WELCOME HOME!

Worship with us:

Sunday at 9:00 am in person and Live on Facebook

First Sunday in Lent

Tuesday - Friday 8:30 am Morning Prayer via Zoom



Healing services are held at St. Barnabas and

St. Mary's on a rotating schedule every third Thursday.

The next service will be at St. Mary's on March 16th.

Lent is a time for renewal, repentance, fasting, and penance, as we try to move closer to God.

The Lord will guide you always.

Follow me.

These two sentences from Isaiah 58:9b-14 and Luke 5:27-32 provide a type of CliffsNotes insight into the Good News of Jesus Christ. Isaiah’s sharing of the Lord’s affirmation that he will guide his people always is both a comment on salvation history to that point and a prophetic promise of redemption. Christ’s simple command to follow him is literally the way to eternal life and the embodiment of God’s affirmative guidance. 

Lent is a graced opportunity to grab ahold of these two truths and live them anew. It is a special season the Church gives us to repent, to renew, to fast, and to do penance. All of this is done in a quest to live out more fully a belief in a God who not only promises to guide us always but provides everything we need to ensure we never lose sight of that guidance.

Our Triune God says, “I will guide you always; follow me.” God created us out of love, to love him in return, and longed for us to be reconciled to him from the first moment of disobedience. He promised our ancestors he would never abandon them. The Father sent his Son to fulfill that promise; the Son walked among us and invited us, follow me, and the Spirit remains with us to give us the grace we need to respond to that invitation.

So, as we continue our Lenten journey, we reflect on the necessity of our spiritual practices. Fasting from worldly things to hunger more for the sustenance of God. Praying to nurture and strengthen our relationship with him. Giving alms to share the goodness we have been given with others and to be a light in the darkness for those who may not have any. We do all these with a spirit of repentance, turning away from sin and in the direction of God to grow stronger in our desire for and ability to live a life of holiness.

The Lord will guide you always.

Follow me.

It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

The Twelve Steps to Holiness and Salvation, by St. Alphonsus Liguori – Abridged, November 1, 1993

Ten used copies are available. Please contact Mo. Allison or you may purchase your own through amazon. It is available on kindle and audible as well. ORDER HERE

After the Stations of the Cross we will discuss each virtue.

St. Alphonsus Liguori was born in 1696 to Neapolitan nobility at Marianella, Italy. He became a recognizable lawyer after going through law school at the age of sixteen, but later decided to leave law in favor of giving his salvation more attention. Alphonsus joined the Oratory of St. Philip Neri as a seminarian and was ordained in 1726, when he was thirty. The homilies he gave had the special ability of converting those who had fallen away from the faith. He also founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

The 12 Steps of Holiness and Salvation dives into the virtues.

Graceful Thoughts

Service to the kingdom of God must be rendered by those who offer their talents, but never get their names into the papers, are never publicly commended, and are never elected as a delegate. Yet, in the eternal records of God the name is inscribed, and after it the notation, is clearly written: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

The dignity of tithing is that it is voluntary. Tithing is an act of acknowledgment that God is alive; an act of faith.

Our primary task is to love God above all things. The sacrifice of material wealth for God’s sake is a means of deepening the love. Love must be proven with deeds.

Tithing is a practical way to accomplish these noble and virtuous objectives. It is more impactful as a means of spiritual progress because it is voluntary.

God has created each one of us with some talents. Such is the wonder and mystery of God’s creation activity that each human being is precious and unique and given talents that others do not possess.

Some ways to support St. Mary's

• Become a member
• Volunteer
• The Sunday collection plate
• Send a check payable to St. Mary's to:

St. Mary's Church,

9425 Third Ave., Stone Harbor, NJ 08247

(Your envelope and number is not necessary, only your name.)

• Setting up a personal online banking "bill pay" option. The bank will mail the check for you to the church office.
• Online giving through our website at https://www.stmarysstoneharbor.org/

The ministry of ushering is a crucial part of worship because it is one of the most visible ministries in the church. In Christ, you have received God’s unconditional love, and in Christ, you are called to extend that same unconditional love to others. Although an usher’s love is no stronger than the love found in the whole congregation of the body of Christ, nevertheless, the usher performs a major role in ensuring that people see and experience that love.

The ushers distribute bulletins and greet worshipers, making every attempt to make them feel welcome and at ease. The ushers are also available to answer questions of anyone needing assistance.

