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CHRISTMAS EVE & CHRISTMAS DAY WORSHIP SERVICES
Ever mindful of the rates of Covid infection statewide, we are planning to proceed with our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Worship Services. We will continue to follow all necessary precautions to mitigate risk -- keeping masks on over our nose and mouth at all times while in the building, maintaining physical distance, taking temps and keeping a log of all who attend service each week.
We highly recommend everyone dress in layers because we'll need to have the vent and parish hall windows open during service.
Christmas Eve - 5pm Worship Service
This service is intended for people who can't be vaccinated, at higher risk, or for anyone who wants to be a bit more cautious than might be possible with our later service. This is the service families with children too young to be vaccinated will likely attend.
- We will limit indoor singing.
- The liturgy will be shortened a bit.
- At the end of the service, we will bundle up and move outside, where we will enjoy some hot chocolate and Christmas cookies around our firepit in the driveway.
- And, we will sing a few Christmas carols together.
Christmas Eve - 9pm Worship Service
This service will be a Festival Eucharist with Choir, Organ, Guitar and Trumpet.
Christmas Day - 10am Worship Service
This will be a slightly abbreviated Spoken Eucharist Service.
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Pastoral Care the Week of December 26th
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Rev. Paula will be on vacation from the afternoon of December 26th through January 2nd, celebrating Christmas with her family. Rev. Karen will be providing pastoral care during that time. Karen can be reached at kkwae@optonline.net or 973.997.2722.
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Financial Stewardship Pledge Campaign
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As of today, we have received 24 pledges totaling $98,300! Thank you to all who have made this commitment to give in faith. This means we have only $21,700 to meet our 2022 pledge goal, though it would be great if we could meet our 2020 goal of $132,000. This year, in addition to regular pledges, we have about $10,000 in gifts to help offset flood recovery costs. The generosity of this parish is beautiful and faithful and is a major reason we are able to live our faith in the ways that we do.
We cannot be the faithful, vibrant community we are without all of us doing our part, including financially. Pledging so that we have an idea of how to build our budget for next year, is essential. If you have not received this year's pledge campaign letter, please let us know and we'll be sure to get a copy to you. The easiest way if you have a computer and access to the internet is to pledge online here. You can also give online, using Tithe.ly. If you'd rather submit a pledge by mail or in the offering plate, please let us know.
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Happening at St. Stephen's This Week...
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WELCOME!
Please join us for our:
Christmas Eve - 5pm & 9pm Services
Christmas Day - 10am Service
Sunday Worship/Baptism on December 26th at 10:00am
ALL are welcome!
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REMINDERS: We continue to follow safety precautions and lovingly require that you wear a mask over your nose and mouth at all times while in the building and maintain physical distance. Enter at the Narthex door (Christian Education building). Someone will welcome you and take your temperature. An usher will assist you with seating in the church.
Live-streamed to YouTube, Facebook, and via Zoom. Bulletins are available on the St. Stephen's website. All links can be found at the bottom of the newsletter.
Zoom passcode is SSM119.
The Sunday service will also be broadcast on HTTV (Comcast TV 36 and Verizon TV 33) on Tuesday at 6 AM and 3 PM.
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ADVENT TO EPIPHANY DEVOTIONS
St. Stephen’s is a member of the Evelyn Underhill region- a small group of congregations in a geographic area gathered together by a bishop to support and care for one another in their ministry. This year, the congregations of our region are collaborating together in a shared Advent Devotional: Advent with Evelyn Underhill, edited by Christopher L. Webber. Daily during Advent and Christmas (November 7th – January 5th), a recorded devotional will be emailed out to everyone in our parishes via a special email group, so that we may pray and reflect together, wherever we may be. These will be about five minutes long. If you don’t want the daily devotions, let us know. For those who wish to purchase the devotional to follow along, you may do so through Church Publishing at www.churchpublishing.org or from Amazon.
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PLEASE CHECK WEEKLY BECAUSE EVENTS MAY BE ADDED OR CHANGED.
