 In 2026 Mother Kim will come and bless anyone’s home who moved in 2025.  Chalk is blessed and ready to be picked up so you can mark your door for 2026. Here is a video to show you how to do this > The inscription follows a type of formula; this year’s inscription is: 20+C+M+B+26. The C, M, and B correspond to the name of the Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. The numbers of the year are the bookends of the inscription. The C, M, and B can also stand for Christus Mansionem Benedicat, Latin for “Christ, this house Bless.” To bless your house with chalk, first write the inscription on the lintel above your front door (or on the door itself), and then recite this prayer: O Lord holy, Father almighty, everlasting God, we beseech thee to hear us: and vouchsafe to send thy holy Angel from heaven, to guard and cherish, protect and visit, and evermore defend all that dwell in this house. I call upon thy Saints, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, to protect my family and my home from every harm and danger, and I place this mark over my door to remain as a constant reminder to us and all who enter here that my house is truly a house of the Lord. O God, make the door of my house the gateway to thine Eternal Kingdom. All this we ask through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen. For more information about the 20+C+M+B+26 blessing history, tradition and practice read the following written by The Rev. Canon Matthew Tucker. With the Epiphany of Our Lord coming up next week, here's a short primer on what the Epiphany is and why we celebrate the way we do:
The feast of the Epiphany, also called the Manifestation of Our Lord to the Gentiles, is one of the principal feasts of the Church year. It celebrates the occasion of the visit of a number of Wise Men from the East, who, having discerned the arrival of the Messiah, traveled a great distance to pay homage to Jesus. Because the Gospel according to Matthew tells us that they brought three gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh – tradition holds that there were three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. It was to these wise men that Jesus was first revealed to the wider world. Jesus then had a fairly normal upbringing, until His identity was revealed once again at His baptism, when the Holy Spirit appeared above Him and John the Baptist as a dove, and when His Father’s voice was heard, saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus’s identity as the Son of God was then fully revealed to His disciples and the world at a wedding at Cana, where He performed His first miracle, turning water into wine. The gifts of the wise men, as well as being traditional gifts of one sovereign to another, hold symbolic meaning in this case. Gold, having great value, was a befitting gift as a sign of Jesus’ Kingship. Frankincense, which is a rare resin from the Boswellia tree, native to Somalia and southern coastal Arabia, was a sign of the divinity of Jesus. The burning of incense as an offering to God is ancient and continuing, and the smoke is symbolic of our prayers going up to heaven. Myrrh, a gum resin from the Commiphora abyssinica tree, is used as an ingredient in the embalming process, and so is a symbol of Jesus’ salvific death. On the Epiphany, gold, frankincense, and myrrh are blessed and given to the faithful as a reminder of the kingship, divinity, and death of Jesus. These gifts may be kept as a devotion or burnt during prayer. The feast of the Epiphany is the traditional time for the blessing of houses. During the Mass on the Epiphany, chalk is blessed for the purpose of marking the doors of Christian homes with a special inscription. Each time that we enter our home or other homes so marked, we see the inscription and remember to are marked as Christ’s own at baptism, and so are reminded to rededicate our lives to the Lord. As our homes are blessed with the inscription, so too are those who pass under it and into our homes. The inscription follows a type of formula; this year’s inscription is: 20+C+M+B+26. The C, M, and B correspond to the name of the Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. The numbers of the year are the bookends of the inscription. The C, M, and B can also stand for Christus Mansionem Benedicat, Latin for “Christ, this house Bless.” To bless your house with chalk, first write the inscription on the lintel above your front door (or on the door itself), and then recite this prayer: O Lord holy, Father almighty, everlasting God, we beseech thee to hear us: and vouchsafe to send thy holy Angel from heaven, to guard and cherish, protect and visit, and evermore defend all that dwell in this house. I call upon thy Saints, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, to protect my family and my home from every harm and danger, and I place this mark over my door to remain as a constant reminder to us and all who enter here that my house is truly a house of the Lord. O God, make the door of my house the gateway to thine Eternal Kingdom. All this we ask through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.  End of Year Contributions for 2025:
For contributions to reflect on your 2025 giving statement, please note the following:
Thank you for your support of CHS. Please contact me with any questions or concerns at [email protected]. Sally Bird Treasurer
