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…ST. FRANCIS’ EPISCOPAL CHURCH

COMMUNIQUÉ

OCTOBER 2009 EDITION

Why I Give

This year at St. Francis, our Stewardship theme is Growing Together. We’ll be exploring that theme in conversations together on Sunday morning this fall; possibly in an adult education program on using the gifts God gives each of us for life and ministry in the Epiphany or Lenten Season; and, not least, in our shared financial giving that supports and sustains the ministry of this congregation, our Diocese, The Episcopal Church and the world-wide Anglican Communion.

It is of this last that I want to write you this October, but not, as church leaders often do, to tell you why you should give to the Church (though I may well do that another time!). Instead, I want to tell you why I give to the Church. We’ve begun growing together as priest and people for a bit over a year now, and it seems right for me to share with you the reasons giving to support the life and ministry of whatever congregation I am part of has been central to my life for over 30 years. Elsewhere in this Communiqué are excerpts from Stewardship Notes by the Rev. Frank Crumbaugh, Rector of Holy Innocents, Beach Haven and a friend from my seminary days. Frank writes about the truth that our giving habits are choices – so I want to tell you why I make the giving choices I make. The reasons I’m going to tell you about don’t come in any particular order and I’m not sure I could tell you which matter most to me. All I know is that they are why I give.

One reason I give money to the Church is that I was taught to do so. In my case, it wasn’t at home or in Sunday School that I was taught -- it was in the parish I belonged to after I graduated from college. In college, I’d given a lot of time to the church, but very little money – after all, like most college students, I had almost none.

But after college I had a job, and when the vicar at my church in Boston taught about giving a percentage of your income to the Church, what he said made sense to me. It just seemed like the thing I should do. To use a rather old-fashioned word, it felt like it was my duty. I started at 5% of income and over a few years moved to 10%, the biblical tithe the vicar taught about. Since I wasn’t making much money back then, the total dollars involved weren’t too scary and that made it a little easier to get started. I’ve been giving that 10% ever since. Over the years I’ve come to agree with what Bishop Councell says about his experience of tithing: it’s a great deal, because God gives us everything and we get to live on 90% of that! But if Fr. Bob Dunbar at St. John’s hadn’t taught me to do tithe, I don’t know how I would have learned.

Another reason I give money to the Church because it is a way of making sure God is a priority in my life. The Roman Catholic parish across the street from my old Church in Mercerville once had this message on its sign board: “Tithing is about putting God first in your life.” The habit of giving that 10% to God’s work through the Church gives me one concrete way of putting God first. Another giving habit that helps me put God first is that each month, when I balance my checkbook and pay my bills, the first check I write is to St. Francis. I know that putting God first is important, but contrary to what you might imagine, I’m actually not very good at doing it a lot of the time. So having these practical ways of giving to God first helps point me in the direction I want (or at least sometimes want!) to go.

I give money to the Church because I love the Church. Events like St. Francis’ Welcome Dinner the joy of Sunday morning worship, the food and fellowship at coffee hour, the Bible reflection at Vestry meetings, the care and commitment of so many of you to one another and this congregation – all these are reminders of the life and energy and care that are woven into this parish’s life. I see in such events the commitment, growth, faith, and love of the people of this parish – and I love that. It is one of the places I know I’m encountering God.

I love the wider Church we are part of, too. I love our Diocese and our Bishops; I love my clergy colleagues (I even like a fair number of them!), as well as the lay leaders I have been privileged to work with in New Jersey over the years. I love the Episcopal Church, in both its local and larger manifestations. My experiences as a Deputy to three General Conventions has deepened my love for this great Church we are part of. I know –as I’m sure you do – that love, to be real, requires the giving of ourselves in very concrete ways. And so I give gladly money to support the Church I love.

I give money to the Church because of our mission. If I love who we are, I’m passionate about what God wants us to be and do in God’s world. There are people whose lives would be immeasurably enriched by hearing the Gospel and living the faith in fellowship with us. There are countless needs beyond our doors we’re barely aware of. There are needs throughout our Diocese and the world that God calls us to minister to by providing money for ministries in places you and I cannot physically be, but where our sisters and brothers are. It matters to me that St. Francis not be closed-in on itself, but open to the world around us, serving those whom God asks us to. That, too, takes money, and so I give to support our mission.

