Recycle your used cell phones!  St. Stephens is selected as drop off site for Cell Phones for Soldiers for Antelope and North Highlands.

Praise God our troops have come home from Iraq, but many of our troops remain deployed in Afghanistan and other places far from home.  For our troops serving overseas, making a call home is a costly rarity for many military professionals. St. Stephens is in its third year supporting Cell Phones for Soldiers, which helps troops from each branch of the U.S. military call home for free.  Check out their website for more information about this wonderful program at http://cellphonesforsoldiers.com.  To contribute, just drop your equipment in the box at the church office, or the mail slot, or just hand them to Bess Hadley at church on Sunday.  Don’t forget to ask your friends, relatives, and neighbors too!  Cash donations are also accepted.   For more information about this mission, contact Bess at (916) 331-6851.

Green Stewardship program off to great start

Our  new Green Stewardship 2012 started with our first collection at worship on January 15.  That collection, plus another smaller collection from January 8, totaled $63.33!  Plus, at least two other members took their own items in for recycling and donated the proceeds. Better still, St. Stephens kept more than 200 pounds of waste out of the landfill and put it back into use! What a wonderful offering to both the church and God’s earth! 

Your recyclables can be brought to church the third Sunday each month. February’s scheduled collection will be February 19.  Of course, special arrangements for the other Sundays or home pick-up can be arranged in advance.  Members are encouraged to bring in the following recyclables:

CRV (CA Redemption Value) bottles and cans; Scrap aluminum, copper, brass, iron, tin, insulated wire and stainless steel; Glass bottles and jars (Ragu, jam, salad dressing, wine, etc.  Any color!; Plastic containers with the CA Recycling logo on their label. Milk jugs, juice, & other beverage containers are OK, but not dish soap & shampoo bottles; TVs and computer monitors; Car wheels, batteries, and radiators.

Contact Robin Thompson at (916) 786-3875 for pick-up or information.   And keep up the good work!

North Highlands Food Ministry mission continues

The Food Closet continues to be our hands-on service to our community, feeding hundreds of local citizens each week. They always need Cup of Noodles, Top Ramen, and canned meals or chili, which is provided to our homeless neighbors, who can then get hot water from local stores and restaurants.  In addition, they are currently in need of 25 lb. bags of rice and oatmeal, jarred baby food, and size 3 and 4 diapers. They also request travel-sized toiletries, large and extra large T-shirts and socks for both men and women.  Clean used shopping bags are always needed.  For more information, please contact Alice Taylor at (916) 331-0345.