This Sunday's Readings - 4th Sunday after Pentecost
This Sunday we will have only one service, a Rite II Liturgy of the Word. The celebrant and preacher will be our own, George Dredden.
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Matthew 10:40
This week’s readings continue the journey towards acceptance of God in our lives through faith, obedience and trust. In the Genesis reading we see how God demands the ultimate sacrifice from Abraham who, though reluctant, was willing to follow the orders from God, at great pain and cost to himself. The Book of Romans 6:12-23 tells us to relinquish our earthly bodily passions to enter God’s eternal kingdom through righteousness, and will we allow God to, as Psalm 13 says, “give light to our eyes” to embrace that which only His mercy and saving help can provide.
The question to ask ourselves is – what are we are willing to do in service, obedience and trust in God’s will for our eternal life? Can we do what God requires of us even in the face of disagreement or ridicule from others?
The service bulletinfor Pentecost 4 is available HERE.
The Sunday Readingsare available HERE.(During the Season of Pentecost we will read the "Track 1" lessons.)
Afternoon of Youth Fellowship at the Shaw's
Steve and Cindy Shaw have kindly offered their property to invite the youth of the parish (middle, high school and college) to an afternoon of boating and picnic games at their house (4 Pointview Place) on Saturday, July 25 from 1 to 4 PM. (Rain date: Sunday, July 26) We will launch boats from the Shaw's property at Morris Ave (or you can arrive by boat if, you are able) and then play socially distanced games on the lakeshore. Please contact Clive Knowles at clive@ck.secsrv.net if you are able to attend and if you are able to bring a boat. Drinks and individually bagged snacks will be available.
"Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness"Psalm 96:9
This is the continuation in the 6-part series of the liturgical elements that adorn our sanctuary and are used in worship prepared by Wendy Mitchell.
PART FIVE includes a historical account of the needlepoint project from 1990-1995 as well as explaining many of the symbols used in the needlepoint found in the church.READ MORE HERE.
St. Peter's Outreach
Outreach Update
In last week's KeyNews, we highlighted Nourish NJ as an organization our Outreach Committee would like St. Peter's parishioners to support. This week we are introducing Family Promise of Morris County. It is doing extraordinary work to assist families who are homeless, and we believe there are ways St. Peter's can lend support to them.
Family Promise is national in scope with local chapters in all 50 states. There are 22 chapters in NJ, Family Promise of Morris County being one. All chapters follow the same broad mission and structure, but each initiates programs unique to the areas and clientele they serve. Their basic mission is to work with families who are homeless (for whatever reason), and steer them toward suitable housing. In normal (non-COVID) times they arrange for families to stay for a week at a church for supper and overnight, and then move on to another church. During the pandemic they are finding static locations (usually hotels/motels) where families can stay for longer periods of time.
All Family Promise clients are in Morris County, as are all the churches they work with. Their network includes 24 churches actively engaged in housing FP clients for a week at a time, and 80 churches supporting FP in other ways. Some 1,600 people volunteer in some capacity during the course of a year. To learn more, Family Promise has a very complete website at familypromisemorris.org.
Family Promise works actively with 4-5-6 families at a time, moving from church to church for overnight accommodations. The objective is to care for them while seeking/arranging for housing. Families typically move through the program and into housing in about six months.
Family Promise's continuing need is for churches who can accommodate families for a week at a time, once or twice a year. We told them our building isn't configured such that we can do that.
A related need is for organizations (churches business, etc.) to sponsor a Family Promise family. It costs about $3,000 to do everything involved in getting a family into new housing. In addition to providing financial support, a sponsoring organization learns about a family when they enter the program, is kept apprised of their progress and needs during their journey toward housing, and has the opportunity to help them move and settle into their new home.
In addition, Family Promise is open to churches who can support families in ways other than monetarily -- by mentoring adults, working with young people, and so on. It's a new concept that they would like to offer to churches and families to build personal connections and friendships.
The Outreach Committee is excited at the prospect of St. Peter's moving in new and different directions. We would be thrilled to see us, as a church, agree to sponsor a Family Promise family. It would open our eyes to new and different situations, and give us the satisfaction that comes from doing for others. Watch for additional information as we learn more.
"Summer Camp at Home" Boxes/Baskets
Please consider signing up to fill a box for a family that would normally attend a free summer camp hosted by St. Peter's in Morristown. Alternatively, if you would like to get involved, and are unable to do the shopping, please consider sponsoring a box by donating $40 and we will do the shopping and assembly for you. Those checks can be made payable and sent to St. Peter’s.
Please find below a list with suggestions and ideas of things to fill the box:
A variety of balls
Water bottle
Mini journal
Drawing pad and crayons
Soft jump rope
Hula hoop
Bubbles
Sidewalk chalk
Play dough
Finger paint
Stickers
Little magnifying glasses to look at bugs, bug catcher, nets
Binoculars
Yoyos
Paddles w/attached balls
A frisbee
Flavor ice pops
Sunscreen
Games/puzzles/playing cards
Arts and crafts i.e. beads, bracelet making kits, rainbow looms, slime kits
Science kits
Bucket and shovel
Many of these things can be found online through sites such as Amazon or Walmart.com or if you are someone who is visiting stores, Walmart, Target, Michaels, The Dollar Tree are all good places to look.
We will be collecting these by the end of June soplease drop your completed bag/box to our parish office by Tuesday June 30th. If you have questions or to sign up to donate and sponsor a complete box please contact Annie Peters atirongirlannie@mac.com/917-583-3321.
The picture above shows a sample…get creative! This means the world to these families. Thank you in advance for you help and participation!
Diocesan News
Prayers and Reflections on Pandemic, Racism, and Protest:
Online gathering college students
THU, JUN 25, 6:30 PM - COLLEGE STUDENTS
All high school and college students of the diocese (rising Freshmen through Seniors) are invited to join online via Zoom with Bishop Carlye Hughes in an opportunity to share hopes, worries and fears in this uncertain time. Each gathering will begin and end with prayers and hymns and will feature a stirring homily by Bishop Hughes.
The information needed to access each Zoom gathering will be emailed to church leaders, who will in turn email it to their students and families the day before the scheduled meeting. Find out more:
Bishop Carlye Hughes is eager to once again spend time in conversation with the members of the diocese, to reflect and consider what we, our churches, and our communities have learned and experienced as we have adjusted to the changes this time has demanded of us.
This second monthly Zoom conversation is open to all members of the diocese. There is no need to register for this call; an email invitation will be sent on Mon. 6/29 to recipients of the Voice Online with log-in instructions for this gathering.
