Join Us for International Sunday, February 8, at St. Barnabas, South Brunswick

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church will have its annual “International Sunday” celebration on Sunday, February 8, with services at 8:30 and 10:30 am. The liturgy will be drawn from Anglican Prayer Books from around the world, the music will be especially diverse, and the coffee hour following the 10:30 service will include appetizers and desserts brought in by members of the church, which includes people who were born in 24 countries on five continents. All are welcome to attend. We will have our African Praise Worship Chorus included in the music for the day and parishioners are invited to bring displays for the Fellowship Room during coffee hour with fun facts about their country of origin/heritage (whether people came to America last week or their ancestors did 100+ years ago). St. Barnabas is located at 142 Sand Hill Road, one mile from Rte. 27 and ½ mile from Rte. 1. Ample parking is available. For more information, please call 732-297-4607 or log onto www.stbarnabas-sbnj.org <http://www.stbarnabas-sbnj.org/> .

A Celebration for Black History Month

A message from the Diocese:

Dear Members and Friends of St. Augustine's,

You are cordially invited to attend, and to bring a friend, our Annual Black History Program. This is a presentation to the community, by the community, for the community, to celebrate "Black History Month" and to showcase our talents in vocal, dance, and visual arts. We hope and pray that you will enjoy this presentation as much as we enjoy bringing it to you. See you on Sunday, February 8, at 4:00 pm at St. Augustine's Church, Prospect and Atlantic Aves. in Asbury Park. Thanks again. See you there!!

More News About Vespers at the Cathedral

Have you seen the Diocese decked out in full regalia lately? It's quite a sight! Here's your chance to see them all represented on Saturday in Trenton when you go to the Vespers service at the Cathedral. Be there at 3 pm. Here's the memo inviting everyone to show off:

Dear Friends,
It's been a while since the clergy processed in full choir vestments: Cassock, Surplice, Academic Hood, Tippet. You've now got ten days to go the dry cleaners! Preaching tabs are only for our guest, Bishop Sutton, of course. The Evensong will express our prayers through a diverse and delightful mix of musical idioms from various communities of faith around our Diocese. Please plan on gathering in the Chapel. Parish Banners (with banner bearer - non- vested) are also asked to be brought for the procession. Thanks! Right Onward PCJ Philip@churchholyspirit.org

An Invitation from Bishop Councell

We received this email from the Diocese today:

Dear Friends in Christ,

I would love to see you at Vespers at the Cathedral next Saturday, January31st, at 3:00 p.m. The Rt. Rev. Eugene Sutton, Bishop of Maryland will be our preacher at this diocesan gathering. Our purpose is "to praise, to proclaim, to celebrate and to claim the Vision which is ours by the gift of the Holy Spirit, by the victory of Christ and by the will of God." Please see the more detailed information below. For all rectors, vicars, and clergy in charge of congregations, I ask that you make an announcement of this gathering at all services this Sunday.Please take note of the challenge for each congregation to send at least a tithe of its average Sunday attendance. Let's rally and let's rock the walls and raise the roof with our prayers and praises so that we may go Right Onward. May our Lord continue to bless and uphold you in His service. Faithfully yours,
The Rt. Rev. George E. Councell

We are inviting you to a Right Onward Worship dedicated for 31 January 2009 at 3 pm and being offered at Trinity Cathedral. Our preacher will be the Rt. Rev. Eugene T. Sutton who was elected the 14th Bishop of Maryland on 29 March 2008 and also served as assistant to the bishop in the Diocese of New Jersey among his many endeavors.We are entering a second year of our Right Onward experience. For the previous twelve months, we have shared ideas and experiences of welcoming and including ministries. We are applying these experiences and insights as we move forward to celebrating a common vision as citizens of the Kingdom of God.One of the primary items learned from a two-year listening process was a yearning for common worship-gatherings of the whole Body of our Diocese. Diocesan Convention liturgies are always a blessing even within the context of annual meeting format. This service is something other. Our purpose is to praise, to proclaim, to celebrate, and this year, to claim the Vision which is ours by the gift of the Holy Spirit, by the victory of Christ and by the will of God.We offer an occasion of worship with an expectation and essential enthusiasm that God is working His purpose out in our midst. Bring those who, when inspired, can pass that enthusiasm on to your local community of faith.We believe this will be of such blessing that we will be calling round to invite each church's clergy, wardens, musicians and others. Spread the word with us.

