The Encourager May 2009 Page 1 of 6

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1 St. Barnabas Episcopal Church There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means son of encouragement ). Acts 4:36 EASTER is so important and so special that the Church spends 50 days celebrating, and inviting the strength and love of the risen Christ to marinate us and empower us all for ministry, which is the vocation of all baptized Christians. As The Catechism in The Book of Common Prayer states (p.855), The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church. This newsletter has as many examples of these ministries as we can fit. While I will be completing my time of service as Rector of St. Barnabas in June (my final services will be on St. Barnabas Sunday, June 14), the ministry of St. Barnabas will continue in vigorous, creative and Spirit-filled ways! -- Fr. Hubbard The Transition Process will begin with a meeting of our Wardens and Vestry with Bishop George Councell and our Diocese s Canon for Deployment and Ministry Development, the Rev. Elizabeth Geitz, on May 6. The Vestry will subsequently be interviewing candidates to become our full-time Interim Rector, a priest who will help lead and care for us during our transition process, which will also include a parish self-study, working with a diocesan Transition Consultant and, eventually, interviewing candidates to be considered to become the fourth rector of St. Barnabas. Additional copies of the Diocese of New Jersey s transition booklet (which has been mailed out) are available at church. If you have any questions or would like to help, please see Bryan Botsch. Fr. Breedlove (who is retired and not a candidate for Interim or Rector) will continue as Priest Associate and the Rev. Cathy Brunson will continue as our Deacon at least through the Interim period. When Fr. Breedlove is on vacation in late June (which happens to coincide with Fr. Hubbard s vacation), we will have supply priests to preside at services unless the Interim Rector has started work by that time. Starting June 21, we will have our kid-friendly interactive 10:30 services through the summer as usual, and the 8:30 service will continue as usual (quieter and without music). Sunday School will go through June 7, and everyone will be together in church for Fr. Hubbard s last service on June 14. (He will be taking vacation and then some time off a selffunded sabbatical, essentially, which will include participating in the Kenya Healing Mission Trip July 23-August 1 and then serving as an Interim Rector or Vicar in another church as the new ministry he has chosen to pursue at this stage of his life and career.) Saturday, May 2 we will hold our sixth annual African Dinner and Crafts Auction at 5:30 pm sharp in the Fellowship Room. A delicious buffet for all ages will be cooked and served by some of the African members of our church, followed by a presentation on this July s Healing Mission Trip to Kenya under the auspices of GOAL Project in coordination with the Kenyan SARAH Network (Substance Abuse Recovery And HIV/AIDS). Noel Ilogu, M.D., Fr. Hubbard and Terry Webb, Ph.D. will be part of the team and will all be present. The evening will conclude by 8 pm with the auction of some African craft items and Kibera cards for the benefit of the trip. Profits from the dinner and auction will help support the trip itself and also help provide scholarships for Kenyans who might not otherwise be able to attend the conferences. Page 1 of 6

2 The team will be teaching doctors and clergy about the dynamics of addiction and Recovery and the link between addictive behavior (like drunkenness) and the spread of H.I.V./A.I.D.S. Through our efforts, we are saving and transforming lives. All are welcome! Tickets are available at the door: $15 for adults, $10 for youth 12-17, and $5 for children under 12. Bring friends and neighbors! On Sunday, May 3 at the end of the 10:30 am service, we will be dedicating the St. Barnabas Memorial Garden, which is being created just outside the exit door from the sanctuary by the organ. It will be dedicated to the glory of God and in loving memory of: Carol H. Arnold, Todd Michael Carroll, Charles W. Hubbard III, Nathalie A. Hubbard, Mark S. Johnson, John M. Leonardi, Adolfo Mola, Deborah Moore-Straughn, Barbara Rohrer Sanfilippo, and Pearl Smith-Lewis. We also give thanks for the ministry here of Deacon Barbara Jensen, in whose honor contributions were also given. There will be space for additional bronze plaques with additional names in the future. The Garden is designed to be a place for prayer and contemplation amid the natural beauty at any time, whether or not the sanctuary is open. If you are interested in this project in any way, please see Sandy Johnson or Fr. Hubbard. On Sunday, May 3 at the 5:30 pm service, we will again welcome the Christian rock band from our tenant church, Grace Community Chapel (which played for the December 7 and March 1 5:30 services and will play again at the 5:30 service on June 7). In addition, Canon Kep Short, Canon for Youth Ministry of the Diocese of New Jersey, will preach at the 5:30 service. ALL AGES ARE WELCOME. The Youth Group will meet directly afterwards and will learn about diocesan youth programs and especially summer mission opportunities. Friends are welcome; pizza will be provided as usual. On Saturday, May 16, the Youth Group will meet at church at 10 am for a field trip to Sandy Hook with science teacher Darrell Kidd. See the Shore before the crowds, learn more about its history and natural history and ponder the question Are science and religion at odds? Sandwiches will be provided. Permission slips are required; friends are welcome; no charge; the group will return about 2 pm. Rejoice in and care for God s creation! On Sunday, May 17 we will have a Newcomer Welcome lunch at church. See Kevin McLeod if you would like to help with this event, or be involved in ministry with newcomers or visitors, such as serving as a Greeter at services or as a buddy to newcomers. The Diocese of New Jersey will again have a Gulf Coast Youth Mission Trip this summer, July 25- August 1 at Camp Coast Care in Long Beach, Mississippi, helping with the ongoing rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Details are available on h.org, from the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office at or on our Youth Group bulletin board upstairs. The minimum age is 16. Partial, need-based scholarships are available from St. Barnabas thanks to the Straughn Memorial Fund; please see Fr. Hubbard. Our Vestry and Fr. Hubbard have endorsed Martisha Dwyer for Postulancy, which (if approved by our Bishop and our Diocesan committees), would be the first step in the lengthy process towards ordination to the priesthood for her. Let us give thanks and pray for spiritual growth for all who are involved. The Day of Pentecost will be Sunday, May 31! If you read a language other than English and would like to read a few verses from the Bible in that language at a service, please see Fr. Hubbard. This is one way we celebrate the day the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to reach out to all nations with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Whatever language you speak, wear something red to church, and be empowered by the Holy Spirit for ministry! Page 2 of 6

