
As we prayed last week as individuals, as a family, as a community, we prayed for those who have been impacted by the train accident at Hoboken Terminal. We prayed for the 34-year-old mother who died in the crash and the husband, toddler and family she left behind. We prayed for more than 100 neighbors who were injured. We prayed for those who served as police, rescue teams and hospital workers. We prayed for everyone who was affected by the accident in one way or another. But it didn’t feel like enough.

I felt grateful that my loved ones were spared; I cherished the time with my spouse more than usual; and I held my children even closer. I’m sure you did, too. We feel an intense gratitude that we have an opportunity to, and because that opportunity has been taken from others, it feels selfish. But we do it anyway because it feels safe. We want that to be enough. But it isn’t.

This past month has been heavy for many of us. Prior to the tragedy of the train accident, I had already been wrestling with heartbreak. A friend is living though every parent’s worst nightmare: the loss of a child. My friend Stephanie had learned at the 20-week ultrasound that she was expecting a baby GIRL! What she didn’t expect was that her baby would be diagnosed with a congenital heart disease — one that would require several open-heart surgeries once \[_if_\] she safely arrived.

Months later, we welcomed Baby Madison, and it seemed that all of Hoboken cheered as she survived various surgeries upon birth. Unfortunately, her condition continued to worsen, and it was eventually determined that she’d need a heart transplant. The community of Hoboken came together in a way that I’ve never experienced to raise funds, awareness and prayers. In the end, Madison’s little heart simply could not endure anymore. Hoboken gathered together again to weep, to pray and to embrace Stephanie and her husband, Matt, as they said goodbye to their 3-month-old daughter. Sadly, Madison is the third infant we’ve mourned together. A mutual friend had lost her twin preemies a year earlier. She is currently on bed rest, desperately holding onto another pregnancy, as we continue to grieve together.

I feel worried for these women who I love so deeply; I feel angry that the sorrow continues to pile on for our tiny circle; I feel uneasy that more afflictions will happen when we are already so broken. In fact, I put off writing this post because I am fighting a reflex to run away — to someplace where I can feel safer; where I can rest; where I can find peace.

There are two Bible verses that I refer to when I simply cannot quiet my own fears.

_“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10_

_“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:6-7_

That is when I am reminded that the comforts I am seeking can only be found in my faith in God. He does not promise us that our lives will be void of pain. He _does_ promise that we will not endure our pains alone. He will comfort us as our Father. And that _is_ enough.


Finding Peace in God’s Promises


Are you a parent? Have you been thinking about attending [Amplify](http://hobokengrace.com/amplify/) this year, but worried about finding a sitter? No need to worry – we have a solution! This fall, childcare is available at Amplify!

An incredible fun-filled day is being planned for your child on Saturday, October 21st at Step by Step Early Childhood Center. Step by Step is located at 720 Monroe St., Suite C-107\. The staff are experienced, caring individuals who are dedicated to the well-being of your child. They are certified in CPR and First Aid.

Childcare is available for children up to 12 years old. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Naptime is also available (but please bring a blanket).

There is a $20 registration fee per child. Registration for kids starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday and pick-up is from 3:45 p.m. – 4 p.m. A child registration form will be sent to each parent for medical and contact information prior to the day of the event.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sarah at [sarah@hobokengrace.com](mailto:sarah@hobokengrace.com).

Register today at [hobokengrace.com/amplify](http://hobokengrace.com/amplify) and we’ll see you there!

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/10/PHOTO-431x1024.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/10/PHOTO.jpg)


Parents, We’ve Got You Covered!

This fall’s[ Amplify](http://hobokengrace.com/amplify/), a one-day conference designed to boost your faith and experience of God, is happening at Hoboken Grace on Saturday, Oct. 22nd! As you look through the eight tracks offered, consider taking Empower, a class that will help you discover the gifts you were given to impact the world around you — and give you that extra jolt to do so.

Kara took Empower in the spring to find opportunities that fit her interests and erratic schedule. She also wanted to get inspired about service.

“I’d been friends with Rachel Norris, who teaches Empower,” Kara says, “and she’s such a passionate, inspiring person. I thought, if I could do anything to help bring more of that out in me, I’d like that.”

Kara had already been serving Hoboken Grace and the community in various ways. She helped launch the [Hoboken Christmas Exchange](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/the-hoboken-christmas-exchange-restoring-the-holiday-spirit/) and was serving on the Events Team. But Kara had been looking for another way to serve that fit her to a T. Empower helped her get there.

“You go through different categories of service to find what excites you,” she explains. “And then there are the other people in the class, pointing out that you would be great at this.”

What she learned at Empower also excited her. “God _made_ us to serve,” Kara says. “God made us with specific gifts, and when you match up that gift with opportunities to serve your community, you’re happy, you’re enjoying yourself.”

Like Kara, James had also been serving Hoboken Grace and the community before he took Empower, including as a board member for [TRUE Mentors](http://truementors.org/). While he hadn’t been looking for a better fit in terms of service, the leadership roles he’d taken on could generate pressure, he says. Taking Empower helped him put in perspective what it means to serve.

“Empower was a way to get back to the core of who God is,” says James.

As an introvert, he admits that his first choice of service was to help with set-up on Sunday mornings at Hoboken Grace — “because it was the least interactive team.” But “when you start serving, and when you step through classes like Empower and take on opportunities that you may not have chosen for yourself, you find God and His strength,” he says.

Now, James helps other people find their gifts as a member of the Engagement Team. He says he’s excited every Sunday to meet with people and hear their stories. “I’m super interested in just getting to know people, and that’s a huge gift that God has given me,” he says.

Register for Amplify’s Empower class[ here](http://hobokengrace.com/amplify/). You can also sign up for Foundations, Story, Marriage, Luke, 1 Samuel, 1 Corinthians or Ecclesiastes. (The $20 early-bird registration rate expires on Saturday, Oct. 8\. After that, registration is $30.) Lunch is included, and childcare is available.

[![DSCF0159](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/02/DSCF0159-e1475683566231.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/02/DSCF0159.jpg)


Amplify: Rock Your Purpose

It’s been more than six years since 1Day Hoboken launched, but it’s still amazing to see how much our community can accomplish. We don’t know how many people were truly affected, truly impacted by the projects held throughout Hoboken this year on Sept. 24\. But here’s what we do know:

* More than 400 people registered for the event, our biggest yet.
* We packaged over 10,000 meals to help fight hunger in Hudson County with Generosity Feeds. It was an incredible opportunity, one that needed nearly 200 volunteers, and you did not disappoint. The boxes have already been delivered to In Jesus’ Name Charities, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Thessalonians Community Outreach Center, The Hoboken Shelter and the Hoboken Housing Authority. Those meals will continue to make an impact in our community in the days and weeks to come.
* Dozens of other volunteers served our community in other ways, making a difference in virtually every part of the city.

