To St. Stephen's Parishioners:
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
Sunday January 9 - 8 AM AND 10 AM Third Sunday After Christmas Day The Rev. Cooper Conway, Interim Rector, is the preacher and celebrant.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Wednesday, January 14, 7:30 PM Finance Committee meeting
Tuesday, January 18, 7:30 PM Pre-convention meeting, Christ Church, East Orange
Wednesday, January 19, 7:30 PM Vestry meeting
Sunday, January 23, 5 PM "Winter Family Fun Night " in the Fellowship Hall.
Thursday, January 27, 7:30 PM, Preschool Committee meeting
Friday, January 28 - Saturday, January 29, 137th Annual Convention Diocese of Newark
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING. Each year on the first Sunday in February we have a shortened service of worship and then gather in the Fellowship Hall to review the year past, hear from leaders of the parish and look at plans for the year ahead. The year the Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, February 6. Prior to the meeting, the Nominating Committee prepares a slate of candidates for any openings in parish leadership as well as delegates and alternates to the Diocesan Convention and suggestions for the Nominating Committee for the following year. The current Nominating Committee includes: Denise Price, Katie Wade, Pam Singer, Sydney Davis, and Eugene Foley. If you would like to be considered for an open position please speak to any member of the Nominating Committee, to one of the Wardens - Kathy Mullins or Marvin Walker, or to the Interim Rector, Cooper Conway. Don't be shy!
FAMILY FUN NIGHT. Most of us have missed opportunities to get together in an informal way. Want to catch up with your church friends? Here's a chance to do that. There's a party in the works and it should be lots of fun. It's a Winter Blast that will include lots of food, fellowship, music and more. Mark the date now -- Sunday evening, January23 at 5:00 PM. This event will include a pot-luck dinner. If you haven't received an E-Vite already, you'll be getting one soon and that's where you can sign up for what dish you will bring to contribute to the meal. There will also be a sign-up sheet at Coffee Hour. We'll need volunteers to set up, clean up and help in other ways. There will be some singing -- we are not sure yet how that will work, but you'll hear more about it. A cover charge will cover some of the expenses: $5 per person or $10 per family. January 23 -- Be There!
DIOCESAN NEWS. The Diocese is trying a new distribution method for the newspaper, The Voice. Instead of sending issues to individual homes by mail, a bulk delivery will be sent to the church. Anyone interested in having a printed copy may pick up a copy of The Voice at the back of the church. The January 2011 issue is available now so look for it this Sunday. This issue is 24-pages and full of news about the upcoming diocesan convention. Take the time to read it and find out what issues will be discussed, who is running for office, and what's happening at nearby churches.
The Voice is also available online. Go to the diocesan website, <www.dioceseofnewark.org> and click on the image of The Voice.
And that's not all. E-News is also available online between issues.
'TISTHESEASON TO STOCK UP THE FOOD BARREL! Remember to take advantage of the CAN-CAN sales ... and other bargains at your local food markets. Felder Dorn says, “The ShopRite stores of Millburn and Springfield have announced a double-barreled opportunity to get our food barrel off to a great start in 2011! The CAN-CAN sale starts Wednesday, 5 January 2011, AND it is the ShopRite's 40th Anniversary CAN-CAN sale! “ Visit these stores and find ShopRite vegetables at 40 cents per can! Some Chef Boyardee, Manwich, and Hunt's items are priced at 88 cents per can! There are also great bargains on Progresso Soup and a variety of cereals. Bargains come and go as the sale proceeds. BUY NOW and swell our food barrel. Stock up now and then bring items to the barrel over a period of weeks. If the ShopRite is not your grocery store, you can be sure that your store is countering with bargains of its own, SO GET OUT AND SHOP for the FOOD BARREL!
DELEGATES TO DIOCESAN CONVENTION. The 2-day convention of the Diocese of Newark is scheduled for Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29, 2011 at the Hilton Hotel, Parsippany. Delegates to Convention are elected at the Annual Meeting the year before.
PREPARATION FOR THE 137th ANNUAL CONVENTION of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark is scheduled on Tuesday, January 18 at 7:30 PM. The pre-convention meeting will be held at Christ Church in East Orange. Pre-convention meetings help prepare deputies with reports relevant to the business of convention. Presentations will be made on the proposed diocesan budget, task force reports, resolutions and orientation information for first-time deputies. Delegates from St. Stephen’s, elected at the Annual Meeting in February, 2010, are expected to attend both pre-convention meetings and
PLEDGE ENVELOPES. If you checked off the box on your pledge card indicating that you want pledge envelopes, you should find a box of envelopes marked with your name on the table at the church entrance this Sunday and for the next few weeks. If you have reconsidered and think you would now like envelopes, just send an email to <church@ststepehensmillburn.org> and your envelopes will be available next week. Envelopes are an easy way to keep track of your giving and to make sure your pledge payments get submitted in a timely way. There are other ways to make your pledge payments.
Automated credit card payments. A growing number of parishioners take advantage of this easy system. After you fill out an enrollment form, Dominic Balzano, our bookkeeper, puts through a charge once a month for the amount you have pledged to the card you have indicated. What happens if your charges are a little too heavy one month and you wish you could postpone your payment? That's easy. Just call or e-mail Dominic and ask him to delay putting the charge through until whatever date you decide. Reminder: If you paid by credit card in 2010, you should submit a pledge card for 2011, or let Dominic know if he should continue to submit monthly charges for the same amount and to the same credit card. There is a slight processing charge to the church for handling your pledge in this way. Sometimes those who give in this way consider adding a slight amount to their pledge amount to cover the administrative cost to the church.
Automated bank payment. If you have automated bill payment through your bank, add St. Stephen's to your list of payees. Your pledge payments will be paid by electronic check at whatever intervals you designate.
WEST VIRGINIA MISSION TRIP FOR ADULTS. The Diocese of Newark and St. Mary’s in Sparta are organizing an Adult Mission Trip for one week in July, 2011. During that week (July 10 - 16) the volunteers that join this effort will completely frame a Habitat house under the direction of a Habitat-qualified construction supervisor. The project is called “Framing Blitz” and it is under auspices of “Almost Heaven” Habitat for Humanity in Pendleton County, West Virginia (For more information, see: <www.almostheavenhabitat.org>). This opportunity is open to any adult member of the diocese, 21 years or older. There can be at least 2, no more than 4 persons from any single congregation. Meals and housing provided. Each will contribute $400 to participate and non-refundable deposit of $200 per person is due January 20, 2011. Please make the check out to the Diocese of Newark with a memo notation for the Diocesan Mission Trip. Interested? See notice on the bulletin board outside the Common Room. Direct questions to Rev. Orion Davis at 973-729-3136.
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