St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church - Elizabeth, NJ

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  • Home
  • Welcome
    • History >
      • Historical Sizzle
    • I'm New
    • Let's Get Acquainted
    • Rev. Canon Andy J. Moore
    • Leadership
    • Mission
    • Habits of Grace: Prayer into Action
    • Bishop Curry Who is my Neighbor >
      • Bishop Curry
    • Make a Gift
    • Services
    • Gallery >
      • May 7 Covid-19 Testing
      • 25 Years of Priesthood Gala >
        • 25th Years of Priesthood Gala
        • 25 Years of Priesthood Gala
      • Harvest Sunday
      • Sunday School Father's Day 19
      • Men's Club Community Flea Mkt
      • Community Christmas Party
      • Thankgiving Baskets
      • Celebration for High School Gradates
      • Homecoming 2018 >
        • Homecoming
      • Music in the Garden
      • Mother's Day 2018
      • Mother's Day 2018
      • Sunday School Youth Sunday
      • Maundy Thursday
      • Christmas Mass St. Elizabeth's
      • Christmas Eve Mass
      • Christmas Eve Mass
      • Christmas Eve Mass
      • Community Christmas Party
      • Frist Presbyterian
      • Feast of All Saints
      • Sanctuary Sunday 2017
      • International Food Festival
  • Get Involved
    • Sunday School >
      • Sunday School Lift Ev'ry Voice
      • Black History - MLK
      • Sunday School Black History
      • Sunday School Black History ii
      • Youth Ministry
    • ESL Cerificate of Achievement
    • Computer Literacy
    • Episcopal Church Women
    • Mens Club
    • Outreach
  • Hall Rental
  • Calendar
    • News & Events >
      • Bishop Curry Easter 2022
      • Bishop Chip Heart of The Matter
      • Bishop Curry Address the Nation 1/6
      • Bishop Curry Christmas Message
      • Christmas Poinsettias
      • Advent Worship Services
      • ECS Sunday - Bishop Chip
      • Bishop Chip COVID-19 Testing
  • Contact
  • Realm E-Giving Launch
  • Living Like Job
  • it's Friday....but Sunday Comin!!
  • Bishop Curry
  • Past Masses
    • Zoom Service Aug 23rd, 2020
    • Zoom Service Aug 16th, 2020
    • Zoom Service Aug 9th, 2020
    • Zoom Service Aug 2nd, 2020
  • Lenten Sermons 2021
  • Thanksgiving Basket Nov 22nd
  • New Page

Spirit of Generosity

3/16/2022

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Luke 13:34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”
 
Lent is proving to be quite a difficult time for us. Just as we were being prepared to rebuild after two years of a horrible pandemic, we are now bought face-to-face with the depths of human depravity and wickedness. The human penchant for making selfish decisions can be catastrophic – as we are witnessing in Ukraine as well as in actions against civil rights in the USA. The many strides made in the past decade towards freedoms and the creation of new communities of diversity and equity are now being threatened by human dinosaurs.

This my friends is the same chaotic maelstrom which Jesus faced in his struggles with the despotic Herod in today’s Gospel. “At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” The level of fear they sought to inject into Jesus could have crippled His ministry. Yet Jesus saw the need to look beyond the present chaos towards God’s vision that lay beyond it. His was not one of pacifism or of overlooking the prevailing dangers as he certainly jeeringly spoke of Herod’s fleeting powers "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.” Defiance in the face of the evil is a deep-seated faith system.

Today’s turmoil is no different in many ways from that period of Jesus’ ministry. Human despotic leadership, spiritual enablers, and the seeming impotence of the masses. The evil one taunts “let your good God save you” as he pummels away at the vulnerable. The real crisis then is less about the presence of evil but in the question of how we respond to it.

In a recent survey sponsored by the National Episcopal Church, one of the major discoveries is the vast divide between what Christians think of themselves and what others think of us. “Ask a Christian to describe other Christians and the answers likely will be “giving,” “compassionate,” “loving” and “respectful.” Ask a non-Christian, on the other hand, and the more likely descriptors you’ll get for Christians are “hypocritical,” “judgmental” and “self-righteous.” Non-Christians are also far more likely to say Christians do not represent the teachings of Jesus.” https://religionnews.com/2022/03/09/episcopal-bishop-curry-says-more-to-do-as-poll-shows-christians-seen-as-hypocrites/
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My dear friend Fr Atkins (RIP) would often say “If I bought him for what he is worth and sold him for what he thinks is his worth I would be a multi-millionaire” Our Presiding Bishop adopts more theological palatable language in speaking about the crisis of hypocrisy of Christians. This is the same hypocrisy Jesus sought to address in his lament over Jerusalem which claimed spirituality as its nature but constantly chose to be silent in the face of evil.

