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St. Stephen's Episcopal Church of Mullica Hill Email Newsletter
June 2009	Issue #4
In this issue: Editor's Note Vicar's View From The Senior Warden From The Junior Warden Deacon-In-Training Mission Board Minutes Committee Notes Community Ministries Parish Life Children's Activies Evangelism Christian Formation the Lighter Side Community Information Birthdays and Anniversaries Epsico-Speak Service Times: 8 AM Rite II 10 AM with Music, Rite II 10 AM with Music, Rite I on the third Sunday of the month Healing Service on 10 AM on Wednesdays, except June 10 when there will be no service. June's Calendar (click for PDF)	Editor's Note: Happy Summer! It’s warm outside and lazy days beckon. Please check photos on the website from the May 2 Harrison Township Day and the Children’s Fellowship Activity from May at ststephensofmullicahill.com. And stay tuned for news of when our commercial will be airing. Happy reading and looking… Sheila Raman Combs, sraman@upenn.edu.
Vicar's View: How did it get to be June??!! I feel like we just celebrated Easter, but indeed the day of Pentecost has come and gone, and now we are back to Ordinary Time – that long season in the church that runs from June until the end of November. However, we start this month in more extra-ordinary ways with Trinity Sunday, our Semi-Annual Meeting, our church picnic, the Convocation Confirmation service AND our monthly ministry at the Soup kitchen in Camden all happening on the same day! I hope you will participate in some of these events, especially the picnic as we celebrate the wonderful community that we have with each other at St. Stephen’s. As the month progresses, I hope you will continue to make coming to church a priority with the lure of summer vacations, beautiful weather and lazy days. Even though we are in Ordinary Time, it is during this time when we learn most about Jesus’ earthly ministry – his preaching and teaching – that give us a better understanding of his purpose on earth. Though this portion of the Church’s calendar lacks the drama of Jesus’ birth or death, it is the “nuts and bolts” of our faith, the instructions of how to lead a meaningful life and follow in Jesus’ footsteps on our own journeys. This is the time when we learn what it means to be a Christian so that when a crisis happens, we can rely on our deep-seeded understanding of God’s presence in our live and feel that blessed assurance even when everything else feels chaotic. This is a nice way of reminding you that God does not take summer off and I hope you won’t either. You are welcome to wear whatever clothing that makes you feel comfortable (i.e. shorts), so don’t let that stop you. When you are in town, we would love to see you in church – we really do miss you when you are not there! And when you are away this summer, we wish you safe travels. If you do visit another church while your are away, please pick up the bulletin and bring it back as we are always looking for good ideas. AND if you experience something you do or do not like, please share that with me or one of the members of the Mission Board. It is always good to experience being a visitor to reflect on how a visitor would feel in our church – and what we can do better to make them feel more comfortable and included. So as we move into Ordinary Time, I offer us all the challenge of doing what we can to make it extraordinary – not just that first Sunday. While we can’t have all those activities everyday, we need to be open to the transforming power of God’s love everyday, even in the middle of June when coming to church seems like a chore. I guarantee you will be blessed by worshipping the Lord with us! Valerie+, vballing@comcast.net
Save the Date: Save the Date: The Evangelism Committee will meet on June 2nd at 7 PM at the Combs home. The Stewardship Committee will meet on June 4th at 7 PM in Collin’s Parish Hall. June 7th is our Semi-Annual meeting and our Parish Picnic. Please plan to joins us and bring something to share for the picnic table! The Convocation Confirmation Service will be on June 7th at 3 PM at Trinity “Old Swedes” in Swedesboro. The St. Stephen “Rockies” will be serving in Camden on June 7th. The team will leave the church at 5 PM. Please see the sign up sheets in the back of the church for what food items are needed. June 18th is our monthly Fundraising Committee meeting in the Parish Hall at 7 PM. The Book Club will be meeting on June 24th at 7 PM in Collins Parish Hall to discuss The Soloist by Steven Lopez. August 15th is Diocese of New Jersey Day at Six Flags Great Adventure. You get admission to both parks and a catered lunch for $40 or less (depending on how many tickets are purchased). Check out http://www.newjerseyyouth.org/nj_day_at_six_flags for more information or to purchase tickets Mission Board Minutes Approved amended minutes from the April 20th meeting. Mutual Invitation Bible Study - Luke 9:18-27 Led by Dave Poponi. Stewardship Plan Presentation - Carole Misinkavitch * A short presentation on Stewardship will be made at the mid-year meeting * A stewardship Committee will be meeting to create our campaign for 2010 Evangelism Update - Nicole Stamm Organized and executed St. Stephen's first open air outreach event on May 2. Taking advantage of Comcast's low summer rates will film a commercial. Website visitation up 30% Send directory to parishioners to update. *Working on newcomer packets to be placed in the back of the church. Brainstorming session for semi-annual meeting - June 7th. Building & Grounds - Toilet in the men's room will be replaced; leak in rectory ceiling will be repaired; rectory steps that are now considered a safety hazard will be repair. Finances - mid-year update on finances will be presented at the mid-year meeting. A