“Merciful God, the fountain of living water, you quench our thirst and wash away our sin. Give us this water always! Bring us to drink from the well that flows with the beauty of your truth. Amen.”
We will gather for worship on the 3rd Sunday of Lent, March 12th at 10:00 am. You can also participate through the livestream and recording at www.ststephenslutheran.org.
The bulletin and Celebrate scripture readings and prayers are attached, so that you can participate in worship even if you are not able to attend church in-person. Holy Communion will be celebrated, so please have some bread and fruit of the vine ready if you are at home.
Lent Soup Suppers and Worship – Wednesdays March 15, 22, 29. Soup Supper at 6:00 pm. Come later if you need to! Holden Evening Prayer at 7:15 pm.
Let’s continue to be gracious and merciful with one another as we continue to struggle with a lingering pandemic.
- Please stay home if you have any symptoms.
- Masks are optional.
- Holy Communion will be offered from Pastor Jim (sanitized hands & masked) at the front of the church. You can remain at your seat and Pastor Jim will bring the elements to you.
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.
Prayers:
- For the Mt. Cross Board of Directors and the new: Exec. Dir. – Andrew Templman, Pr. Dir. – Sam Garcia, Retreat Co. – Joshua Armstrong, Office Admin. & Reg. – Christa Wyneken Garcia, as they embark on a new chapter for our beloved Outdoor Ministry.
- For the life and witness of Gwyn Larson, long-time member and leader here who had moved to Oceanside only a few years ago. Gwyn’s memory is strong with us and we thank God for her faith and dedication to our church. For her husband Dave and children Zack, Chelsea and Peter in their grief and loss and pain.
- For Joel Hurtgamm that his eyesight will be improved.
- For Bev Hickman as she recovers from a fall.
- For Beau Gray and his family in his recurrence of brain cancer.
- For Dorothy Ronning as she struggles with chronic pain.
- For the Little One of Brad and Shawn Cramer.
- For Tina’s sister Lisa.
- For Jeannette Dawson’s brother Craig who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
- For the family of Mark Cronquist, son of Barbara Rice’s longtime friends, as they grief his death and as she goes to minister to them.
- For Connie and Paul Cunningham as Paul undergoes treatment for colon cancer.
- For Cheryl Curry’s daughter-in-law Erica as she undergoes surgery for breast cancer.
- For Bob Charves daughter.
- For Mary Smith (friend of Kathy Berens) as she completes treatment for cancer, that she will heal and beat cancer.
- For Judi and Robert Alvarado as Judi recovers from reverse shoulder replacement surgery Feb. 2.
- For Beth Stiles and her father and mother as their health has declined recently.
- For Kyle Lapp as he heals and prepares for a new direction in a Sober Living Environment (SLE). Thanksgiving for employment.
- For thanksgiving and continued healing for Janet Slay’s grandson Tyler, as he makes his adjustments to living independently.
- 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, March 23rd.
- 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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