Download The VOICE Digest printable PDF with highlights from this issue.

Bishop Hughes shows her sacred space at home and talks about the importance of making a sacred space for ourselves, especially as we are facing a holiday season like none we have experienced before due to the Covid pandemic.

Click on the video at right to watch (time: 4:04), or click here to read the transcript.

See also Bishop Hughes' message sent on Nov. 13: Updated guidelines for in-person worship in the Diocese of Newark.

As always, Bishop Hughes will share news and perspectives on where we are as a diocese “in such a time as this.” In addition, Canon Margo Clark and Missioner for Stewardship Cynthia McChesney will lead a discussion that introduces the benefits of creating an intentional Small Group Ministry in your congregation. Intentional small groups are faith-based, and provide a space and structure for parishioners to build trusting relationships with God and one another.

We’ll be developing and sharing lots more on Small Group Ministry in the coming months, including holding parish-specific clinics for parishes ready to dive deeper into this ministry.

Join us tomorrow evening for an inspiring peek into the possibilities of this ministry for your parish! Find out more.

Bishop Hughes invites all 2020 Confirmands to continue deepening their growth in Christ as we prepare for Confirmation services next summer. She would like to join with them in conversation about their spiritual life on three occasions during the program year. The first of these zoom meetings will be in early December: December 10 at 6 PM for both Adult Confirmands and Youth Confirmands. The other two meetings will be scheduled in the first half of 2021.

While these meetings are not required to be Confirmed (since our 2020 Confirmands have already been prepared), Bishop Hughes strongly encourages participation, to find a way to make this in-between year fruitful for spiritual growth.

Please note: this is intended for those who were scheduled to be Confirmed in 2020. Confirmands preparing for 2021 Confirmation will have different opportunities to meet with the Bishop. All 2020 Confirmands who had previously registered will be contacted by diocesan staff to register for these events.

Confirmation services in 2020 were postponed out of concern for safety during the pandemic. Bishop Hughes hopes to be able to conduct Confirmation services in the summer of 2021, though that will depend on safety needs during that time. Questions should be directed to Canon Andrew Wright at awright@dioceseofnewark.org.

The third and final speaker in this series will be Dr. Catherine Meeks, Founding Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Episcopal Center for Racial Healing (rescheduled from November 2).

Information on how to join via Zoom will be in the What's happening this week email being sent the morning of Dec. 7.

Find out more, and please advertise this session in your congregation.

In the meantime, you can watch the recordings of the first two speakers:

Remember that there is a Community Calendar on the diocesan website (under "Events" in the main menu) where you can post your congregation's events that are open to the wider diocese or the public. Each congregation is invited to designate one person to get login credentials to submit events. Find out more.

Every year the Deacons in the Diocese of Newark attend at least one retreat together. This year they had their retreat via Zoom. Archdeacon Diane Riley and Deacon Deborah R. Drake met with Spiritual Director Jan Valentine for Advent Retreat ideas, and Jan created an Advent meditation video that they would now like to share with the diocese as their gift to you.

Click on the video to watch it (time: 55:49) or read more about it here.

In lieu of the traditional in-person Clergy Conference held each October, this year the clergy of our diocese held a series of online events over Oct. 19-21 called "Clergy Revival: Upheld by Grace." The online format made it possible for VIP speakers to "Zoom in" for an hour-long panel discussion. Here are video recordings of those panels.

Thanksgiving Day may still be over a week away, but we're already in the Thanking Season of our Annual Pledge Campaigns.

It feels good to be thanked, and really good to be thanked right away. Read more.

Submit items for consideration for the Nov. 18 issue of The VOICE Online by 10 AM Wednesday, Nov. 25 at dioceseofnewark.org/VOICE-submissions.

The Bishop and her staff will be off work next Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26 and 27, for the Thanksgiving holiday. We wish you and yours a safe, healthy and blessed holiday weekend.

Please send changes to Nina Nicholson at nnicholson@dioceseofnewark.org.

A holy place in virtual space for mourning and memory.

Prayers can be sent to Canon Wright at awright@dioceseofnewark.org for posting.

No matter what exactly next summer at Cross Roads looks like, we will need trustworthy and creative young adults to help serve the Cross Roads community. Applications to work on Summer Staff 2021 are now OPEN! Learn more and apply on the Cross Roads website. You can read the most recent update about summer camp at Cross Roads here.

Your church can still join the Bold Transformational Faith (BTF) initiative. Join Cross Roads for weekly Sunday School at 11 am or 4 pm or use the curriculum on your own time. The four-week ADVENTure curriculum begins on Sunday, November 29 and after a Christmas break, BTF resumes with a NEW Sunday School curriculum on January 10. Learn more here.

Cross Roads and its ministry partner Luther Crest Bible Camp invite you to a special Bold Transformational Faith (BTF) virtual worship event as we begin the season of Advent. We'll sing some favorite Christmas and Advent songs, dance, pray, and hear a message about anticipating the birth of Jesus. Find this campfire on the Cross Roads Facebook page on Sunday, November 29 at 7:30 PM. All are welcome!

Young adults can now apply for the spring semester of the Cross Roads Gap Year Program. To learn more and apply by December 15 to join the program in January, visit the Cross Roads website. Whatever your interests or your path in life, the Cross Roads Gap Year is an excellent next step.

The final Wednesdays Away retreat of 2020 is Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 10 AM - 12 PM and will focus on the theme "The Coming of Christ." Click here to register.