This Week at Christ Church

Christ Church in the City of New Brunswick

Worshiping God, Serving God's People

December 29, 2023 | Events for the week of December 31, 2023

Office Hours: Tuesday - Wednesday 9:00 a.m. -2:30 p.m., Friday 9:00a.m. - 12:30p.m.

The First Sunday after Christmas

Worship Services This Week

JOIN US IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM!

8:00 AM & 10:30AM

Eucharistic Service

Liturgical Ministers Needed!

See links below for sign-ups!

For those joining on Zoom

Click HERE to join the 10:30AM Service

Click HERE to watch the 10:30AM service live on YouTube, or HERE for Facebook, or watch anytime.

Find Sunday's worship service materials below:

8:00 AM &10:30AM Parish Notes HERE

Follow along with the Book of Common Prayer HERE

Wednesday

Noonday Prayer-click HERE to join

Liturgical Ministers Sign Ups!

Please check your calendars

and sign up!!

January: Here

PARISH EVENTS THIS WEEK

SUNDAY

Holy Eucharist, 8:00AM

Choir Warmup, 9:30AM

Holy Eucharist, 10:30AM

Coffee Hour, 12:00PM

WEDNESDAY

Noonday Prayer via Zoom

WomenSpirit, 7:30PM via Zoom

THURSDAY

Choir Rehearsal, 7:00PM

COVID GUIDELINES

Please review the most current COVID-19 guidelines from the

Diocesan Taskforce for Re-entering, Re-opening, and Re-imagining HERE

It is time for the Christ Church January RaiseRight Order!

Paul Ambos, will be placing a new card order on the morning of

Monday, January 8. Please place your orders accordingly. If you plan to mail him an order with a check, mail it by Thursday, January 4. Please advise him by email when you mail it of what your order is so he can place it on time despite possible Post Office delays. If you place your own order directly on the RaiseRight website or app, he will be able to see it there when he orders the monthly batch.

Don’t want to write a check? No problem! Use the RaiseRight payment options through your checking account or credit card (checking costs a 29 cent charge per order; credit cards charge a percentage that is usually more). If you want physical cards delivered directly to your home, you can arrange delivery through the app. There is a charge for delivery. If you order for delivery through Paul, the church covers the delivery charge. RaiseRight website is https://www.raiseright.com/shop.

Thank you for your support of this parish program.

The Tuesdayers' Next Book: "The First Paul"

In “The First Paul: Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church’s Conservative Icon,” Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan reveal a radical Paul who has been suppressed by the church. Paul is second only to Jesus as the most important person in the birth of Christianity, and yet he continues to be controversial, even among Christians. How could the letters of Paul be used both to inspire radical grace and to endorse systems of oppression—condoning slavery, subordinating women, condemning homosexual behavior? Borg and Crossan argue that the later letters of Paul were created by the early church to dilute Paul's egalitarian message and transform him into something more "acceptable." In truth, Paul was an appealing apostle of Jesus whose vision of life "in Christ is remarkably faithful to the message of Jesus himself. The Tuesdayers invite you to join our discussion, which will start on January 16. We meet over Zoom on Tuesdays (except the second of the month), 7:00-8:30 pm. For more information contact Jonathan Clark at im4canoes@yahoo.com.

December, 2024 Laundry Love Report

On December 12 your contributions and volunteer hours allowed 32 families to wash up to 620 pounds of clothing and bedding for 88 people. Unfortunately, we ran out of cards and five people were turned away. We did serve 25 first-time guests from 11 households. Also for the first time some of our Laundry Love guests were not on their best behavior, and I will be meeting with Hector, the manager of Handy Street Laundromat, to discuss how we can help our guests be more considerate of others using the facility. A first step will be to spend more time circulating once the cards, detergent, and softener is distributed so that our volunteers develop more of a relationship with our guests and so that we can spot any difficulties that arise.

Again, thank you for the tremendous gift Christ Church is giving to the New Brunswick community. Our next session is January 9. We welcome any volunteers who want to come and mingle with our friends as they complete that most basic chore of doing the wash. Feel free to bring your own laundry and toss in a load to join in the companionship. (Handy Street has those immense units that handle quilts and other large objects with ease).