A newer reason I’m finding for giving is thankfulness. It is a commonplace of stewardship talk to speak of giving to God in gratitude for what God has given to us. While that’s made intellectual sense to me for years, only recently has it begun to make gut sense. As I find myself more aware of and thankful for God’s astounding generosity in my life, I’m discovering that giving money to the Church as a way to say, “Thank you” is another reason I give.

Having been taught to give; putting God first; loving the Church; having passion for our mission; feeling gratitude to God – these are some of the reasons I give money to the Church. Perhaps some of these same reasons motivate your giving. Maybe you have other reasons. If so, I’d love to hear them. They might help me understand better why I give, and why giving is such a basic part of being a Christian.

Peace,

Jack+

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Birthdays & Anniversaries in October

Happy Birthday to:

Alan Benjamin – 10/1

Coral Brown – 10/1

Carroll Wilson, Jr. – 10/4

Geri Peters – 10/6

Brian Conway – 10/6

Brenda Cudjoe – 10/7

Beth Chernichowski – 10/9

Nicholas Waskiel – 10/9

Sean O’Sullivan – 10/13

Ed Myzie – 10/13

Patricia McElvery – 10/17

Seth Heiney – 10/17

Brad York – 10/18

Tyler Neal – 10/19

Kevin Parmalee – 10/19

Danielle D’Alessandro – 10/26

Anniversary of Baptism

Gianna Myers – 10/1

Natalie Doesburgh – 10/1

Lawrence Boucek – 10/1

Christine Morris – 10/1

Madelynn Pfeiffer – 10/2

Linda (Ward) Arico – 10/14

Calvin King, Jr. – 10/28

Anniversary of Confirmation

Cathy Hirsch – 10/1

Wedding Anniversary

Thais & Marco Migliaro – 10/6

Nancy & David Dunham – 10/12

Serving the Church in October

Oct. 4th – St. Francis Day
 8 AM Lector - A/S Benjamin
 Usher - Carroll Wilson
10 AM Acolytes - Nancy Crowther, Vito Pelliccia, Ashley Beam
 Lectors - Lisa Webb, Nancy Dunham
 Chalice - Tom Jackson, Clay Horton
 Ushers - Karen Williams, Geri Peters
 Greeter - Audrey Johansel
 Counters - Waring Webb, Elaine Patania
 Altar Guild - Geri Peters, Karen Williams, Barbara Dalto
 
Oct. 11th 
 8 AM Lector - Carroll Wilson
 Chalice - Paul Sinckler
 Usher - Carroll Wilson
10 AM Acolytes - Kelli Horton, Kelsey Pelliccia, Amanda Tolesco
 Chalice - Tiffany O’Sullivan, Norma Tucker
 Lectors - Elaine Patania, Pam Maiolo
 Ushers - Pam Maiolo, Waring Webb
 Greeter - Clay Horton
 Counters -  Nancy Dunham, Audrey McConney
 Altar Guild - Audrey Johansen, Norma O’Sullivan, Sharon Benjamin
 

Oct. 18th 
 8 AM Lector - Amy Myzie
 Usher - Ed Myzie
10 AM Acolytes - Ashley Beam, Arielle Baker, Nancy Crowther
 Chalice - Lisa Webb, Elaine Patania
 Lectors - Princess Thomas, Leslie Oliver
 Ushers - Leslie Oliver, Cordell Trotman
 Greeter - Leslie Oliver
 Counters -  Amy Myzie, Mary Pfeiffer
 Altar Guild - Barbara O’Neill, Norma Tucker, Muriel Wilson
 
Oct. 25th 
 8 AM Lector - A/S Benjamin
 Chalice - Paul Sinckler
 Usher - Carroll Wilson
10 AM Acolytes - Vito Pelliccia, Kelli Horton, Cecil Baker
 Chalice - Clay Horton, Princess Thomas
 Lectors - Tom Jackson, Sandy McNelis
 Ushers - Norma Tucker, Arthur McConney
 Greeter - Norma Trimmer
 Counters -  Tiffany O’Sullivan, Pam Maiolo
 Altar Guild - Pam Maiolo, Leslie Oliver, Cordell Trotman
 
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Diocesan Quilt Design
 

Thanks to Vin Maiolo and Cathy Hirsch for completing the painting of the St. Francis Dunellen panel for the quilt so that it could be mailed to Trenton by the September 15 deadline.  Quilts representing each convocation in the diocese will be displayed at future conventions.