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DECEMBER
DEC 22
8pm - AA Meeting
DEC 23
7pm - Evelyn Underhill Advent Discussion
DEC 24
Christmas Eve Services
5pm & 9pm
DEC 25
10am - Christmas Day Service
7:30pm - AA Meeting
DEC 26
10am - Sunday Worship
& Baptism
1pm - AA Meeting
DEC 27
7:30pm - AA Meeting
DEC 28
5pm - Women's Lectionary Study
DEC 29
8pm - AA Meeting
LIMITED OFFICE HOURS
During the last week of December,
the Church Office
will be open on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
&
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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JANUARY
JAN 1
7:30pm - AA Meeting
JAN 2
10am - Sunday Worship
1pm - AA Meeting
JAN 3
7:30pm - MA Meeting
JAN 4
5pm - Women's Lectionary Study
JAN 5
8pm - AA Meeting
JAN 7
9am - Interfaith Bible Hour
JAN 8
7:30pm - AA Meeting
JAN 9
10am - Sunday Worship
11am - Epiphany Open House at the Rectory
1pm - AA Meeting
JAN 10
7:30pm - MA Meeting
JAN 11
7pm - Worship Committee Meeting
JAN 12
8pm - AA Meeting
JAN 15
7:30pm - AA Meeting
JAN 16
Communion for All
10am - Sunday Worship
11:30am - Vestry Meeting
1pm - AA Meeting
JAN 17
7:30pm - MA Meeting
JAN 18
5pm - Women's Lectionary Study
JAN 19
7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting
8pm - AA Meeting
JAN 20
7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting
JAN 22
7:30pm - AA Meeting
JAN 23
10am - Sunday Worship
11:30am - Reading with the Rector
1pm - AA Meeting
JAN 24
7:30pm - MA Meeting
JAN 25
5pm - Women's Lectionary Study
JAN 26
8pm - AA Meeting
JAN 29
7:30pm - AA Meeting
JAN 30
10am - Sunday Worship
1pm - AA Meeting
JAN 31
7:30pm - MA Meeting
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FEBRUARY
FEB 1
5pm - Women's Lectionary Study
FEB 2
8pm - AA Meeting
FEB 4
9am - Interfaith Bible Hour
FEB 5
7:30pm - AA Meeting
FEB 7
7:30pm - MA Meeting
FEB 9
10am - Sunday Worship
1pm - AA Meeting
FEB 13
10am - Sunday Worship
11:30am - Reading with the Rector
1pm - AA Meeting
FEB 14
7:30pm - MA Meeting
FEB 15
5pm - Women's Lectionary Study
FEB 16
7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting
FEB 17
7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting
FEB 19
7:30pm - AA Meeting
FEB 20
Communion for All
10am - Sunday Worship
11:30am - Vestry Meeting
1pm - AA Meeting
FEB 21
7:30pm - MA Meeting
FEB 22
5pm - Women's Lectionary Study
FEB 23
8pm - AA Meeting
FEB 26
7:30pm - AA Meeting
FEB 27
10am - Sunday Worship
1pm - AA Meeting
FEB 28
7:30pm - MA Meeting
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AA/MA* MEETINGS
Weekly AA/MA* meetings times are:
Sunday at 1:00pm
Monday at 7:30pm (NEW - MA* Meeting)
Wednesday at 8:00pm
Saturday at 7:30pm
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FAMILY PROMISE
Low-income families in this country are facing unprecedented social and economic challenges from the pandemic. Job losses, health care expenses, and child-care have all combined to raise the number of evictions. A donation can help Family Promise of Essex County to remain responsive to families’ emerging needs and its impact in our communities.
To read the Family Promise Newsletter, please click here.
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APOSTLES' HOUSE
Apostles' House is devoted to providing comprehensive social services to homeless women with children and families at risk of homelessness in Newark and
Essex County.
Apostles' House is in need of canned goods and non-perishable food items.
A collection bin is located outside
the Narthex doors in the parking lot. Donations can be dropped off at any time.
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If you would like to make a monetary donation to Apostles' House, please click here.
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NORTH PORCH
North Porch provides emergency aid, in the form of baby supplies, to mothers and infants in northern New Jersey, to help them stabilize and improve the quality of their lives.
