The Voice Online of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark

Online Edition - Thursday, December 5, 2013

From Bishop Beckwith

Put on the armor of light

Posted by Mark Beckwith on December 5, 2013

It's my favorite collect from the prayer book. (A collect is a collection of thoughts that make up a prayer.) It opens the new liturgical year, on the first Sunday of Advent.

The collect begins,

Almighty God, give us grace...

And the truth is, God is always giving us grace - which comes through a new insight, or a deeper sense of gratitude, or an unexpected gift that life provides which opens us up to an even deeper sense of gratitude - or a sense of mercy or healing or presence or... Read more.

Advent Resources

Equipping Digital Saints:
Social Media, Hospitality & the Holiday Season

A free webinar TODAY by GTS Digital Formation

Advent, Christmas and Epiphany time presents a unique opportunity-as well as a unique challenge-to provide hospitality to a wider group of seekers. What online tools can be used to make the yule times bright for members of your congregations and for the visitors to your church?

GTS Digital Formation invites you to learn about online resources for hospitality this holiday season by joining the third webinar of the 2013-14 series Equipping Digital Saints. To be held on TODAY, December 5 from 2-3 p.m., the free webinar, Social Media, Hospitality & the Holiday Season, will explore tools to create an atmosphere of hospitality and welcome this holiday season. Register now.

GTS Digital Formation is The General Theological Seminary's initiative to help clergy and lay leaders throughout The Episcopal Church appreciate the theological foundations and effectiveness of social media and digital technology for gospel proclamation and ministry.

Sign up for Advent Email Meditations

Once again the Episcopal Diocese of Newark is offering daily meditations during the season of Advent. Each day you will receive a scripture reading, a reflection on that reading and a short prayer (except on Sundays when you will receive the Gospel lesson and a prayer).

The word "Advent" means "coming," yet Advent is often a challenge as we are bombarded by sales, parties and a myriad of other distractions. Please consider taking time to slow down, wait, pray and reflect on the hope and possibilities that Jesus offers us. We hope that these daily emails will help you to prepare your hearts and minds for the coming of Jesus. Sign up now.

Three Advent service webcasts

Three beloved Advent services will be presented live by the Episcopal Church Office of Communication. The live webcasts can be accessed on the website of the Episcopal Church here.

Sunday, December 8: Advent Lessons and Carols
Sunday, December 15: Evensong with Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols
Tuesday, December 24: Children's Pageant

All services are live at 4 p.m. Eastern Time. The services will be available on-demand as well.

Other Advent resources

Watch the video of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori's Advent reflection.

The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, which publishes the popular Brother, Give Us a Word daily meditations, has created an Advent Calendar on Pinterest. Each window will reveal a special Advent word, meditation and a beautiful image.

Episcopal Church Foundation's Vital Practices is providing links to free Advent resources, calendars and devotions, reflections, St. Nicholas Day, and preparing for Christmas visitors at your church. Find out more.

Engaging the World

Does your congregation or organization have a feature article about how you've engaged the world? Use the Send Us Your News form to submit it for consideration for The VOICE Online and the diocesan website. The deadline for the next issue of The VOICE Online on December 19 is Friday, December 13.

You gave, it helped: Please support the Alleluia Fund for Outreach!

Nurse Martha Tisdale meets with a guest at Garden State Episcopal CDC's Drop-In Center. PHOTO COURTESY GSECDC

Since its inception in 2010, the Alleluia Fund for Outreach has helped feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the elderly and support education, enrichment and mentoring for at-risk children throughout the diocese.

Your gift to the Alleluia Fund for Outreach makes a difference for programs like Garden State Episcopal CDC, which operates with the conviction that all who come through its doors are treated with respect. With support from the Alleluia Fund, the Garden State Episcopal CDC is able to bring a nurse to the Drop-in Center for low-income and homeless individuals once a week and provide essential healthcare services.

Please don't wait! Your gift will be added to others to support the Garden State Episcopal CDC and other essential diocesan-related programs committed to doing God's work.

Together, we can do make a difference and help those in need in our community.

Your tax-deductible gift received by December 31 will be disbursed to 35 diocesan-related agencies that are committed to doing God's work in the world. Donate online or mail a check payable to Diocese of Newark with Alleluia Fund in the memo line to: Alleluia Fund, c/o Diocese of Newark, 31 Mulberry St., Newark, NJ 07102.

Church News

Christ Church in Teaneck collects 1000+ lbs of food for pantries

December 3, 2013

The Rev. Michelle White and other volunteers

For their second annual Food Drive, the members of Christ Church in Teaneck and the children and staff of the Ridgewood Montessori School in Paramus collected over 1000 pounds of food to be distributed to the Good Shepherd Food Pantry in Weehawken and the Christ Church Food Pantry.