Framed copies of the submitted and completed designs for our panel should be hanging in the church for all to see by October. 

Book Group
 

Our group resumed on September 16 at noon in Milbank Hall with discussion of "A Morbid Taste for Bones" by Ellis Peters.  We were all happy to be together again after the summer break. 

We should complete the Peters book on October 14 and will begin discussion of "Big Stone Gap" by Adriana Trigiani on October 21.  This is the story of a single woman in a small town in Virginia who experiences a dramatic change in her life when a secret involving her Italian heritage is revealed.

The group will not meet on October 28, but will resume on the following Wednesday.

All are always welcome to join us at noon with or without bag lunches.

For information call Barbara Dalto (732)563-2243.

 
Sunday School
 

With rooms, supplies, and curriculum materials ready our Sunday School resumed on September 13.

September 27 was our yearly session in the church kitchen with all ages working together to create treats made with melted chocolate.

The first Sunday in October is our date to vote for one of our three choices for recipient of our Sunday School donations.  Our choices are Homeless Children (Fish Hospitality), Hungry People (Graces Kitchen), or Care Packages (for men and women serving our country).

We still need volunteers to help out with our children ages 3 thru 5 until Mary Pfeiffer can resume this ministry.  Please contact Mary if you can help out even for one Sunday.

 
Barbara Dalto
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OUTREACH

Grace's Kitchen - Next St. Francis' support dates are 9/28, 11/30, and 12/28. Thanks to all who support this important outreach mission. 

FISH - suggested donations for Oct.- Milk- Powdered or Parmalat Box (Not evaporated or condensed), and for Nov. – canned vegetables.

Eyeglasses & hearing aids - Deposit your used glasses (prescription
or not, sunglasses, childrens, adults) & hearing aids in the bucket
on the narthex table.  These donations are passed on to the Lions
Club.

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The Fall Convocation meeting for Watchung (and Northern) Convocations with Bishop Councell will be held on Tuesday, November 3rd at 7:00 PM @ St. Mark's, Plainfield.

Please put this date on your calendars.

Thanks!

J+

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Attention Parents!

We need acolytes! If your son or daughter is eight years old or more, and would like to become an acolyte for St. Francis’ Church, please see Fr. Zamboni or Tiffany O’Sullivan. Your child would serve approximately twice a month, and the schedules are made up to take vacations into account. Please consider this worthwhile and educational ministry in our church.

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WELCOME BACK DINNER

Thank you to all for making our Trip Around the World a huge success. Approximately 40 people attended our Annual Welcome Back Dinner on Sept. 19th. We played a rousing game of Get To Know You Bingo. Father Jack, Leslie, and Coral were our big winners. The food was fantastic. We had dishes representing every corner of the planet and they were all delicious. An extra thank you to Amy & Coral for helping me with set-up. A very grateful thank you to EVERYONE who pitched in with clean-up, including Ed & Vin doing dishes and Clay doing the floor. The community we have here at St. Francis' is a true blessing.

Nancy Dunham

Newcomers' Committee Chair

PS. If you haven't visited the World map in Milbank and put up your stars, please do.

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St. Francis’ Shut-Ins

Most of the parishioners below are no longer able to attend church regularly. By remembering them in our prayers and sending them cards, we let them know they remain part of our parish family – a great blessing to them in the isolation they often experience.

* * * * *

Joe Sogan

c/o Roosevelt Care Center

One Roosevelt Dr.

