When Covid-19 first hit and Hoboken Grace had to move to a virtual platform, one of the biggest changes came for the Band. Trying to figure out the best way to bring the worship experience online was definitely a challenge. Tony was one of the people in the band and on the production team tasked with helping out with the transition. His background in music, production, and audio engineering made him the perfect person to help coordinate the new platform and help the team adapt to the ever-changing needs of worship these last few months. 

Tony shares his experience with the early days of being fully virtual and also what is has been like with the team coming back together to worship live again. 

In the beginning of the quarantine Tony worked with the production team and band to figure out how to best bring worship to the virtual platform. 

Story Team: What was it like to transition to a virtual platform for the band and how did you guys make the decision to go from pre-recorded videos of past services to the in-the-home, videos of the team singing during quarantine?

Tony: One of our leaders in the band reached out to me before Easter and showed me a video of a band that was doing something special with their recordings and asked me if it would be possible for us to do something similar. We had our Video and Audio Team, so I thought we could figure out how to do it. So, we worked to get the songs ready for Easter but it was a monster! We had 2-3 weeks to get it done and it was definitely a learning curve for me, for our leaders, and for our Video and Audio Teams. I compiled the tracks and that is what we used to record all the videos. We quickly learned it was difficult to sync everything up and had to figure out how use a clapping sound at the beginning of the song to sync the video and audio together. We learned a lot from the Easter videos for the future, but it was a beast! I probably spent 20 hours mixing everything together for Easter. 

Story Team: What was the response to that new format and how did it change worship during that time?

Tony: We got a lot of positive feedback over those videos. The best part was hearing people say they thought it was a live recording because they came out so good. I think people really appreciated seeing the efforts of the production and music side come together to provide a really unique worship opportunity for everyone at that time. It was really great knowing I was part of that and our team really grew from that experience. It got easier going forward as we got better at it, but it was a great process to create those videos. 

Story Team: Now that the band is coming back together live, what has that been like for you guys?

Tony: I’ve loved people’s reactions to seeing the live band back together. It was especially great for the band, when we came back together, because we got to play live again and not just individually in our homes. I think that was really cool, it was so fun when we first came back together. I’ve really loved being able to merge my production background into the worship side and be able to work on things from both angles. It feels so good to serve in this way.

Story Team: How was the team dynamic during all this, at first when you guys were all separated, and now coming back together, what has that been like?

Tony: When we were quarantining, we had virtual connection events and game nights to come together and spend time with each other so it was fun to be able to connect in that way. We also have a band 

Slack channel that we use and we were always posting on there and sharing things we’d come across and different ideas. We also shared songs, and really supported each other constantly on there. Now we’ve begun to have social-distanced, in-person connection events for the team so that is great.

Story Team: What did God reveal to you over this process of being all virtual and coming back to in-person worship?

Tony: One of the things I definitely found by working with others and sharing the production process with people, who maybe didn’t have my background or experience, is that I had to learn patience and humility. Even though everyone may not have all the technical know-how or specific knowledge I had, my way wasn’t always the best way to do things. God taught me a lot of humility in collaborating with others. Just because I have a degree in Audio Engineering, that doesn’t necessarily make me the expert. I had to learn to let go a little and collaborate and allow for other people to share their ideas and gifts as well. 

Story Team: What have you seen God working out these last few months with the team and you, personally, throughout the whole journey?

Tony: As a team we’ve always really had to support each other because we play together on Sunday mornings. That need for support was really emphasized when we were recording by ourselves at home because even though it was different, it was still an act of worship recording the songs like that. The fact that we were able to put together something that could reach so many people and allow them to still worship no matter where they were, was incredible. We had some great times and even wrote a song during quarantine! 

Personally, God has been working a lot of things out with me; patience, humility, and finding time for God and my spiritual rhythms has been an ongoing process. I have had some impatience for things when I look at my life and where I think I should be professionally and personally. Everything has been frozen in time and I’ve lost some income, and because of the nature of my career, my industry has essentially shut down. I was also trying to potentially move out of my house and struggled with whether or not to do that. So, I’ve had to shift my priorities and God has really been teaching me patience and timing throughout this. 

Story Team: It seems like collaboration and teamwork has really been essential to help the band and production team get through everything and adapt to the changing needs as you went along. 

Tony: Absolutely, whenever there was a struggle, someone would reach out in the Slack channel and say, “Hey how can I do this?” and we’d work together to figure stuff out. So, it’s really been a team effort and certainly a win that we’ve been able to put all this together and do all that we’ve done. I would say most of the team would agree that it’s been an amazing experience that we were able to supply worship in the various forms and adapt to whatever was needed. 

Story Team: Yes, it’s definitely impressive how you guys were able to innovate and reach as many people as possible for whatever was needed at the time, as that’s been a moving target with everything constantly changing. 

So, what are you most looking forward to as we come back together and things start to shift to more normalcy?

