Come together to celebrate the Christmas season! Although the holidays usually mean scrambling to finish gift shopping, traveling, and planning family dinners, we want to encourage you to escape the holiday sprint, and join us as we reflect on the incredible ways in which God has pursued each one of us this year.

On December 13, Hoboken Grace will be holding its very first Grace Kids Christmas Concert. Each class in Grace Kids will be performing songs on the main stage along with the band for that Sunday’s first and second service. Family and friends are encouraged to experience this exciting event with everyone.

If you feel called to give back to the community this Christmas, you can ensure that no child in our city goes without a gift by joining the Hoboken Christmas Exchange. [Sign up](http://www.hobokenchristmas.com) now to adopt a child or a family in need this season. Then, join the festivities on December 19 from 4-9 p.m. as we gather together to unwrap presents as a church and community family.

As Christmas draws closer, Hoboken Grace will also be hosting [Christmas Celebration Services](http://hobokengrace.com/christmas-hoboken-grace/) on December 20, at our regular Sunday times. The Hoboken Grace Choir will perform for the first time alongside the worship team during the service.

Christmas Eve Services will be on December 24 at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Grace Kids classes will be offered at both services.

As 2015 draws to a close, remember that the holidays can also be a great time to invite friends and family to church. After all, everyone likes a party, and Christmas is one of our biggest celebrations!


Christmas @ Hoboken Grace

As we come out of our two-week conversation on prayer, I want to let you know about two really exciting steps we’re taking to engage prayer better as a family.

1. Sunday Morning Prayer: A huge priority for us is to not only be praying as individuals, but also to be praying together. Every Sunday morning we’re creating a space for that to happen. It’s an opportunity for you to pray with others about everything that’s taking place in our family during the week. It’s important that we’re fighting for one another in prayer and that we’re doing so together.
2. Elder Prayer: One of the things that the scriptures call us to do is to have the elders pray for us. At the end of the service we will have an elder or elders available at the front of the auditorium, specifically to pray for people. Whether it’s a physical situation or a spiritual situation, we want to pray for you and follow Christ in what He’s asked us to do.

These are two of the steps we’re taking and opportunities for you to continue growing in your conversation with Him. We hope you’ll join us as we continue to pursue the one who has loved us most!


Prayer Opportunities

Why is everything so amazing and no one is happy? How can you live in the richest country in the world, at the most advanced time in the world, with resources that people would die for at your disposal, and still go to bed frustrated with your life? Join us this fall for a conversation that may change the way you look at everything. God has been telling us for thousands of years that our perspective is draining the life out of what we’ve been given. It’s time for a change. It’s time to begin loving life. Drained.


Coming Sunday: Drained


Baby Gabriel has his dad’s bright, solemn blue eyes. And it isn’t hard to tell from the way Ben Broerman looks at his son that Gabriel is the center of his world. Ben describes Gabriel as his special little friend and says he’s grateful and honored to be his father.

“Gabriel is a gift, and I can never take for granted the time I get to spend with him,” says Ben.

Despite this, at Gabriel’s baby dedication, Ben and his wife, Vanessa, promised that Gabriel would come third in their lives – vowing to put God and their marriage first.

That’s a counterintuitive promise at best for most parents who would gladly give up anything and everything for their children. But the Broermans know that God loves Gabriel even more than they do. And the best way to help Gabriel grow close to God is to live lives that put God first.

[![family](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/11/family.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/11/family.jpg)

Ben has been serving on Production, a branch of the Worship Team at Hoboken Grace, for nearly six years. Unless you know where to look for him — in the back, behind all the equipment — you might not notice him on Sunday mornings. But working behind the scenes, Ben makes sure that the worship and message are heard, both in service and online. For years, Ben has gotten up early almost every Sunday morning. He’s there long before the first service starts, and is rolling up cords well after the last service ends. Getting up early hasn’t gotten any easier over the years, and by the time Ben makes it home after all three services, he just wants to sleep and eat.

Ben became a father last December, and he says that since Gabriel came along, serving has never been more of a sacrifice, or more important.

“It would have been so easy to stop serving when Gabriel was born,” says Ben. “It has been a really challenging year at work. During the week, I often have just half an hour in the mornings with Gabriel and then at night I have to fight to make it home in time to read him a bedtime story. The weekends are really the only chance I get to spend much time with him.”

Ben says that he used to think about what he does on Sunday mornings as volunteering — going above and beyond, extra credit on life. But with that mentality, serving would be the first thing to get crossed off the to-do list when Ben’s time and energy are in short supply.

“I’ve come to understand that serving is not something I do for a gold star. It is something else, something central to my life,” he says.

[![fam](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/11/fam.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/11/fam.jpg)

These days, when Ben does have a Sunday off, he admits it feels kind of weird going to church and not serving. It no longer feels like worship to just sit there, and Ben wants to make sure his son sees what worship really is. As important as it is for Gabriel to know how much his dad loves him, it is just as important that Gabriel sees that Ben loves God, and comes to know that love for himself.

