Stephen’s Window August 2017

Dear Parish Family and Friends, The prophet Isaiah has long been one of the most quotable of the Old Testament sages. See if this passage sounds familiar:

The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. (Isaiah 11:6)

I was thinking about this after a recent meeting of our new Membership and Stewardship Committee, during which we talked about how wonderful it is to have so many younger families coming into the parish. While we have always offered children’s programming, our children seem to be more and more visible during the service and in parish activities. Start counting up the programs we have that involve children in one way or another and you quickly run out of fingers: the Nursery, Sunday School, Sunday morning Children’s Chapel, the St. Stephen’s Preschool, Children’s Choir, our new St. Stephen’s Choir School which began last year, our Acolyte program, our Youth Program, our “Youth Readers” who take responsibility for reading the Epistle at the 10:30 service each week, the Preschool Garden, the “Baby Comfort Corner” in the narthex, the children’s tract rack, the Sunday morning “activity bags” at the 10:30 service, the yellow “Pennies for Change” contraption in the narthex, family coffee-hours each week after the 10:30 service, and perhaps the most unusual, at least based on my experience in the Episcopal Church – the warm and welcoming environment children and their families find at the 8:00 a.m. service on Sunday mornings. Parish and Preschool staff provide needed support for these programs and activities, but it is the work of parents, volunteers, and faithful parishioners that really makes it all so wonderfully possible. Even just seeing the list makes me think of powerful and often heartwarming moments of witness. Several years ago one of our little ones developed a special relationship with Uriel Reid and proudly introduced me to Uriel as her “other grandfather.” Uriel continues to treasure that relationship, even though he and Lorraine have moved back to New York – such bonds are not easily broken. Perhaps we have room at St. Stephen’s for a “Parish Grandparents” program. As families move (both for reasons of employment and in retirement) their blood relations may be far away, but family is more than just blood and our parish family is a rich and varied resource. When we make room in our hearts for others, we do God’s work, and it is a wondrous thing to behold. Returning to Isaiah 11:6, it often is our children who lead us in this way, to deeper and more fulfilling relationships not only with one another, but also with those whom we have never met, and with our God, whose children we all are. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Keep the faith. Share the joy. See you in church.

Faithfully,

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 82 Kimberly Drive, Durham, NC 27707

From the Rector’s Desk

August 2017

2 Stephen’s Window August 2017

New Season of the Concert Series

The 2017-2018 season of the St. Stephen’s Concert Series promises to be an exciting one. It features series veterans like Andrew Tyson and the Borromeo String Quartet (BSQ), plus exciting newcomers. Both Andrew Tyson and Nicholas Kitchen, first violinist of the BSQ, grew up at St. Stephen’s and have performed in concerts at the church since they were teenagers. By any reasonable definition, they are concert series “veterans.” New to the series is the 20-year-old sensation, Raymond Hawkins, who will be giving the annual Frank Hawkins Kenan Memorial Organ Recital. Hawkins is a student of Dr. Timothy Olsen at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The slightly older 22-year-old pianist Alexander Beyer will be giving his first solo recital at the church, but he already has loyal fans here as the result of performing in three previous seasons with the husband-wife team of Nicholas Kitchen and Yeesun Kim. Pianist Meng-Chieh Liu, who first performed at the church last season, will once again join Kitchen and Kim in the performance of piano trios. Here is the concert schedule:

Alexander Beyer, piano: Sunday, September 24, 2017

Raymond Hawkins, organ

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Borromeo String Quartet Sunday, January 21, 2018

Liu-Kitchen-Kim Trio Sunday, April 8, 2018

Andrew Tyson, piano Sunday, April 29, 2018

All concerts will begin at 4:00 p.m. In an earlier newsletter April 15 was given as the date of the trio concert. The date has been changed to April 8 to accommodate pianist Meng-Chieh Liu, who will be performing in China. At the four Sunday concerts there will be half hour Pre-Concert Discussions with the artists at 3:00 p.m.

The organ recital will take place on a Saturday to accommodate both Hawkins and Olsen, who play for Sunday morning church services in Winston-Salem. There will be no Pre-Concert Discussion before the organ recital.

Detailed information about the concerts can be found in recently printed brochures, due to be mailed at the end of July. Brochures can also be picked up in the narthex and the church’s reception area. The brochures contain ticket information, a season ticket order form, and a donation form.

The BSQ at Fletcher Academy In addition to giving about 100 concerts each year, the BSQ engages in various educational activities. A day after their concert here on April 23 the quartet appeared at the Fletcher Academy in Raleigh.