Tony: I’m just really looking forward to communal worship again. The virtual stuff has been great but it’s not the same for me. I love live music and live concerts so I’ve looked forward to us finally coming together and worshiping together as a church again in-person at The Lawn and 301 Garden. Whatever we do, the band and production team is good at rolling with the punches, we have to do that every Sunday morning from one service to the next. Things never go totally as planned so we’ve always been good at adapting!

Story Team: What’s been your biggest takeaway these last few months?

Tony: I’ve learned that if you’re struggling and in the thick of it, to just take a step back. You’re probably not thinking straight in the moment with emotions and everything you’re going through and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. So just take a step back and have patience, it can change your whole perspective. Wait on God’s timing and just hit the pause button. God’s really revealed that to me through everything I was focused on and stressing over. 

At one point when I was really focused on where my life was and worried about things, I was reading through scripture and came across Romans 8:25 which says, “But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.” 

That just really spoke to me and I was like wow, ok God, I get the message! I’ve gone through so much stress and it caused me anxiety and sleep issues, but ever since, I’ve been trying to step back and just let things be, I’ve felt such relief. Just having patience and letting go has been so helpful. It’s like that saying, “Let go and let God” and that’s what I’m trying to focus on now. 

To see Tony and the rest of the band you can tune in every Sunday online or register for one of our in-person services! Registration for in-person is required and opens every Tuesday at 5:00 pm for the following week. You can register by visiting the Hoboken Grace App or by visiting the website. 


Worshiping on Multiple Platforms

If you visit Hoboken Grace long enough, you’ll hear it over and over again: We don’t just live here, we love here. We do everything we can to love Hoboken and make it the best it can be. One of the ways we do that is by taking our words and putting them into action through our biggest service project of the year, 1Day! For the past decade, we’ve taken one day to bring together as many people as we can to accomplish as much as we can for our city. 

This year, Saturday morning on September 26th, over three hundred and seventy volunteers climbed out of their beds and got ready to show the residents of Hoboken how much they love them by working in teams to beautify and restore neighborhoods. Some teams planted flowers in parks, some painted railings and playgrounds, others cleaned up trash along the Hudson River, and so much more. 

“1DayHoboken is the event I wait for every year. I love to connect with our community and having my 7-year-old son be a part of this with me, is really meaningful!” – Veronica, 1Day Volunteer

When church events were canceled in the spring and summer due to the pandemic, I was afraid that 1Day would be canceled too. But Hoboken Grace’s staff worked hard this year to make sure it happened in a safe and organized way. It looked a little different with virtual volunteer opportunities and multiple launch sites as groups met at three different parks throughout the city, but the fact that it happened, goes to show how passionate our community is about serving. It’s hard not to be encouraged by the difference that we were able to make in just one day, despite the circumstances. 

As the opening prayer concluded, I grabbed my tools and set out for our designated location. Not knowing that I was assigned to help garden at one of the parks, I made a big mistake. That morning I decided to wear white shoes, not thinking about how dirty they might get, but that’s okay. Now the memories of 1Day live on my shoes and every time I see them, I’m reminded of what it looks like to serve our community.  I’ve personally never been a fan of yard work, especially when I’m doing it all on my own. Raking leaves? They’re just going to fall again tomorrow. Mowing the lawn? Nothing more fun than walking back and forth in a yard for hours. That all changes, though, when I’m doing it with friends as a service to others. It’s a great way to give back to the community that I call home, while also making new friends or catching up with old ones.

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2020/10/50388090962_4fc9e9437c_w.jpg)

While we’re all trying our best to find a sense of normal, whatever that means anymore, it was great to have an event that involved the whole church family and to keep the decade long tradition alive, despite circumstances working against us. Rain or shine, pandemic or not, it is important to show love through our actions. I can think of no better way to do that than putting in a hard day’s work for the city I love. 


#1Day2020

I think I’ve spent more time outside these past few months than I have in my entire life combined. Alright, that MIGHT be a slight exaggeration, but I have been getting a lot of fresh air due to our current circumstances. Most of my meals have been eaten on sidewalks and the majority of my social interactions have been in parks. I can now add church to the list of places where I can spend some time in the sun. 

I was thrilled when I found out that Hoboken Grace was going to offer three ways to enjoy services including online and 4 in-person services, indoors at 301 Garden, and outdoors at The Lawn. I personally enjoy the outdoor setting option. As restaurants, movie theaters and gyms have all pivoted to the outdoors, so are churches. Renting out the vacant lot next to the Pilsner Hauls & Biergarten for the next few months not only gives our church family the opportunity for another way to attend services, but the ability to use the space for any outdoor event or dinner group that wants to use it. Whether it be a team huddle, a clothes swap, or a comedy event, the space is open for us and proof that even amidst a pandemic where things are uncertain, God still provides for us. 