“I want Gabriel to grow up watching me serve,” says Ben. “I hope he will understand how important it is to give to God’s purpose so that others will know how much God loves them. I hope Gabriel will learn to truly give of himself to God at an early age, and I also hope he will see that serving brings me joy. Even when it’s challenging, and you feel worn out, when you find a way to serve God well, your heart is full.”

At Gabriel’s dedication, Justin Michael prayed these words over the Broerman family: “I pray that Gabriel will see how much Ben and Vanessa love you and serve you and care about you. And that he will catch that fire in his own life. We pray that he will follow you with everything, and grow up to become a man after your own heart.”

After the child dedication service, and all the hugs and words of congratulations, Ben took Gabriel in his arms and carried him over to the soundboard to show him what Dad does on Sundays.

[![end](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/11/end.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/11/end.jpg)

_If you’re interested in joining Production, whether you’re an expert or have no experience at all, we’d love to have you come shadow a team member. Click Join a Team in the menu at the top of this page to sign up, or email Arts Director Dana Reimer at dana@hobokengrace.com._


PORTRAITS: A New Dad’s Commitment to Show his Son What Matters Most

Last Christmas Eve, Kara loaded a U-Haul with her husband and in-laws and distributed gifts to families at the Hoboken Housing Authority. She remembers their smiles, their tears and their disbelief that a stranger would buy them a gift.

“It’s so nice to bring people that little bit of happiness,” Kara says. “It filled me in a way that I wasn’t expecting.”

This year, you can bring that same joy to someone in Hoboken. Starting now, you can adopt a family or child through the [Hoboken Christmas Exchange](http://www.hobokenchristmas.com). After signing up, you’ll receive a wish list specifying exactly what gifts would brighten up their holidays. On Dec. 19, Hoboken Grace will host a distribution day, where you’ll be able to give the family their gifts in person at 301 Garden. If you or the family are unable to attend, a special team of elves will deliver it for you.

The gifts families often request include diapers, coats, food, Legos, books and towels.

“These are people who would ask for helpful things, as well as toys for their kids,” says Kara, who is helping organize the program.

If you’re worried about the financial commitment, volunteers are also needed to help with distribution and various tasks leading up to the event.

“There are going to be opportunities for everyone to get involved,” Kara says.

Kara started the gift exchange last year, after looking for a way to donate baby items. Unsure of where to donate – or how to help more than one family – she began thinking that there must be other people who’d be willing to give, and other families in need.

“I thought, if I have the desire to give, I bet other people do, too, and I bet there’s some way I can help match those people,” she says.

Her husband’s company liked the idea and offered to support the project. So Kara began working with local organizations to collect holiday wish lists. Her husband’s company fulfilled dozens of gift requests, and Kara’s co-workers and Hoboken Grace members also adopted families.

One woman, Kara remembers, needed a pair of dress boots for job interviews. The woman had been shy about asking for the shoes and didn’t expect anyone to buy them. The size was hard to find, but the woman who adopted the family, one of Kara’s co-workers, finally found a pair. They were more expensive than she had expected, but she bought them anyway. When Kara delivered the gift, the woman was brought to tears.

“When she saw that she got them, she cried, and she hugged me,” Kara says. “She said, ‘This person doesn’t even know me.’ ”

Another woman, a mother of four kids, asked for a microwave. “To some people, it may seem kind of extravagant, but if you’re a mom, you need to heat up food sometimes,” Kara says. “So we made sure she got her microwave.”

This year, Kara wants to help as many people as possible. She’s doubled the number of organizations involved, so that more families in need get involved. She hopes that this will be the beginning of something bigger, and that the program will connect families across Hoboken.

“This year,” she says, “the sky’s the limit.” To participate in this years event visit [hobokenchristmas.com](http://www.hobokenchristmas.com).


The Hoboken Christmas Exchange

Thanks to technology, most of us don’t even have to think about setting back our clocks anymore. Sometime during the night while we’re fast asleep our smartphones effortlessly do it for us, and our alarms go off Sunday morning with deft precision.

So even though we don’t need to tell you to manually set your clocks back before you go to bed on Saturday, we’re reminding you about Daylight Saving Time this weekend because it’s still a time of adjustments.

As the mornings get brighter, and the evenings become darker, it’s a natural time to start a new routine. We all relish that extra hour of sleep when the clocks change, but this is also the perfect time of year to make use of the new morning light.

You know that once you step out the door, peace and quiet are a distant memory. So why not use the extra morning light to carve out time for prayer or time with God? It may be just what you need before morning rush hour.