And you can actually see the difference! Our parks, schools and waterfront are cleaner because of you — not to mention the many other places where you served across the city.

We helped out our friend Spike at the St. Matthew Trinity Lunchtime Ministry, where we helped clean and prepare for the guests they receive on a weekly basis. We love what they’re doing to serve the homeless and the hungry in our community. Their goal is to treat them with dignity and respect, and one of the ways they do this is by maintaining an up-to-standards operation. Can you continue to help? Absolutely. Spike is always looking for Lunchtime Ministry servers. You can email him at [office@stmatthewtrinity.org](mailto:office@stmatthewtrinity.org).

Once again, we were able to partner with the City of Hoboken on two projects this year. We tackled the rocky beaches of Maxwell Place and Sinatra Park and began a clean-up of the many items either washed up or carelessly thrown into the surf. We also took to the playgrounds. We know how important it is to keep our playgrounds safe and clean, and we sought to sanitize and protect the play equipment at Sinatra Park and Church Square Park.

We went back and visited our friends at Holy Innocents on 6th and Willow. That beautiful church you see standing there and wonder what’s inside? Our volunteers got a sneak peek of what’s to come. By removing debris, dust and dirt,volunteers helped clean up this historical landmark so it can hopefully provide event space in the near future.

[![DSCF6263](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/10/DSCF6263.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/10/DSCF6263.jpg)

We helped prep, cook and serve another meal with our friends at The Hoboken Shelter. We love partnering with this organization and love giving back to people who care and give so much to their clients. Do you know we do this every month? We cook, prepare and serve the meal on the first Friday of every month from 6-8 p.m. Check our [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/hobokengrace/?fref=ts) for details.

One of our partners in the community is TRUE Mentors. This wonderful organization provides authentic mentoring relationships for the youth in Hoboken and so much more. Through workshops, internships and mentor/mentee relationships, TRUE Mentors is really changing the culture here in Hoboken and we’re happy to assist them. A dedicated group helped clean their offices and prepped activities and supplies for enrichment clubs. For details on how to get more involved, check out[ truementors.org.](http://truementors.org)

Can you believe it’s been two years since Hoboken Grace met at Hoboken High School? One of the relationships we helped foster there was with the school’s theater teacher, Mrs. Miller. We’ve kept in contact with her and are always looking for ways to help. This year we were able to tackle years and years of piled-up wood and helped create a more efficient environment for the Drama Department all year round.

We had a team at ACME, collecting food and donations for the Hoboken Shelter. This awesome team serves twice a month, helping stock local food banks and shelters. This is something you can do every month to give back! Email [anthony@hobokengrace.com](mailto:anthony@hobokengrace.com) to find out how you can join the Collection Table team.

One of our new partners this year is HOLA, a dual-language charter school here in Hoboken. Having recently moved into a new space at the fourth floor of 301 Garden, HOLA needed assistance in putting together their library! A group of bookworms got together, brushed off their Dewey Decimal skills and literally helped build their library! It’s something countless students will enjoy for years to come.

All of this was done in just ONE day, folks! Thank you for those who came out to be a part of this and thank you for making a difference. As you walk by your neighbor or stroll through the park today, realize you were a part of that. For that alone we can be thankful.

Mark your calendars for our next exciting opportunity to give back in a big way! The [Hoboken Christmas Exchange](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/the-hoboken-christmas-exchange-restoring-the-holiday-spirit/) is just around the corner on Dec. 10!

[![DSCF6305](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/10/DSCF6305.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/10/DSCF6305.jpg)


1Day, Countless Ways You Made a Difference

It’s raining again. Actually, it rained a lot this summer. Not daylong downpours that ruin all the vacation plans, but flash thunderstorms late at night that last no longer than an hour. The kind of storm that makes you grateful to stay inside — to snuggle down in your bed and think about how safe you are. They remind me that this city environment is not immune to the motion of nature. I look out my window and watch the water soak into my garden.

The community garden on 11th Street in Hoboken has enriched my life. My last local address had a private backyard I could reach by climbing out my kitchen window and down the fire escape. But my days of balancing a tray of perennials in one hand while blindly stepping down a metal ladder are over. When I moved into my new place, there was no backyard. I could look out my small hall window at trees, squirrels, birds and other neighbors’ landscaped backyards, but couldn’t get to them. Soon, I was missing my little plot, and one night prayed against all hope, “God, please give me a garden.”

Within a week, a note appeared in my mailbox saying that a new community garden was being organized in the five-block meridian in the middle of 11th Street. After months of looking longingly out the back hall window, I scurried through my kitchen to gaze out the larger front window in a new direction — at the trees, bushes, stone border, random blossoms and healthy weeds within easy reach just outside my front door. I signed up immediately.

One thing I discovered is that if I let the plants tell me where they want to be, and let them spread where they choose, competing amongst themselves for ground space, the garden design works better than anything I can plot out on paper and force into place. When I garden my life that same way, attentive to the living patterns but with no final expectations — it goes better as well. Just follow the flow provided by God and nature, experiment with images I like, and weed out what seems to distract from the overall plan that is emerging.

This new garden isn’t actually private — it is viewed from all sides. Neighbors and strangers can see everything from all angles, seem to feel free to pick flowers and regularly dash through the beds to catch the 126 Bus into NYC. I had to learn a lot of quick lessons about how to design and plant with the general public in mind — as well as turn the weedy lot into an extension of my personal space. Instead of asking people to stop stepping on my petunias, it became obvious that I had to accommodate the foot traffic with a well-placed stone pathway. And that we all would enjoy plants with attractive sturdy foliage, and small flowers that don’t last if you pick them — so I didn’t get as frustrated that strangers were trampling my work. After a while, I realized that the garden had changed my shape and approach to the task as much as I had changed it.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/10/gardenusethis-e1475674771521.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/10/gardenusethis-e1475674771521.jpg)When I look out my front window, I can tell if I need to get out there and water. My first clue is that the flowering plants stop flowering. That can seem like an emergency, and I find myself soaking the flower beds first, so they will be pretty again. Soon I realized that the whole garden needed water, not just the showy parts. How often do we do that with people — only pay attention to the ones that can beautify our world? But a garden has many kinds of beauty, and they all need attention and caring. So I’ve learned to watch the plants more closely, and try to attend to the needs of everything living there. Hopefully this trait carries over to the way I treat people as well.

