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Our
Response to the Current Situation of Coronavirus/COVID-19
Illness:
Message from the Rector:
Dear People of God,
We are pleased to announce that
for the first time in more than four months, St.
Mary’s By The Sea will be reopening for
public worship on Sunday August 2, 2020.
Following the guidance of state and local governments
and public health authorities, the Diocese of
New Jersey has issued strict temporary measures
to help us keep one another safe as we attempt
to regather in public worship amid the current
worldwide pandemic crisis caused by the coronavirus
known as COVID-19. The Vestry has submitted a
detailed plan for reopening, which has been accepted
by the diocesan task force and approved by Bishop
Stokes. We are deeply grateful to everyone involved
in this very important work of keeping us all
safe during these very challenging times. Read
more...
Please click "Read
more..." to get more information
on "What
We Will Do" and "What
We Ask You To Do"
With love, prayers and
blessings,
Victoria+
Please call, text or email
Cherisse (609-713-8813) by midday
Friday to register
for in-person church at St. Mary’s By The
Sea this Sunday at 9 am.
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We are a loving and inclusive community of believers
and seekers who know that God is love (1 John 4:16), mercy
triumphs over judgement (James 2:13), and being a Christian
means living and loving like Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke &
John). Come and see!
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SINGERS NEEDED The choir is
in need of a few singers, especially females
(altos and sopranos). If interested, please
speak to
JoAnn Roy, our choir director/organist.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
For the Soup Kitchen in Asbury Park.
We need a few more volunteers for 1 or 2 Saturday
mornings a year. Please contact Laura Grodewald
(ldunn06@gmail.com
/ 732-948-3186) for more information.
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NEW CARPET IN FARNSWORTH HALL
Farnsworth Hall is getting new carpet this
coming week! Help is needed moving items. Please
let Marie Lucier -Woodruff
know (text or call 732-673-5817) if you are
available to help at noon on Friday or Saturday
morning at 10 for about an hour. Help will also
be needed one evening (Monday or Tuesday evening
to be determined). We only want a few volunteers
at a time so please let Marie know before you
come to church.
Check out our 
Calendar of Events
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ST. MARY’S CHALLENGE 2020
WHAT IS THE ST. MARY’S CHALLENGE?
Simply stated, for every
dollar that is donated above the regular
pledged amount and identified as St.
Mary’s Challenge, an anonymous
donor will match that donation dollar
for dollar, up to $5,000.
St. Mary’s Challenge envelopes
are available at the back of the church.
Please indicate ‘St. Mary’s
Challenge’ in the memo if you
are donating by check.
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Eucharistic Ministers are available to
bring Communion to those who are not able to get
to church for extended periods of time due to
illness or mobility issues. We are grateful to
Robin Henry for stepping forward
to co-ordinate this vital parish ministry. If
you know of someone who needs home, hospital,
rehab, or nursing home visits, please let us know.
If you would like to be trained to participate
in this beautiful ministry, please contact
Robin or Mother Victoria. |
Welcome to the WeShare family!
Want a more convenient way to support
St. Mary’s?
Want to support St. Mary’s consistently
throughout the year?
Want to make sure your pledge is there
when you can’t be?
Switch to electronic giving –
simply click on
the heart below or go to
https://saintmarysbythesea.churchgiving.com
Please feel free to contact
the WeShare customer
service team for assistance at WeShare@4lpi.com
or
call 1 (800) 950-9952 and select Option
1.
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A NOTE
FROM THE TREASURER
I would like to thank everyone who
is sending in the Pledge support during
this most uncertain and difficult time.
To that end, we are only down 19% from
our budget pledges
to date. So a very big and heartfelt
THANK YOU to all of you.
Additionally, donations to Mary’s
Table and our
Emergency Food Project are remaining
strong.
Finally, the St. Mary’s challenge
is at $4,928 with the match;
we are halfway to our goal (well almost).
I can’t say thank you enough
to all of you, our Parishioners,
for you continued and strong support!
Be safe and stay the course,
Gary Smerillo, Treasurer
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SEAMEN’S CHURCH INSTITUTE
Traveling for business or pleasure?
Please consider bringing home the hotel’s
or ship’s toiletries to share
with the seafarer’s at SCI. SCI
is eager to receive travel-sized toothpaste,
shampoo, conditioner, lotion (hand or
body), and soap. Unscented items are
preferred. Please leave your donations
in the kitchen marked for Elaine
Long.
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MARY'S TABLE
Mary’s Table
provides food and fellowship to all
who hunger or seek companionship in
a loving environment of acceptance.
Started by parishioners of Saint Mary's
by the Sea Episcopal Church in Point
Pleasant Beach, and located there, Mary's
Table opened her doors on November 1
of 2012. Volunteers from other churches,
communities and businesses quickly became
involved in this worthy mission. Thank
you so much for all you do for this
wonderful ministry.
Read more...
News from St.
Mary’s Emergency Food Project
Thanks to your support,
St. Mary’s Emergency Food Project
has accomplished its mission of providing
food for the community during the absence
of St. Gregory’s Pantry. St. Gregory’s
Pantry will be reopening on Monday July
6, so the Emergency Food Project will
make its last scheduled food deliveries
on Wednesday July 1, with emergency
deliveries as needed until St. Gregory’s
reopens (732 892-8105). The Emergency
Food Project will continue to accept
food donations until Sunday June 28.
Words cannot express the gratitude we
feel at the outpouring of support this
community has shown. Without your generous
donations, both monetary and in nonperishable
items, we would not have been able to
feed families and individuals who desperately
needed help during this terrible pandemic.
Together we will have provided three
months of continuous service to those
struggling with food insecurity in our
neighborhoods. St. Mary’s will
continue to deliver over 200 hot meals
weekly through its Mary’s Table
feeding ministry. The number of meals
served has doubled during the pandemic,
and donations to Mary’s Table
are always much appreciated.
With much gratitude,
St. Mary’s Emergency Food Project
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Ninth
Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 13
August 2, 2020
Let your continual mercy, O Lord,
cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot
continue in safety without your help, protect and
govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Genesis
32:22-31
The same night Jacob got up and
took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven
children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He
took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise
everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and
a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the
man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he
struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s
hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.
Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.”
But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless
you bless me.” So he said to him, “What
is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
Then the man said, “You shall no longer be
called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with
God and with humans, and have prevailed.”
Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your
name.” But he said, “Why is it that
you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For
I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is
preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed
Penuel, limping because of his hip.
Romans
9:1-5
I am speaking the truth in Christ--
I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy
Spirit-- I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish
in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed
and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites,
and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according
to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all,
God blessed forever. Amen.
Matthew
14:13-21
Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted
place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they
followed him on foot from the towns. When he went
ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion
for them and cured their sick. When it was evening,
the disciples came to him and said, “This is
a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the
crowds away so that they may go into the villages
and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said to
them, “They need not go away; you give them
something to eat.” They replied, “We have
nothing here but five loaves and two fish.”
And he said, “Bring them here to me.”
Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked
up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and
gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave
them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and
they took up what was left over of the broken pieces,
twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about
five thousand men, besides women and children.
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St.
Mary's by the Sea is a Christian community
that
strives to create a sanctuary for ALL
seekers
and believers alike
to
come and experience the Love of God through Jesus Christ,
to
share that love with those around us
and
in the wider world,
and
to grow in faith
as
part of a caring Christian family.
