Church Groups

Worshiping God through Music

We glorify God through our music. Music lifts our spirits and souls and carries the words which we are saying to new heights. We can worship without music but music makes our worship soar. You can use and develop your musical gift in the following choirs:

• St. Peter’s Adult Choir sings at the 10am service each Sunday and welcomes singers of all skill levels. Rehearsals take place at 8:45am each Sunday.
• St. Peter’s Children’s Choir (St. Cecilia’s Choir) invites all children to praise God in joyous song during special services throughout the year.
• St. Peter’s Chime Choir also enriches our worship throughout the year. Its members are varied in age (children through seniors) and welcomes all skill levels.

Education and Discussion

The Bible Study Group
The Bible Study Group meets Wednesdays at 1:15pm for an ongoing study of the Bible. The format encourages individual participation and welcomes all levels of acquaintance with the Bible.

The Spiritual Life Group
The Spiritual Life Group meets Wednesdays at 3:00pm to read, discuss and be inspired by spiritual writers throughout Christian history. The group balances inward spiritual development with outward service to the church and the community.
[Read More]

[Back to top]

Committees and Contacts

There are many opportunities for involvement in our committees. Committees meet to further develop their work, to dream dreams, see visions and collaborate with God and one another to help those dreams and visions become realities.

The Vestry - the governing board of the church consisting of six members (Vestry members) and two Wardens. The Vestry meets monthly on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:15pm.

Buildings Committee - plans and oversees the maintenance and refurbishment of the church and rectory buildings and grounds to assure that our buildings are inviting, hospitable, safe spaces for all people who use them.
Contact Nancy Tiensch 973-535-3826

The Opening New Doors Committee - seeks to make the church accessible for all. Contact Nancy Tiensch 973-535-3826

The Stewardship Committee - supports and develops the understanding and practice of Christian stewardship among the members of St. Peter’s community through a program of planning and implementation. Contact Rev. Dr. Jane Tomaine 973-992-1932

The Altar Guild - prepares the altar for weekly worship and cares for the altar and worship supplies of the parish. Contact Peggy Holloway 973-992-7903

The Acolytes Guild - assists in offering the liturgy on Sundays and feast days. Contact Peggy Holloway 973-992-7903

The Lectors - assist in reading lessons. The Lay Readers and Chalice Bearers Guild assists in leading the worship of the parish through officiating at Morning and Evening Prayer, reading lessons, leading prayers and bearing the chalice. Contact Peggy Holloway 973-992-7903

The Ushers and Greeters Guild - assists worshippers by providing bulletins, answering questions, welcoming visitors and receiving the collection. Contact Peggy Holloway 973-992-7903

The Finance Committee - assists the Vestry with planning and managing the financial life of the parish. These plans include: capital funding, funding the annual budget and ongoing program and maintenance of St. Peter’s. Contact Jane Tomaine 973-992-1932

The Outreach Committee - provides leadership and direction for extending St. Peter’s involvement, support and caring to the larger community and creates opportunities for members of St. Peter’s to express their Christian vocation. Contact Peggy Holloway 973-992-7903

The Welcome Committee - develops and implements an intentional program of hospitality and welcome that offers new members ready access to and understanding of St. Peter’s parish life. Contact Rev. Dr. Jane Tomaine 973-992-1932

The Hospitality Committee - organizes refreshments for Coffee Hour and other parish events. Contact Ann Petras 973-99206985 or Franca Rivera 973-740-0146

[Back to top]

Fellowship Opportunities

Parish events attract a variety of age ranges and are opportunities for friendship, fellowship and fun among parish members and within the larger community.

