A Message from Rev. Paula+
Beloved Community,

Writing this message feels quite a bit different than it has in the past, which is, I suppose, not surprising given the time in which we find ourselves.  In ways that we are still discovering, life is changed.  Some of the changes are temporary and fluid.  Others feel more permanent and may become new ways of being.   It is so hard to feel settled and not anxious, especially because it seems as if we are always a step or two behind this dastardly virus.  We get information and we make plans and then we get new information which means our plans need to change.  That can lead to lots of anxiety and fear. 

And yet there is a lot that has not changed, much we can count on and settle into. 

We are still St. Stephen's in all the ways that matter most, even as we work to stay connected in new ways.  More than that, I want you to know that we will get through this.  We have each other, we have God, and God has us.  

There is so much information to share, that it is hard to know where to start.  There's information from Bishop Hughes.  There are updates about what's happening behind the scenes here at St. Stephen's.  There's information about some of the things we are doing now to stay connected to each other and to share in common worship. There are resources to share from the diocese and beyond.

The best approach I can think of  is to share this with you in "chunks". You'll notice that the headings for our newsletter are one of those things that is temporarily changed.  I am grateful to have the flexibility to change this admittedly small detail of our common life, even as I look forward to things getting back to "normal".

Before I move on to the sharing of information, I commend to you this prayer.  It is the prayer I read this morning on Facebook Live.  It is wisdom born of deep faith and trust in God.  It is timeless.

Be at Peace
by  St. Frances de Sales
 
Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life;
rather, look to them with full hope that as they arise,
God, whose very own you are, will lead you safely through all things; 
and when you cannot stand it, God will carry you in His arms.
Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; 
the same understanding Father who cares for you today 
will take care of you then and every day.
He will either shield you from suffering 
or will give you unfailing strength to bear it. 
Be at peace, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.

Peace & Blessings,
Paula+
From Bishop Hughes
Bishop Hughes and her staff are working diligently to provide guidance and support to congregations and clergy about how best to respond to this health crisis.  Her leadership is thoughtful and deeply, obviously rooted in faith and in love for us and God.  She has shown a willingness and ability to balance those things that are hers to decide and to engage the conversation about those things that need less of a directive and a more particular approach based on the needs, resources, and personalities of parishes and clergy.

The Bishop is meeting with clergy via Zoom every week.  She has also assigned us to regional clergy groups and asked us to gather in topic specific groups as needed.  This time together is important to our self care and also so that we have the most current information each week.  I know that I already have benefited from the time I have spent in these meetings.  My hope is that you, too, will feel the benefit of the wisdom of these groups.

Bishop Hughes plans to send a weekly message to the whole diocese, planned for Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.  This message will go out to the approximately 3500 people on the diocesan email list.  If you are not on that list, you are welcome to join.  I would recommend emailing Nina at nnicholson@dioceseofnewark.org if you would like to be added to that list.  

Another option is to check out the diocesan website by clicking on Home in the Links to the Wider Church section at the bottom of this newsletter. There is a Covid-19 tab at the top of the page. The Bishop's vlog is also accessible in the Links to the Wider Church section.
Behind the Scene at St. Stephen's
In some ways, life continues as usual and in other ways it doesn't.  Before getting to "it continues as usual", a happy change:

The Common Room!
Thanks to the generosity of one of you and some project funds in the preschool budget, the Common Room is getting a facelift.  We are cleaning, painting, installing new flooring, and replacing some of the furniture.  We are using this room far more often than we used to and in some different ways, and the newly designed space will help us to do that in ways that feel more warm and welcoming.  And, because we are observing the necessary precautions in this time, the team doing this work is maintaining appropriate distances from each other, which includes doing some work alone.  It's a project we've had planned for a while and had started in small ways before the restrictions went into place.  In a lemonade-from-lemons kind of way, we are choosing to be grateful that the lack of typical activity in the building makes completing this project possible.

Continuing as Usual

We continue to be available to all of you, though, perhaps, a bit more differently than before.  Doreen, Dave, Nancy Siracusa, and Rev. Paula are spending time in the office, though at considerable distance from one another.  This will continue for as long as it is safe and prudent to do.  Even now, what can be done from home is being done from home.

