This Week at Christ Church

Christ Church in the City of New Brunswick

Worshiping God, Serving God's People

December 16, 2022 | Events for the week of December 18, 2022

Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 9:00a.m. - 2:30p.m., Friday 9:00am - 12:30p.m.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Worship Services This Week

JOIN US IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM!

8:00AM & 10:30AM

Eucharistic Services

Liturgical Ministers Needed!

See links below for sign-ups!

For those joining on Zoom

Click HERE to join the 10:30AM Service

Click HERE to watch the 10:30AM services live on YouTube, or HERE for Facebook, or watch anytime.

Find Sunday's worship service materials below:

8:00AM & 10:30AM Parish Notes HERE

Follow along with the Book of Common Prayer HERE

Wednesday

Noonday Prayer-click HERE to join

Liturgical Ministers Sign Ups!

Please check your calendars

and sign up!!

December (Sundays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Services): Here

PARISH EVENTS THIS WEEK

All events via Zoom unless otherwise indicated.

SUNDAY

Holy Eucharist, 8:00AM

Choir Rehearsal, 9:30AM

Church School, 9:30AM via Zoom

Holy Eucharist, 10:30AM

Bell Choir & Joyful Noise Choir, 12:00PM

Vestry Meeting, 12PM

TUESDAY

Tuesdayers, 7:00PM via Zoom

WEDNESDAY

Noonday Prayer via Zoom

WomenSpirit, 7:30PM via Zoom

THURSDAY

Chamber Choir Rehearsal, 7:00PM

SATURDAY

Pageant Dress Rehearsal, 1:00PM

Canticum Novum, Joyful Noise, and Handbell Rehearsal, 2:30PM

Family Service with Nativity, 4PM

Chamber Choir & String Quarter Rehearsal, 7PM

Special Music 8:30PM followed by 9:00PM Eucharist

COVID GUIDELINES

Please review the most current COVID-19 guidelines from the

Diocesan Taskforce for Re-entering, Re-opening, and Re-imagining HERE

The Interfaith Rotating Shelter is BACK!

After two years' hiatus to address the growing number of people on the street in our city. Each year, area houses of worship—including Christ Church—open their doors to provide a warm place to sleep for men on the waiting list to get a bed at Ozanam Inn or other facilities. We have an urgent need for overnight volunteers from December 11 through March, including January 2-8 and February 12-19 when the shelter will be hosted by Christ Church. This typically includes signing in the guests, helping to serve dinner, being a friendly face to chat, and making coffee in the morning. Volunteers at Christ Church sleep in the choir room, across the hall from the guests; you can sign up for a partial shift if you can't stay the whole time. If you can't stay the night, consider preparing a meal for the guests or helping out in other ways. You can sign up at this link or by contacting coordinators

Jason Kaelber at jtk52@cornell.edu 508-439-2806 or Chahar Rogers at chahar.alexandra@gmail.com

The Sick and Others in Need list has been updated.

If you are sick or know someone who is ill please email their name(s) to the parish office (admin@christchurchnewbrunswick.org) or write the names in the Prayers of the People binder.

Sunday Plate Counters Needed

Now that we are back in-person, we need to start up the Sunday Plate Counters. Rather than doing this ministry weekly, we are going to establish 2 times a month when 2 people will count, record and deposit the plate offerings. Training will be provided on scanning checks, counting and depositing cash. While this task will be completed on Sundays, if both counters agree, this can be completed on another day during the week. If interested in joining this ministry, please sign-up using the button below. Mark McMahon, Sheila Cooper or Jonathan Gloster will work with you on learning the job. Thank you, in advance, for joining the team!

December Sign-Up Sheet

Return of Coffee Hour

Dear Christ Church members,

On behalf of the Fellowship Committee, it gives me great pleasure in announcing the return of coffee hour for the 10:30 AM services. This is a decision of the Executive Committee members of Christ Church. Since we are still experiencing smaller numbers of in - person attendees for this service, the request for hosting a coffee hour will be modified until further notice. In addition to signing the Sign - Up sheet located on the notice board by the Nicholas Room, each host/hostess will be asked to bring some cookies or a comparable alternative as well as a juice item to be served for fellowship attendees. Since the month of October slots have already been filled, this request will begin in the month of November until further notice. Thanks for your co-operation.

Wendy Benjamin – on behalf of the Fellowship Committee.

