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

Noting that we stand at a crossroads this week, Bishop Hughes says, "A person could almost start to ask the question, 'How do we manage it all?' And I think it's important for us to remember, that we don't manage it all. That is the God who created us, the God who loves us, the God who remains with us, that we turn to to help us walk through it all."

Click on the video at right to watch (time: 5:07), or click here to read the transcript.

Church of the Messiah in Chester is taking advantage of their large parking lot to restart their bell choir. Under the direction of music director Laura Craig, the bell choir rehearses outside each Sunday afternoon, wearing masks and standing at least six feet apart.

The Stitch Club of the Church of the Holy Innocents in West Orange crafted purple hats for babies at Trinitas Regional Medical Center to raise awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

The color purple is used because the acronym PURPLE stands for different stages and peaks of crying throughout the first few months of babies' lives. According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, the number one trigger is frustration with a baby's crying.

Michael Lisa, Trinitas CPR instructor and also the husband of Stitch Club member Robin Lisa, made the annual purple hat delivery to Trinitas staff member Hana Baudendistel.

Submit items for consideration for the Nov. 18 issue of The VOICE Online by 10 AM Friday, Nov. 13 at dioceseofnewark.org/VOICE-submissions.

Today we complete our three days of online community prayer for the election, begun on Election Eve, with the Great Litany at 12 noon and a short prayer service at 7 PM.

These services are intended to help us focus on repentance, reconciliation, and the work before us, no matter the outcome of the election.

Information on how to join both these services via Zoom is available in the What's happening this week in the Diocese of Newark email sent on Monday. You can download an updated bulletin with music for the 7 PM service here.

We thank the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis for sharing their graphic LIGHT A CANDLE, PRAY FOR THE NATION, VOTE with the wider Church.

During these unusual circumstances, Bishop Hughes wants to ensure that everyone in the Diocese of Newark has the opportunity to receive Communion at least three times in this program year. The first Diocesan Communion will be Sunday, November 8. Find out more.

If you haven't yet identified whether or not your congregation is celebrating Holy Eucharist on Nov. 8, please do so at this link.

The Diocese of Newark is hosting a Speaker Series on Race co-hosted by Bishop Hughes and the Namaste Anti-Racism Commission. Three leaders from within The Episcopal Church will reflect on the question “How are we talking about race in The Episcopal Church?” with each providing a unique understanding and an opportunity for reflections on race.

The speakers will be:

Information on how to join these sessions via Zoom is available in the What's happening this week in the Diocese of Newark email sent on Monday.

Find out more, and please advertise the dates and times within your congregation.

“This is a time for emotional, mental, spiritual resilience. We've got to have the resilience and flexibility to roll with the punches,” says the Rev. Bob Morris.

“Each of us has an irrevocable connection with God whether we know it or not – a taproot into the divine spirit. The purpose of spiritual practice is to keep that healthy and to let it grow deeper, so the source of our resilience is not just in our own psychological practices, but is open it to the flow of grace which is available to all of us.”

To that end, Morris and the Rev. Anthony Puca have organized an eight-week online course, Practicing Christ: The Way of Jesus as Transformative Practice. Read more.

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.

Scheduled for 90 minutes, this Zoom conversation is open to all members of the diocese. Find out more.

For youth in grades 6 to 12. Click here to register! Questions? Email popupym@dioceseofnewark.org.

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

The Marge Christie Fund has a balance of unallocated funds, and Diocesan Council has approved a second funding cycle for 2020.

The application deadline is 12 noon on Monday, November 16. Find out more and apply online.

Vanco, the online giving vendor used and recommended by Episcopal House, has launched an upgraded interface. The old text-only interface can now be replaced with a much more modern interface that uses graphics to illustrate and enhance the stories presented to potential givers. The diocesan e-giving page has upgraded to the new interface, which you can see below or by visiting e-giving.dioceseofnewark.org.

If your church is already using Vanco for online giving, contact Vanco about upgrading to the new interface. If you church isn't using Vanco but is interested, find out more here.

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.

Click here for all clergy ministry transitions in 2020.

Applications to join this Gap Year Program at Cross Roads for the spring semester are now open! Young adults ages 18+ are invited to apply to live on-site as part of an intentional community, while taking classes online, working, and/or spending the year doing service in the community. Learn more and apply here.

It is not too late to join the Cross Roads Bold Transformational Faith (BTF) initiative! BTF is an opportunity for congregations to work with summer camp professionals to strengthen faith formation programs, develop new ways of engaging youth and young adults, and build up leaders. Learn more about BTF and how to get involved.

There are a number of projects around camp that we could use volunteers to help us work on this fall. If you are interested in donating your time and talents, please email our Maintenance Director Joe Marra at Joe@CrossRoadsRetreat.com to talk about potential projects.

Episcopal institutions can now apply for the next round of the Episcopal Evangelism Grants Program, designed to fund local and regional evangelism efforts in the Episcopal Church. The new grant cycle will focus on projects that explore new methods of evangelism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out more.