My friends, I believe what we are facing is a crisis of generosity. We believe we are generous and yet each time this is tested we fail. We find every possible excuse for not being willing to share while at the same time pleading for God’s generous mercies. Jesus’ spirituality demands us to first acknowledge our need to act generously rather than focus on those who are in need. St Francis shared it best: “It is in giving that we receive.” If we live lives where generosity is not practiced, then we help create and sustain breeding grounds that ferment into evil that preys upon the vulnerable.

The crisis the world faces can easily be traced to the widening of the socio-economic gaps and the erosion of systems that support the poor and vulnerable. This is not a Ukrainian crisis or a civil rights crisis it is a human crisis. The more we withdraw and hoard,  the greater space we provide for demonic forces to prevail. Don’t cry for Ukraine while sustaining behaviors that led to that crisis because before you know it, it will be at your door. Erosion of the voting rights of black and brown people, prejudice and violence against transgender people, and other atrocities against other groups of people are only precursors for what lies in store for us. Do you think the Ukrainians believed that they would become refugees in Poland which is a poorer country than Ukraine?

Our Lenten call appeals for us to practice generosity in the name of Jesus. My life doesn’t belong to me! Our children and all our claim are all gifts from God. Our gifts, skills, and talents are what you gained not on your own but through the sacrifices of others and the generosity of God. This church you are invited to support was not built by you, but it is now gifted to us for the work of the Lord. We must act upon our hymn “I surrender all!”

For lent may I ask you in the name of Jesus to do one thing only. Practice generosity! Be generous by being willing to speak up and out for someone or something. The world remained silent in the face of German atrocities in Namibia before cries were heard from Warsaw, the world remained silent to the cries of Aleppo due to  Russian aggression, and we now see the cost. Black, brown, and white cries are all heard by the ears of God. For heaven’s name, find your voice and speak up! Last weekend one woman spoke out and dramatically changed the full nature of our Diocesan Convention. She understood her soul was at stake if she remained silent in the face of injustice.

Children are being bullied in schools, racism and injustice flaunt their presence, human sexuality is perceived as a threat, while teaching the fullness of American history is being undermined in our schools. In Ukraine today we just may be witnessing our own demise. I leave you with my version of Jesus’ lament to us: Episcopalians Christians, the community that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”
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May we truly seek to write a different script by starting with generosity!

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Living Well through Lent

3/5/2022

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“Good mental health can improve people's enjoyment, coping skills, and relationships, educational achievement, employment, housing and economic potential, help reduce physical health problems, ease healthcare and social care costs, build social capital, and decrease suicides” -Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health

Studies show that urban communities are often burdened with higher rates of mental health diseases compared to rural areas. Urban areas have nearly a 40% higher risk of depression, over 20% more anxiety and double the risk of schizophrenia. In addition, the urban community battles with more loneliness, isolation and stress.

One of our much-loved members said to me in a recent conversation, “Fr Andy I am really terrified to come back to church even though I miss it so much.” This showed me just how overwhelmed we are in so many ways by the pandemic and the increasing threats of global warfare.

Lent invites us to journey into safe spaces for spiritual and mental care. In order to reach this valuable goal of spiritual and mental wellness, St Elizabeth has invited Kimme Carlos to lead us through our Lenten pilgrimage. Kimme is no stranger to us, having been with us in the past. As a companion she is recommending “Peace With The Psalms.”

Please join us as we journey with Jesus seeking a Balm in Gilead.

Sunday mornings at 9:00am. Please note there will be opportunities for individual and small group discussions.
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Blessings Fr Andy
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The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ

2/2/2022

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Collect
 Almighty and ever living God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Luke 2:22 -24 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord(as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, Though often times overlooked by many we at St Elizabeth’s follow a tradition of observance. The ceremonies often times are built around the traditions of candles being blessed and distributed as a reminder of the Light of Christ that came into the world. It is celebrated 40 days after Easter and for us it provides a rich opportunity to look back at Christmas while looking forward to the 40 days of Lent. 

