Please join us for worship on Sunday, February 23, 2025

• 8:00 a.m. — Worship
• 10:00 a.m. — Worship followed by Coffee Hour
• Childcare available during 10:00 a.m. Worship
• Worship led by The Rev. Jeanie Martinez-Jantz

Join us for our Wednesday evening Lenten Series!

Coffee hour listening sessions starting on March 9



Comedian Robin Williams said the number one best thing about being an Episcopalian is "No matter what you believe, there's bound to be at least one other Episcopalian who agrees with you." As a faith community we claim that we are welcoming of a very broad spectrum of beliefs. But are we really? Often there are people in church who do not feel that their points of view are represented in the general theological conversation. Often this can lead to feelings of alienation. That is not who we want to be as a faith community, so during this season of Lent we are hosting a series of listening sessions during Coffee Hour, following the 10 a.m. Worship Service. Bring your coffee and snacks to the conference table as we open space to listen to each other's perspective on different topics surrounding our worship practices. These sessions are designed to open conversations, and allow us to begin to understand each other, rather than assuming we know what someone thinks or is going to say. This is not about changing minds, but rather about opening space for all points of view to be heard, and about being welcoming to each other. The topics for this beginning series of conversations are: 

March 9 - "How do you feel when you hear "inclusive language" used in worship? 

March 16 - Special St. Patrick's Day celebration - no listening session

March 23 - Pronouns - Does it really matter how we refer to God?

March 30 - How do we interpret the Bible: "Scripture, Tradition and Reason" ..."Sola Scriptura" or another theological method?

April 6 - What is "Marriage" anyway?

If we want to grow and welcome new people into our faith community, perhaps we can start by learning to welcome each other. Please join the conversation with us!



Treasurer Help Needed!

Our current Treasurer, Joanne Figliola, will be stepping down from her lead Treasurer role in May and Craig Brosi, who has been assisting Joanne, as well as being the Receiving Treasurer, has had recent health issues that prevent him from doing these tasks. So, we need two volunteers from the congregation: Lead Treasurer and Receiving Treasurer.

The Lead Treasurer role takes about 5-10 hours per week and primarily involves posting expenses, issuing checks to vendors/people, and doing a monthly report for the Vestry. We use QuickBooks for our bookkeeping, so part of the job can be done from home, but some time in the office is needed for follow ups on expense items and communications.

The Receiving Treasurer role takes less time--about 1-3 hours per week (or every couple of weeks) and primarily involves recording donations to the church and reconciling the bank deposits. Ruth Bruner is our Pledge Treasurer and can help with training. The Receiving Treasurer also oversees the counters who make the weekly bank deposits based upon the funds that are turned in each week.

Meet Our Choral Scholars !

Emilia Cortale

Emilia is a junior Spanish Studies major with a double minor in Human Services and Musical Theatre at the University of Delaware. She is the president CresHENdo a Cappella, where she sings alongside our other Choral Scholars. Emilia also works as a substitute teacher at UD's Early Learning Center and is a data entry intern at the university's Hillel. She is very happy to be joining the choir with her friends

Lenten Offerings at St. Barnabas

One size does not fit all!

This year St. Barnabas' will be offering several different options for Lenten devotional practices. Even though we all have different schedules and life-circumstances we hope you will find a practice that feeds your spirit.  

Lent Madness - Patterned after March Madness, this is a game developed by Forward Movement, the publishers of our daily devotional booklets. Each day you have the opportunity to learn a bit about two Saints (people whose lives reflected Christ in some way) and to vote for your favorite. We start with a field of 32 saints, that gets narrowed to 16, then 8 then 4 then the final 2. You can play on your phone or computer. We will also have booklets available with the biographies of all the saints.

Evening Lenten Supper and Study - St Barnabas is offering a Lenten Series with a soup and salad supper this year starting Wednesday, March 12. We would meet in the conference room at 6:00 p.m. for fellowship and supper then from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., we would take part in an online course and conversation to explore and celebrate Jesus' loving presence within all of us and ask ourselves how we can invite others to also experience Jesus' loving presence. The series runs from Wednesday, March 12 to Wednesday, April 9, 2025 and will be offered also on Zoom. If you are interested in attending all or part of this series, there is a sign up sheet in the sanctuary or you can sign up by clicking the button below.

Interfaith lunches - Each Wednesday during Lent, we’ll be gathering at Limestone Presbyterian Church along with our brothers in sisters in Christ throughout the MillCreek area for Worship and Lunch. Each week a different church takes a turn providing soup, bread, worship, and preaching. The theme of this year's worship is "Signs in the Gospel of John." You are invited to join us for this wonderful Ecumenical experience each week. Services start at noon March 12th, March 19th, March 26th, April 2nd and April 9th. Please join us!!...

Self Guided Lenten Short Course - River Through the Desert: a series of 6 short (less than 10 minute) videos and meditations that invite us to reimagine what it means to travel with Jesus during Lent. In weekly reflections, Richard Sewell takes readers step by step through a landscape riven with the traces of God. As he stops at the Sea of Galilee and as he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, Sewell reveals that the apparently arid landscape of our own lives can yield surprising nourishment when we take time for prayer, Scripture, and meditation. These videos will be sent out weekly during Lent for those who choose to participate independently. Our Early Risers will also explore this short course in-person, led by Rev. Jeanie, on the following dates: March 6 - The Desert, March 13 - The Well, March 20 - The Mountain, March 27 - The Sea, April 3 - The Road, April 10 - The Garden. If you would like to join them, contact Hal Bruner for more information.





Special Mardi Gras Coffee Hour!

Mardi Gras is a French phrase that translates to "Fat Tuesday". It's a celebration that takes place before Lent, a Christian fasting season. The name comes from the custom of eating rich foods before Lent.

Please Join your Parish Life Committee for a Mardi Gras themed Coffee Hour after services on Sunday, March 2, 2025, hosted by our valued PL Committee Member and Choir Member, Sandy Witman.

Please contact Sandy in person or by email at slwitman@comcast.net to graciously offer some help, either with delish goodies or clean-up afterwards - so we can have an engaging, festive gathering before the Lenten season.

The elevator is out of service. Building and Grounds is awaiting repairs an appreciates your patience.

Contact Information for Rev. Jeanie

Please use the following information to contact Rev. Jeanie:

email at Rev.Jeanie@StB-DE.org

or by phone at (302) 333-7598

Prayer Requests

• Submit prayer requests to the Office by 9 p.m. on Tuesdays for inclusion in Sunday's bulletin
• Prayer requests will remain in the bulletin for one month
• Prayer and Praise Chain offers the opportunity for parishioners to pray for the needs of our parish family
• Contact Leslie Walker to submit a name to the Prayer and Praise chain

St. Barnabas Office Information

• Phones are covered during office hours and after hours messages are checked daily. (302) 994-6607
• Office hours: Mon. - Fri. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Pastoral Emergencies: Please contact Rev. Jeanie Martinez-Jantz at (302) 333-7598 or Rev.Jeanie@StB-DE.org

Best contacts for specific items:

• Bulletin- Martha De Luna (Office@StB-de.org)
• eNews- Beth Engler (Beth.A.Engler@gmail.com)
• General office information (Office@StB-de.org)
• Scheduling/Calendar information (Calendar@StB-de.org)

Keep up to date on all activities by subscribing to the St. Barnabas Events Calendar.

Submissions:

Please submit announcement information for The St. Barnabas eNews to Beth Engler 

no later than Wednesday 9 p.m.