A full, detailed listing of Ministry Institute events
available.
Here's what's on in the coming months.
November 5
St. Matthew's, Pennington
November 9
St. Peter's, Medford
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Upcoming Congregational Events
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List Your Congregation's Events Here!
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Dear People of the Diocese of New Jersey,
Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.
2 Thessalonians 1:4
Contrasts.... This past Monday through Wednesday 100 clergy of the diocese gathered at The Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club for our annual Clergy Conference. The Reverend Canon Charles LaFond, Canon Steward at St. John's Cathedral and author of
Fearless Church Fundraising: The Practical and Spiritual Approach to Stewardship was the key presenter. He offered us all outstanding material on how to be more effective in people and fund development for Christ's mission and ministry in our congregations and in the diocese. Canon LaFond emphasized the importance of churches engaging in holistic financial development, which should include strong annual campaigns, cultivating major gifts within our parishes, and encouragement of planned giving and will inclusion by all members of our congregations. I completely support all of these and found engaging in these kinds of holistic approaches in my previous parish to be effective. It made a real difference in how we were able to resource the ministries to which we believe God had called us.
This past Thursday, Egyptian Courts ruled that the Anglican Church in Egypt will now be subsumed under the Evangelical Church Association - which is not at all affiliated with The Anglican Communion. The Archbishop of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, The Most Reverend Dr. Mouneer Asis, who is also the Bishop of Egypt,
has called on Anglicans to pray and advocate
with their local Egyptian consulates and embassies in the wake of this ruling.
Troubles for Christians in Egypt are not new. For some time, Christians have been harassed in Egypt. Susan and I visited Egypt in 2010, just a few months before The Arab Spring turned everything upside down. During our visit, we participated in a Eucharist held outdoors at a resort. We had to be very surreptitious about it. Christian worship in public is against the law. Our guide, a Coptic Christian, described the many ways Christians are harassed and discriminated against in Egypt.
Whenever I hear these stories, I am challenged by the complacency of so many Episcopalians who live in the United States. We can exercise our faith with great freedom. The Coptic Christians persevere in the face oppression and discrimination. Even as we try to resource our churches and stir them to vibrant faith, there is complacency with erratic participation and support. On the other hand, committed Christians in other parts of the world, like Egypt, live their faith boldly and vibrantly - are generous in their commitment of time, talent and treasure - in the face of the most difficult, even dangerous circumstances.
Stewardship, complacency, persecution and vibrant faith. That's a lot to think and pray about.
Blessings and peace,
The Rt. Rev. William Stokes
XII Bishop of New Jersey
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Good News stories and more!
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The Office of Congregational Development Presents:
LEADING CHANGE EFFECTIVELY: THE POWER OF
(note: this is the same program, offered twice)
Spanish translation offered at the November 9 program
More than ever before, church leadership is about helping congregants choose a new direction - motivating people to want to change. In this one-day workshop, pastor and motivational expert Peter Coutts will teach you about leadership as a motivational practice. It will strengthen your ability to help your congregation say "yes!" to change.
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To Be Rescheduled
Social Media for Your Church: A Workshop on Where to Start and What to do Next
originally Saturday October 29th at Grace, Pemberton
Be on the look out for the
rescheduled date and time!
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(Read the bible in 72 hours)
MIQRA (meek * rah) is a weekend retreat that focuses on the Bible and allows teens to discover its content, why we should care, and how to read it.
November 11-13, 2016
Camp Lebanon, Lebanon, NJ
For 6th grade through Young Adults and their Chaperones
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Come enrich your faith to practice your beliefs in combating racism.
Led by Heidi J. Kim
Missioner for Racial Reconciliation for
The Episcopal Church
November 12, 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
at St. David's, Cranbury
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Come celebrate a new chapter in the life of Christ's disciples.
November 19, 10:00am Trinity Cathedral, Trenton
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March 3-4, 2017
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Princeton, NJ
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Funds Available for International Projects
The Global Goals* Matching Grant Program grant deadline is approaching!
Due November 15, 2016, these $750 grants allow pa
rticipants to work with a partner organization to help
"strive for justice and peace among all people," by promoting awareness of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals.
*
formerly Millennium Development Goals
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