Staying Connected
WELCOME HOME!
Join us this weekend to celebrate Pentecost!
Sunday at 9:00 am in person and Live on Facebook.
Rector's Corner

Dearest family and friends of St. Mary's,

How wonderful it was to pull up in the driveway on Sunday evening and enter the bustling hall where joy filled every corner of space. I was overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit's presence among you as we gathered for the Strawberry Fest.

Normally, this would be a space for me to thank each individual, one by one, but how can I, when ALL, and I mean ALL, of you, participated with great love and enthusiasm. THANK YOU! It was so good to see many of your family and loved ones jump right in and lend a hand in every way. Thank you Lou for pulling everyone together, making phone calls, and rallying us to the cause. Thank you, Marion, for igniting the firey spirit to get the ball rolling, and thank you Lisa and Dina for reaching out to our local merchants, who were all so willing and supportive of St. Mary's community engagement and enthusiasm. Thank you to each of you who set up, served, donated treats, put baskets together, and even stayed for clean-up.

With all sincerity and with my deepest gratitude, look around you on Sunday and thank the person sitting next to you. Each and every one of you came together to make Strawberry Fest 2022 a huge success! What a blessing! What a CHURCH! Well done!

I am also deeply grateful for all of your love and support as I traveled to Connecticut for the commissioning of the USS Oregon. The time spent with my boys, celebrating Connor's accomplishments, was absolutely priceless. Thank you, Jack, for your leadership in worship and service. I was happily surprised by the pictures in the hall. Thank you, Hilton, for reading and to Jane Carol for your preaching. Dynamite!

And speaking of Jane Carol...

I simply cannot believe that Jane Carol's time with us here at St. Mary's is at completion. I fully support Jane as she moves forward toward ordination. She will be deeply missed.

Being a small church with a large outreach ministry has provided Jane with a diverse hands-on opportunity to serve both within our congregation as well as tend to and promote the needs of the community through outreach.

Within our congregation, Jane began by serving at the altar as an acolyte and Eucharistic Minister. She progressed to proclaiming the gospel, delivering sermons, bidding the confession, and setting the table. Jane was always flexible and adapted well to any time roles needed a split-second change, as often as they happen in small church life. Jane jumped right into her experience here at St. Mary's, partnering with me to offer diverse services through the seasons. She was always prayerful, dedicated, and willing to learn and grow. Jane took part in morning prayer and often led. She also took the initiative to set up and lead morning prayer on those mornings when I was not available. Jane's talent and connection with our congregation also extended to teaching moments, as she devised and delivered a lenten lesson each week to our congregation and to the First United Methodist Church of Avalon, where she was warmly received.

Jane's compassion and capacity for outreach have made her a valuable part of our ministry at the Branches and the Thrift Shop. She has taken a noticeable liking to her work in Rio Grande and has made an impactful difference in the lives she touches. In the time that Jane has spent at the Branches, she has engaged in the food ministry, compassionate care, and advocacy. Jane has even started a prayer group at the center, to which our guests have benefited deeply. It is not an easy task, and they are not an easy crew, but Jane is mastering it well and has earned the trust of our guests and volunteers.

This Sunday is Jane's last with us, here in church, hopefully just for a while. Jane, you are always welcome home!

We will celebrate and thank Jane for all she has done for us, and wish her well with a very special coffee hour.

God bless Jane Carol as she journeys forward in the process of ordination to the Diaconate.

Blessings in Christ,
Mo. Allison+
___________________________________

Important Dates to Note:
June 3rd - Wedding Rehearsal
June 4th - the wedding of Chelsea Schuster and Andrew Hickman
June 4th: NO Saturday Service.
June 5th - Baptism of Morrighan Aisling Langston
June 11th- 11 AM Celebration of Life Grace and Bill Repp
June 12th - 9 AM Service The Rev. Canon Joann Izzo
June 18th - 11 AM - 75th Anniversary Celebration of St. Barnabas by the Bay, Villas

July - We are looking forward to the Science Explorers returning, Thursday's on the Lawn, and Saturday Evening Beach services.
Come, wish Jane Carol well as she moves forward toward ordination to the Diaconate at a very special coffee hour this Sunday.
Blessings to
Morrighan Aisling Langston
This Sunday, Morrighan Aisling Langston will be baptized at the 9 AM Service. Morrighan is the daughter of Joshua and Helene Langston, little sister to Elora and Aydan, and granddaughter of Joan & John Langston.
May Morrighan and her family grow in love and faith.
Strawberry Fest - a delicious success!
Strawberry Fest was held last Sunday evening. It was a great success! Delicious desserts, Springer's Ice Cream, and a terrific basket raffle were enjoyed by 196 guests. Donations totaled $1566.00.
Many thanks to Dina Ziemba, Lisa LaGreca, and Lou & Cynthia Schweickhardt for chairing the event. You and our many volunteers made Strawberry Fest possible and provided the community with a fun time at St. Mary's.
The Stone Harbor Women’s Summer Chorus!
St. Mary's Music Director, Kyle Sheppard, is excited to announce the formation of the Stone Harbor Women's Chorus.

