November 8, 2023 Highlights Newsletter

November 8, 2023

Happening at St. Stephen's This Week...

WELCOME TO ADVENT!

This year, we continue our observation of an extended Advent of seven weeks, rather than four. This is a return to the Advent observance of the Church from its beginnings until just a few hundred years ago. Extending Advent in this way moves it from the "season of preparation" for Christmas to an observance of the full promise and realization of God's dream, helping us to engage more fully in Christ's mission of peace, justice, and the integrity of

creation. We enter the new year mindful of God's work in creation through all time as we look ahead with hopeful anticipation to a more peaceful and just world and the fulfillment of God's promise to all people.

SUNDAY WORSHIP

Join us at 10:00am on November 12th

for the First Sunday of Advent.

This will be a Second Sunday Intergenerational Service. Our children and youth join us for the entirety of the service, with some serving as liturgical ministers. We use child-specific resources for some of the readings and prayers, and make other changes so the liturgy is more accessible to the younger among us.

ALL are welcome.

At Communion, you may receive the wine by sipping from the cup, reverently touching the base of the chalice, or you may choose Communion in one kind

only (the bread).

Coffee Hour in the Parish Hall after the service.

Our coffee hour hosts are:

The Howell-Butler Family

Live-streamed to YouTube and Facebook. Bulletins are available on the St. Stephen's website. All links can be found at the bottom of the newsletter.

The Sunday service will also be broadcast on HTTV (Comcast TV 36 and

Verizon TV 33) on Tuesday at 6am and 3pm.

COFFEE & CONVERSATION

Sunday, November 12th

8:30am - 9:30pm

in the common room

Bring your beverage of choice and join Rev. Paula for a conversation in the common room. Come with your questions and/or concerns. This is a special time for us to talk and share in our faith together.

READING WITH THE RECTOR

Sunday, November 12th

11:30am - 1:00pm

in the common room, or via Zoom.

We will be discussing:

Night by Elie Wiesel

1960 memoir by Elie Wiesel based on his Holocaust experiences with his father in the Nazi Concentration Camps at Auschwitz and Buchenwald in 1944–1945, toward the end of the Second World War.

Looking Ahead

PLEASE CHECK WEEKLY BECAUSE EVENTS MAY BE ADDED OR CHANGED.

NOVEMBER

NOV 12

1st Sun of Advent

8am - Coffee & Conversation w/ Rev. Paula

10am - Intergenerational Sunday Worship

11:30am - Youth Group | Reading with the Rector

1pm - AA Meeting

NOV 13

7:30pm - MA Meeting

NOV 15

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

NOV 16

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

NOV 19

2nd Sun of Advent

8am - Coffee & Conversation w/ Rev. Paula and Deacon Karen

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

NOV 20

7:30pm - MA Meeting

NOV 23 & 24

Offices Closed for Thanksgiving

NOV 26

3rd Sun of Advent

8am - Coffee & Conversation w/ Rev. Paula and Deacon Karen

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Youth Group

1pm - AA Meeting

NOV 27

7:30pm - MA Meeting

DECEMBER

DEC 3

4th Sun of Advent

8am - Coffee & Conversation w/ Rev. Paula and Deacon Karen

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Adult Formation

1pm - AA Meeting

DEC 4

7:30pm - MA Meeting

DEC 10

5th Sun of Advent

8am - Coffee & Conversation w/ Rev. Paula and Deacon Karen

10am - Intergenerational Sunday Worship

11:30am - Youth Group | Adult Formation

1pm - AA Meeting

DEC 11

7:30pm - MA Meeting

DEC 17

6th Sun of Advent

8am - Coffee & Conversation w/ Rev. Paula and Deacon Karen

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Vestry Meeting

1pm - AA Meeting

DEC 18

7:30pm - MA Meeting

DEC 20

7:30pm - Finance Committee Meeting

DEC 21

7pm - Preschool Committee Meeting

7:30pm - Longest Night Service

DEC 24

Christmas Eve

8am - Coffee & Conversation w/ Rev. Paula and Deacon Karen

10am - Sunday Worship

11:30am - Youth Group

1pm - AA Meeting

5 & 10pm Evening Services

DEC 25

Christmas Day Service

7:30pm - MA Meeting

DEC 31

8am - Coffee & Conversation w/ Rev. Paula and Deacon Karen

10am - Sunday Worship

1pm - AA Meeting

Other Happenings...

ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH

ANNUAL TURKEY BOX COLLECTION DRIVE

for our Drumming Camp families

Due: Sunday November 19, 2023

Please email Maryalice Chech at maryalice_chech@yahoo.com if you are able to donate and bring a turkey box to the church on Sunday, November 19th. Or if you’d rather bring in just a few of the listed items to add to a Turkey box, that helps too! Many thanks!!