To the "alumni" of Church of the Holy Spirit-
You are receiving this survey because you are known to have attended, participated in, or been considered a member of The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in Lebanon, NJ. In case you weren't aware, The Rev. Phil Carr Jones retired after 35+ years at CHS, and the parish has called a new rector, The Rev. Kim Reinholz. She began her call here in September and would love to learn more about your experiences "growing up" at CHS. In particular, we wanted to invite you to complete the following anonymous survey so you can be sincere. And to extend the invitation: come to Church on Sunday, December 28th, and, between the services, have coffee and conversation with members of the formation team. Supposing you'd like to share any stories, memories, or other reflections about your time as a kid/ teen here. If you are not available to participate in that conversation or would prefer to speak with Mother Kim one-on-one, you can schedule a phone or Zoom call. Thank you in advance for your willingness to share your experience; it will help us to support the children in the community now and in the future. Advent/ Christmas/ Epiphany Physical Layout a message from the Rector-  In our new orientation, four directional points branch from the altar. If we consider the altar the central hub, the bishop's seat is located in the North, and the Eastern point where the Advent wreath is lit, as well as where the ambo/lectern is placed, the children's area (and the creche will be) is on the southern point. I plan to preach facing West (towards the choir). If anyone would like to see my face during preaching (head-on), please sit in that section.
A special note about worshipping "in the round". There are no rules that say that folks who attend worship can't move around the worship space during the service. If it is helpful to move with the ministers as we move through the space, feel free to do so. Laying out the space like a compass is a physical way to break up expectations about what folks may have previously experienced in worship. By reorienting during different aspects of liturgy, having ministers face in different directions, it gives worshippers the opportunity to consider what, if any, aspects of liturgy draw and hold one's attention, as well as which parts are not engaging. For instance, what do "The Word," "The Table," music, or another aspect of coming together for sacrament feel like? When we use the prayer book, the hymnal, or the bulletin, is the focus on the words on the page, the stirring in your soul, or the voices in the space? What parts of the liturgy inspire and connect or distract and distance you from God, your neighbor, and yourself? Some folks dislike this arrangement, others are uncertain, while others are enjoying the new perspective. I hope that any concerns, thoughts, feelings, or ideas you have about worship will be shared either with me directly or that, when there are opportunities to discuss and plan worship going forward, you will consider joining the conversation as a member of the worship committee. Plans for the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany are in place, but input will be needed soon for the upcoming seasons of Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. Kimberly April Reinholz
From Mother Kim:
Here are written instructions for LEMs for Advent/Christmas/Epiphany and a video so that you are prepared for the new layout on Sundays if you are serving. Wow! We're not just winging it?! Epiphany Service Project - "Home Coming" Care Packages Epiphany is when we endeavor to make our hearts and homes welcoming for Christ to abide with us. As some return from travels like the Magi who returned to their homes by another way we understand the joy of homecoming. As an extension of this seasonal observance CHS is joining with “Meet Her at the Gates” and Hunterdon Hospital in preparation and celebration of going home by packing care packages for adult and juvenile patients and those who have been imprisoned as they are released. The goal is to collect items for 60 care packages in this season. To participate in this opportunity to love and serve our neighbors in need simply sign up to donate specific items or contribute funds towards the purchase of items. This can be done on the sheets in the gathering space at CHS. If you cannot sign up in person be in touch with Suzanne Higgins (if you do not have a way to do this directly be in touch with the office and we will forward your message to her) As these are responses to specific needs please only donate the items requested. This collection will run from January 6, 2026 - February 15, 2026 We will assemble the Packages on the Day after Valentine’s Day- what a lovely way to love one another. More information and how to donateHere's the quick list of what donations we will be seeking:
Dear friends,
