May 11, 2022 Highlights Newsletter

May 11, 2022

FYI from your Parish Admin

Rev. Paula & Ron Toland will be attending their daughter, Kathleen's graduation at Smith College this weekend. Congratulations, Katie!

Rev. Jane Rockman will be officiating at our worship services this Sunday, May 15.

A Couple of Updates

Special thanks to Deryck Rugbeer for coordinating and all who contributed bagged lunches for our Christine's Kitchen hosting day this past Saturday!

We provided 165 full bagged lunches plus an additional 35 sandwiches

to feed the hungry.

I was hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you welcomed me. – Matthew 25:35

Join us in showing our love for this little piece of God's creation. Bring a shovel, a rake, or both, and a pair of gardening gloves. Come for the whole day or just an hour or two. We'll be spreading 12 yards of mulch to replace what Hurricane Ida washed away, and, while we're at it, beautifying our garden beds.

There may or may not be some weeding to do, too. That depends on how much we get done before then.

We may also be working on the Good News Garden. More to come about that...

Oh, yeah! We'll provide a light lunch for those who are here at that time, as well as snacks and drinks all day.

Looking for an excuse to golf?

Look no further than here. Not only will you have lots of fun, you'll be helping a wonderful ministry. And who knows? You may even have a sighting of a certain non-golfing priest who will be doing her best (though what that is has yet to be decided) to ensure that you and the other golfers have a great day.

Covid Protocols for Common Worship - UPDATED

CovidActNow, the website we use to determine our Covid practices, has been updated to reflect the current CDC guidelines. As long as Essex County has a low/green level of community risk and children under age five cannot be vaccinated, these guidelines will remain in effect.

Congregational singing is approved with reasonable precautions.

We have suspended the Common Cup because of the change in our Community Risk Level to "medium." We will bring it back when the risk level returns to "low."

The 8:00 service is back! This is a masks optional, spoken service. Rev. Paula will be masked during the Eucharistic Prayer and distribution of Communion.

The 10:00am service, which is our principal service will remain masks required for the time being. We will sing, which continues to be a high-risk activity indoors and unmasked. Rev. Paula will be masked except when preaching. The Vestry will review this decision periodically.

For small groups, masks will be optional if everyone at the table agrees.

We no longer take temperatures, but we continue to ask for contact tracing information.

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

Welcome!

It's wonderful to be with each other in church and celebrate the Holy Eucharist with congregational singing.

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.

Please join us for our Fifth Sunday of Easter Service

on Sunday, May 15th at 8:00am and 10:00am.

ALL are welcome!

Looking Ahead

PLEASE CHECK WEEKLY BECAUSE EVENTS MAY BE ADDED OR CHANGED.

MAY

MAY 15

Communion for All

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

MAY 16

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAY 17

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAY 18

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

MAY 19

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

MAY 22

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

MAY 23

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAY 24

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAY 29

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

MAY 30

Memorial Day

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAY 31

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUNE

JUN 3

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

JUN 5

Day of Pentecost

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

JUN 6

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUN 7

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUN 12

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11pm - North Jersey PRIDE Festival

1pm - AA Meeting

JUN 13

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUN 14

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUN 15

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

JUN 16

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

JUN 19

Communion for All

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

JUN 20

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUN 21

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUN 26

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

JUN 27

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUN 28

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUN 29

8pm - AA Meeting8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

JULY

JUL 1

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

JUL 3

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

JUL 4

Independence Day

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUL 5

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUL 10

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

JUL 11

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUL 12

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUL 17

Communion for All

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

JUL 18

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUL 19

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUL 20

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

JUL 21

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

JUL 24

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

JUL 25

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUL 26

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUL 31

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

Other Happenings...

HARMONIUM CHORAL SOCIETY

OPEN HEARTS WEEKEND

June 3rd - 5th

A weekend of music, love, and acceptance.

Harmonium Choral Society invites you to join us for an extraordinary weekend to enjoy an uplifting musical celebration and help raise funds to support our nonprofit mission to inspire and transform our community through music.

You can be a part of this exciting event by becoming a sponsor, donor or volunteer.

To learn more, click here.

NORTH JERSEY PRIDE FESTIVAL

June 12, 12:00 to 6:00pm

Memorial Park Amphitheatre

580 Valley Street

Maplewood

Join us at the festival, stop by our booth, take a giveaway or two, and help represent St. Stephen's,

The Church on Main Street where love begets love!

For more info, click here.

READING WITH THE RECTOR

Sunday, June 26

11:30am - 1:00pm

We will meet in the Common Room, or you may join via Zoom.

Next month we will be discussing:

The Book of Essie, Meghan Maclean Weir

Esther Ann Hicks--Essie--is the youngest child on Six for Hicks, a reality television phenomenon. She's grown up in the spotlight, both idolized and despised for her family's fire-and-brimstone brand of faith. When Essie's mother, Celia, discovers that Essie is pregnant, she arranges an emergency meeting with the show's producers: Do they sneak Essie out of the country for an abortion? Do they pass the child off as Celia's? Or do they try to arrange a marriage--and a ratings-blockbuster wedding? Meanwhile, Essie is quietly pairing herself up with Roarke Richards, a senior at her school with a secret of his own to protect. As the newly formed couple attempt to sell their fabricated love story to the media--through exclusive interviews with an infamously conservative reporter named Liberty Bell--Essie finds she has questions of her own: What was the real reason for her older sister leaving home? Who can she trust with the truth about her family? And how much is she willing to sacrifice to win her own freedom?

AA/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.

From Bishop Hughes & The Episcopal Church

THE BISHOP'S VLOG - 5/11/22

NEW: We are a part of something bigger

Sometimes we get so caught up with our own needs being met at church that we forget that we're part of something bigger, says Bishop Hughes. And when we gather like we did at Convention this past Saturday, we remember that we are part of something bigger: God's work.

NEW: The VOICE Online Link - 5/11/22

DIOCESAN E-NEWSLETTERS

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

Cross Roads Camp & Diocesan Youth Ministries

OPENING DAY AT CROSS ROADS

Saturday, May 21

9:00am - 3:00pm

This fun work-day event is open to youth, families, and congregations. Come and volunteer for the day to help get camp ready for the summer season! The day will include begin at 9 am with a light breakfast followed by projects for all skill levels, a lunch, and a closing outdoor worship. It is a great opportunity for high-school students looking for volunteer hours, families looking to give back while spending quality time together, or congregations to help support Cross Roads.

Rev. Paula and Ron Toland will be there.

Pease come out to support of Cross Roads and represent St. Stephen's!

More information can be found here.

Resources During Covid

NEW: Journey Forward Guidelines

There are many, many resources available to parishes and individuals to help sustain our faith practices during this unprecedented time.

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

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

Joseph G.

Jane Rossiter

Ningyu Liu & Family

Mike Losito

Evan D. & Family

Donna Stadler Hostetler

Liliane Khouri

Drew

Shirley

Theresa Scharff

Virginia Whatley

Lance Hochmuth

Nicole Salvetti

Marianne Jacobs & Family

Ed Roman

Emma Simonich

Scott Landers

Inge Bass Mills

Ruth Dorn

Agi Lowe

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

May 15, 2022

Fifth Sunday of Easter

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.

Building Access

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.