Newsletter, February 24
Reverend Sheelagh’s Thought for the Week: February 24, 2016 Before every vestry meeting, your vestry spends fifteen minutes “Dwelling in the Word.” This is a practice of holy listening. We listen to the same scripture passage read by two readers, paying attention to where we stop listening, or where an image pops up, or our mind wanders into the imaginative realm. When we have listened, we listen to a partner, share our thoughts as they listen, then offer our partners thoughts to the group. Going local is about listening. Finding the people outside our walls and just listening. Even in our family lives, how often does someone really listen to us? Our passage is this week’s Hebrew scripture, Moses and the Burning bush. God appears to Moses in the burning bush. Moses notices. God speaks. Moses listens. God tells Moses he has been listening and has heard the cries of the people. In our vestry meeting this past week, those who listened heard God say, “I hear you.” “I understand.” “Get on and do something about it.” “I will be with you.” And when you are done “come here to give thanks and worship.” This holy listening gave us the chills. I think we listened and heard what God wanted us to notice. After Church on Sunday, join me in the Common Room, to listen and dwell with the word. What do you hear the Spirit of God saying to you? Reminders
Serving at the Altar 2/28 & 3/6
NOTICE Please send all articles and e-mails for the newsletter to Claire by NOON on Tuesday at church@st.stephensmillburn.org UPCOMING EVENTS Spirituality for the Second Half of Life Group details will be shared at the introductory meeting but basically, the group theme is that of spirituality in the second part of life – the time after children have grown, jobs are coming to an end or have ended, losses in life have been experienced due to aging and life’s BIG questions are faced more fully. This group will meet for approximately six weeks; the day and time of meetings will be based on members. If you have any questions/concerns please call Theresa Scharff at 908 686 5489. Beckerath Organ Recital by our own John Schucker! Sunday, February 28 at 4 pm PLEASE NOTE: My email address has changed AGAIN to: marganneth2@yahoo.com Going Deeper this Lent: February 11, 18, 25, March 3, 10, 17 and 24. Sunday Lenten Series: Common Room 11:30 – 12:00 Sunday, February 28 – Sunday, March 6 – Seek and Serve Christ in all Persons – IHN representatives Sunday, March 13 – Proclaiming by Word and Example – Vestry Forum Online resources: Daily meditations delivered to your email box: www.dioceseofnewark.org click on Online Meditations to read, and to subscribe. St Stephen’s Church List of Activities Palm Sunday Readings Sacred Art workshop SABBATICAL NEWS At the Diocesan Convention, Bishop Beckwith stressed the theme “Who is My Neighbor?” Rev. Sheelagh’s primary focus of her Sabbatical is to further explore the “going local” missional network activities and program. She will be traveling to different parts of the country and abroad where churches are actively engaged in this missional project. Further information will be provided as she maps out the specifics of her itinerary. Poems & Reflections |