Beloved Community,

Shortly after The Most Rev. Michael Curry was installed as our Presiding Bishop he published "A Word to the Church."  In that letter he talked about our call to be followers of Jesus, "To go out into the world to share the Good News of God and Jesus Christ.  To go into the world and help to be agents and instruments of God's reconciliation.  To go into the world, let the world know there is a God who loves us, a God who will not let us go, and that that love can set us free...This is the Jesus Movement, and we are The Episcopal Church, the Episcopal branch of Jesus' movement in this world... God bless you, and keep the faith."

I happily admit that I have felt so blessed by Bishop Curry's ministry, by his preaching, and his witness to the Gospel.  I have felt this blessing in my own relationship with God and with the Gospel, as well as in my ordained ministry.  Though, as you have heard me preach a time or two, active and engaged discipleship is not always easy, the Presiding Bishop's words and his actions inspire me to go deeper and further, to accept the challenge, to actively explore how my own relationship with God and my ordained ministry call me, compel me, to do more and better as a person who is a disciple, preacher, pastor, and teacher.  I've been thinking about this a lot recently, because it is part of my Lenten prayer and as we've been planning our Celebration of New Ministry.

I'm mindful that when Bishop Curry said, "keep the faith", he did not intend for us to keep it inside this building but to take it out into the world with us. As often happens, the Holy Spirit, wild and free, seems to be calling my attention to all sorts of opportunities for me and for us to go into the world in the ways he encourages.  Some of these are things you have heard about in church or seen in the "News" and "Events" sections of this newsletter.  I urge you to look at those and pray about how you might be a part of these ministries.

In addition to those things we have already talked and written about, there are a couple of opportunities for us to go out into the world that are in the early stages of discussion and planning:

1.  There is a new monthly initiative of the PATCH program (our Drumming Camp is a PATCH program) at the House of Prayer in Newark.  This new program is an Arts and Science Enrichment Program, and there is a need for volunteers and for churches to take turns providing lunch.  There are a few parishioners who have interest in exploring this as part of our outreach ministries.  Please let me know if you have any interest in talking about this and we'll add you to the conversation.

2.  First Friends is a non-profit promoting dignity and compassion for immigrants.  There are lots of ways to get involved, including a benefit dinner on April 30th.  We have a couple of people interested in working with First Friends.  If you'd like to join us, please let me know.

3. " Millwheels Rolling into Millburn" is a recently announced community engagement arts project.  The kick-off event is April 7th, with the final presentation on September 7th.  This promises to be a fun way for us, including our children, to get out into the community to show what it is that we are about.   No artistic talent is required, only a desire to tell our neighbors about who we are. I'm planning to be there on the 7th and hope to have at least a few people join me. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list so let me or any vestry member know if you have an idea or invitation I am not including here and we will talk and pray about it.  All that I ask is that your idea be something you have an interest in doing and that may be of interest to a couple of others as well.  

Peace & Blessings, 

Paula+

Please be aware that churches are being targeted with an email scam in the name of clergy with a request for gift cards.  Please DO NOT respond to any email in with the Bishop or any other clergy asks you to purchase gift cards.  Please let us know if you receive any suspicious emails.  Thank you!

There also is a telephone scam in which someone calls and claims to be representing the Social Security Administration.  The person says that your Social Security Number has been compromised.  The intent is that you will give your number in response to their need to verify its integrity.  Please DO NOT give your number.  The Social Security Administration does not place calls or send emails about such things.  If you are targeted by this scam, pray for patience.  They are unrelenting and sophisticated enough to make multiple phone calls, even if you have blocked one or more of their numbers.

Maundy Thursday, April 18:

7:00 pm - Eucharist with Foot Washing & Stripping of the Altar

8:15 to 10:00 pm - Vigil

Good Friday, April 19:

12:00 pm - Proper Liturgy for Good Friday with Administration of the Reserve      Sacrament

8:00 pm - Proper Liturgy for Good Friday

Don't forget our Lenten series!  Beginning March 10th, for six consecutive Sundays after the 10:00 am service, we will study the parables, basing our conversation on a book by Amy-Jill Levine, Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi.  The book is great but not necessary to this study.  You will need the Participant Guide, which is available at  Cokesbury  and Amazon  for about $10.

Lenten Series Breaking Bread w/the Bishop, St. Paul's, Chatham (Rev. Paula attending) North Porch Baby Shower  Celebration of New Ministry

Sundays, March 10, 17, 24, & 31, April 7 and 14 at 11:30 am Thursday, March 19, 6:30 pm Sunday, March 24, 11:00 am Coffee Hour Saturday, March 30, 2:00 pm

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