From the desk of the Senior Warden

The season of the Trinity runs from the first Sunday after Pentecost through the first Sun-

day of Advent. This Trinity season, St. Alban’s Church will be celebrating its 95th Anniver-

sary. Please join in this celebration by taking part in our planned events, especially our

Men’s and Women’s Day on August 14 and 95th

Anniversary Banquet and Silent Auction on

October 22. (Flyers for these events are included in this edition).

We are also in the final phases of the Transitional Process, which

involves completing the necessary paperwork with the Diocese of

New Jersey and the Rev. Ricardo W. Sheppard to become our Dea-

con-in-Charge and our spiritual leader starting in September.

Deacon Sheppard was ordained on June 1 at Trinity Cathedral, in

Trenton, NJ.

Let us continue our faithful journey this Trinity season through

vacations and summer months with our Guest Celebrant Reverend

Canon Terrence W. Rosheuvel. God has blessed us with his servant,

Canon Rosheuvel, whose weekly sermons and very presence

remind us of God’s love for his people! I speak for the congregation

of St. Alban’s in thanking him for sharing his deep spiritual insight

with us.

May the peace of the Lord be always with you and your families!

Joseph Tinley Mr. Joseph Tinley

The Voice of St. Alban!

Summer 2016 issue

A quarterly publication of

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church.

148 Lee Avenue,

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Email us your story ideas at office@stalbansnewbrunswick.org.

At the ordination of Deacon Ricard Sheppard at

Trinity Cathedral, June 1, 2016: The Right Rever-

end George E. Councell, the 11th Bishop of the Epis-

copal Diocese of New Jersey, Deacon Ricardo Shep-

pard, and The Right Reverend William H. Stokes,

12th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey.

What We Believe About Stewardship!

Good stewardship centers upon the conversion of people, not the collection of more dollars.

Good stewardship means recruiting leaders, not taking volunteers.

Good stewardship enables church leaders to talk about money in ways that transform lives.

Good stewardship values the time and talent of volunteers.

Good stewardship means accepting that the difference between what we say and what we do is reconciled by Jesus.

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The Voice of St. Alban

ST. ALBAN’S VISION STATEMENT St. Alban’s Episcopal Church aspires to be a living example of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in the ways it uplifts

its congregation, transforms the lives of others, and glorifies the name of God.

ST. ALBAN’S MISSION STATEMENT St. Alban’s Episcopal Church reveres the word of God and lives in obedience to the teachings

of Jesus Christ. We are committed to serving our community through Christian hospitality and

nurturing outreach.

We are guided by the values and principles of:

Welcoming all to partake in the celebration of the Body of Christ.

Structured faith development and spiritual growth through Bible study.

Service and advocacy for the poor and those less fortunate in our community and beyond.

Cultivating and encouraging our youth to embrace Christian values.

New Copies of “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

New copies of Lift Every Voice and Sing were donated by St. Alban’s

members Deborah Anderson and Pamela James to supplement the number of copies circulating in our

pews.

Rev. Canon Terrence Rosheuvel blessed the well-loved hymnals during Mass in May.

Thank you for keeping us in tune!

You’re the real blessing,

Ladies!

On April 10, Canon Cecilia Alvarez-Martin wor-shipped with us at St. Alban’s and following the mass, led the members in a Congregational Conver-sation as part of the transition process of the church in its efforts to acquire a permanent spiritual leader. As Canon Alvarez-Martin explained, this event took the place of paper mailings of parish survey to deter-mine the state of the parish.

The inquiry-style conversation allowed us to clearly articulate what we as a congregation wished to have in a new priest and was well received by all.

AT LEFT: Our Joan Steele spent part of the Spring travelling to France and The Netherlands. Although wet and dreary for some portion of the time, she visit-ed iconic sites and shared some of her journey, in pic-tures. While the weather was frequently dreary, noth-ing can stop the riot of blooms in Holland at the world-famous Keukenhof, which “opened its gates to the public in 1950 and was an instant suc-cess, with 236,000 vis-itors in the first year alone.” In 2016, the park celebrated its 66th anniversary with the theme “Golden Age.”

