Our
Response to the Current Situation of Coronavirus/COVID-19
Illness:
From the COVID-19
Reentering, Reopening, Reimagining (RRR) Task
Force
In response to the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control’s recommendations
of July 27, 2021, due to the
rising levels of infections of COVID-19, the
RRR Task Force is recommending
congregations return to requiring face masks
that fully cover the nose and mouth for indoor
activities for all worship attendees and outside
group participants immediately, regardless of
vaccination status, in counties where the infection
rate is more than 5 per 100K (check https://covidactnow.org/)
or where the community transmission is moderate
or above
(check https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view)
Currently, this includes all the counties in
the Diocese of New Jersey.
Congregational singing is allowed with the use
of face masks.
Congregational leadership can decide about local
practices for offering communion, pastoral support,
formation classes/programs (including Vacation
Bible School), and fellowship activities. Fellowship
activities that involve removing one’s
face mask are not encouraged.
Please continue to encourage all community
members to get vaccinated.
|
|
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!
|
|
Sunday Worship at Saint Mary's by the
Sea 
 8:00
am Rite I Service of Holy Eucharist,
Indoors in the Church..
10:00 am Rite II Service of
Holy Eucharist
JUST A REMINDER
Diocesan guidelines
as to the details of full re-opening
For those who are fully vaccinated
against COVID-19, face masks
and social distancing are no longer
required
at any indoor or outdoor parish activities.
For those who are not fully
vaccinated against COVID-19,
face masks and social distancing requirements
will remain in effect at all indoor
and outdoor parish activities.
If you are fully vaccinated and wish
to continue wearing a mask regardless,
we fully support your right to do so,
no questions asked.
Masking and social distancing are still
required for any and all children's
activities, including Church School.
BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE
Wednesday, December 8th, 7PM
(immediately following Compline)
Christmas often brings thoughts of
good times with family, friends and
loved ones. However, we all experience
changes in our lives every day and some
of these changes have a profound impact
on our feelings and emotions towards
the holiday season. The COVID pandemic,
a change in job security, housing security,
relationships, loss of a loved one or
family member can make the season feel
blue and depressing when the world wants
us to be merry and bright.Blue Christmas
is a community service that is held
at St. Mary’s as we gather to
name those losses and emotions, place
them on the altar and give them over
to God.
It is a service that is contemplative,
reflective and healing.
|
|
DISCERNMENT PROCESS
During this time of transition the
Vestry will work to keep everyone informed,
however if you have specific questions
regarding the discernment process please
reach out to one of us: Marie Lucier-Woodruff,
Suzanne Jorgensen, Laurie Clayton, Pam
Cooper,
Karen Foley, Jodie Greene, Tom Long,
Daryl Schambach, Al Wagner
|
FROM THE VESTRY
At the recommendation of the Bishop,
St Mary’s will be calling a
Priest in Charge. A Priest in Charge
has the full responsibilities
of a Rector, only for a three year term.
If, at the end of three years
the parish and the Priest agree that
it’s a “fit” the Vestry
will ask
the Bishop to appoint the individual
as the Rector.
|
|
DISCERNMENT COMMITTEE SELECTION PROCESS:
The Vestry has been asked how discernment committee
members were selected, below is a summary of
the steps that were taken.
The
first step was to meet with the Transition Coordinator
from the Diocese and the Bishop. At that meeting
the Bishop provided guidance on the composition
of the discernment committee in terms of representation
from various groups, number of Vestry members,
and size of the group.
The Vestry then reviewed the criteria and decided
that each member would separately submit to
the Senior Warden, via email, up to five
nominations - no one knew who other members
nominated so as not to be influenced by what
others thought.
A grid was then created using everyone's nominations
which showed the overlap in nominations. At
the next meeting the Vestry reviewed the
grid and identified candidates to be called
based on who received the most nominations,
doing their best to make sure as many
groups were represented as possible. Calls were
made to those people asking them to serve. Some
people declined so the
Vestry worked their way through the list of
those people who had multiple nominations.