Catherine Ambos, Coordinator

New Brunswick Laundry Love

Beware: Scam Messages on the Rise:

Have you received any suspicious text messages or emails lately? Learn ways to protect yourself HER E

Return of Coffee Hour

Dear Christ Church members,

The Sign - Up sheet located on the notice board by the Nicholas Room, each host/hostess will be asked to bring some cookies or a comparable alternative as well as a juice item to be served for fellowship attendees. Thanks for your co-operation.

Wendy Benjamin – on behalf of the Fellowship Committee.

Taking Faith Home is a resource that provides a weekly guide for faith-filled conversations and actions during the church year. Taking Faith Home for the month of November can be found below:

Forward Day by Day booklets (large and regular print) for November, December, and January have arrived. Please contact the office to have a copy mailed to your home.

There are so many other ways to be involved at Christ Church! Find your inspiration HERE with 101+ ways to be involved at Christ Church!

Finance Update November 2023

To help support those in the Middle East. Visit the link to donate HERE.

LAST DAY TO GIVE!

Christ Church Annual Giving Tree

This year the Angel Gift Tree will focus on three

ministries: The Rector's Discretionary Fund; Laundry Love; and the Men's Rotating Shelter.

We are seeking donations of cash/check or gift cards to support these specific ministries. The Rector's Discretionary Fund can use cash or gift cards; Laundry Love- cash, and the Men's Shelter- cash or gift cards (Visa/etc).

Starting Dec. 3, through Dec. 31, you will find different colored angels on the tree in the back of the sanctuary; one for each ministry.

Every winter, houses of worship in New Brunswick unite to open their doors to our unhoused neighbors. We rotate from church to church each week and typically house about 15 men. The shelter runs from 22 December to 10 March, when the temperatures are below freezing. Christ Church will be hosting 31 December to 14 January.

The ministry has been running for over 20 years, and is recognized by our homeless neighbors and by community leaders as compassionate, life-saving, and much needed.

This year, our needs are:

· Volunteers to stay overnight with the guests

A full shift is 7 PM – 7AM and partial shifts are possible.

At Christ Church, volunteers will typically sleep in the choir room from 11 PM –5:30 AM and then start the coffee pots.

· Volunteers to help with move-out and cleaning on Sunday, January 14th

· Volunteers to cook or bring meals for 15 guests + 3 volunteers

· If you can’t volunteer your time, you can also donate supplies or money

To sign up for a shift or meal, please reach out to Jason Kaelber at interfaithrotatingshelter@gmail.com or 848 228 3620. We also have a few volunteer openings Christmas week at the synagogue, and later in the season, so you need not restrict yourself to the days Christ Church is hosting.

Thank you for supporting this ministry and the homeless men of New Brunswick!

Dine to Donate

In support of Christ Church New Brunswick at Tavern on George.

Wednesday, January 10

4-9pm

Click the flyer below for additional information.

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF ANNUAL MEETING COMMITTEE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the following parishioners have been

appointed to the Annual Meeting Committee of Christ Church for the

February 4, 2024 Annual Meeting of the parish:

Meegan Adames, Chair

Paul Ambos, Parliamentarian

Arnold Bruce Anderson

Margaret Brown-Stansbury

H. Arthur Phills

Shannon Pullaro

The offices to be filled at the meeting are:

People's Warden (one-year term) (one to be elected)

Vestrymember (three-year term) (two to be elected)

Diocesan Convention Deputies (one-year term) (three to be elected) (1 meeting + associated costs)

Diocesan Convention Alternate Deputies (one-year term) (three to be elected) (1 meeting + associated costs)

Delegate to Northern Convocation (one-year term) (six to be

elected)

Nominations for the offices to be voted on should be made through the Committee by completing and signing a nomination form and submitting it to the parish office or giving it in person to any member of the

Committee.

Would you like to join the Vestry or become a Diocesan Convention Deputy or Alternate? Know someone who may be great for the

position?

If yes, please fill out the nomination form HERE or

in-person

on the table in the back of the church.