AT RIGHT: Vestry member and proud father Curt Nembhard and Vestry member and proud grandma Enid At-kins traveled to St. Leo Univer-sity in FL to celebrate the graduation of Brittany Nembhard, who earned an M.B.A., with a concentration in Health Admin-istration in May. Congratulations!!

AT LEFT: Paula Walcott-Quintin, Clerk of the Vestry, spent a couple of weeks in Guyana to celebrate its 50th anniversary of independence from the U.K. From just about everywhere, the Jubilee logo featuring the national animal, the majestic Jaguar, greeted residents and visitors, starting with their arrival at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at Timehri, for the May 26 independence celebration.

AT RIGHT: Our “master” traveler, Senior Acolyte Joseph Silcott, has been on a couple of trips this quarter but on his annual jaunt to Hilton Head, he took a side trip to Ft. My-ers to visit his niece. There, he attended a lo-cal Episcopal church, Church of the Holy Spirit, where he ran into fellow St. Alban’s member Sandy Petway, who attends this church whenever she’s in Florida. What a lovely coincidence, captured and shared with you all!

DO SEND US YOUR TRAVEL SNAPSHOTS FOR EACH ISSUE.

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... from near and far

The Voice of St. Alban

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St. Alban’s at Trinity Cathedral

The Voice of St. Alban

On June 1, Ricardo Sheppard was ordained a Deacon in

the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey at Trinity Cathe-

dral, in Trenton, NJ.

Deacon Sheppard will become the new spiritual leader of

St. Alban’s as its Deacon-in-Charge, starting in Septem-

ber.

Pictured at left, the Right Rev. Bishop William H. Stokes,

12th Bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey, presided at

the ordination along with the 11th Bishop of the Diocese

of New Jersey George E. Councell (second from left).

At right, a strong contingent of

St. Alban’s faithful attended

Deacon Sheppard’s ordination

and showered him with love.

We’re blessed that Deacon

Sheppard has remained stead-

fast throughout his discernment

and steadfastly continues his

journey to the priesthood.

To God be the Glory!

On May 14, our own Pamela James was appointed as the Mission Response Person for the ECW Dioc-esan Board for a three-year term. A simple ceremony was conducted at the Trinity Cathedral. PICTURED AT LEFT: St. Alban’s member Pam-ela James, third from left, at Trinity Cathedral.

Congratulations

Pamela!

On Saturday, June 11, St. Alban’s members, Clara Haynes, Claudia McGowan and June Joseph, participated in a

FLOWER FESTIVAL Workshop, where they made wonderful floral creations, along with their counterparts, to

adorn Trinity Cathedral for Cathedral Sunday (The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost). See the album compiled by Ira

Mackey (photographer) at this link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/trinityprinceton/albums/72157669171897942.

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St. Alban’s at Trinity Cathedral (continued)

The Voice of St. Alban

TOP LEFT: Claudia McGowan and Clara Haynes

with their floral creation.

TOP RIGHT: June Joseph, at left, and her Flow-

er Festival teammates with their floral creation.

AT LEFT: Participants in the FLOWER FESTI-

VAL pose for a group picture.

AT RIGHT: Trinity Cathedral

adorned, thanks to the creativity and

loving hands of devoted followers!

Isaiah 35:1 (King James Version)

“The wilderness and the solitary

place shall be glad for them; and

the desert shall rejoice, and blossom

as the rose.”

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Appreciating the Educators in Our Midst!

The Voice of St. Alban

Charlene Griffin-Jordan: I was a teacher in the public school system for a cumulative 25 years. I had a break from teaching when I was in the corporate arena for 16 years. I have taught Language Arts/English at the junior high and high school levels. I have also taught Composition and Reading on the college level at Seton Hall University and Rutgers University. My last teaching experience was at Franklin High School, teaching 9th and 10th grade Language Arts/English. My initial thoughts in college were that I’d a writer. I chose teaching as a means of transferring my love of the language to others. When I saw a student have a "now I get it" moment... then I knew that I had chosen the right profession.