The Rev. Michelle White of Christ Church says she is very excited about this outreach project. "There is a great need of help for those less fortunate and those who have fallen upon hard times," she said. "We are trying to do what we can to ease their suffering."

White added that she hopes to continue working in partnership with Good Shepherd and the Ridgewood Montessori School on other outreach endeavors.

Engaging the World: NEWARK ACTS

And for that I am thankful

Posted by NEWARK ACTS Intern Ker Thao on November 21, 2013

My alarm goes off every weekday at 5am. The first thought that crosses my mind every morning is, "I can't wait to come back home and sleep." Eventually, I roll out of bed around 6am and struggle to prepare myself for the long day ahead. By 7am, I have my headphones in and I'm walking out the door. As I wait for the bus, I pray for there to be an empty seat so I don't have to sit on the side seats, because they're just not comfortable and you're constantly swaying back and forth with the stop and go movement of the bus. Read more.

Comtemplative photography: Looking is not seeing

Posted by NEWARK ACTS Intern Sandra Kwawu on November 25, 2013

Lately, I've been learning how easy it is to lose one's self in the everyday routine. The retreat was a wonderful break for me to get back in touch with myself. I took an early walk the first morning and it felt great to abandon my soul to the fresh air of the woods and feel the good spirits of the world flow through and around me. The second morning, even though tired, I dragged myself out of bed to do it again . I don't get that luxury living in the city, especially in my neighborhood in Newark. Here are some of my photographs with with quotes that speak to me. Read more.

People to people: My daily interactions

Posted by NEWARK ACTS Intern Sandra Kwawu on December 3, 2013

The lady who drives the 8 a.m. bus is interesting. She is quick to lash out on the passengers who don't follow the rules as she is lovely to the regulars who do follow the rules. One day, she waited for me as I ran across the street to catch the bus. Some days, she is out of control and it is safe to say that she has road rage. She wishes me a blessed day when I thank her for the ride as I step off the bus. I appreciate the blessing. Read more.

Empowering People

Upcoming youth events - register early and save!

Happening - A Christian Experience is a fabulous program for youth in grades 9-12 to make new friends, relax and have lots of fun in a safe environment while exploring their own spirituality. It will be held at Church of the Atonement in Tenafly from 7 p.m. on Friday, February 7 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 9, 2014. The fee for youth registrations received by the January 10 "early bird" deadline is $69. There is no cost for adult chaperones. Find out more or register online.

The Middle School Retreat for youth in grades 6-8 will take place at Cross Roads Camp & Retreat Center in Port Murray, NJ from 7 p.m. on Friday, February 28 to 12 noon on Sunday, March 2, 2014. The fee for registrations received by the "early-bird" deadline of January 17 is $120. Find out more or register online.

Scholarships for both these events are available upon request for those who need financial assistance.

Applications now accepted online for Episcopal Church Young Adult Service Corps

The Episcopal Church offers untold opportunities for young adults to provide service and share their expertise worldwide through the Young Adult Service Corps. Commonly known as YASC, applications for 2014-15 are now being accepted for the Young Adult Service Corps from young adults between the ages of 21-30. The application is available online here. The application deadline is January 3, 2014. Find out more.

Offerings at Cross Roads Camp & Retreat Center

January 2-5: Young Adult Retreat

What are your resolutions? How will this year look different? The start of a new year is often a time to challenge ourselves to change our lives for the better, to challenge what we were doing before and to see hope and opportunity in the days, weeks and months to come. Cost: $65. Find out more at crossroadsretreat.com.

Equipping Congregations

Remembering Newtown, CT one year later

As we approach the one year anniversary on December 14 of the violent tragedy in Newtown, CT, let us renew our commitment to pray and take action to overcome a culture of violence.

God, today we are still sifting through the shards of our broken certainties. Gone is the predictable future we thought we knew for ourselves and our children. The world seems more dangerous and unstable than before. May we find amidst this uncertainty those deep convictions and lasting values that are unshakeable, despite the turmoil of the day. And may these constants in our lives remind us of your constancy and your unchanging strength.
From the Prayers of the People by Rev. Dr. Casey G. Baggott, Community Church of Vero Beach, FL

The diocesan Justice Board offers as a resource a liturgy for a candlelight vigil, Pray for Peace and Unity, which can be adapted for your use on this occasion.

In the News

Was your congregation or organization covered by the local media? Use the Send Us Your News form to submit the link for consideration for The VOICE Online and the diocesan website. The deadline for the next issue of The VOICE Online on December 19 is Friday, December 13.

