ECS-NJ Sunday
“Live in love as Christ loves us.”
Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1012
April 21, 2026
Dear Siblings in Christ,
Christ is risen indeed! Grace and peace to you on this feast of Saint Anselm!
Saint Anselm took the stance that he must believe in order to understand. If we wait to understand before demonstrating faith, then it would no longer be faith. When we believe first, we may still strive for reason to clarify our belief. Sometimes, we find that clarity in charity. In our actions of love and support of each other, we often are brought forth insights into the beauty of life and the wonder of God’s connectedness between each of us.
The first Sunday of May has been identified as “ECS Sunday” in the Diocese of New Jersey. The Episcopal Community Services of New Jersey (known as ECS-NJ) is a team who raise the resources needed to support the vital ministries occurring in the congregations of our diocese. ECS-NJ builds partnerships with congregations as well as community members – that’s you too! – to those ministries feeding the hungry, providing shelter to the unhoused, clothing the naked, and strengthening the downtrodden. ECS-NJ, through its work, builds and strengthens community by sharing, supporting, and supporting.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ”
Saint Paul explains in his epistle to the Galatians, that to truly love one another means to take up their burdens. If our neighbor is suffering, we suffer. To be ‘whole’ would mean our neighbor is whole. When we have an ailment in one part of our body, a broken toe for example, the whole body suffers in striving to move from place to place. Likewise, the Body of Christ is strengthened when the hurt, the lowly, and the least are lifted up.
I invite each of us to support the building up of the Body of Christ by supporting ECS-NJ on Sunday, May 3rd. A special envelope will be made available in our narthex for this collection, and your generosity will be sent as direct support to the needs of the broader community through ECS-NJ.
Please keep those in need in your prayers as well. A continued blessed Eastertide to all! Live in love as Christ loves us. [Ephesians 5:2]
In Peace,
Fr. Michael
A Collect for
the Poor and the Neglected
The Book of Common Prayer, 826
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.