Being able to meet for church exclusively online was a real blessing for me when the pandemic started. As much as I missed the in-person community, I also subscribed to the opinion that any time I got to worship was worth it. I am grateful that I still have the option to engage live online every Sunday, but after a while, I began to feel “Zoom fatigue” and missed Sunday morning worship service, in-person. For me there can be so many distractions at home or wherever I tune in online. For me, nothing can replace the in-person experience like the live music and the laugher heard after one of Chris and Anthony’s jokes. I’m sure they appreciate hearing the laughter in-person as well. 

I have been a greeter for a few the of the in-person services and each time, I love to look around and notice just how smooth an operation everybody puts on. The signs we hold up that say things like, “I’m smiling under my mask” are just one of the fun ways we can show love towards everybody who enters. At the outdoor service, I’ve even had the opportunity to have conversations with Hoboken residents just passing by on a run or walk with their dog, who have been curious about what kind of event we were putting on. They are people who may not have ever heard of Hoboken Grace before seeing us worship together outside. It’s just additional confirmation that no matter where we are, with God’s help, we’re still able to impact the community. 

Hopefully, one day, we can go back to the way things were, but in the meantime, it’s great to embrace these new methods of church that God is calling us to try out. You can choose your own adventure by tuning in online or registering for the in-person services. To learn more on all three options, you can visit: <https://hobokengrace.com/sunday/>. 


Reunited and it Feels So Good!

More than half of the guys in John’s dinner group didn’t join by signing up online, as some people do. They’re guys he simply met and invited. (In some cases, it took a few tries.)

“They’ll joke around, like, oh yeah, this guy tried to get me for six months before I finally joined a group,” John says. But even when it’s a joke, there’s also some truth to that.

After leading a dinner group for more than five years, John’s found that a personal invite is more effective than expecting people to sign up online. A personal invite can be incredibly impactful.

“A lot of times, people don’t feel comfortable signing up for a group after you tell them about it — they don’t know who they’re going to meet, and just having the ability to know a face before you go in can be really beneficial,” he says.

For someone like John – an extrovert who jokes that persistency is one of his gifts — inviting someone to dinner group comes naturally. But even if you don’t share those traits, inviting someone is usually easier than we make it out to be.

Here are a few steps to do just that.

**1). Strike Up a Conversation**

“A lot of times you are casually saying hi to your neighbors or hanging out with friends in your quarantine circle.”

John spoke about a recent message that Pastor Anthony gave on speaking about faith and how conversations can arise at any time or place like a BBQ, grilling, or hanging out. You never know how God may use you. You never know how God is already using you in your town, in your neighborhood, at your workplace, and in your family

“Getting to know your neighbors and colleagues is a great way to begin the conversation. The opportunities are there, you just have to look for them.”

**2). Extend an Invite**

John likes to share parts of his story to help people feel more comfortable, he often mentions that he leads a dinner group, and how beneficial that community has been in his own life. It’s a great way to meet people, he says.

Oftentimes, he’ll invite people to check out his group. It’s a way to let someone know they’re invited.

When someone expresses interest in your group make sure you have their number, John says. That way you can follow up with a text — which people are typically more responsive towards.

**3). Don’t Be Afraid to Try Again**

Don’t be discouraged if someone turns down your invitation.

“What I try to do is engage them every time I see them — just get to know them. I don’t try to push dinner groups, but maybe I’ll ask them about it a couple weeks later.”

In the meantime, build a relationship with them. Ask how they are doing, and invite them to a connection event or another outing with people from church. This can be a great icebreaker for people who have never attended.

“I invited several of the guys in my dinner group for more than a year,” says John. “And then it finally fell into place where it worked for them.”

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2018/01/IMG_5366-1024x790.jpg)

**4). Don’t Underestimate How God Can Use You**

“You never know who God is going to put in your path.”

That proved true on a recent Sunday morning when he attended an in-person service, when he started talking to someone he’d met once before. Midway through their conversation, John brought up dinner groups again.

“He was like, ‘You know, I’d actually be really interested.’” John says. He’d recently moved to the area with his girlfriend, but they broke up not long after. He didn’t know many other people, he told John.

John invited him to his dinner group, and the first night he came, he told the group he was there because of a conversation he’d had with his mom that weekend. She knew he was having trouble adjusting and suggested getting involved at church.

It was the next morning that John brought up dinner groups and extended an invitation.

“That had nothing to do with me. I just happened to be there, because God planned that. And that’s why I say you never know who you’re asking. … There are times when someone is going through something, or something’s going on, and you never know if maybe God’s been leading you to that person for a reason. Don’t think this has to happen at a church service. It can happen at any time or place during your day.”

**5). Not Outgoing? That’s Okay, Too**

If bringing people together isn’t your gift, find the person in your dinner group who’s a natural connector, John says. Encourage them to be the recruiter for your group. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the leader — it can be anyone.

Or, just try it and simply get to know someone.

