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	<title>St. Stephen's Episcopal Church: Upcoming Events</title>
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	<dc:date>2010-09-10T00:50:35-05:00</dc:date>
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			<title>RALLY DAY IS SEPTEMBER 12th!</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/rally_day_is_september_12th.html</link>
			<description></description>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[One service at 10:30, food, fun, games, & fellowship! ]]></content:encoded>
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			<dc:date>2010-09-09T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>STEPHEN MINISTRY IS COMING TO ST. STEPHEN'S</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/stephen_ministry_is_coming_to_st_stephens.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Transforming Lives and Equipping the Saints for Ministry</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">St. Stephen&rsquo;s is beginning a brand new ministry of love, service and pastoral care:</span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">&nbsp;The Stephen Ministry is a ministry of specially trained lay people providing one-on-one Christian care to hurting people in and around our congregation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please take a moment to read the&nbsp;brochure located in the track rack in the Parish Hall&nbsp;and prayerfully consider applying to become a Stephen Minister.&nbsp;If you have any questions or would like more details please contact Lori Williams (936-258-7832), Pam Turner (936-336-3411), or Fr. Ted (936-776-5155).&nbsp;We are planning to begin our first training class in January 2011. More information about this vital ministry, including heart warming actual stories from care givers and receivers,&nbsp;will be published soon, so stay tuned for more details.</span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">&nbsp;We hope you will consider joining the Stephen Ministry Team.</span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-08-12T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>Parish Family Event for all ages Thursday, August 12</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/parish_family_event_for_all_ages_thursday_august_12.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Yepez Vineyard in Baytown 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">Join your church family as we enjoy an evening of fun, food, fellowship and music at the Yepez Vineyards located at 12739 FM 2354 in Baytown (pick up a map in the parish hall or call 281-573-4193 for directions).&nbsp;Pack up&nbsp;a picnic-type&nbsp;dinner and water or soft drinks (no alcoholic beverages please, but wine may be purchased at the vineyard, and wine tasting is available),&nbsp;dress cool and casual, bring lawn chairs and bug spray and get ready to have a relaxing evening at the vineyard. Children are welcome and encouraged to come.</span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">See you there!</span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-08-12T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>CHRISTIANS UNITE TO HELP GOD'S PEOPLE IN NEED!</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/christians_unite_to_help_gods_people_in_need.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Haiti Devestated by earthquake. Help needed now!</div> <span style="font-size: small">Please help those whose lives have been turned upside down. Here's how you can help today:<br />
<br />
1. PRAY - Pray for those affected by the earthquake<br />
<br />
2. GIVE - Give financially to the organizations rushing to assist those most impacted by this disaster. You may donate to a relief organization directly or through St. Stephen's. Please make checks out to <u>St. Stephen's Episcopal Church</u> and write &quot;Haiti Relief&quot; on the memo line. We will ensure that your donation is forwarded to where it is most needed as quickly as possible.<br />
<br />
Your ECW and Outreach Committee is also working on additional ways in which we can assist those who have been affected by this great tragedy. <br />
<br />
See the latest update from Episcopal Relief &amp; Development below:<br />
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                        <td style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" valign="top" align="left" width="100%"><font style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" face="Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif" color="#333333" size="2"><font color="#326290">
                        <div><img height="87" alt="erd logo" width="211" align="left" border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.468" src="http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs085/1101808980472/img/468.jpg?a=1102950804409" /><br />
