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God understands that some part of us has the struggle that Paul names in Romans – that we do the things that we don't mean to do. And Lent gives us a chance to look at that, to turn ourselves, again and again, back to God, and ask the question, “What is it that I am called to do now? And what do I need to ask forgiveness for? And who do I need to forgive?” (Time: 3:59.)

Bishop Hughes is Celebrant and Preacher.

This service will be both in-person, and live streamed at youtube.com/c/dionewark. Please join us!

Bishop Hughes asks every parish in our diocese to add prayers for Ukraine, for Russia, and for peace to worship this Sunday and Ash Wednesday. As usual the prayers are your choice. Click here for the prayers Presiding Bishop Curry, Archbishops Welby & Cottrell, and Bishop Edington of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe have posted in the last few days.

Further, Bishop Hughes encourages you and your congregation to support the global day of prayer and fasting for peace on Ash Wednesday.

Donations to Episcopal Relief & Development’s “INTERNATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE” fund will provide humanitarian assistance for the crisis in Ukraine. Working through the Action by Churches Together Alliance (ACT Alliance), your donation will provide cash, blankets, hygiene supplies and other needed assistance.

To donate, click here (the fund is the second option on the list) or call 855-312-4325.

We all have noticed that in the times we live in, people and groups seem more polarized and separated than ever. Our churches are not an exception to this reality, and many churches experience conflict over specific issues and find it difficult to navigate that conflict in a world where civility seems to no longer exist.

The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center provides speakers and education resources for churches of all denominations on biblical peace and justice issues, as well as conflict transformation skills training, and training for church leaders and members on healthy congregations. Bishop Hughes has made arrangements for trainings by the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, open to all members of the diocese, to take place this spring.

These workshops will help us learn things about planning and leading healthy congregations, how to respond to anxiety and anger, and understanding our own communication and leadership style. It is our hope that there will be a very large turnout for these vital workshops from all around our diocese.

It is important for all the people of the Diocese of Newark to learn about how to have healthy parishes, the roots and causes of conflict, how to prevent it, and how to handle it. Even if you don’t think you or your parish could ever experience serious conflict, do yourself a favor and come to one of these programs to learn and develop skills and understanding that will be useful in many situations and settings. It is interesting and life-giving to learn new ways of dealing with people and situations that are complicated. Please consider having at least three people and ideally five from your parish attend one or more of these offerings:

Two Monday evenings, 7-9 PM, March 28 (part 1) & April 4 (part 2)

Saturday, April 30, 10 AM - 4 PM

Watch for an e-mail with registration information coming next week to all VOICE subscribers.

St. Peter's, Morristown is excited to announce Dr. Miroslav Volf as the selected lecturer for the Annual 2022 Spong Lecture Series. The lecture will take place on Saturday March 26 at 4:30 PM in-person and via live stream. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. Find out more.

Confirmation services for 2022 are filling up fast, but four services are still accepting registrations.

Clergy and Wardens: Please register your candidates before 5 PM on Thursday, March 31.

Even though this event is still three months away, Clergy and Wardens are asked to submit honorees' information and photos as soon as they are available. This will help us create a high-quality production that honors all the award winners.

Even though it is no longer the month officially designated for Black History, we are still celebrating it here in the Diocese of Newark. In these videos, two members of our Cathedral share their personal experiences and some highlights from the Cathedral's long history, as it evolved into the form we know today.

The Episcopal Church, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, is – in worship, mission, and governance – the work of the people. Parishes and missions have elected leadership and clergy, and also send representatives to work in the larger diocesan mission through participation in Diocesan Convention, governing bodies, committees and commissions. Diocesan Convention elects representatives to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, and they in turn participate on committees, commissions, and at General Convention to further the mission of the larger church.

What does that all mean? The Episcopal Church is all of us, and you have a chance to participate in General Convention – right now! Read more.

Last summer Cross Roads installed its first Good News Garden, and this year calls upon individuals, churches, and groups throughout the region to envision a larger agrarian effort to address food security and to serve and celebrate Creation Care. Read more.

Middle & High School Retreat (Grades 6-12): APR 29 - MAY 1, 2022

Elementary School Retreat (Grades 3-5): MAY 13 - 15, 2022

Youth Retreats at Cross Roads combine fun activities, Bible study, worship, delicious food, and time spent outside to create an awesome weekend for youth and their adult leaders. Read more about the retreats and register your youth group at: crossroadsretreat.com/youth-retreats.

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