Here is an account of their activities at the school:

————————————————— Borromeo String Quartet Performs at the Fletcher Academy by Yemi Adewuyi | Apr 27, 2017

Students from The Fletcher Academy filed into the gymnasium this past Monday morning, amid a rush of voices and the sound of heavy rain outside. Despite the dreary weather conditions, excitement was stirring in the room as a special music performance was about to begin. Of course, this was no ordinary school assembly—the featured performers for the day were the members of the Borromeo String Quartet, an award-winning group of musicians that has played chamber music all over the world. And as the audience would soon learn, the instruments in their hands were no ordinary ones, either.

3 Stephen’s Window August 2017

New Season of the Concert Series (continued)

The morning began with a few remarks from Fletcher Academy Board Chair Jim Goodmon, who explained the Fletcher Foundation’s unique connection to the Quartet’s first violinist, Nicholas Kitchen.

“In 1987, the Foundation received a letter from a professor at UNC- Wilmington, and it said there was a terrific violinist in Durham named Nicholas who was going to have a terrific career. All he needed was a great violin. We’d never received a letter like that but we were so curious…We looked into it and eventually purchased a Stradivarius violin.”

That violin is now on loan to Nicholas Kitchen. Nicholas has performed for many years on the A.J. Fletcher Stradivarius, but currently plays the Goldberg Del Gesu violin. The Foundation has allowed Kristopher Tong, the second violinist of the Borromeo Quartet, to use the Fletcher Stradivarius.

Throughout the program, Nicholas told stories about the rich history of all their instruments and the musical selections they played. Their musicianship was captivating and vibrant, evoking a wide range of emotional responses from the audience. The students were attentive over the course of the assembly. But at the end of the concert, they erupted into thunderous applause, and even gave a standing ovation!

The students took part in a lively question and answer session following the performance, asking engaged and thorough questions.

Paul Atkinson, Headmaster of the Fletcher Academy, shared a story with us from later in the day that really spoke to the impact that the performance had on the audience: After the concert, the Quartet led a Science of Sound workshop in the Physics classroom at the Fletcher Academy. At the end of the workshop, I chatted with members of the quartet. During a pause in the conversation, I noticed a student standing off to the side, eyes fixated on Nicholas Kitchen. I called her over and asked, “Do you have a question you wish to ask?” She nodded yes and stepped up close to Nicholas. In a soft voice she asked,” Do you ever get chills when you play music?” Nick smiled and answered, “Oh, yes! Sometimes I do, and when I get them, that’s a very special feeling, indeed.” The student smiled and stood there, reveling in the moment. Wanting to know more, I asked, “Did you get chills at the concert?” “Oh, yes!” she eagerly replied. For the students of the Fletcher Academy and everyone who was present in that room, Monday morning was deeply moving. We had a great time with the Borromeo Quartet and are grateful to work with such inspiring people. Bravo!

————————————————— Chills, Goose Bumps, Wows, and MTEs Chills and goose bumps are well-documented reactions to performances by the BSQ, “the rock stars of chamber music.” Don’t be surprised if they occur on January 21. And you can expect similar reactions at the other concerts this season. “Wow!” is likely to be the response to Shostakovich’s Prelude and Fugue in D-flat major, and jaws are bound to drop during the Toccata from Le Tombeau de Couperin.

Then again, you might experience something deeper. You might have what Kurt Leland, in his book Music and the Soul, calls an MTE, a “musical transcendent experience.” Mr. Leland describes two such MTEs occasioned by performances of the Borromeo. The first involves a work on the January concert, the Quartet in A minor written by Mendelssohn when he was 18. “The Borromeo’s performance was a revaluation. The group made my beloved CD version of the piece seem like a half-inflated basketball. I was in ecstasy.” The second MTE resulted from the quartet’s performance of the slow movement of Schubert’s Rosamunde Quartet. “…the audience was enthralled. No one dared to move, cough, or whisper…It seemed that everyone present was in the same rapt mood. I couldn’t help feel that this was a sacred moment, that the music placed people in a mood that was little different from prayer or worship. Somehow we’d all been lifted up out of ourselves and been made one…the performance was astounding. It was as if a window had opened on the Afterlife and a strong wind were blowing through from the other side, full of longing, pain, joy, love. Everything that makes us human was there, as well as all that Schubert himself had experienced in life, and all that he was leaving behind or would never enjoy, knowing that he would soon die.”

Don’t miss out. Get your season tickets now.

