February 1, 2023 Highlights Newsletter

February 1, 2023

Health Precautions

All of New Jersey is at high risk for Covid infection and complications once again. We also continue to see higher rates of influenza and RSV than we have seen in a while. And, though strictly anecdotal, the cold virus(es) that are going around seem more severe than the usual. Some people, including some of you and our siblings in the Evelyn Underhill Region are catching more than one of these illnesses, often back-to-back. That said, we are not changing our approach to health precautions, but it does seem wise to remind you of what they are:

Both services are mask optional, with masking encouraged, especially during congregational singing. If you want to come to church and minimize risk a bit, the 8:00 service has much smaller attendance than the 10:00.
We will continue to offer the wine by drinking from the Common Cup, no intinction. If you would like to reverence the Cup, it is a fairly common practice to gently touch the cross at its base.
Whether you come for Communion or a blessing, please use the hand sanitizer in the pew and maintain a few feet of distance between households.

Financial Stewardship for 2023

Thank you to those who have pledged financial support of our ministries in 2023. This is a big help to the Finance Committee in building the budget.

A reminder to those who have not pledged yet: ALL of our ministries, both the visible and the behind the scenes ones, rely on your generosity in order to happen. We are at $110,836 in pledges, which is about $19,164 shy of what we need to do the things God is calling us to do. Please prayerfully consider making a pledge to support our ministries AND to express your gratitude to God for all the blessings of this life.

We will be terminating our account with Vanco effective January 31, 2023. Going forward, please use Tithe.ly for online giving, or mail checks to the St. Stephen's Parish Office at 119 Main Street, Millburn, NJ 07041.

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

Join us on Sunday, February 5th at 8:00am and 10:00am for the

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.

ALL are welcome.

Masks are optional.

At Communion, you may receive the wine by sipping from the cup,

or you may choose Communion in one kind only (the bread).

Coffee hour to follow

the 10am Service.

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 the 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

We will meet with our friends from Christ Church in Short Hills and Congregation B'nai Jeshurun for Interfaith Bible Hour on the first THURSDAY of the month.

Please feel free to join us on Thursday, February 2nd at 9:00am even if you haven't before. We will be reading 1 Samuel this year.

Join us in-person at Temple B’nai Jeshurun, or via Zoom here.

The password is SSM119.

The meeting ID is 865 4375 6895.

Please email Rev. Paula at rector@ststephensmillburn.org

before 8:00am Friday morning for the

pdf translation.

Looking Ahead

PLEASE CHECK WEEKLY BECAUSE EVENTS MAY BE ADDED OR CHANGED.

FEBRUARY

FEB 2

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

FEB 5

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Second Sunday

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 6

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 12

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship Intergenerational Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

11:30am - Youth Group

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 13

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 14

7pm - Monthly Women's Lectionary Discussion

FEB 15

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

FEB 16

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

FEB 19

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 20

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 22

Ash Wednesday

6:30am - 8:30am

Ashes to Go at Train Sta.

12pm & 7:30pm

Service w/ Ashes

FEB 26

First Sunday in Lent

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Youth Group

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 26 - MAR 4

Family Promise Week

FEB 27

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MARCH

MAR 2

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

MAR 5

Second Sunday in Lent

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship & Annual Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 6

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 12

Third Sunday in Lent

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship Intergenerational Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

11:30am - Youth Group

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 13

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 14

7pm - Monthly Women's Lectionary Discussion

MAR 15

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

MAR 16

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

MAR 19

Fourth Sunday in Lent

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 20

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 26

Fifth Sunday in Lent

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Youth Group

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 27

7:30pm - MA Meeting

APRIL

APR 2

Palm Sunday

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

APR 3

Monday in Holy Week

7:30pm - MA Meeting

APR 4

Tuesday in Holy Week

APR 5

Wednesday in Holy Week

7:30pm - Tenebrae Service

APR 6

Maundy Thursday

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

6:30pm - Maundy Thursday Service

APR 7

Good Friday

12pm - Good Friday Svc

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

APR 8

Holy Saturday

10am - Holy Saturday Service

APR 9

Easter Sunday

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

11:30am - Youth Group

1pm - AA Meeting

APR 10

7:30pm - MA Meeting

APR 11

7pm - Monthly Women's Lectionary Discussion

APR 16

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

APR 17

7:30pm - MA Meeting

APR 19

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

APR 20

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

APR 23

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Youth Group

1pm - AA Meeting

APR 24

7:30pm - MA Meeting

APR 30

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

APR 30 - MAY 6

Family Promise Week

Other Happenings...

READING WITH THE RECTOR

Sunday, February 12th

11:30am - 1:00pm

in the common room, or via Zoom

We will be discussing:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father—a crusading local lawyer—risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.

SOUPER SUNDAY

ATTENTION, AUFMERKSAMKEIT, SOUCI, ATENCION

Let's make 2023 an ABC year for the FOOD BARREL.

ABC: Avalanche of Big Contributions

Please bring cans of soup for our food barrel on Sunday, February 12th.

ALL kinds of soup are welcome and will be distributed by Apostles’ House, a non-profit devoted to providing comprehensive social services to homeless women and children and individuals or families at risk of homelessness in Newark and Essex Co.