For families with kids, all adjustments or changes in the routine can be a struggle. To avoid having your kids waking up an hour early on Sunday, now is a great time to start putting the kids to bed 15 minutes later than usual. By the time Saturday rolls around they’ll be used to going to bed an hour later. Also, it might be a good idea to make sure the room isn’t too bright in the morning. The good news is that Halloween is Saturday night so chances are the kids won’t be in bed on time anyway.

Whether you take advantage of the extra hour in the morning or the extra hour of sleep at night, knowing in advance and having a plan is key.


Daylight Saving Time Ends

_TEAMS is a monthly series that celebrates the talent and impact of various groups at Hoboken Grace._

On a Sunday morning in mid-July, Monica stood at an easel during a special all-worship service at Hoboken Grace. With each song the band played, she layered colors and shapes on her canvas.

“I didn’t really plan what I was going to paint,” she says. “I just prayed about it and allowed myself to be inspired by what was going on around me, by the music, by the spoken word, by other people.

What resulted were strokes of blues and greens, and whites and browns that became three scenes – one painted during each service. Each canvas took on its own look and meaning, a collection of thoughts and emotions.

The idea to incorporate painting during worship came from the Creative Team, a group dedicated to creating the atmosphere at[ Teams Night](http://The Pentagon said Wednesday that U.S. fighter jets were tracking an unmanned Army surveillance blimp that tore loose from its ground tether in Maryland and drifted north over Pennsylvania.). Through art, writing and other interactive elements, they work to create a space where people can relax and draw closer to God.

Set this fall for [Friday, Nov. 6,](https://www.facebook.com/events/1507643899549427/) Teams Night celebrates the hundreds of people who serve at Hoboken Grace, keeping the gears turning each week in roles big and small. These are the people who build sets and the people who build relationships; the people who command the spotlight and the people who control it; the people who make music and the people who make coffee. With 30-plus teams, they include people with virtually every skill set imaginable. Everyone is gifted differently and contributes a unique brushstroke to the canvas. Teams Night is where everyone gets to take a deep breath and catch a glimpse of the bigger picture.

It’s also where the Creative Team plays its own role, serving those who serve with a night of worship. The team tries to inspire and encourage everyone who attends, and also remind people of the difference they’re making, says Marcie, one of the members.![Slack for iOS Upload-4](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/Slack-for-iOS-Upload-41-300x300.jpg)

Monica, who is also a team member, says she loves being greeted each Sunday morning and is happy to give back to those who make her feel so welcome.

“It’s really powerful to see people taking important time out of their life,” she says. “They’re taking care of the space, they’re taking care of those around us, so I love being able to take care of them as well.”

Before each Teams Night, the group brainstorms how to incorporate a specific concept or theme, sometimes inspired by a recent series.

“And then as a team we think about what it is that we want to offer to the people who serve,” Monica says.

Once they have an idea, they work on individual projects that play best to their skill sets, Marcie says.

Each member brings something different to the team. Monica, for example, is an art therapist, and helps people express themselves through art. Anna, another member, is a gifted writer. But in their own way, the members work together to articulate a message to the other teams at Hoboken Grace. The last Teams Night, for example, stressed the importance of feeding yourself spiritually.

“It was very powerful personally because it really highlighted how you need to nourish your soul, we need to nourish our spirit, in order to be able to continue to serve,” says Monica.

Teams Night is also a place to connect with God, and to think about where your talents might be best used if you’re not already serving, she says.

“If you’re thinking about it, try it out, try different teams,” she adds. “Because everyone has amazing talents, and they can always contribute.”

_Want to learn more about serving on a team at Hoboken Grace? In addition to Teams Night, you can attend_[_Intro to Impact_](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/9294)_after service on the first Sunday of every month._

[![DwfRt6bl-G3rlU9ml2hX9vcYYEIlNdvl1Ituk9AUTkg,9RrSJUJ6FCKiiBkugBIurezDJJlAQIxmQVhOI-4uB-w](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/DwfRt6bl-G3rlU9ml2hX9vcYYEIlNdvl1Ituk9AUTkg9RrSJUJ6FCKiiBkugBIurezDJJlAQIxmQVhOI-4uB-w-e1446097260956.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/DwfRt6bl-G3rlU9ml2hX9vcYYEIlNdvl1Ituk9AUTkg9RrSJUJ6FCKiiBkugBIurezDJJlAQIxmQVhOI-4uB-w.jpg)


TEAMS: Behind the Scenes at Teams Night

My name is Anna, and this is my story.

One Sunday, Pastor Chris unexpectedly announced a mission trip to Uganda with three weeks’ notice. It immediately sparked my interest, but like most other times when I’ve heard that still small voice, I procrastinated. It wasn’t until a friend asked me point-blank if I was going to Uganda that I realized this was something I had to explore.

