June 1, 2022 Full Newsletter

June 1, 2022

Message from Rev. Paula

Beloved Community,

There is so much going on that I almost don't know where to start. So, rather than rambling for the sake of saying something, I will point out a couple of things that follow in this edition of the newsletter. These are all ways you can live your faith connected to others in this wonderful community:

PRIDE Month - The Movie Connection Group on Facebook and the North Jersey Pride Festival on June 12th;
Garden Day THIS SATURDAY - Weeding and mulching, and setting up the Good News Garden;
Day of Pentecost THIS SUNDAY - Extra special fun at the 10:00 service
March for Our Lives in Washington, DC on June 11th.

As you think about the ways to live your call as part of the ministry of the baptized,

the staff and I will continue to do all those things we do to support you and your ministry, as well as to share with the community all that's going on in this little corner of God's beautiful creation. One of the ongoing projects is changing our website, church management software, and communications platforms to Tithe.ly for a better user experience, for you, the community, and behind the scenes. Stay tuned!

Peace & Blessings,

Paula+

Pride Month

Pride Month is observed each June to honor the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising and all of the efforts since to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community.

We've compiled a list of movies to recognize and appreciate our LGBTQIA+ brothers and sisters. You are invited to watch the moves and comment or question as you feel moved. Go to our Facebook page and click on "More" beneath the picture of the church, you'll see "Groups" as an option. The discussion of these movies will be in the "Pride Month Movie Connection" group.

The movies:

Buddies
Torch Song Trilogy
Longtime Companion
Angels in America
Rope
Best in Show
Milk
Carol
Brokeback Mountain
The Normal Heart
The Birdcage
But I'm a Cheerleader
Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Disclosure
The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson
A Secret Love
Philadelphia

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 Day of Pentecost Service

on Sunday, June 5 at 8:00am

and 10:00am with Baptism.

ALL are welcome!

INTERFAITH BIBLE HOUR

On Friday, June 3rd at 9:00am, we will meet with our friends from Christ Church in Short Hills and Temple B'nai Jeshurun to talk about the Book of Genesis.

Join us via Zoom here.

The password is SSM119.

The meeting ID is 865 4375 6895.

Please feel free to join us even if you haven't before.

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 will be working on the Good News Garden! There's lots to be done to build the beds and get them ready for planting. There's also a fence to be built and a sign to be hung. Perhaps too much to do in a single day but we can get a good start. And once we are ready, we'll bless the garden and all those who will eat a bit healthier because of our labors.

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 Ahead

PLEASE CHECK WEEKLY BECAUSE EVENTS MAY BE ADDED OR CHANGED.

JUNE

JUN 3

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

JUN 4

8:30am-4:30pm

Gardening Day at

St. Stephen's

JUN 5

Day of Pentecost

Watts Baptism

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11am - Coffee Hour

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

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

AUGUST

Drumming Camp dates *to be determined*

AUG 1

7:30pm - MA Meeting

AUG 2

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

AUG 3

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

AUG 5

9am - Interfaith Bible Study

AUG 7

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

AUG 8

7:30pm - MA Meeting

AUG 9

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

7pm – Worship Committee

AUG 14

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

AUG 15

7:30pm - MA Meeting

AUG 16

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

AUG 17

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

AUG 18

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

AUG 21

Communion for All

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

AUG 22

7:30pm - MA Meeting

AUG 23

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

AUG 28

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

AUG 29

7:30pm - MA Meeting

AUG 30

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

Other Happenings...

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

Saturday, June 11

In March 2018, members of the Diocese of Newark joined with members of the Diocese of New Jersey and LEAMNJ (Lutherans Engaging in Advocacy Ministry) to "pray with their feet" by participating in the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C., in response to the school shooting in Parkland, FL.

Now, in response to the school shooting in Uvalde, TX, another March for Our Lives in D.C. is planned for Saturday, June 11. LEAMNJ is organizing buses for a New Jersey contingent, with a bus pickup/dropoff location at Christ Church in Short Hills (6 AM pickup, approximately 8 PM dropoff).