Joe Kitchen

4 Stephen’s Window August 2017

Dear Friends, Last month I preached about “The Theology of Abundance,” (July 16). (You can click on the link or find a paper copy on the tract rack in the narthex.) That is the notion that God is the extravagant giver, providing us “infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.” Not only more of the wonderful gifts of creation, more sunlight, more oxygen, more food than we possibly need or can use, but also more forgiveness, more mercy, more love, more compassion, more rejoicing over one sinner who repents than we can let ourselves believe. God does not skimp in showering us with abundance. God does not hold back. God does not refuse us because we are not deserving or grateful. But God does not just lavish gifts on us for us to enjoy on our own. God invites us as children of God to use our gifts to imitate that Divine generosity. Rather than hoarding what we have, material or otherwise, we are to share what has been freely given to us. Rather than treating what we have and produce as simply our own, we are to make it available as part of God’s generous love to others. Rather than living out of a theology of scarcity, we are to embrace a theology of abundance. Imagine if we all were concerned about getting enough oxygen, so we all took a huge breath and held onto it – until it began to hurt! Or if we began to gulp air as fast as we possibly could – until we hyperventilated. Instead we are to breathe both in and out, using what we need but also giving back so that God can use what flows through us in a life-giving way. Receiving and giving, taking in and giving back, that is the dynamic of living and loving as healthy children of God. That applies not only to all the material gifts of creation, but also to the spiritual gifts as well. The kindness, the compassion, the love, the forgiveness that God has graced us with are also to be passed on to others. “Judge not,” Jesus, says, “and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.” (Luke 6:37-38) “Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over” is constantly being put into our laps. We are to acknowledge it all as gift and give thanks to God in word and in deed, especially by imitating God’s extravagant generosity to others. That is what it means to live a theology of abundance.

From the Priest-in-Residence

Exciting News - The Youth/Activity Room is getting a technology upgrade! An increasing need for "media-capable" space to support educational and training programs, social and recreational activity, and enhanced meeting space has prompted the addition of a large-screen "smart TV" and some comfortable stacking chairs for just such purposes. With a premium on flexibility, the multi-purpose Youth/Activity Room will continue to support youth programming on Sundays and other times as scheduled, the preschool music program on weekday mornings, the St. Stephen's Choir School, and a variety of meetings for groups like the Education Committee, the Lay Training Committees for our seminarians, and the Council of Ministries. With this new video resource, the space can also host "movie nights" and special presentations. The stacking chairs will have arms and be comfortable to sit in for longer periods of time, and they will store easily and conveniently without taking up a lot of space. Many people have shared ideas and have been part of conversations that gave this project its shape and identified the needs that could be addressed in a simple and cost-effective manner, but special thanks go to our long-time parishioner Peg Lewis for providing the gift that has made it possible to turn the idea into a reality. Peg is a former Vestry member and Senior Warden of the parish, and has a particular interest in education and spiritual development. We share her hope that the outward and visible signs represented by this exciting upgrade to the Youth/Activity Room will help to support and extend the mission of St. Stephen's in advancing the meaning of our faith in fresh ways to people of all ages. Like Peg, you too can be part of bringing new life to this wonderful place. Please talk with the Rector about how you can make a difference by serving God and our neighbors in meaningful ways.

Stewardship News

Opportunity to Give

The red bags for use by children during the 10:30 service have been well used and well loved!

To begin a new school year, we need to replenish some of the items in the bags. From Sunday, August 13 to Sunday, September 3, there will be a basket in the narthex to receive:

□ New Beanie Babies (available on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble, Walgreens, or Walmart)

□ New Bible board books (5” x 7”) Please welcome children to our worship by helping to provide these items.

5 Stephen’s Window August 2017

St. Stephen’s has a bunch of different ministries that I would invite everyone to consider being a part of. There are ministries that are more out front like Ushers, Oblationers, Servers, and Readers, but then there are others are more behind the scenes like Altar Guild, Eucharistic Visitors, Receptionists, and the New Baby Ministry. Still others that involve education like Sunday School teachers, serving on the Preschool Board, or that involve crafts like the St. Stephen’s Stitchers. For those with busy schedules, there are some that only occur a few times a year like Adopt-A-Highway, St. Stephen’s Clean Up Day, or volunteering at the Urban Ministry’s Community Café. These are only a few of the ministries available. All our ministries are listed in the Annual Meeting Booklet and at: http://ststephensdurham.dionc.org/Parish%20Life/council-of-ministries-com.html.

So, friends, I encourage you to look over the list and try one, even if it is just once. Trying once does not lock you into joining on a regular basis. I also encourage parents to ask their kids if there are ways they would like to serve the church. As we saw on Youth Sunday, children can be involved on Sunday mornings. I can only speak for myself, but if a child, of any age, wants to help greet people and hand out bulletins, or help collect the offertory, I would be more than thrilled to guide them.