In many ways its carries a powerful message of the willingness to carry light into the darkness as one fulfills the mission of Christ in the world. The Feast of Presentation gave us some many rich moments which are captured in the canticle called Nunc Dimmittis or the Song of Simeon which celebrates the fulfillment of a life of longing, hope and faith. 

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, *
    according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, *
    which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, *
    and to be the glory of thy people Israel.

My friends in the midst of much darkness which surrounds at times it can be quite easy for us to lose hope. WE dwell in a time when at the very start of Black History Month virtual terror is being unleased upon HBCU’s. Teachers are now facing increasing challenges to engage in traditional Black History month observances as they are threatened by fear mongering mobs based upon misinformation and racism.

My friends I find it quite poignant that even as Simeon and the Prophetess Anna shout in acclamation at the arrival of Jesus as their long-awaited fulfillment and yet this does not in any way removes the clouds of trepidation in the Holy Family. A family struggling with ethnic and economic challenges which in many ways reflect those of our urban communities. Joseph’s inability to provide a lamb as the tradition requires most resort to the second-tier demand of two turtle doves is bold testimony not only of their poverty but the desire to fulfill that which is expected. One can speak both about stewardship of faith hope and financial sacrificial giving but even beyond that is the powerful message of God’s dependency of willing people to carry His light and presence into the darkness if the world.
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May this Candlemas Day be one of renewed faith and the willingness to carry the light of Christ into the darkness of the world no matter the cost for Jesus in the end is both the price and the reward.


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I
 
 




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We Don't Talk About Bruno

1/29/2022

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​                                     The Disney movie, Encanto, includes a song – We Don’t Talk About Bruno that is climbing the music charts and becoming a favorite to many children. I am sure many parents, including me, are drowning in the din of this song, which seeks to capture the haunting presence of dark secrets that many families choose to hide. When our daughters sing what has become a mantra, I often wonder what will happen when they grow up and encounter their own “Bruno’ moments.

As a Black priest seeking to develop urban ministries in the diocese of New Jersey, there are many joys and successes that I can boast. These include, but are not limited to:
  • Sustaining an urban congregation during a pandemic, which has affected our communities disproportionately in term of health and mental well-being and financial support. We were able to accomplish this through creative efforts led by our parish team leaders who created numerous platforms for worship, stewardship, fundraising and fellowship.
  • Partner with state, city, local Kean University, other private entities and social outreach groups to make information, testing and vaccinations accessible to the community.
Through these efforts, the work of the Episcopal Church in the urban community shone brightly and spoke clearly of our commitment to spreading the good news of Jesus Christ in worship and in action. St Elizabeth’s became one of the main hubs through which our community could receive spiritual, physical, and mental support through the worst of times.

Here are some of our accomplishments:
  • 75 individuals trained in our ESL and computer literacy program
  • 557 individuals benefitted from our Covid-19 testing, vaccination initiatives
  • Launched new worship initiatives in Rahway
  • Added 16 new members to our parish worship to sustain an average of 72 per Sunday (hybrid)
  • Added worship opportunities through Zoom and created a hybrid format that led to increased membership, including worship, prayer groups and Bible study.
  • Launched new worship opportunities for Haitian and Hispanic members of our communities. To introduce this program during prevailing darkness is a testimony of our faith in God.
  • Increased our participation on a diocesan level through various initiatives and committees such as Clergy and Laity Town Hall meetings, Standing Committee membership, Task for Reparation, Taskforce for Urban Revitalization, E.C.S and Haitian Ministry, Bishop Search Committee.
  • Sustained our Stewardship program and saw a renewed commitment from our members towards increasing their gift of skills and financial support to the work of Christ in our community. We formally welcomed five new members in our Stewardship campaign.
We are seeking to develop relationships with:
  • Prevention Links to assist in our mental health outreach.
  • Posigen to assist in reduction of energy costs and environmentally friendly energy usage.
  • A Federal Credit Union to assist in financial literacy initiatives.
  • Rebuild our church website to enhance communication and enhance our virtual worship platform.​
While we are seeing incremental improvements, we still cannot talk about the evasive Bruno, which is the vast disparity between the needs of our community and the limited resources available. The financial gap that plagues our urban communities requires us to do more with less. However, as we know, the urban churches are more than Houses of Worship and spiritual encampments. They are communities seeking to provide access to avenues and pathways of hope, mental, health and financial well-being.

