In this Mission Minute you’ll hear reflections on being neighbors from both youth and adult participants in the Anti-Racism Dialogues held in September and October 2015.
In our diocese, neighborhoods span the spectrum from rural to urban. In this Mission Minute you’ll hear how relationships developed among three sets of neighbors: St. Thomas’ Church in Vernon and hikers at the nearby Appalachian Trail; Christ Church in Short Hills and local synagogues joining together at a food pantry in the Oranges, and the staff of Episcopal House in Newark with the soup kitchen at the Roman Catholic Church next door.
A new venture is bringing suburban and urban congregations into a new relationship. In this Mission Minute, you will hear how this effort started among Christ Church in Short Hills, St. Paul’s Church in Chatham, House of Prayer in Newark and Apostles’ House in Newark, and where they are now.
For as long as anyone can remember, the annual Convention of the Diocese of Newark has always taken place at the end of January. Which means that it has always been during the season of Epiphany. And Epiphany usually gets lost --because most of us are still recovering from Advent and Christmas – or are resting for Lent, which somehow has long been the liturgical season when we are supposed to be holy.
Nearly 500 clergy and lay leaders from congregations throughout the diocese will address the question Who is my neighbor? at the 142nd Annual Diocesan Convention. Held once again at the Hilton Hotel in Parsippany, the two-day Convention will begin at 9 AM Friday, January 29 with registration, and is scheduled to adjourn at 3:30 PM Saturday, January 30 (see the full proposed agenda).
A traditional Pre-Convention Meeting will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2016, 10 AM at Grace Church in Madison. (Click on link above for directions.)
The Hispanic population of the U.S. is projected to grow to more than 130 million by 2050, said the Rev. Rosa Brown, chair of the Diocese of Newark's Commission on Hispanic/Latino Ministry, in the Commission's report to the 141st Annual Diocesan Convention. And the Commission is "active and working in the diocese," she said as she outlined the group's activities over the past year and its plans for the future.
In adopting the 2015 Budget, Convention deputies approved funding for a portion of the costs for a social justice advocate, the Rev. Sara Lilja. Lilja (pronounced "LIL-ya") has been serving as the Director of the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministries for the New Jersey Synod, and will now begin representing our diocese and the Diocese of New Jersey as well, acting as a faith-based advocate in Trenton for social justice issues shared by New Jersey Episcopalians and Lutherans.
In his sermon at Convention’s opening Eucharist, the Rev. Alan Roxburgh of The Missional Network said that “God’s abundant spirit is bringing life back to the church. God is up to something in the churches across North America, but it is looking very different than we imagined or ever planned for.” He challenged us to stop trying to fix the church and “get ready” to go on the journey for which the Spirit of God continually invites us.
Class of 2018 – 1 Clergy and 2 Lay members to 3-year terms
The Rev. Tom Mathews, Jr. – St. Luke's, Phillipsburg
Michael Otterburn – Messiah, Chester
Doris V. Pagan – St. Paul's, Paterson
Class of 2016 – 10 members (Clergy or Lay) to a 1-year term
