28 Jun

First Harvest of the Season!

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Hello All! Yesterday, Friday, June 26, we harvested the first crop of the season from the Al’s garden! Today we delivered the lettuce, kale, and swiss chard to Our Lady of Sorrows Food Pantry. Thanks to efforts of the preschool watering  the garden every day and the Sunday School’s wonderful planting abilities,  the garden is off to a great start. The boston lettuce are almost ready and tomatoes are big and…. green. The green beans and cucumber are sprouting fast from seeds and we hope they will grow big and be plentiful this year. If you have any plants you think the garden would benefit from and want to give them to us, we would be happy to take them and plant them with the kids. Please, no tomatoes! Thank you all for the support and have a good summer!

Phoebe Holt-Reiss

18 Apr

Newsletter April 15

Reverend Sheelagh’s thought for the week:

“Many are saying, “Oh, that we might see better times!” Psalm 4

Two of the Easter season themes are renewal and new birth.  Today I am mindful that renewal often means change, and we are mostly reluctant to change.  Having no administrative help this week has brought into focus that some things really need to change, at least in the short term.
At vestry we decided to slim-line the bulletin while we regroup ourselves.  We have a beautiful new website, and a new logo, so we are using them.  This e-newsletter is sparer, because your rector cannot spend all the time needed to put in all the extra text boxes and color backgrounds. We are in a “needs must” situation and I think we all agree that we have become a little over-elaborate.
As the Bishop invites us this weekend to renew our Baptismal Vows, let’s remember what our mission and ministry is.  We are a small parish, with a small staff, and we need to use our resources wisely, in terms of both costs and time.
God is always in the midst of us recreating what is good, “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God.” Alleluia, the Lord is Risen indeed.
REMINDERS
Date
Time
Event
April 16, Thursday
12:00 PM
Healing Service and Bible Study
April 19, Sunday
10:00 AM
Bishop’s Visitation
April 19, Sunday4:00PMBeckerath Organ Recital
April 26, Sunday7:00PMBroadway Show Choir Benefit

Sunday, April 19 at 4pm – Beckerath Organ Recital by Gail Archer

 A rare opportunity, not to be missed—and a first for St. Stephen’s!   A program of organ works all composed by women—played by another talented woman, Gail Archer:  International concert artist, Grammy-nominated recording artist, and NYC based recitalist, choral conductor, and lecturer   Be sure to come and bring your friends and family!

Admission to the recital is by donation at the door ($10 suggested).  Children accompanied by an adult are cordially invited to come as guests.  A reception for the artist follows the recital.   The church can be reached at (973) 376-0688, or consult www.ststephensmillburn.org.

 

 

Spring Auction May 16th 

 Tickets are available for the Auction on May 16th. This is our MAIN fundraiser this year, so please buy your tickets, and invite your friends, neighbors and family. Tickets are $20 and available from Rev Sheelagh on973 376 0688 x11

 

2015 MISSION TRIP
Wednesday, July 8 – Saturday July 11, 2015

OPEN TO RISING 9TH GRADERS THROUGH NEW HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

This year our mission trip will be local!  There is no cost attend this trip but participants should plan to have $100 in cash with them.

Registration is due April 15, the registration link and additional details to follow.

IT IS MANDATORY THAT TEENS ATTEND THE FOLLOWING PREPARATION MEETINGS Sunday, May 31 5-6:30 P.M.

Sunday June 21, Scavenger Hunt in NYC

For more information contact Denise Price at 917.548.5520 or  denise.price75@yahoo.com

About the Trip

Join other high school students from the Episcopal Diocese of Newark on a local Mission Trip, working right here in New Jersey! We will work together at Apostle’s House, a shelter for families founded by several Episcopal Churches, in Newark. Our days will be spent creating art projects and other experiences for the children of Apostle’s House, and helping with simple construction.

 We will also learn about Newark, the ways it has changed through the years and some of its current challenges. As Christians, we know that the work we do isn’t for our own sake, but for the sake of Jesus Christ. Our Mission Trip group will live together in intentional Christian Community. At the end of every workday we’ll stay on the Close at the General Theological Seminary in Chelsea. There, we will participate in Daily Office and reflection on our work. We will also take time to visit other churches in New York City. Of course, there will be plenty of additional time for fun in Manhattan. The teens will attend cultural events and experiences, try new foods, enjoy fellowship and have a blast!

03 Apr

Together we grieve …

Last night we broke bread together, shared the last Eucharist, cleansed the altar and sat vigil for an hour.
Today in silences, music and reflections we mark the moments in real times of Jesus’ death. We do so as hundreds of Christians are being executed for their faith by Islamic terror groups, but also we hold in prayer ALL who are executed by oppressive regimes.
Together we grieve today. But there had to be a death, for the next chapter to begin.
Rev. Sheelagh+

02 Apr

Stations of the Cross

It begins. The sanctuary slightly scented with incense from the holy land, a set of fourteen beautifully carved plaques on the pillars, ten of us walked and prayed the traditional scriptures that are the events of Christ’s journey to the cross. After a stressful week, this ancient ritual brought me to a place of peace. I’m ready for what lies ahead.
Join me. Rev Sheelagh+
18 Mar

Newsletter March 18

unnamed-1Reverend Sheelagh’s Thought for the Week:

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself”

The cross of St. Damiano depicts the image of Christ on the cross drawing all to himself. Christ is victorious, his arms outstretched in a gesture of welcome, iconic images of his healings and those who came to faith around him.   It is an image that counters the brutality of the crucifixion, and gives the scripture passage above meaning for me. Our faith offers us a paradox. Without the crucifixion there could have been no resurrection and thus no Christianity. +
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