Yours in Christ, The Right Onward Committee

1 January 2009

Dear Friends in Christ,
I am writing to you on my first day back from a sabbatical leave. In my time away I have enjoyed physical exercise and adventure travel; time for prayer and study, for reflection and renewal; and a Christmas holiday season spent with family but without church responsibilities-the only one in 33 years of ordained ministry. I am enormously grateful to the Diocese of New Jersey for this extraordinary gift and privilege. I thank God for Bishop Romero and the diocesan staff and for all of the diocesan leaders who labored while I rested. I am blessed.The great blessing of this time, however, is to feel again the joy and delight of being a bishop here and now in the Diocese of New Jersey. As grateful as I am for a sabbatical, I am all the more grateful to be your bishop and to feel ready and eager to engage our "Right Onward!" vision together even (especially) in the face of many daunting challenges. I love Jesus and I love Jersey and I love the work that lies before us. In a word that I learned while growing up among surfers near the beaches of Southern California, I am stoked. According to my dictionary, the word stoked means, "to stir up and feed amply." It seems clear enough that our beloved Church and all our people need to be stirred up and amply fed in order to be revived for our mission in the world. So, it strikes me as an amazing grace that, upon my return to this ministry, the first diocesan event is a rally where we may be stirred and stoked and strengthened for the living of our vision. On Saturday, January 31st, at 3:00 pm at Trinity Cathedral, 801 West State Street in Trenton our Diocese will gather in a celebration of that vision. Our preacher will be the Rt. Rev. Eugene T. Sutton-the 14th Bishop of Maryland and a son of this Diocese. In a setting of beauty, with creative and imaginative liturgy well suited to the theme of mission we shall rally for Jesus and be stoked for His mission. Here, in the "bleak, mid-winter," come and be warmed in the fire of the Holy Spirit. I appeal to you, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that every one of our 158 congregations send a deputation to attend this service. As a goal, let each church send at least a tithe of its average Sunday attendance. That is a challenge, but mission is challenging. We need a strong, empowering, joyous and uplifting rally so that we may be lifted up and encouraged. Come, let us rejoice and give thanks for the gift and challenge of doing mission together. We need the Spirit and we need each other. I will hope to see our Cathedral filled on the 31st. In the name of Christ, let us go forth in peace and stoked with the fire of the Spirit. Right Onward!

The Rt. Rev. George E. Councell
XI Bishop of New Jersey

Here is a link from our website where you can download a flyer about this event: <http://newjersey.anglican.org/MI/Spring2009/Visionserviceflyer.pdf%3Ehttp://newjersey.anglican.org/MI/Spring2009/Visionserviceflyer.pdfhttp://newjersey.anglican.org/MI/Spring2009/Visionserviceflyer.pdf

Please prayerfully consider making this pilgrimage to Trenton on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009. We can carpool for even more fun! See you then.

Christmas Services

Just to remind everyone, our services this week will be as follows:

Christmas Eve:
5:30 pm, Family Holy Communion, followed by the Birthday Party for Jesus so all the little ones know the "reason for our season" is the birth of the Christ Child;
9:30 pm, Choral Holy Communion. We begin with 30 minutes of music to welcome the Baby as we sing joyously all the carols we love. We then hold our "High Church" Eucharistic service, complete with "smells and bells."

Christmas Day:
10 am, Holy Communion with Carols. A quieter service with a simpler style, but designed to offer thanks for the gift of Jesus.

Sunday, Dec. 28:
8 am, Holy Communion
10:30 Holy Communion

Wednesday, Dec. 31:
4 pm, Community Dinner. Free to all, but please let us know how many will attend.

We hope to see you soon. May God bless us all.

Are You Having a "Blue Christmas?"