Some anonymous donor planted a small rose bush in my plot, and I watched it grow. After a few years, it was big enough to be a thorny problem and needed to be trimmed. One of my gardening neighbors offered to teach me how to trim the bush back in the fall, and I took notes while watching his rapid ninja-like precision with the shears. The next year, I tried to follow his directions but found it difficult to cut back so many smaller branches. It took several days’ sessions of my slow meditative considerations of which branch to clip and where. It was hard to believe I wasn’t harming the plant in what felt like an attack.

But the bush came back looking healthier. So a year later, I was more confident and speedy with my trimming. The next spring, the bush just exploded out of the ground and grew to a huge, robust size. I was no longer afraid that this method was violent or harmful. It made me reflect on times of loss when I felt my life’s work was being torn away and my identity trimmed back to just the core. It doesn’t have to seem mysterious or feel like an attack or a loss. The rest of God’s creation works just fine with cycles of growth, dying and letting go. This is just the way things grow.

The garden and I have both grown. My life has been enriched by receiving this gift after asking for the impossible, by looking for answers in new directions, and letting God and the plants tend to me and my development as I learn more life lessons from my tiny plot of God’s green earth. Through it all, I’ve never forgotten that this gift of a garden was the direct answer to a prayer.


The 11th Street Garden


_TEAMS is a monthly series that celebrates the talent and impact of those who serve at Hoboken Grace._

Before moving to Hoboken several years ago, Kristen prayed that she and her husband Eric would find a community that embraced them.

“I had my reservations that Hoboken was going to be, like, everyone had their set group of friends and nobody has room for me,” Kristen says. “But I feel like God delivered in the form of dinner groups right away and gave us a community of people who genuinely cared about us, people who were going through similar life circumstances that we were.”

And in response to that answered prayer, Kristen says, she and Eric began to feel a nudge to start serving at Hoboken Grace. Eric was approached by several members of the [First Impressions Team](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/first-impressions-lasting-connections/) and soon began helping with [set-up](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/teams-gym-play-space-pray/).

“I enjoyed that experience for the fellowship that it provided in the morning,” he says. “Sure, you’re carrying things, setting up things, but it was a group of people who I got to know a little bit more and who became a part of my Hoboken Grace experience.”

Kristen, meanwhile, joined the hospitality branch of First Impressions. It wasn’t without reservations, though; her role meant getting up at 6 a.m. each Sunday to be at church by 7\. But she soon realized she was almost never tired on those mornings.

“I was always so excited to be there, and to serve alongside my husband, and just to be there to build into First Impressions, other volunteers, but also the Hoboken Grace community,” she says. “It’s been a great experience.”

[![DSCF4729](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSCF4729.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSCF4729.jpg)

Their roles have evolved since those first few Sunday mornings. The hours, responsibilities and even location have changed (Kristen and Eric led the First Impressions Team at Hoboken Grace’s former Uptown location). But now more than ever, their job is to help people find community ㅡ just as they did when they moved to Hoboken.

You’ll find them most Sunday mornings at Hoboken Grace’s Connection Point tables, welcoming newcomers, pointing out the coffee and doughnuts, and answering questions about dinner groups, impact teams and other ways to get involved. Kristen serves as the Connection Points leader, and Eric splits his time between Connection Points, set-up and tear-down.

They see the First Impressions Team as an opportunity to use the gifts that God gave them. Both have outgoing personalities, a trait they’ve honed while working in sales. Meeting new people, making them feel comfortable and carrying out long conversations on Sunday mornings allows them to use their gifts, Kristen says.

But there are roles on First Impressions that suit other character traits, too, Eric says.

“You can challenge yourself and step out of your comfort zone, or if you’re a person who’s a little more reserved, or not as outgoing, the set-up team is a great behind-the-scenes way to do that, or just replenishing the refreshments,” he says. “For those who are a little more naturally outgoing, Connection Points, greeting ㅡ there’s a place for everyone who’s interested in getting involved.”

Kristen says First Impressions is for anyone who can identify with being a newcomer ㅡ as she did when moving to Hoboken and attending Hoboken Grace for the first time. It’s for anyone who’s looking to help eliminate that feeling for others, whether through feeding people, creating a comfortable and inviting space, or just pointing someone in the right direction.

“We need all those parts to join together in order for Sunday to happen,” she says. “So anybody who can identify with that feeling and wants to make people feel welcome, First Impressions is for them.”

[![DSC_8131](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSC_8131.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSC%5F8131.jpg)

**The First Impressions Team**

**Mission:** Ensures that every person who joins us on Sunday morning feels like they’ve come home.

**The commitment:** Serves on Sunday mornings.

**How you can join or find out more information:** Email anthony@hobokengrace.com.

_Want to learn more about serving on a team at Hoboken Grace? Attend our_ [_Engage_](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/9294) _class this Sunday from 11 a.m. – noon. You can also join a team [here](http://hobokengrace.com/serve/)._


There’s a Place for Everyone

As they sat down to discuss Sunday’s message at dinner group week after week, Dan and Victor started to feel an itch. They wanted to do more than dream about loving their neighbors and impacting their city. They wanted to get off the couch and into the streets.

So two years ago this month, they launched a dinner group that would be intentional about serving the city of Hoboken. At first, the group was just three people, including Dan and Victor. It has since multiplied to two groups and 23 members. But that’s not the only thing worth celebrating this month. The first women’s impact dinner group launched several weeks ago.

Impact groups resemble any other dinner group in that members meet to discuss Sunday’s message and share life together. But they might also spend that time bringing the message to life through various service initiatives. Dan and Victor’s groups, for example, have handed out popcorn at [Movies Under the Stars](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/lights-camera-popcorn/) and delivered water and snacks to bus drivers, PATH workers, firemen, EMS volunteers and Parking Authority workers. One night, they even handed out quarters to people paying for parking.

“It’s an intentional outlet to do something together that’s bigger than ourselves,” says Julia, who leads the new women’s group. “And that’s where I feel like deeper relationships can grow. … When I look back, the deeper relationships that I’ve built in my life have been through coming together to love and serve others — and witnessing how God moves in it.”

[![DSCF0027](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSCF0027.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSCF0027.jpg)

But Julia says her biggest reason for starting the group was that while she was learning a lot about God’s love on Sunday morning and in dinner group, she wanted to do more than that. She wanted to share that love with other people.

“I was driven to the point where I felt like God was asking me, “What is the point of this? What is the point of getting together in community and just keeping this to yourself?” she says.

Julia says she hopes group members will look outward as much as they look inward. Some weeks, they’ll meet at an apartment or restaurant to discuss Sunday’s message and how it applies to their life. But over time, she says, they’ll also help one another identify their passions, purpose and potential — and encourage one another to use them to serve and impact the world around them.

