Last Call to Register for Sunday’s Jazz Vespers Outside at St. Stephen's in Ridgefield

At this Sunday’s Jazz Vespers, “Prayers for a Broken World,” presented by St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, the theme of a world made whole by God’s transforming love will resound through spoken word and music. It will be held on the church’s West Lawn beginning at 5 p.m. The Anti-Racism Covenant by the Right Rev. Deon Johnson, Bishop of the Diocese of Missouri, will shape the service’s prayers.

Actress Kimberly Wilson will recite a poem from Alice Walker’s 2018 book Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart. In this book of poetry, “Walker not only captures the varied complexity of our world as it is, but also seeks to imagine our planet as it could be,” according to The New York Review of Books.

Alcee Chriss III, minister of music at St. Stephen’s, has assembled a jazz ensemble that will perform music by Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Whitney Houston, Gregory Porter and Rachelle Ferrell. In addition to Dr. Chriss on piano/synthesizer, the musicians are Caleb Wright (vocals), Alex Silver (saxophone), Joel E. Mateo Ramos (drums) and Kyle Miles (bass).

Attendees are asked to bring a chair. Face masks are required, as is registration through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jazz-vespers-tickets-118359246693 .  Please visit the St. Stephen’s website for plans in case of rain. The service will also be live streamed and can be viewed on the website.

Caption: Kimberly Wilson