The Vestry believes the resulting discernment
committee has a good mix of people who are willing
to take on this challenge.
However, they cannot do it without our help.
Their first charge will be to create our Church
Profile. A town hall meeting will be held in
the
coming months to gather input for the Profile,
we urge all members of the parish community
to take part in this process.
If you have specific questions about
the discernment process please reach out to
a Vestry member.
|
| |
It’s
Back!
St. Mary’s by-the-Sea CASH Calendar Raffle!
 Our
latest raffle was a terrific success!
Several players won more than once and one lucky
player won FIVE TIMES! Your purchase helps us
support so many within the community through our
outreach ministries. It’s a WIN WIN! Click
here for the GAME Rules
If you are not familiar with
a CASH Calendar raffle, here is how it works:
The raffle will run for a three-month period (March,
April and May of 2021). For $25
you will receive one numbered calendar which will
be mailed to you. Each weekday has a dollar amount
associated with it. On the day of the drawing
numbered balls corresponding to each calendar
sold will be drawn one at a time at random. The
first ball drawn will be for the first Monday
on the March calendar. If that number is your
calendar number, YOU WIN! That winning ball is
immediately put back in the drum and the next
winner for Tuesday is drawn, and so on. This gives
you MULTIPLE CHANCES TO WIN!
It’s that simple! Winners do not need to
be present to win. There is nothing for you to
do but watch for the mail!
If you would like to purchase a calendar(s), please
respond to Cherisse at stmssecretary@verizon.net
with your name, complete
address and indicate how many
calendars you would like to purchase or contact
the parish office or @609-713-8813.
A separate order form for each calendar you request
will be mailed to you. Fill out the coupon on
the bottom, detach and mail in with your payment.
(The coupon is numbered to coincide with your
numbered calendar, so you MUST fill out a separate
coupon for each calendar you request). Retain
the top half which indicates your individual calendar(s)
numbers. If you are purchasing multiple calendars
you can pay for them with just one check. Checks
should be made payable to: St. Mary’s by-the-Sea,
804 Bay Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742.
Congratulations to the winners
of the CASH
Calendar Raffle for DECEMBER 2021.
Checks will be mailed by the end of the
month.
|
|
|
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 H. |
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.
|
FROM THE TREASURER
If you have not turned in your 2021
pledge card,
please do so as soon as possible or
send a private email to
our treasurer Gary
(gary.smerillo@smerilloassociates.com)
informing him of your planned support
of St. Mary's for the coming
year. We are short of our goal for 2021
and your Pledge may be the
one to help us reach that goal!!! God
bless you!
Gary Smerillo
Treasurer
|
|
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.
|
ADVENT OFFERING
This year the vestry
has designated the Advent Offering go
to Mary’s Table. Please use the
Advent envelope in your box or grab
one at the rear of the church.
COMPLINE SERVICE
We will have a Compline
Service in the
Chapel for the Wednesdays in Advent,
starting
on December 1st at 6:30 pm. The service
wil
l be approximately 30 minutes and will
be
a time for quiet reflection.
Check out our 
Calendar of Events
|
ALTAR FLOWER DONATIONS
The Altar Guild is again reminding
you that a
good way to honor or memorialize a friend
or
loved one is to offer Sunday flowers
in their
name. Forms can be found in the back
of the church and a donation is requested
to
accompany the form. At this time we
are
focusing only on flowers, as they are
again displayed weekly on the altar.
Wine and candles are not the focus
though
they are mentioned on the form. Completed
forms should be returned to Cherisse.
Any questions, please call Laurie
Clayton at
732 600 5454. Thank
you.
|
|
ZOOM BIBLE STUDY
Interested in understanding why our
Lakewood neighbors live
and worship as they do? Come to Zoom
Bible Study on Tuesdays
at 10:00 AM on November 9,16
and 30 plus Dec. 7 and 14.