“My hope is that the impact group will be a place where we can come together, talk about how we were fed on Sunday, what the message means for each of us individually, but also intentionally build deeper relationships by encouraging each other to step out and to love others,” she says.

Dan and Victor’s vision also goes beyond planning impact initiatives. Dan says he hopes his group encourages people to start thinking differently about how they can impact others. He says he wants them to feel encouraged to dream bigger and take steps to make those dreams a reality.

This summer, for example, his group volunteered at two local shelters and asked about their biggest needs. They then decided to organize a churchwide collection drive one Sunday morning, where people dropped off dozens of bottles of shampoo, soap and other items for the Hoboken Homeless Shelter, In Jesus’ Name Charities and St. Matthews’ Shelter.

Julia says her group will also spend time talking about needs they see in the community. Next week, they plan to visit the hospital to give out coffee to nurses as a thank you and to wish the patients well. They’ve also been brainstorming about how they can serve and love on single moms in the area.

But above all, she hopes her group will grow to see the many ways they can share God’s love with other people.

“It’s easy to become comfortable in just looking at ourselves,” she says, “when sometimes the greatest experience of God’s love can be found when we get outside ourselves and focus on loving others.”

[![image1](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/image1-e1475126444711.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/image1.jpg)


Serving More Than Dinner


It’s one day, one square mile and one goal: to make the biggest possible impact in our city.

1Day Hoboken is THIS Saturday, and we need YOU! Are you pre-registered? Have you invited your friends?

The day starts out in the heart of Hoboken, where hundreds of volunteers will gather at Church Square Park for registration. From there, they’ll spread out to virtually every corner of the city, lending a hand at Hoboken High School, True Mentors, the Hoboken Shelter, and various parks and other organizations. We’ll also be packaging 10,000 meals for local families with the help of Generosity Feeds.

So grab your family and friends and head to Church Square Park (4th and Willow) at 10 a.m. this Saturday. You won’t want to miss this — or the epic after-party at House of Que.

Here’s a sneak peek of some of this year’s projects:

**![1day](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/1day.jpg)Generosity Feeds**

It’s the biggest 1Day project yet! We’re packaging 10,000 meals in TWO hours. These meals will stay in Hudson County, going to families in our community who struggle with hunger. (If you can help with set-up on Friday evening, email anthony@hobokengrace.com.)

**Church Square Park**

Grab a rake and give some TLC to Church Square Park. Volunteers will also be weeding the sidewalk and sprucing up some of the playground equipment. (It’s a great project for families!)

**Hoboken High School auditorium**

Help get the stage ready for showtime!

**HOLA**

Calling all bookworms! We’ll be helping the school organize its library.

**The Hoboken Shelter**

If slicing and dicing’s more your thing, throw on an apron and serve a meal at the local shelter.

**True Mentors**

True Mentors helps children unearth their potential, so we’re helping them unearth the potential of their office space! Come ready to clean, organize and move some furniture around. Volunteers are also needed to prepare supplies for enrichment clubs.

**Food collection table**

Work the food collection table outside ACME, one of Hoboken Grace’s regular outreaches. All donations will benefit the Hoboken Shelter.

**Dept. of Cultural Affairs**

Help the city prep for this Sunday’s Arts & Music Festival.

**St. Matthew Trinity Lunchtime Ministry**

Volunteers will be cleaning and organizing the kitchen, dining room and storage space.

**Maxwell Park beach**

Head to the waterfront to help remove debris and keep the beach beautiful.

There’s still plenty of time to pre-register! Just click the button below.

[![1 Day Hoboken Banner 2015](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/05/1-Day-Hoboken-Banner-2016-6MB.jpg)](http://hobokengrace.com/1day/)


Two More Days!

_Portraits is an occasional series that captures stories across our community, one photo at a time._

Luisa did not want to go out that night. All she wanted to do was finish packing. After weeks of being desperately homesick, she was finally heading home to her family in the Philippines. But her friends were relentless — _It’s your last weekend with us! You have to come!_ So she let them drag her out to a party.

“My hair was dripping wet; I didn’t have any makeup on,” recalls Luisa. “I think it was pretty obvious to everyone that I had been planning on going to bed.”

Luisa had no idea that she was about to meet the man who would change her story; if she had known, she probably would have dried her hair. His name was Neil, and he had a wide, infectious smile. Luisa didn’t even speak to him at first. She was still hoping to sneak home early. But her friend invited him out with them after the party.

One month later, Neil boarded a plane to the Philippines.

“It sounds like something from a movie, not something that actually happens. Our paths crossed randomly and then he is flying around the world to pursue me,” says Luisa. “But that’s how our story started.”

Neil and Luisa were married a little more than a year later, and before long, their love story grew to include a daughter, Sofia, and a son, Antonio — Neo for short.

“Neil was kind of like a little kid himself, “ says Luisa, “spontaneous, silly, adventurous. So for him, having kids was like having playmates. At Christmas I used to tease him, ‘Did you buy that for the kids, or so YOU can play with it?’ ”

![DSCF5894](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSCF5894-1024x682.jpg)

“I was always the cautious, responsible one. But Neil could smile at me and tell me to forget about the to-do list, and before I knew what was happening, we’d be jumping in the car headed to the beach.”

Neil also made sure that every July the family took a vacation together to celebrate Luisa and Sofia’s birthdays. It was “birthday month,” and everyone looked forward to it.

But in July 2013, family vacation was postponed. Luisa was six months pregnant with their third child. Neil and Luisa had decided not to find out whether it was a boy or girl. They wanted to be surprised.

On October 10, baby Lili was born.

Twelve days later, Neil died in a car accident.

He was 33 years old.

“I can’t remember the first few weeks after it happened. I guess I was taking care of the baby. I guess someone was feeding my kids. But I don’t remember. There’s nothing there,” says Luisa.

When the shock started to subside, Luisa started to feel again. And what she felt was anger.

“I couldn’t understand. How could God do this to me? How could He do this to my kids? Was it punishment? What did I do? How could He take Neil away? We had just had a baby. I needed Neil.”

People told Luisa to cling to her faith, but that just made her angrier. She wanted nothing to do with God. People told her to pray; it was impossible. If God cared about her heart then He wouldn’t have broken it. She went from desperate anger to having nothing to say to Him.

“Neil dropped the kids off at school, and they never got to see him again,” says Luisa. “I was done with God. I didn’t have the luxury of falling apart because I had three little kids depending on me every day. I had to keep going, but I was empty.”