**6). Build a Group Where There’s Always Room for More**

For John, dinner group isn’t just about Tuesday nights. He tries to build into his group throughout the week, whether that means inviting them out or attending a church service with them if they have never been. It’s a mindset that encourages his group to grow closer together and ensures that everyone feels welcome.

It also encourages further growth. Two of the guys in John’s group are apprenticing to lead their own group — one of them was someone John spent months inviting. They’re both great guys, with incredible gifts, says John. And once they have their own groups, they’ll be able to extend the invitation even further.

_Interested in joining a dinner group? You’re definitely invited! Visit [hobokengrace.com/dinnergroups](http://hobokengrace.com/dinnergroups) or stop at a Connection Point on Sunday. Or, want to start_ _your own group? Email dinnergroups@hobokengrace.com._


6 Ways to Invite Someone To Dinner Group

I recently received an email from someone who was hesitant about committing to an [online dinner group](http://dinnergroups.com). They were having trouble making it work with the demanding hours of a new job. We’ve all been there, whether it’s a hectic job or another commitment weighing down our schedule.

**What do you do when you have no time for an online dinner group?**

The answer, quite simply, is to try. Give it just six weeks. I think you’ll find it will be some of the best 90 minutes to two hours of your week. At the end of the day, it requires a step of faith.

When I first started attending Hoboken Grace, I was in a similar situation. I moved to Hoboken in 2008 to work for JPMorgan. Being that I worked at an investment bank at an entry level, I was working 60 to 70 hours a week, busting my butt trying to prove myself and find my value. I was wiped and exhausted by the time I got home . That got old real quick. It had only been nine months, and the lifestyle of work hard, play hard was starting to get to me.

Then one Sunday a man named Steve invited me to join his group. I hesitated to say yes because I wasn’t ending work ’til 8 or 9, and by that point, I was hoping to relax and binge on some TV. I didn’t feel like I had the capacity for one more thing.

Finally, I attended and it was nothing like I’ve ever experienced. I was surrounded by a group of guys who were in their late 20s who were either married or in a serious relationship. The odd thing to me was how much they loved their wives and others. It was so countercultural to what I was experiencing in life. It wasn’t that I wanted to be married like them. I was finding myself wanting to be as loving as them. What I found out much later is because of the relationship they had with God it allowed them to love in such sacrificial ways.

I knew I’d need to make time for a group if I wanted to be like them. The week I decided that was the week before the financial industry was collapsing in September 2008, and I had a front-row seat for it. My hours increased all the more, but I knew it was more important for me to be in that group. It meant I had to ask my manager if I could leave _early_ at 7:30 p.m. on a Monday to make group. 

Thankfully, that conversation was a heck of a lot less scary than it was in my head. I’m not sure where the courage came from to ask, but I’m glad I did. Joining a group helped save my life because when life came my way I was glad I had a community of believers around me pointing me toward God and the right path. I’m not sure what my life would look like without my group.

Sundays are great — we get to worship together and hear a relevant message. But in a group, you’ll find growth, accountability and acceptance, something that’s really a challenge in the rows we sit in on Sunday. Groups help us to activate our faith and give us the encouragement to do so.

Is there a night of the week that you could carve out two hours for the next six weeks? I really think you’d enjoy the community that comes from being a part of a dinner group. [ Find your group here.](http://hobokengrace.com/dinnergroups/)

_Photo by [Jon Tyson](https://unsplash.com/@jontyson?utm%5Fsource=unsplash&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/time?utm%5Fsource=unsplash&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText)_


When There’s No Time for an Online Dinner Group

If you have attended or listened to any of the services this past month, then you know that Team Link is fast approaching. What is Team Link? I’m glad you asked! Team Link is a chance for anyone looking to get a little more involved at Hoboken Grace and connected to a [team](https://hobokengrace.com/teams/) that will best use your gifts and abilities to serve. Think of it as a job fair, but a lot more fun and a lot less stressful. 

Part of what I love about any church I have ever been a part of, is the sense of community that it provides. Attending a church can give you a sense of home if you just moved from someplace far, or even make you feel like you’re a part of something greater. But it is one thing to just attend services once a week, and another thing entirely to get plugged in and to grow closer to God. Getting connected to the church is step one and making the jump to serving is the next. 

The great thing about serving at Hoboken Grace is no matter what your skill set, or time frame of commitment is, there is a spot for you. Are you into photography? Share your skills with us! Are you a people person? How about using that to greet people at the entrance and make guests feel welcome! Are you a tech wizard who relatives call up when their TV is stuck on HDMI2 and they don’t know how to switch to the news? Then join our production team who work tirelessly to give us an awesome remote video experience. The point is, whatever gifts you possess, they can be used to help make our church the best that it can be. 

