February 2, 2022 Highlights Newsletter

February 2, 2022

Important Message from Rev. Paula

Beloved,

It seems that my contact list has been hacked. At least one person received a text from me saying that I need Apple gift cards to help some women with cancer. This is NOT from me. I will never text or email with such a request. If I have a need, I will announce in church, include it in this newsletter, or call you.

I've changed some passwords, which, hopefully, will do the trick. If you get a request like this in my name, please let me know when and how, i.e. text or email. That might tell me I need to do more prevention.

Peace & Blessings,

Paula+

Important Changes to our Common Worship

Do what is right for you, while remembering that your decisions impact other people, too. Please worship from home if you are unvaccinated/unboosted, at higher risk for any reason, have been exposed to Covid within the past week, have had a positive test without a subsequent negative test, or have any symptoms of illness.
We will forego Communion for the time being, sharing in the Liturgy of the Word.
We will take temperatures and maintain the contact tracing information in the foyer. If you arrive with a temperature and/or have signs of illness, we will lovingly and gently ask you to take care of yourself and others by returning home and joining in the worship on Facebook or YouTube.
Remain fully masked at all times while in the building.
Maintain physical distance of at least three feet by household/pod. We've made that easier by removing the cushions from some of the pews.
Refrain from any up close contact with anyone outside of your household/pod, including hugging, hand shaking, fist or elbow bumps.
Enjoy listening to our wonderfully talented vocalists, while refraining from singing yourself.
Don't hang around inside after the service to catch up with people. Weather permitting, do spend a few minutes chatting outside, preferably while following the masking and physical distancing protocols.

Financial Stewardship Pledge Campaign

As of today, we have received 33 pledges totaling $116,054! Thank you to all who have made this commitment to give in faith. This means we have only $3,946 to meet our 2022 pledge goal, though it would be great if we could meet our 2020 goal of $132,000. This year, in addition to regular pledges, we have about $10,000 in gifts to help offset flood recovery costs. The generosity of this parish is beautiful and faithful and is a major reason we are able to live our faith in the ways that we do.

We cannot be the faithful, vibrant community we are without all of us doing our part, including financially. Pledging so that we have an idea of how to build our budget for next year, is essential. If you have not received this year's pledge campaign letter, please let us know and we'll be sure to get a copy to you. The easiest way if you have a computer and access to the internet is to pledge online here. You can also give online, using Tithe.ly. If you'd rather submit a pledge by mail or in the offering plate, please let us know.

Happening at St. Stephen's This Week...

Please join us for our

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany Worship Service on

Sunday, Feb. 6th at 10:00am.

ALL are welcome!

REMINDERS: Because of the HUGE increase in the rate of infection, we have moved to The Liturgy of the Word with Music for our Sunday services. The music will be offered by a soloist (or in the case of Peter and Kira, a married couple).

We will continue to follow safety precautions and lovingly require that you wear a mask over your nose and mouth at all times while in the building and maintain physical distance. Enter at the Narthex door (Christian Education building). Someone will welcome you and take your temperature. An usher will assist you with seating in the church.

Live-streamed to YouTube, Facebook, and via Zoom. Bulletins are available on the St. Stephen's website. All links can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.

Zoom passcode is SSM119.

The Sunday service will also be broadcast on HTTV (Comcast TV 36 and Verizon TV 33) on Tuesday at 6am and 3pm.

INTERFAITH BIBLE HOUR

On Friday, February 4th at 9:00am, we will meet via Zoom with our friends from Christ Church in Short Hills and Temple B'nai Jeshurun to talk about the Book of Genesis.

Join us via Zoom here.

The password is SSM119.

The meeting ID is 865 4375 6895.

Please feel free to join us even if you haven't before.

If you'd like a copy of the text, please call or text Rev. Paula before 8am on Friday.

NEW Facebook Group: Black History Month Movie Connection

February is Black History Month and the diocesan staff have an exciting list of (16) recommended movies. You are invited to join Rev. Paula in watching as many as possible and then posting your thoughts and questions in our NEW Facebook Group: Black History Month Movie Connection.

We've made this group private, which means only group members will see who is participating and what they post. Rev. Paula will act as administrator, approving requests to join the discussion. Please join us. We look forward to connecting with you in this fun and entertaining way!

Children & Youth Ministries

Exciting news: Rev. Paula and Grace have begun the cleanup of our Children's Chapel room and have ordered some fun and colorful furniture, rugs and organizational items. Things are moving along here and we are looking forward to welcoming our children and young people back soon. More details to come!

Looking Ahead

PLEASE CHECK WEEKLY BECAUSE EVENTS MAY BE ADDED OR CHANGED.