The chorus is a community vocal group comprised of singers of all backgrounds, abilities and interests. The purpose of this chorus is to provide an opportunity to sing with people who appreciate music and enjoy singing for fun or as a hobby. Whether you sang in a chorus in the past or are looking for a new experience while vacationing for the summer, we welcome ALL. 

Rehearsals will be held every Thursday evening from June 9 through August 18, 2022, 6:30 - 7:30 pm at St. Mary’s. The Stone Harbor Women’s Chorus will be led by Kyle and will include music of all genres from sacred to contemporary. This organization does not affiliate with any one religious institution. All are welcome to lend their voice and sing!

A link to the Chorus with information and an online sign up can be found here.
Join us!
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 become a member of St. Mary's and be added to our data base.
We welcome you to join us!
Sunday's Altar Flowers
The flowers on the altar on Sunday
are given in loving memory of
James M. Hill, Jr. by his children,
Joyce H. Ruterman, Heather Hill-Holmes,
and James M. Hill, III.
Stewardship
What Kind of Minister are You?

My question is for everyone who reads this. The ministry of Christ is performed by every baptized member of the church. Think about that for a few moments! My question is not “Are you a minister?” Rather, “What kind of a minister are you?”

The word “minister” means a servant; one who serves others because of Christ, in God’s name, and for God’s sake. Clergy are called to be shepherds; pastors who care for their people, who visit the sick, who preach the word of God, who celebrate God’s sacraments, and who pronounce God’s blessing. To what ministry are you being called?

You are called to serve the world that God loves, in the ways that only you, because of your gifts, can serve. Only you, under God’s guidance, can determine how your ministry is to be performed.

The laity has been given a precious ministry too often ignored and rejected. I call you to seek your unique, necessary task of making God in Christ known to those who need you. Your ministry is not just to strengthen the church. We exist as a congregation not only to give glory to God in true and life–changing worship, but we exist to draw others and to serve them, as they need to be served.

Are you willing to consciously grow as the minister you are? Need help discerning? Come and talk to Mother for Spiritual Direction.



Ways to donate are:

  • 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.


Please note: Offering envelopes have been discontinued. Only your name is needed in order for the counters to record your giving.
St. Mary's This 'n That Thrift Shop
When you are spring/summer cleaning, please remember St. Mary's Thrift Shop. Your donation of clothing and household items in good useable condition is welcome!
St. Mary's This 'n That has become a valuable presence in the Rio Grande community. As an outreach of St. Mary's, it provides assistance in vital ministry and mission by offering quality clothing and household goods at affordable prices to the community, along with jobs and work experience to those in need. Proceeds help to support The Branches, and other ministries and outreach of St. Mary's.
Happy Birthday to
Creggie Henderson on June 6th, Leslie Haines on June 8th and Jack Cleffi on June 11th!
Happy Anniversary to
Greg & Caroline Bentley on June 6th
and Hilton & Kathryn Rodriguez, Sr. on June 10th!
Upcoming in May and June
June 3rd - Wedding Rehearsal
June 4th - the wedding of Chelsea Schuster and Andrew Hickman
June 4th: NO Saturday Service.
June 5th - Baptism of Morrighan Aisling Langston
June 11th- 11 AM Celebration of Life Grace and Bill Repp
June 12th - 9 AM Service The Rev. Canon Joann Izzo
June 18th - 11 AM - 75th Anniversary Celebration of St. Barnabas by the Bay, Villas

July - We are looking forward to the Science Explorers returning, Thursday's on the Lawn, and Saturday Evening Beach services.
12 Step Meetings in the Church Hall
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) Monday at 8:00 pm
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Tuesday at 8:00 pm

Alanon on Friday at 10:00 am
A seasonal additional Alanon meeting will be coming this summer on Tuesday at 8:00 pm in the chapel
CHECK OUT OUR CALENDAR on our website for all activities taking place throughout the week.
Science Explorers Camp
This summer, St. Mary's will again host Science Explorers - Science Clubs and Camps for Children ages 4 to 11. The camps are a ton of fun. Spots are still available but they are filling up, so don't delay, Call 877-870-9517 or go to www.ScienceExplorers.com to find out more.
"If it's not fun, we're not doing it!"
The Day of Pentecost
Worship Services
Tuesday - Thursday 8:30 am Morning Prayer via Zoom
Thursday Holy Hour 3:00 pm (Chapel)
Sunday 9:00 AM in person (church)
Services, studies, and service bulletins may be accessed on our website: www.stmarysstoneharbor.org