Charity can't pick up the food stamp slack

The Star-Ledger - November 21, 2013

Cuts to the U.S. food stamp program will mean 1.9 billion fewer meals for hungry Americans in 2014. That's more than half the number of meals the country's food banks already are expected to serve. If House Republicans succeed in cutting $40 billion more from the program over the next decade, another 1.5 billion meals will be wiped out.

Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program thinned the monthly food budgets for 47 million Americans. Many will ask a local food pantry to help fill the gap. At the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, calls for help are up 50 percent this month.

Further SNAP cuts will overwhelm the nonprofit food banks. Charity can't be a long-term replacement for government safety nets. In New Jersey, cuts totaled $90 million a year and reduced monthly allowances for 873,000 people - 10 percent of the state, the vast majority being children, elderly or the working poor.

"We can't make up the slack for that," says Diane Riley, the Community FoodBank's advocacy director. Read more.

Redeemer, Morristown hosts group wedding for same-sex couples

The Daily Record - December 2, 2013

The Church of the Redeemer was the setting Sunday for a group marriage ceremony that celebrated the legalization of same-sex marriages in New Jersey.

The ceremony featured more than two dozen same-sex and straight couples within the church.

The Rev. Cynthia Black, Rector of the Church of the Redeemer, said the plan was initially to hold this ceremony at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 21, the Monday that same-sex marriages in New Jersey became official. But that plan ended up being too ambitious.

"The practicality stopped us from pulling it off, and midnight was a tough sell," said Black, who, with the help of some participants, settled on the Dec. 1 date.

"Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day, but it's also the first Sunday of Advent, essentially New Year's Day on the church calendar," said Black. "So considering all that, we thought it was a great time." Read more.

News from Episcopal House

Clergy ministry transitions

Ordinations

The Rev. Dr. Ronald B. Young to the Priesthood
Saturday, December 7, 10 a.m. at St. Peter's in Essex Fells

The Rev. Timothy P. Carr to the Priesthood
Saturday, December 7, 3 p.m. at St. John's in Boonton

The Rev. Ellen Kohn-Perry to the Priesthood
Saturday, December 14, 10 a.m. at Christ Church, Short Hills

The Rev. Paul E. Adler to the Priesthood
Saturday, December 14, 3 p.m. at Grace Church, Madison

Allyson Brundige to the Transitional Diaconate
Saturday, December 21, 10 a.m. at Trinity & St. Philip's Cathedral in Newark

Departures

The Rev. Manoj Zachariah, Rector of St. Paul's & Resurrection Church in Wood-Ridge, December 31

Clergy - The registration deadline for your 2014 retreat is TOMORROW

The registration deadline for the annual Clergy Retreat with the Bishop, to be held February 18-20, 2014 at Holy Cross Monastery, is TOMORROW, Friday, December 6.

We have just confirmed that the Rev. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton (right) will serve as the retreat leader. She is an Episcopal priest and author, and heads The Geranium Farm, an institute for the promotion of spiritual growth.

Find out more or register online.

District youth deputies for Diocesan Convention

Do you know of a young person age 14-20 who is interested in how the diocese functions? Would they be excited by the opportunity to debate and vote on resolutions, meet other youth & young adults in the diocese, and stay at the hotel overnight with their new friends? Then please encourage them to serve as a District Youth Deputy. Each of our 10 districts elects a deputy and an alternate to represent its youth. Please contact John King, Secretary of Convention, or Kaileen Alston, Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries for more information.

Youth who wish to participate in the Annual Diocesan Convention must fill out the Convention 2014 Youth Registration Form and return it with payment to Kaileen Alston, Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries, Diocese of Newark, 31 Mulberry St., Newark, NJ 07102 by Friday, December 13.

Offices & Candidates for Election at Convention

Late nominations for elected offices to be voted upon at Convention must be submitted to the Secretary of Convention no later than noon on Friday, January 17, 2014. Go to the nomination form.

For a list of diocesan committees seeking qualified candidates, and the current list of candidates, see Offices & Candidates for Election.

While we will try to include nominations received after the November 29 deadline in the pre-Convention packets, depending on time restraints they may not be included.

Submit your announcements for the Convention PowerPoint slideshow

Once again, Diocesan Convention will feature a PowerPoint display of announcements from congregations and affiliated organizations. The display will run during breaks, as well as before and after sessions. You can have your announcement included! Email your announcement information to Jan Paxton at jpaxton46@gmail.com before Wednesday, January 22, 2014. Find out more.

The VOICE Online is a bi-weekly publication of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark with news, events and feature articles of interest to members and friends of our diocese.

Questions? Please contact Nina Nicholson, Director of Communications & Technology, 973-430-9907.

Contact Episcopal House: 31 Mulberry Street, Newark NJ 07102 | 973-430-9900 | Staff Directory | Calendar