Newsletter, March 9

Reverend Sheelagh’s Thought for the Week: March 9, 2016

Those who sowed with tears, will reap with songs of joy. Ps. 126

“You know your meditations haven’t been very joyful lately”, said Claire. “Well, that’s the flavor of Lent”, I replied.  Claire’s comment  got me thinking though.  It seems that joy and sorrow are two sides of the same coin.  Like light and dark (two theological themes) we need the one to be able to perceive the other.  There is a fragility of joy that is made more poignant by our experience of sorrow.  It is, perhaps, the bittersweet of life.  Like a good dish, the balance of flavors marks the depth of the experience.  None of us likes the sorrow or fear much, but it serves to make the joys and celebrations more exquisite still.  So as we head into the darkest days of Lent, let us look towards the light at the end of the tunnel, with hope and joy. “In the Lord, I’ll be ever thankful, in the Lord, I will rejoice.  Look to God, do not be afraid, lift up your voices, the Lord is near.  Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.” (Taize)+

Reminders

Serving at the Altar 3/13  & 3/20

NOTICE

Please send all articles and e-mails for the newsletter to Claire by NOON on Tuesday at church@ststephensmillburn.org.

Coffee Hour
Easter Sunday (March 27) is a big service and we would like more than one volunteer for coffee hour.   Please call or e-mail Claire in the office to add your name to the list.

Senior Lunch
A big thank you to all the volunteers for the Senior Luncheon this week! Especially our regulars, Deacon Kathleen, Muriel, Eugene, Sue, Martin & Sheelagh C.

This past week we had around 14 guests and we watched “The Intern.”  Enjoyed soup, quiche, and Irish colored ice cream, courtesey of Eugene.

The theme was St. Patrick’s Day and everyone had a lovely time.

Don’t forget to mention it to any seniors you know it is open to everyone.  Next date is April 12.

Community Connections
Sue Adler Realtors is donating $20,000 from its 100th home sale this year to be spread among six local charities based on online votes.  Voting for semi finalists ends March 15.

We should be proud that three of the lead contenders have St Stephen’s links.  Family Promise, Girls on the Run and Down the Block are among lead contenders for the semi finals.  You can vote every day.

Linked here is the voting form: http://sueadler.com/100th-home/

Thanks, Margo

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday’s Anthem
At the offertory time this Sunday, the choir will present a beautiful setting of the George Herbert poem, “Vertue.”  The text describes the inevitability of death for all things of this world, excepting the “sweet and virtuous soul.”  These words might evoke the image of Mary in this week’s gospel reading, as she anoints Jesus’ feet in anticipation of his death.

Vertue
by George Herbert  (1593-1633)

Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright,
The bridall of the earth and skie:
The dew shall weep thy fall tonight:
For thou must die.

Sweet rose, whose hue angrie and brave
Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye:
Thy root is ever in its grave,
And thou must die.

Sweet spring, full of sweet dayes and roses,
A box where sweets compacted lie;
My musick shows ye have your closes,
And all must die.

Onely a sweet and virtuous soul,
Like season’d timber, never gives;
But though the whole world turn to coal,
Then chiefly lives.

Going Deeper this Lent:
Thursdays  at noon in the Church
Stations of the Cross and meditations – Join us for this spiritual prayer walk.
March 10, 17 and 24.

Online resources:
Daily meditations delivered to your email box: www.dioceseofnewark.org  click on Online Meditations to read, and to subscribe.

Celebrate Our Kids!

Jadyn Herry will be playing Cello in the pit for Columbia High School’s Musical “Disney’s Beauty & the Beast”
Performance dates are the next two weekends, March 11, 12, 18 & 19 at 7:30 pm and March 13 & 20 at 2 pm.
Tickets can be purchased online here: https://colhs.booktix.com

Holy Wednesday – Sacred Art Workshop – March 23rd, 7pm-9pm.
This workshop is now fully subscribed.  Let Rev.  Sheelagh know if you want to be waitlisted.

HOSPITALITY IS WHO WE ARE
In 1987 St. Stephens became one of a few dozen congregations involved with a new ministry to homeless families – IHN – the Interfaith Hospitality Network for the Homeless. Since then, another 6,000 congregations have done the same, involving more than 160,000 volunteers and collectively serving more than 600,000 children and adults.  Volunteer congregations host families for a week offering food and shelter while the case management team helps them move toward permanent housing and self-sufficiency.

We host next from April 10  to April 17. We will be on hand on Sunday, March 13, to share more about IHN, family homelessness and how small acts of kindness can support families in distress and enrich our own. If you are newer to the church and the program, come to learn how simple things like cooking a lasagna, reading to a 3 year old and sleeping overnight, help families stay together at a time of crisis – changing the course of them, and their children’s lives.  If you’re an old hand at IHN, come and share your experiences and expertise.

We’ll need volunteers to stay overnight, to cook and serve meals, to entertain children, to run errands and for the set up and take down work to convert classrooms to bedrooms. To learn more, talk to Margo Greenfield or Claas Ehlers. To sign up, click this link.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0845a4ac2ba02-ihnapril

As always, Meal Coordinator Sara Ruth Dorn will conduct signups during coffee hour for volunteers to prepare and serve dinners and purchase the necessary breakfast and snack staples. You can also reach her at 973-467-9847.

Papermill Show Choir Benefit Concert
Sunday 24 April, 7:30pm St. Stephen’s Church

Tickets: $20 adults, $15 seniors & $10 children.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or after church in April. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Rectory, 973-376-0688.

Palm Sunday Readings
Thank you to all the parishioners who have volunteered for our Palm Sunday Passion Gospel readings on Sunday March 20.