Take a look at the list, try some things out. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the point person for that ministry or you can always contact me and I will be happy to get you in touch with the right person. Who knows, maybe you will discover a new passion inside you!

Kate Fagan-Solis

From the Deacon

Dear Friends at St. Stephen’s,

By the time you read this newsletter it will be August. We will be thinking of winding up our summer holidays and heading back to full school and work schedules. We will also have completed a food drive for the benefit of the food pantry at Urban Ministries of Durham.

For those who have limited resources, there is no summer break from the need to keep food on the table. Finding enough nutritious food can be a year round struggle for those on limited incomes. Therefore I invite you to consider, either as individuals or with community organizations with which you may be involved, donating to UMD at any time during the year, not only when we are having a food drive at St. Stephen’s. You may find out more by contacting UMD (umdurham.org or (919) 682-0538), or by contacting me (mksilton@gmail.com).

If you’re interested in other organizations that help those in need, please consider joining me at a meeting of DCIA (Durham Congregations in Action). They meet at lunchtime on the third Tuesday of each month during the academic year. Look for more information about DCIA in future newsletters. I look forward to introducing you to this organization!

Deacon Maggie Silton

Words from the Senior Warden

Council of Ministries Updates

Lay Ministry Opportunities Calling Readers, Intercessors, Ushers and Oblationers! If you would like to become a more active part of our 8:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. services, please consider these roles:

* Ministry of Readers: The Reader reads the First Lesson, the Psalm and/or the New Testament

lesson. The Intercessor reads the Prayers of the People. * Ministry of Ushers: Ushers usher ! And take care of

other important things like the collection at the Offertory and guiding people during communion.

* Ministry of Oblationers: Oblationers br ing the Bread and Wine to the altar, following the ushers as they bring the collection plate.

Please chat with anyone who is already involved! For more information, email Claire (cmd@med.unc.edu) or call the church Office, too.

Lay Pastoral Care If you have a prayer request for a loved one or yourself and would like to be included in the Prayer Network’s daily prayers, please

contact Holly Latty-Mann, Martina Gardner-Woods, Claire

Doerschuk(cmd@med.unc.edu) or the Church Office. For prayers in the Sunday service’s Intercessions

(Prayers of the People), please contact Claire, Father Bob or the

Church Office. To request a Eucharistic visit or other needs for

yourself or loved one, please contact Claire or Father Bob.

Worship and Music

Christian Education

Mission and Outreach

Parish Life

Worship and Music

Christian Education

Mission and Outreach

Parish Life

6 Stephen’s Window August 2017

To the St. Stephen’s family: We’re entering our last month of preparation for the new program year. Over the summer, I’ve asked you to think about the nature of Christian Education, to reflect on your own commitment, and to respond to a series of images based on a holistic view of that practice. Thank you to all who have participated in that process. Now, I’ve got a few more tasks for you to consider and complete to help us get ready for the fall: 1. It’s time to update our records! Whenever there are age or program-specific reminders for Christian Education,

those are typically sent out via email to the appropriate email list. It has been three years since those lists were updated. If you would like to ensure that you are getting those messages, please visit https://goo.gl/VLUims to sign up. It will only take a minute to complete. Even if you are currently receiving messages for Sunday School or any other program, please take the time to fill this out to ensure that we have the most up-to-date information. Everyone who signs up will get a first look at the program book for the upcoming year!

2. The next bishop’s visitation will be Sunday, May 6, 2018. It may seem like that is still far off, but it does mean that

it is time to start thinking about confirmation. We will be running both adult and youth confirmation classes at some point during this program year. If you are interested in participating in (or having your child participate in) this year’s classes, please let me know (jeremy.godwin@ssecdurham.org) by Sunday, September 23. Please note that youth confirmation is for those in 6th-12th grades.

3. Mark your calendars for Start-up Sunday, September 10! Sunday School will resume on this day. Whether you are

a life-long Sunday School attendee or have never participated in the past, we’d love to have everyone show up for the new program year. This is a vital part of our life together as a parish community. There are classes for all ages with nursery available for smaller children. We will also have our annual Church-Preschool picnic on that day following the 10:30 service (more details TBA).

And I’d like to leave you with another “thought” about Christian Education: “Christian formation is the lifelong journey of growing in faith. With Christ as our companion, we are always on a life-changing journey in our relationships with one another and in our encounter with the Living God…Formation occurs when the whole community is engaged together, as well as individually, as we discern who God is calling us to be—no matter what our age is” (The Episcopal Christian Educator’s Handbook, p. 2). Come and join us on this life-long journey! See you in Sunday School!

