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A Message from Rev. Paula+
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Beloved Community,
At our Lenten series on Sunday, in a discussion about darkness and light - Yes, this did include Jesus as the Light - we talked about how it is our experience of light is made possible by our awareness of the darkness, and vice versa. The conversation was much deeper and richer than is possible to capture here so I share with you this takeaway:
Sometimes our experience of the absence or silence of God brings us to a deeper awareness of the presence and voice of God. Lent is a time set aside to explore those things about us and our lives that lead us to feel distant or separated from God.
Our conversation reminded me of one of my very favorite poems, "Flickering Mind" by Denise Levertov (1923-1997). I leave you with the profoundly simple truth of her words:
Lord, not you,
it is I who am absent.
At first
belief was a joy I kept in secret,
stealing alone
into sacred places:
a quick glance, and away-and back,
circling.
I have long since uttered your name
but now
I elude your presence.
I stop
to think about you, and my mind
at once
like a minnow darts away,
darts
into the shadows, into gleams that fret
unceasing over
the river's purling and passing.
Not for one second
will my self hold still, but wanders
anywhere,
everywhere it can turn. Not you,
it is I who am absent.
You are the stream, the fish, the light,
the pulsing shadow,
you the unchanging presence, in whom all
moves and changes.
How can I focus my flickering, perceive
at the fountain's heart
the sapphire I know is there?
Peace & Blessings,
Paula+
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Lent, Holy Week, and Easter
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We have a lot going on in Lent, Holy Week, and Easter this year, so Rev. Paula sent a separate special edition of the newsletter this week on Wednesday, 3/4 with all the details.
Our Lenten series this year will be held on March 1, 8, 15 and 22. We are using a series from the Society of St. John the Evangelist.
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HOSPITALITY IS WHO WE ARE
St. Stephen's opens its doors to IHN again from April 5 to April 11.
We have served as a host congregation for the Interfaith Hospitality Network for the Homeless since 1987, part of a network of Essex County congregations offering homeless families a week
's hospitality
while the case management team helps them move toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
We will be on hand on Sunday, March 8, to talk about how
simple things like cooking a lasagna, reading to a three year-old and sleeping in the parish hall overnight, help families stay together at a time of crisis - changing the course of their, and their children's lives.
Signup for overnight hosting and other (non-food) support online using this signup genius link
or at coffee hour with Sara Ruth Dorn for food preparation.
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REMINDER
This Sunday, March 8
, daylight savings time begins. Set your clock ahead one hour and be on time for church!
BAKERY BIBLE HOUR
Join us this Friday, March 6 at 9 AM as we gather with our friends from Christ Church in Short Hills and Congregation B'nai Jeshurun to explore the biblical texts. This year we are exploring the major themes and stories from Genesis, using the Robert Alter translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.
We provide the text and the coffee. You bring an open mind and curious heart. We are meeting at Christ Church in Short Hills this week. Hope to see you there!
EASTER EGG HUNT
We are
collecting donations of Hersheys kisses (NO NUTS), Starbursts, Jelly Belly jelly beans (individual small packages), and plastic eggs for our annual Easter Egg Hunt.
The hunt will take place on the church lawn after services on
Sunday, April 12. Donations can be brought on the Sundays prior and placed in the box marked Egg Hunt in the church office. If you have any questions, please see Maryalice Chech. Thank you in advance for your generous donations!
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SHALL WE DANCE?
The ballroom dancing club will return in March at
3 PM on the following Sundays:
March 15, 22 and 29.
Join Fangjie Liu and Michael Priddy for
this fun and FREE dancing workshop. Open to all ages! (The club will NOT meet on Sunday 3/1/or 3/8.)
READING WITH THE RECTOR
Because of Lent, we have some changes to the schedule. We will meet Sunday, March 29 at 11:30 AM to discuss this month's book selection, "Falling Upward" by Richard Rohr.
Our next meeting will be May 5. The book selection for this session is "Inspired" by Rachel Held Evans.
Please join us!
SATURDAY, MARCH 21 AT 7:45 AM
A training day for ALL congregational lay leaders to learn, network and celebrate your ministry.
Registration is required and is due by 5 PM on Monday, March 16. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated.