![Untitled-1](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/Untitled-1.jpg)

One weekend, almost a year after the accident, Sofia ran through the front door bursting with excitement. She and Neo had spent the day with an old friend of Luisa’s, and they had gone to church in the city. Sofia loved it. She wanted to go back. She wanted her mom to come, too.

“All I could think was, ‘oh no…’ ” says Luisa. “I didn’t know how to tell my 8-year-old daughter that I couldn’t go to church. But I didn’t want Sofia to be angry with God. I didn’t want her to feel how I felt.”

Luisa swallowed her feelings. She googled nearby churches, looking for something like her friend’s church. Hoboken Grace popped up at the top of the results. It was the same church that Neil’s cousin had been inviting the family to for years.

A week later, Luisa found herself at church. The kids had run off to Sunday school. She was trying to sing. Luisa doesn’t remember what the song was. She doesn’t even know what words she was singing. She just knows that something inside of her broke.

“I didn’t have a revelation. God didn’t give me any answers. I just knew I was perfectly and completely loved. God had been waiting for me. He was with me. He was wrapping His love around me. I felt it. I was still heartbroken. But somehow all that rage and bitterness that was like a wall between God and me was gone.”

In the weeks and months that followed, as Luisa kept coming back, she started to feel God’s love all around her.

“It was in the strangers at church who hugged me. It was in my daughter as she held my hand and told me that we could cry together. It was in the tears that God gave me to cry so that I wouldn’t have to hold the hurt inside.”

Lili didn’t get a chance to know her dad. But Luisa tells her about him and shows her all the pictures and videos from 10 years of “birthday month” trips. Sofia and Neo like to talk about how Daddy is building a house for all of them in heaven.

“Sofia wants to know if she can finally have a puppy in heaven. And Neo wants to know if Daddy can paint his room blue,” says Luisa.

“I miss Neil every day. And when it hits me, it’s like it just happened. But God is there, reminding me that this separation is only temporary. He has given us a forever. And love for all the days in between.”

[![DSCF5892](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSCF5892.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/DSCF5892.jpg)


PORTRAITS: Love for the Days in Between

Just two weeks after moving to Hoboken last year, Courtney signed up for 1Day, a community service event that takes place across the city. She was eager to learn more about Hoboken Grace and meet new people.

“What better way to get your feet into church and then go and serve the community?” she said. “I just kind of showed up and didn’t know what to expect, but thought that it would be a great opportunity to get to know people.”

She spent the day lending a hand at Hoboken High School, helping prep the auditorium for the upcoming school year. In addition to meeting new people that day, Courtney decided she’d continue to attend Hoboken Grace. Not long after, she began serving with Grace Kids.

“I haven’t regretted it since,” said Courtney, who’s planning to help out wherever she’s needed at this year’s event.

Saturday, Sept. 24 marks the sixth annual 1Day Hoboken. The event begins at 10 a.m. at Church Square Park, where teams will split up to work on projects across town, then meet up at an after-party a few hours later.

[![IMG_3616](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/IMG_3616-e1473875534496-1024x648.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/IMG%5F3616.jpg)Thirty projects are planned for this year’s event, including the ambitious task of packaging [10,000 meals in two hours](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/biggest-1day-project-yet/) at 301 Garden St. Those meals will be distributed to students across Hudson County with the help of the organization Generosity Feeds.

“The exciting thing about those meals is that they stay within Hudson County and go home with students and families who live in our own neighborhood,” said Laura, who has been attending 1Day for five years and organizing it for four.

Due to the massive scope of the project, dozens of volunteers will be needed next Friday night just to set up at 301 Garden. And more than 100 volunteers will be needed during 1Day to package the meals.

Other projects that day will benefit In Jesus’ Name Charities, The Boys and Girls Club, the Hoboken Homeless Shelter and other organizations. There will also be service opportunities for families and younger children, including projects at parks across the city.

“Many of \[these projects\] really depend on us to do this every year,” said Laura. “We’ve really developed a relationship with these organizations.”

Last year’s event drew more than 200 people, and Laura expects an even larger turnout this year. In fact, the after-party was moved to House of Que to accommodate the event’s growing popularity.

Breann, who’s also organizing the event this year, can attest to that growing popularity. She first attended 1Day last year, as a way to get more involved in the community. She has been going to Hoboken Grace ever since and is looking forward to participating once again. She’s been helping plan the event for the past few months.

“It’s nostalgic, in a way,” she said. “It’s kind of exciting to come in as a completely outside person and now be immersed in it.”

Anyone interested in attending can sign up online at[ hobokengrace.com/1day](http://hobokengrace.com/1day).

[![IMG_3571](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/IMG_3571-e1473874599856.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/09/IMG%5F3571.jpg)


1Day, 30 Projects, Unlimited Potential


They’ve been there for plenty of special moments — 1Day, baptisms and other celebrations. But our Hoboken Grace T-shirts need a makeover, and we want YOU to be a part of making it happen. It’s time for new shirts! And this time, they’ll be designed by you!

That’s right — we’re holding a T-shirt design contest. All entries must include Hoboken Grace’s website and logo (found [here](https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7YDNnTeJ0RPVlhBaU9IWmVSUjQ) and [here](https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7YDNnTeJ0RPZUhEclZRZDJJSm8)). The rest is up to you! The winning entry will be printed on hundreds of shirts, worn all over Hoboken.

To enter, send a link or low-resolution image of your design to info@hobokengrace.com. Subject line should read “T-shirt contest.” All entries must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 30.


Design Hoboken Grace’s Next T-shirt!

What would it look like to actually live life without fear? So much of our lives are lived in response to the fears that haunt us. What would it look like to finally be free?

Join us this Sunday, Sept. 11, as we start our new series Fearless. It’s a conversation you won’t want your friends to miss. Invite someone today!

Click [here](http://hobokengrace.com/sunday/#locations) for a list of service times.


Beginning This Sunday


His thumb-sucking picked up the pace and his long eyelashes were blinking too quickly. “I don’t want Papa to die.”

That moment when your child innocently exposes your inner monologue.

He had overheard us talking. My dad is battling an aggressive meningioma. That’s a fancy way of saying brain tumor. It’s malignant. Cancer. He has already survived three craniotomies and reached the lifetime threshold of radiation for the human body. He is without eyesight in his right eye, and we had just received the news that he will be completely blind within a matter of months. Despite the best care in the country, the tumor was growing again. There would be no more operations. There would be no more radiation. There is simply nothing else that can be done.

So there I laid in all of my brokenness.

