WELCOME HOME!

Worship with us:

Sunday at 9:00 am in person and Live on Facebook

Daylight Saving Time concludes at 2 AM on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, when the clock will “fall back” one hour and in theory we get one extra hour of sleep.

So, remember to turn your clocks back one hour on Saturday night so you will be on time for church on Sunday!

The Parable of the Talents

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents,[b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters of St. Mary's,

As we enter our Stewardship seasonal pledge drive, I have been praying on this passage from Matthew 25: 14-30. I have been praying about the gifts we have been given and the hopes and dreams we have shared. I have scoured through old documents, thoughts, and notes from think tanks in which many of you have participated.

On Sunday, we humbly celebrated the substantial financial gift that was given to us. We engaged in fruitful fellowship and watched a video highlighting our gifts and achievements throughout the year. We spoke openly about our hopes and challenges as we move forward.

Motivated by you and this passage, I am convinced more today than ever that it is time we invest, take action, and move St. Mary's from the Glory of what we once were to the Glory of God in which we will become. To be comfortable without risk is to bury our only talent waiting for our Master to arrive, but to trust the Holy Spirit, to invest in our dreams shared will set us over much as we enter into the Joy of the Kingdom.

In order for us to get there from here, our church needs YOU!

We need your vision.

We need your commitment.

We need your support.

Every contribution is important. Whether you commit financially and/or by time or talent. You can be a Year-round member, Part-time member, Seasonal member, Annual supporter, or choose a one-time pledge.

You can be involved in our focus groups, book studies, ministries, outreach and more.

Will you dream with us? Walk with us?

Form disciples in a new way and be an integral part of our ministry.

Pledge commitments will be collected, gathered, and blessed on November 27th

You will receive a pledge packet in the mail. If you do not receive one and would like one, please reach out by replying to this email or call the office: 609-368-5922

Thank you for your consideration!

The slate of nominees for the 13th Bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey are:

• The Rev. Canon Dr. Dena Cleaver-Bartholomew, Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of Rhode Island

• The Rev. Canon Dr. Sally French, Canon for Regional Ministry and Collaborative Innovation, Diocese of North Carolina

• The Very Rev. Troy Mendez, Dean, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Phoenix, Arizona

• The Rev. Dr. Janine Schenone, Rector, Good Samaritan Episcopal Church, San Diego, California

• The Rev. Dr. Mauricio Jose Wilson, Rector, St. Paul's Episcopal Church Oakland, California

Information on the nominees including a minute video introduction, resumes and sermons are found at www.bishopsearchnj.org

Candidates will visit locations around the Diocese in early January for meet and greet sessions that will allow clergy and congregants to engage directly with them before the Electing Convention.

The Electing Convention will be held on January 28, 2023, starting at 10 AM at Trinity Cathedral and via Zoom. More information on both the meet and greets and the convention will be available in mid-November.

The release of the slate also marks the beginning of the 30-day petition process, details of which can be found on the NJ Bishop Search Web site. That process will close at 5:00 p.m. on Nov. 29.

Sacrificial Giving Brings Freedom

Money and possessions, often perceived as the blessings of life, have tied more people in knots, caused more ulcers, and sent more people to the psychiatrist than we’ll ever know. This is largely because those ruled by the checkbook find it easy to act as if God does not exist. Not having enough money to meet their “needs,” they become tense and anxious, tied in knots by their lack of faith. If they look to God at all, they see God through the wrong end of the telescope.

Giving a meaningful percentage of one’s income to the church is not a cure-all, but it is a step in the right direction because it helps a person develop a proper perspective and ultimately frees them from the shackles of faithless fear. Sacrificial giving is an acknowledgment that God is alive and at the very center of our lives. It helps us recognize that all our money, ability, our very lives, belong to God. These things are trusts from God, to be used as God would have them used. This results in an indescribable freedom that can never come to the people who think they must do everything for themselves. The wrong attitude toward money and possessions can quickly lock our spirits in a prison of our own making, but the right attitude can free us just as quickly. This attitude will come through worship, prayer and an act that will prove to yourself that you really believe God is at the center of your life. Sacrificial giving could be that act; an act of faith in which you will find a new dimension of freedom!

Some ways to support St. Mary's

• Become a member

• The Sunday collection plate

• Send a check payable to St. Mary's to:

St. Mary's Church,

9425 Third Ave., Stone Harbor, NJ 08247

(Your envelope and number is not necessary, only your name.)

• Setting up a personal online banking "bill pay" option. The bank will mail the check for you to the church office.

• Online giving through our website at https://www.stmarysstoneharbor.org/

Please note: Offering envelopes have been discontinued. Only your name is needed in order for the counters to record your giving.