I studied film and media production in college and have been working in that field ever since I graduated. But since I was surrounded by that kind of stuff on a daily basis, I wanted to put forth other skills of mine that I knew I had in me. This desire is what personally drew me into the communication’s Story Team. I love to write and I love the art of telling stories. Whether it’s through a camera, or on the written page, stories are my favorite way of communicating and reaching out to a wide variety of people. There is so much going on at Hoboken Grace on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis that it would be impossible to effectively reach everybody without all the different teams we have, and the story team is no exception. Whenever I get to write about an event, recap a sermon series, or preview upcoming news, I have the sense of contributing to something that is larger than myself. There really is no limit to the number of things I could write about and ways to write about it, which fosters the personal creativity that I love and seek out. 

The important thing to remember is you aren’t doing this alone. The important word here is TEAM. In addition to serving God and making our church a stronger place, you are also bonding with a group of like-minded people who can challenge you, help you grow in your faith and give you a sense of belonging that you otherwise might not have found if you just showed up to service and didn’t come back until the following week. Even if they have to happen over Zoom, I look forward to our weekly calls and team huddles. They’re a great way to see other team member’s faces and share all the prayers and praises that are happening in our lives at the current moment. 

So, what are you waiting for? Jump in, serve, bond, and grow. You can help further the mission of helping people find their way back to God and He can use your special skills or passions, whatever those may be! Come find out where you fit in at Team Link and discover all the amazing things that God can and will do through your service just as He has through me and so many others throughout our community. 

To learn more about Team Link [REGISTER HERE!](https://hobokengrace.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/505922)


Make an impact. Jump in!

1Day Hoboken is right around the corner. It is an amazing day when we join together to spread love to different organizations and people all over our city. Then, at the end, we get a chance to celebrate everything amazing that God did in just one day!

If you are like me, a few years ago, you might like the idea that you can commit to a few hours of service and still be part of something significant. While 1Day Hoboken requires just a few hours of service, the impact of the projects live on. How cool is it that the time you’d normally spent on brunch can lead to lasting change?

Last year, we had the opportunity to remove shrubbery at The Jubilee Center to help their dream of having a small garden for people of the community. We also built a few garden boxes and filled them with soil. If you walked past them between September and April, the thought probably crossed your mind, “why did we do that project? Nothing came from the hard work!” That question was answered this summer as fresh produce now overflows from the beds and boxes.

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2020/08/pasted-image-0.png) ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2020/08/Image-from-iOS-3.jpg)

This is one of the great things about God, He can take the weeds and redeem them into fruitful soil. We talked about the Parable of the Sower in a Sunday conversation a few weeks ago. (If you haven’t listened, I encourage you to go back and listen here.) We witnessed real life soil transformation first hand following 1Day Hoboken in 2019.

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2020/08/Image-from-iOS-4.jpg)

The families and children visiting The Jubilee Center or TRUE Mentors can now pick fresh produce and take it home at no cost. All of the remaining produce is picked and delivered to the Hoboken Shelter for meal preparation. The impact of simply serving a few hours to remove bushes now ripples throughout multiple organizations and impacts hundreds of individuals.

In the midst of our current environment with COVID-19, I can’t help but think about how amazing God is. He orchestrated a plan much bigger than we could imagine by providing the necessary resources and servants to produce a garden in Hoboken for people who need it. WOW!

Maybe your life feels like it isn’t producing right now, maybe you feel stuck or like you want to serve or help in some way but don’t think you can make any difference. If that’s the case, then I encourage you to sign up for 1Day Hoboken and be part of something significant with us. Giving a few hours of your time may not seem like it can make an impact, but if you do, you will be part of planting seeds of change in our community that will grow for years to come!

To learn more about 1Day Hoboken check out the website at <https://hobokengrace.com/1day/>


Make an Impact

One of the most meaningful ways that we get to be a part of our community is by serving and caring for our friends and neighbors. When someone walks through the door at Hoboken Grace or attends one of our events, we want them to feel like they are home, and that’s exactly what Annie felt when she first visited on a Sunday morning. Seeing the same smiling faces, week after week, full of joy, serving food, holding doors, and greeting people made her feel so welcome. In fact, she says it felt, “as if they were expecting me.”

That’s the power of our First Impressions Team. They are an integral part of creating the space we walk into every Sunday, provide coffee to wake us up and they are the first faces and people anyone sees when they join us. The importance of saying, “Good Morning” or “Hello” can’t be undervalued. Those smiling faces that greeted Annie each week made such a powerful impact on her life that she decided she wanted to be part of making others feel as welcomed as she had the first time she came. Annie said, “I chose to join the First Impressions Team because they played an important role in my journey.” And the importance of that team has continued to grow for her, just two and a half years ago she started serving as a greeter, but after serving for almost a year, she has already taken on a leadership role.

As she has moved from receiving those smiles to giving them, she noticed a change within herself. Initially, she served just to meet people, but as time went on, she began to realize that something more was happening—her heart was changing. She said, “It was the smallest acts that had such a great impact on me—whether it was someone smiling, remembering my name, or giving me a hug.” It was those small acts that made her want to be a part of helping others find their way back to God. And as a member of the First Impressions Team she realized, “we are all here for the same purpose, and we are all pieces of a mission that is so much greater than any one of us individually.” It takes a community to arrange food for 1,000 people, to prepare for worship, and to greet guests. When we as members of the Hoboken Grace community serve together, we get to see each other’s hearts, we get to see the people behind the jobs, get to know the people that make up the vital teams the people and who make us a church family.

