Bulletin Announcements
This Week's Announcements
Monthly Food Pantry Collection
In the month of April, we are directing our collection to the food pantry at St. Joseph’s. We always welcome regular sized, non-perishable donations. Drop off donations in the Narthex food barrel or in the storage container in the vestibule off the parking lot. Your donations make a great deal of difference to our hungry neighbors.
St. George is England’s patron saint, though he never visited England, never slayed a dragon, and is believed to be Turkish. His ideals of bravery and loyalty to Christianity led King Edward III to name him the country’s patron saint. The day of his martyrdom, April 23, is celebrated as St. George’s Day in many places throughout the world. BBC Teach has a video here:
Everyone is welcome to come to the parish hall and get food before choosing one of several adventures: matching keys, putting together a puzzle, assembling cranes to decorate the church, or play in our bouncy house. Everyone is also invited to take pictures, share them on social media #SGD2025, and email them to parish-office@stgeorges-maplewood.org
- Feeding the Multitudes: The plan is to have everyone down in the parish hall for a bite to eat (pizza (gf pizza), snacks, desserts, beverages), then choose your adventure!
- Keys to the Kingdom: (Teams Assemble in Parish Hall) We have keys…lots of keys, and need help finding their doors! Teams will be given bags of keys. If you find a door that a key fits, put it in your envelopes. Team with the most envelopes will win a prize. Doors will be labeled, and some doors, marked with tape on the lock, don’t need to be tried. Every team needs an older KEYMASTER. This does not have to be an adult.
- Puzzle Time! (Parish Hall) Our amazing photo of Bishop Hughes’ visit has been made into a 720-piece puzzle that we will assemble in the parish hall. We’ve given you a head start, but we would like to get it mostly finished today! Note: No food at the puzzle table, please!
- Cranes for Peace (Parish Hall) Origami cranes are considered a symbol of long life and peace. Parishioner Neve Mahoney donated the cranes which we will string together and hang them throughout the parish. You’ll have an opportunity to watch a video she made on how to make cranes of your own as well. No food at the crane table, please!
- Bouncy House What would SGD be without a bouncy house? We’ll set up outside if it’s nice, and inside the parish hall if it’s not!
Sabbatical Update!
Rev. Grant’s Sabbatical begins Monday, April 21. He returns on July 31. During this time, he will be unavailable and will not respond to calls, texts or emails. Here is everything you need to know about what’s going on during this time, and who to contact if you have any questions or need anything. SABBATICAL INFO
In parallel with Reverend Grant’s sabbatical journey, the Sabbatical Committee invites you to explore your family history through two unique and related learning opportunities. The first: On Sunday, May 4th, after the 10 am service, our own Cheryl Notari will provide an in-person session on Bowen Family Systems Theory, to help us understand how we are shaped by our family history.
All are welcome to attend.
How to research your own family history
The second program related to family history is an online workshop series led by genealogy expert, Rev. Susie Harding (a deacon from the Diocese of Virginia), to learn how to do genealogical research on your own family. Thanks to a Diocesan grant related to Rev. Grant’s sabbatical, Rev. Susie will teach us on how to research our family background, then support us with discussions to help us understand how our family history may challenge and inform our identity and our life journey. There will be assignments between sessions to conduct our own research. Online sessions will begin at 7:30 pm and run for 60-90 minutes each, on the following Wednesdays: May 7; May 28; June 11; June 25; and July 16.
Those pursuing the genealogy workshops with Rev. Susie are encouraged to attend the May 4th session. Please sign up here (by May 2nd) to receive the Zoom link for the sessions: bit.ly/StG-Gen
Sages of All Ages – The Lakota Wolf Preserve
Join the Sages of All Ages for an educational tour of the Lakota Wolf Preserve in Columbia, Warren County, New Jersey, on Saturday, May 10. The tour starts at 10:30am and we are planning to car pool from St. George’s at 9:30am, if you don’t want to drive yourself.