Prayers requested for:

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Arnold, Barb, Christine, Dale, Danielle, Doreen, Dorothy, Eleanor, Isobel, Jacqueline, Jim, Joy, Karl, Lenora, Larry, Mary, Matthew, Penelope, Sarah, Shawn, Tabby, Timothy, Vivian, and Winston.

Christ Church Ministry: Personnel Committee

Anglican Cycle of Prayer: for the Anglican Church of Rwanda.

Diocesan Cycle Prayer: Ministry of Laity

Birthdays this week: Matthew Bharrat, John Buzbee, Maxine Dennis, Penny Gordon, Raven Jackson, Vinnah Robbin-Mason.

Memorial Flowers: Mrs. Benjamin F. Stanton in memory of Virginia Rose L. Watson.

Faith Formation Newsletter

Thank you for your generous giving to support the Mission and Ministry of Christ Church!

We encourage you to send your pledges and donations to Christ Church in a variety of ways:

Go to the Donate/Pledge page on our website and give through PayPal
Schedule payments through your bank to Christ Church directly
Zelle to admin@christchurchnewbrunswick.org
Mail in a check to Christ Church

Bishop French's statement regarding the Gaza and Israel: HERE

Vestry Corner:

Key Topics from the November 2023

Vestry Meeting

1) The Vestry was so happy to meet in person for this Vestry meeting!

2 ) At the meeting held on Dec. 10th, the Vestry reviewed the proposed budget for 2024. After questions were asked and answered, and discussion took place around various specific items, the Vestry unanimously voted to approve the budget. This will be shared prior to the February 4, 2024 Annual Meeting.

3) Through review of data collected at the Listening Sessions held at the end of October, with approximately 30 parishioners participating, the Vestry approved a revised job description of the Music Minister. This description will be posted in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more information.

Minutes of the November 2023 meeting can be found HERE.

Finance Committee Invitation

The Finance Committee will be having conversations about increasing our parish income! Meetings are on the 4th Saturday of each month at 10a.m. You may join the meetings using this link HERE.

If you have any questions, please contact Bruce Anderson at aba18s@yahoo.com.

News and Events from Diocesan Offices & Committees

Click HERE for Diocesan News and to subscribe to the Diocesan weekly newsletter, Good News in the Garden State

Opportunities to share your time, talent, and treasure

Secure donations for Laundry Love, RaiseRight, as well as General Donations or Pledge contributions can be made on our website by clicking HERE. You can also donate through the bill pay app at your bank, or by using Zelle. Zelle payments may be sent through your bank and directly deposited to the church via email to admin@christchurchnewbrunswick.org
You can still purchase your RaiseRight cards to support the church! You can pay through Zelle or PayPal and designate that payment to RaiseRight, Payments received will be reported to Paul Ambos. Please contact Paul by phone (732) 572-2067 or email HERE to place your order.
LAUNDRY LOVE is back to doing Laundry Love in-person at the Handy Street Laundromat, 314 Handy Street, New Brunswick, on the second Monday of every month from 5:00p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Parish volunteers to assist are always welcome. Email Catherine Ambos, msambos@gmail.com to volunteer. You can donate to Laundry Love through the DONATE tab on our web site HERE .

Want to make a Zoom appointment with Rev. Joanna? Use the link HERE

For in person appointments, call or email Rev. Joanna!

Sunday 10:30am Service

Zoom link for computer of Zoom app: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84463108449

By phone: Call 1-929-205-6099 and enter Meeting ID 844 6310 8449

YouTube link-virtual services and in-person services can be viewed here

https://www.youtube.com/c/ChristChurchNewBrunswickNJ

Facebook link

https://www.facebook.com/ChristChurchNB

Wednesday Noonday Prayer

Zoom link for computer or Zoom app: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86422667074?pwd=TTdWNkM1c0djRmxmekxXTWhqRFU5Zz09

By phone: Call +1-309-205-3325, Meeting ID: 86422667074# Passcode: 242833# US and enter the following code 864 2266 7074

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Forward them this email! CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE

Christ Church christchurchnewbrunswick.org

732-545-6262

info@christchurchnewbrunswick.org