Please contact Mo. Allison or Julie if you are interested.

Membership at St. Mary's consists of several different groups of "members." Some are Confirmed Communicant Members or who have transferred their membership by Letter of Transfer to St. Mary's. Some are Baptized into St. Mary’s or have requested that their names be entered in the Parish Register. Others are “members” by virtue of the fact that St. Mary’s is their church—the Christian community of which they are a part and where they worship regularly. Still, others are “summer members" or friends of St. Mary's. Many are part of St. Mary’s life, worship at St. Mary’s when in town, and support St. Mary’s financially. Canonically, they are not members in the legal sense, but they are every bit as much members of our parish family as those who are official members.

Please contact the church office if you would like to receive membership forms to be added to our data base.

email: SaintMarysStoneHarbor@gmail.com

OR

You may sign up on our website here.

We welcome you to join us!

Happy Anniversary to

Richard & Evelyn Pfaltzgraff on February 27th!

Happy Birthday to

Charles Parker on February 27th, and

Travis King on March 1st!

If you would like to be remembered on your birthday or anniversary, please give us your information so we may add you to our data base. Email the church office: jultaylor9425@gmail.com or call 609-368-5922

Episcopal Community Services

in Partnership with the Diocese of New Jersey

Requests the Honor of your Presence at a

Farewell Gala

In Honor Of

The Right Rev. William “Chip” Stokes

Canon Ann Notte & Canon Mary Ann Rhoads

Sunday, May 21, 2023

at 5 O’Clock in the Evening

Doubletree by Hilton

2349 Marlton Pike West

Cherry Hill, NJ

Featuring Keynote Speaker

The Most Rev. Michael Curry

Please RSVP by April 28

Purchase Tickets Here

The Branches Outreach is celebrating National Nutrition Month by having a healthy, non-perishable food drive to supply their pantry.

A list of requested donations may be found here.

Donations may be dropped off from March 1 to March 31 at The Branches Outreach Food Pantry, 1304 Rt. 47, Unit AJ, Rio Grande, NJ 08242 on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays from 9 am to 12 noon. The attached flyer gives details on location.

Come check out the GOLD Winner of the 2022 Best of the Jersey Shore thrift shops - St. Mary's This 'n That Thrift Shop! And remember the thrift shop when you're cleaning out and organizing. Household items and clean usable clothing are welcome!

Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 10 am - 4 pm

Donation days: Tuesday and Thursday, 10 am - 3 pm

Location: St. Mary's This 'n That

1304 Rt. 47 So., Rio Grande, NJ 08242    609-886-7272

Follow them on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/St-Marys-This-N-That-Thrift-Shop-268676343298636/

Cape Classical Artists Winter Concert Season continues in March at Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. Admission is free, and there will be free-will offering baskets at the doors. The concerts are live-streamed on our YouTube channel.

Visit our website, www.CapeClassicalArtists.com for:

• a link to our YouTube channel

• directions to the church

• a copy of the concert program

• information on becoming a sponsor for yourself or your business

2023 Winter Concert Season continues with:

Sunday March 19, 3:00 pm

Kuwento Mizik

Baritone Jean Bernard Cerin and pianist Leena K. Kulkarni-Rankin offer a fusion of Western classical, Filipino, and Haitian music

Sunday April 16, 3:00 pm

Music for Soprano and Piano

Soprano Judy Ann Curtis and pianist John Curtis present a program of music from Mozart to the Great American Songbook

Sunday May 21, 3:00 pm

Beverly Trio

An exciting variety of music of oboe, viola and cello

All concerts are free of charge to the public and are produced in partnership with Cold Spring Presbyterian Church. If you would like to become a sponsor, visit our home page and click on the “Donate” button. 100% of all contributions go directly to the support of our series.

Friday, March 3rd – 7 pm Stations of the Cross at St. Mary’s Church

           followed by The 12 Steps to Holiness and Salvation Lenten

Study discussion

Thursday, March 16th - 6 pm Healing Service at St. Mary's Church

12 Step Meetings in the Church Hall

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Monday at 8:00 pm

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Tuesday at 8:00 pm

Alanon Friday at 10:00 am

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

Romans 5:12-19

Matthew 4:1-11

Psalm 32

Tuesday - Friday 8:30 am Morning Prayer via Zoom

Third Thursday's 6:00 pm Healing Service

alternates between St. Mary's and St. Barnabas

Sunday 9:00 AM in person (church)