Excuses, questions, and self-doubt flooded my mind. Wouldn’t it make more sense to wait until next year, when I would have more time to prepare? Shouldn’t I pay off outstanding debts from my long unemployment period before I buy a plane ticket to Africa? Would it look bad to take vacation days after just being hired a few months ago? There were too many required vaccinations to schedule. I couldn’t find my passport.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/20150910_154910-e1445520414608-1024x819.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/20150910%5F154910-e1445520414608.jpg)

Once I let these fears and doubts take hold, there was no stopping them, and the excuses became more and more absurd.

I don’t own a safari hat. I’ve seen _Taken_ and I know it’s never wise to venture into a new country unless Liam Neeson is your father. Nor have I been trained to fight off giant killing mosquitoes. What if I see things that make me depressed? The screen on my phone is shattered; what’s the point of going to Africa if I can’t even take good pictures? I don’t want to miss my fantasy football draft. My apartment is too messy. If only I didn’t tithe I would have more money to go on a mission trip. Even if I get there, I won’t even know what to say or do to help these people.

And then some people in my life started adding their voices to all the voices already in my head. I was told I was being reckless, and over-confident, and foolish for committing to something I couldn’t afford. Another person called me arrogant for proceeding as if I already had the funds. Were they right? Had I let pride and stubbornness get the best of me?

But there were also voices of truth and encouragement. Six months prior, I had heard a podcast from Saddleback Church, titled “Seizing Spiritual Opportunities,” that said “if you have the time, commit to a missions trip and God will provide the funds. A claim as bold as that is hard to forget.

I was also reading the book _Love Does,_ which was only fanning the fire with crazy ideas. A couple of days after I put that book down, I was listening to a random podcast on my phone and I heard the speaker quote a line from _Love Does_:

“God asks what it is He’s made us to love, what it is that captures our attention, what feeds that deep indescribable need of our souls to experience the richness of the world He made. And then leaning over us, He whispers, ‘Let’s go do that together.'”

![20150911_101400](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/20150911_101400-1024x576.jpg)

It wasn’t until I went back to reading _Love Does_ that I saw that same quote staring back at me — right where I had left off. (Till this day I still don’t remember downloading that podcast to my phone.) The chapter was about how you don’t need prerequisites or a plan; just an idea, an invitation without a lot of details, and “a willingness to go into a storm with a Father who’s kicking footholds into the steep sides of our problems while we kick a couple in ourselves too.”

I didn’t know why I wanted to go, I just had a feeling there was something that I would see, something that God could show me, something amazing that would re-awaken passions within me.

“You can get further guidance from what comes together or not. Maybe God wants to see if you are willing,” my mom advised.

Once I committed to the trip, everything seemed to fall into place. My parents, who I half-hoped would dissuade me, supported my trip, despite other loans I have yet to pay them back for. My bosses contributed financially and also equipped me with a phone with a phenomenal camera. I found my passport in a drawer that I swear I looked in a thousand times and had its renewal expedited in a matter of days. Hoboken Grace bought me time to launch my fundraising campaign, and in a single week my financial goal became a reality. Four days before my trip, I had managed to raise $3,500!

![20150912_144314](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/20150912_144314-300x300.jpg)

I received support from the most unpredictable sources. And it was even more incredible to find out how God had been working in other people’s hearts and using my need as their opportunity to love and take that new step of faith. God was never absent, apathetic or angry. He was busy moving mountains that flew right over my head.

“If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD,” (1Corinthians 1:31).

“For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die,” (Philippians 1:20).

I was all in whether it meant I was to die or go bankrupt. In the midst of external opposition, if I had continued looking at my circumstances realistically, sensibly, logically, I would have missed my miracle. I think this is what is meant when the Bible says we are to hold onto God’s promises.

I RSVP’d yes, and found myself on an adventure I’m still trying to put into words.

_Do you feel called to serve abroad? This Sunday is Missions Sunday. Come learn about the exciting and challenging mission trips we have planned for 2016\. God may have a miracle planned for you. You just need to say “yes.” [ ](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/20150910%5F154910.jpg)_


How I Almost Missed My Miracle


Anthony came to know Christ one night in a hotel room while watching an old Billy Graham message on television. No, this story doesn’t include any special lighting or a dramatic setting, but that’s not what it’s about. “I share it because I know that not everyone’s story of how they came to Christ is dramatic or full of spark, and I can relate to them,” says Anthony. “They don’t have to feel alone.”

Many people believe that they can’t share their story because it won’t have any impact, because they have made mistakes along the way, because they are scared of being judged. Anthony wants to encourage us all to share our stories, and he is so passionate about this that he is teaching the “Stories” class at Hoboken Grace’s Amplify conference this Saturday.

Anthony believes that the hesitation to share our story comes down to three main reasons. First, many people don’t think they have a story to tell. They think that their story won’t make a difference and that God isn’t finished with their story, so it’s too soon to share. Lastly, they struggle with not being the hero of their story. Anthony compares this to people’s hesitation with taking the step of baptism. He advises us to keep it simple and share what God is doing in our lives. What did you struggle with before you knew Christ? How has He changed you?