Not everyone finds joy in the Christmas season. Sometimes feels of sorrow can cause isolation when you see the happiness of others during December. There is no need to feel alone during this month, though.

A service which addresses the spiritual needs of people who find the Christmas season depressing will be held on Sunday, 21 December at 5 pm in All Saints Church in Lakewood. People may feel blue for many reasons: job loss, poor health, financial worries, or the death of a loved one. The "Blue Christmas" service acknowledges such sadness and concern while trying to help people learn they are not alone with such feelings. The service helps those who mourn and struggle to know that God is present-and God's Word comes to shine light into our darkness. Join us in All Saints' Church, Second Street and Route 9, Lakewood, NJ. For further information, please call All Saints' Church office at 732-367-0933.

A Time for Prayerful Mediatation

As we prepare for Tuesday's presidential election, it becomes very important to approach the voting booth with prayers for God to guide our choice. Join with Father Hartt and other members of our Holy Spirit family as we open our chapel downstairs at 7 pm Monday for prayer and meditation.

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage, we humbly beseech Thee we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance; and from every evil way. Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in Thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in

Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

All Saints and All Souls Remembered

We all know of Hallowe'een, celebrated on October 31. The name comes from the phrase, "All Hallow's Eve." It is the day before we celebrate the lives of All Saints, November 1. In the Episcopal Church, we celebrate the passage of our loved ones and all others into the presence of the Lord on November 2, All Souls Day. Here in Holy Spirit, Father Walter Hartt led us in a commemoration service that combined both of our services into one at 9 am. We read the names of our loved ones and prayed for them by name, led by Tom Paul, Jean Rhoads, Barbara Elstone, Eileen Minett, Mary Lou Malone, and Jim Robbins. It was very moving and, although it lengthened the ceremony, it helped to focus our attention on the "cloud of witnesses" who have gone before us. What a wonderful tradition to begin!

Grant us, with all who have died in the hope of the resurrection, to have our consummation and bliss in Your eternal and everlasting glory, and with all Your saints, to receive the crown of life which You promise to all who share in the victory of Your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Good Food and Fun Coming Soon

Our First Friday Potluck Supper will have something new added for November 2008: we'll follow our delicious meal with Crazy Bingo! It's a lot of fun. Bring a dish to share (plan on enough for six people so all can taste your culinary expertise) and three $1 gifts (just get them at the dollar store- nothing expensive, just fun treats). Dinner begins at 6 pm on November 7th downstairs in the Undercroft. After the food, the fun begins. Be there or be sorry!

I Think I Hear Some Sleigh Bells in the Distance.......

Can you believe how quickly the year is passing? It's almost here... mark your calendar now and plan to join us on Saturday, November 22nd, 2008 for our annual Christmas Bazaar. We'll be here from 9 am until 2 pm. You will be able to have lunch and begin your Christmas shopping, because we'll have so much to choose from on our many tables. Select home-made baked goods, handmade afghans and other gifts, jams, crafts, jewelry, prayer aids and a Kids' Korner. New this year: The Advent Shoppe, with Advent calendars, Christmas stories, and gifts emblazoned with the Episcopal shield. Talk about one of a kind items! We will also have a raffle table (12 prizes to win!), and it's your last opportunity to buy a chance on our patriotic quilted wallhanging. Come support your church and have a great day.

Notes from the ECW by Eileen Minett

As you know, we held our May meeting at Calloway’s in Eagleswood. We enjoyed a friendly luncheon beforehand – and didn’t need to cook or wash dishes!

We had a good turn-out. Fourteen ladies came, and I chaired the meeting in the absence of President Rita Lanorith (feel better soon, Jack. Our prayers are with you).

Our June meeting will be an evening one on Wednesday the 11th, with a potluck supper followed by “Crazy Bingo.” We start at 6 pm, and ask you to bring a dish to share with 6 others. We have a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship Hall. We also need each person to bring three $1.00 gifts for use as prizes. We’ll have fun and make lots of noise. Remember, the sun stays up much later in June, so take advantage of it!

Our June card party will be Thursday, June 26 from noon until 4 pm. Sweets and fun: deal me in!