You will remember that, last year, we collected various items of clothing and toiletries for patients at Hunterdon Medical Center. They have once again reached out to our church for help with children and adults. Many of the staff have noticed that several patients, from toddlers to adults, are being released from the hospital without basic necessities and adequate winter clothing. To help ease this situation, HMC would greatly appreciate donations of the toiletries you so generously donated last year, as well as NEW hats and gloves for all ages, except babies. Many groups already provide headwear for babies, but there is a considerable demand for winter items for children and adults. HMC was very grateful for the parcels we donated last summer for homeless patients and have asked if CHS could again help with this project. They also will provide us with plastic bags to store each item. As an additional consideration, they mentioned that sweatshirts would be a tremendous help. Please note that we are NOT collecting scarves or mufflers. We are pairing this project with a second group that John Andrews brought to the vestry’s attention, called, “Meet Her at the Gate.” This group provides assistance to recently released female inmates from the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton. As you can imagine, the women leave the grounds with very little, and they are literally met at the gate by volunteers who provide them with care packages similar to those we give to the HMC patients. The women are also offered counselling by Meet Her at the Gate for anything ranging from residential opportunities to employment positions. We are hopeful you will help CHS to provide these items for two worthy organizations that serve people from many communities in Hunterdon County. Our goal is to collect 15 parcels for Meet Her at the Gate, 15 for pediatric patients, and 15 for adult patients. Bins will be placed in the Narthex for your contributions, as well as sign-up sheets for items you wish to donate. Thank you for your help and support. Suzanne Higgins  Suggested Donation $5.50 per Meal
Meals on Wheels in Hunterdon is now offering congregate meals in Church of the Holy Spirit’s Dove Hall, 3 Haytown Rd, Lebanon (and in the Senior Center, 4 Gauntt Place, Flemington) to seniors at least 60 years of age, Monday through Friday, from 11:00am until 1:00pm. Meal orders must be made in advance, at least by 12:30pm the day before (and by 12:30pm on Friday for Monday), by calling the Meals on Wheels office at (908) 284-0735. Walk-ins can only be accommodated if there is extra food available. A “Congregate Registration Form” must be filled out annually by each participant. The objective of Meals on Wheels in Hunterdon’s nutrition program services is to assist the elderly and disabled of Hunterdon County to avoid unwanted institutionalization by making it possible for them to live at home in comfort, safety and dignity. Their website is www.mowih.org and their main phone number is (908) 284-0735. Who We Are and How You Too Can Find a PlaceJesus lived in a troubled time; but he announced the dawning of a new era, God's reign of justice and peace.
He defied the powers that opposed God's reign by reaching out to all the victims of these powers. He gathered a company of followers, teaching them how to live in the freedom of this new era. But the world turned against him; his followers abandoned him; and the authorities executed him as a threat to the peace, in about 33 AD. from the dead! - The one who had risen to them and, through them, to the world. They were now convinced that God had rejected the judgment against Jesus and yet had absorbed the pain of it. By giving Jesus a new life, God validated everything Jesus stood for and gave his followers a new life in solidarity with him and with those he sought to serve. They began to see this new kind of life as the world's true future; others caught the vision and joined them. Thus began an historic movement inspired by this Good News. We are people bound together because we follow the way of Jesus Christ. We recognize the presence of God in Jesus and see his way of life as God's way toward a world transformed by love. We tell his story, from generation to generation, convinced that we must follow him and embody his vision. Come and get to know Jesus by getting to know people whose lives are being shaped by this Good News. Discover the Spirit of Jesus and see what God is really like. Experience what it means to be part of Jesus' deepening impact on the world by belonging to a community of his followers.  Sunday Services
In Person and Online - Holy Communion at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. CHS Worship is also on FaceBook Live (available without Facebook) 8:00 a.m. - Holy Communion Church of the Holy Spirit is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/96238557143?pwd=SUlqdVpqUHdTdVdOWUY5U1BpU0NBUT09 Meeting ID: 962 3855 7143 Passcode: 087656 FaceBook Live site link http://tinyurl.com/CHSWorship or http://online.churchholyspirit.net 10:00 a.m. - Holy Communion Church of the Holy Spirit is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/91376817129?pwd=WGg5SGZyRnN5RmtyNWp3UVQwbFFzUT09 Meeting ID: 913 7681 7129 Passcode: 254800 FaceBook Live site link http://tinyurl.com/CHSWorship or http://online.churchholyspirit.net Follow and pray along using the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) Calling All Knitters and Crocheters  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 is being maintained by the Knit/Crochet & Chat group that meets on Monday afternoons.. 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 Kint/Crochet & Chat group.
