Newsletter, September 9

Reverend Sheelagh’s Thought for the Week: September 9, 2015

It has been four years since I walked into the preschool yard with my wellies on in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. In many ways it feels longer than four years, in others it seems like just yesterday. Together, we toiled to clean up, rebuild and refocus our buildings. We have started new ministries, and let some go. Reading the gospel for Sunday, I found myself smiling. “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me,” Jesus tells his disciples, and that has always felt like the truth to me. Being a disciple is not easy. When we say “yes” ordained or not, it means we have “died” to our old life and are born into a new life. We don’t get to choose what happens in ministry or our parish life; when the Holy Spirit calls, all we can say is “here I am, Lord, send me.”

Going forward we will need to focus our ministries more precisely, as we face the stewardship challenges of finances, time and energy. Please don’t be alarmed, nothing dramatic will happen suddenly, and you know how much I love the creative ministry of this church. I know and trust in you to be faithful to our calling, and if we are to be effective we need to have adult conversations about the focus and scope of our ministry in the next year. I look forward to that – and pray that “the Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts.”+

Reminders

Serving at the Altar Sunday 9/13 & 9/20

Coffee hosting and flowers needed

Please sign up with Susan Dinan for coffee hour. Please let Eugene or Claire know if you want to donate flowers. There are only 40 weeks in the year that we need flowers for the altar – 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.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Welcome Back Breakfast
DATE: 09/13/2015 ( Sun 9:00AM – 10:00AM EDT )
LOCATION: Parish Hall

On Sunday 13 September at 9:00am the St. Stephen’s community will gather together to share a meal, along with stories of our summer adventures. Please join us for the fun.
Please let us know if you would like to bring a dish or drink to share. Your coordinating committee (Blair, Denise, and Susan).

Thank you to everyone who already responded to let us know what they will be bringing. Our breakfast kicks off at 9:00 this Sunday September 13. We know many people will be just getting back from traveling and there is always plenty to share. It’s more important to come than to bring something. Hope to see everyone there!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054ea4ae2faa8-welcome

This is what we have so far:
The Dorns: Cheese grits.
Nancy: Egg and bacon bake.
Jane: Crumb cake.
Fran Taber: A surprise 🙂
Suzanne: An egg dish.
The Soughans: A ham
Price/Herrys: Fruit platter and grapes
Margo: Yogurt parfaits.
Dinan/Hawk: Scones

Buy Groceries and Support St. Stephen’s!

I am pretty sure we have all bought groceries before. Only now you can buy groceries and support St Stephen’s at the same time by making a donation. On Welcome Back Sunday we will be selling gift cards to Kings and ShopRite. For every card purchased, 5% of its value is donated to our church. Cards will be available in $25, $50 and $100 denominations and you can pay with cash or a check. Going forward, cards will be for sale at coffee hour on the first Sunday of every month.

Please see Blair Majtyka to purchase the cards and email or call me with any questions, blairmajtyka@me.com/973-801-1471.

Annual Fund Raising Breakfast

You are invited to the annual fundraising breakfast for the Interfaith Hospitality Network, October 14 from 8-9 am at Mayfair Farms. Learn more about the agency’s programs for the homeless and enjoy a continental breakfast. Please contact Tina Kelley at tinapetekate@yahoo.com or 917 439 9484 if you would like to attend. Thanks!
Tina Kelley co-author,
Almost Home: Helping Kids Move from Homelessness to Hope
(Wiley, Oct. 2012)
on Twitter
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Parish Directory

The new year brings an opportunity to update our parish directory and databases. Claire has prepared a simple form that will help us check names, addresses, contact numbers and email. It would also help us to have dates of baptism and confirmation (if applicable) to check the database.

Confirmation and Reception preparation: Reverend Sheelagh is happy to provide Confirmation preparation to anyone wishing to be confirmed (must be a 9th Grader or older) or received into the Episcopal Church. Even though the Episcopal Church regards Baptism as full initiation into Holy Communion, Reverend Sheelagh is always willing to provide preparation for younger children prior to receiving Holy Communion if desired.
Please contact her at rector@ststephensmillburn.org for more information.
Our roving photographers will be snapping new pictures of us all for the Parish Family Board.

Prayers For The Parish List

We need to update our prayer list, if you wish to keep a name on the list please let us know by Tuesday September 15, 2015.