About 35 years ago I heard a lecture at a Morristown synagogue given by Nobel laureate Ellie Wiesel. He told an ancient tale from the Midrash, which was an interpretation as to why Job had undergone such debilitating suffering. The story presents a scene in which God gathered three men for advice on what God should do about the Jewish people who were enslaved in Egypt. The first said, "let my people go." The second recommended that they remain in slavery. Job was the third man, and he abstained because he had no opinion.

And according to the Midrash, for his abstention and his lack of opinion, Job was punished. Read more.

This week Bishop Beckwith is at the House of Bishops meeting at Camp Allen in Navasota, TX. Yesterday the bishop of Southeast Florida shared a letter from the parents of Carmen Schentrup, an Episcopalian who died in the school shooting in Parkland, FL. They wrote:

"We, along with our church family, will participate in the March for Our Lives [in Washington, DC] this coming March 24th and would very much urge all bishops to come with us to stand up for the lives of children and for the ministry of Christ's church. One can only imagine the example of leadership and solidarity that such a showing could make on our fractured and divided country."

Read the full letter at Episcopal House of Bishops meeting in retreat: March 6 highlights.

Find out more about buses to the March for Our Lives, and March 14 Services of Lamentation, under Upcoming Events below.

Diocese of Newark:
Teens, not adults, lead Episcopalians in gun violence protests and marches

The Lutheran Episcopal Advocacy Ministry of New Jersey (LEAMNJ) is organizing buses to Washington, D.C. so that members of the Diocese of Newark, the Diocese of New Jersey and the New Jersey Synod of the Lutheran Church can join the March For Our Lives, a gun violence prevention march, on Saturday, March 24.

We are encouraging churches to send groups of interested youth, ages 13-18, along with one adult chaperone for every one-to-five youth. Other interested adults are also welcome to participate as space allows.

Cost: $15.00 per youth (13-17) and $25.00 per adult (18+).

Bus locations: In our diocese, buses will depart from/return to Episcopal House in Newark and St. Luke's Church in Montclair.

The deadline to pay for your bus ticket is March 21. Find out more.

On the one-month anniversary of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Bishops United Against Gun Violence is inviting cathedrals and churches across the country to hold services of lamentation to pray - for the victims of the Parkland shooting and all victims of gun violence, and in preparation for marching on March 24. It is their hope that congregations might be able to offer prayers of lamentation as part of already-scheduled Wednesday evening Lenten programs. See the list of scheduled services and sample liturgies; follow Bishops United's Facebook page.

Clergy Retreat with the Bishop
MAR 20-22 @ HOLY CROSS MONASTERY, WEST PARK, NY
The Retreat is fully subscribed. Additional registrations will be placed on the wait list.

SAT, MAR 24 @ GRACE CHURCH, MADISON

Clergy Renewal of Vows
TUE, MAR 27, 11 AM @ GRACE, MADISON
The deadline to RSVP online is Tuesday, March 20.

The VOICE Online
WED, MAR 14 for Mar. 21 issue

Marge Christie Fund applications for 2018 funding
THU, MAR 15, 12 NOON

Bishop Candidate Petitions Process
THU, MAR 15, 5 PM

Middle School Retreat
Human Kind: Be Both
FRI, MAR 9, 7 PM - SUN, MAR 11, 1 PM

OR FRI, APR 20, 7 PM - SUN, APR 22, 1 PM

@ CROSS ROADS CAMP & RETREAT CENTER

SAT, APR 28, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM

On Monday, the Standing Committee announced a slate of four candidates for XI Bishop of Newark, and at the same time opened the Petition Process by which nominees may be added to the slate. A printable handout of the announcement and the candidates' information is now available for sharing with your congregations.
 

In this episode, premiering tonight at 8:30 PM on NJTV, Bishop Mark Beckwith, his interfaith colleagues Imam W. Deen Shareef and Rabbi Matthew Gewirtz, and their guests discuss Intersectionality - the theory of how different types of discrimination interact. Find out more.

The Gertrude Butts Fund, which provides collegiate or vocational scholarship assistance to youth in need in the Diocese of Newark, is accepting applications for the 2018-2019 academic year.  The application deadline is May 4, 2018. Find out more.

• The Rev. Jon Richardson, Priest-in-Charge. St. David's, Kinnelon
  FEB 11
• The Rev. William Cruse, Priest-in-Residence, St. John's, Ramsey
  FEB 11

• The Rev. Adele Hatfield and the Rev. Charls Hatfield, Co-Rectors, St. Peter's, Mountain Lakes
  JAN 7
• The Rev. Timothy Mulder, Rector, Christ Church, Short Hills
  FEB 13

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has announced the launch of The Episcopal 2018 Annual Appeal and calls upon Episcopalians throughout the church to participate. The Episcopal Church 2018 Annual Appeal marks the first churchwide appeal in the Episcopal Church. The goal is to assist the costs of churchwide ministries. Find out more.

The Episcopal Church Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance (known as PB&F) invites comments on the draft budget for the 2019-2021 triennium. The deadline for offering feedback is Thursday, May 31. PB&F will hold face-to-face hearings during General Convention and reminds the church that all resolutions must be filed by 5 pm Central on July 7, the 2nd day of Convention. Find out more.