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                        <div><a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102950804409&amp;s=1254&amp;e=0010kObK9hVcokze81ggwCLylHfCADNe3JFv2jn2nCqszubHK2Eoch1V8dwzUWMjL7hlJCm_yB0XBooZ3NswAdcqh2Zq2WxWDEhQkOW9XFQw1t3g7IS1p_6d0XQWkHKiFTN0kz1AKElE_Q="><font color="#326290"><strong>The Diocese of Haiti and other partners are actively responding</strong></font></a> to the situation on the ground in Haiti with critical support from Episcopal Relief&nbsp;&amp; <font color="#326290">Development. Please pray for those impacted and donate to the </font><a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102950804409&amp;s=1254&amp;e=0010kObK9hVcokc2nkfYG6ddJqB9mFCkt-OPjaaydJZw04Qh0_p8Ansz3UtTq5nj1BmbIeUG3BW5-wqJDBAwggUYp6O2YfX_abD_r48cCFmND8BR9MWqaF1UFjjb9qRIwyBp8UiBXJHQSo="><strong><font color="#326290">Haiti Fund</font></strong></a><font color="#326290"><strong>.</strong> The </font><a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102950804409&amp;s=1254&amp;e=0010kObK9hVcokze81ggwCLylHfCADNe3JFv2jn2nCqszubHK2Eoch1V8dwzUWMjL7hlJCm_yB0XBooZ3NswAdcqh2Zq2WxWDEhQkOW9XFQw1t3g7IS1p_6d0XQWkHKiFTN0kz1AKElE_Q="><font color="#326290"><strong>most up to date information</strong></font></a><font color="#326290">,</font> a <a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102950804409&amp;s=1254&amp;e=0010kObK9hVcomQHiDV1bt4IBH_7TduKAxPG6hn4FWDAd8K_kbyl2el1NqLwz0YIzZRrYW7jaQg4DQDj66ESAt8Xjtxn2hGyZTLtRlR2CtB4-YYwZYlY6JIlD7-_9yI4yNLtq0xF9iY8Xc="><font color="#326290"><strong>video statement</strong></font></a><font color="#326290">&nbsp;and </font><a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102950804409&amp;s=1254&amp;e=0010kObK9hVcomGtYrY_nefLCoTknvgdAtluhSVTpP4PNt1I3aIM09oJ3Pm0azJ2iVe1gFv2uJTRoFFj0QvLxrJqx3mdsdVBpEYy7CS7GMESe_spU8vhdiwRKSYFGW8NdplnivDO54_ILE="><font color="#326290"><strong>downloadable bulletin inserts</strong></font> </a>are available on the Haiti Crisis page. Make a difference: <a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102950804409&amp;s=1254&amp;e=0010kObK9hVcokc2nkfYG6ddJqB9mFCkt-OPjaaydJZw04Qh0_p8Ansz3UtTq5nj1BmbIeUG3BW5-wqJDBAwggUYp6O2YfX_abD_r48cCFmND8BR9MWqaF1UFjjb9qRIwyBp8UiBXJHQSo="><font color="#326290"><strong>Donate to ER-D.</strong></font></a>&nbsp;</div>
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                        <div><font color="#326290">The Diocese of Haiti has the largest Sunday worshiping community of Episcopalians in the Episcopal church. There are more than 100,000 members in Haiti in <font color="#326290">110 congregations. The Episcopal Church also has 250 Epsicopal schools in Haiti and supports several hospitals, a convent, and a school for handicapped children. The </font><a target="_blank" shape="rect" href="http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102950804409&amp;s=1254&amp;e=0010kObK9hVcokCCdv85dFqiy0T_ywz9KRRZ-SVj6a_mwVFlVFP0ogBDMKQIQe6rJuF57_Rm4Vr20IaucXt4xHe_fTGo3YJHC9S5QUzKhqheiYNdL9f5se15Q5o_BREbAzu7LOcZDJ6AGI="><font color="#326290"><strong>Rt. Rev. Jean Zache Duracin remains with his people</strong></font></a><font color="#326290"><strong>,</strong></font> sleeping in a tent city outside what used to be the Cathedral in Port Au Prince.</font></div>
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			<dc:date>2010-01-15T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>SHAPING OUR DESTINY: God's Plan for St. Stephen's</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/shaping_our_destiny_gods_plan_for_st_stephens.html</link>
			<description></description>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Your Vision for Your Church</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">About 50 members of St. Stephen&#39;s gathered on Saturday, August 7th to seek God&#39;s will for the future of our church. We prayed, shared meals,&nbsp;and met in small discussion groups to decide on four areas of priority to guide us into the future. The following is a summary of what the people of St. Stephen&#39;s heard the Holy Spirit say to our church. Please pray that God gives us the will and the courage to step out in faith and be the church God wants us to be.</span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">&nbsp;<u>Worship</u></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">Recognizing that the purpose of worship is to bring glory and honor to God, we are committed to respecting and valuing that which awakens the spirit within each person, inspiring them in their worship of the Almighty. Toward that end, we seek to expand and incorporate in our worship, various styles of music, and multiple types of services, both on Sundays and other days, while remaining within the confines of the canons of the Diocese of Texas, and the Book of Common Prayer. As always, we are bound by our love for God and for each other.</span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px"><u>Spiritual Growth</u></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">Recognizing the need to continuously seek a deeper relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, we will foster spiritual growth through the vehicle of geographic and interest-based small groups engaging both our congregation and the greater community. These groups will develop and maintain lifelong opportunities for spiritual growth and servant leadership that is grounded in Holy Scripture and our historic catholic faith by engaging in Bible study, prayer, outreach, education, family values, pastoral care, and fellowship. We will meet each seeker wherever they may be on their spiritual journey, striving to address specific needs such as location, interests, and transportation.</span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px"><u>Outreach</u></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">Recognizing the challenge to be ever more visible to the community in order to more fully realize our mission to seek, serve and share Christ with all, we will strive to bring others to Christ by ministering to those in need and by developing effective outreach programs for children, youth and adults that are available to the whole community.