Box Dinner Menu

The following items are recommended for each donated dinner:

1 sturdy box
1 [10 - 15 lb.] FROZEN TURKEY
1 disposable aluminum foil roasting pan
2 boxes of stuffing
1 [5 lb.] bag of potatoes OR two cans sweet potatoes
2 cans of vegetables (corn, green beans, peas,)
2 cans of turkey gravy
2 cans cranberry sauce
1 package rolls or corn muffins
½ gallon of apple or cranberry juice
Dessert-cookies, brownies, pies (no frozen pies)

Join Sister Monica in the Common Room at 11:30am as she leads our Adult Formation sessions this December.

Sister Monica will facilitate conversation about being a part of God's story through

two different topics.

December 3

"Prepare the Way of the Lord: Why did the Community of St. John Baptist choose John the Baptist as our Patron Saint?"

How did the founders of CSJB, people dedicated to the care of poor and marginalized women in England, discerned their call in connection with John the Baptist?

December 10

"The Great O Antiphons of Advent"

How do the names for and images of Jesus shape how we understand the story of the incarnation?

COFFEE HOUR HOSTS NEEDED

St. Stephen's provides the coffee, tea, juice, water, sugar/sweeteners, cups, plates, utensils, and napkins.

The host(s) provide milk and food

(sweet -or- savory | bought -or- made).

Setup/cleanup is handled by our cleaning person.

The sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the narthex.

COUNTING MINISTRY

The Counting Ministry is required

for compliance with best business practices and our audit process.

Please consider joining this team, which works in pairs immediately after the service. It’s actually one of the least time-consuming and most straightforward ways you can participate in the vital ministries of this parish.

Email Maria for the signup link.

Evelyn Underhill Region.. and beyond

ADVENT BOOK DISCUSSION

While at Clergy Conference, the Evelyn Underhill clergy talked about how to continue our new-ish and much loved custom of observing Advent together. We decided to use a beautiful Advent devotional written by our friend and diocesan colleague, The Rev. Anne Kitch. The book is called Expectant, and is one that I have used in my own prayer for the past two years. Even the cover feels likes an invitation to prepare for Christmas again as if for the first time.

We haven't finalized all the details but confirmed with Anne that she will join us for a discussion of the book! More details to follow...

ST. GEORGE'S HOLIDAY GALA 2023

Saturday, November 18

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Tickets: $55

The evening of cheer features catered delights by Chef Roscoe Coleman of RMT Catering, Irvington, an open bar, live music by classical guitarist Gregg Fine, a live auction, and a silent auction. The auction items vary from vacation homes and show tickets to children's gift baskets, cooking classes, sports collectibles and vintage glassware.

All are encouraged to attend for a lovely evening to eat, drink, bid and be merry. But if you can't make it to the gala, you can still bid online starting on November 11th until bidding closes at 9:30pm on November 18th.

Get your tickets and/or start bidding now!

From Bishop Hughes & The Episcopal Church

THE BISHOP'S VLOG

MESSAGE FROM BISHOP HUGHES

Making space for peace in the busy holiday season - 11/1/23

"When we find the space to be in God's presence, we enter into that peace that passes all understanding," says Bishop Hughes. "And imagine what it would do for all of your holiday celebrations. It changes not only you, but it changes everyone who is around you."

The Voice Online Link - 11/1/23

DIOCESAN E-NEWSLETTERS

Sign up to receive important news, events and seasonal meditations from the Diocese of Newark. Find out more and subscribe here.

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDING BISHOP MICHAEL CURRY

With more than 10,000+ dead in Gaza, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry urges that "We need to stop the killing. Today."

Read the full statement here.

Resources

In this time of Crisis, there are many 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

A/MA MEETINGS

Weekly AA meetings:

Sunday at 1:00pm

Contact: Rob H. (516) 860-9062

AA meetings are presented in Big Book format.

For more information about Alcohol Anonymous, click here.

Weekly MA meeting:

Monday at 7:30pm

Contact: Max T. (212) 203-2542

Contact: Deana L. (908) 499-8997

MA meetings are presented in a rotating format:

Step - Speaker - Story from Life with Hope - Topic

For more information about Marijuana Anonymous, click here.

Prayer List

Please keep the following St. Stephen's family

members and friends in your prayers...

Harold Williams

Ken Duge

Donna Bogardus

Ruth and Ron Gadbois

Lucy and Habib Faris

Jody Caldwell

Shelley Toland

Theresa Scharff

Therese & Sherry

Sari Dalager

Lisa Ellis and Family

Virginia Whatley

Gina del Russo

Dan Brown

Karen McCarthy

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.

Sunday Lectionary

Sunday Worship

November 12, 2023

We are using the new lectionary,

Wilda Gafney's A Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year A.

Our bulletins are available here.

Giving with Tithe.ly

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.

Office Notes

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.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday - Friday

9:00am to 5:00pm

Important Links

Zoom Links

Sunday Worship

Meeting ID: 864 1664 1640

Passcode: SSM119

To call in, dial by your location:

+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)

Adult Formation

Meeting ID: 878 3014 4448