Upcoming Parish Activities

Return to Yestercades

Thursday, December 29 12:00pm - 2:00pm

$20 pp

Click the flyer below for more information.

But being good stewards includes building and valuing our community – along with other precious resources.

Pinpoint Cancer Research Study

Click the flyer for additional information. For further details email Rebecca Ayala (raa191@cinj.rutgers.edu) of the Rutgers Cancer Institute of NJ. Patients who are potentially eligible and interested will be screened for eligibility.

This study is sponsored by a grant from the American Cancer Society.

Vestry Corner:

Key Topics from the October 2022

Vestry Meeting

1. The Stewardship Chair reported to the Vestry an update about pledges: a total of 53 pledges have been made equaling $210,545 which is an average of $3900 per pledge. Shannon Pullaro expressed her gratitude for all who have participated.

2. A huge thank you for all who completed the spiritual inventory from RenewalWorks. We have received a report about the 57 responses and the committee will use this information to plan upcoming formation activities in Lent and Spring. Please be on the look out for that information.

3. Vestry member Wendy Benjamin has cultivated a committee to honor the 280th anniversary of Christ Church. She will lead bi-monthly planning meetings and save the dates for the spring will be coming soon. The Vestry looks forward to celebrating with you all!

Minutes of the October 2022 meeting can be found HERE

Taking Faith Home is a resource that provides a weekly guide for faith-filled conversations and actions during the church year. Taking Faith Home for the month of December can be found below:

There are so many other ways to be involved at Christ Church! Find your inspiration HERE with 101+ ways to be involved at Christ Church!

Sick?

Let us help!

Use our Google form HERE (or text Nayla at 609-819-1001) to sign up to receive meals during your quarantine or other convalescence,

or sign up to give meals. We'll get through this together!

Thank you for your generous giving to support the Mission and Ministry of Christ Church!

We encourage you to send your pledges and donations to Christ Church in a variety of ways:

Go to the Donate/Pledge page on our website and give through PayPal
Schedule payments through your bank to Christ Church directly
Zelle to admin@christchurchnewbrunswick.org
Mail in a check to Christ Church

Forward Day by Day booklets (large and regular print) for November, December, and January have arrived. Please contact the office to have a copy mailed to your home.

Finance Update October 2022

Prayers requested for:

Arnold, Chahar, Christine, Dale, Fred, Hugo, Jacqueline, Karl, Larry, Sarah, Timothy, and Winsome.

Christ Church Ministry: Lectors and Intercessors.

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: we pray for The Anglican Church of Korea.

Diocesan Cycle Prayer: the Revs: Canon Dr. Noel Amadi, Anna C. Noon, Christopher R Sherrill, The Very Rev. Brian K. Burgess.

Birthdays: Yazmyne Abbott, Kendall Beckles, Frank Deis, Tanner Fenn, Kris Hendricks, Cecile Hopkins, Raritan Long, and Ruth Macdonald

Finance Committee Invitation

The Finance Committee will be having conversations about increasing our parish income! Meetings are on the 4th Saturdays of each month at 10a.m. Upcoming dates are Saturdays August 27 and September 24. You may join the meetings using this link HERE.

If you have any questions, please contact Bruce Anderson at aba18s@yahoo.com.

Have you completed your online Pledge Certificate for 2023? You will find the link HERE

Thank you to those who have pledged $230,253 to date.

Barry and Dawn Johnson

David Bell

Elizabeth and Jonathan Clark

Jean Houvener

Jo Duhr

Joanna and Stephen Greenwood

John Ager

Kenreic and Marva VanLoo

Mark McMahon and Roberto Moreira

Meegan Adames

Mrs. Margaret C Brown-Stansbury and Ronald B. Stansbury

Patricia and Dale Buckendahl

Peggy Smith

Penelope Lattimer

Renis and Mervis Johnson

Sandra Smithson

Shannon Pullaro and Jim Pullaro

Sheila Cooper

Stephanie Elson

The Rev. Joanna Hollis

Wendy Benjamin

Jonathan Gloster

Fred Hunter

Karen Bemis

H Arthur Phills

Robert Stephenson

(A.K.A "Robin")