</span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px"><u>Youth</u></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">Recognizing that our congregation is continually renewed and revitalized through the infusion and inclusion of our younger members, we are committed to developing and maintaining engaging programs, ministries and events that inspire, inform and support our youth on their Christian journey. This will include regular youth-oriented worship services; Sunday Christian Formation curriculum that is powerful, challenging and relevant; regular youth events that encourage spiritual growth and social interaction; and ecumenical/interdenominational youth events involving the greater community.</span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-08-12T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>SUNDAY IN THE SAND MAY 30</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/sunday_in_the_sand_may_30.html</link>
			<description></description>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Our Annual Trip to the Beach with our Awesome Sunday School Kids</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">All the Sunday School youth are invited to our annual Sunday in the Sand on Galveston Beach! We leave from the church right after the 8:00 a.m. service. Contact Debbie Dugger for more info 936-402-3565.</span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-05-13T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>HOLY WEEK &amp; EASTER SCHEDULE</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/holy_week_easter_schedule.html</link>
			<description></description>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Come worship with us as we observe the passion and death of our Lord and celebrate His Resurrection!</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">Sunday, March 28 10:30 AM&nbsp;- <strong>The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">The dual nature of this powerful service is evident from its title. It begins with the pomp and glory of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem with the waving of palm branches and shouts of &quot;Hosanna!&quot; to our King. The hosannas soon change to &quot;Crucify him, crucify him&quot;, as the Passion is narrated and dramatically proclaimed by members of the congregation. The impact of the passion and death of our Lord is stark and vivid in this service, so that the glory of the Resurrection may be properly celebrated the following Sunday. We will not have an 8:00 AM&nbsp;service on Palm Sunday.</span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">Wednesday, March 31 6:00 PM</span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">A special Lenten <strong>Evening Prayer </strong>service will be&nbsp;held. This solemn service of prayer includes a peaceful, reflective meditation to prepare us for the final three days of Holy Week.</span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">Thursday, April 9&nbsp; 7:00 PM - <strong>Maundy Thursday</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">The word &quot;Maundy&quot; comes from the Latin for &#39;command&#39;. It refers to the command given by Jesus at the Last Supper, that his disciples should love one another. This service begins the sacred three days of remembrance of the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. It initiates a time of watching, waiting and contemplation as we enter into the final days before Eastertide. On this night we celebrate Holy Communion with the powerful knowledge that Christ suffered and died for us.</span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">Friday, April 10,&nbsp; 12 Noon - <strong>The Stations of the Cross</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">The Stations, or Way of the Cross, is an adaptation of a custom widely observed by pilgrims to Jerusalem: the offering of prayers at a series of places traditionally associated with our Lord&rsquo;s passion and death.&nbsp; The stations are pictorial representations of the events described in Scripture and tradition of Jesus carrying the cross to Golgotha, the place of his crucifixion. These stations are mounted along the walls of the church, and the participants move from station to station, offering prayers and devotions at each one.</span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">Saturday, April 11,&nbsp; 7:00 PM - <strong>The Great Easter Vigil</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">Return with us to the days of the glorious cathedrals of old England, as we celebrate a traditional Anglican High Mass, complete with incense, bells, and chants. This service is the culmination of the sacred observance of Holy Week and the beginning of the celebration of the Lord&rsquo;s Resurrection. It is the climax of the Christian Year and unfolds in Scripture, psalm, Sacrament and liturgy the story of redemption. It begins in darkness and silence and proceeds to a joyous burst of light and the glorious proclamation of &ldquo;Alleluia!&rdquo; Of all the celebrations of the Church Year, the Great Vigil of Easter is pre-eminent, for it alone vividly and dramatically portrays all that was, is, and ever shall be in the drama of our redemption.