finance committee will be formed to review our investments Checks presented were ratified Meeting was closed with prayer. - Carole Misinkavitch, andrewmisinkavitch@comcast.net	From the Senior Warden: April in Paris. I was there just a month-and-a-half ago and the chestnut trees do blossom at that time of year. It was a wonderful trip and I not only was in Paris but I spent some time in Brittany with my sister who is living there. My sister and brother-in-law live in Dinard on the English Channel. It’s a short boat ride from there to the isle of Jersey. They have lovely beaches and narrow streets. We went to visit a neighboring town called St. Malo which is across the bay from Dinard. It’s a medieval city with a wall around it. In some ways it is a modern city because in World War II it was bombed by the Americans. We did it on the condition that we would rebuild it as it was before the bombing. Well it still looks like a city built in the Middle Ages. St. Malo also is known for Jacque Cartier the explorer. He sailed from St. Malo to Canada and found the St. Lawrence Seaway. He is buried in the cathedral. My favorite place was Le Mont St. Michel. It’s a monastery on an island in the English Channel. Actually it’s a rock in the channel that has a monastery and town built on it. On top of it is St. Michael who was the Archangel who threw Satan down into hell. There’s a legend in the area that Michael battled Satan on top of Le Mont St. Michel and he escaped and went over to Mon Dol which is about 15 kilometers from Le Mont St. Michel. They continued the battle there and Satan escaped again and when Michael jumped off Mon Dol he left his footprint there. Anyway they had the final battle on top of Le Mont St. Michel and that’s where St. Michael was victorious. I left out the part of the time I was in Paris. That’s a story for another time. - Lisa Redfield, redfieldlisa@aol.com From the Junior Warden: Hello All! The contact list is complete and will be up at the church on Sunday. Please check your information to be sure I have it entered correctly; if not please make corrections. If you do not want your information copied for other members to have, please let me know. I hope to have a printed copy ready by the middle of June. - Nicole Buehler, niniende@verizon.net
Thoughts On Stewardship: (One in a series of reflections by members of our congregation) Several years ago, when I was approached by a Priest at Church of the Atonement to chair the Stewardship Committee, my thought was -- why me? What do I know about chairing a Stewardship Committee? Anyway, don't I already do quite a bit? I teach Church School, sing in the choir, serve on the altar guild and vestry. Well, not being very good at saying no, I agreed to chair the committee. My thought was, how hard could it be? I will draft a letter for the rector's signature, enclose a pledge card, and that will be that. We were pledging members and I had faithfully returned our pledge card -- easy enough (even though some years it was completed hurriedly, put in the collection plate on Stewardship Sunday -- we did our part, right?) So, as summer waned and fall was arriving, it was time to tackle this task. What could I say about stewardship that had not already been said? This thought made me ask the question, what did scripture say about Stewardship Always loving to read the parables, that is where I started. Suddenly they made sense to me in a new way. What did Jesus say about storing up treasures on earth? What did Jesus say about worry? What shall we eat, what shall we drink, what shall we wear? How much time did I spend thinking about all of this? If God was the sower of the seeds -- what kind of ground did I present for the word? The answer was -- slow down and prayerfully think about how I spent my time, how I spent my money. Since everything I had was given to me by God, what could I give in return? What was the appropriate gift? I believe that what God requires is living a life of Thanksgiving. Putting God first is what we must do when thinking about how to spend our time or our money. Now, I am thankful for the opportunity that was given to me to chair that Stewardship campaign that year. Once again, I gained much more than I was able to give. -- Carole Misinkavitch Committee Notes Buildings & Grounds Thanks to Jean Immler and Sharon Patterson for cutting the grass during the month of May. This is a significant savings. Please see the sign-up sheet in the back of the church if you can help. - Andy Misinkavitch, andrewmisinkavitch@comcast.net Community Ministries: We will be going up to St. Paul's in Camden to work at the soup kitchen on June 7th. We leave St. Stephen's, as a group, at 5:00 p.m. We are usually back at St. Stephen's by 8:30. The menu this month will be Hotdogs, Baked Beans, Macaroni and Cheese. There is a sign-up sheet in the back of the church if you would like to make a donation, or join us as we cook and serve the food. Father Martin conducts Evening Prayer at 6:00 p.m. and some of us join the group for the service. This has been a particularly rewarding ministry -- any questions please ask Jean Immler, Sharon Patterson or Carole Misinkavitch. Evangelism: The Evangelism Committee met on April 28. Its agenda included: final details on May 2 booth at Ella Harris Park; discussion of a commercial; updates on the website, newsletter and directory. Thanks to everyone who has participated in the videotaping for the commercial on May 11. Next meeting June 2 at 7 pm the Combs home. All are welcome. - Sheila Raman Combs, sraman@upenn.edu The Lighter Side: Letters to God from Children: Dear God, I think about you sometimes even when I’m not praying. Elliott Dear God, In Bible times, did they really talk that fancy? Jennifer Dear God, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? Neal	