“The last thing a non-believer wants to see is a Christian who thinks they have it all together,” explains Anthony. “Authenticity is more valuable.”

People can argue scripture and historical proof, but they can’t argue with your experience. In fact, Anthony says that most people are impacted more on the “heart level” than they ever are on the “head level.”

Everyone’s story is impactful, because when Christ is involved, it becomes His story of pursuit. And He calls us to be His witnesses and go out and make disciples. “This should be an immediate response to coming to Christ,” says Anthony. “When we see something that changes us, we need to tell people.”

If we are scared or nervous to share our story, we should ask Christ to give us the strength. Anthony reminds us that “God isn’t nervous or scared or hesitant. Remember who your Father is and who He says you are.” God will do the work and He can use pretty much anything to pursue us and tug at our heartstrings. You just need to be willing to show up.

God can use your past and turn it into a blessing. If you still aren’t convinced, read about Peter and Paul in the storybook that changed the world – the Bible. Peter and Paul wrestled with God, but God used their story for His glory and he can do the same for yours.

_Want to learn more about how to tell your story? Attend our Story class at [Amplify this Saturday.](http://%28http://hobokengrace.com/amplify/)_


Hear Anthony’s Story This Saturday At Amplify

Have you ever felt like you’re just talking to a wall? Have you ever felt like it really didn’t matter if you prayed or not? You’re not alone. Join us for a two-week conversation, beginning next Sunday, on one of the most important and misunderstood aspects of following Christ.


Prayer

This Saturday, October 17 marks True Mentors’ fourth annual Hoboken Scavenger Hunt, a fun and frantic event that invites local residents to scour the four corners of Hoboken in a test of physical and mental determination. Teams will have just two hours to solve clues that will send them scrambling across Hoboken to hunt down challenges and win prizes.

The Hoboken Scavenger Hunt is True Mentors’ annual fundraiser that benefits both the community and the organization. It provides friends and families the opportunity to explore the city together and promotes local businesses. All proceeds directly benefit True Mentors and allows them to continue offering their programs for free to all children ages 7 – 17.

Teams will start to gather for the event at noon in Church Square Park in Hoboken. The scavenger hunt kicks off at 1 p.m. and is split up into two divisions — one for families, and another for adults. Each group receives clue sheets at the start of the hunt. After that, each team darts off on their own to rack up as many points as possible before time runs out.

Besides helping the community, the scavenger hunt helps showcase different areas of town that residents may not have considered visiting. It also celebrates Hoboken’s unique culture — last year’s teams were asked to take a picture with any of the local Hoboken “superheroes.”

Event planner Erin Sproule warns teams that they should plan wisely for this year’s event.

“This year’s hunt will have more clues than ever before,” she says. “Teams will have to strategize and work together to solve as many riddles and clues as possible before time runs out.”

Participants can expect to see brand-new challenge lists, which will include both mental and physical obstacles. True Mentors Executive Director James Sproule says the new clue list is “more challenging than ever.”

“The clues mix trivia with challenges,” he says. “Participants will also need to strategize in order to finish in the allotted time and maximize their points.”

John Carluccio has participated for the past several years. He’s attended the event twice with his dinner group, and even won with them one year.

“It was four of us guys and we sure had a lot of fun, especially trying to get some of the more challenging clues,” he says. “I remember asking a complete stranger to put on a Hoboken Grace T-shirt and take a picture with us and she gladly agreed!”

Following the hunt, teams will meet up to unwind at an after party at Willie McBride’s. There, the names of the winners will be announced, and prizes will be awarded for the first- and second-place teams in both divisions.

Teams can register for the event at the True Mentors [website](http://truementors.org/media/scavenger-hunt-2015/). Registration will also be open from noon to 1 p.m. at the central gazebo in Church Square Park. Erin hopes that this year’s scavenger hunt will be the biggest yet.


Calling All Sleuths

_Teams is a monthly series that celebrates the talent and impact of various groups at Hoboken Grace._

Peer into the Little Steps classroom on any Sunday morning and you’ll find toddlers molding Play-Doh into pyramids, tracing handprints and coloring scenes from the Bible. Patient teachers kneel alongside them, teaching them about Jesus, praising their work, sharing stickers and catching runaway crayons.

[![teams2](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/teams2-300x300.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/teams2.jpg)

The Little Steps teachers got their own craft time Friday night, assembling the Play-Doh costumes they’ll wear to the Grace Kids costume party on Sunday, Oct. 25 (pick out the kids costumes and mark your calendar parents, it’s an amazingly fun Sunday!).

“We were throwing ideas around and a few of us had gone as crayons in the past, so we wanted something fun like that that the kids would enjoy, ” says Sheena, one of the four teachers who made the costumes.