Room 204

Edison NJ, 08837

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Doris McElvery

17 Clarendon Place

Piscataway, NJ 08854

********

Virginia Meeker

5 Winans Ave.

Piscataway, NJ 08854

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Angela Chernichowski

420 Mountain Ave.

Dunellen, NJ 08812

*******

Melinda Hammond

Trenton Psychiatric Hospital

PO Box 7500

Raycroft East 1

Trenton, NJ 08628

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Stewardship Notes, 2^nd Edition[1] (excerpts)

The Rev. Frank Crumbaugh,

Rector, Holy Innocents’, Beach Haven, NJ

INTRODUCTION THE 2^nd EDITION

Present economic realities suggest a second edition of this book. People are angry, and if not angry at least confused or frightened, about the American economy right now. That anger, confusion or fear effects all behavior, the stewardship of money in and by The Church included.

Anybody can lament the perceived or actual shortage of cash and credit in our economy right now. Anyone may analyze the rapacious greed present in an until-recently insufficiently regulated American marketplace. These musings provide an opportunity to do more than get angry at Wall Street in general, or GM, Bernard Madoff, and AIG in particular. Harder perhaps for some if not most is recalling our own longer histories as a nation, as a Church, and as persons.

As a nation, we produced the greatest luxury cars, grandest public architecture, and some of the best ocean liners and trains we ever have produced during the 1930s. Over and again as a Church, we have been as effective and Gospel-focused in hard times as we ever have been in our entire history. And as persons, we know the Truth whether we tell it to ourselves or acknowledge it to others - it is the poor (a word I pray we would never have the temerity to apply to ourselves) who suffer the most in any economy, good or bad.

Be of good cheer. We’ve been here before. We will be here again….and every time we’re here, we do best when we recall that we are here together, as God’s people The Church.

The Rev. Frank Crumbaugh

Beach Haven, Long Beach Island, New Jersey

July 2009

STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE

Stewardship of treasure is not part of an either/or equation- money or time… money or self. It is part of a both/and/all expression….”all we are, all we have, all the time.”[2]

Our giving habits are very much a choice, no matter what our financial condition or station in life. We are given this choice because we are given “…the image of God,”[3] …with imago Dei comes choice…Free Will. We choose to be generous or not. This choice emerges every day of our lives, over and over and over again. This process of choosing generosity or stinginess is formed by our world experience in very surprising ways: some people have suffered horrible tragedy, and yet among them we find magnanimous, open loving hearts. Some people have been blessed past counting, and among them we can find hard, ungrateful hearts. We know Depression-era babies who are magnanimous, generous souls, and we know Depression-era babies who are skinflints. We also know boom-time babies who are magnanimous, generous souls, and we know boom-time babies who are skinflints.

We learn generosity and we learn stinginess, and what we learn is a choice. The data suggest that hard times or prosperity have little to do with these learnings. The data suggest that hard times or prosperity are as likely to show us who/how we already are as they are to show us who/how we might become. The underlying impulse for generosity or stinginess pre-exist any moment. We learn these habits and we choose them, reinforcing them, over and over again, in weal and in woe. Generosity and stinginess reflect our heart and mind, not current economic conditions.

Faithfulness is expressed in our desire to give. The desire to give will inevitably generate a generous dollar amount, but in the beginning, faithful, grateful stewardship has little to do with a dollar amount. Desiring to give, sacrificially and in thanksgiving for all that God has already given, makes a bona fide pledge of 5.75% of net disposable income of greater value to God than a begrudged tithe. That desire, or that begrudging, is a matter of choice.

We DO have a choice about our generosity. If we give as though we’re doing God a favor, we ought not to bother. Doing God a favor by giving to the Church is a far cry from thanking God for the myriad blessings that flow over us every day. Truth is, God doesn’t want or need our favors. God does expect our thanks, and a profound expression of that thanks comes through financial generosity.

Sure God will let you off the hook for not giving generously. But if you don’t want to give back in thanksgiving to God, why should God’s forgiveness for not doing so make any difference to you anyway? If you are sophisticated enough to know that God will forgive stinginess, and you plan on it, then it’s already too late- you already know better, and praying for that forgiveness from God becomes an excuse; the excuse says, “I can’t change my habits” when what is meant is “I don’t want to change my habits.”