</span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">Sunday, April 12&nbsp; 9:15 AM - <strong>Children&rsquo;s Easter Egg Hunt</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">This delightful Easter Sunday event takes the place of our Sunday School hour, as the children race about the church grounds in search of brightly colored eggs, the symbol of new life. This is fun for all ages as the adults enjoy hearing the squeals of delight from the little ones when they find another &ldquo;treasure&rdquo;.</span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">&nbsp;Sunday, April 12, 10:30 AM - <strong>Easter Sunday Service</strong></span></span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 11px"><span style="font-size: 12px">The Resurrection Sunday service is a glorious event, as we celebrate the risen Lord in Word, Song, and Sacrament. The church is beautifully adorned with Easter flowers, the wonderful Easter Hymns are sung, and the Resurrection of our Lord is proclaimed. Be sure and bring a small bell of any kind, as each time we say or sing the word &ldquo;Alleluia!&rdquo; everyone rings their bells. It is truly a joy to watch the children wait with eager anticipation for the next &ldquo;Alleluia&rdquo; so they can furiously ring the bells. Also, everyone is encouraged to bring flowers to adorn our beautiful Easter Cross. Refreshments and fellowship follow the service in the Parish Hall. There will be no 8:00 AM service on Easter Sunday.</span></span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-03-23T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>JOIN US FOR AN EPIPHANY CELEBRATION!</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/join_us_for_an_epiphany_celebration.html</link>
			<description></description>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>A Family Affair - Bring the Kids on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 6:00 PM</div> <span style="font-size: small">This Wednesday, January 6th, is Epiphany, sometimes known on the church calendar as&nbsp;&quot;The Manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Gentiles&quot;. The Feast of the Epiphany will be celebrated at St. Stephen's with Holy Eucharist at 6:00 PM (with a special added sermon for the kids), followed by dinner in the Parish Hall (a $5.00 per plate donation for adults is suggested to cover expenses, kids eat free). After dinner, the adults will break into groups to kick off our six weeks Epiphany series, &quot;Relating to others as Jesus Would&quot; (see&nbsp;details on the&nbsp;<em>News &amp; Events&nbsp;</em>page of this website), while the young ones will gather in&nbsp;the pre-school&nbsp;classroom for a special lesson on the visit of the Magi.&nbsp;Fun activities will be provided for pre-school as well as elementary school&nbsp;ages.&nbsp;Older kids are encouraged to come and either join in the adult Bible study or help with the little ones! A guaranteed good time for all, so please come and bless us with your presence as we celebrate the visit of the Wise Men to our Lord! See you there!!&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>]]></content:encoded>
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			<dc:date>2010-01-04T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>WEDNESDAY WORSHIP &amp; WORD!</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/wednesday_worship_word-4.html</link>
			<description></description>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Join us for an exciting new journey of discovery on August 25th</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">We have been through &quot;Shaping Our Destiny&quot; and&nbsp;have developed a vision for our church and prioritized four specific goals to bring that vision to a reality. But do you ask yourself, &quot;Okay, we have a vision for our church, but where do I fit in? How can I really be a part of the church&#39;s vision?&quot; Well, have we got a program for you! <em>Discovering God&#39;s Vision for your Life </em>is an eight week journey that will put you in touch with your spiritual life and deepen your relationship with God by discovering, developing and putting to use the gifts God has given you. Our Heavenly Father has made some definite promises to us through the gifts he gave us, and together we will explore the practical consequences of these promises. We hope you will prayerfully consider embarking on this journey with us. It is a journey that will take you to a new appreciation of God&#39;s&nbsp;bounty and a realization of your own worth in God&#39;s eyes. The journey begins on Wednesday, August 25th at 6:00 PM with dinner in the Parish Hall. Immediately following&nbsp;the meal we will meet together for about an hour in our study, and end the evening with a beautiful candlelight Compline service.&nbsp;Sign-up sheets are in the Parish Hall under the bulletin board, so sign up to receive a book. We are asking for a $10.00 donation to help defray the cost of the materials, but&nbsp;if you cannot afford it, please do not let that stop you! Simply sign-up and you will receive your materials.&nbsp;Nothing will be said and no one will know who has the ability to pay or not. So just sign-up, show up and let God bless you! &nbsp;</span></p>
<p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">Please join us, it will be a journey you won&#39;t regret!</span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-08-12T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>RELAY FOR LIFE begins Friday, April 9th at 7:00 P.M.</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/relay_for_life_begins_friday_april_9th_at_700_pm.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Come out and support our "Enthusiastically Episcopal" Team and the fight against cancer</div> <p>