Dr. Katye Monroe: Her professional career reflects the extent to which education, instruc-tion and learning permeate her life. She holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Biological Science from St. Paul’s College in Virginia. Katye also earned not one, but two master’s degrees; the first in Guidance and Counseling from Rutgers University and the second master’s degree in Administration and Supervision from Rider University. In addition, she has a doctorate in Counseling and Psychology from Rutgers.

She values the sacrifice of these years of schooling, using them to establish her as assistant

superintendent in the Paterson School System; acting and vice-principal in the New Brunswick

School System; principal in the Paterson School System; and adjunct professor at William Pater-

son and Kean universities, among other professions.

For much of her adult life, Katye has been involved in working with young people in the develop-

ment of self-esteem and in getting young people to be connected to the community around them,

even the St. Alban’s church community.

Kim Scott: I have been a teacher for fifteen years with New Brunswick Public Schools. Prior to that I worked in Basic Skills for four years. Teaching was not my first choice. Reverend Harroldean Ashton at St. Alban’s told me I should become a teacher, so I followed her suggestion.

I enjoy providing an opportunity for students to grow and learn. Working directly with New Brunswick's students for nineteen years has given me a better understanding of the challenges they face, I have learned different methods of managing the classroom, and obtaining parental involvement and helping students learn when they are receiving less support outside of school. I also have a love of watching students learn and being a part of their growing up. Giving children the ability to achieve their best and inspiring them not only academically but personally is very rewarding. Children learn in different environments. Teaching gives me the opportunities to help shape a dream of the student as well as it contributes towards personal growth. I teach because I believe that it is my calling to help students in urban schools become excited about learning, en-gaged in the learning process and to excel in all that they do. I also want to instill a love of learning in students, so that they will always have a desire to grow and develop.

Teacher Appreciation Week was May 2-5, 2016. A White House ceremony was held on May 3, National Teacher Day,

to honor the winner and finalists of the 2016 National Teacher of the Year award, as well as public school educators

everywhere. We can’t compete with a ceremony at the ‘people’s house’, but we can say thank you to the St. Alban’s

educators in our own way, by sharing a little of their own stories about how long they’ve been in the trenches, what

drew them to the profession and the satisfaction they derive from educating and guiding our young. Read a snippet of

our six St. Alban’s ‘honorees’ and their journey below and on the following page. Thank You for Teaching our Youth!

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Appreciating the Educators in Our Midst! (continued)

The Voice of St. Alban

Eloise Jasmin: I was a Teacher’s Assistant 1965 to 2006, teaching preschool up to sixth grade at

Paul Robeson School in New Brunswick.

What got me into the field was teaching my five kids, who attended the Lord Sterling school in New Bruns-

wick. I worked for economic reasons to support my kids. I volunteered at Lawrence Sterling school and was

made an honorary member of Laura starling for all the activities in which I participated.

I enjoyed seeing our children progressing. Up to today, the kids would see me on the street and say there

goes my preschool teacher, and that would make you feel good. I remember kids saying to my own children,

"your mother made me start drinking milk," -- you know, from snack time for preschoolers. (Laughs)

One of her most prized memories? That would be teaching preschoolers how to dial 911 in case of emergen-

cies. There was a four-year-old whose mother didn't get sick and he knew how to call 911, saving her life.

That story made the newspapers and I felt so proud. Also, the principal used to take me out of my preschool

class to be a substitute in the grades. I got excellent evaluations from the students and I got along with every-

one. I loved my job!

