Monthly Archives: August 2016

Drumming Camp Notes
It can best be summed up by Kim’s statement!

What a week, huh?! The sweetest kids ever and beautiful weather made this week’s camp one to remember, and to top it off we had an amazing team of leaders and volunteers.  I’m still singing the drumming tunes in my head (boom, boom, bucket, boom boom!) and reveling in the joy of Saturday’s great turnout of families and parishioners.

What a wonderful program from the magic in the kitchen with Sarah Ruth to the clean up crew and volunteers.

Thanks to everyone at St. Stephen’s who helped make it a great success.  The children had a wonderful experience learning to drum, making creative art projects, and eating scrumptious food.  Also a big thank you to Ya Ya for his outstanding job of culminating the children’s week long efforts with a grand finale!

Our deepest thanks.  – Fran, Gary and Susan.

Reminders

Serving at the Altar  9/4 & 9/11

NOTICES

If you would like to donate gift cards to directly help Louisiana flood victims, Ellen Pluta will be sending them to a friend in Louisiana who is working with people displaced by the flood and will distribute them directly.  Home Depot, Target or Visa are all terrific, in any amount.  You can bring to church on Sunday or drop in mail to Ellen. Thanks!

Ellen Pluta 132 Parkway Mountainside NJ 07092.  Call with any questions 908-347-8362.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Online Day of Prayer Tomorrow
Click on the Link below
http://ourvoices.net/

IHN REQUEST
Meals the second week, 8/29 – 9/2,  should be delivered to IHN Headquarters Allergies:  pork, raspberries, apples, celery and peaches.  Please deliver food by 5:00pm.
Able to help? Contact Angie Benedict,  IHN Volunteer Manager  at 973-746-1400 angie@ihnessexnj.org 

Christine’s Kitchen – September 17, 2016 from 10:30am-1pm
We serve neighbors in need at Christine’s Kitchen at Holy Trinity in West Orange. Holy Trinity is located at Washington and Main Streets in West Orange.  Parking is on the street.  We can use entrees, fruit, and other foods, as well as volunteers.   If you feel like bringing something additional, do so!  Food will not go to waste.

If you want to volunteer or contribute call Claas at 908 451-0426

Coffee hosting and flowers
Please sign up with Susan Dinan for coffee hour.  Please Let Eugene or Claire know if you would like to donate flowers, please consider taking ONE Sunday in memory of a loved one, or in thanksgiving for an event.  Flowers are priced at $40, $50 or $60 for the two vases.

EVENTS / ARTICLES / NOTICES
If you have any dates or events that need adding to the St. Stephen’s Calendar please send them to Claire, and all articles and e-mails for the newsletter by NOON on Tuesday to church@ststephensmillburn.org.  Thank You.

Rev Sheelagh’s Sabbatical Notes

God gave a beautiful day to take an hour ferry crossing from Oban to Mull and then an hour across Mull in a bus, to a small ferry crossing to Iona. The sun shone, the water was calm and the blues and greens of the Scottish Highlands as bright and beautiful as they get. It had been a week of letting go of my dad as the rational parts of him got weaker and weaker. But my sister and I fulfilled our promise to take him one more time to the country he loves.  We are content knowing that deep within he may have known and might have fleeting memories. We do.  Precious ones born of love.

And now, no tv, spotty Internet and the gift of silence.  I need to find the quiet within.
May God’s peace be with you all. +

SAD NEWS
On Saturday August 13, 2016 June Hillyer passed away peacefully at home.  A memorial service is to be held at St. Stephen’s on Thursday August 18 at 10am. St. Stephen’s parish family are invited to the ceremony.  In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be sent to the charity of your choice.

May light perpetual shine upon her. +

Reminders

Serving at the Altar  8/21 & 8/28

NOTICES

Please note the 12pm weekly prayer service is cancelled for this Thursday August 18, 2016.

If you have any dates or events that need adding to the St. Stephen’s Calendar please send them to Claire, and all articles and e-mails for the newsletter by NOON on Tuesday to church@ststephensmillburn.org.  Thank You.

UPCOMING EVENTS

IHN REQUEST
Our IHN families are in need of dinners for the last two weeks of  August.  The families will be staying in a hotel due to work being done at IHN headquarters. Meals the first week,  8/22 – 8/26, should be delivered to the Salvation Army in Montclair.  13 Trinity Place – 1st floor cafe.  Underground parking is available. Meals the second week, 8/29 – 9/2,  should be delivered to IHN Headquarters Allergies:  pork, raspberries, apples, celery and peaches.

