WELCOME HOME!

Worship with us:

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

Dear St. Mary's family and friends,

Throughout the Gospels, we encounter stories of thousands of people who came out to hear Jesus preach, see a miracle, and catch what all the buzz was about. But when he talked about what it meant to follow him, many left. The miracles and gifts might have been amazing, the preaching awe-inspiring, but following him – well, Jesus seemed to be asking too much.  

Sunday’s Gospel would be one of those times. 

Jesus starts with a quote that sounds as jarring now as it did 2000 years ago: If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. That sounds harsh.  

Jesus is using hyperbole to grab our attention because he’s about to tell us something central to discipleship: To follow Jesus means he has to be the most essential thing in our lives. Nothing can distract us from our role as followers of Jesus. The rest of our lives flow from our primary relationship with him. Think of it as the lens through which we ought to see everything and the filter through which we both receive and interact with the world's things. Following Jesus shows us that some of our cultural norms today may not be good. 

This isn’t easy! We are human beings – we make mistakes, sin, and make choices that affect our moral freedom. But the Lord provides for us in our lives through the Church and the sacraments. Here we are blessed with his word; here, we are blessed with his presence; here, we receive the grace we need to seek, find, and follow him. 

Let us make that choice to follow him and give thanks for those whom the Lord continues to call to himself, whether in a public way or in the quiet of their hearts. 

Blessings in Christ,

Mo. Allison+

551-697-6133

___________________________________

*** Please read to the bottom to see ALL the Events and Activities happening through the Fall. ***

We are invited to participate in Safe Church Safe Communities Training at St. Barnabas By-the-Bay on Saturday, October 22, 2022.

This training is grounded in our call to seek and serve Christ in all persons and respect the dignity of every human being. It offers an opportunity to increase and enhance our ability to live out our Baptismal Covenant within our faith communities and in the world beyond.

It is offered to anyone who currently has oversight responsibilities for events, programs, or others engaged in ministry and ministerial roles

Please Register: https://tinyurl.com/SafeChurch10222022Villas

If you need a ride, please contact Mo. Allison

Lost Christianities: The Battles of Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew 

by Bart D. Ehrman, Matthew Kugler, et al.

Available in Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle or Audiobook

Let's get together with an end of summer Parish Potluck to be held on Thursday, September 15th at 6 pm. A sign up sheet is posted on the parish hall bulletin board if you can volunteer to set up before and/or clean up after. Also please note what you plan to bring.

Hope to see you there!

Interested in what the Altar Guild does?

Come join us at 5:40 - Only 20 minutes before our Pot Luck to learn and ask questions. 

Come and learn how we prepare.

All in the community are invited to our annual Blessing of the Animals and celebration of the Feast of St. Francis on Sunday, October 2 at 9 AM on the front lawn of the church. Invite a friend and their pet and join us for this annual celebration.  Whether they slither, purr, bark, neigh, or make no sound at all, all pets are welcome to be blessed. In the case of rain, please join us in the parish hall.

This 'n That was the GOLD Winner of the 2022 Best of the Jersey Shore for the category thrift shops.

Congratulations to Manager Debbie Smith, Assistant Manager Debra Conn, and their dedicated team of employees!

You have made This 'n That more than a thrift shop but a ministry serving our neighbors in the community. Thank you!

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/

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!

Give What You Have



Give what you have, be it little or much. If you can’t write a book, you can still keep in touch with someone “out there” who is eager to hear from a friend. So send them a message of cheer!

If you can’t preach a sermon, no doubt you can smile and perhaps make somebody’s life worth the while. Or just a small touch in the hour of despair on someone’s faint arm will show that you care.

Some other ways to support St. Mary's

• Become a member

• 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/

Please note: Offering envelopes have been discontinued. Only your name is needed in order for the counters to record your giving.

This fall, St. Mary's must address two important issues requiring large expenditures. First, the air conditioning unit at the rectory is on its last legs, and must be replaced at a cost of approximately $7,000. Second, it is necessary to eradicate the pigeon population that has taken up residence under our solar panels. After exploring all available options, the most effective and humane method is to shoo away the pigeons and simultaneously clean the surface of the roof, immediately followed by placing netting around the gap under the solar panels to prevent their return. This is a labor intensive process that will cost over $11,000, and will save our roofing from any further damage.