Yvette Bailey

Edna Pozo

Gloria Peroune

Barry Qualls

Melbourne and Alice Garber

Paul and Catherine Ambos

Beth Binde

Joan Borden

Sarah Braun

Bruce Anderson

Gordon Anderson

Katherine Fenn/ Julie Lockwood

Tanya Penman-Sterling

Jean H. Zimmerman

Monica Williams and Jeremiah Weston

Nancy Walworth and Bob Chant

Zida Abbott

Barbara Chludzinski

Jeff Fields

Ashlinn Stansbury

Towanda Stovall

Jason Kaelber

Doreen Sirjue

Rozanne Jhamb

David & Beverly Briggs

Kelly Jane Cotter & Stacy Bruden

James Nicholas and Lori Covey

Nancy Lown

Debra Lowe

Pat Lowe

Louise Deis

The Caruso Family

Betsy Remi Coker

John Sullivan

Meg Hall

Our work TOGETHER depends on your support.

Christmas at Christ Church

Christmas Eve

Saturday, December 24

4pm Family Service with Nativity Pageant

8:30pm Special Christmas Music followed by 9pm Eucharist

Christmas Day

Sunday, December 25

9:30am Christmas Day Service

Christ Church Giving Tree 2022

Gift cards needed by this Sunday, December 18.

As you all know we have given gifts to the children of our Food Pantry clients for the last several years. With the move of the Food Pantry to the Food and Resource Center at Unity Square we can no longer do this. In its place we have chosen students from the New Brunswick P-Tech school.

P-TECH has an enrollment of 135 students. Of those students 97% are black or hispanic. 83% come from families making less than $46,060 per year, 16% are Special Ed students, 10% ESL and 2.25% are homeless. P-Tech Students participate in high school and college coursework simultaneously, while developing specific skills that align with the current needs of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) industries.

The program provides students with the opportunity to receive: a high school diploma, a no-cost industry-recognized associate’s degree, a pathway to a bachelor’s degree, internships with potential employment, and multi-dimensional mentorship. Many of these students will be the first of their family to earn a college degree.

Our suggestion for a gift would be a $25 gift card from Visa, Master Card or American Express so that they can purchase what they want. We need the cards by December 18, 2023 Mark McMahon (markroywilliam53@gmail.com) and Meegan Adames (meegzy@yahoo.com) are available to answer any questions you may have.

Christmas 2022 Flower Memorials and Gifts

Each Christmas our Church is beautified with flowers memorializing departed loved ones, commemorating anniversaries or representing thank offerings. Flower memorials and gifts may also be provided throughout the year. The cost for each Christmas donation or a single date in 2022 is $50. A perpetual memorial may be established with a one-time contribution of $500.

To be included in the printed Christmas leaflets, we must receive your request no later than Tuesday, December 21.

Christmas 2022 Flower Memorials and Gifts Form

Christmas Music 2022

We will be augmenting the 9:00pm Festive Eucharist on Christmas Eve with singing several movements from Messiah and your favorite Christmas Carols. We will have a fabulous string quartet, trumpet, and excellent choir. Just as flowers, plants, and other decorations adorn our worship space on festive occasions, special instruments also add to the beauty of our Christmas liturgies.

Will you consider a donation to our Christmas music? Donations may be given as memorials or thanksgivings. Please make checks payable to Christ Church, and mark the memo line “Christmas Music.” Gifts may be mailed to the Parish Office or put in the collection plate. To be included in the printed Christmas leaflets, we must receive your request no later than Tuesday, December 21.

Christmas Music 2022 Form

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF

ANNUAL MEETING COMMITTEE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following parishioners have been appointed to the Annual Meeting Committee of Christ Church for the January 29, 2023 Annual Meeting of the parish:

Pat Buckendahl

Gerri Callahan

Steve Caruso

Chris Davies

Mel Garber

Nancy Walworth

H. Arthur Phills, Chair

The offices to be filled at the meeting are:

People's Warden (one-year term) (one to be elected)

Vestrymember (three-year term) (two to be elected)

Vestrymember (two-year unexpired term) (one to be elected)

Delegate to Northern Convocation (one-year term) (six to be elected)

Nominations for the offices to be voted on should be made through the Committee by completing and signing a nomination form and submitting it to the parish office or giving it in person to any member of the Committee.

Dated: December 12, 2022

Joanna Hollis, Rector

We are looking for Advent Readers and Advent candles lighters! We encourage individuals, families, friends, folks from various ministries to sign up! Please sign up using the button below.