Contact Andrea at andrea.rittenhouse@verizon.net
or
732-295-8233 for information
& the readings to be prepared in
advance. Bev Conti
will again be our Zoom manager.
|
COFFEE HOUR
We are happy to announce coffee hour
will re-start between
the 8 and 10am services on December
5th. To keep with COVID protocols individual
pastries must be wrapped (sorry - no
Muellers!) and individual coffee creamers,
sugar packets and paper cups
will be used. Pastries and consumables
will be supplied.
All we need are hosts to set up and
clean up. A sign up sheet
will be on the post in Farnsworth Hall.
Please consider
volunteering to host so we can get back
to “normal”.
|
|
INTERFAITH HOSPITALITY NETWORK 
Once again this year we have the opportunity
to provide some holiday cheer for a family of
two. A mother and her 2 year old son are in
need of some of our “St. Mary’s
love”. If you can help out with gift cards,
donations, or would like to purchase requested
items, contact me at. Pattisplants@gmail.com
or 973 652 0852.
|
MARY'S TABLE
Message
from St. Mary’s Emergency Food
Project
For over 9 years Mary's
Table has provided hot meals and warm
companionship to the community. Continuing
to serve our guests has been particularly
challenging this past year but the need
has never been greater. The volunteers
of Mary's Table recognize none of this
would have been possible without the
vision, compassion and determination
of Lois Lyon.
Lois, along with her
parish friends Chuck Reagan and Joan
Bryant, saw a role for St Mary's to
feed the bodies and spirits of those
who hunger, and since that time Lois
has lead the Mary's Table family of
volunteers, greeting guests, celebrating
birthdays, and making every guest feel
at home. We wish to honor Lois's unending
commitment to Mary's Table by dedicating
the meals served during the month of
February to her, as a symbol of our
love and gratitude. Read
more...
Hello everyone!
I hope this email finds you
all well! The weeks just keep flying
by!
On August 5, Laurie's team
served Chicken Teriyaki Chicken, Rice,
and salad. We delivered 245 meals at
a cost of $432.
On August 12, Robean's Team
served Mac and Cheese with Ham, stuffed
shells and ziti with meatballs.
We delivered 265 meals at a cost of
$307.
On August 19, Angie's team served
ham steak with applesauce and potato
salad.
We delivered 252 meals at a cost of
$513.
On August 26, the Greene team
served pork, beans and corn on the cob.
We delivered 251 at a cost of $358.
(Some of the money went for supplies)
On September 2, Laurie's team
served Chicken Parm, pasta and a dinner
role.
We delivered 244 meals at a cost of
$557.
On September 9, Ellen and Robean
served hot dogs, chips and slaw. We
delivered 245 at a cost of $421.
Please remember that mask mandates
are still in effect! Thank you for all
you do!
Peace and love, K
|
|
|
First
Sunday of Advent
November 28, 2021
Almighty God, give us grace to cast
away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of
light, now in the time of this mortal life in which
your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day, when he shall come again in
his glorious majesty to judge both the living and
the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through
him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Jeremiah
33:14-16
The days are surely coming, says
the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made
to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In
those days and at that time I will cause a righteous
Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute
justice and righteousness in the land. In those
days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live
in safety. And this is the name by which it will
be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."
1
Thessalonians 3:9-13
How can we thank God enough for you
in return for all the joy that we feel before our
God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly
that we may see you face to face and restore whatever
is lacking in your faith.
Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus
direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all, just
as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen
your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless
before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord
Jesus with all his saints.
Luke
21:25-36
Jesus said, "There will be signs
in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth
distress among nations confused by the roaring of
the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear
and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for
the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they
will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power
and great glory. Now when these things begin to take
place, stand up and raise your heads, because your
redemption is drawing near."
Then he told them a parable: "Look
at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they
sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know
that summer is already near. So also, when you see
these things taking place, you know that the kingdom
of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation
will not pass away until all things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will
not pass away.
|
|
|
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.
