A biweekly publication for telling and hearing the stories
of this extraordinary time

Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Download The VOICE Digest printable PDF with highlights from this issue.
From Our Bishop
Now is the time to learn all you can about racism and white supremacy
We can't simply wish racism and white supremacy away, says Bishop Hughes – we will have to do the work. To prepare for that work, we need to not only work on our spiritual lives, but also learn as much as we can about the history of racism and white supremacy in our country, and she suggests some books and films as a starting point.

Click on the video at right to watch (time: 5:17), or click here to read the transcript.
This Sunday, worship online with Bishop Hughes and the congregation of St. Peter's, Livingston
Bishop Hughes is visiting the congregation of St. Peter's, Livingston online this Sunday, June 14 via a Zoom meeting. The worship portion of this online visitation will be streamed live to the diocesan YouTube channel at 10 AM, and you are welcome to join them for worship there. The video also will remain available on YouTube to watch later.
The Bishop does NOT want you to buy her gift cards...
...nor wire her money, nor email her back about whether you have time to do her a favor. Nor will she use an email other than her official dioceseofnewark.org email.

We're reminding you of this because there's been an upswing in emails from scammers pretending to be the Bishop.

Fortunately, once you know what to look for, these emails are easy to identify and defend against. Learn how by reading "Whaling" email attacks: How to foil them.

In brief, what you should do is:
  • Verify that the “from” email matches the sender's name
  • Check for a "reply-to" email that's different from the "from" email
  • Confirm any requests with a conversation before acting
  • Once you've identified a scam email, block that email address
  • Pat yourself on the back for outsmarting the scammer
  • Rinse and repeat (because the scammers WILL try again with a different email, they're relentless that way)

There's no need to notify the diocesan staff - we're getting the same scam emails ourselves, and as much as we want to make it stop, unfortunately we can't.
Stories from Our Congregations
Christ Church, Teaneck’s food pantry faces an explosion of need
When the food pantry that's now at Christ Church, Teaneck began, even one of its founders admits it got off to a slow start.

“It didn't take off like gangbusters but it did take off to some degree, and we developed a clientele,” said Mary Sue Kaplow of the food pantry she helped launch in the late 1990s at the former St. Mary’s, Ridgefield Park.

When St. Mary’s closed a couple of years later, Kaplow went to Christ Church and so did the food pantry. At that time, she said the pantry was open two Saturdays a month, and estimates it eventually grew to support between 50 and 80 people a month.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Christ Church food pantry is now open every Saturday and challenged to support a great many more people. Read more.

The Diocese of Newark has set up online giving to support the diocese’s food pantries. Simply visit e-giving.dioceseofnewark.org and go to Area of Greatest Need: Food Pantries (second item from the top). Donations made from June 10 through June 23, 2020 will go to the food pantry at Christ Church, Teaneck.
Diocese of Newark congregations say Black Lives Matter
During the first week of June, many of our congregations participated in Black Lives Matter vigils, rallies and marches all around northern New Jersey. Here's a gallery of 34 photos showing some (but not all) of their participation. View the photo gallery.
In the news
Dr. Anne Matlack, Grace, Madison:
JUN 4, 2020 | The Living Church
The Rev. Diana Wilcox:
This disease is killing us (letter to the editor - PDF)
JUN 4, 2020 | The Record
We want your stories and photos of this time. What is your congregation doing that's different or new, that might help or inspire other congregations? What is your congregation experiencing that will be important to remember? Was your church covered by local media? We want to share those stories! The submission deadline for the next issue on Wednesday, June 24 is 10 AM Friday, June 19 . See the Submission Guidelines .
Upcoming Events
Prayers and Reflections on Pandemic, Racism, and Protest
THU, JUN 11, 6:30 PM
Join online with Bishop Hughes and fellow members of the Diocese of Newark as we respond to the disturbing deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. This will be a time to share our hopes, worries, and fears in an uncertain time. We will begin and end the evening with prayers of lament and petition. Find out more.

As with all diocesan-wide Zoom meetings, the information needed to access this Zoom meeting will be emailed to church leaders, who will in turn email it to their congregations the day before the scheduled meeting.
Diocese of Newark Memorial Service for all who have died during restricted distancing protocols
SAT, JUN 13, 10 AM
This service, led by Bishop Hughes and Broadcast on YouTube Live, will be a time for us to gather online as the diocese in memory of those who have died while we cannot gather in person.