We were quite fortunate to receive $55K from the Diocesan Mission Renewal Fund, and we are formally requesting support of the same amount of $55k for 2022.

I write this with the silent hope that as we partner with diocesan initiatives towards stewardship, reconciliation and healing, and as we journey with many in our community seeking fresh starts and new beginnings, may our ministry in the name of Jesus empower us to sing   We Will Talk About Bruno -- the hidden dark secrets of the Church and society in terms of slavery, racism, urban decline and the powerful presence of love and healing and reparative justice.

Fr Andy

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Baptism

1/8/2022

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​When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:2-3
 
Today as part of our Epiphany observance we are called to focus on the next step of the Jesus story. We witness his baptism which we believe marks the beginning of his adult ministry. Baptism for Jesus was not a coronation event of His kingship. At its very heart it is an invitation to journey with him into some of the most challenging situations of life. In order to best understand His baptism, one must understand some of the circumstances which prevailed at the time.
 
It was a time of horrible political oppression by leaders who sought in every way to stamp out oppression [do you mean opposition?]. It was a time of great division among the people on socio-economic issues. There were huge disparities between the rich and the poor. There were enormous tensions among the various religious parties on who were authentic Israelites based upon their proximity to and relationship with foreigners and sinners. In other words, in many ways, it was very similar to the times we’re living in today, minus the stress of a pandemic.
 
My friends, in the years since humanity has journeyed from primitive cave dwelling to the dawning of the age of space travel, we Christians have learned that as much as the goodness of God prevails and sustains, evil has a tenacity that allows it to survive like a virus in the face of all the goodness of God. The eternal narrative about humanity seems to be that we love to dabble in evil even as we strive to be godly. Darkness seems to be a constant shadow even in the glory of the light of God. “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Roman 7:9) As testimony to this is the fact that as individuals, or, at times, as families, friends, faith community and nations, we find ourselves being led by the spirit of selfishness rather than the spirit of generosity.  And this is what constantly tears us apart.
 
Jesus’ baptism may best be captured by the prophecy of Isaiah 43:2-3: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Our baptism brings us into a different relationship with God and a new understanding of our faith. Baptism does not remove our tendency to sin. But it does take away the power of sin to hold us.
 
This is deeper than a mere question of sin versus salvation. Our baptism allows God in Jesus Christ to become part of our daily lives. Baptism allows us the power to not be overwhelmed by life’s struggles. Baptism into Jesus’ omnipotence empowers us to find new life when death and brokenness shatter our world. Baptism nurtures within us a spirit that never surrenders in the face of evil. Baptism allows us to walk into the flames of the world’s battles and yet not be burned. It allows us to walk into the darkness of the unknown and not be fearful.
 
Christians in communities throughout the nation today are crying out for an alternative to the vicious cycles of brokenness and hate that we struggle against in our lives today. The role that the church is called to fulfill is to offer Christians a space within which we can encounter the rest and peace we desperately seek … away from the claws of the demonic spirits of separation and division.
 
One of my earliest memories is of my mother telling the local obeah woman that my siblings and I will prosper in spite of any obeah act because God is bigger than any evil spirit! Her chant was “No weapon formed against us shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17). So, you see I have always known that I am a child of the Living God! I declare it: I am a child of the Living God! I will not be overwhelmed by all that life throws at me and my household and my church because I lead a baptized family and a baptized community.
 
My friends let us today – in the face of all that the Darkness has created as its declaration of the power of death – let us boldly declare that we are baptized in the name of Jesus and that the flame shall not consume us because our God is the Holy One of Israel, our Savior.”  As Jesus was praying after John baptized him in the river Jordan, the voice of God declared, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22) This same God is asking you to hold fast to a spirit of prayer so that you, too, will be honored with the words, “You are my very own and I will watch over you forever. For I am the Lord your God!”
 
Amen.



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    Rev. Canon, Andy Moore 

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St Elizabeth’s
305 N. Broad Street
Elizabeth, New Jersey 07207

Weekend Service Times
Sunday: 8:00am, 10:00am
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