With fabric, ribbons, paint and food plates strewn across the floor of a Hoboken living room, they snipped, stitched, stenciled and snacked for hours.

“The process seemed pretty simple in theory — make containers out of yellow fabric, using Stitch Witchery to iron the seams instead of sewing, add straps and paint on a label,” says Courtney, another teacher. “In practice, it took us three hours with a few additional snack breaks.”

They worked into the night, draping themselves in neon yellow fabric and assembling all the pieces with the help of an iron and a hair dryer.

“It seemed like the four of us shared a love of crafting, so the time flew by and we had a lot of fun!” Courtney says.

Having fun, after all, is one of the Little Steps teachers’ goals each week. They work year-round to organize lesson plans, games, crafts and music to create an atmosphere where every child — and parent — feels comfortable. Each week, they hope everyone leaves with a greater sense of God’s love. And the teachers say they get something out of it too.

“The most rewarding part is the unconditional joy that the kids show in nearly everything they do,” says Courtney. “And since our activities are so Christ-centered, that transfers to an enthusiastic joy in God that inspires me every week.”

[![teams5](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/teams5-300x300.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/teams5.jpg)

**The Little Steps team**

**Vision:** Our teachers seek to create a safe environment where children can experience, learn about, respond to and grow in the truth and love of Jesus Christ.

**Age group:** 18 months to 3 years

**The commitment:** Serving Sunday mornings and attending a monthly team meeting

**How you can join:** Email rachel@hobokengrace.com

_Want to learn more about serving on a team at Hoboken Grace? Attend [Intro to Impact](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/9294) after service on the first Sunday of every month._

[![teams3](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/teams3.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/teams3.jpg)


TEAMS: Crafting Fun with the Little Steps Teachers


At Hoboken Grace, we recognize that faith is about a journey, not a destination.

Regardless of where you’re headed, journeys require constant movement — putting one foot in front of the other. They involve a charge forward toward the next mile marker, then the mile marker after that.

Journeying with God requires constant advancement, too. And now it’s easier than ever to track your growth at Hoboken Grace. Check out our [new Next Steps page](http://hobokengrace.com/nextsteps/), where you’ll find our monthly class schedule and information about membership, Amplify and much more. You can also download tools like the Growth Plan, Experience Plan and Circles chart.

Whether you’ve been thinking about baptism, joining an impact team or starting a Bible study class, start here. Think about it as your “you are here” marker. Where are you, and where are you going next?


What’s Your Next Step?

When I moved to this city five years ago, I was newly engaged, diving into my fiance’s existing network of friends and church family in Hoboken. Seven hundred miles away, I left behind an amazing community of friends and a church I loved. As an extrovert, I have always enjoyed meeting new people and building new friendships, but starting from scratch was still hard.

As I started attending Hoboken Grace, I was encouraged to join a Dinner Group. I was wary. I was worried that I wouldn’t fit in or find “my” kind of people — women who were not afraid to let their guards down and get real. I wanted a guarantee that I would make friends and build deep connections, but of course, you can not know that until you are willing to first risk trying.

Finally, a few months later, someone I thought I could be friends with personally invited me to join her group. I decided to give it a chance and committed to go every week. Some weeks I walked away encouraged and inspired in my faith. Other times I was disappointed by my own expectations of what the group should be.

The most profoundly impactful question someone asked as I tested the waters of Dinner Group was this: _“What if it is not about you? What if you making a weekly commitment to show up to Dinner Group is more about how you can love others than what you get out of it?”_

I have thought about Dinner Group differently ever since. Slowly but surely, I learned how to show up and ask meaningful questions. I learned how to pray for these women who were opening up and sharing their lives. We shared laughter and tears and life milestones together.

By the next fall, I was asked to lead my own group. I was nervous about leading, but I kept returning to this thought — it is not about me, it is about loving others. There was no guarantee that it would go well, but I trusted God with the group. I knew that whatever good came out of it was only His doing and not my own.

Now I have been leading a group for the last three years, and it is one of the most joyful and humbling roles in my life. The fact that I get to show up each week and offer a space for people to come as they are, whether they are celebrating or struggling, and wrestle through life’s questions together is a privilege. In such a fast-pasted, stressful city life, Dinner Group should be a respite. It offers us a safe place to slow down, consider where we are really headed, and leave refreshed and refueled to go back out into our everyday lives to impact others.

Whether you are on the fence about giving this Dinner Group thing a try or have been disappointed in the past, I would encourage you to try it. Dinner Group is not about your needs, your schedule, or your agenda. Instead, it is an opportunity to model, in a small way, what Christ did for us — to lay down our lives for our friends.