Deacon's Corner: A New Face at St. Stephen’s. My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I have accepted and been assigned to St. Stephen’s upon my ordination to the diaconate. In talking with Valerie, I am very excited to have become an active part of your parish family. I am looking forward to learning from you on my continuing journey in serving our Lord. I would like to tell you a little about myself and over the next few months I look forward to getting to know each of you. I was welcomed into this world on September 18, 1960. I grew up in South Philadelphia. I have a younger sister and we both attended Catholic schools, K-12. God’s presence was a constant in my life while growing up. Every week I would walk to church. My parents were also a strong influence in exemplifying Christ’s love through their service to others; constantly giving and reaching out to “strays” (animals and people). Strangers would often become part of our family while I was growing up. God and my parents were a constant source of love and support for me during my formative years. I attended college at Temple University during which time I worked at the local community center. I received a degree in psychology along with a business minor. Immediately after graduation, I was given a position running a private day care facility. I later became a retail store manager at Toys R Us to further my career in a leadership position. After the birth of my firstborn son, I decided to get a “normal” 9 to 5 job. I started my career in the Federal Government in 1989. While with the government I received a certification in Quality Management at George Washington University. I later attained my master’s degree in Marketing at St Joseph’s. Today I am the Chief of the Defense Personnel Support Center’s Industrial Base Program Office; responsible for ensuring availability of warfighter mission critical items such as Combat Protective Gear, Combat Rations, Military Unique supplies, and critical Medical Materiel for the Dept of Defense. During my tenure, I have received numerous awards in recognition of programs created which support national contingencies and emergencies worldwide. My job has also afforded me the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the US and abroad, allowing me to gain valuable life experiences along the way. I have two sons: Greg (age 21), and Chris (age 15), and I have a new child on the way (due in Oct). I am extremely proud of my sons as they both have accomplished much in their short time here. I am married to a beautiful soul, DeSha, who was instrumental in introducing me to the Episcopal faith. She herself is a cradle Episcopalian and served as the Junior Warden at the Church of the Atonement in Laurel Springs. Professionally, she is a very successful regional manger for a large gourmet food importer – we eat very well! I am looking forward to my ordination on May 16th and my continued service at St. Stephen’s. Currently, my ministries include: taking communion to the sick and homebound; conducting prayer services to elderly shut-ins in South Jersey; tending to the dying as a Samaritan Hospice volunteer; I am also our Diocesan Emergency Planning and Response Coordinator supporting disaster relief in NJ in conjunction with Episcopal Relief and development. Now that I am assigned at St. Stephen’s I hope to become more involved in your parishes’ Liturgical and Outreach efforts and will do whatever else is needed to serve you and the community. I am looking forward to this experience and count myself truly blessed to be a part of this parish family! Sincerely, Your faithful servant, Carmen J. Viola
Christian Formation: Ages 4-7 We will have a special end of year ceremony in the 10 am service on May 31 followed by our final Sunday School session for this spring. We will resume classes in September. Please be sure to attend on May 31 so your child can be recognized for his/her participation in Sunday School this year! Nursery Nursery is offered at 9:45 AM on Sunday mornings in the Parish Hall. A rotating group of parent-volunteers staffs the Nursery. The children rejoin their parents in church following the peace and in time for communion. - Sheila Raman Combs, sraman@upenn.edu	Community Information If you have some time this summer to help cut the grass at the church, we would greatly appreciate it! Every time we do it, it saves us money. See the sign-up sheet on the door of the church for open weeks. There is a lawn mover at the church to use. Altar Flower thanksgivings or memorials are available the weeks of July 5th & 26th, August 16th, 23rd & 30th. If you would like to offer the flowers, please fill out a flower envelope located next to the Flower Calendar on the door to the church. The cost is $25. Birthdays and Anniversaries John Mastronardi 6-1 Bill and Helen Evans 6-3 Janet and John Mastronardi 6-6 Shane Mastronardi 6-7 Helen Evans 6-7 Andy Misinkavitch 6-12 Jacob Rowe 6-13 Rachel Rowe 6-13 Eleanor Immler 6-15 Kathy Knight 6-16 Marsha Cerquitella 6-16 Raine Valcich 6-17 Gladys and Lew Bailey 6-21 – 68 YEARS! Tom Agnew 6-22 Amanda Mastronardi 6-24 Karen Urie-West 6-26 Rebecca Poulson 6-27 John and Marsha Cerquitella 6-27
Episco-Speak Stewardship Our personal response to God's generosity in the way we share our resources of time, talent, and money. Stewardship reflects our commitment to making God's love known through the realities of human life and our use of all that God has given us. It is also our service to God's world and our care of creation. Parish members are encouraged to make an annual stewardship pledge. This pledge represents their specific Christian commitment to "work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom of God" (BCP, p. 856).
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