I had a choice to make. I could pour all of my own anxieties on my child by averting a discussion that would be difficult for me. Or I could use this as an opportunity to calm his fears by asserting my own faith in God. My heart wanted to comfort him, but my mind was numb. I expected to bury my face in my hands and sob. But I didn’t. Instead I heard myself telling my children about the wonders of heaven like the greatest fairy tale ever told. Or maybe they were the storytellers? I don’t remember. We talked about how beautiful it will be. Together we imagined what it will look like with pearly white gates and streets paved with gold. We remembered the truth that Jesus will be waiting for us, and we daydreamed of the first time we will be able to gaze into God’s eyes and feel his comforting embrace. We delighted in our belief that we will all be together again, surrounded by people who only love, free of sin. As I held my children tightly, I felt God’s arms around me like a gigantic hug at just the right time.

I had wanted to run. But God drew me in closer. He wanted to show me that I was not alone in my pain. I felt my sadness give way to hopefulness.

You can imagine the intense joy that I felt when I had a later opportunity to deliver the news that we have witnessed God perform a miracle in our very own family! The same neurosurgeon who had released my dad just three months earlier called him back for one last checkup, only to discover no signs of tumor growth. There is no medical explanation. It is almost unbelievable. It can only be interpreted as the power of prayer. God had taken my brokenness and not only strengthened my own faith in Him, but also gave me an opportunity to teach my children about the power of prayer and sing His glories loudly to anyone who will listen.

There are a few conversations that almost all parents dread. (Where do babies come from? I don’t want to die. And, for me, can we get a puppy?) I’m here to remind you that you’ve got this! Well, no. No, you don’t. At least I didn’t. But God did — as he always does!

_Stay tuned for more blog posts about parenting. You can also join us on Sept. 15 for Breathing Room, a night out for parents. [Click here](http://hobokengrace.com/parents/) for tickets._


Parenting’s Dreaded Conversations

Looking to grow in your understanding of God’s word and how it applies to your life? One of the many [Next Steps available at Hoboken Grace this fall](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/think-big-fall/) is the nine-week Story Study series — four courses exploring Genesis, John, Acts and Romans.

Each class will break down a book sentence by sentence, while also looking at these stories in a larger context — allowing you to see the role they play in God’s story and your story.

With just a few weeks before the Story Studies kick off, we asked each instructor what you’ll get out of their class.

**Amy (leading the [Genesis study](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/24169), Sundays, 9:30-10:30 a.m.)**

When I started to follow Christ, I realized I needed to know more of who He is and who He says I am. I grew up going to church and hearing Bible stories in Sunday School, but I never really read the Bible for myself until I was in my 30s.

After deciding I wanted to follow Him with my life, I realized I needed to know more of who He is and who He says I am. As I began to read the Bible, I discovered it was exciting, and the more I got to know God, the more I wanted to know Him better. I needed to know what God said about things so that I could follow Him. Without studying His word for myself, I was really just depending on who others said He was and what He could do.

I now have the exciting opportunity to teach Sunday Studies and watch others discover more of who He is. I have loved watching the people in the classes become more aware of God’s love for them and witnessing the actions that truth has led them to take in their own lives. I encourage anyone who has a desire to know Him more to join one of the Studies. You don’t have to have any previous Bible knowledge or you can come with plenty of Bible knowledge. God always shows us something more when we are in His word.

**Jason (leading the [Acts study](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/24165), Sundays, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.)**

Jesus has just returned to the Father, and his band of early followers are left to wonder how they will accomplish the goal of spreading the good news about Him to the entire world. Starting from this point, the book of Acts tells the story of the early church — its beginnings, its challenges and its amazing growth. This study will walk through the text, focusing not only on the history of the early church, but how this story impacts our lives today.

**![DSC_0601](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/08/DSC_0601-e1472617571983.jpg)Rob (leading the [John study](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/24171), Wednesdays, 8-9:30 p.m.)**

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, and it can feel like everything is falling apart. In that moment, many believers are drawn to prayer and the Bible for guidance. But sometimes, the emotions of the challenging time make it hard to think clearly.

N. T. Wright describes the virtues of Bible study like this, as he comments on Romans 12:2’s concept of renewing the mind: “Here, in fact, is one of the major differences between virtue ethics and other schemes of thought: the thinking is front-loaded. A person relying on a duty- or rule-based ethic, faced with a challenge or dilemma, needs to think on the spot: Is there a rule? Is there a duty? A person following a spontaneity ethic, of course, won’t want to think at all. For someone developing a virtue ethic, on the other hand, the hard thinking has already been done some time before a particular crisis or challenge presents itself. The character has been formed by conscious choice and habit. Whether or not there is time for thought, the emergency will be met and dealt with.”

And so, in a weekly Story Study, we are able to work and talk together as a group about some of the key wisdom of the Christian faith. As we wrestle with these ideas together, we are front-loading the thinking, developing a deeper relationship with God that we can and will draw on whenever life’s challenges come our way.

**Chris High Sr. (leading the [Romans study](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/24291), Tuesdays, 8-9 p.m.)**  
Opening a present that is too good to be true. Many of us have accepted the gospel and carry it around with us. We talk of how precious the present is to us, how hard it is to live by, how we need to be better at living it out. But if you do not understand Romans, you probably have never opened it. In this class we open Romans in a way [that will change you](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/famous-for-faith/) forever. You will experience the goodness of God in ways you did not know were possible. You will discover a grace that will transform you from the inside out. You will grasp the argument of Romans and how the pieces all fit together so you can use this present the rest of your life. All of which will leave you saying, “This is too good to be true.”

_To learn more about the Story Study classes and other Next Steps at Hoboken Grace, [click here](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/)._


Dive Into a Book This Fall


Whether you’re in the midst of back-to-school shopping or just clinging to these last few days of August, the arrival of fall always seems to usher in transition. Of course, there are the obvious signs: shelves freshly stocked with new pens and pocket folders, [invitations for apple picking](https://www.facebook.com/events/342603382794840/). But fall brings slower change, too: lawns and gardens start to lose their green, boots gradually replace flip-flops in the morning swarm to the PATH.

The currents of fall seem to offer an invitation of transformation, of life changes or just a shift outside what we’ve grown comfortable with. The poets and the falling leaves remind us this is a season of maturing, of shedding the old to make room for the new. The colors of parks, farmers markets and fashion shows urge us that this is the season to live life more boldly. The coffee shops tell us to add spice to our lattes. Fall, it seems, is a season for stepping outside our comfort zones, an opportunity to transform our perspectives and embrace new rhythms.

