​Deacon Dot will be holding a “prayer circle” after each service.  It is called a “prayer circle” because we will hold hands as we pray together. It will be a time to pray with others who are feeling a need for extra prayer.  We will meet in the alcove across from the organ.  Anyone interested is welcome to join us.  If you have any questions, please speak with Dot.

You might have noticed a large red box in the Narthex which is awaiting items to augment the wish list of the veterans at this worthy facility. This summer our church is emphasizing their need for all sizes of men’s FLIP FLOPS, LAUNDRY PODS, DRYER SHEETS, and all occasion or blank CARDS. Any suggestions or questions can be addressed to Judy Linger or Nanette Chardoussin at [email protected], [email protected].
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Thanks for all you do to support the many needs of our friends in the county, needs which often go unmet. In this ​beautiful place, It’s easy to forget that there are many folks who have been battered by life’s twists and turns.

The State of New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs operates Veteran's Haven North, a halfway house for homeless veterans, in Glen Gardner. The house is in constant need of consumable items which are presented to each new resident as they enter the program. 
The following is a "Wish List" of their current most acute needs:

• Shower shoes (flip flops) especially sizes L and XLfor men and women
• NEW Twin XL bed linens - sheets & comforters
• New standard bed pillows
• Towels (hand and bath)
• AM/FM Alarm Clocks
• Toiletries (body wash, deodorant, razors, shaving cream, etc)
• New clothing - Men's boxers all sizes, sweat pants sizes M, L, XL, Jeans/pants sizes 32+, Shirts sizes M and larger
• New men's sneakers size 7.5+
• USB thumb drives
• Single use Laundry Pods (Laundry Detergent)
• Laundry Sheets
• Reusable laundry bags
• Travel  mugs with lids
• Used cars (to be raffled off to a veteran in house that can afford to register and insure it)
• Old display cases for our military displays
• Military pictures or art work for display

There will be a box in the church narthex labeled Veteran's Haven North for our donations to these men and women who have served. Thank you for your help.
Any questions can be directed to Judy Linger at [email protected] or cell number (772) 321-4885 or to Nanette Chardoussin at [email protected]

Monetary donations are always welcome and accepted.  Any monetary donations will be used for quality of life items for our veterans.  Organizations wishing to spend money for the facility instead of  donating it can contact the superintendent's office 908-537-1963 for a list of items.

Photos courtesy of Dave Dabour

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniels

Photos courtesy of Cate Mattison

Attached are the minutes - thank you, Carol Crawford-Jones! - from the January 22, 2017 Church of the Holy Spirit Annual Meeting.  If you have any questions or corrections, please contact Carol.
​Minutes in Word format 
​

download this note as a pdf
Background
It is our privilege to welcome new Christians through Baptism and also to continue to learn and to​grow more and more into the likeness of Christ. From the Service of Holy Baptism, Book of Common Prayer pg. 302, we worship this way:

Celebrant: Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow into the full stature of Christ?

Parents and Godparents: I will, with God’s help.

AND After all have been presented, the Celebrant addresses the congregation, saying

Celebrant: Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ?

People:     We will.

​So the question is, “Can you ever stop being a child of God?” Since the answer is always NO, it means we are always capable of growing further into the fuller stature of Christ and helping others do the same. With the advice and support of the Diocese of New Jersey, we embarked last year on a journey toward being “Church” in an era when “Church” exists differently than in the recent past, yet the task of growing into the full stature of Christ is ever more important. Especially in a digital age, the project of formation as Children of God (at any age) is the vital purpose of a faith community.

​Formation into the image of Christ takes place at every stage of life. The “Church” exists to support that formation and that formation is for the purpose of being Christ in a world needing Christ’s love, grace, mercy and hope. At this point in my life, I have not time for anything that is not about love, grace, mercy and hope. That’s all I want. And that’s all I want in a Church. If we are doing anything that isn’t that, let’s just stop. 
  
Happily (and somewhat proudly) my priesthood exists within a community of other priests (that’s you -- ordained at your baptism) who are remarkable for their devotion, commitment, and sacrifice in conspiring to bring about more love, grace, mercy and hope in this world, so that the Kingdom of God might come on earth as it is in heaven. How else do you explain a marathon of Epiphany House Blessings, and the other veritable marathons of mission taking place all the time by so many fellow travelers with Christ? 

What did we do at the Annual Meeting?
Last Fall we embarked on a journey we called Holy+Formed. It is a way of being church that connects us and integrates all we do across the church year in large themes. It is a way of ordering our common life. Basically, you caught the contagion of Christ’s love and so many of you are doing something about it. Holy+Formed gives us structure and a way forward together, as we do something about Christ’s love. 

This Sunday, during service, we broke into working groups organized around themes that will be our focus for the year. Each of us chose the group to visit based on our interests and each group was guided by a vestry member. We listened and contributed our ideas for several minutes of project development time. This was a creative moment for the birthing of dreams and ideas. 

We apply the same elements, values and principles to each of the above themes. 

• Integrating Generations: Though not rigidly, our programming is geared toward all ages being together
• A Culminating Event: The theme season concludes with a big fun event
• Music & Worship: A theme hymn and reading are included
• Mid-Week Non-Haytown: Getting out into the world for a wider community experience (see next item)
• Tie-In To Major Community Event: Find and participate in the civic events that dot the calendar
• Tie-In To Our Mission: It must further our mission and be action oriented
• Invitational & Experiential: The themes can be ones you’d want to invite others to join in
• Tie-In To Sundays: Through sermons and music and prayers
• Celebratory Reflection & Debrief: At its conclusion, we need to reflect on what we learned
• Document & Upload: Everything we do needs to find its way to our website

Even if you didn't attend, your input and participation are welcome!  Contact Father Phil or any vestry member to find out how you can be a part of what is happening. 

Holy+Formed - Phil Talk #1 - A video introduction to the Holy + Formed Program
https://youtu.be/H_hP4Jqwr_I

​Holy + Formed - Phil Talk #2 - The Holy Formed modules for 2016-2017