North Porch URGENTLY needs:
- Enfamil Infant Formula 12.5 oz containers (yellow label)
- Baby wipes
- Diapers size 4, 5, and 6
- Jars of baby food – all ages – fruit, veggie and 1st foods
A collection bin is located outside
the Narthex doors in the parking lot. Donations can be dropped off at any time.
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If you would like to make a monetary donation to North Porch, please click here.
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From Bishop Hughes & The Episcopal Church
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This Christmas, how about spending some time being the gift?
What if we lowered our sense of importance and expectation about all the things that need to be done before Christmas, and instead of expecting things to go perfectly or to get the perfect thing or give the perfect thing, what if instead our focus was on the way we could be the gift this Christmas?
DIOCESAN E-NEWSLETTERS
Sign up to get e-newsletters and important announcements directly from diocesan headquarters. Find out more and subscribe here.
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Cross Roads Camp & Diocesan Youth Ministries
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CROSS ROADS
CAMP & RETREAT CENTER
Check out all the fun and interesting year-round programs for children, adults and families.
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POP UP YOUTH MINISTRY
Pop Up is a welcoming ministry of the Diocese of Newark bringing together youth for fun activities, community, and faith formation. All youth grades 6-12 are encouraged
to join the monthly events.
Follow YM on Instagram and Facebook at @popupym.
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There are many, many resources available to parishes and individuals to help sustain our faith practices during this unprecedented time. See resources here. This is by no means a complete list, though it does cover many areas of need.
In this time of Crisis, there are resources that can help if you or someone you know needs assistance. Please contact NJ Mental Health Cares for free helpline telephone counseling or assistance. Call 866-202-4357.
TTY: 1-877-294-4356.
E-mail: help@njmentalhealthcares.org
Other resources are:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line, 741741
NJ Hope Line (suicide prevention)
855-654-6735
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Please keep the following St. Stephen's family
members and friends in your prayers...
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Peggy Thompson
Felder Dorn
Donna Riggi
The Blanchard Family
The McManus Family
Bernard & Nathan
The Fitzgerald Family
Lucille B.
Jack Moreno
Jim Freeman
Mary Jo Zarance
Joseph G.
Kelly Olson
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Linda Moran
Nicole & Emma
Ningyu Liu
Jamie Stack
KT Thalin
Mike Losito
Cara Lynn Cavin
Evan D. & Family
Alexandra Shuss
Donna Stadler Hostetler
Brian Roland
Renee Kleppinger
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If you would like to add someone to our prayer list, please email us at church@ststephensmillburn.org, or call (973) 376-0688 Ext. 32.
Anyone for whom we are praying will be on our prayer list for six weeks. If prayers are still needed beyond that time period, please let us know. Thank you.
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December 26, 2021
First Sunday after Christmas
Liturgy of the Word with Baptism
If you'd like to read the full lectionary for the week, you may do so here.
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TITHE.LY
Giving with Tithe.ly is easy with options for recurring donations or one-time use for when you are away or not able to be in church (like all of us now due to COVID restrictions).
You can access Tithe.ly via their website or their app on your smart phone. Be sure to search for the correct account - "St. Stephen's Church Millburn." Once you have accessed the account page with our address, you will be instructed to follow the prompts.
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Due to COVID restrictions, only teachers and staff are allowed to be in the building during school hours. If you need to visit the parish office/building for any reason, please contact us for an appointment. Thank you.
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Zoom passcode: SSM119
To call in, dial by your location:
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 864 1664 1640
Passcode: SSM119
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Links for Sunday Worship Live-Stream & Social Media
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St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
119 Main Street, Millburn, NJ 07041
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Church
Parish Administrator, Maria T. Card
973.376.0688, Ext. 32
church@ststephensmillburn.org
Rector, The Rev. Paula J. Toland
973.376.0688, Ext. 21
rector@ststephensmillburn.org
Fax: 973.376.4002
Website: ststephensmillburn.org
Preschool
Director: Nancy Siracusa
Phone: 973.376.3534, Ext. 20
Email: sspsmillburn@gmail.com
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