But life’s shifts and our attempts to usher them in (dieting or budgeting, for example) require seasons of transition and intentionality. As Pastor Chris said on Sunday, becoming the people we want to be — and experiencing the shift between feeding ourselves and feeding others — means thinking big. It means asking big. It means pursuing things that are bigger than ourselves. Like fall itself, it’s an invitation to inch outside your comfort zone and live life more boldly — until one day, you wake up and realize the difference. Suddenly, summer is winter. And before you know it, everything has changed.

Here are seven ways to think bigger this fall:

**1). Invest in community**

As Pastor Chris said Sunday, dinner groups aren’t about what we get out of them — they’re about growing together around one table. Dinner groups are where a dozen or so people [weave together](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/common-people-common-table-common-goal/) their different backgrounds and experiences, their struggles and their celebrations. If you’re not in a dinner group, [join one today](http://hobokengrace.com/dinnergroups/) or next month, when several new groups will launch. If you’re already part of of a dinner group, try focusing more on what you can contribute rather than what you’re getting out of it.

**2). Explore your gifts**

Serving on a team at Hoboken Grace is a great way to learn more about your gifts and talents, and how you can use them to love other people well. Maybe that looks like making people feel welcome each Sunday morning, as a member of the [First Impressions Team](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/first-impressions-lasting-connections/). Or maybe that means making an impact in [Grace Kids](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/teams-make-no-mistake/), or through [photography](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/teams-giving-the-gift-of-photo-this-christmas/), [writing](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/your-story/) or [music](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/sing-into-spring-why-you-should-join-the-choir/). How can you use your gifts to love other people? You can see a full list of teams [here](http://hobokengrace.com/serve/), or take the [Intro to Impact](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/9294) class.

**3). Find financial freedom**

When it comes to giving generously, oftentimes what holds us back is anxiety over our finances. [FPU](https://www.facebook.com/events/1583723171929754/) is for anyone who dreams of finding financial freedom — freedom from debt, anxiety, and any sort of uncertainty about budgeting and financial planning. [Former students say](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/fpu-lifetime-freedom/) the class helped them gain a grip on their finances, but also gave them the confidence to think big and give big.

**4). Find your place in God’s story**

Dive into a book of the Bible this fall with one of Hoboken Grace’s [four Story Studies](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/) (Genesis, John, Acts and Romans). These classes are designed to help you engage in God’s word in new ways and [see scripture differently](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/famous-for-faith/). But they will also help you see how these books fit into a bigger picture, and help you uncover your place in God’s story. (One note: These classes are for members only. If you are not yet a member, the [CORE ](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/)membership class is offered once a month.)

**5). Take a step forward**

Spare an hour or two this fall to take one of Hoboken Grace’s [Sunday growth classes](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/). Learn more about getting plugged in at Hoboken Grace (Next), dinner groups (Creating Community), using your time and talents to serve (Intro to Impact), baptism (What Is Baptism), becoming a member (CORE) or establishing biblical habits (Rhythms).

**6). Plant a seed and watch it grow**

One of the easiest ways to impact our community is by [working](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/the-third-voice/) in the lives of its children. Consider [serving ](http://hobokengrace.com/serve/)in Grace Kids this fall, or just [take a tour](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/36725) one Sunday to see a bigger picture of all that Grace Kids is doing.

**7). Attend Amplify on Oct. 22**

Hoboken Grace’s one-day growth conference is less than two months away! Mark your calendar for Amplify on Saturday, Oct. 22\. Growth tracks include Foundations ([how to live life more rooted in God’s word](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/running-the-race/)), Empower (how to better use your gifts and talents), Story ([how to tell you story](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/your-story-matters/)), various book studies and, new this year, Dating.

To explore even more growth opportunities, check out Hoboken Grace’s Next Steps page [here](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/).


Think Big This Fall

1 Day. 1 City. And this year, 10,000 meals for people across our community.

Each year, 1Day brings together as many people as possible to accomplish as much as we can for our city, with projects at parks, schools and local organizations. In addition to those projects, volunteers at [this year’s event](https://www.facebook.com/events/1270588539651946/) on Saturday, Sept. 24, will also package 10,000 meals for local families who struggle with hunger.

With the help of [Generosity Feeds](https://www.generosityfeeds.org/), a Virginia-based organization that works to mobilize businesses, nonprofits, churches and schools across the U.S. to combat hunger at the local level, volunteers will spend two hours packaging the ingredients for a meal of rice and beans. 

Those packages will then be distributed to the many families in our area who don’t always know when they’ll eat their next meal. A [2016 report by Feeding America](http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/our-research/map-the-meal-gap/2014/NJ%5FAllCounties%5FCDs%5FMMG%5F2014.pdf) estimates that more than 80,000 Hudson County residents — or 12.5 percent — struggle with food insecurity, the term the USDA uses to describe people without enough food to live a healthy lifestyle. Across New Jersey, that number rises to more than [1 million people](http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/05/where%5Fare%5Fthe%5Fhighest%5Frates%5Fof%5Fhunger%5Fin%5Fnj.html) — or 11.8 percent of the state’s residents.

“We always wanted 1Day to make a huge impact,” says Anthony, Hoboken Grace’s outreach director. “I learned about Generosity Feeds at a conference, and it always stuck in my mind as a great way to reach the community and impact thousands of lives locally.”

The challenge of packaging 10,000 meals in two hours, however, requires at least 150 volunteers — in addition to others who set up and clean up the event. 

In the meantime, other 1Day volunteers will be working with In Jesus’ Name Charities, manning a food donation table at Acme, lending a hand at Hoboken High School, and cleaning up various parks and playgrounds. A few hours later, everyone will meet up for a huge after-party. 

It’s shaping up to be the biggest 1Day yet! But we need your help to pull it off. Help spread the word, invite your friends and family, and [register to volunteer today](http://hobokengrace.com/1day/). Then, we’ll see you at 10 a.m. on Sept.24 at Church Square Park (4th and Willow), where the event will kick off before volunteers disperse to various projects across the city.

 We can’t wait to see the difference we can make in 1 Day!


Our Biggest 1Day Project Yet!

This past Sunday we got to cap off our BURST series with a day of just musical praise. We sang songs, we threw some paint and we had some of the loudest drums we’ve ever had in our services. If you weren’t able to join us, you can relive all the fun on our [series page.](http://hobokengrace.com/series/burst/)

And then we went home.

So now what? Here are three ways to continue growing in your worship of God.