• Welcome Back Sunday: September 9, 2007 (First Sunday after Labor Day)
• Taste of the Town Parish Dinner: September 22, 2007
• Kids’ 5th Sundays: September 30, 2007, December 30, 2007, March 30, 2008, June 29, 2008
• Hike to Hacklebarney State Park and Outdoor Eucharist: October 21, 2007
• Parish Halloween Party: October 26, 2007
• Santa’s Workshop (for children): December 1, 2007
• Adopt-a-Family Dinner: December 21, 2007
• Caroling at Canterbury Village: December 29, 2007
• Twelfth Night Celebration: January 5, 2008
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Inservice day (Pajama and Book Drive): January 21, 2008
• St. Peter’s Annual Parish Meeting: January 27, 2008
• Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper: February 5, 2008
• Holy Trinity soup kitchen: February 9, 2008
• St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Silent Auction: March 15, 2008
• Seder Dinner: March 20, 2008
• Good Friday and Family Way of the Cross: March 21, 2008
• Easter Egg Hunt: March 23, 2008
• CROP Walk: April 13, 2008
• Holy Trinity soup kitchen: May 17, 2008
• Clam Bake: June 14, 2008

Other activities vary and may include a hike with Eucharist in the woods, a trip to a baseball game, hayride and pumpkin picking, card parties, parish garage sales among many others.

Coffee Hour: You will find engaging conversation at coffee hour in the school wing following the Sunday service. On special occasions we will gather for brunch at the rectory (the house on our property).

Foyer Groups: small groups of parishioners who come together on a regular but informal basis to share a meal and conversation. Foyer groups are a wonderful vehicle for promoting new friendships and fellowship within the St. Peter’s community.

[Back to top]

Opportunities for Children

Children are a vital and welcome part of the worship life of St. Peter’s.

Spiritual Formation and Education for Children

St. Peter’s Church School is held from September through June in the rectory (the house next to the church). We offer Sunday School for all children ages 3 and up.

All Things New (ATN) is a new curriculum for the older class (ages 9 and up) who meet at 9am during the school year. ATN is scripture centered and incorporates Episcopal liturgy and traditions. It explores scripture for today’s Church with multicultural music, art and activities. The program flows like a service with an opening song and incorporates some of the prayers from the 10am worship service. The children create their own prayer book throughout the year.

Children & Worship (CAW) is offered for the younger children (ages 3-8), who meet at 10am during the school year, and is a multi-sensory approach to worship. CAW enables our children to experience, not just learn about, God. It provides a special place for them to discover the ways and meaning of worship; to learn how to transform ordinary place and time into sacred place and time, how to discover the quiet place within themselves to listen and talk with God, and how to bring their experiences into dialogue with God in the biblical stories. Using visual materials, the Worship Leader tells the stories of the day and focuses attention on visual aids, drawing children’s attention to them. When the story is finished a “wondering session” occurs aloud, encouraging the children’s own wonderings relating to the story. A response time of arts and crafts follows, finishing with a story being read from the Bible.

Nursery Care is available each Sunday for children up to age 6.

Kids’ 5th Sundays
St. Peter’s invites the children of the parish to lead worship on the last Sunday of every month in which there are five Sundays. This service provides a chance for the members of the church to honor and celebrate the children of the parish. The children will serve in many of the jobs normally reserved for adults. They will serve as acolytes, cross bearers, greeters, ushers and lectors, will act out the Gospel reading and will lead the congregation in singing the anthem. The Children and Worship leader will tell a Bible story after the Gospel reading, using songs, wooden figures, felt and other visual materials. The story concludes with a “wondering session” where the children provide their thoughts and responses to what they have just heard.

Torchbearers/Jr. Acolytes
Children ages 8 and up are invited to participate in the worship service by serving as Torchbearers or Junior Acolytes.

Confirmation
The Rector will provide confirmation instruction for teens as preparation for reaffirming their baptismal vows and for making an affirmation of their adult responsibilities in the church. Confirmation is a rite in which we express faith and commitment to Christ and, by prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop, receive strength from the Holy Spirit to continue in the life of faith and commitments. The usual age for confirmation is 12 or 13 years old.