St. Mary's has many blessings and we are able to proceed. However, these costs were unforeseen and will put a significant dent in our savings. If you are able, please consider a special financial gift to help St. Mary's offset these costs as we work toward our future together. 

If you have any questions, please contact Lillian Armstrong, Treasurer at 609-425-1582. 

Vanessa Gumm, a new member of St. Mary's, and realtor at Sotheby's in NJ and FL, will donate 10% of her commission to St. Mary's for anyone who is a member or attends St. Mary's who refers her for a sale.

Branches is supplying 80 back packs a week for 40 weeks to some local schools. The back packs will contain two nourishing weekend meals.

If you would like to help with this project, we are collecting the items in the picture. The milk should be in individual sized servings.

Children have always been a priority at Branches. This project is our way of helping to make sure that they are properly nourished. The need is great and growing. Thank you in advance for your help!

Donations may be dropped off to The Branches Food Pantry Monday, Wednesday, or Fridays from 9 AM to 12 noon, at 1304 Rt. 47 So., Unit AJ, Rio Grande. Or you many bring things to St. Mary’s and they will be taken to the Food Pantry for you.

The NJ School for Ministry is a “school of local formation for ministry.” The School can prepare you either for licensed lay ministries, or for the vocational diaconate, or for ministry as a bi-vocational priest, or as a priest committed to serving under-resourced communities. The lay ministries “licensed under the Canons” include Lay Worship Leader, Lay Pastoral Care Leader, Lay Evangelist, Lay Preacher, Lay Catechist, Lay Eucharistic Visitor, and Lay Eucharistic Minister. In our School for Ministry, those preparing for ordination study side-by-side with those preparing for new or deeper lay ministries. We have discovered that there is an amazing richness in this shared journey of formation.

Formation through the School for Ministry includes academic work (online classes, spiritual formation, Gathering Weekends (in-person 2-day gatherings 3 times each year, and opportunities for practical ministry experiences. There are two tracks for online classes—one with online classes on Saturdays and one with classes on weekdays or evenings. Both tracks are academically, spiritually, and practically rigorous and engaging and can usually be completed in 3 years.

Almighty God, Creator of the world, we thank you for the gift of stewardship and work. Deliver us, in our various occupations, from the service of self alone, that we may do our work in truth and beauty and for the common.

God of justice, we pray for all workers that they would receive fair compensation and treatment in their labor.

For those who seek work, provide jobs — both citizens and immigrants alike. For those who cannot work, provide sustenance. Make those who lead the industries and commerce of this country responsive to your perfect will. Build up in the leaders of our country a respect for all labors. Deliver us, Lord Jesus, from the maligning evils of greed, sloth, and gluttony that we may lead lives of holiness in service to you and our neighbor.

We ask all these things for our good and your glory through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sundays after worship (except on Vestry Sunday)- Adult Forum Book Study - Lost Christianities

• September 3rd Branches Move into the NEW Building

• September 8th Clergy Day in Trenton

• September 15th Altar Guild Meeting: 5:40 pm

• September 15th Parish Pot Luck: 6:00 pm

• September 17th-23rd – Mo. Allison and Lisa will be on Vacation

• September 22nd - Blood Drive 10 am - 3 pm

• October 2nd - 9 AM on the front lawn The Feast of St Francis and the Blessing of the Animals

• October 6th-10th – Mo. Allison is away for the Bishop's Discernment Retreat

• October 20th - Branches Grand Opening Celebration

• October 22nd - Safe Church Training

• October 29th – Fall Family Fun Day

• November (Date TBD) Thanksgiving service/breakfast

• November 25th-26th (Women’s Club Festival of Trees Donation)

• December 17th – 7:30 pm at Cold Spring Presbyterian Production of Handel's Messiah with John Curtis, and Mo. Allison as Narrator

• December 21st – Blue Christmas

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

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 1

Philemon 1-21

Luke 14:25-33

Tuesday - Thursday 8:30 am Morning Prayer via Zoom

Sunday 9:00 AM in person (church)