We are putting together a video of your Christmas decorating traditions for the Christmas Eve service.

Do you have a creche you display every year? Is your tree decorated with your favorite ornaments gathered from your travels or inherited from your family?

We would love to include your photos of them and share with our faith community.
Deadline for submission is December 15th. 
Please send to admin@churchholyspirit.org and use Christmas Video as the subject line.
Looking forward to sharing together those meaningful traditions.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the Shawl Ministry at the NJ Women's Prison has been shut down. No shawls are currently being made by the inmates of the prison. Consequently, our stock of shawls for distribution by CHS to persons in need has been almost totally depleted. If you are a knitter or crocheter, think about picking up your needles and hooks to help replenish our supply. Yarn is available in the hallway bins adjacent to the church office. If you need patterns or advice (or encouragement), ask any member of the Prayer Shawl Prison Ministry: John Andrews, Susan Kane, Vicki Brooks, Diane Bendahmane, Karen Murray, Roberta Maas, Judy Linger, Carol Crawford Jones, Anne Simpson, Dot Hospador, and Father Philip. Unleash your creativity and help the Shawl Ministry through this tough period. You will be glad you did.
 

A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots” Isaiah 11:1. Jesse was King David’s father. The image of a branch growing out of the roots of Jesse points to a new king in David’s line. We know that this is fulfilled in Jesus, the King of Kings, who is a descendant of Jesse.

During the Advent season, a symbolic Branch of Jesse would normally decorate our Narthex.  But given the current situation, the Giving Branch will be virtual this year.  The Branch is a representation that connects God’s faithfulness through the Old Testament to the newness in the form of the birth of Jesus. Just as God gave us the gift of life through Jesus Christ, we will share this hope with others in our community through the giving of Christmas gifts.

In lieu of wrapped gifts this year, $25 gift cards will be provided for our friends at Freedom House (a half-way house for men) and their Family Afterward program, Good News Home (a drug/alcohol abuse treatment center for women), Anderson House (a half-way house for women), Cristo Rey, and Binnacle House (a group home for boys ages 13-18).  In order to provide these gifts, we are asking for monetary donations.  With these funds, we will purchase the 125 gift cards and distribute to the recipients.

Monetary donations can be made via check, cash, or Paypal. Please note "Giving Branch" on the check or on the envelope (if donating cash). There is a secure black box outside the Church office for anyone wanting to drop off, or it can be mailed to the Church.  If donating through Paypal, please use the button below, which is set for a $25 donation plus the $0.87 fee so that there will actually be $25 for the gift card.  You may buy more than one.

Please submit all contributions by Sunday, December 13th. If you have any questions, please contact Deanne Altom at 908-534-3425 (deanne.altom@gmail.com) or Michelle Marlow at 908-884-6932 (michellekmarlow@gmail.com).
Thank you for helping to make the holiday a bit happier for someone less fortunate!

Jesse Branch $25 Gift Card

The information below is still true, but Fanta has asked that we hold off on donations for the moment.  While she is still able to cook, she wants to cook her African foods so that she can pass them on to her children as part of their heritage.  Wow!!  What strength. (Since they are cooking and still shopping for other things, ShopRite or COSTCO gift cards are appreciated! )

As you may know,  Fanta has been battling metastatic breast cancer for years now and has just gone through several months of chemotherapy. She is now finishing up radiation. This has taken a big toll on her energy level. Preparing meals is presently not a priority for her.   As a community,  the best way we can support this loving family is to provide a daily meal. Bintou, Lossenie, Blessing, and Caroline are very helpful and supportive of their mom. Fanta is still the strong, independent person that we all know and love. Most of all, Fanta is to be admired for her unwavering faith throughout this diagnosis.

The family does not eat any pork including bacon and sausage, however,  these can be made out of turkey. Beef (as in stew or hamburger meat) and all types of chicken/turkey are enjoyed.  Broccoli is a favorite vegetable.  Spicy foods are fine along with soups.  Please remember that the children are now all teenagers and have appetites to match!

A Give In Kind website has been established to make this food train work.  Go to https://giveinkind.com/inkinds/P4Q4O3G/supporting-fanta-and-children

On that website you will find ways that you can provide a meal.  You can make a meal, order a take-out from a restaurant, or provide a gift card.  Holly Warnowicz and Susan Kane have offered to do delivery for you, and the information about securing their help, as well as other information, is on the website - you have to click on the buttons!  

"Food Pick Up Time" gives you a pop-up window with information about how and where to deliver food or arrange to have it delivered for you.

"Anyone with a Smoker" gives you information about smoked meats, as well.

Scrolling down or using the "From Calendar" button gets you to a calendar. You can see the dates from now on and the option to "Claim" a day.  The days that are claimed show what the donor is bringing. If you click the "Claim" you will be prompted to join or login.  You can login with Facebook or Google or you can join by giving an email and password.  Once you are in, you will be able to type in what you will bring on that day, that you'll bring something but you don't know what yet, or that you will order from a local restaurant.  You can also add a personal note to Fanta (she will get these notes!).  After you do that, you will get the information about Fanta's address and the option to add it to your calendar.  You will also get a confirmation email.

This isn't rocket science!  You can do it :).  We are family.

Dear Friends,
 
The only way through is through.
 
I am asking for assistance to develop our worship life in a hybrid environment.
 
With great technical help, and generous donations, we are becoming more adept at broadcasting our worship over the internet and integrated those at home with those capable of coming to in-person worship at Haytown Road.  
 
We are slowly creeping up the learning curve and all of you have been most patient.  Every week, we have an unanticipated technical breakdown and its different and adds to the helplessness of the moment.  However, with constancy and devotion, we lumber on.
 
