January 19, 2022 Highlights Newsletter

January 19, 2022

Important Changes to our Common Worship

Effective Tuesday, January 18th, registration is no longer required to attend our Worship Services.

Do what is right for you, while remembering that your decisions impact other people, too. Please worship from home if you are unvaccinated/unboosted, at higher risk for any reason, have been exposed to Covid within the past week, have had a positive test without a subsequent negative test, or have any symptoms of illness.
We will forego Communion for the time being, sharing in the Liturgy of the Word.
We will take temperatures and maintain the contact tracing information in the foyer. If you arrive with a temperature and/or have signs of illness, we will lovingly and gently ask you to take care of yourself and others by returning home and joining in the worship on Facebook or YouTube.
Remain fully masked at all times while in the building.
Maintain physical distance of at least three feet by household/pod. We've made that easier by removing the cushions from some of the pews.
Refrain from any up close contact with anyone outside of your household/pod, including hugging, hand shaking, fist or elbow bumps.
Enjoy listening to our wonderfully talented vocalists, while refraining from singing yourself.
Don't hang around inside after the service to catch up with people. Weather permitting, do spend a few minutes chatting outside, preferably while following the masking and physical distancing protocols.

Financial Stewardship Pledge Campaign

As of today, we have received 28 pledges totaling $106,804, including an increase in an existing pledge! Thank you to all who have made this commitment to give in faith. This means we have only $13,196 to meet our 2022 pledge goal, though it would be great if we could meet our 2020 goal of $132,000. This year, in addition to regular pledges, we have about $10,000 in gifts to help offset flood recovery costs. The generosity of this parish is beautiful and faithful and is a major reason we are able to live our faith in the ways that we do.

We cannot be the faithful, vibrant community we are without all of us doing our part, including financially. Pledging so that we have an idea of how to build our budget for next year, is essential. If you have not received this year's pledge campaign letter, please let us know and we'll be sure to get a copy to you. The easiest way if you have a computer and access to the internet is to pledge online here. You can also give online, using Tithe.ly. If you'd rather submit a pledge by mail or in the offering plate, please let us know.

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

REMINDERS: Because of the HUGE increase in the rate of infection, we have moved to The Liturgy of the Word with Music for our Sunday services. The music will be offered by a soloist (or in the case of Peter and Kira, a married couple).

We continue to follow safety precautions and lovingly require that you wear a mask over your nose and mouth at all times while in the building and maintain physical distance. Enter at the Narthex door (Christian Education building). Someone will welcome you and take your temperature. An usher will assist you with seating

in the church.

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 6 AM and 3 PM.

READING WITH THE RECTOR

JANUARY 23

11:30am - 1:00pm

We will be discussing:

Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo

When his sister tricks him into taking her guru on a trip to their childhood home, Otto Ringling, a confirmed skeptic, is not amused. Six days on the road with an enigmatic holy man who answers every question with a riddle is not what he'd planned. But in an effort to westernize his passenger—and amuse himself—he decides to show the monk some "American fun" along the way. From a chocolate factory in Hershey to a bowling alley in South Bend, from a Cubs game at Wrigley field to his family farm near Bismarck, Otto is given the remarkable opportunity to see his world—and more important, his life—through someone else's eyes. Gradually, skepticism yields to amazement as he realizes that his companion might just be the real thing.

Looking Ahead

PLEASE CHECK WEEKLY BECAUSE EVENTS MAY BE ADDED OR CHANGED.

JANUARY

JAN 19

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

8pm - AA Meeting

JAN 20

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

JAN 22

7:30pm - AA Meeting

JAN 23

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

JAN 24

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JAN 25

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JAN 26

8pm - AA Meeting

JAN 29

7:30pm - AA Meeting

JAN 30

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

JAN 31

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEBRUARY

FEB 1

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

FEB 2

8pm - AA Meeting

FEB 4

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

FEB 5

7:30pm - AA Meeting

FEB 6

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 7

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 8

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

FEB 9

8pm - AA Meeting

FEB 12

7:30pm - AA Meeting

FEB 13

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 14

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 15

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

FEB 16

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

8pm - AA Meeting

FEB 17

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

FEB 19

7:30pm - AA Meeting

FEB 20

Communion for All

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 21

7:30pm - MA Meeting

FEB 22

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

FEB 23

8pm - AA Meeting

FEB 26

7:30pm - AA Meeting

FEB 27

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

FEB 28

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MARCH

MAR 1

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 2

Ash Wednesday

8pm - AA Meeting

MAR 4

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

MAR 5

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAR 6

1st Sun in Lent

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 7

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 8

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 12

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAR 13

2nd Sun in Lent

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 14

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 15

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 16

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

8pm - AA Meeting

MAR 17

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

MAR 19

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAR 20

3rd Sun in Lent

Communion for All

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 21

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 22

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 23

8pm - AA Meeting

MAR 26

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAR 27

4th Sun in Lent

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

MAR 28

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAR 29

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAR 30

8pm - AA Meeting

Other Happenings...

AA/MA MEETINGS

Weekly AA meetings times

Sunday at 1:00pm

Wednesday at 8:00pm

Saturday at 7:30pm

Weekly MA meetings times

Monday at 7:30pm

These are open meetings presented in a rotating format:

Week 1 - Speaker

Week 2 - Literature

Week 3 - Step

Week 4 - Topic Discussion

Week 5 - Literature (if needed)

AA/MA Meeting Contacts:

Max Turpin

212-203-2542

Deana Loria

908-499-8997

For more information on the newly offered MA meetings, click below:

Marijuana Anonymous District 8

WEEKLY WOMEN'S LECTIONARY STUDY

Please join us for a weekly study of a new lectionary available to the Episcopal Church and approved by Bishop Hughes. Our next session is on Tuesday, January 25th. We will meet via Zoom from 5:00 to 6:00 pm to study A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year W by Wilda Gafney.

This thought-provoking lectionary invites and challenges us to explore

differently the familiar stories of Scripture and how they shape and inform our faith today, while also expanding our understanding of what it means to be made in the image of God through the use of non-gendered language for God.

From Bishop Hughes & The Episcopal Church

THE BISHOP'S VLOG - Week of 1/19/22

NEW: Jesus revealed through us

"An important thing for us to remember in this season of Epiphany," says Bishop Hughes, is "the many ways in which Jesus is revealed, including the ways that Jesus is revealed through us. Everywhere we go, in every interaction that we have with every person that we see, we have an opportunity to present Jesus to the rest of the world."

NEW: The VOICE Online Link - 1/19/22

Upcoming Diocesan Events Link

DIOCESAN E-NEWSLETTERS

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

An invitation to join the Episcopal Church and Visual Arts (ECVA) Community - 1/14/22

If you enjoy painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, graphic and textile art, it’s time to join together and Glorify God with our beautiful works of art for all to see. For information, click here.

Prayers of Pandemic from the Diocese of Newark - 1/13/22

Bishop Hughes has invited members of the diocese to write and share their own prayers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read prayer submissions here.

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

The Fitzgerald Family

Lucille B.

Jack Moreno

Mary Jo Zarance

Joseph G.

Kelly Olson

Jane Rossiter

Linda Moran

Nicole & Emma

Ningyu Liu

Jamie Stack

KT Thalin

Mike Losito

Cara Lynn Cavin

Evan D. & Family

Alexandra Shuss

Donna Stadler Hostetler

Brian Roland

Renee Kleppinger

The Freeman/Sullivan Family

Therese Card

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

January 23, 2022

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

Luke 4:14-21

Psalm 19

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.