Among the things that continue as usual, we are:
  • planning worship and Christian formation, as well as doing sermon prep - given the need to do this differently, this is actually taking more time than before, so that we continue
    • worshiping together on Sunday, albeit via Zoom and Facebook Live
    • gathering for Adult Formation, albeit via Zoom 
    • loving our children and nurturing their faith, albeit with a video taped lesson via Facebook
  • providing pastoral care, albeit less in person and more via email, phone, and regular mail, with Zoom being an option
  • meeting to do the work of the Vestry, Finance Committee, and Preschool Committee, albeit via Zoom
  • preparing and sending the weekly newsletter
  • preparing and sending the monthly "Sunday School News"
  • being active in social media so that folks know they are not alone
  • checking email and answering the phones/checking messages (this has to be done from the office, a function of an older phone system)
  • opening the mail so that we don't miss anything important, including our bills
  • paying the bills, including salaries
  • planning for the re-opening of the preschool, summer camp, and registrations for next year
  • maintaining the cemetery records
  • staying in touch with all of you and the wider community
What We Hope Will Continue as Usual ( a message from the Finance Committee)

To St. Stephen's Church Family: we're doing our best to stay connected and to walk in faith through these challenging days. While we're not together in person for worship, please remember that St. Stephen's Church still needs your financial support. Donations and 2020 pledge payments are needed to pay our staff and to maintain our dear church. We want it to stand solid, ready and clean for the day when we can again meet there together for worship and prayer. Please use  tithe.ly to pay online, or mail your check to St. Stephen's Church, 119 Main Street, Millburn, NJ 07041, and thank you for your generosity and support.
Connection and Common Worship
New Approaches to Being Church

It is so very important that we figure out how to be who we are always and who we would be in any kind of crisis.  It's a sad irony that a crisis like this typically is a time people return to or begin to come to church.  And we can't welcome them or you in the way we would most like to do. So we are using technology and coming up with additional ways to be present to each other and our neighbors far and wide.

Sunday Worship:

Beginning tomorrow, March 22nd, we will be gathering via Zoom and Facebook Live for worship.  Our plan for now is Morning Prayer with Homily and Music.  There are a few ways to join us:

From your computer or smartphone,
  • join us on Zoom using this link;
  • go to the calendar page of our website here, click on "Sunday Worship via Zoom" and use the information in the description section about how to connect.
You will be muted when you enter.  We ask that you stay muted so that we minimize background noise.

From you phone (you'll be able hear us but won't be able to see us),
  • dial in by phone 1-646-876-9923 and entering 606362582 when prompted.
On Facebook,
Computer but not on Facebook:  No worries.  You'll find us here.

You'll find the bulletin on the St. Stephen's Facebook page in the "Menu" section on the left.  It's an idiosyncrasy of Facebook that .pdf files all post as menus.  Feel free to download and print it in advance.

Holy Week and Easter:

We are continuing to plan our Holy Week and Easter services, recognizing that it is unlikely that we will be able to gather together.  It is too soon to say exactly what these will look like, though our commitment is to offer as much of our customary as we are able using the technologies and resources available to us.

Remember that not all of what happens in church has to happen only in church, though certainly there are some sacramental observances that are supposed to be officiated by a priest, such as (non-emergency) baptism and consecration of the Eucharist.  If you have a favorite custom, let's talk about how it can be adjusted to your personal, in-home observance.  What's most important - actually the reason for any of our liturgies - is that we find ourselves closer to God, connected to Jesus in new or deeper ways.

Christian Formation:

The final session of the Lenten Series is tomorrow, March 22nd at 11:30 via Zoom.  
Join us in one of the following ways:
  • using this link;
  • going to the calendar page of the website here, clicking on "Lenten Series via Zoom" and using the information in the description about how to join the discussion;
  • dialing in by phone to 1-646-876-9923 and entering 199651952 when prompted (you'll be able to hear us but won't be able to see us).
If you have a computer with no camera or microphone, please sign into the meeting via the link AND dial in by phone.  You'll see and hear us and we'll be able to hear you.