FEBRUARY

FEB 2

8pm - AA Meeting

FEB 4

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

FEB 5

7:30pm - AA Meeting

FEB 6

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 7

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 8

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

FEB 9

8pm - AA Meeting

FEB 12

7:30pm - AA Meeting

FEB 13

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 14

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 15

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

FEB 16

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

8pm - AA Meeting

FEB 17

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

FEB 19

7:30pm - AA Meeting

FEB 20

Communion for All

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 21

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 22

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

FEB 23

8pm - AA Meeting

FEB 26

7:30pm - AA Meeting

FEB 27

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 28

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MARCH

MAR 1

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 2

Ash Wednesday

8pm - AA Meeting

MAR 4

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

MAR 5

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAR 6

1st Sun in Lent

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 7

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 8

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 12

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAR 13

2nd Sun in Lent

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 14

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 15

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 16

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

8pm - AA Meeting

MAR 17

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

MAR 19

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAR 20

3rd Sun in Lent

Communion for All

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 21

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 22

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 23

8pm - AA Meeting

MAR 26

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAR 27

4th Sun in Lent

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 28

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 29

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 30

8pm - AA Meeting

APRIL

APR 1

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

APR 2

7:30pm - AA Meeting

APR 3

5th Sun in Lent

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

APR 4

7:30pm - MA Meeting

APR 5

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

APR 6

8pm - AA Meeting

APR 9

7:30pm - AA Meeting

APR 10

Palm Sunday

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

Apr 11

7:30pm - MA Meeting

7:30pm - Evening Prayer Livestreamed

APR 12

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

7:30pm - Evening Prayer Livestreamed

APR 13

7:30pm - Tenebrae

8pm - AA Meeting

APR 14

Maundy Thursday

7:30pm - Eucharist with Foot Washing

APR 15

Good Friday

12pm - Noonday Service

7:30pm - Solemn Collects with the Veneration of the Cross

APR 16

Holy Saturday

10am - Liturgy Livestreamed

7:30pm - AA Meeting

APR 17

Easter Day

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

APR 18

7:30pm - MA Meeting

APR 19

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

APR 20

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

8pm - AA Meeting

APR 21

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

APR 23

7:30pm - AA Meeting

APR 24

2nd Sunday of Easter

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

APR 25

7:30pm - MA Meeting

APR 26

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

APR 27

8pm - AA Meeting

APR 30

7:30pm - AA Meeting

Other Happenings...

WEEKLY WOMEN'S LECTIONARY STUDY

Please join us for a weekly study of a new lectionary available to the Episcopal Church and approved by Bishop Hughes. Our next session is on Tuesday, February 8th. We will meet via Zoom from 5:00 to 6:00 pm to study A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year W by Wilda Gafney.

This thought-provoking lectionary invites and challenges us to explore

differently the familiar stories of Scripture and how they shape and inform our faith today, while also expanding our understanding of what it means to be made in the image of God through the use of non-gendered language for God.

READING WITH THE RECTOR

Sunday, February 13

11:30am - 1:00pm

This month we are discussing

Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans with Jeff Chu.

Rachel Held Evans is widely recognized for her theologically astute, profoundly honest, and beautifully personal books, which have guided, instructed, edified, and shaped Christians as they seek to live out a just and loving faith.

This book is for the doubter and the dreamer, the seeker and the sojourner, those who long for a sense of spiritual wholeness as well as those who have been hurt by the Church but can’t seem to let go of the story of Jesus. Through theological reflection and personal recollection, Rachel wrestles with God’s grace and love, looks unsparingly at what the Church is and does, and explores universal human questions about becoming and belonging.

AA/MA MEETINGS

Weekly AA meetings times

Sunday at 1:00pm

Wednesday at 8:00pm

Saturday at 7:30pm

Weekly MA meetings times

Monday at 7:30pm

These are open meetings presented in a rotating format:

Week 1 - Speaker

Week 2 - Literature

Week 3 - Step

Week 4 - Topic Discussion

Week 5 - Literature (if needed)

AA/MA Meeting Contacts:

Max Turpin

212-203-2542

Deana Loria

908-499-8997

For more information on the newly offered MA meetings, click below:

Marijuana Anonymous District 8

From Bishop Hughes & The Episcopal Church

THE BISHOP'S VLOG - Week of 2/2/22

NEW: It's Black History Month

"The blessing of Black History Month is it reminds us we are in relationships that are to be honored and treasured," says Bishop Hughes, "but to honor and treasure them we have to know each other better."

NEW: The VOICE Online Link - 2/2/22

Upcoming Diocesan Events Link

DIOCESAN E-NEWSLETTERS

Sign up to get e-newsletters and important announcements directly from diocesan headquarters. Find out more and subscribe here.

TRINITY RETREAT CENTER

Trinity Retreat Center is an Episcopal mission of Trinity Church Wall Street. The Retreat Center offers in-person and online retreats for individuals and groups to pray, reflect, make space for grace and God.

For further information, go to the Trinity Retreat Center's Facebook page or click here.

Prayer List

Please keep the following St. Stephen's family

members and friends in your prayers...

Peggy Thompson

Felder Dorn

Donna Riggi

The Blanchard Family

The McManus Family

Bernard & Nathan

Lucille B.

Jack Moreno

Mary Jo Zarance

Joseph G.

Kelly Olson

Linda Moran

Jane Rossiter

Nicole & Emma

Ningyu Liu

KT Thalin

Mike Losito

Evan D. & Family

Alexandra Shuss

Donna Stadler Hostetler

Brian Roland

Renee Kleppinger

Therese Card

Colleen Shaughnessy

Liliane Khouri

Drew

We give thanks for the life of Bob Martel who entered into greater glory.

If you would like to add someone to our prayer list, please email us at church@ststephensmillburn.org, or call (973) 376-0688 Ext. 32.

Anyone for whom we are praying will be on our prayer list for six weeks.

If prayers are still needed beyond that time period, please let us know. Thank you.

Sunday Lectionary

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Isaiah 6:1-8, [9-13]

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Luke 5:1-11

Psalm 138

If you'd like to read the full lectionary for the week, you may do so here.

Giving with Tithe.ly

TITHE.LY

Giving with Tithe.ly is easy with options for recurring donations or one-time use for when you are away or not able to be in church (like all of us now due to COVID restrictions).

You can access Tithe.ly via their website or their app on your smart phone. Be sure to search for the correct account - "St. Stephen's Church Millburn." Once you have accessed the account page with our address, you will be instructed to follow the prompts.

Office Notes

Due to COVID restrictions, only teachers and staff are allowed to be in the building during school hours. If you need to visit the parish office/building for any reason, please contact us for an appointment. Thank you.