There are nearly a dozen early birds who serve at Connection Points on Sunday mornings, greeting and guiding those who are new to Hoboken Grace. One of those enthusiastic members of the Assimilation Team is Jean, who has served on the team for the past several years. The Writing Team recently spoke with her about the purpose of Connection Points and how those who serve on the team help people get connected.
Continue reading →
Before we started planning our wedding, we wanted to take time to enjoy our engagement without letting the pressure get to us. Very quickly, though, we started getting questions from friends: Are you going to have an engagement party? Did you pick a date? What kind of venue are you looking for? What is your budget? "Did you know that most people in our area spend $60K+ on a wedding”? one friend asked.
Continue reading →
When I was 6 years old, my sweet mom would gather the four of us kids in our living room each Sunday night. She'd recite the Rosary prayer, otherwise known as 10 “Hail Marys,” preceded by the Lord's Prayer, followed by one “Glory Be To God.” I remember walking away with wonder. Fast-forward 24 years. On my son’s 6th birthday, my beautiful mom died of cancer. That day, a piece of me died with her.
Continue reading →
Countless people who attend Hoboken Grace have spent the past year training for marathons, 5Ks and their own personal fitness goals. And while most of them likely got started for the health benefits, many say running's also had an impact on their faith. It's offered lessons about the importance of getting started, building endurance and even developing community.
Continue reading →
Each month we choose one passage on which to meditate for the month. We read this passage every day at a scheduled time and ask God to help us understand it better by allowing it to sift through the lives we lead. Our return to it over and over keeps the truth fresh in our minds as we experience the world around us and allows it to come alive. We seek to listen as the Spirit uses it to enlighten our experience of the journey with Christ. Throughout this month we will be meditating on...
Continue reading →
“I want you to pray about apprenticing to become a production team leader.” When Dana first said this to me, my initial response was, “Are you insane?” I had been serving on the Production Team for only about two months. Little did I know, this question was about to change everything I thought I knew and wanted out of life. At that point, I thought you had to know what you were doing to make an impact on the Production Team...
Continue reading →
Growing up, my friends and I spent a lot of time at the park playing soccer on the open fields. Jackets worked fine for goalposts where there were none, but we could never tell when the ball went out for a throw-in, corner or where the goalkeeper’s area was. Who knew that drawing boundaries for ourselves and adding some rules would actually add to our enjoyment of the game...
Continue reading →
“We’ve lived in Hoboken three years and we love it,” Theresa said. “God loves us really well and it’s our chance to love the community back. This is a corner of the city that we are going to pass every day, and the kids will know that we helped make it beautiful.” That, at its core, is what 1Day is all about.
Continue reading →
Recently during a budgeting class for Financial Peace University, we had moved into smaller discussion groups and I found myself sitting next to a bubbly young woman who tried to defend her personal budget choices. She was planning a trip with some friends to the Comic-Con International event in San Diego. This involved a plane ticket, hotel reservations and a […]
Continue reading →
I always loved the expression “Break a Leg,” and being in the entertainment business, it was a good omen. There are definitely hard times when pursuing a career in the arts. The concept of the “struggling artist” brings to mind a quote from Crime and Punishment: “The darker the night, the brighter the stars, the deeper the grief, the closer […]
Continue reading →
I was chatting with a friend recently and apparently threw her for a loop when I brought up Christian meditation. “I thought meditation was that new age hippie stuff that The Beatles stole from India and made it all trendy,” she said. “What do you mean Christian mediation?” After we had a good chuckle, I told her she was right...
Continue reading →
With Financial Peace University classes in full swing, the Writing Team interviewed Tiffany and Ryan about their own FPU experience. While the couple says they were at first hesitant about the course, it turned out to be one of the best things they ever did. Why did you decide to sign up for FPU? We were asked as dinner group […]
Continue reading →
We spend a lot of time talking about 1Day, a day when we come together to complete as many projects as possible around town. It’s true that we serve for only a few hours, but the results last much longer. I had the privilege of leading TRUE Mentors a few years ago when 1Day volunteers helped with a project. A […]
Continue reading →
There are few things I don’t like talking about, but money is definitely one of them. Whether it’s how to split a dinner bill, people asking if I started a 401(k), or even the mention of extravagant travels…it all makes me cringe. I don’t know how to handle it. Or, at least, I didn’t. I grew up in a loving […]
Continue reading →
Nate and Alyssa were unsure what they’d take away from Financial Peace University — if anything. A civil engineer by trade, Nate is a numbers guy who for years meticulously updated a financial spreadsheet. Alyssa, meanwhile, had studied financial planning and previously worked in wealth management. The couple also doubted they could do more to reduce the substantial debt of […]
Continue reading →
Follow us