Garfield (Curt) Nembhard: I have been working with young people for over 20 years. Working in the education, child service field was not my first choice. However, my love for young people, as well as my desire to make a difference drew me to actively en-gage. Working with young people over the years has allowed me to maintain an updated perspec-tive; simply put, "I am able to keep my hands on the proverbial pulse of what makes each generation tick." I have learned how to be proactive and impactful when interacting with youths. The Franklin Township School District has made great use of the services of Curt Nembhard who has been a Substitute Teacher in the Franklin Township Middle School for the past six years. He’s also served the district as the Head Coach for the high school soccer program for four years, now ended and thoroughly enjoyed by the former soccer standout at Rowan University. For the past 10 years he’s been the Assistant Director of Franklin Youth Prevention & Empowerment Program (F.Y.P.E.P) After-School Diversion Program, a part of the Family & Community Service of Somerset County.

Joan Steele: I retired as a Guidance Counselor from the Piscataway Campus of Middlesex County Vocational and Technical High School in 2003 after 26 years there. Altogether, it’s been a total of 37 years, including serving as a librarian, as well. I chose education because I wanted to be a librarian. I loved reading and thought it was wonderful that someone would pay me to play with books all day. My first job was as a library cataloger at Fairleigh Dickinson in Teaneck. Sitting in a back office with women older than my mother was not fun. I then went to Charlotte High School in Rochester, N. Y. The students often asked me for advice. It was "safe" to talk to me because I wasn't a parent, a teacher or an administrator. It occurred to me that maybe I should know what I was talking about, so I went on to get a Master's Degree in Student Personnel Services.

I enjoyed my job very much. I referred to it as "raising other people's children.”

Students from the New Brunswick campus of Rutgers University fanned out across the city to help nonprofits

and other community organizations for its “Spring into Service” on April 23. St. Alban’s was grateful for the

help of nine Rutgers undergraduates who spent several hours cleaning both the Sanctuary and the adjoining

Fellowship Hall at the church, in addition to sorting kids clothing in the Thrift Shop. The students hailed

mostly from New Jersey but two were undergraduates who live as far away as India and Australia.

The student volunteers were led by Nicole Chen, who gathered them together at the end of all the hard work

for a period of reflection on the spirit of service and volunteerism. For the past two years, Paula Walcott-

Quintin, Clerk of the Vestry, has worked to bring the Rutgers student volunteers to St. Alban’s in both the

Spring and Fall.

In the group picture below, L-R: Joseph Tinley (Senior Warden); Dorothy Bryant; Rutgers Students Sophia Huang (Freshman at School of Arts and Sciences-SAS, Biology); Simran Fernandes from India (Freshman at Rutgers Business School-RBS, Marketing); Claudia Cam-marata, a study-abroad student from Australia (Senior at School of Engi-neering- SOE, Mechanical Engineering); Rosemary Ferraira (Sophomore at RBS, Accounting); Desire Diaz (Sophomore at SAS, Sociology); Farhat Alam (Freshman at SAS, Computer Science); Niva Franco (Sophomore at Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy-EMSOP, Pharmacy); Ashley Dunn (Freshman at SAS, Computer Science); and Nicole Chen (Junior at SAS, Human Re-sources & Labor Studies); James Simmons (Junior Warden); and Enid At-kins (Vestry Member).

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The Voice of St. Alban

9

HAPPENINGS!!

The Voice of St. Alban

Congratulations to our own Enid Atkins, who cele-

brated her retirement after close to 20 years with

the Franklin School District. The years flew by and

added up, but this St. Alban’s faithful finds joy in

every task, including her devotion to the Food

Pantry, the Radical Hospitality Ministry, and

serving as a long-term member of the Vestry,

among others. But nothing compares to her joy in

serving the Lord.

HAPPY RETIREMENT, Ms. Enid!

HUGE YARD SALE

Thanks to all the members and friends of St. Alban’s who

worked so diligently at the Thrift Shop Yard Sale on April

30. It was a huge success as the community turned out in

large support and got some great bargains, to boot.

Pun intended!