Advent Readers & Advent Candle Lighters Sign Up Sheet

LAST DAY ON SUNDAY!

What can light possibly mean without dark?

- Barbara Brown Taylor, Learning to Walk in the Dark

Barbara Brown Taylor’s book, Learning to Walk in the Dark, helps us reimagine our understanding of darkness, primarily how Christianity heavily relies on the binary construct of light as good and darkness as bad. Taylor proposes the pair of light and dark exist together in balance, not opposition.

This Advent, we invite you to participate in our congregational study of “In Light & Darkness.” The inspiration for this theme comes from the common usage of “light” and “darkness” during Advent, and from exploring how the earth experiences both the very lightest and darkest days with summer and winter solstices during Advent. Scripture focusing on God’s light has led to the belief light is the source of goodness and hope. This belief implies darkness is not wanted or needed, it is something to banish or get rid of, or God is not even present in the dark.

We hope our Advent series and the devotional that comes with it will help you share conversations about your understanding of light and darkness and explore how those understandings influence the way you view God, your faith, and the world.

How can you participate?

- By joining us at 9:30a.m. each Sunday of Advent (November 27, December 4, 11 and 18) in person and online to discuss each week’s theme.

- By downloading or picking up a copy (from the back of the church) of the devotional and doing it at home by yourself or with family and friends.

Our Church School will be joining this series during their Church School time.

In-person Sunday meeting location: Ross Room

Zoom information for those who will join us online:

Meeting ID: 839 4452 8112

Passcode: 195056

One tap mobile

+16468769923,,83944528112#,,,,*195056# US (New York)

+16469313860,,83944528112#,,,,*195056# US

Meeting ID: 839 4452 8112

Passcode: 195056

ZOOM Link HERE

Advent Devotional

Advent Devotional for Kids

The Tuesdayers' Current Book:

"The Beatitudes through the Ages"

Rebekah Eklund explores how the Beatitudes have affected readers across differing eras and contexts. From Matthew and Luke in the first century, to Martin Luther King Jr. and Billy Graham in the twentieth, Eklund considers how men and women have understood and applied the Beatitudes to their own lives through the ages. Reading in the company of past readers will helps us see how rich and multifaceted the Beatitudes truly are, illuminating what they might mean for us today. The Tuesdayers invite you to join our discussion, which will start on September 20. We meet weekly over Zoom HERE on Tuesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm. For more information contact Jonathan Clark at im4canoes@yahoo.com.

View the Faith Formation Newsletter for the Diocese of New Jersey!

Faith Formation Newsletter

Nominations for Offices at the 2023 Diocesan Convention

To learn more information and to complete the nomination recommendation form please click the button below.

Nomination Recommendation Form

On September 2, 2021, The Right Reverend William H. Stokes, 12th Bishop of New Jersey, called for the election of the 13th Bishop of New Jersey, announcing his intent to retire in June 2023.

The Slate of Candidates

Bishop Search Videos

Don't forget to use your Amazon Smile account! Christ Church receives a percentage of your purchase. There is no cost to you or the church! Last quarter, AmazonSmile has made a donation of $52.98 to Christ Church for a total of $424.50! Thank you for shopping through Amazon Smile!

Have questions before you sign-up?

Contact Shannon Pullaro (732) 613-9184 or Mark McMahon (917) 319-0818

News and Events from Diocesan Offices & Committees

Click HERE for Diocesan News and to subscribe to the Diocesan weekly newsletter, Good News in the Garden State

Opportunities to share your time, talent, and treasure

Secure donations for the Food Pantry, Laundry Love, Shop with Scrip, as well as General Donations or Pledge contributions can be made on our website by clicking HERE. You can also donate through the bill pay app at your bank, or by using Zelle. Zelle payments may be sent through your bank and directly deposited to the church via email to admin@christchurchnewbrunswick.org
You can still purchase your Shop with Scrip cards to support the church! You can pay through Zelle or PayPal and designate that payment to ShopWithScrip, Payments received will be reported to Paul Ambos. Please contact Paul by phone (732) 572-2067 or email HERE to place your order.
LAUNDRY LOVE is still operating, providing "Laundry Love to-go" through the food pantry. Your continued support of this ministry is vital to its continuation. You can donate to Laundry Love through the DONATE tab on our web site HERE .