and Mateo, and for Atlas’ surgery and rehabilitation.
- For Tony who mourns the death of his brother Stephen and his nephew.
- For Rena’s ongoing battle with leukemia.
- For Janica to be healed from cancer.
- For Nancy’s family and friends: Amy Wimmer to be healed from cancer as she faces upcoming surgery, and for her 15 yr old trans son Gray, and for Joshua, Hailey and Jesse.
- For Barbara Rowe.
- For Bill and Margaret’s daughter Carla’s health and struggles at work.
- For Keith as he enters rehab. Thanksgiving for completing 2 weeks.
- For Joel that his eyesight will be improved.
- For Beau and his family in his recurrence of brain cancer.
- For Dorothy as she struggles with chronic pain.
- For Tina’s sister Lisa and friend Jacob’s health, and the family of Mark Oeding as they grieve his death. Thanksgiving for the life and witness of Jim Schafer. For his wife Anne & family as they grieve his death. For the family of Ron Mullan as they grieve his death.
- For Jeannette’s brother Craig who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
- For Connie and Paul as Paul undergoes treatment for colon cancer.
- For Bob’s husband & daughter.
- For Beth’s shoulder pain, and her father and mother as their health has declined. For her friend Aria, who broke her arm.
- For Kyle as he continues to heal and prepares for a move and possible new job.
- For thanksgiving and continued healing for Janet’s grandson Tyler, as he makes his adjustments to living independently. For Keith’s continued recovery and thanksgiving for coming this far.
- For Miller, Shelby, Ashley, April, Marty, Will and other young adults we know, as they struggle mightily with the world and all its ways that harm them. Bring them to healing and wholeness and grace and new life.
Church office hours are now Mon-Fri. 12 noon – 5:00 pm.
Thank you for your continued faithfulness in your financial giving back to God through our church. Please remember to either give your offering through the mail, through our website donation option, signing up for monthly electronic giving, or bringing it by the church office during the week.
Flowers for Worship: Please sign up to provide flowers in honor of someone or a special occasion as another way to offer yourself in worship to God. The Flower Chart will be available at worship, or you can call the church office – 476-4700.
Other notes:
- Preschool “Inflation Donations” are being collected at church now. This is to help us not have to increase tuition on the families we serve through our Child Development Center ministry. There are lists on the basket in the back of the church and they will be inserted into the Sunday bulletins and the monthly newsletter. These are items that you can add to your Costco and grocery lists.
- Donations are being collected at church for Socks and Toiletries. These will go towards our work with serving those who take part in our Association of Faith Communities programs for the unhoused, and for the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center respectively.
- Habitat for Humanity Lunches. We will be providing Lunches (sandwiches, chips, fruit & cookies) for 10 volunteers. Reply to this email or call the office if you would like to help out. Our next date is Tuesday, August 22nd.
- A few copies of “White Fragility” are available to borrow. Call the office to inquire. This is a congregation-wide perspective that we are trying to adopt as we seek better understanding about the roots of racism, its consequences, and how our lives can better reflect an anti-racism perspective.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jim
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