That said, we are looking  to bouncing forward, not merely bouncing back.
 
Even when the pandemic is over, hybrid worship is here for good. The reality is, there will never be another "snow day."  (Sorry kids- school ain't never gonna be canceled again!)  There will be Sunday worship even on bad weather days cause there will always be internet broadcasts, even if from my
"basement chapel."
 
So who's up for helping?  We will begin with a creative conversation on Zoom, of course.  A date will be announced to those who respond directly to me.  
 
In the short run, we are also looking for vocalists to join our merry band - we are healthfully separated using mics in different spaces safely for all concerned.   It’s is our good fortune to have a modern worship space that allows for safe public worship. AND - remember, as always, no one should feel in any way pressured about coming here live.  Please stay home as only you can know best.  With folks only singing along softly in their masks, it's nice to have a PA system sharing the lyrics with a few voices, and if we had some harmony there, it would be great.  In the future, post-pandemic world, we're still going to want to broadcast hymn singing for those at home, so we are not just filling in temporarily.  This is a long term adaptation. And it will grow the mission of this church.  
 
Pardon for the bluntness here, but I know the world sucks right now and for a bunch of reasons and all at once.  Some days I just want to pull the covers up and hide for four months. But even so, we must rally, as we are able.  I have no idea what a "choir" looks like in the future.  One will have to be rebuilt here.  Among other things.  Our worship will need to emphasize the power and resilience of what a common life in Christ can build in the midst of chaos and calamity. 

Resolve.  Mindfulness. Courage. Tenacity.  How are these exhibited in our gatherings, our common prayers and ritual actions?  The unity of being one body in Christ is threatened.  The integrity of the witness of Jesus in the Gospels is put to the test and some are understandably confused by disparate messengers.  The Church has been here before.  We stand in the long train of the faithful, living through Nero, Caligula, and Diocletian, any number of plagues, the Dark Ages, and more.  We are reminded of their faithfulness and steadfast hope.  
 
So for those who want a stake in the shape of this worshiping life, give me a shout.  As goes worship, so too outreach, and stewardship, and formation, and all of it. All of it (us) will be bouncing forward.  We might not know what reshaping our ministries will look like except that they will all look more like Christ.
 
The only way through is through.
 
Philip+
 

After successfully being able to return our last book selection kit, "Educated," to the library, I believe it would be prudent to take a few more months' break from the Group.  There are several considerations involved in distributing the books to members, and some members, including myself, have voiced their reluctance to  meeting online in Zoom sessions to further compare notes about our readings. I am sure that we will be able to successfully resume our literary meetings in the future.  Until then, we should continue to stay safe and healthy.  

Suzanne Higgins

Our donations to the Open Cupboard necessarily were curtailed these past months because of Covid.  However, Father Phil and I believe we can again continue to support this vital component of our community via two drop-off locations.  

Although we originally were going to request school items, we are instead asking for: beef, lentil, or pea soup, or brown or white rice.  These items were listed on their website to support families while home schooling.

You can continue to place them in the Red Wagon in the narthex.  Additionally, WE ARE PLACING A LARGE, PLASTIC CONTAINER OUTSIDE BY THE PARISH HALL ENTRANCE. You can simply drop your donations off there, and I will make sure they get to the Pantry.  

Thank you for your continued generosity .  
Katie and Suzanne Higgins

Generally, the pandemic has everyone short of nerve, and easily annoyed.  The stress factor is obviously carried from the personal to group behavior.  As pastor, I am asking for additional effort be expended to ensure we establish and maintain a gracious gathering across the many small groups that take place.  On top of the COVID factor, there is the challenge of an internet environment under which we exist in small groups which subject us to further risk of disharmony and disaffection.
 
General ethos:
1.     Our small groups do not gather to group think.  It is not our goal to agree.  The natural  tendency in these conflictual times is to long for agreement and to be annoyed should that not occur.  Be reminded that our goal is simply to share and listen.  Then we move along, without anxiety, should the conservation reach a dead end. “OK then. What’s next?” is a helpful mantra. 
​
2.     If we are not agreed with, there is no reason to take it personally.  That would be unhelpful.  Humans can disagree without being disagreeable.  A lighthearted, taking -ourselves-less-seriously approach is the only approach.  On this, you should all agree (kidding)!
 
Tech Considerations:

1.   Zoom meetings are deeply flawed.  It takes work to be gracious and Zoom makes it easy to be rude.  Rudeness happens when we fail to mute ourselves when not talking.  We should practice muting regularly. There is no reason to have an open mic.  Muting ourselves is a gracious and spiritual task.  Think of it as an important pause to collect your thoughts.  It might make our sharing more meaningful.  For those who enjoy more spontaneous conversation, we shall have to modify our behavior in this environment and see if we find  some benefit through the discomfort of it all.
   
   
2.   It is easy to talk over each other, or to suffer through awkward pauses, etc.  If we intend to pass the conversation off to one person, we need to declare it explicitly.  On the other hand, if it is an open question to the whole group, then we should allow for folks to jumble along and it will eventually clear up.  Asking someone else, “Sorry if I jumped in, did you finish your point?” is good etiquette.   If you get offended because someone talked over you, that would be taking it personally and that won’t help.  Better to chime in later,   “I wanted to finish by adding  . . .” and express yourself. 

 
Generally:
 
It takes intentionality to be gracious, forbearing other’s verbal and technical trespassing, and being present to a group through the flawed medium of internet communications.  Intentional graciousness, happily enough, is a charism well known and practiced among us already.  We just need to dial it up.                                    

​ Philip+