3 Everyone is invited to join us at SonRock Kids Camp VBS where kids build their lives on the rock: Jesus! Vacation Bible School will be Monday, August 3 Friday, August 7 at St. Barnabas (in air-conditioned comfort) from 9:30 am 12:30 pm. It is open to children age 4 (as of August 7, 2009) through students that have finished 8 th Grade. The cost is $13 for each child, payable with your registration. Scholarships are available; see Fr. Hubbard. Registration letters will be mailed in mid-may. Sign your child up as soon as possible; classes fill up quickly. ATTENTION ALL STUDENTS who (will) have finished 6 th, 7 th and 8 th Grades and are coming to Vacation Bible School! You are invited for a special CIT Day Counselors in Training Day Saturday, August 1 from 9:30-12:30 at St. Barnabas. We will preview the Vacation Bible School Bible stories and learn about the importance of being a CIT at VBS. All students attending VBS and have finished 6 th, 7 th or 8 th grades will help guide the younger students during the week of VBS. VOLUNTEERS are needed for the week or just a day to help with teaching, crafts, games, music, snacks and taking pictures during that week. Volunteers are also needed prior to VBS to provide or prepare craft materials and set up. Volunteer sheets are available at church (or call the church office at ). The first Volunteer meeting is Tuesday, June 9 at 7 pm upstairs at St. Barnabas. All are welcome. High School students are welcome to volunteer for any position. Any questions, please call Maria Flick or Susan LeDonne. We hope you will come out to SonRock Kids Camp an outdoor adventure camp like no other! How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1) Interested in Christian summer overnight camp? Cross Roads, a joint Episcopal/Lutheran camp in Port Murray, NJ, has week-long programs for children, teens and for families. For details, see the display in the Fellowship Room or Talk to Vittoria, Maria or Jeff Flick for a report on what it s like. Partial, need-based scholarships are available from the church; see Fr. Hubbard. Easter season is a great time to write or update your will. Since we believe in the life to come, we can face the reality of our mortality with quiet confidence in God s love, and hope for eternal life and therefore make plans that will save those who survive us difficulties and complications should we die without a will or with one which is outdated. Booklets on wills are available at the Welcoming Area at church along with copies of Five Wishes (important question to ask and answer), information on becoming an Organ Donor, and information on charitable gift annuities, ways people 55 and over can make a gift to this church, receive a tax deduction, and receive a professionally-managed steady, dependable lifetime income stream. If you wish to include St. Barnabas in your estate planning in this or any other way (and join the St. Barnabas Legacy Society), please see Fr. Hubbard or Debbie Epting. St. Barnabas gives thanks for the bequest the church recently received from the estate of Deborah Moore-Straughn. While she was dying an untimely death from cancer, she decided to donate 10% of her life insurance to the church. This inspiring gift will enable the church to keep its diocesan loan for the sanctuary current through this year despite the state of the economy (which we did not expect to be able to do in January), and will strengthen our other ministries as well. Through April, pledge giving is running in accordance with our budget projections or a little bit better (but still down from last year). Many thanks to all whose financial commitments make our ministries possible! The church is current on its bills. First Quarter pledge statements will be out soon. Please mail in your contributions if you are away, and remember that nearly 75% of our income is current giving. Church is free, and no one needs ever to stay away because of financial distress. Please encourage those who are experiencing hard times to join you in worship and fellowship here. Page 3 of 6

