![]() Dear friends, I have been approached by Hunterdon Medical Center for help with a problem they have identified. Many of the staff have noticed that several patients, from toddlers to adults, are being released from the hospital without adequate winter clothing. To help ease this situation, HMC would greatly appreciate donations of 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. They were 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 also would be a tremendous help. However, realizing this is a significantly bigger donation than hats or gloves, they asked me to simply mention it with the idea that some parishioners may be interested in donating the sweatshirts (again, all sizes for children small up to and including adult Xlarge). Please note that we are not collecting scarves or mufflers. I am hopeful that you will join me in providing these winter clothing items for HMS, a facility that serves people from many communities in Hunterdon County. Bins will be placed in the Narthex for your contributions. Thank you for your help and support. Suzanne Higgins [email protected] ![]() A Music & Liturgy team has been established by the wardens to support Fr. Andrew and Alexei Tartakovsky during this time of transition. In addition to Fr. Andrew, who is responsible for worship, and Alexei, our Music Director, the team includes Tricia Simpson-Curtin, Gabrielle Bolarakis, John Rollins, Brian Savage and, when she is well, Diane Bendahmane. Tricia is organizing the team, and they are working on these areas:
From Fr. Andrew: In preparation for next Tuesday’s session, here is a bio on Thomas Aquinas: Thomas Aquinas (1224/6—1274)
aquinasSt. Thomas Aquinas was a Dominican priest and Scriptural theologian. He took seriously the medieval maxim that “grace perfects and builds on nature; it does not set it aside or destroy it.” Therefore, insofar as Thomas thought about philosophy as the discipline that investigates what we can know naturally about God and human beings, he thought that good Scriptural theology, since it treats those same topics, presupposes good philosophical analysis and argumentation. Although Thomas authored some works of pure philosophy, most of his philosophizing is found in the context of his doing Scriptural theology. Indeed, one finds Thomas engaging in the work of philosophy even in his Biblical commentaries and sermons. Within his large body of work, Thomas treats most of the major sub-disciplines of philosophy, including logic, philosophy of nature, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical psychology, philosophy of mind, philosophical theology, the philosophy of language, ethics, and political philosophy. As far as his philosophy is concerned, Thomas is perhaps most famous for his so-called five waysof attempting to demonstrate the existence of God. These five short arguments constitute only an introduction to a rigorous project in natural theology—theology that is properly philosophical and so does not make use of appeals to religious authority—that runs through thousands of tightly argued pages. Thomas also offers one of the earliest systematic discussions of the nature and kinds of law, including a famous treatment of natural law. Despite his interest in law, Thomas’ writings on ethical theory are actually virtue-centered and include extended discussions of the relevance of happiness, pleasure, the passions, habit, and the faculty of will for the moral life, as well as detailed treatments of each one of the theological, intellectual, and cardinal virtues. Arguably, Thomas’ most influential contribution to theology and philosophy, however, is his model for the correct relationship between these two disciplines, a model which has it that neither theology nor philosophy is reduced one to the other, where each of these two disciplines is allowed its own proper scope, and each discipline is allowed to perfect the other, if not in content, then at least by inspiring those who practice that discipline to reach ever new intellectual heights. In his lifetime, Thomas’ expert opinion on theological and philosophical topics was sought by many, including at different times a king, a pope, and a countess. It is fair to say that, as a theologian, Thomas is one of the most important in the history of Western civilization, given the extent of his influence on the development of Roman Catholic theology since the 14th century. However, it also seems right to say—if only from the sheer influence of his work on countless philosophers and intellectuals in every century since the 13th, as well as on persons in countries as culturally diverse as Argentina, Canada, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, and the United States—that, globally, Thomas is one of the 10 most influential philosophers in the Western philosophical tradition. I will forward to you later a brief synopsis on Matthew Fox. I attended his workshop on Aquinas back in June in the Italian town of Orvieto north of Rome. Matthew is an amazing and charismatic person who has authored over 30 books. I had the pleasure of a few private conversations with him. ![]() Contributions for 2024: For contributions to reflect on your 2024 giving statement, please note the following:
Please contact me with any questions or concerns at [email protected]. Remember a Loved One and Support the Greening of the Church with a Christmas Flower Donation![]()
The greening of the church is Sunday, December 22 after the 10 a.m. service.
Donations are due by Monday, December 16 to ensure that names of the people for whom the donation is being made are included in the Christmas bulletin. To submit your donation:
The nominating committee at Church of the Holy Spirit has been working over the last several months to secure candidates for the open positions on Vestry for 2025. Now we are asking for your assistance with the next items in our assignment. (download the word document) Delegates to the Diocese of New Jersey Convention 2025- CHS will elect 3 lay deputy delegates to the next convention to be held in November of 2025, with pre-convention hearings held usually in October. Both events can be attended either in person or online. The actual convention will be held at Trinity Cathedral in Trenton, N.J. Diocesan Convention is a time when representatives around our diocese gather to share in the decision-making process of the Church, upholding the common mission and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Deputies to the Watchung Convocation 2025- CHS will elect 3 deputies to our convocation. Meetings for clergy are typically held monthly from September to May. A combined clergy and lay deputies meeting occurs twice annually. The Watchung Convocation is a group of 16 Episcopal churches of the greater Watchung region in central New Jersey. The work of the convocation can be as expansive or as limited as each convocation wishes. The purpose includes the facilitation of communication between parishes and the diocese, the sharing of ministries and cooperative ventures (confirmation services, youth groups, outreach, etc.), and mutual support. The nominating committee is seeking names of those who may be interested in participating in either of these two groups by Dec 15th. This is an opportunity to learn more about the Episcopal church outside of our four walls. All submitted names will be reviewed by the committee, with the final selection brought to the congregation for vote at our annual meeting in January.