Fundraiser for Coach Vic Moore

A friend of mine, Ann Corso, asked me to please pass along the following message. If you are unable to attend or contribute, please keep Vic and his family in your prayers:

“I’m a representative of the Friends of Coach Vic Moore Committee. He is an extremely dedicated man who has donated an untold amount of time to the children of LEHT for the past 25 years. He is suffering from inoperable pancreatic cancer. We are having a spaghetti and meatball dinner on June 8th at the LEH Community Center, 317 W. Calabreeze Way, from 3 to 9 pm. We are in need of support from the community with attendance at the dinner, donations of money, prizes for a Chinese auction, and sponsors. Tickets may be purchased for $20 adults, $10 children 12 & under, 5 & under free. Call Tina@ 713-1754 or Pat @ 296-8126. You can also buy tickets at the Pinelands Athletic Department or the St. Theresa’s Church Office. Tickets at the door are $25 and $15. Thank you.”

An International Treat Comes to Tuckerton by Penny Hughes

ESCAPE!! If only for an evening. Come to International Night and savor the dishes of the Mediterranean and the Continent. Experience a culinary adventure, camaraderie and entertainment as the Holy Spirit Undercroft transforms into a European bistro on Saturday, June 21st. Tickets are on sale now! Invite all your friends and family, or just come solo. We’ll seat you family-style with some new friends!

For only $17, enjoy an inexpensive mini-vacation. Our menu explores the Mediterranean for hors d’ouevres: stuffed grape leaves; spanakopita (spinach and cheese pie); Moroccan olives; hummus and pita. We travel to the Continent for entrees: boeuf Bourguignon and Chicken Marengo. Desserts include international sweets such as Peach Melba, made with raspberry sauce, peaches and ice cream. Embrace your beverage selection of iced tea, coffee, hot tea, or fruit-infused water. Yum-O, as Rachel Ray would say!

The evening will feature postcard photos for the guests to take home (and post on your fridge?), art work, fun and games. Listen for the bistro-style music. Can you identify Edith Piaf? Can you recognize the costumed servers? Have fun! Bon appétit!
Do you have a favorite cookie recipe from the homeland? Would you like to share it? Please see Penny Hughes, Ernie or Anna Tews. We would love to showcase your creations on our international sweets table!

Look for Elizabeth Hill or Carol Lofton after Sunday services to purchase your passports to excitement. If you have any questions or want to volunteer for kitchen help, setting up, serving, or cleaning up, contact me (296-4221) or the Tews (296-2603). Remember, all tickets must be purchased by June15. Now, wouldn’t a gift of two tickets for a special dinner make a great Father’s Day present– better than another tie!

Pentecost and Mary White

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:1-4

Try to put yourself in with the apostles. It has been fifty days since Jesus rose from the dead, ten days since “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” Acts1:9. They still must be reeling from so many strange happenings, so far from everyday life, beyond anything they could imagine. They remain men wanted by the authorities, and one of their own “family” had turned in their leader– for money, for principle, it hardly mattered which. How confused they must feel! How cut adrift from all they know!

And yet they stay hopeful. They select potential replacements for Judas, narrowing down the field until 2 equally strong candidates remain. They “cast lots” to resolve the deadlock, and thus Matthias becomes an apostle.

But still they gather together behind closed doors, on the second floor of a building that tradition says is the same one that they shared their last meal with their friend, mourning their loss and deciding what their next step should be. About 120 followers of Jesus are there, gathered for the Jewish festival of Shavuot, commemorating the day Moses received the Torah, or written law, from God while he was on Mt. Sinai. Pilgrims from around the known world visit Jerusalem for the feast also, so hearing the foreign languages could be expected. But not expected is hearing their friends speak so the out-of-town guests could understand them! Equipped with such a tool, they fan out to all corners of the world to spread the news of these miracles!