4 We give thanks for all who volunteered for our annual Time, Talents and Treasures Auction on March 28! Over 70 adults crowded the Fellowship Room (and kids were entertained upstairs), and our fundraiser netted a profit of nearly $8,900, an excellent result in this economy. Many thanks go to all who donated items or services, who purchased items, and who bought ads for the Ad Book (which is still available for pick up in the Welcoming Area). If you are considering buying a car this year, the ad from DCH Brunswick Toyota promises a $300 donation to St. Barnabas if you bring in their ad and buy a car from them. Many thanks also go to all who helped with the two Spring Clean-ups. We are now taking volunteers to cut the grass around the church; the lawn mower is on site and is supplied with gas and oil. Please sign up on the sheet on the Sign up here bulletin board, where the job description is also available for pick up. We now have a greener church, with two new furnaces which serve the Fellowship Room/kitchen and the upstairs which are rated 95% efficient and a new air conditioning unit to serve the upstairs which is 50% more efficient than the old one (from 1990). This was made possible by money in our church s Major Property Reserve Fund, which consists of money left over from the Building Fund and donations since then. Many thanks go to all who volunteered for Hope s Chest, our project to make free prom gowns (over 500!) available to girls who are in need during these tough economic times. Volunteers included Linda and Keri Grant, Carolyn Hales, Maryanne and Megan Guerriero, Julie and Victoria Royce, Felice Schlesinger, Cathie Castagnola, Ana Maria and Luisa Hill, Jenna Thompson, Wanda, Christopher, Paul and David Garrin, Barbara Moreno, Christine Wildemuth, Mary and Emily Ezzo. We also thank Steinmart in Franklin Towship which lent us racks for the dresses, Regency Cleaners, Best Cleaners and Absolutely Yours Cleaners in Cranbury which gave us reduced rates for cleaning or did some cleaning for free, and all those who donated dresses. Seventy-six girls visited Hope s Chest on April 18 and 25 and took 2-3 dresses each. In addition, Christo Rey Episcopal Church in Trenton took 60 dresses, a Shelter group in Camden took 30 dresses, 15 dresses went to a Newark track team, 20 were taken by a woman for West African girls, a New Brunswick theatre group took 30 dresses, Mt. Zion AME Church in Eatontown took 70 dresses, the Newark Dept. of Child and Family Well-Being will receive 30 dresses, and 100 are being sent to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Many thanks to all who participated in resettling two families from Women Aware s Middlesex County shelter for survivors of domestic violence! We helped a mother and child with gifts of furniture for their new apartment in Carteret on Sunday, April 19 and a mother and three children with gifts of furniture, household goods and supplies for their new apartment in New Brunswick on May 2. Our donors and truckers are being Easter for those who really need to experience new life! If you have items you might be able to donate for a future resettlement of domestic refugees, please see Stephanie Carr or Fr. Hubbard. Page 4 of 6

5 May at St. Barnabas Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat EVERY SUNDAY (except as noted): 8:30am & 10:30am Holy Eucharist 10:15am Sunday School 11:45am Fellowship & Refreshments AA Meetings: Tue 8:30pm, Wed 8pm, Thu 6:30pm, Sat 8pm AA Meeting (Women): Fri 7:30pm NA Meeting: Fri 9:15 pm 1 2 5:30pm African Dinner 3 5:30pm 1 st Sunday Service w/gcc Band 6:30pm Youth Grp Fr. Hubbard at CREDO through Monday, 5/11. Fr. Breedlove on call for pastoral emergencies ( ) 11 8pm MRD (UP) 7pm Vestry meets with Bishop Councell & Canon Geitz re transition am 2pm Youth Group trip to Sandy Hook 10:30am Holy Baptism 12 Newcomers Lunch 6:30pm Vestry (BR) 17 Kitty off Office Closed 19 4:30pm Carpool to Elijah s Promise Coup Kitchen PENTECOST 10:30 Holy Baptism 31 BR=Bolmer Rm UP=Upstairs Fr. Hubbards Office Hrs (except as noted) Mon & Wed 9:30am-12noon Every Friday Rector s Sabbath Kitty s Office Hrs (except as noted) Mon-Thu 9am-1pm Full facility usage calendar is in the Parish Office 2009

6 Mother s Day May 10 St Barnabas Episcopal Church 142 Sand Hill Road Monmouth Jct., NJ Office: (732) FAX: (732) office@stbarnabas-sbnj.com Web: Change Service Requested Holy Baptism: May 17 th & 31 st Day of Pentecost: May 31 st The Encourager M a y 2009