	Memorial Stadium in Liberty</p>
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			<dc:date>2010-04-08T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>LET'S EAT BREAKFAST AT SUPPER TIME!</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/lets_eat_breakfast_at_supper_time.html</link>
			<description></description>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper is Tuesday, Feb 16, 5:00 - 7:00 PM</div> <span style="font-size: small">The word <i>shrove</i> is the past tense of the English verb <i>shrive</i>, which means to obtain absolution&nbsp;for one's sins by way of confession&nbsp;and doing penance. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins&nbsp;on Ash Wednesday. Sometimes called <em>Fat Tuesday</em>, it is traditional to eat, drink and be merry on this day, before we begin our Lenten disciplines. St. Stephen's has been honoring this tradition for over 50 years with our annual Pancake Supper. The whole community is invited to dine with our St. Stephen's family on pancakes and sausage. It is great food,&nbsp;great fun and great&nbsp;fellowship. Tickets are just $5.00 per person (kids under 8 eat free) for all you can eat, and can be purchased from any ECW&nbsp;member or at the door. Please join us in the parish hall from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM.</span>]]></content:encoded>
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			<dc:date>2010-02-11T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE BEGINS AT 7:00 PM</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/ash_wednesday_service_begins_at_700_pm.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Imposition of ashes and Holy Communion</div> <span style="font-size: small">
<p><span class="firstbig">A</span>s you know, Jesus retreated into the wilderness and fasted for forty days to prepare for his ministry. It was for Him a time of contemplation, reflection, and preparation. By observing Lent, most Christians join Jesus on His retreat. Lent consists of the forty days before Easter. In the western Church, we skip over the Sundays when we count the days of Lent, because Sunday is always the joyful celebration of the Resurrection. Therefore, the first day of Lent in the western Church is always a Wednesday. The Church calls this first day of Lent Ash Wednesday. It is most appropriate that on Ash Wednesday,&nbsp;we begin a&nbsp; forty-day period of sober reflection, self-examination, and spiritual redirection. In ancient Biblical times, ashes became a sign of remorse, repentance, and mourning. Today someone might wear a black armband to signify that they are in mourning; back then people put ashes on their foreheads.&nbsp;During Lent, ancient Christians mourned their sins and repented of them, so it was appropriate for them to show their sincerity by having ashes on their foreheads. The custom has persisted in the church as secular society has changed around us. Some people only celebrate the happy times in Jesus&rsquo; life: Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas. But&nbsp;we think as true followers, we should also watch and pray with Him on Maundy Thursday, stand by Him at the cross on Good Friday, and retreat with Him into the wilderness during Lent. We hope you will join us at the beautiful and moving service of Ash Wednesday.&nbsp;Our worship begins at 7:00 PM in the main church.</p>
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			<dc:date>2010-02-11T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>Praying the Daily Office in Advent</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/praying_the_daily_office_in_advent.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>"My House shall be called a house of prayer for all people" Isaiah 56:7</div> <p><span style="font-size: small">The Daily Office is a set rhythm of reading Scripture, singing or reciting Psalms, and praying. Sometimes called &quot;The Liturgy of the Hours&quot;, it originally developed when early Christians continued the Jewish practice of reciting prayers and Psalms at certain hours. Today priests, monks and many other followers of Jesus observe the Daily Office. This quiet and beautiful service&nbsp;is different from regular devotional time, as the purpose of the daily office is to simply spend time in the presence of God, nothing more.<br />
<br />
Beginning Monday, November 30th, St. Stephen's will be offering&nbsp;the Daily Office to anyone who seeks a respite from the rush and busyness of the commercial Christmas season. Prayer services will be held Monday through Friday each week of the Advent season through&nbsp;December 23rd.&nbsp;Morning Prayer will be held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:00 AM in the church.&nbsp;Noonday Prayer will begin each weekday in the Parish Hall Library promptly at noon with a short Advent Bible Study following. Evening Prayer will be held Wednesdays at 6:00 P.M. in the church, with dinner and a special Advent program following the service. <br />
<br />
We hope you will take time from your busy lives and give some time to God this holiday season.&nbsp;Call the church office at 936-336-3762 for more information or if you would like to lead&nbsp;one of the&nbsp;prayer&nbsp;services.&nbsp;<br />