The Opportunity of a Lifetime by Shanique McGowan During my final semester at Monmouth University’s Master of Social Work program, I was able to travel to Bangladesh to participate in the Field Abroad program as a part of the International and Community Develop-ment concentration. Along with my classmate Tahsina, I completed my internship with the Institute of Develop-ment Affairs (IDEA). This non-government organization has many programs that gave me a great overview of the social justice issues people living in poverty face in this country.

The specific program that I focused on dur-ing my time with IDEA was the Water Sanitation and Hygiene project. This pro-ject is one that seeks to improve the livelihoods of tea garden laborers in Sylhet, Bangladesh. The program pro-vides education, facilities, and resources for these individ-uals to improve their water sanitation, waste manage-ment, and personal hygiene practices. I was particularly interested in learning how this project used adolescent group meetings to educate the young women in the tea gardens about menstrual and reproductive hygiene.

After this experience, Bangladesh has a special place in my heart. The culture, food, lan-guage and country are beautiful. The warm-hearted individuals I worked with graciously accepted me. Traveling to the various villages, staying in the city capital, and spending time on the coastal areas were mesmerizing. I am blessed to have been given this oppor-tunity and to have been supported by my church family at St. Alban’s. Thank you for all of the encouragement and prayers!

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Bangladesh Internship

The Voice of St. Alban

Shanique is seated 2nd from the right; Tahsina is at the far right.

Welcome Back!

Upon Shanique’s return, she and her family hosted a special Coffee Hour following Mass, after which she did a Power point presentation of her Bangla-desh experience for members of the congregation. She and Tahsina had a special cake to make the occasion. She returned with an new set of experiences and wider perspective on life, some mementos (at right), and to a warm “welcome back” from her

church family! We’re so proud of you!

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The Voice of St. Alban

On April 22, St. Alban’s was one of four churches honored (Fountain Baptist,

New Covenant Church of God, North Stelton AME) by the Raritan Valley (NJ)

Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, at its 30th Anniversary Community Partner

Achievement and Scholarship Awards Dinner. Senior Warden Joseph Tinley

accepted a “Community Partner” award on behalf of the church, which has a

long history with the Links, through founding member Dr. Katye Monroe,

who’s been a longtime member of the St. Alban’s.

Several members of St. Alban's, in addition to our Guest Celebrant Canon Rev.

Terrence Rosheuvel and his wife Maylene, were in attendance to participate in

the evening’s celebration, which also included a awards to several organiza-

tions, individuals and scholarships for youth.

On April 24, Christopher Bell of Charlotte, NC, visited St. Alban’s, keeping that strong connec-

tion to the church that has endured over the generations. He’s pictured after Mass sitting in the

first pew, the very spot he sat when he regularly attended St. Alban’s.

Christopher's the great grandson of Emily Way, one of

the original members of St. Alban’s. In fact his grand-

mother, his mother and he were all confirmed at St. Al-

ban’s. Christopher, who was confirmed in 1984, was a

former acolyte at the church. His parents, Calvin and Bar-

bara Bell, were married at St. Alban’s on April 21, 1956. See

photos at left.

He's also the nephew of our own Walter B. Morris, Jr., so

the connections are strong and enduring.

Christopher was born in New Brunswick in Stratford Place,

and graduated St. Peter's High School in 1989. He lived

most of his live in New Brunswick but moved permanently

to North Carolina in June 1997 and has worked for Delta Airlines for the past

two years.

On May 1, St. Alban’s was again graced by the presence of a familiar face, in the form of Father Edward Warner who lives in Atlanta, GA, but was visiting New Jersey for Rutgers Alumni Weekend as part of the class of Rutgers College, Class of 1961. Fr. Warner visits St. Alban’s Church whenever he comes for Rutgers reunions but he notably missed his 20th reunion. An interesting story that he tells in his own words here:

“Early in 1981 I hosted a family at my home for several days. When they left it seemed I could hear every noise and I

felt so all alone. I began to pray for a wife. In the spring I was working with a couple preparing for marriage. I learned

that the date they had in mind for the ceremony and the date for my 20-year reunion at Rutgers were one and the

same. I spoke first to the bride’s mother suggesting a different date or a different priest. She seemed so disappointed

that I cancelled my trip to NJ. At the wedding reception I met the woman who later became my bride. Talk about

Divine intervention!”

