News and Events

NOVEMBER 2009

CHANGE in DIOCESAN HOUSE CONTACT

Effective November 2, 2009, the Reverend Debra Clarke, Deacon is the staff liaison for the Congregational Development Committee and is assisting Bishop Romero with the Board of Missions.

If you have questions regarding matters related to Congregational Development or Board of Missions, please contact Debi Clarke at 609-394-5281, ext. 37 or dclarke@newjersey.anglican.org.

Debi will continue to serve as Program Assistant for Youth Ministry.

OCTOBER 2009

• FROM the BISHOP, on the RESIGNATION of DEBBIE CRALL

Dear Friends in Christ,

With gratitude for her years of service in our diocese and as a member of diocesan staff, we congratulate Debbie Crall, who will be married on November 7th and then move to Arizona with her husband. Debbie’s final day in diocesan house was October 30th.

Debbie was first appointed to the Congregational Development Committee in 2006. Canon Powers quickly recognized her considerable gifts and talents and invited her to assist in his office as a volunteer. She was hired to work part-time and then full time, working in recent years to assist both Lee and Bishop Romero with the Board of Missions and in support of our mission congregations. A particular achievement during her time on staff was the scheduling of over 40 building inspections.

Debbie has had a wonderful ministry of training and empowerment in the areas of congregational development, church growth and lay ministry. She initiated the “Invite a Friend” Sunday program. She has consulted with congregations in the Natural Church Development program. She has organized and coordinated many diocesan events, including workshops for clergy and lay leaders, wardens, vestry and finance officers. In the past year she chaired the Congregational Development Committee and took the lead in organizing The College for Congregational Development.

Debbie will be deeply missed. We rejoice with her as she celebrates her marriage. And we pray that our Lord will continue to bless and uphold her in ministry, for the building-up of the Church.

Faithfully yours,

The Right Reverend George E. Councell
XI Bishop of New Jersey  

• REPORT of the NEW JERSEY DEPUTATION to the 76th GENERAL CONVENTION

Click here to read a four-page report (PDF) from the deputation from the Diocese of New Jersey. The report includes

• Resolutions Regarding Proposed Amendments to the Constitution
• Resolutions Referred to All Dioceses, and
• Particular Resolutions of Note.

You'll find links within the document to all the original sources to which the report makes reference, so you can read the material right in your web browser.

• FOR I AM SURE . . .'
The Diocese of New Jersey gathers on 8 November 2009 in Ocean Grove

You are invited to join in a celebration of God’s ever faithful and unchanging care for us. In these hard times of economic trouble and cultural change and conflict, all members of the Diocese of New Jersey are encouraged to join together for an uplifting worship experience happening on 8 November 2009 at 4 pm. The gathering is titled, For I am sure . . . taken from Romans 8 reminding us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Our purpose is to praise God as we, the Diocese of New Jersey, gather together in one community.

This service of Festive Jazz Vespers will be held at Ocean Grove, New Jersey, at the Tabernacle. You can get there very easily following directions from the Ocean Grove website: oceangrove.org. The Reverend Dr. Francis Wade will be our guest preacher. Frank was chaplain to the House of Deputies and former Rector of St. Alban’s, Washington, D.C. Bishop George Councell will be our officiant.

The bishop will distribute the Fermentum, an ancient practice of demonstrating unity. In the earliest centuries of the Church, bishops would share communion bread among other bishops and all the churches in their charge. At the service on 8 November, each parish will receive unconsecrated bread for use in the next week’s service. The bread will be shared not only with parishioners, but should be used in the communion elements administered to the the ill, the infirm, and the homebound, in each parish in the Diocese of New Jersey. We will be one bread, one body. . .

On Sunday, 8 November, our songs will be boisterous, our prayers courageous, and our fellowship wonderfully warmed! Don't miss it. See you then.

• FALL 2009 CONVOCATION MEETINGS

Monmouth Convocation Wednesday, 14 October 2009 7 pm Christ Church, Toms River Camden and Woodbury Convocations Tuesday, 20 October 2009 7 pm Holy Trinity Church, Collingswood Trenton Convocation Tuesday, 27 October 2009 7 pm St. Matthew’s, Pennington Atlantic Convocation Thursday, 29 October 2009 7 pm Holy Spirit, Tuckerton Northern and Watchung  Convocations Tuesday, 3 November 2009 7 pm St. Mark’s, Plainfield Burlington Convocation Thursday, 12 November 2009 7 pm St. Peter’s, Medford

• DEATH NOTICE:
The Reverend Paul Allen Westman

We announce the death of the Reverend Paul Allen Westman and commend his soul to Our Lord.

The Reverend Paul A. Westman died suddenly at his home in Villas on Thursday, September 24, 2009. He was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, 1930, son of Felix A. and Frances (Yolme) Westman. He received his bachelor degree from Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Illinois, in 1953; his divinity degree from Berkley Divinity School, Yale University; and a masters in Religious Education from Princeton Seminary in 1965. He was made deacon on November 28, 1959 and ordained priest on June 25, 1960, both by the Right Reverend Alfred L. Banyard, VII Bishop of New Jersey.

He was married to Linda E. Pressey on May 6, 1961, and they have a daughter, Karin, of Manhattan, Kansas. Father Westman was vicar of St. John’s Church, Maple Shade, from 1959–1965; rector of St. James’ Church, Wichita, Kansas, 1965–1966; and Assistant Director of Christian Education at St. George’s, Ardmore, Pennsylvania, 1967–1969. Of non-parochial status since 1970, he served as interim in New Jersey for several congregations, the most recent being St. George’s Church, Pennsville, where he was serving at the time of his death.

On Saturday, October 3, 2009, at St George's Church, Pennsville, the family will greet friends before a celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 11 am. Burial will follow in St. George’s Cemetery, with a reception after in the Parish Hall.

Biographical material provided by the Archives of the Diocese of New Jersey.

• CONSECRATION of the BISHOP COADJUTOR of LONG ISLAND on 19 September

Bishop George Councell was a co-consecrator of the Bishop Coadjutor of Long Island, the Reverend Lawrence Provenzano. From the Episcopal News Service (ENS) release:

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was the chief consecrator for the service, which took place at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Greenvale, New York. Other consecrators included Newark Bishop Mark Beckwith, New Jersey Bishop George Councell, Long Island Assisting Bishop David Joslin and Western Massachusetts Bishop Gordon Scruton.

And interestingly, Bishop Provenzano is now one of six bishops in the Episcopal Church who served in the Diocese of Western Massachusett. ENS writes: 'Beckwith and Councell served with Provenzano in Western Massachusetts before being elected bishop. With his consecration and ordination, Provenzano becomes the fifth active bishop who was elected out of Western Massachusetts. The Rev. John Tarrant will be the sixth when he is ordained October 31 as the next bishop of the Diocese of South Dakota'.

Read the full ENS story here.

• FESTIVAL HISPANO: Sabado, 19 de Septiembre del 2009

Un dia de gozo para toda la familira en un ambiente Cristiano.

Musica: Balies Tipicos y Folkloricos
Animacion: Comida Nacionales

Iglesia San Andres Apostol y Martyr
3050 River Avenue
Camden, New Jersey 08105 

Telefono: (856) 365-0111
Correo electronico: st.andrews4@verizon.net
Contacto: Padre Pedro Guzman  

Descarga un folleto PDF.

• GENERAL CONVENTION WRAP UP

• Summary of Actions of the 76th General Convention (PDF, 300K)
• Summary of Actions of the 76th General Convention (en español)
  

For earlier news from June–August 2009, click here.
For earlier news from January–May 2009, click here.

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