Before we gather, please look at the videos about shelter and community that are at signsoflife.org.  This will help our discussion run more smoothly.

Our next session of Reading with the Rector is March 29th at 11:30.  We'll be discussing Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr.
Join us in one of the following ways:
  • using this link;
  • going to the calendar page of the website here, clicking on "Reading with the Rector via Zoom" and using the information in the description about how to join the discussion;
  • dialing in by phone to 1-646-876-9923 and entering 133985198 when prompted (you'll be able to hear us but won't be able to see us).
If you have a computer with no camera or microphone, please sign into the meeting via the link AND dial in by phone.  You'll see and hear us and we'll be able to hear you.

Saturday School NEW!

We'll be offering "Saturday School" as a way to keep in touch with our children, reminding them that we miss them and want to connect with them, too.  Each Saturday morning we will post a video with a lesson about one of the stories in the next day's lectionary.

Daily Common Prayer NEW!

Each day, hopefully morning (8:30ish) and evening (7:45ish), Rev. Paula will use Facebook Live to offer prayer and some reflection.  This will be from a variety of sources and will take various shapes, sometimes feeling more liturgical, sometimes more poetic.  If you have thoughts about what you'd like this to be, please let her know.

Bakery Bible Hour:

Rev. Paula, Rev. Bowie, and Lucy will make a decision about offering this via Zoom.  Stay tuned for more information.
Resources from the Diocese and Beyond
There are many, many resources available to parishes and individuals to help sustain our faith practices during this unprecedented time.  This is by no means a complete list, though it does cover many areas of need.

The Diocese of Newark has a page dedicated to pastoral messages, informational updates and directives, and resources for use by parishes and people of faith.  You'll find it here.

The Episcopal Church, nationally and internationally, has information on its website, including pastoral messages from Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry.  You'll find it here.  

The National Cathedral livestreams worship and hosts podcasts, all of which can be accessed here.

The Church Publishing Group has made available a free downloadable copy of The Book of Common Prayer.  This is a wonderful way to encourage both a personal prayer discipline and as a support to online worship in which the liturgy is from the BCP.

Church Publishing has also made available until April 15th a wonderful children's book about Compline, Candle Walk by Karin Holsinger Sherman.  If you listened to Rev. Paula's very first Facebook Live event the evening of March 20th, you heard her read this story.  You'l find these and other resources on the company's website or here, an Episcopal News Service link.

Now might be the right time to sign up for a daily, weekly, or monthly devotion.  A couple of our favorites are:
  • The Society of St. John the Evangelist.  The brothers offer wisdom in many ways so please do explore their website.
  • The Center for Action and Contemplation, home of Richard Rohr.  As with SSJE, this is a rich offering of resources so it is best to explore the website.


Lectionary

This Week:  March 22
 

 Next Week:  March 29


Links to the Wider Church

The Episcopal Diocese of Newark







The Episcopal Church









The Presiding Bishop








Giving with Tithe.ly
Giving with Tithe.ly is easy, with options for one-time or recurring donations.  We encourage you to consider it at all times, but especially when you are away for any reason, like all of us now with the restrictions due to coronavirus.

There are two ways to do it:  thru  tithe.ly.com  or the  tithe.ly  app on your smart phone.  You'll want to search for St. Stephen's Church Millburn.  Be sure to have the correct punctuation. You'll know you're there when you see: St. Stephen's Church Millburn and the address. Once you're at the church's page, follow the prompts.  
Office Hours and Contact Information

Office hours: Until we are through this public health emergency, there are NO office hours.  Please call Rev. Paula to arrange for pastoral care or if you have any reason to come to the office. She'll work with you to figure out a safe way to manage this.
Phone: 973.376.0668  
Fax: 973.376.4002
Website: ststephensmillburn.org
Main email: church@ststephensmillburn.org
Follow us on:  FacebookInstagram and  Pinterest

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.
She is an occasional blogger at fromthestillness.