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			<dc:date>2009-11-18T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>FORGIVE, AND GET YOUR LIFE BACK</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/forgive_and_get_your_life_back.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Lenten Study Series Wednesday Evenings</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: small">The&nbsp;text for our Wednesday night study groups will be a book entitled &quot;Forgive, And Get Your Life Back&quot; by Episcopal priest Father Dennis&nbsp;Maynard. See Father Ted if you would like to join us.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-02-11T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>CELEBRATING MISSION!</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/celebrating_mission.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Thank You for your Generosity</div> <div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px"><strong>Food for the Poor</strong>&nbsp;wishes to thank the St. Stephen&#39;s family for the welcome you extended to Fr. Cliff Horvath during his recent visit. On behalf of our less fortunate brothers and sisters of Latin America and the Caribean, we thank you for having shared in their lives by donating $382.52. They, and you, are blessed by your generosity.<br />
	In Christ,</span></div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px"><em>The Food for the Poor Family</em></span></div>
<div style="clear: both">
	<span style="font-size: 14px">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="clear: both">
	<span style="font-size: 14px"><strong>African Team Ministries</strong>- Proceeds from our African Crafts gift shop amounted to an amazing $1,012.00! Thank you for participating in this ministry to help our sister churches in Africa. A special thanks to Mary Francis Frewin for heading up this effort. She gets the Top Salesperson Award!</span></div>
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			<dc:date>2010-05-27T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>JOIN US FOR DINNER &amp; A MOVIE FRIDAY, MAY 21</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/join_us_for_dinner_a_movie_friday_may_21.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Fun for Grown-Ups at the Movie Tavern in Humble</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">St. Stephen&#39;s Parish&nbsp;Life Ministries has planned an adult trip to the Movie Tavern in Humble to see the new Robin Hood movie starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett (Rated PG-13). The Movie Tavern combines the enjoymrny of the movies with in-theatre dining and we all thoroughly enjoyed our last trip there. Depending on where you live, we&#39;ll be meeting at the church or at Brookshire Brothers in Dayton&nbsp;at 5:30 P.M. Please sign up in the kitchen if you can join us. Check with Susan Simmons for more information, 936-257-9000.</span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-05-13T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>TAIZE' PRAYER SERVICE</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/taize_prayer_service.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Sunday, Feb 28 at 5:00 PM</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: small"><span class="dark-grey-11">The Taiz&eacute; service at St. Stephen&#39;s&nbsp;is based upon the historic Service of the Word with some variations. Singing, silence, scripture, and prayer permeate the worship service.&nbsp;Taiz&eacute; draws from contemplative roots where silence and reflection are central to worship and&nbsp;cyclical music allows the participants to center their thoughts on prayer.&nbsp;Candles as well as&nbsp;Icons from the Orthodox tradition are used to provide a&nbsp;meditative setting. The icons are traditional representation of events in the life of Christ and provide &ldquo;windows to heaven&rdquo; in the words of the Orthodox church.&nbsp;Please join us for this wonderfully spiritual service of prayer, meditation and song.<br />
	</span></span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-02-11T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>WEDNESDAY &quot;WORSHIP &amp; WORD&quot; BEGINS AT 6:00 PM</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/wednesday_worship_word_begins_at_600_pm.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Evening Prayer, Dinner & Small Group Bible Study</div> <span style="font-size: medium"><span>If you want to know about Jesus, the natural place to begin is the Gospels. In the Gospels we can discover Jesus for the first time - or rediscover Him for the thousandth time. <br />
</span></span><span style="font-size: small">Our &quot;Six Weeks with the Bible&quot; series begins on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th. We will begin at 6:00 PM in the church with a special Epiphany Celebration of the Mass, where we will be fed with the Word of God and with the Sacrament of His Body&nbsp;and Blood. Immediately after the service, we will dine together in the Parish Hall, then conclude our evening with our small group study. During the Season after Epiphany we will learn the art of &quot;Relating To Others As Jesus Would&quot;, a six week series where we learn how to be more like Jesus. We will read excerpts from the Gospels in order to examine how Jesus related to the people in His life. As we proceed, we will explore connections between what we find in Scripture and in our own lives, with the goal of acting and living more and more in the way that our Lord would want. <br />