Welcome to the CHS Master Calendar
The CHS Master Calendar was created to consolidate the multiple calendars that were being used previously. Not all those calendars were up to date; many did not have the same events listed. The ability to see details on the many events happening at CHS was not available on all the calendars. Google calendar became the obvious choice: it allows us to access one site for all events, to manage those events in one place, including details as needed; embed the calendar on the CHS website; and allow for dynamic changes. A change made on the master immediately becomes visible on all linked versions. If a change is made to the master, it appears immediately on the web version and it will appear on your version as well. You can access the CHS calendar from your computer, laptop, smart phone or tablet. To see the calendar on the website, go to www.churchholyspirit.org and scroll to the bottom of the page. Use the arrows below the header to see future or past months. Move to the far right and select if you wish to see a week or month at a time or click Agenda for a listing of events. Details are available for many events. To have the calendar on your computer or other device, copy and paste or type this URL into your browser: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=chs.calendar%40churchholyspirit.net&ctz=America%2FNew_York A limited number of people have administrative permission: Marge Keller, the Office Admin, Webmaster and CHS News editor. If you wish to have an event added to the calendar, contact one of them. To check facility availability, please contact the Office Admin.  Whaling is a form of pfishing known as whaling. It doesn't just affect us! The Diocese of Newark has recently had a series of these attacks and has published an article explaining the phenomenon and what you can do about it.
"You receive an email that appears to be from the Bishop, or your clergy person, asking you to take some kind of action – click a link, download an attachment, wire money to a specified account, purchase gift cards and reply with the serial numbers, or simply to reply quickly. Watch out – it could be a form of email “phishing” known as “whaling.” "Whereas “phishing” involves sending a fraudulent email to a large group of people in the hope that a few will respond, “whaling” involves forging communications that look like they’re from the “big phish” in an organization, i.e. the “whale.” For us, this usually means the Bishop or a clergy person, although it could be someone else in authority. "Because these emails are usually crafted more carefully than your standard “phishing” email, they can be more difficult to detect." Read the whole article, but here are some brief suggestions about what to do:
Please know that no clergy person, Deacon Dot, your wardens or your Vestry would never make such a request. They will never ask for personal information, money, gift cards or anything else by email or on social media. Ignore any such request and, if possible, report it to your ISP as a fraud/scam. One email looked like this: I am not in the position to make a phone call at the moment as i am in a meeting and that is why i am contacting you via email. I will like you to help handle a personal matter. I would need you to help send out couple of gift cards to a family member in school concerning her project.and i will need this handled immediately. Kindly let me know if you are available to run this task right now so i can advise the quantity and domination. Pay attention and stay safe! Faithfully,  AudioFetch has been installed. For those needing hearing assist, this broadcast system works over our already existing wifi. You need only download the AudioFetch app on your smart phone or tablet and you will get live amplified sound through your ear piece. We ask members who have older unused smart phones to donate them - along with chargers etc, so members can use these dedicated devices.
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