Beloved Community,

It is so good to be back home and with all of you again. My three weeks away were wonderful, a good balance of fun with family and friends and a week of spiritual retreat in the middle. I'm not sure I realized how much I needed this time away, though I knew I did, until a memory popped up on Facebook on September 1st. It was a message from me to you the morning of the flood. With all that has happened since we first met not quite four years ago, time and pacing and living our faith have taken on a dimension that is different than any I remember at any other time in my life. It was good - deeply good - to be able to step away and reflect on these years in a way that was refreshing and energizing. There is something about being still and knowing God is God (to paraphrase Ps. 46:10) that is humbling in a way that I find liberating, freeing me from the need to think I have to take it all on myself, which really is about living faith in community.

There is a whole lot going on as we begin our new program year this Sunday, honoring St. Stephen as we roll out the theme for the year: Love God. Love God's People. Love God's Creation.  You'll hear more about that in the weeks and months to come, but for now join us for this celebration. This will be our first Second Sunday Intergenerational Service and to celebrate the younger among us, we'll bless their backpacks, so be sure to bring them with you. 

We'll also have Coffee Hour! The community risk level in Essex County has been green, which indicates low risk, for the last couple of weeks (with the exception of one day) and the CDC guidelines indicate that we can begin to resume some of the activities that we put on hold during the worst of the pandemic. Along those same lines, masks are now optional at both services.

I encourage you to read your weekly newsletters because this is the one place to find out all that is happening in this vibrant, faith-filled, and very active parish. Families with children and youth, more detailed information will be available to you in the dedicated Children & Youth Ministries newsletter, so if you aren't on the mailing list, please let Maria know to add you. This is promising to be a fun year!

Peace & Blessings,

Paula+

GUEST PREACHER

SEPTEMBER 18

August Laperche will be guest preacher at our 10am worship service on September 18.

August Laperche (they/them/theirs) grew up in the Christian faith tradition - they would describe their upbringing as “denominationally ambiguous.” When they were in middle school their parents accepted a pastoral call from a Cumberland Presbyterian church, and it was through their engagement with that congregation that they discerned my call to ministry at a young age. They hold a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, and through those studies they were introduced to progressive values which led them to an affirming seminary community.

August is a graduate of Phillips Theological Seminary, and holds a Master of Arts in Theological Studies. After having volunteered with QCF Community Groups and attending the QCF Conference for the first time in January 2020, August joined the QCF team in April 2020. They are excited to continue following their call to embody the inclusive love of God revealed in Jesus Christ; particularly through working to cultivate radical belonging for LGBTQIA+ Christians and allies.

Q Christian Fellowship is cultivating radical belonging for LGBTQ+ Christians and allies. We are a diverse community with varied backgrounds, cultures, theologies and denominations, drawn together through our love of Christ and our belief that every person is a beloved child of God. Q Christian Fellowship cultivates radical belonging among LGBTQ+ people and allies through a commitment to growth, community, and relational justice.

FAMILY PROMISE

Low-income families in this country are facing unprecedented social and economic challenges from the pandemic. Job losses, health care expenses, and child-care have all combined to raise the number of evictions. A donation can help Family Promise of Essex County to remain responsive to families’ emerging needs and its impact in our communities.

To read the Family Promise Newsletter, please click here.