The cost is $20 per person. Click here to register.
Questions?
Contact: Jane Jubilee, Coordinator of Diocesan Resources & Events
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Local portrait artist, Oscar Peterson, would like to invite St. Stephen's co
ngregation to the following exhibitions. You may know Oscar as the artist who painted the portrait of Rev. Cork.
He shared the following information with us:
Solo Show at 1978 Gallery - 1978 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood, NJ
January 20 - March 8, 2020;
Artist's reception Sunday, February 9, 2-5pm
This is the Gallery's Black History Month Exhibit which focuses on exhibiting art by nationally and internationally acclaimed African-American artists and this year they chose me!
Curator's Lens, Group Show at SOPAC - 1 SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ
January 30 - March 22, 2020;
Artist's reception Thursday, January 30, 6-9pm
10 Year Retrospective Solo Show - Millburn Public Library, 200 Glen Avenue
This show runs the
entire month of April 2020 and I would like to include the portrait of Rev. Cork.
Thank you for letting me share this information, and I hope to see you there!
OscarPetersonPortraits.com.
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MARCH
3/6 9 AM Bakery Bible Hour at Christ Church in Short Hills
3/6 6:30 PM Way Walkers
at St. Rose of Lima
3/8 11:30 AM IHN Information Session
3/8 11:30 AM Lenten Series:
Signs of Life, Week 2
3/13 6:30 PM
Way Walkers
at St. Rose of Lima
3/13-3/15 Pop Up Youth Event: Middle School Retreat
at Cross Roads
3/15 11:30 AM Lenten Series:
Signs of Life, Week 3
3/15 TBD Vestry Meeting
3/15 3 PM Shall We Dance?
3/22 6:30 PM Way Walkers
at St. Rose of Lima
(Rev. Paula is offering the reflection)
3/22 10 AM Youth Sunday
3/22 11:30 AM Lenten Series: Signs of Life, Week 4
3/22 3 PM Shall We Dance?
3/24 7 PM Huddle for Compassion
at Temple B'nai Jeshurun
3/27 6:30 PM
Way Walkers at St. Rose of Lima
3/29 11:30 AM Reading with the Rector
3/29 3 PM Shall We Dance?
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Liturgical Stewardship Schedule
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MARCH 8 (Daylight Savings Time)
8 AM
Reader & Chalicer: Nancy Sieffert
Altar Guild: Nancy Sieffert
10 AM
Readers: Kathy Conway, Barbara Churchill
Chalicist: Roger Riedel
Ushers: Tim and Kathy Conway
Counters: Roger Riedel, Nancy Sieffert
Altar Guild: Jean James
Coffee Hour: Open
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MARCH 15
8 AM
Reader & Chalicer: Michelle Ellingham
Altar Guild:
Julia Dorn
10 AM
Readers: Kathy Conway, Fran Taber
Chalicist: John Soughan
Ushers: Jeff Majtyka, Dan Mitchell
Counters: Barbara Churchill, Nancy Sieffert
Altar Guild: Julia Dorn
Coffee Hour: Eugene Foley
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Links to the Wider Church
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The Episcopal Diocese of Newark
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Tithe.ly is a
mobile-friendly
app designed by a clergy person and used by thousands of congregations across the country. With Tithe.ly, you can do one-time or recurring payments, as well as help with the nominal fee of using the service. You can download the app from the App Store or Play Store, or you can do it online at tithe.ly/give. Enter St. Stephen's Church in the search menu and we should pop up. You'll know it's
us if it says "St. Stephen's Church, Millburn, NJ 07041."
It's also possible to access Tithe.ly through our website - click on the "Give" button in the menu and you will be given the option to use Tithe.ly.
Don't worry. If you prefer to use a check or cash, that's fine. If you are a Vanco user and want to keep it that way, that is good, too.
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Office Hours and Contact Information
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Office hours are Tuesday thru Friday, 10:00 am to 1:30 pm or by appointment.
Website: ststephensmillburn.org
Main email: church@ststephensmillburn.org
Doreen Schindler, Parish Administrator
can be reached at ext. 32 or
church@ststephensmillburn.org.
The Rev. Paula J. Toland, Rector can be reached at ext. 21 or
rector@ststephensmillburn.org.
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