Please deliver food by 5:00pm. Able to help? Contact Angie Benedict,  IHN Volunteer Manager

973-746-1400 angie@ihnessexnj.org 

 DRUMMING CAMP 8/23-8/27

Daily schedule: Tuesday – Friday
3:30pm Vans arrive. Campers have a hearty snack (granola bars and fruit), followed by free play time on the grounds.

4:00-5:00pm Younger campers drum in the Parish Hall. Older campers do arts and crafts upstairs.

5:00-6:00 pm Older campers drum in the Parish Hall. Younger campers do arts and crafts upstairs.

6:00-6:30pm Dinner in the Parish Hall.

6:30-7:15pm Outdoor sports and games. (Thursday – s’mores outside with Suzanne Holt).

7:15pm Circle time.

7:30pm Vans leave to take the campers home.

Last Day’s Schedule: Saturday
To be finalized by Kim and Yah-Ya, depending on rehearsal needs.

3:00pm Staff sets up grounds for performance – audience chairs.

3:30pm Vans arrive. Campers have a hearty snack (granola bars and fruit), followed by free play time on the grounds.

4:00-5:30pm Rehearsal time in Parish Hall.

5:00-5:30pm Parents arrive.

5:30pm Performance outdoors on the grounds.

6:00-6:30pm Picnic dinner with parents and guests.

Barbecue grill (Felder, Barry).

6:30-7:15pm Outdoor sports and games.

7:15pm Circle time, final goodbyes.

7:30pm Vans leave to take the campers home.

• Yah-yah Kamate will serve as the drumming instructor
• Kim Williams will assist Yah-yah with the drummers
• Gary Jones, Fran Taber, and Susan Dinan will serve as co-directors with clearly defined responsibilities, so we will not be getting into one another’s way.
• Reverend Kathleen will provide her calming and inspired presence.
• Sara Ruth Dorn will manage dinner and snacks.  She will need helpers each night.  If you want to help with food pick-up, preparation, and/or service please let Sara Ruth know which evenings you are available (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday) and the times you can assist. She can be reached at 973-467-9847 or Fdorn231@aol.com.
• Gesine Ehlers will coordinate arts and crafts.  If you want to assist in the arts room please let Susan Dinan know by responding to this message.
• Grace Savoia-Di Gregorio and Miles Ben-Egypt will serve as camp counselors, with Miles in charges of sports since he has experience as a soccer coach.  Elizabeth Hawk will serve as a junior counselor.

Would you like to help with the camp?  If you want to volunteer to work with the children, please let Susan Dinan know when you are available to do so, and what you would like to be involved in doing.  If you would like to contribute money to the food fund, please let us know.  If you would like to contribute food, please let Sara Ruth and Susan know so we can plan accordingly.  We will be ordering food from local restaurants (Peter’s, Millburn Diner, and Pizzeta) again this summer, and we will ask ShopRite and Trader Joes for snack donations, but as you know these children come from food insecure homes, and it is nice to provide them with substantial snacks and meals. Thank you for your support of our drummer!

Coffee hosting and flowers
Please sign up with Susan Dinan for coffee hour.  Please Let Eugene or Claire know if you would like to donate flowers, please consider taking ONE Sunday in memory of a loved one, or in thanksgiving for an event.  Flowers are priced at $40, $50 or $60 for the two vases.

Sabbatical Prayer
Gracious God, in you we live and move and have our being: We pray that you guide Rev. Sheelagh during this intentional Sabbath time.  May she return to St. Stephen’s restored in body, mind and spirit.  We also pray that you bless this parish and all who come here.  May we carry out with joy the ministries to which we are called.  May this also be a time of intentional prayer and reflection for us. By your Spirit, empower all to be strengthened by the gifts you give and to be renewed as servants of God.  Amen.

Rev Sheelagh’s Sabbatical Notes
Wandering the Byways

There’s something about the English countryside where I come from that slows down my heart rate and releases my stress.  This precious time away has meant I can really slow down and enter a different rhythm of life. Continue reading →

Rev Sheelagh’s Sabbatical Notes

Back to the beginnings…

Ironically, All Hallows’ Church in Bow (www.allhallowsbow.org) is a stone’s throw away from where I was a school inspector in the London Borough of Newham.  I probably visited every school in the district back in the late nineties. As then, it is very multiracial, from conservative Muslims in full burka, to white East Enders coexisting somewhat harmoniously in an underserved community. Continue reading →