The tour is approximately 75 minutes and held rain or shine. Dress comfortably and appropriately for the hiking paths. Open-backed shoes are not permitted.
The cost is $16 for adults and $7 for kids under 11 years of age. Registration is needed by Wednesday, April 23. To reserve a spot or if any questions, contact Michael Francaviglia at michaelfrancaviglia@gmail.com
Tour description: Upon arrival, visitors can either enjoy a ½ mile nature walk to the preserve, or grab a ride on our shuttle bus – whichever you choose; both will be available to you. Once there, you will be invited into an observation area in the center of the preserve, surrounded by 4 packs of wolves. During this informative guided presentation, visitors will learn about the social structure of wolf packs, their eating habits, interactions, and other interesting facts. During this time, you will be able to observe the wolves playing and interacting with each other in natural, wooded habitats. Following the wolf-watch, you will be guided to another area to see and learn about the preserve’s foxes, bobcat, and lynx.
The preserve is a well-known attraction for visitors of all ages. A wonderful opportunity to see these endangered animals up close, while also learning about the importance of preservation of our wildlife.
The physical address is 89 Mount Pleasant Road, Columbia NJ 07832.
The GPS coordinates are 40.970933, – 75.072232.
We are starting a mini Weekly Action for Justice
Eat Vegetarian!
One of the greatest steps we can take to save our planet is to adjust our diet to reduce meat consumption. As promised, the recipes collected from the Justice & Advocacy Ministry’s Vegetarian Tasting Potluck are now available here: https://bit.ly/Veg-Cooking Try some, then feel free to add your OWN recipes to this dynamic collection!
Flower Memorials at Saint George’s
You may not be aware of it, but there has been a long-standing tradition at St. George’s to dedicate the floral decorations at each Sunday service in memory of or thanksgiving for people we care about. Alas, we’ve let it slide in the last years, but the Altar Guild is going to revive this charming custom.
The annual fundraising events for Advent/Christmas and Easter, well-known to most St. Georgians, are focused on small gifts to underwrite the large-scale decoration of the sanctuary for these high holidays.
However, EVERY Sunday is a potential flower memorial for someone you love. The Altar Guild normally spends about $50 each weekend on flowers, with the exceptions of Advent and Lent, when flowers are not used.
If there is something YOU would like to commemorate—a birthday, a wedding or anniversary—or a loved one you would like to name with thanks or in loving memory, the Altar Guild would welcome your donation for the altar flowers for that Sunday. We will publish your commemoration in the Sunday bulletin.
Although there is technically no limit to the number of names we can celebrate on any given Sunday, the donation will be the same for everyone—and the extra funds will be used for any unclaimed weekend.
Schedule your flower memorial by sclicking HERE. Payments can be made online, details are included on the signup form.
Sunday Supper Church
Sunday, March 9 at 4.30 pm
Join us for Sunday Supper Church, monthly at 4.30 pm. Inspired by the traditions of the earliest Christians, Supper Church combines an interactive service with a communal meal. For more information click HERE. Questions? Email Meg at familyministry@stgeorges-
Upcoming 2025 Dates:
March 9, April 13, May 4, June 1, July 13, August 10, September 14, October 12, November 9, December 7.
Host a Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour
Sign up here
Week 1: Birthday Cake and fruit
Week 2: Loaves & Fishes Coffee Hour (coffee/tea, and whatever parishioners bring to share!)
Week 3: Ministry Coffee Hour
Week 4: Family Hosted Coffee Hour
Week 5: Loaves & Fishes
Office Updates
The building is physically open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 – 3, and by appointment only on Wednesdays. Ruth works remotely Mondays and Fridays, email any queries to the office on those days.
Deadline for submission of news and article in the weekly bulletin and Snapshot is noon Wednesday.
We are always looking for photographers! Did you take any great pictures at any church events that you would like to share? Please email them to the office
