May 4, 2022 Full Newsletter

May 4, 2022

Message from Rev. Paula

Beloved Community,

In one of those lovely coincidences that my friend, Sue, used to call "God winks," I came across this quote when preparing for Tuesday's Women's Lectionary study group:

"As Eastertide readings, these texts invite us to consider our communities and their structures. Is the Church today a continually unfolding 'new thing" with astonishing liberty, or is it a continuation of the biases and hierarchies of our ancestors?"

Those words by Dr. Wilda Gafney fit in perfectly with the sermon series on the Acts of the Apostles this Easter season. I'll confess: when I read them it felt like an affirmation of the decision to talk about how we live our faith in the way that we are. It felt good. I felt inspired. And then...

...Well, I still feel inspired by Dr. Gafney and it still feels good. What has changed is that it is clear to me that the unfolding of new things is not a straight line, something I have known for a long time but which Covid and the flood apparently have a need to remind me of, over and over and over again.

Covid hit closer to home this week than it has at any other time since the start of the pandemic, at least as far as this parish is concerned. We had our first case in the preschool, which means one of our classrooms is closed until Monday. Two of our staff people have it now, which means some changes on Sunday. Our just re-opened Children's Chapel will be closed because one of the staff people is Grace. She'll be back next Sunday, May 15th and we hope to see lots of kids that day to begin the planning for the special Pentecost Service with baptism on June 5th.

The Community Risk Level in Essex County is now solidly in the medium risk zone, with daily rates of new infection at 36.3 today, up from the low of 3.4. about a month ago. One of the driving factors of the Community Risk Level is the impact on the medical care system and the burden it places on the capacity to provide necessary care, especially in-patient general and ICU care. So, to do our part to alleviate the stress on the medical care system and the myriad people who have dedicated their lives to taking care of the rest of us, we are stepping back from sharing the Common Cup, returning to Communion in one kind until the Community Risk Level returns to low.

It would be so easy to feel sorry for ourselves and to wallow in the frustration that Covid continues to be such a disruptive presence in our lives. In another of those God wink moments, just after I heard from the second staff member diagnosed with Covid and felt like I wanted to scream, I was getting ready for this week's Bakery Bible Hour. I was reminded it could be worse. We could be Jonah. We could get stranded in a fiercely frightening storm and swallowed by a big fish.

Peace & Blessings,

Paula+

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 Fourth Sunday of Easter Service

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

ALL are welcome!

On Friday, May 6th at 9:00am, we will meet with our friends from Christ Church in Short Hills and Temple B'nai Jeshurun to talk about the first two chapters of Jonah.

This will be a hybrid meeting: Zoom and in-person options. Information about both will be sent in next week's newsletter.

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

CHRISTINE'S KITCHEN HOSTING

Saturday, May 7th

Reminder: All bagged lunches should be dropped off at Deryck Rugbeer's home before 10:30am on May 7th.

Please reach out to Deryck at

201-452-9068, or email turkeyen@gmail.com if you have any questions.

148th ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION

Saturday, May 7th

8:30am to 4:30pm

Calvary, Summit

Rev. Paula, Roger Riedel and Maryalice Chech will be attending. Please hold Convention in your prayers this week.

Convention will also be broadcast on the diocesan YouTube channel:

youtube.com/c/dionewark.

Find out more at:

dioceseofnewark.org/convention.

READING WITH THE RECTOR

Sunday, May 8

11:30am - 1:00pm

This month we are discussing:

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

In the Bible, Dinah's life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that tell of her father, Jacob, and his twelve sons.

The Red Tent begins with the story of the mothers—Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah—the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through childhood, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past.

Looking Ahead

PLEASE CHECK WEEKLY BECAUSE EVENTS MAY BE ADDED OR CHANGED.

MAY

MAY 1

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

MAY 2

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAY 3

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAY 4

8pm - AA Meeting

MAY 6

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

MAY 7

Christine's Kitchen Lunch Bags due

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAY 8

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

MAY 9

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAY 10

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

7pm - Worship Committee Mtg

MAY 11

8pm - AA Meeting

MAY 14

7:30pm - AA Meeting

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

8pm - AA Meeting

MAY 19

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

MAY 21

7:30pm - AA 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 25

8pm - AA Meeting

MAY 28

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAY 29

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

MAY 30

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAY 31

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUNE

JUN 1

8pm - AA Meeting

JUN 3

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

JUN 4

7:30pm - AA Meeting

JUN 5

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

JUN 6

7:30pm - MA Meeting

JUN 7

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JUN 8

8pm - AA Meeting

JUN 11

7:30pm - AA Meeting

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

8pm - AA Meeting

JUN 16

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

JUN 18

7:30pm - AA 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 22

8pm - AA Meeting

JUN 25

7:30pm - AA Meeting

JUN 26

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

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

MAY 16

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAY 17

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

MAY 18

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

8pm - AA Meeting

MAY 19

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

MAY 21

7:30pm - AA 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 25

8pm - AA Meeting

MAY 28

7:30pm - AA Meeting

MAY 29

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

MAY 30

7:30pm - MA Meeting

MAY 31

5pm - Women's Lectionary Study

JULY

JUL 1

9am - Interfaith Bible Hour

JUL 2

7:30pm - AA Meeting

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 6

8pm - AA Meeting

JUL 9

7:30pm - AA Meeting

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 13

8pm - AA Meeting

JUN 16

7:30pm - AA Meeting

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

8pm - AA Meeting

JUL 21

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

JUL 23

8pm - AA 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 27

8pm - AA Meeting

JUL 30

7:30pm - AA Meeting

JUL 31

8am - Sunday Worship

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

Other Happenings...