Bus tickets are $20/person and include a T-shirt.

Registration deadline: FRIDAY, JUNE 3

Questions? Please contact Chris Whitaker at cwhitaker@christchurchshorthills.org.

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 by 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?

JESSICA VALIENTE

IN CONCERT

Saturday, August 13

8:00pm at St. Stephen's

With works by Telemann, van Eyck, Valiente, and more.

Jessica Valiente, recorders

Laura Ferraro, flute

Andrew Pecota, baroque bassoon

Daphne Faulkner, violin and percussion

Maggie Faulkner, violin

Lisa Faulkner, viola

Rick Faulkner, double bass

Rebecca Pechefsky, harpsichord

Complimentary tickets will be available

for St. Stephen's parishioners.

Details coming soon.

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.

Faithful Outreach

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.

APOSTLES' HOUSE

Apostles' House is devoted to providing comprehensive social services to homeless women with children and families at risk of homelessness in Newark and

Essex County.

Apostles' House is in need of canned goods and non-perishable food items.

A collection bin is located outside

the Narthex doors in the parking lot. Donations can be dropped off at any time.

If you would like to make a monetary donation to Apostles' House, please click here.

NORTH PORCH

North Porch provides emergency aid, in the form of baby supplies, to mothers and infants in northern New Jersey, to help them stabilize and improve the quality of their lives.

North Porch URGENTLY needs:

Enfamil Infant Formula 12.5 oz containers (yellow label)
Baby wipes
Diapers size 4, 5, and 6
Jars of baby food – all ages – fruit, veggie and 1st foods

A collection bin is located outside

the Narthex doors in the parking lot. Donations can be dropped off at any time.

If you would like to make a monetary donation to North Porch, please click here.

From Bishop Hughes & The Episcopal Church

Special Recognition & Gratitude

St. Stephen's 2022 Honoree:

Nancy Sieffert

THE BISHOP'S VLOG - 5/25/22

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Awareness Month. Why do we celebrate awareness months?

When we honor people through these awareness months, says Bishop Hughes, it is to help us see that we're all actually part of one another. We are all more of who we are because of all of us being part of the same family, that is the people of God.

The VOICE Online Link - 5/25/22

DIOCESAN E-NEWSLETTERS

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

SENIOR MINISTRIES' 2022

HEGG AWARDS

June 12 at 3:00pm

You are invited to join Bishop Hughes and the Senior Ministries of the Diocese of Newark for the 25th annual David P. Hegg II Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The Hegg Awards are given annually to members of our diocese who are:

Age 60+.
A long-standing, active member of your congregation.
Made or makes contributions to the congregation and/or the diocese.

The service will be pre-recorded and broadcast on the diocesan YouTube channel, youtube.com/c/dionewark.

Fourth of July Weekend Rest and Renewal Retreat

July 1-4, 2022

This weekend offers a lightly structured time to retreat from daily obligations and engage a deepening awareness of our relationships—with ourselves, those around us, the divine, and all of creation.

For details and registration, click here.

Cross Roads Camp & Diocesan Youth Ministries

CROSS ROADS CAMP & RETREAT CENTER

Cross Roads Camp and Retreat Center is a welcoming and inclusive community providing life changing and sacred adventures for renewal, growth, and joy.

Check out all the fun and interesting year-round programs for children, adults and families here.

For employment opportunities at Cross Roads, click here.

POP UP YOUTH MINISTRY

Pop Up is a welcoming ministry of the Diocese of Newark bringing together youth for fun activities, community, and faith formation. All youth grades 6-12 are encouraged

to join the monthly events.

Follow popupym on Instagram and Facebook.

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

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

Agi Lowe

Joan Shuss

Shane Tate

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

June 5, 2022

Day of Pentecost

Acts 2:1-21

Romans 8:14-17

John 14:8-17, (25-27)

Psalm 104:25-35, 37

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.

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.