![]() "The Book of Lost Names," by Kristin Harmel will be discussed on February 16 - note date change PLEASE bring in your books - I will be there for the 10 am service on February 2; the library has requested they be returned by Monday. Many thanks, and I'll see you soon!! . Based on a true story in World War II, it describes the efforts of a young woman who, with a mysterious forger named Remy, began forging identity documents for Jewish children fleeing to neutral Switzerland. It received numerous positive reviews when first published, and was on The New York Times Bestseller list for several weeks. I [email protected]. Many thanks, Suzanne Higgins If you look around CHS, you will notice a number of new items, comfortable, matching chairs in the St. Martin and St. Julian rooms, (What, we don’t have to sit on that crazy assortment anymore!!??) as well as a very large computer monitor to be used for Zoom calls, Movies for the Youth Group, etc.in the St. Julian room. Additionally new folding tables and chairs in the closet in Dove Hall. A big note of thanks to Diane Hrozencik and her friend John who made that possible with many trips back and forth to the Johnson and Johnson facility to pick them up and deliver them.
Thank you Diane and John for continuing to make CHS more comfortable!!! We appreciate you!! ![]() Open Cupboard Food Pantry has partnered with Hunterdon Health and they are re-opening on April 15th in the Clinton area. They will be temporarily setting up shop in the Clinton Health & Wellness Center, located on Route 31 North, Clinton. As of May 1, they expect to start serving clients. Our parish can resume donating food, and Katie and I will be happy to bring donations to the Pantry. ANY NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS ARE WELCOME!!!! Thank you! Suzanne 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. During this time of the Covid-19 epidemic, we will follow the diocesan guidelines. Find the most recent update here > 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. The Deacon calls the People to prayer saying
A sign has been given to us. A child shall be born for us and wrapped in bands of cloth and laid in a manger. Let us gather in one spirit as we pray to you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. Intercessor: Caring for another person means kindness in touch, and tenderness in words, to surrender our own needs and wants as we attend to the other. And when we’re holding and caring for another, we can’t do much else. And when you tend to a little child, you have to put it all down in order to pick up the baby. Gracious God, we’re busy, we tired, we’re full of pressure, and worries, and yet you call us, like Mary and Joseph, to kneel down and pick up the baby, and so, we pray you, O lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. Intercessor: Even if you’re a toddler yourself; even if you’re a preteen; even if you’re 95; even if you’ve never remembered ever holding a baby; even if you know nothing about birthin’ babies; you’ll still have some idea as your gaze on something so helpless, that first things are first, and when something is fighting for its life, you’ve got to stop what you are doing and so, we pray you, O lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. Intercessor: Even if we can’t, or won’t or will never want to have a baby, we sometimes need to know that Jesus is the only thing we need to hold on to. Even when we don’t know what else to do, we pray you, O lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. Even when there is nothing else we can do, we pray to you O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. It’s just true. When you’re holding a baby, there’s not much else you can do . . . except just hold it, and love it, and pray. And honestly, the baby can’t do all that much either, we pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. The two of you just sort of . . . melt into one another. You just sort of . . . exist . . . together. we pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. I don’t know what it is you came to church for here today, Why you’re here or how easy or hard it was to come here, we pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. Whether you know it or not, you have come here for one thing, and one thing only. You have come here to hold the Baby. we pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. Whether you know it or not he is the One who has brought you here and really, there is nothing else you can do. You just hold him. And love him, And pray. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. But be forewarned, for this comes at great cost. To hold this Baby— this Jesus whom we proclaim - means you are going to have to put some things down. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. When you hold this Baby, nothing else matters. Everything else falls away. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. When you hold this Baby, the war makers must put down their weapons and all their garments rolled in blood. The oppressors must put down their rods. The emperors must put down their censuses. The shepherds must put down their staffs. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. The judges must put down their gavels. The bankers their pencils. The farmers their plows. The nurses their stethoscopes The journalists their laptops. The teachers their books. The janitors their brooms. The interns their clipboards. The internet trolls their keyboards. The leaders their egos. Priests and Bishops their collars We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. When you and I hold this Baby— when we hold this Jesus— everything else must fall away: our cell phones, our distractions, our ambitions, our rights, our wrongs, our hurts, our grievances . . . our power. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. “Whatever that is you’re doin,’ you gotta put it down and come hold this baby.” But here’s the final twist. Here’s the insane grace of it all. For all that you and I have to lay aside— for all the power that we have to let go in order to hold this Baby— the thing is he has already gone first. Yeah, you have to give up a lot in order to hold a baby, but think of how much more you have to give up in order to BE the baby. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. He could have come any way he wanted. As a mighty warrior. As a fearsome beast. As a rich king with swagger, and prestige, and power. But instead, this Baby— this Jesus— came like this. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. Whatever it was he was doing, he put it down all those years ago so he could come and rest right there next to your beating heart. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. So, my friends, what is it? What is it that you get to lay aside, even if just for this one moment? The Creator of your soul has put down everything he had, because all he ever really wanted . . . was just to be with you. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. So whatever that is you’re doing, put it down. Come on. Hold the baby. There’s nothing else you can do. You just hold him. And love him. And pray. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. And when you do, when put everything down, and hold and love and pray and melt together, You get to become the Christ to others. Let us find the Christ Child in all God’s children who have no one to hold them, Let us hand over the wounds of loneliness and desperation within our own hearts we hide from others and even ourselves, Let us allow ourselves to be held who have the memory of wrong etched on our bodies and in our minds. Let us find the Christ Child in this planet in crisis and reach out, and hold, love, and pray. We pray you, O Lord, People Help us put it all down and pick up the baby. Adapted from a sermon of Lonnie Lacy+ by Philip Car-Jones+ |
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