**Start the Day with Him**

How we start the day can have an incredible impact on our attitude throughout the day. I can speak from experience on the days when I sleep through any and all alarms, or when the first thing I do when I get up is stub my toe. But aside from the little things, starting my day by making sure He is the first thing my brain takes in can have a drastic impact on the rest of it. For some of us that means we need to _not_ look at our phones or the TV right when we get up. Technology is everywhere in our lives now, but that’s the thing — it’s still going to be everywhere five minutes later, so it can wait. Take the first few minutes to open your Bible instead of your Bible app, or to play a worship song while you’re getting ready rather than watching the morning news right away. Email and text messages can wait a few minutes. Give Him the priority He deserves by making Him a priority from the get-go. That simple act will be something you carry with you throughout the day because you started the day being AWARE of Him. That makes the moments where we come to praise Him even more meaningful because we can actually see how He has been working throughout the week.

**Schedule Time to Rest with Him**

That means like actually putting something ON YOUR CALENDAR.

Let’s be real, we LIVE by our calendars on our phones, and _maybe_ the one on the fridge. If we’re going to start to be real with God about how much He means to us and our lives, let’s start setting some time aside for Him. And _just_ Him.

Before you freak out, this will probably look very different for each person. Some of you might want to go hiking or go on an adventure with God ([maybe even climb a tree](http://hobokengrace.com/blog/everyones-thinking-it-no-ones-saying-it/)). Some of you may want to find a quiet place out of town to be quiet and alone by a beach, a pool or a fireplace. Some of you may be terrified at the idea of being that alone, so you’ll find a noisy coffee shop in the next town over that’s new.

But the theme here is the same — you need to get AWAY. There is something about being intentional about getting out of your normal surroundings to spend time with God and listening to God that allows you to actually clear your head. I like to go to the beach and bring a journal and a Bible and just get everything in my head out on paper, then pray and listen for what God wants to do with it. Whatever it is for you, get away for half a day or even a whole day if you want, and make time to rest with God.

![DSC_1384](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2016/08/DSC_1384-e1471552604671-1024x372.jpg)

**Find Moments to Sing**

Nope, not joking. We talked this whole series about how God’s word actually tells us that He LOVES when we sing to Him! It doesn’t say He only loves when the Worship Team sings to Him. It doesn’t say He only loves when Josh Groban sings to him. WE. It’s as though David knew we would question this when he wrote this song in 1 Chronicles 16:8-10:

_Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness._

 _Let the whole world know what he has done._

**_Sing to him; yes, sing his praises._**

 _Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds._

_Exult in his holy name;_

 _rejoice, you who worship the Lord._

No way around that one, folks! Rather than fight it, I dare you to embrace it (and it seems David dares you, too). Whether that’s on your drive to work, your walk home, when you’re getting ready in the morning or when you’re making dinner at night — whatever it is, start by finding a time to blast your favorite worship tune and sing along. This is in no way about the quality of your voice or how well you know the words. This is about you and Him! Sing the words of the song until they’re real and true to you. No shame in hitting that repeat button! And remember, this isn’t about what we can get out of it, it’s about letting Him know how much we love him. The truth is you’ll get so much more out of that one act of loving God than you will have expected anyway.

Don’t let your worship end when you walk out the door on Sundays. Create the mental and physical space to spend time letting God know how much you love Him. He’s looking forward to spending that time with you this week.

If you’re at a loss for where to start, a great resource is our [Hoboken Grace Spotify Playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/1228483827/playlist/5Flm1wCBrEzo1guCwzm2n7), which is updated often with the songs that we sing on Sundays. You can always go back and watch the music from any service on our [Livestream](https://livestream.com/hobokengrace) page as well.


Turn It Up to 11

_During the spring, the Romans Story Study class was a huge hit. This is the experience of Laura, one of the students who took the class._

Have you ever longed to be famous? Maybe the Olympics had you momentarily imagining you were the world’s greatest jumper, runner or swimmer. Or perhaps you have dreamt of being on a stage where there are smoke machines, flashing lights and loud music. Maybe your stage is quieter and more thoughtful. Perhaps your chosen fame would come as a writer or academic. Whatever the case might be, at some point many of us have thought it would be cool to have a worldwide reputation for excellence in something.

This past spring I took the [Romans Story Study](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/24291). I learned a lot about grace and who I am in Christ. I learned about how helpless I am to do good without Him. I didn’t actually learn whether the Romans longed to be known all over the world for their excellence; but as I read through the letter, I learned that they were.

The simple statement in the first chapter of the letter continually catches my eye — the church at Rome was known all over the world for its faith. Usually I basically ignore what writers say in the foreword and afterword of their books, but this intrigued me. Many times when I meditated on it, I prayed that some day the same thing would be said about Hoboken Grace.

Later as Paul closes the letter, he rejoices because everyone has heard about their obedience. What were they believing and what were they obeying that it was so noteworthy? It’s not like there was a 24-hour news cycle to fill. I can only imagine that if you were going to be known all over the world back then, you would have had to be doing something really remarkable.

What they believed is tucked between Paul’s salutation and closing remarks. It is an explanation of the gospel message. It is instruction in how to apply this gospel message to our lives. In Paul’s words, it was his good news.

This good news is really, really, really good. Did you know that as a believer in Jesus, you don’t ever have to try to be righteous again? Did you know that you are free from the Law? Did you know that your biggest sin doesn’t make God mad at you? Did you know the Spirit of God lives inside of you breaking you free from the control of your pain, selfishness and habitual sin? Did you know the more a believer sins, the more grace they get!?

I love why Paul says the gospel was preached. He repeats the goal in both his greeting and goodbye. It was so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith. Both of the things for which the Romans were famous.

If I believed what Paul said in Romans, I would obey the good news too. I mean if that is what is true, then God is an incredibly good, good God. If someone so incredibly good was telling me how to live in a wise and loving way, why wouldn’t I listen to them?

Five months after our class ended, I still find the good news incredible. I do continually forget what Paul told me is true about my identity and future. But every time I call myself back to what Paul says is true and then act on this truth, I break loose from the strongholds that sin and satan have held in my life.

I think it would be so cool if the people at Hoboken Grace were known for their faith. Not just what they knew in their head, but what they did with that knowledge. It would be so cool if we really, really, really knew we were sons and daughters of the living God.

During class, I was challenged by the instructor and my fellow students to rethink everything I knew about the Gospel message. After class, I have carried this knowledge with me, and it has significantly impacted the way I live my life — both in the secular world and in “ministry.” It has inspired me to continue studying the letter after the class ended. I have found great value in putting to memory verses I now know in their larger context.

A Bible study transformed my life last spring. Will one transform yours this fall?

_To sign up for the Romans class or any of the other Story Studies offered this fall, [click here](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/). Please note that they are open to members only. If you are not yet a member, the [CORE membership class](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/5472) is offered on the first Sunday of each month. Email sarah@hobokengrace.com with any questions._


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