_Erika is a Dinner Group Leader at Hoboken Grace and you can read more about faith, relationships, and life lessons on her blog [Married in Mile Square City](http://marriedinmilesquarecity.com)._


Creating Real Community


A few years ago, Barbara went to Jackie Cruz’s salon for a nail appointment and felt like there was something different about Jackie. A few years later, she returned to the salon and learned what made Jackie so strong and exuberant: Christ. She will never forget that day. Jackie told her about Hoboken Grace, where Barbara would eventually get baptized, along with her son.

“I had been praying for a community that would help me with my relationship with God,” she says. “By the end of my hair appointment, Jackie invited me to come to Hoboken Grace to check it out. I went in April, and haven’t missed a Sunday to this day.”

[![11947490_1029509197073139_4754510699734349940_n (1)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/11947490_1029509197073139_4754510699734349940_n-1.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/11947490%5F1029509197073139%5F4754510699734349940%5Fn-1.jpg)Barbara is a single mother of two, and Jordan, her youngest, has decided to follow in his mom’s footsteps. “Jordan and I are very close and are extremely similar,” explains Barbara. “He is in the high honors class and gifted and talented program in school. He wants to be a lawyer when he gets older.”

It was Barbara’s desire for a constant and everlasting relationship that drove her to get closer to God. The world just wasn’t fulfilling that desire. She wanted better for herself and for her family.

“I felt God tell me that He will take care of me and that He will love me like no other,” says Barbara. “He has my best interest at heart.” No other human is capable of loving the way God does, she says. Barbara got baptized to give her life to God and go wherever He leads her.

One day, after a service that had a baptism, Jordan went up to Pastor Chris and told him that he felt very moved and inspired, and wanted to give his life to Christ. Impressed with his determination, Pastor Chris gave him the information he needed and Jordan was baptized during the following series. Jordan reflects on how important it is to have his mom be on the same journey as him and says that now, they “can work together to get closer to Christ.”

[![DSC_3542](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/DSC_3542-300x300.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/10/DSC%5F3542.jpg)Barbara is excited to grow in Christ and to regain her confidence and sense of self-worth. She wants to leave a powerful legacy behind. She is also excited to have a community of people who care for her at Hoboken Grace and is appreciative that this community is asking how they can pray for her and her goals. “It brings me to tears,” she says.

If someone is hesitant about getting baptized, Barbara says the best piece of advice she can give is “Jump out of the boat!” Just do it. If it feels right in your heart and soul, don’t hesitate. You will never have it all together, and if you did, then what would you need Jesus for? Trust God in everything you do, and He will not forsake you.

_To learn more about taking the step of baptism, attend Hoboken Grace’s class [What Is Baptism](https://hobokengrace.churchcenteronline.com/registrations/events/9320) after service this Sunday._


Baptized: A Mother and Son’s Journey

Thanks to the initiative of one teenager, more than 14,000 hospitalized kids in over 150 countries have received handmade cards filled with words of encouragement, support and love.

Last month, our Clubhouse kids became part of the movement to spread hope as they crafted cards and learned about taking the initiative to care for others. It’s all part of our lesson about identifying a need and fulfilling it.

Cards for Hospitalized Kids was founded by Jen Rubino, who spent much of her childhood in and out of the hospital, battling a rare illness. When Jen was 16 and recovering from surgery, she received a handmade card from a complete stranger. Realizing that someone who didn’t even know her took the time to reach out and comfort her lifted her spirits. When she got out of the hospital, she recruited several of her friends and they started making cards.

It’s an inspirational story of seeing a need and filling it, without being asked, that really had an impact on our kids.

During Clubhouse, the kids discussed what it must be like to be in the hospital and not be able to go to school or see friends every day – no sleepovers, no sports.

As the kids wrote messages such as “be brave” and “I’m thinking of you,” several of them were disappointed that they couldn’t say anything about Jesus in the cards.

“It was a great teaching moment,” one of the teachers said afterwards.

“I mentioned how, as Christians, it’s important to reach out to others who are going through tough times no matter what they believe. We can first get to know people, and then we can let them know how great Jesus is.”

What impressed the Clubhouse teachers most was how diligently and carefully the kids worked on decorating and writing the cards, and how excited they were to show their parents.

Great job, kids! Thanks for showing all of us how to take the initiative in loving others.


Taking the Initiative to Care

Simple Service connects people to people in a natural, easy and low-risk way. Who doesn’t like being handed an ice-cold bottle of water on a swelteringly hot day? Or getting a free granola bar on those mornings when there is no time for breakfast? It’s one of the most powerful ways we can love our city. And it allows us to touch the hearts of our community long before we can start opening minds. A small act of kindness can nudge a person closer to God.

In October of 2012, much of the East Coast was ravaged by the destruction of Superstorm Sandy. For nearly four months after the storm, the PATH was shut down, and tens of thousands of Hoboken residents scrambled to find other ways to commute into the city.

On January 30, 2013, the morning the Hoboken PATH station re-opened, Hoboken Grace members and staff loaded up Metro cards and swiped through thousands of commuters to celebrate the community’s recovery. The reactions were priceless.