Gifts of the Spirit (Children’s Outreach)
The children are welcome to participate in all Outreach opportunities at St. Peter’s. Their eagerness and excitement in helping others in need is always appreciated.

Soup Kitchen: St. Peter’s provides lunch four times a year to Christine’s Kitchen in West Orange. The children love participating and look forward to continuing this mission to feed the hungry.

Visiting the Elderly: The children frequently visit residents at Canterbury Village in West Orange. They play bingo, sing, share stories or show and tell with the residents and enjoy bringing smiles to the resident’s faces!

Children’s Collection: Each year the children collect money or material goods to donate to a worthy cause. In year’s past they have collected for The Heifer Project, The Wheelchair Foundation, Operation Christmas Child and Pennies from Heaven.

Youth Group: The youth group meets monthly and is open to children in 4th grade and up. The group plans various trips and service projects throughout the year, with the focus on being together and having fun!

Other Opportunities for Children: Other children and family programs that occur throughout the year include: observance of the Children’s Sabbath, Halloween party, baking bread for the Eucharist, Santa’s Workshop, Christmas pageant and Jesse Tree service, providing dinner, gifts and fellowship to a formerly homeless family during the Christmas season, Twelfth Night celebration, Children’s Good Friday Service, Easter egg hunt, Children Choir and Chime Choir and many other activities.

[Back to top]

OUTREACH

Opportunities for Service and Outreach
We aim to serve Christ in all persons locally and globally. We place a special emphasis on assisting those in need in our local community through volunteer work and financial support of local homeless shelters and food programs. You are invited to join in these various ministries with your time, talent and gifts.

• St. Peter’s Thrift Shop: Since 1955 the Thrift Shop has been a place where people can bring discarded clothing and other household items to be recycled. Today, approximately 20 women and men come out on Tuesdays to accept, sort, price and sell merchandise and offer friendship to one another and their customers. The Thrift Shop provides clothing at a modest cost to those with limited incomes. Clothing is freely given to victims of fires and other disasters and whatever isn’t sold is given away to the needy. The Thrift Shop is open every Tuesday (Sep. through June) from 10am-4pm.
• Interfaith Hospitality Network host site: St. Peter’s has provided a sanctuary for temporarily homeless families in the Interfaith Hospitality Network since 1996. St. Peter’s opens its doors to the families for one week in August, providing meals, a place to sleep and support for the families in the program.
• Soup Kitchen: Providing lunch for the hungry four times a year to Christine’s Kitchen at Holy Trinity Church in W. Orange.
• Food Barrel: Monthly collection of non-perishable food and other items for the Holy Trinity food pantry.
• Knitting Ministry: Knitters meet at the rectory on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at 7:00 to work on small or complex projects which are then donated to needy families, merchant marines, children or animals at local shelters.
• Holiday Collections: Providing food baskets for the needy in the community for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• North Porch Women and Infants Center: Collecting new baby items (either with a “baby shower” or parish ingathering) for needy mothers and children who need emergency assistance.
• Adopt a Family: Providing dinner, gifts and fellowship for a formerly homeless family during the Christmas season.
• Caroling: Visiting and singing carols during the Christmas season to nursing home residents, soup kitchen patrons and shut-ins.
• Children International: Supporting two “adopted” children in Nicaragua
• Church World Service: Providing financial support.
• Pajamas and Books: Collecting for needy children during the Martin Luther King Jr. day or service.
• CROP Walk: Joining with the community to support this organization.
• United Thank Offering: An ongoing program of offering thanks and making a small donation in a UTO collection box as a token of appreciation to God. Our offerings are collected and combined nationwide to make millions of dollars that supply worldwide grants for which others are able to give thanks.
• Episcopal Relief and Development: Providing financial support for their programs throughout the world.
• Bread for the World Offering of Letters: Contacting legislators to advocate for hunger relief in the United States and abroad.

St. Peter’s also provides meeting space for Boy Scout Troop 12.

[Back to top]