Edward was born in Somerset, NJ, and was baptized at St. Alban’s when he was seven years old. He was also confirmed

at St. Alban’s, which was the home church for his mother and her family.

He attended New Brunswick High School and later Rutgers College. While in

college, then Lay Reader-in-Charge Benjamin Johnson and Warden George

Royster recommended to the Diocese of New Jersey that Edward be considered

for the priesthood.

He went to General Theological Seminary in New York City and in 1964 was

ordained a Deacon in April and a priest in October that year. The first church to

which he was assigned was St. Alban's, where he stayed for three years. He left

for St. Augustine's Kansas City, where he spent nine years and followed by his

tenure at St. Paul's in Atlanta for 23 years. Since officially retiring in 2001, he's

been serving as Deacon and Priest-in-Charge of Christ-the-King Church in

Douglaston, GA.

Following Masson his recent visit, Edward sat is his favorite place in the church,

the back pew, where he was captured in this picture.

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Coming Home! The Voice of St. Alban

What follows are some of Edward’s reflections, in his own words: “During my early childhood my mother worked six days a week. My grandmother sent me to Sunday School at churches near our home. One Sunday, my mother took me to St. Alban’s and I knew I was home. For a while I went to Sunday School and went home before the main service began. One Communion Sunday someone persuaded me to stay for service. I’ve been a “Mass Man” ever since. As a child at St. Alban’s, I always felt encouraged by the adults. I was invited to participate in activities such as the junior choir, altar boy, and the Christmas and Easter programs. It was a special honor when Mr. and Mrs. Johnson encouraged me to read lessons at Morning Prayer. The annual outing to an amusement park was something to look forward to. While a college student I learned of a conversation between a faculty member and a St. Alban’s parishioner. The faculty member said some complimentary things about me, to which the St. Albanite responded, “You don’t have to tell us, dear; we’ve watched him grow.” St. Alban’s did more than watch me grow. It helped me grow! As vicar, I found the lay leadership up front with any criticism or disagreement but totally supportive of decided courses of action. I am currently an honorary Canon of Saint Alban’s Anglican Cathedral in Orlando, Florida. Whatever honors or achievements I have as a priest are due in part to my beginnings in St. Alban’s Mission, New Brunswick, New Jersey.”

DO Come visit US again soon, Christopher and edward!

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Coming Home! (continued)

The Voice of St. Alban

Left to Right: Captured in this old clipping, Benjamin T.

Johnson, Lay Reader and Treasurer; George Royster,

Warden; Rev. Edward Warner, newly-appointed Vicar; and

The Ven. Samuel Stienmetz, Jr., Archdeacon.

Senior Warden Joseph Tinley and

Fr. Edward Warner pictured standing

before the altar at St. Alban’s.

The Church of St Alban’s St. Alban’s Church New Brunswick

St. Alban’s Food Pantry opens Wednesdays, 7 – 9 p.m.

To volunteer, contact Mrs. Enid Atkins, Coordinator.

St. Alban’s Thrift Shop opens Wednesdays 6 – 8 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

To volunteer, contact Mr. James Simmons Jr., Manager.

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PLEASE NOTE

The Voice of St. Alban

Please share your comments, story ideas, and events for the “The Voice of St. Alban” quarterly newsletter

with Editor-in-Chief Paula Walcott-Quintin, by sending an email to office@stalbansnewbrunswick.org.

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church

148 Lee Avenue

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

TO:

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church

Phone: 732-247-0808 Fax: 732-249-5818

Email: office@stalbansnewbrunswick.org Website: www.stalbansnewbrunswick.org