Our Church Musician periodically has the choir sing a splendid piece. The piece is called “How Can I Keep From Singing?” Its message is clear: there is an irrepressible, irresistible desire in the singer to offer praise and thanks to God. This lovely song is a model for grateful hearts…the irrepressible desire to give back as generously as we can to the God Who has and continues to give as generously as God can.

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October 2009
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
27 8 AM – Holy Eucharist 10 AM – Choral Eucharist w/Sunday School & Nursery	28 Grace’s Kitchen	29	30 7:30 PM – A.A. Meeting 7:30 PM – Choir	1	2 7:30 PM – Country Line Dancing	3
4 – St. Francis Day 8 AM – Holy Eucharist 10 AM – Choral Eucharist w/Sunday School & Nursery 12 Noon – Blessing of the Animals	5	6	7 7:30 PM – A.A. Meeting 7:30 PM – Choir	8	9 7:30 PM – Country Line Dancing	10
11 8 AM – Holy Eucharist 10 AM – Choral Eucharist w/Sunday School & Nursery	12	13	14 7:30 PM – A.A. Meeting 7:30 PM – Choir	15	16 7:30 PM – Country Line Dancing	17
18 8 AM – Holy Eucharist 10 AM – Choral Eucharist w/Sunday School & Nursery 3:00 PM – Songs & Sweets Concert	19	20 7 PM – Vestry Meeting	21 7:30 PM – A.A. Meeting 7:30 PM – Choir	22	23 7:30 PM – Country Line Dancing	24
25 8 AM – Holy Eucharist 10 AM – Choral Eucharist w/Sunday School & Nursery	26	27	28 7:30 PM – A.A. Meeting 7:30 PM – Choir	29	30 7:30 PM – Country Line Dancing	31

Monthly FISH Donation

2009/2010

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JULY Peanut Butter/Jelly	AUGUST School supplies	SEPTEMBER Cereal Cold/Hot
OCTOBER Milk powdered or Parmalat box	NOVEMBER Canned Vegetables	DECEMBER Your choice
JANUARY Pasta/sauce	FEBRUARY baby food/supplies	MARCH Juice
APRIL Paper goods Napkins/paper towels Toilet paper	MAY canned/jarred fruit	JUNE Your choice

• The suggestions for each month are just suggestions for donation. You may give any food or personal product at anytime.
• Please remember to check expiration dates on the food that you donate. All products with expired dates will be discarded.
• THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATION

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Flu preparedness and prevention.

Churches, like schools and other public communities, need to take reasonable precautions as flu season approaches ,while at the same time not over-reacting to the hype so present in the media. Here are some sensible actions we all can take:

· If you are sick, please stay home! Worship and fellowship are important to us all. However, we don’t do our sisters and brothers a favor if we bring our germs to Church.

· Wash/sanitize your hands frequently. Hand-sanitizer is now widely available throughout our facilities. Frequent washing/sanitizing reduces the risk of transmission of many diseases.

· The Peace. Greeting each other in Christ’s name is central to our worship. Hand-sanitizing will help reduce the risk of transmission at this time. Some in the wider Church have suggested that a light embrace on the upper arms may have lower risk than hand-shaking. However, many of us are learning to sneeze (when needed) into our elbows, possibly reducing the effectiveness of the embrace approach. If you feel in frail or vulnerable health, you may exchange the Peace by gesture rather than by touch.

· Communion. Like the Peace, sharing a common cup at Communion is an ancient expression of our sacramental unity in Christ. Long-standing experience suggests that the risk of flu and cold transmission via the common cup is quite low – otherwise, deacons and priest who routinely drink from the chalice after everyone else would be sick all the time! Still, two precautions may be useful:

· If you dip the host into the chalice, be sure your fingers do not touch the wine. The germs on your hands might pose a risk to others.

· If you may be contagious (in which case, you should have stayed home!) or feel in frail or vulnerable health, you may receive the consecrated bread only. Ancient tradition affirms that in instances of necessity, the full sacramental gift of the Eucharist is given when received in one kind only.