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Millburn Township will observe its 30th annual National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 5 at 7:00pm.

First Baptist Church of Millburn will be hosting the event for our community.

The event is part of the United States' 70th observance of the National Day of Prayer that was established by Congress in 1952. At this local service,

prayers will be offered for our world, our nation, our military, government leaders, media, schools, houses of worship

and families.

Patriotic songs will be sung and all are invited to attend.

WILDA GAFNEY IS COMING TO THE DIOCESE!

Thursday, May 19

7:00pm - 9:00pm

St. Elizabeth's, Ridgewood

The Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney, author of A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church, will join us in person for a series of talks on her work developing this lectionary.

You can attend the entire 3-day series, or a single day. The cost for the entire series is $50.

Thursday, May 19, 7-9 PM

Introduction of the Women’s Lectionary and Overview

(cost: $10)

Friday, May 20, 9 AM-4 PM

Translating the Texts: Theory and Practice; Gendered Language

(cost: $20; includes box lunch)

Saturday, May 21, 9 AM-4 PM

Building a Lectionary: Text Selection and Reading; The Women’s Lectionary for Preaching and Devotion

(cost: $20; includes box lunch)

For full details about this event, click here. To register, click here.

The deadline to register is Wednesday, May 11 at 5:00pm.

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.

AA/MA MEETINGS

Weekly AA meetings:

Sunday at 1:00pm

Contact: Rob H. (516) 860-9062

Wednesday at 8:00pm (TEMP CANCELLED)

Contact: Steve B. (201) 452-8375

Contact: Dave (908) 451-8919

Saturday at 7:30pm (TEMP CANCELLED)

Contact: Steve B. (201) 452-8375

Contact: Dave (908) 451-8919

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 OF ESSEX COUNTY

Family Promise is seeking volunteers for a new stabilization initiative – Circles Essex. FPE has partnered with Circles USA to launch Circles Essex, the first chapter of the organization in New Jersey. Circles USA offers a unique relationship-focused strategy based on over twenty years of research that engages the entire community to move from a focus on the management of poverty to a collaborative ownership of the solution. Circles Essex’s mission is to reduce poverty throughout Essex County and to remove barriers that keep people in poverty. We will do this by building bridges of friendship across income lines and community that support individuals and families on their journey out of poverty; from surviving to thriving. Many who are experiencing poverty are hardworking and motivated so when a circle of support forms around them, advice is offered, contacts are shared, and the fears that keep people in poverty begin to disappear.

There are various volunteer opportunities available to support Circles participants (short term/long term). Visit https://www.fpessexnj.org/circles-essex/ to learn more about the Circles Essex program and the various ways you can be a part of building community to end poverty in Essex County or contact Melissa Perales, Circles Coordinator, at melissa@fpessexnj.org.

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

THE BISHOP'S VLOG - 4/27/22

NEW: Celebrating the 50 days of Easter

The enormity of the miracle that is resurrection is one that takes time for us to celebrate. It's also one that takes time for us to reflect on, to learn, about to think about, to explore, in order for us to live fully as resurrected people. To live as people who claim the resurrection, and claim the special relationship it gives us with God through Jesus Christ.

NEW: The VOICE Online Link - 4/27/22

DIOCESAN E-NEWSLETTERS

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

HELP FOR UKRAINIAN FAMILIES

Your support will help Episcopal Relief & Development and other Anglican partners provide humanitarian assistance to people fleeing the violence in Ukraine.

Your gift will help provide cash, blankets, hygiene supplies and other needed assistance to families from Ukraine. To help, click here.

TRINITY RETREAT CENTER

Trinity Retreat Center is an Episcopal mission of Trinity Church Wall Street. The Retreat Center offers in-person and online retreats and is open to everyone, regardless of denomination or faith.

Memorial Day Weekend Rest & Renewal In-Person Retreat

May 27–30, 2022

“Come away and rest awhile,” Jesus said to his disciples when they were exhausted and overwhelmed by the pace of work and ministry. 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. Finding peace and joy at the center is what this weekend is all about, through silence, nature, shared meals, common worship, guided meditation, and lots of time to be.

To learn more & register, click 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.

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

Felder Dorn

Donna Riggi

The Blanchard Family

The McManus Family

Bernard & Nathan

Lucille B.

Jack Moreno

Mary Jo Zarance

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

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 8, 2022

Fourth 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.

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.