Annie says joining a team has been so impactful because serving has helped her experience God in ways she never thought possible. Serving on a team gives her the opportunity to love our community by helping people feel welcomed, prepared for, and loved. Serving others has changed her heart to be grateful for the small acts that go a long way, and it has helped her prioritize her faith. Through serving, she has found some of the deepest friendships in her life.

During quarantine those relationships and experiences were virtual, but that doesn’t mean the team stopped serving; not at all. Every Sunday morning the First Impressions Team still met at 9am for prayer. They prayed for all of the services and everyone attending them. Annie says, “It’s been a great way to come together and continue to love our community.” Now those virtual prayers are slowly returning to in-person smiles and greetings again. As we make the transition to meeting in person again, the First Impressions Team looks a little different, but the warmth and joy is still there. The team is working hard each week to make sure we are able to worship in a safe, socially distanced, and comfortable space for all, because that’s part of what it means to be a part of community—to serve and care for one another well.

If you are interested in serving on the First Impressions Team or any of our other dynamic teams that work passionately to serve God and impact our community, visit [hobokengrace.com/teams/](https://hobokengrace.com/teams/) or check out the [Hoboken Grace App](https://hobokengrace.com/appdownload/) under the “Engagement” tab and click “Join a Team” to learn more. Just like Annie, you can make a difference in the community and deepen your own relationship with God and other people at Hoboken Grace!


Making a lasting Impression

From a very young age, I was a gigantic film buff. Not a weekend went by where I didn’t see a movie in the theater or rent one with my friends after riding our bikes to the town Blockbuster. Yes, Blockbuster was still around in my youth. (I’m young, but not THAT young!) While I still love the entertainment value that TV and movies bring to my life even to this day, it always came down to the story. It doesn’t matter how great the special effects are or how captivating the music is, if the story isn’t of interest, the whole thing just falls apart.

Stories give us the opportunity to experience feelings or situations we normally don’t encounter our daily life or they allow us to walk a mile in a character’s shoes who may be different from us. They can help you relate to others and maybe even help you find things within yourself that you didn’t even think about. I bet you don’t have spider powers like Peter Parker in Spider-Man, but I’m sure some of us can relate to being an awkward teenager who has to start taking responsibility. I’m sure none of us are quite literally living the same exact day over and over again like Phil Connors in Groundhog Day, but I am sure we’ve wondered what it would be like to do the right thing after messing up and wishing we had the chance to do things over.

No matter how high-concept they may seem, the best stories have lessons for us and ways to relate to the characters. Which is why diving deeper into the stories Jesus told is the perfect way of beginning Hoboken’s Grace’s brand -new series, _In Real Life_. Reading the Bible is comforting for many, but for others it can feel like you’re grasping at thin air. Often times stories make sense to those at the center of them, but for others you may be left wondering “where do I fit into all of this?” To help us understand how we can relate to these stories in our daily lives, Pastor Chris spent the first sermon in the series talking about Luke and the parables that Jesus often shared as a way to understand His teachings better. Luke traveled a lot with Jesus and made sure to make an account of all the stories Jesus told so that he could remember and pass them down.

In week 1 of the series, Pastor Chris discussed the story about a farmer who would throw his seeds around during his planting. The seeds the farmer threw haphazardly would fall on some rocks, get eaten by birds, and even land on the hard ground; not exactly the best-case scenario for trying to grow crops. But when the seeds landed on the good soil, it produced more than one hundred times what was sown. It wasn’t a coincidence that Jesus used a farmer as an example in the story. Pastor Chris pointed out that He was telling this story in an agricultural area and this was the best way that He could relate to the listeners and help them understand who God was. The different places where the seeds landed represented different people who would hear the word of God and how they would absorb the word and grow. Even though the disciples were initially confused by this, Jesus took them aside and told them what all the symbolism meant, knowing that that they would pass this story on in the future.

This past week, Anthony continued the series of Jesus’ parables with the story of the lost sheep which was another example of Jesus creating a story that related to a major occupation during this specific Biblical time and place. None of us in Hoboken are shepherds, at least in the Biblical sense, but we can all relate to the idea of someone who cares for us, loving us so much, that they will stop at nothing to protect us and save us no matter how weak or insignificant we may feel compared to everybody else. Its stories like this one that give us a poignant grasp on what the love of Jesus looks like and how powerful it is. Sometimes our own stories about being lost and found are so personal that they are difficult to put into words. When telling your own story you may find that using examples of everyday life to help paint a picture like Jesus often did, can help you get your point across and make it easier when sharing how He has impacted you with others.