“Really?!”

“Why are you doing this?!”

“Thank you so much!”

“This is amazing.”

After the free swipe, commuters were given a small card explaining why we do what we do and how it all comes down to showing a little bit of the love that Christ gave to us. People can take the card, they can leave the card, or they can throw it away or stuff it in a pocket for later. It’s not up to us to decide what they do with the card or how they react to receiving a free gift. We just show up and act out love.

A great definition of Simple Service is “showing God’s love in practical ways.” It focuses on taking the love of Jesus to the community by doing acts of kindness with absolutely no strings attached.

Every week, we’re reaching out to our city. In the past, Hoboken Grace has engaged in Simple Service projects like:

* Handing out free granola bars and cookies to commuters at the PATH, ferry and Light Rail.
* Handing out free waters on hot days to basketball players in Church Square Park.

What does it take to be a part of Simple Service? All you need is 30 minutes and a willingness to let God use you to put a smile on someone else’s face.

Want to learn more about getting involved in our weekly Simple Service events, and how you can begin to make a difference? Come to our Simple Service get-together session on Sunday, October 18th at 2 p.m. at 301 Garden Street. There will be free snacks and opportunities to see some of the exciting things we have planned for this fall and winter!


Simply Serving

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

When the bus pulled up in front of the huge gates, no one on board knew quite what to expect. Everyone was tired and anxious. And then it happened. Nearly 80 children came streaming through the gates to welcome the bus and the dozen travel-weary visitors. The children were laughing and squealing with excitement as they tapped on the bus windows and tried to peak inside. As people started to get off the bus, the children held up their arms to these complete strangers, just wanting to be picked up, held and loved.

That is Karen Varela’s favorite memory from the mission trip she took with her three sisters to Mexico. It was their introduction to Casa Hogar Alegre orphanage and the beginning of an unforgettable week of sharing God’s infinite and unchanging love with the children who call the orphanage home.

But none of it would have happened for the Varela sisters if they hadn’t trusted God to provide financially for their trip and relied on their community for support.

[![varelas7](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/09/varelas7-1024x683.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/09/varelas7.jpg)

Diana and Liz are both in nursing school and work at the Olive Garden to pay their bills. Cristina and Karen are just starting their first jobs after college. The total cost for the two sets of twins to go to Mexico was around $5,000 — well beyond what their budgets allowed.

So the Varela sisters did what any good millennial would. They went on Facebook.

“We set up a Facebook page explaining what the orphanage does and why we wanted to go on the trip and asked everyone we knew to give whatever they could,” said Cristina. “We were constantly posting updates to let everyone know our fundraising progress.”

The sisters also held informal get-togethers with friends and family to talk about the mission trip and ask for support. Diana and Liz even asked their coworkers at Olive Garden.

[![varelas9](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/09/varelas9-683x1024.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/09/varelas9.jpg)

“I was definitely nervous about asking people I worked with who weren’t even Christians to support my mission trip,” said Liz. “But I was actually shocked by how open and encouraging everyone was. I got to see a whole different side of the people I work with, and people I don’t even know very well were so generous with their support.”

Two weeks before the Mexico mission team was scheduled to fly out, the Varela sisters were still $1,000 short. They posted on Facebook, got together to pray and, within an hour, the last $1,000 poured in.

“That was how the whole fundraising process went for us,” said Cristina. “Every time we were discouraged, we prayed for the trip together and someone stepped up to support us.”

For the Varela sisters, not asking for support wasn’t really a financial option. But they say that even if they could have done it alone, they are so glad they included their friends, family, coworkers and sometimes people they barely knew in the process.

“Not everyone is able to go on a mission trip,” explained Liz. “Sometimes it’s a scheduling thing, or a health issue. But by giving people the opportunity to support our mission trip, they became part of the trip.”

“We also got to talk a little bit about God with coworkers and friends who aren’t believers,” said Karen. “I even talked to my manager at work. She’s not a Christian, but she wanted to hear about my trip. I never dreamed I would have that conversation with her. Making other people a part of this trip just opened the door for people to see who God is, even if they don’t really know Him.”

It has been months since the sisters got back from Mexico, but they say they’re still having conversations about the trip.

“There’s a picture of the kids on my phone,” said Liz. “People are always asking me if they are mine! And then I get to explain and share my story with one more person.”

[![varelas10](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/09/varelas10-1024x683.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/09/varelas10.jpg)

[![varelas11](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/09/varelas11-1024x576.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2015/09/varelas11.jpg)


PORTRAITS:  How Four Sisters Crowdsourced the Trip of a Lifetime

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A Diverse, Growing, Contemporary, Community Church in Hoboken

Everything we do revolves around our mission of helping people find their way back to God. Our goal is to demonstrate who God really is and to let others know that God wants a relationship with each and every one of us.

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