Click here to find out more, including how to submit names of the departed (by 12 noon on Thursday, June 11) to be read during the service.
Checking In: A Lay Conversation with the Bishop
TUE, JUN 30, 6 PM
Bishop Carlye Hughes is eager to once again spend time in conversation with the members of the diocese, to reflect and consider what we, our churches, and our communities have learned and experienced as we have adjusted to the changes this time has demanded of us. This second monthly Zoom conversation is open to all members of the diocese. Find out more.
For Youth & Young Adults
Prayers and Reflections on Pandemic, Racism, and Protest
for high school students & college-aged young adults
TUE, JUN 23, 6:30 PM - HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
THU, JUN 25, 6:30 PM - COLLEGE STUDENTS
All high school and college students of the diocese (rising Freshmen through Seniors) are invited to join online via Zoom with Bishop Carlye Hughes in an opportunity to share hopes, worries and fears in this uncertain time. Each gathering will begin and end with prayers and hymns and will feature a stirring homily by Bishop Hughes. Find out more:
Pop In With Pop Up
SUN, JUN 21, 4 PM
SUN, JUL 5, 4 PM
All youth grades 6-12 are invited to participate in the next two Pop Up Youth Ministry Zoom meetings. Register online, download the flyer and find out more for:

Diocesan Announcements & Resources
New resources for home and congregational worship
Opportunities to worship online
We are continuing to post opportunities to worship online with congregations across our diocese on our Online & Home Worship page. Included are some offerings specifically for children. Please send changes to Nina Nicholson at nnicholson@dioceseofnewark.org. Updates received after 4 PM Friday will be posted the following week.
Prayers of Pandemic from the Diocese of Newark
Bishop Hughes has invited members of the diocese to write and share their own prayers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are collecting these prayers at Prayers of Pandemic from the Diocese of Newark and sharing them in The VOICE and on social media.

Prayers can be sent to Canon Wright at awright@dioceseofnewark.org for posting. Please include the name and town of your church.
What does courage look like to you right now? Send us your photos!
Courage takes many forms, especially during these challenging times. We invite you to send us your photos showing what courage looks like to you right now for publication on the diocesan website and in The VOICE Online.

Please send your submissions to CovidCreationsStory@gmail.com by Thursday, June 18.

The photo gallery on the theme of courage is the first of an ongoing effort to tell the story of these times as we live through them. In the coming weeks, we will be inviting members of the diocese to tell their stories using various themes and artistic media.

Telling our stories helps us examine and process what we are experiencing, gives us insight into what we have lost and learned, and records what has happened for ourselves and future generations before our memories of these intense days merge and fade.

We look forward to your contributions!

- The Telling the Story committee
The Rev. Rose Cohen Hassan, The Rev. Sharon Sheridan Hausman, Amy Hovell, Nina Nicholson, the Rev. Fain Webb
Stewardship matters: Everything is different
As we enter the 12th? The 13th? The four hundred and fifty-seventh week of stay at home? Let's stop for a minute. Let's stop and reflect on what we notice is different, really different, in our lives as Episcopalians. Read more.
Gratitude Matters reflections
This week's reflection is Emily's gratitude by Ross Wisnewski of St. Mary's, Sparta.

If you'd like to participate in this weekly series please send your reflection (250 word maximum) to Cynthia McChesney, cmcchesney@dioceseofnewark.org.

In addition to these mini-essays, we hope you'll also participate on social media for more! We'll be posting with the hashtag #GratitudeMatters.
Second BCEF Call of 2020: Church of the Messiah, Chester
The Bishop’s Church Emergency Fund (BCEF) provides financial support for church buildings in the diocese needing repairs and renovation, usually with a special focus on emergency and unforeseen needs. Through the BCEF, you can support the critical needs identified by the Bishop.

The second BCEF call of 2020 is for security system upgrades at Church of the Messiah, Chester. Read more.
Lambeth Palace will be praying for us
This note was received recently from Lambeth Palace in London:

Dear Bishop Carlye,

Prayers will be said for you and the Diocese of Newark by the Lambeth Palace community on Friday 12 June 2020.

We remember especially all those who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic at this time.

God of compassion,
be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation.
In their loneliness, be their consolation;
in their anxiety, be their hope;
in their darkness, be their light;
through him who suffered alone on the cross,
but reigns with you in glory,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

This comes with our warm greetings, and our prayers for God's blessing on your ministry.
News from The Episcopal Church
LEARN, PRAY, ACT:
Resources for Addressing Racist Violence and Police Brutality
In this time of national upheaval, outrage, and fear, The Episcopal Church’s Department of Reconciliation, Justice and Creation Care and the Office of Government Relations have assembled resources to assist individuals, congregations and communities seeking to LEARN, PRAY and ACT. Please use and share these resources, and send your own resources and stories.

Episcopal News Service coverage of COVID-19 and the Church
Go to episcopalnewsservice.org/tag/coronavirus for their full coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic as it's affecting The Episcopal Church.
The VOICE Online is currently being published every other Wednesday