During his message, Anthony also said that when he was growing up he wanted to be Indiana Jones. While not a real person, Indiana Jones still represented an adventure-seeking part of Anthony that he related to. Anthony could imagine himself in middle of an exciting adventure like Indy and it made his own dreams feel attainable. That’s the power of a great story. They can make us dream about what we could be, or help us understand things that we normally wouldn’t think about. It can sometimes be difficult to read the Bible and understand how to interpret the stories or figure out how they fit into our lives in the year 2020 but when you read between the lines, you’ll discover that the stories are universal. Stories connect us all and when we consistently weave them into our daily lives, we will find that they can have new meaning and significance at different times. That’s why I’m excited for what’s still to come in this series because stories are always teaching us and the stories of Jesus can connect us, impact us, and speak to us whatever we’re going through.


Blockbuster Stories


One of the great ways our church has been able to stay connected and involved with the community during quarantine and social distancing is by posting “A Day in the Life” videos. If you aren’t familiar with this [online series,](https://hobokengrace.com/blog/story/) it’s where Pastor Chris interviews somebody in the church family about their current situation during the ongoing pandemic. We thought it would be a great idea to do the same in the written form to get even more people involved and sharing their stories.

Back in the days when we were able to attend church in-person, one of the bright, shining faces you would see in the morning as you walked in, was that of Millie’s. Millie is on Hoboken Grace’s first impressions team as a greeter and we wanted to share her incredible story of all the things that God has been doing in her life and her family’s life during these uncertain times. Millie’s story is full of encouragement and inspiration for anyone feeling lost and doubtful because of everything going on in our world today.

**Story Team:**

**What is your current situation right now?**

**Millie:**

We stayed in Hoboken. My husband works for the Board of Education and I am a medical receptionist. My husband got sick with Covid early in March, right when everything started up here. When they closed the schools, they asked everybody to still go into the school, but they didn’t know that there was somebody already infected and he got sick in the school. I had just started a job and I had to call the them up and say “I can’t come in, I’m quarantined. I have to stay here.”

We live in a railroad-style apartment, so there’s not really a lot of privacy in this apartment. But we put him in one room and we tried to keep him there, but it was really scary because you can’t go in there and comfort him, you can’t go in there to talk to him because you are afraid. I live with my 11-year-old daughter, and we just had to look in through the door. So, knowing that he was sick, knowing that he had this thing that he could give to me or my daughter, was the scariest thing. Then not even being able to hold him, and not able to say “hey, everything is going to be ok,” was really scary.

I prayed a lot. I sat, and I prayed and I meditated. I prayed a lot for his healing, but it was just really scary.

**Story Team:**

I’m sure. Yeah. Especially in the earlier days too. Like you said, this was in March that this happened which was back when things just started to happen and I’m sure you didn’t know what was going on.

**Millie:**

Yeah, and I spoke to my dinner group; my dinner group has always been the online only group, we have a chat group on WhatsApp, so I told them. I said, this is happening and I’m freaking out and I don’t know what to do. We went on a zoom call and we all started praying. I just started trusting God. I think this is the first time in my life where I’ve had to trust Him so much. I left it up to Him, and as scared and as worried as I was of me getting sick or my daughter getting sick, I just trusted Him. I didn’t feel that He left me, it was a peaceful feeling.

**Story Team:**

That’s awesome. Now you’re leading right into my next question which is how are you experiencing God through all of this? It sounds like the key word you said there is trust and this is the first time you needed to trust Him this much. What has your relationship with God been like now versus pre-quarantine?

**Millie:**

So, what I usually like to do is get up earlier than anybody because I like to pray and meditate. Before, I was always in a hurry, I had to get up and ready for work, but you don’t have much time to do it. But this time I just said, “you know what? It’s ok. Let me just sit here. Let me just stay with Him and let me just pray.” My words just kept coming out towards trust: I’m going to trust You with this one. I’m going to trust You with my day to day. I know that he is going to be ok and I know that You are taking care of him.

If this would have happened to me a year before, I don’t think I would have been this ok with it. I think I would have been a little more doubtful. I don’t know what happened, I just trusted the whole situation and my dinner group was completely on top of everything. I feel like they really helped me out.

**Story Team:**

That’s great. You said that you have been in an online dinner group from the start. So, this whole online transition we’ve been going through isn’t really new I guess.

**Millie:**

No. We have the OG!

**Story Team:**

The OG of online dinner groups. So, it sounds like you have nothing to compare it to, but seemed very helpful none the less.

**Millie:**

Yeah. I think also the fact that I like to be around people, people make me happy, so, going to church was something that I really enjoyed, not only because I wanted to listen to the service but because I enjoyed being around people. So that was really hard for me not to be there in person because even in my hardest time, I would always go. While there, I always tried to connect with everybody. Now I try to log-in to anything I can. Before, if anybody had invited me to a huddle at the church I wouldn’t go, but now I go to them because I feel that I need to hear from people.