Faithfully,

Jeremy

Youth Activities

Dear Friends and Family of the Youth Program, I am humbled and thrilled to see the number of people who have taken the time to review the images for Christian education and provide thoughtful reflections. Your insight will hopefully allow us to create a more meaningful program year as we prepare for another cycle of faith formation and spiritual reflection. I am blessed to have had time this summer to really think about ways to incorporate both faith and fun into youth activities. Additionally, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with families and garner greater insight into how to better serve newer congregants. As our numbers grow, we are called to adapt and create a welcoming community as parents and kids alike look for a place to set down roots. I hope to spend this year working holistically to serve children and youth. Ultimately, we hope that St. Stephen's will be a place of refuge and spiritual growth. I welcome any and all feedback and would love to hear more from families looking to take a more active role in their children's faith formation. I will try my best to create a collaborative environment for parents, children, and leaders. All are welcome and my heart is always open. I look forward to seeing you around!

Warm regards,

Stephanie

From the Director of Christian Education

7 Stephen’s Window August 2017

On August 3, we remember George Freeman Bragg, Jr. Born into slavery in 1863 in Warrenton, NC, Bragg was baptized at Emmanuel Episcopal Church. After the Civil War ended, his family moved to Petersburg, Virginia. His extended family, especially his grandmother Caroline Bragg, was influential in founding St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church there and formed much of the congregation in its early years. Bragg later entered Bishop Bayne Divinity School in 1885, the second year after its founding. He was ordained a deacon in 1887 in Norfolk, Virginia. After completing his theological studies, he challenged the Episcopal Church’s rule that black transitional deacons wait at least five years to be ordained as priests, as opposed to only one-two years for white transitional deacons. His challenge was successful, and he was ordained a priest on December 19, 1888. During the early years of his ministry, he expanded the mission to which he was assigned into a full parish, Grace Episcopal Church in Norfolk. In 1891, Bragg moved to Baltimore to become the rector of St. James First African Church, the oldest black Episcopal congregation in the South. He served there for 49 years until his death in 1940. When he arrived at St. James, it was a struggling parish, but under his leadership, membership expanded from 63 to over 500 parishioners. The parish even went through three buildings during his tenure, because they outgrew the previous spaces. It is impossible to overstate Bragg’s influence in and outreach to the community. He helped to found schools, an orphanage, and the Niagara Movement, the precursor to the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Even before entering the ministry, Bragg showed an interest in journalism and history. He worked for the local newspaper in Petersburg as a child. He founded his own community newspaper in Baltimore and regularly contributed to the Baltimore Sun. However, his most influential position in this vein was as the founder and editor of The Lancet (later the Afro-American Churchman, then the Church Advocate). This publication served as a vehicle for sharing stories and exploring issues of interest to black Episcopalians, but it was also the primary avenue for reporting on the activities of the Conference of Church Workers Among Colored People, an organization he led for 35 years. This organization worked tirelessly for the full integration of black Episcopalians in the Church. In this role, Bragg also served as historiographer, publishing several histories of black Episcopalians, including his magnum opus, History of the Afro-American Group of the Episcopal Church (1922). This comprehensive volume remained the only

such history until the publication of Harold T. Lewis’s Yet with a Steady Beat in 1996. Bragg also left quite the legacy. He and the members of St. James were influential in the early life of Thurgood Marshall. Bragg also baptized the infant Pauli Murray in 1911 (who moved to Durham two years later, where she and her family worshipped at St. Titus, and later became the first black woman to be ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church). Finally, the Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, our presiding bishop, was serving as rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Baltimore when he was elected as the bishop of this diocese in 2000. Along with his incredible work in the Church and in the community, one of Bragg’s greatest legacies was his belief in the importance of tirelessly telling the whole story—even if it’s painful—so that we can move into a better, more just future.

- Submitted by Jeremy T. Godwin

Thursday Saints: George Freeman Bragg, Jr.

August 3 George Freeman Bragg

August 10 Laurence, Deacon and

Martyr at Rome, 248

August 17 Johnson/Cutler/Chandler

August 24 Saint Bartholomew the

Apostle

August 31 Aidan, Bishop of Lindesfarne,

651

————————————————— To construct this bio, I drew mainly on Rhondda Robinson Thomas’s article, “The First Negro Priest on Southern Soil: George Freeman Bragg, Jr. and the Struggle of Black Episcopalians in the South, 1824-1909” (Southern Quarterly, Fall 2012, vol. 50, no. 1), as well as the entries in A Great Cloud of Witnesses and Wikipedia.