For further information, see our Diocesan website: http://www.newjersey.anglican.org/

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FUNDRAISING AND FELLOWSHIP DATES:

· October 4^th at 12 PM - Annual Blessing of Animals – details elsewhere

· October Wreath Sale – details below

· October 18^th – Songs & Sweets Music Concert

· November 7^th – annual fall dinner with Outback Steakhouse - Please start thinking about your attendance, your friend’s attendance, and the ads you can solicit from the merchants you visit regularly. We will need your assistance!!

· December 8^th at 6:30 PM - Annual Women's Christmas Party

· December 24^th - Christmas Eve Services - Family Mass at 4:30 PM, Carols at 10:30 PM, and Midnight Mass at 11 PM

Fundraising News:

Wreath Sale: We have a new design - Wintergreen - for wreaths and sprays along with the Classic and Victorian styles.  Wreath Sale will begin on Sunday, October 18th and ends on Sunday, November 1st.  Final orders will be submitted No than Sunday, November 1st.  Orders will be placed on November 3rd.  Items will be delivered during the week of November 16th to the 23rd.  Hopefully they will be here in time for-Thanksgiving

Prices for items are as follow...

Classic Wreath - 20.00

Victorian Wreath - 23.00

Wintergreen Wreath – 25.00

Classic Spray - 15.00

Victorian Spray - 18.00

Wintergreen Spray – 20.00

Living Tree - 20.00

Centerpiece - 22.00

Coupon Book Sale:

We will be selling "Enjoy the City" Coupon Books for $20.00 a book.  "Enjoy the City" is designed with you in mind, providing thousands of dollars in savings in your home town  - Middlesex County.  You will be able to enjoy fantastic savings at your favorite local businesses.  The church will keep 40% of the sale of all books.  Every person that sells 5 books will receive a FREE book.  Every seller that sells 10 books receives a $10 gift card and a $20 gift card for every 20 books sold.

Books are being delivered.  As soon as they arrive, they will be available for sale.

Songs and Sweets:

A New Fun and Fundraising Event at St. Francis

What in the world is Songs and Sweets? Exactly what the names says: wonderful music and wonderful (sweet) food. Fr. Jack has invited three of his professional singing colleagues join him for an afternoon of exciting music ranging from opera to Broadway (that’s Songs). At Intermission, homemade desserts, coffee and tea will be served. (that’s Sweets). It will all take place on Sunday, October 18^th at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Good music and good food – a great combination on a Sunday afternoon!

As with any Church fund-raiser, it will need the efforts of many to succeed. We will need to get publicity out to the community and sell tickets to friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. Homemade desserts will be needed (start planning on making your specialty!), and set-up, serving and clean-up help will be needed. If you are able to help with any of these, please contact Fr. Jack (jzamboni@juno.com or 732-968-6781) and look for opportunities to sign up in September.

Cash for Gold:

We are in the works of setting up a date for a Cash for Gold Party.  The Cash for Gold party will be schedule for after a Sunday Mass. 

I encourage you to launch a treasure hunt of your own! Here, size doesn't matter. Little earrings and charms add up to big bucks. Clasp broken or gemstones missing? No problem. Bitterly out of style or remarkably ugly? Hey, it's still worth its weight in gold.

How it Works...

Your gold will be inspected and checked for it's purity and then weighed. Then you will be paid cash for the value of the gold that you are selling...More Information to Follow…

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Growing Together

St. Francis Stewardship 2010

For an inspiring view of the world God gave us mountains and summers, and all the beauty of the earth, but to give our life meaning God

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2009

Enjoy the Food prepared by

Green Brook, NJ

Entertainment *** 50/50 *** Door Prizes *** Raffle Baskets

Doors open at 5:30 PM ***** Dinner served at 6:00 PM

Tickets: Adults: $20 – Children under 12: $10

(Discounts available for families with small children)

For Tickets or Information, call 732-968-6781 or

732-752-5608 5

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[1] © 2009, Frank B. Crumbaugh III, Beach Haven, New Jersey, used with the author’s permission

[2] Diocesan Stewardship maxim, The Diocese of North Carolina

[3] Genesis 1:26