Collection bins are available outside of the Narthex/Education Building doors in the parking lot for donations at any time.

You are invited to a Lunch & Learn: "Learn What Preplanning a Funeral is All About" on Wednesday, February 15 at Marco Polo's Restaurant in Summit. Start learning how to preplan a funeral or cremation for yourself, or loved ones. All attendees will receive complimentary lunch, planning and resource materials.

Seating is limited! RSVP by February 14.

For more information, call Austin at (973) 635-2428, ext. 140.

ECF FELLOWSHIP

Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is pleased to announce that the application for the 2023 Fellowship is now open!

ECF has awarded over 225 Fellowships to individuals pursuing advanced academic studies and special ministries with the aim of educating and equipping future lay and clergy leaders.

Please note that only applications to the ministry track are being sought at this time.

Please visit the ECF website to learn more about the Fellowship Partners Program and the application process.

Applications are due on March 17.

UBE SCHOLARSHIP

The Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) scholarship program is open to all high school seniors who are actively engaged in the life, work and ministry of an Episcopal Congregation in the Episcopal

Diocese of Newark.

Application deadline for the 2023-2024 academic year is April 8.

Luna Stage, 555 Valley Road in West Orange, launches its 2023 season with Obie-winner and Pulitzer-nominee Nikkole Salter's Torn Asunder, a searing historical drama. Set in the years leading up to and immediately following emancipation, Torn Asunder is the story of a formerly enslaved woman's quest to reunite with her husband and son.

The play is inspired by Dr. Heather Andrea Williams' book Help Me Find My People, praised by the New York Times for its "revelation of the bonds forged by the collective grief and resilient love of a people finding themselves."

For details and tickets, click here.

Evelyn Underhill Region

Masters of Hawaiian Music Benefit Concert

St. Paul’s

200 Main Street

Chatham

Saturday, Feb. 25th at 7pm

Doors open: 6:30pm

$25 / Advanced tickets at http://hawaii.brownpapertickets.com

$30 / General admission at the door

From Bishop Hughes & The Episcopal Church

THE BISHOP'S VLOG

What's next in the Strategic Visioning process? - 1/25/23

As we approach Diocesan Convention, Bishop Hughes talks about the Strategic Visioning process launched last fall – what's happened so far and what's next, including the Visioning team's Convention presentation.

The Voice Online Link - 1/25/23

DIOCESAN E-NEWSLETTERS

Sign up to receive important news, events and seasonal meditations from the Diocese of Newark. Find out more and subscribe here.

ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION

The 149th Annual Diocesan Convention will be held on Friday and Saturday, February 3 and 4 at the Hilton Meadowlands in East Rutherford.

Convention will also be broadcast on the diocesan YouTube channel:

youtube.com/c/dionewark.

Find out more at the Convention web page.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH LENT RESOURCES

New and updated resources are available online for individuals, small groups, and congregations, including the following:

Lent curriculum, sermons, lesson plans, devotionals, meditations and

Lent Madness
“Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent” – adult forum sessions with videos
“Prophetic Voices: Preaching and Teaching Beloved Community” podcast series
Sermons That Work
40-day gratitude challenge
Publicity material, bulletin inserts, and more

Resources

In this time of Crisis, there are resources that can help if you or someone you know needs assistance. Please contact NJ Mental Health Cares for free helpline telephone counseling or assistance. Call 866-202-4357.

TTY: 1-877-294-4356.

E-mail: help@njmentalhealthcares.org

Other resources are:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line, 741741

NJ Hope Line (suicide prevention)

855-654-6735

A/MA MEETINGS

Weekly AA meetings:

Sunday at 1:00pm

Contact: Rob H. (516) 860-9062

For more information about Alcohol Anonymous, click here.

Weekly MA meeting:

Monday at 7:30pm

Contact: Max T. (212) 203-2542

Contact: Deana L. (908) 499-8997

MA meetings are presented in a rotating format:

Step - Speaker - Story from Life with Hope - Topic

For more information about Marijuana Anonymous, click here.

Prayer List

Please keep the following St. Stephen's family

members and friends in your prayers...

Peggy Thompson

Donna Riggi

The Blanchard Family

The McManus Family

Bernard & Nathan

Lucille B.

Jack Moreno

Joseph G.

Jane Rossiter

Mike Losito

Evan D. & Family

Donna Stadler Hostetler

Ed Roman

Emma Simonich

Inge Bass Mills

Jessica Rana

Cathy Zimmerman

Juliet Tranberg

Lind Hostetler

Mary Ruth Stone

Nancy Landers

Anne Grenda

Eugene Foley

Evie Larson

Sandra Swan

Ron Gadbois

Linda Clark

The Roberson Family

Darla Shaw

Linda Moran

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

The Fifth Sunday

after the Epiphany

We are using the new lectionary,

Wilda Gafney's A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year A.

Our bulletins are available 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.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday - Friday

9:00am to 5:00pm

Important Links

Zoom Links

Coffee Hour

Sunday Worship

Zoom passcode: SSM119

To call in, dial by your location:

+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 864 1664 1640

Passcode: SSM119