8 Stephen’s Window August 2017

Summer is a good time for reading and for sharing books, as many of us have been doing here at St. Stephen’s. Now we have a special guest to join our effort. Although he’s best known for business and philanthropy, Bill Gates is also known as an avid reader. As a child, he read the whole set of World Book Encyclopedia, and he still counts on books to expand his world. TIME magazine asked him to recommend books for summer reading, and Gates responded with a list of five books about which he says: “These books push me out of my own experiences, and I learn some things that shed new light on where humanity might be headed.” In case you didn’t see the June 5 issue of TIME, here are the Recommended Reads of Bill Gates, with comments in his own words.

Ellen Baer

A Full Life by Jimmy Carter At fewer than 250 pages, A Full Life is a quick tour of Carter’s fascinating life. His storytelling is simple and elegant, just like the wood furniture he makes by hand… A Full Life feels timely in an era when the public’s confidence in national political figures and institutions is low. (Librarian’s note: The subtitle of this memoir by our 39th president is Reflections at Ninety.) Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari What gives our lives meaning? And what if one day whatever it is that gives us meaning goes away—what will we do then? I’m still thinking about those weighty questions after finishing Homo Deus. (Librarian’s note: This author’s first book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind, was on Bill Gates’ list of Recommended Reads for last summer.) Born a Crime by Trevor Noah As a longtime fan of the Daily Show, I enjoyed reading Trevor Noah’s memoir about how he honed his outsider approach to comedy over a lifetime of never quite fitting in… Again and again throughout his childhood he discovered that language was more powerful than skin color in building connections with other people. (Librarian’s note: Noah was born to a white father and a black mother in South Africa, where mixed race relationships were illegal.) Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance Through deeply personal stories, Hillbilly Elegy sheds light on our nation’s vast cultural divide—a topic that has become far more relevant than Vance ever dreamed when he was writing this book. (Librarian’s note: The author grew up in a poor white community in Appalachia, joined the Marines, and eventually went to Yale Law School. His memoir has been assigned as summer reading for incoming freshmen at several colleges this year.) The Heart by Maylis de Kerangal, translated from the French by Sam Taylor The story in The Heart is simple: three boys at the end of their teenage years go surfing in the middle of the night, and as they are driving back from the beach just before sunrise they get in a car accident. Two of them survive but one of them, Simon, dies, and his parents have to decide whether or not to donate his heart…The car crash happens in the first 15 pages so the rest of the book is a meditation on life, death, and as the title suggest, the heart. (Librarian’s note: This is the only work of fiction on Gates’ summer reading list, and also the only one of his recommendations that is currently available in the parish library.)

Library News: Recommended Reads with Special Guest

9 Stephen’s Window August 2017

Parish News

St. Stephen’s welcomes you to Compline Under the Stars. Compline is an ancient service which marks the end of the day. We will meet at the Outdoor Chapel on Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. through August 30. Join us to experience this enchanting service under the summer stars; flashlights are suggested. In case of inclement weather, we will meet in the indoor Chapel.

Words of Thanks

Join us Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Davis Room for The Bible through YOUR Ages! From the Baby's First Bible to the King James Bible of adulthood, the stories are timeless but always changing. Designed for all ages, join us through August 30 as we discuss some of the well-known stories and how they grow as we grow. We will discuss the following stories this July:

Week 9 (August 2): The Story of Jonah Week 10 (August 9): The Nativity Week 11 (August 16): Jesus’ Baptism Week 12 (August 23): The Passion Week 13 (August 30): The Great Commissioning

Summer Dinner and a Movie Series will continue in July on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 5:00 p.m. The 2nd Sunday will be focused on the youth and the 4th Sunday will be focused on the adults.

August 13: “Prince of Egypt” August 27: “Noah”

St. Stephen’s offers a New Baby Ministry devoted to welcoming new babies and supporting parents. If you are expecting a new baby or would like to be a member of the New Baby Ministry, contact Shara Dean at (Shara.dean@hotmail.com) for more information.

The Young at Heart will meet Wednesday, August 23 at 11:00 a.m. in the Davis Room. We will have a guest speaker on First Aid/CPR. Please bring your favorite salad to share. Contact Marlene with questions (919) 498-8237.

A Heartfelt Thanksgiving:

I would like to thank my devoted husband, Norm, and my amazing church family and staff for sharing their warm wishes, time, love and support at my "Surprise Birthday Party" on July 8th. Yes, I was truly surprised and deeply honored with the huge attendance, delicious food, beautiful cake and pink/green decorations (my sorority's colors)!

My thanks and appreciation are also sent to those who could not attend the party but sent cards, emails and texts.

I am truly blessed by each of you with your sincere love, care and friendship.