You won't want to miss this one! Contact Father Ted to order a study guide.<br />
<br />
<hr />
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			<dc:date>2009-12-29T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>JOIN THE EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER TEAM</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/join_the_extreme_home_makeover_team.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>This Week end and Next Week </div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 12pt"><span>J</span>oin the Extreme Home Makeover Team This Week<span><font color="#0000ff" size="2"><font color="#000000" size="3">&nbsp;end and Next Week</font>&nbsp;</font></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left">&nbsp;</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 12pt">Hollis Baugh<span>, an active member of St. Christopher's, League city,</span>&nbsp;is the engineer for Extreme&nbsp;<span>Home </span>Makeover&nbsp;<span>(ABC reality show)&nbsp;</span>to be built in&nbsp;<span>the&nbsp;<span>&nbsp;Bay A</span></span>rea<span> beginning January 8. Volunteers are needed around the clock for 110 hours after the family is revealed this Thursday morning. We would like you to forward this information to your outreach coordinators, youth ministers, congregation, friends and family. We would like to have as many Episcopal Churches as possible represented to support Hollis Baugh and this effort for a needy family. Time is of the essence so please pass this information along today! They will need LOTS of people</span>.<span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left">&nbsp;</div>
<div dir="ltr" align="left"><font color="#0000ff"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: black; font-size: 12pt"><span>To volunteer, please go to </span><a title="http://www.blushieldsextreme.com/  blocked::http://www.blushieldsextreme.com/" target="_blank" href="http://www.blushieldsextreme.com/">www.blushieldsextreme.com</a> and get on the list.&nbsp; </span></font></div>]]></content:encoded>
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			<dc:date>2010-01-05T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>A TISKET, A TASKET, BRING A GIFT-FILLED BASKET</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/a_tisket_a_tasket_bring_a_gift-filled_basket.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>ECW is having a party Saturday Jan. 9 and you are invited!</div> <font size="3">Need a break from hearing the kids playing their new CDs and&nbsp;video games they got for Christmas? Then join&nbsp;us for a &quot;Grown-Ups&quot; party!&nbsp;Fill a basket with goodies&nbsp;for a man if you're a guy,&nbsp;or for a woman if you're a gal&nbsp;($10.00&nbsp;cost limit) to exchange and join the fun and fellowship. Numbers will be drawn and baskets exchanged according to your number.&nbsp;Please bring a casserole and/or salad if you can. ECW will provide dessert. Festivities begin at 6:00 PM in the Parish Hall. <br />
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			<dc:date>2010-01-04T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>CELEBRATING MINISTRY!</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/celebrating_ministry.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>Get involved in the Life of your Church</div> <div style="clear: both">
	<span style="font-size: 14px">Don&#39;t just be a pew sitter, get involved in one or more of our many worthwhile ministries. We always need volunteers for Outreach, Friends-In-Deed, Pastoral Care Teams, Stewardship Committee, Office Volunteers, Ushers &amp; Greeters, Acolytes and Acolyte Wardens, Lay Readers, Christian Formation, Worship Planning, Altar Guild, Episcopal Church Women,&nbsp;the Men&#39;s Fellowship Group, and Parish Family Ministries. Call the church office for info on any of these areas, or just post a message below. If you have an idea for a new ministry, let&nbsp;Fr. Ted know. Join us in Ministry and put&nbsp;your faith in action!</span></div>
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			<dc:date>2010-05-27T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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			<title>ST. JAMES HOUSE ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT</title>
			<link>http://www.saintstephensliberty.org/n/st_james_house_annual_golf_tournament.html</link>
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  			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>May 14th at Eagle Point Golf Club in Mont Belvieu</div> <p>
	<span style="font-size: 14px">St. James House of Baytown, the long term care facility serving the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, will be hosting their annual golf tournament on May 14th at Eagle Point Golf Course in Mont Belvieu. Prizes include a $20,000 &quot;hole in one&quot; award, Visa gift cards and Par 3 prizes. St. James House is looking for a few good men and women who are looking for that perfect excuse to play golf! A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Call Mary Garcia or Marcy Poirier at 281-425-1200 for registration information.</span></p>
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			<dc:date>2010-04-07T00:00:00-05:00</dc:date>
			 

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