Centuries later, in a country on a continent not dreamed of when the apostles spread their news, a widow decided to share that Good News with others in her community. Growing up in Philadelphia, she had access to beautiful, historical Episcopal churches. For example, St. Peter’s at 3rd and Pine was built in 1761, and the nation’s founders worshipped there. Mary White was unable to provide such a setting as the elegant churches of her hometown, but she opened the doors of her home at 127 Wood Street. The first Episcopal church service in Tuckerton was celebrated in her front parlor in 1947. Some current members of our church attended services in her home. Holy Innocents Church in Beach Haven loaned us a priest, The Rev. Russell Clapp, and he officiated at the services until November 1952.

Tragically, Mary White’s home caught fire on December 2, 1952. Burned extensively, she died that day in Paul Kimball Hospital in Lakewood. Neighbors buried Mrs. White in Tuckerton. Mary White was survived by a brother, but we know of no other family members.

Evie Brown told The Rt. Rev. Sylvestre Romero the story of our roots during his visit in October. He remarked that Mrs. White should be honored somewhere in our church. And so a quest began.

Join us on Sunday May 11 as we dedicate our library in her honor. We will rename it “The Mary White Library.” Evie will lead us after the service to the cemetery where Mrs. White is buried. There we can say some private prayers to honor the woman who brought us together.

Get Away From Everyday by Penny Hughes

ESCAPE!! If only for an evening. Come to International Night and savor the dishes of the Mediterranean and the Continent. Experience a culinary adventure, camaraderie and entertainment as the Holy Spirit undercroft transforms into a European bistro on Saturday, June 21st. Tickets go on sale soon!

Invite all your friends and family, or just come solo. We’ll seat you family-style with some new friends! The tickets are only $17. Bon appétit!

Do you have a favorite cookie recipe from the homeland? Please see Penny Hughes, Ernie or Anna Tews. We would love to showcase your creations!

We’ll Have a Hot Time in the Old Town in June

Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home, or near your kitchen? Do you know how to use it? Have you ever practiced using it?

Have you ever seen the extinguishers in our church? We have ten, five on each floor. Can you find them? Can you use them?

Ernie Tews and our expert Building & Grounds Committee, in conjunction with the Tuckerton Fire department, are setting up a Training Saturday in June that could save your life. The free session will be held in our parking lot and teach you how to use the devices, in our church and especially in our kitchen( and yours!). Many of the other churches in the Tuckerton area will participate with us in this effort. More details about the training session will follow in the next newsletter. Meanwhile, look for the extinguishers in our church!!

Shhh! Be Vewy Quiet! We’re Hunting Bearberries!

One grey, chilly, damp Saturday morning in March, three intrepid explorers set out from Little Egg Harbor. Junior Warden Ernie Tews, Senior Warden Mary Lou Malone and Joyce Ott were on a hunt for the perfect plants to line the walkway leading from East Main Street to the main entrance of Holy Spirit. They armed themselves with a tank of gas and directions from MapQuest, then headed west on Route 539 to Jackson NJ to find Rare Find Nursery.

They traveled through the Pine Barrens areas burned last spring in the wildfire, and the areas burned this year in a controlled fashion by the NJ Forest Service. They spoke of the delicate balance between the native plants found in our area and the availability of water in the sandy soil surrounding us. The further they rode, the brighter the sky became, until the sun finally came out and blessed their mission. The three travelers encountered few difficulties with their trip until they came close to the nursery. Here the Internet directions became a little confusing: West Commodore Drive intersected West Commodore, and Patterson Road showed itself to be a dirt path. But their final arrival at the nursery was the reward.

Prior to the journey, Ernie, as Junior Warden charged with the care of our Building and Grounds, organized a committee of interested parishioners to lay the groundwork for our long-term landscaping design. Members included Frank Lofton, a certified master gardener, and experienced hobbyists. They considered factors such as the frequency of drought conditions in our region and the lack of a ready source of water for plants in our gardens. The committee concentrated first on the walkway. They recommended a combination of a low-growing, sturdy native evergreen groundcover named red bearberry and a slightly taller evergreen shrub called sand myrtle.