Martina Gardner-Woods

Changes in the Parish Office

Newly Registered Baptized Members Mrs. Becky Bonchick and

twin daughters Lucy & Ella, and daughter Cara Bonchick

July 5, 2017

Transfers In Wendy and Allen Fuller, Jr.

from Trinity Episcopal Church, South Boston, Virginia

July 7, 2017

Transfers Out Elizabeth and Henry Burruss

To St. Stephen’s, Forest, Virginia June 28, 2017

Marriage

Katherine Blair Dixon and Richard William Corney

July 15, 2017

Death Dorothy “Dottie” Linberg Sieker

July 4, 2017

To the St. Stephen’s family:

My husband and I will be relocating to Madison, Wisconsin as he begins a new job as a territory manager in corporate America. We are greatly blessed with this opportunity as it will allow us the financial stability for me to be a stay-at-home-mom, however, I am deeply saddened that it means both my resignation and relocation.

I sincerely express my gratitude to everyone in the St. Stephen’s staff and community and would like to extend my appreciation for making my time as your Parish Secretary such an enjoyable working experience. My prayers are with you always. God bless!

In Christ,

Katie Curran

10 Stephen’s Window August 2017

Dates to Remember Prayer Requests

For restoration of body and spirit:

and also for friends and family members of St.

Stephen’s parishioners:

Alice, fr iend of Nancy Alton, fr iend of Alice and Jeanne Anna and family, niece of Kathy Chris, son of Marlene Grace, mother of Craig Iris, mother of Jeanna Jane, niece of Scott John, husband of Bonnie Jon, grandson of Scott Kathleen, fr iend of Pr iscilla & Derek Leslie, great-niece of Derek Marc, son of Lucy Megan, niece/goddaughter of Nancy Nicholas, fr iend of Sue Owen, step-brother of Tom Philip, brother -in-law of Frank Lyon Pieter, fr iend of Wendy Ruth, fr iend of Ginger and Sally Virginia, sister of Scott Walt, father of Julie Worrell & Gwendoline, parents of Wendy

In the diocesan cycle of prayer:

Week of August 6: St. Mark’s, Roxboro St. Luke’s, Salisbury

Week of August 13: St. Matthew’s/San Mateo, Salisbury St. Paul’s, Salisbury

Week of August 20: St. Thomas’, Sanford Trinity Church, Scotland Neck St. Mary Magdalene, Seven Lakes

Week of August 27: St. Paul’s, Smithfield San Jose Mission, Smithfield

Wanda Henderson 8/1 Ian Shearer 8/2 Sumner Virkler 8/2 Mary Galvez 8/3 Ed Back, Jr. 8/5 Wolfgang Kilgen 8/5 Bobbie Nielsen 8/7 Kyle Lavin 8/7 Jacob Maynor 8/7 Elaine James 8/8 Mari Shinohara 8/8 Jim Bailey 8/9 Mary Lewis Haywood 8/9 Mayrant Simons 8/10 Jack Markham 8/14 Janie Ziegler-Anderson 8/14 J. Page Wilson 8/16 Sam Yancy 8/17 Jennifer Brewer 8/17 Carolyn Borden 8/18 Justin Grau 8/18 Marian Tyson 8/20 Kathy McKee 8/22 Stephanie Metzen 8/22 Jennifer Kilgen 8/23 Jimbo Huckabee IV 8/23 Bruce Allen 8/23 Margaret Vermillion 8/24 Blair Dixon 8/24 Jane McPherson 8/25 Milton Barber III 8/26 Dorothy Kitchen 8/27 John Bugg 8/27 Anne Zollicoffer 8/27 Ellie Galvez 8/27 Louise Pannill 8/28 AJ Dean 8/31 Ella Virkler 8/31

Ginger & Bill King 8/5 Linda & Chuck Cushman 8/13 Spot & Joe Vicars 8/15 Suzy & John Goree 8/16 Scott & Jimmy Trotter 8/19 Leigh & Tim Ballou 8/20 Margaret & Jim Rouse 8/24 Susan & Ted Griffin 8/25

Benji

Bob

Debbie

Doc

Dottie

Ed

Helen

Jimmy

JoeAnne

John

Julie

Katherine

Lorraine

Lyn

Marion

Noah

Peggy

Russ

Susan

Uriel

11 Stephen’s Window August 2017

Ministers The Transfiguration

August 6

The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 13

The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

August 20

The Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost

August 27

8:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist: Rite I 8:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist: Rite I 8:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist: Rite I 8:00 a.m.