Lost Christianities: The Battles of Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew 

by Bart D. Ehrman, Matthew Kugler, et al.

Available in Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle or Audiobook

This year's 7 Mile Island Ecumenical service of Thanksgiving will be held on Sunday, November 20th at 7 pm and will take place at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 9212 3rd Ave., Stone Harbor.  

Mother Allison will be the preacher this year.

Clergy from the island churches will participate.

The November, December, January edition of Forward Day by Day, Daily Devotion booklets, are now available in the church narthex. Please help yourself and take one for a friend who might enjoy receiving a copy.

We are sorry to say that only the small copies have been received so far. The large print editions will arrive shortly.

If you would like a copy mailed to you, please let the church office know and we'll be glad to send one.

The ministry of ushering is a crucial part of worship because it is one of the most visible ministries in the church. In Christ, you have received God’s unconditional love, and in Christ, you are called to extend that same unconditional love to others. Although an usher’s love is no stronger than the love found in the whole congregation of the body of Christ, nevertheless, the usher performs a major role in ensuring that people see and experience that love.

The ushers distribute bulletins and greet worshipers, making every attempt to make them feel welcome and at ease. The ushers are also available to answer questions of anyone needing assistance.

Please contact Mo. Allison or Julie if you are interested.

Membership at St. Mary's consists of several different groups of "members." Some are Confirmed Communicant Members or who have transferred their membership by Letter of Transfer to St. Mary's. Some are Baptized into St. Mary’s or have requested that their names be entered in the Parish Register. Others are “members” by virtue of the fact that St. Mary’s is their church—the Christian community of which they are a part and where they worship regularly. Still, others are “summer members" or friends of St. Mary's. Many are part of St. Mary’s life, worship at St. Mary’s when in town, and support St. Mary’s financially. Canonically, they are not members in the legal sense, but they are every bit as much members of our parish family as those who are official members.

Please contact the church office if you would like to receive membership forms to be added to our data base.

email: SaintMarysStoneHarbor@gmail.com



We welcome you to join us!

Happy Birthday to

Matthew Dowling, Jr., Sarah Langston, and Timothy Schellenger on November 6th, Adelina King on November 7th, Cole Pettit on November 8th, and Zeke Boldt on November 9th!

Happy Anniversary to

Clyde and Dee Pettit on November 7th!

If you would like to be remembered on your birthday or anniversary, please let the church office know so we can add you to our data base.

If you would like to honor a loved one on their birthday or anniversary with altar flowers, please sign up on the altar flower chart in the parish hall. The flowers can be taken from the altar after worship. 

Come check out the GOLD Winner of the 2022 Best of the Jersey Shore thrift shops - St. Mary's This 'n That Thrift Shop!

When you're doing your fall cleaning, please remember This 'n That. Household items and clean usable clothing are welcome!

And while you're there, look around. You may find a bargain you can't resist!

Store Hours:

Monday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm

Donation days: Tuesday and Thursday, 10 am - 3 pm

Location: St. Mary's This 'n That

1304 Rt. 47 So., Rio Grande, NJ 08242    609-886-7272

Follow them on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/St-Marys-This-N-That-Thrift-Shop-268676343298636/

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. We at Branches have much to be grateful for. However, there are those who are struggling to feed their families. Our Food Pantry is working hard to meet the needs of these folks. If you have a turkey, ham, or chicken that you have received as a bonus from your super market, we would appreciate it if you would donate it to our Food Pantry. You can leave your donation at Branches Food Pantry M-W-F from 9-12. Or, you can bring it to our new Branches building at 201 Hirst Ave. from 8:30-1:30, M-F and Sat. from 10-12.

Thank you in advance if you are able to help us meet the needs of so many who are struggling during these difficult times. As we always say at Branches, “We could not do what we do without you.”

Sundays after worship (except on Vestry Sunday)- Adult Forum Book Study - Lost Christianities

• November (Date TBD) Thanksgiving service/breakfast
• November 20th - 7 PM - 7 Mile Island Service of Thanksgiving to be held at our Saviour Lutheran Church
• November 25th-26th (Women’s Club Festival of Trees Donation)
• December 17th – 7:30 pm at Cold Spring Presbyterian, Production of Handel's Messiah with John Curtis, and Mo. Allison as Narrator
• December 21st – Blue Christmas

12 Step Meetings in the Church Hall

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Monday at 8:00 pm

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Tuesday at 8:00 pm

Alanon Friday at 10:00 am

Daniel 7:1-3,15-18

Psalm 149

Ephesians 1:11-23

Luke 6:20-31

Tuesday - Thursday 8:30 am Morning Prayer via Zoom

Sunday 9:00 AM in person (church)