Both plants are native to our region. They stay green all year and require little water after the first few years. Once established, they drop their roots deeply enough into the soil to find water if drought conditions arise. Since water is not readily available so far away from the building, this is a major consideration.
Bearberry grows 6 to 12 inches high and branches trail up to 10 feet away. Flowers appear from March to July, small pinkish temple bells clustered near the ends of the branches. Red berries appear in the fall, providing food for birds and -you guessed it!- bears. Humans can eat them, but we’d find them tasteless. The plants therefore are child-safe. The branches are woody, but they are not brittle. If accidentally stepped on, they should survive.

The travelers saw these plants and literally thousands of others once they arrived. Jay Schoss, resident specialist in plants of the Pine Barrens, showed them bearberry and sand myrtle, then led them on a tour of the greenhouses. They piled onto a golf cart for a complete tour of the acres of rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, Japanese maples, hollies and other trees and shrubs growing among the pines. A planned bog garden simulating areas in the Pine Barrens showed more plants, such as the carnivorous pitcher plants and sundews, grown for sale and available in a variety of unusual color combinations.

Jay confided in our representatives that all of the plants are grown from seed or cuttings. None are dug up from the wild. And, he told us that he knew of a stand of native bearberry bushes growing partway up the entrance road to Warren Grove Bombing Range. Not anxious to be arrested as terrorist spies, our travelers opted to believe him without taking a side trip to verify his claim. They returned home with catalogues and ample information to agree that the plant choices would accomplish the goal.

Ernie and his committee plan a Spring Dig-up and Clean-up Day once they have arrived. The committee has scheduled it for May 3. Join us, honoring both Earth Day (Apr. 22) and Arbor Day (Apr. 27), and plant some bearberry bushes!

Easter Egg Hunt Today!

Bring your children and join us after the 10:30 AM service today for the Easter Egg Hunt!

Episcopal Church Women at Holy Spirit

We convened our first meeting of the year on January 15 at 1:30 pm. We covered many items with our agenda:

We held our first Card & Game Party of the year on Jan. 22, and had a great, noisy time. Our next scheduled Card & Game Parties are planned for Feb. 21 and Mar. 13, both Thursdays. We start at noon in the Undercroft. Bring a dish to share for lunch and your favorite games. Plan now to join us.

All women from our parish are invited to attend the Atlantic District Meeting on Feb. 12, 2008. It will be held at St. Mark’s & All Saints in Galloway beginning at 10:30 am. I am unable to go due to a conflicting board meeting at Interfaith, and need to have our church represented. If you are interested, please contact me.

Our menu for the Invite A Friend Sunday was to be simple and filling: bagels & spreads, fruit salads, veggies & dips, pies, brownies, and other sweets for a Continental breakfast.

We hope to have a luncheon meeting at Calloway’s in Eagleswood in May. More details will follow.

Meadowview was immensely pleased with our generous gifts and party to celebrate Christmas. As I stood in the hall speaking with one of the nurses, the elevator doors opened and we saw one of the dears in her wheelchair, with one lap robe over her legs and another around her shoulders. That inspires us to alter our projects for this year. We will make bags to hang on the walkers; shawls with ties to keep them on;
small traveling pillows, both knit and made of fabric; and at Christmas– small stockings that hold plastic cutlery: knife, fork, spoon and a napkin. Some material has been purchased, but we can use more. Also, please keep your eyes open for bags of stuffing to use for the pillows. They sometimes go on sale at the local craft stores. You could also use the discount coupon and subtract it from the regular price of the bag. We were very successful this year and provided gifts for 187 residents. We would like to duplicate that success this year. People can do projects at home in their leisure hours, or join us Wednesdays from 10 am until 3 pm. Please bring a brown bag lunch. Beverages will be provided.

Once again our ECW will offer the Hulsizer Scholarship to a graduating senior at Pinelands High School. We would also like to offer an award, which is a smaller amount of money, but still valuable for a student attending college.
Many more topics will be covered in the months to come. Please plan to join us Feb. 19 and enjoy our company!

Boston Coffee Cake Sale, January 6

Here’s your chance to place orders for the delicious Boston Coffee Cakes which will be delivered for Palm Sunday. Ordering continues only through February 17, so get your info and place your request now. Great-tasting cakes and supporting our church: two good things in one!