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- Moses in the Sapphire Cloud
Apophatic and Cataphatic Prayer and the Sinai Theophany He was on the mountain for forty days, and what were those days like? Alone, the sky dense around him, the earth occasionally rumbling, and when he saw a glimpse of the divine, it was as if he was looking through stained glass, stained a deep sapphire.… Read more: Moses in the Sapphire Cloud - The Mixture of the Multitude: Liberation Readings of Scripture
We gathered on Wednesday evenings throughout July and August, sitting around the ubiquitous plastic folding tables that are known to every church. Sunlight slanted in through the wall of glass windows, and the smells of the parish kitchen— old coffee, musty sponges, cleaning product— filled the room. We were there to study Queer Theology, a… Read more: The Mixture of the Multitude: Liberation Readings of Scripture - St. Francis Feast Day Pet Blessing on Sunday, October 4
Saint Francis’s Feast Day is on October 4th. We will hold our annual pet blessing in the midst of the service. Bring your pet or a photo of your pet to church! If you’re more of a plant person, bring a plant! St. Francis’s care for creation extends to all living things. - Art in the Sanctuary – the Work of Helen Hoffelt
We are thrilled to welcome the works of artist Helen Hoffelt to the sanctuary this month. Helen is a Columbus artist known for her photography that explores environmental issues and the symbiotic relationships between nature and humanity. Her show at St. Stephen’s draws from three series, and reflects her care for creation and for the… Read more: Art in the Sanctuary – the Work of Helen Hoffelt - Centering Prayer at St. Stephen’s
Three Opportunities to Learn & Practice Centering Prayer There are 3 opportunities at St Stephen’s to learn and practice centering prayer: 1. Every Thursday at 12 noon we have an in-person centering prayer meeting that meets in the Sanctuary. After the centering portion, we have a Lectio Divina portion where we read an excerpt from… Read more: Centering Prayer at St. Stephen’s - Art in the Sanctuary – Mike & Elly Kaizar’s Block Prints
We’re so excited to be featuring block prints by Mike and Elly Kaizar this month. Stop by the sanctuary and check them out! Artist Bio Mike Kaizar michaelkaizar@yahoo.com 614-747-3151 Michael Kaizar is a Columbus-based blockprint artist whose bold, hand-carved imagery blends craft with playful, mythic storytelling. He began printing during the early COVID-19 pandemic, growing… Read more: Art in the Sanctuary – Mike & Elly Kaizar’s Block Prints - Take the Adult Formation Survey
Our new Adult Formation Working Group has created a survey so that you can help guide their planning. Please fill out here, or fill out a paper copy in church on Sunday. - Spiritual Journaling Workshop
Saturday, August 22nd 10:00am – 11:30amHobson Hall Join Melissa Reed as she guides us through a beautiful Lectio Divina inspired creative journaling practice. Bring your journal, your favorite pens, old magazines, and any other crafting supplies you may like. We will spend time quietly journaling together followed by a time of (optional) sharing. - All Living Flesh: Experiencing God in the Natural World
Join us every Sunday in September after the 10:30 AM service for a time of formation and learning centered around the Season of Creation. For approximately one hour, we will engage with the ongoing work being done to plant a native pollinator garden at St. Stephen’s and reflect on the project’s significance on ecological, communal,… Read more: All Living Flesh: Experiencing God in the Natural World - Art in the Sanctuary – Jen Poppen’s “Hybrid”
We are thrilled to display Jen Poppen’s wonderful art in the Sanctuary this summer. In this series, “Hybrid “, Poppen explores ideas of combining different aspects of artistic tendencies and symbols to create something new. Reflection on how all of us carry some form of hybridization is central to this body of work. Meshing natural… Read more: Art in the Sanctuary – Jen Poppen’s “Hybrid” - Neglected Scriptures: The Song of Songs
Periodically throughout this year, we will spend time during the Sunday Adult Formation hour reading and learning about some of the scriptures that we rarely hear on Sunday mornings, as they are mostly left out of the Revised Common Lectionary. We will start with the Song of Songs. We will begin our study of this… Read more: Neglected Scriptures: The Song of Songs - New Centering Prayer Group Forming“Please join us on Thursday, July 2nd from 12:00 noon till 1:00 pm in the Sanctuary for a new group that is forming. We will lean & practice the art of centering & connecting with the Divine within us. Our centering time will be followed by a Lectio Divina reading of Sacred Texts and sharing… Read more: New Centering Prayer Group Forming
- Book Study: Queer Theology
Join us for a book study on queer theology this July and August at St. Stephen’s, led by Judith Grant. In this series, we will explore the origins and meanings of the term queer and examine its relevance for theology and religious life. Our readings will include: We will meet at 6:30 p.m. on the following Wednesdays: Use this link… Read more: Book Study: Queer Theology - Early Music Concert on June 6
We are thrilled to host Early Music Columbus’s chamber music concert on June 6. The concert is at 7:30 PM in the sanctuary (parking in our lot and in the Arps Garage) and is free. The flyer is below. - The Practice of Centering Prayer: Half-Day Retreat on October 3rd
Saint Stephen’s is excited to host a Practice of Centering Prayer Half-Day Retreat on Saturday, October 3, 2026 from 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM. Participants will learn the basic method of Centering Prayer, along with its history and origins. This simple practice will be demonstrated and explained and there will be opportunities to practice. The… Read more: The Practice of Centering Prayer: Half-Day Retreat on October 3rd