Holy Eucharist: Rite I

Celebrant Robert K. Kaynor Stephen Elkins-Williams Robert K. Kaynor Robert K. Kaynor

Preacher Robert K. Kaynor Stephen Elkins-Williams Robert K. Kaynor Robert K. Kaynor

Eucharistic Minister

Claire Doerschuk Nancy Ciaffone Claire Doerschuk Nancy Ciaffone

Reader Bobbie Nielsen Libby Whitaker Nancy Ciaffone Jack Graham

Intercessor Nancy Ciaffone Sally Markham Matt Breuer Bill McPherson

Usher(s) Linda & Chuck Cushman Louise Pannill J. Page Wilson John Bugg

10:30 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:30 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:30 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite II 10:30 a.m.

Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Celebrant/Officiant

Robert K. Kaynor Stephen Elkins-Williams W. Derek Shows Robert K. Kaynor

Preacher Robert K. Kaynor Stephen Elkins-Williams Robert K. Kaynor Christian Education

Committee

Assisting Priest

— — Robert K. Kaynor —

Deacon Maggie Silton Maggie Silton — Maggie Silton

Subdeacon (Server)

Jeremy Godwin Kate Fagan-Solis Jeremy Godwin Megan Carlson

Eucharistic Ministers

Megan Carlson Sue Kaynor

Sue Kaynor Priscilla Shows

Sue Kaynor Pat Serafin

Pat Serafin Norm Woods

Acolytes

Will Culp Evie Freel

Hazel Freel Morgan Freel

Cameron Hayward Elizabeth Hayward

Anna Preston Borden Vermillion

Evie Freel Hazel Freel

Morgan Freel Ella Virkler

Ama Mensah-Boone Kwame Mensah-Boone

Will Culp Anna Preston

Lector (1st Lesson)

Ann Barlow Frank Goodwin Kit Bick Johnya Sasso

Lector (Psalm)

Kathy McKee Bob Stevens Jeanna Tiller Sue Kaynor

Lector (Epistle)

Will Culp Anna Preston Morgan Freel Ama Mensah-Boone

Intercessor Maya Almasy Jack Watson Russ Tiller Michele Hayward

Ushers Sally Hunsucker

TBD Ian Shearer Hazel Viola

Kate Fagan-Solis TBD

Drayton, Sumner, and Henry Virkler

Altar Guild Judy White

Bobbie Nielsen Nancy Ciaffone

Judy White Bobbie Nielsen Nancy Ciaffone

Nancy Ciaffone Cindi Easterling

Judy White

Nancy Ciaffone Cindi Easterling

Judy White

Greeter(s) Martina Gardner-Woods Martina Gardner-Woods Martina Gardner-Woods Martina Gardner-Woods

12 Stephen’s Window August 2017

Non-Profit Organization US Postage

PAID Durham, NC 27705

Permit No. 59

Return Service Requested

St. Stephen's is a parish within the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, part of the world-wide Anglican Communion.

www.dionc.org

The Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple Bishop Pro Tempore

The Rt. Rev. Peter Lee Assisting Bishop

St. Stephen’s Staff

The Rev. Robert K. Kaynor

Rector bob.kaynor@ssecdurham.org

The Rev. Stephen J. Elkins-Williams

Priest-in-Residence stephenj.ew@gmail.com

The Rev. Dr. Derek Shows

Priest Associate

The Rev. Maggie Silton Deacon

mksilton@gmail.com

Dr. Joseph Kitchen Music Director and Organist

jwkitchen@earthlink.net

Dr. Nathan Leaf Choir Director

njleaf@ncsu.edu

Jihyun Park Children’s Music Director

ms.kimj@gmail.com

Jeremy Godwin Director of Christian Education jeremy.godwin@ssecdurham.org

Stephanie Metzen

Youth Director stephanie.metzen@ssecdurham.org

Burke Raper

Business Manager burke.raper@ssecdurham.org

Tamiko Sanders

Preschool Director tamiko.sanders@ssecdurham.org

Catherine Oakley

Parish Administrator catherine.oakley@ssecdurham.org

Katie Curran

Parish Secretary office@ssecdurham.org

Kevin Kelly

Sexton kevin.kelly@ssecdurham.org

Clyde Stephens

Parish Life and Staff Assistant

The 58th

Vestry and Officers of St. Stephen’s

Kate Fagan-Solis, Senior Warden Russ Tiller, Junior Warden Jim Stewart, Treasurer

Bob Bullock, Assistant Treasurer Megan Carlson, Clerk Ellen Baer Dick Boyd

Matt Breuer Michael Brewer Sally Bugg Wendy John Ben Maynor Lucien Roughton, Jr.

Duke String School Camp at St.

Stephen’s July 17-22, 2017.

Practicing in the Parish Hall. Smiles during lunch break!

Thank you card from the Duke String School.

Camp concert Saturday, July 22.