I also felt at all times that He was with me. Even at night, when I was praying with my daughter and my husband was stuck in the other room, we still felt safe, and I know that she did too. My husband recovered, thankfully.

**Story Team:**

Prayers answered. That’s great! How else have you been connecting with other people other than the huddles? Maybe talking to friends and family over the phone or writing letters? Millie:When we were quarantined the other way, I didn’t feel so alone because I had a parade of people coming by and dropping stuff off, making sure that we were ok and making deliveries. I told my neighbors because I wanted them to be safe, so I explained to them that we are stuck in here and to be careful. Practically every day somebody would leave us a bagel or leave us coffee or leave us other things. So inside of me I wasn’t feeling very good, but outside the world was saying that it was all going to be ok.

My son came by and he left coffee because I love coffee, so he left a lot of it by my door. But the hardest part was not opening the door, not being able to hug him and say I love you. But he just kept saying that it was going to be ok and how much he loved us; it felt really good to hear.

Then, after my husband had recovered, two weeks later he got sick again and he just couldn’t breathe. I called his doctor and the doctor said to take him to the ER, because since nobody knew a lot about the disease, they were afraid it might be coming back. So, my daughter and I dropped him off at the ER and we just left him there. We drove him over there together but we just had to let him go because they wouldn’t let us in and that was the scariest time. I just thought, what if this is the last time I see him? Just watching him walking in there alone, was so frustrating.

On the way, back I just couldn’t drive so I parked in the middle of the road. I sat there and I prayed with my youngest daughter because I was so scared I would have to tell her that he wasn’t coming home. It was one of my hardest moments and yet I felt like God was there telling me “I got this. Just hold on, because I got this.” I didn’t want to doubt Him and I just kept saying, “I trust You, I trust You, I trust You.” I was so scared and didn’t have anybody to hug, it was a very hard time for me; I was so scared.

Thankfully, he came back home that night. The hospital was amazing, they called me every five minutes saying, “we’re going to do this, we’re going to do that,” and my oldest daughter works there so she ran down there to make sure that he was ok.

**Story Team:**

That’s good that you had someone that was able to be there.

**Millie:**

Yeah. So, he came home and they gave him steroids because his lungs were affected by the virus. Then they did an x-ray and a couple of days later and the doctor called. My husband had scars in his lungs because of previous problems with his lungs, but the doctor said to him “I can’t even find the scars that you had before. You don’t have anything there.”

**Story Team:**

Wow. That’s incredible.

**Millie:**

His lungs were so good. He did say that “the virus is kicking your butt basically, and it’s going to feel that way, but you’re going to be ok.” It was amazing.

**Story Team:**

And we know it’s a happy ending right now. Everybody is back home and healthy. That’s really encouraging to hear. In terms of your day to day, how have you been getting through it? Has something been helping you creatively, or do you have some sort of new routine for yourself and for your family?

**Millie:**

I try to keep a routine, especially because my daughter is still in school. I still try to get up early before everybody so I can meditate and pray, and I have a devotional, while also reading whatever is in the Hoboken Grace daily Bible reading. I go through all my things with my morning coffee.

**Story Team:**

Gotta have the coffee!

**Millie:**

Then my daughter will get up for school and we deal with the frustrating nature of online school, like the emails and all the back and forth.

**Story Team:**

It sounds like an interesting time for schooling.

**Millie:**

It can be tough. After we do school, which is usually just a half a day, I feel like I’m the principal and the vice principal. After school she does band, so we set that up, and we also do stretching for her cheerleading because eventually that is going to come back. Then after 2:00, we start to set up for dinner. After that we go for a walk, because we are now able to go out for walks. My husband, me, and my daughter all take a nice walk around town with our masks on, and we’ll take the dog out. It sometimes feels like I don’t even want to get up because we’re just going to do this over and over again. I’m going to do the same thing over and over and over.

**Story Team:**

It’s Groundhog Day.

**Millie:**

Sometimes I just say to myself, “why bother?” But I still get up, and even if it’s a little bit later in the day, I start the same routine again because I need my daughter to have the same routine so that she understands.

However, I just have to praise God. I have to praise Him for keeping my husband alive. Last week my son turned 32, and my daughter turned 11, and we decided to drive up to them and spend time with all the kids. We felt so blessed to be around them.

**Story Team:**

Millie, you shared so many things with us. Are there any other comments you’d like to add? Maybe words of advice for those in this same situation and feeling scared?

**Millie:**

I think, when you’re going through this, even if you’re just starting out following God, the main thing is just to trust. I wish I had done it sooner but there’s a time for everything and I guess it took this time to teach me to do that because it just felt so good to trust Him.


A Day in the Life: Millie’s Story

We are certainly living in an unprecedented time. It can be a time of fear, of isolation, of loss; but it can also be a time of hope, new relationships, and guidance. Even though connection has changed and is happening in unique ways, connection and support are still available. 

At Hoboken Grace, we want to partner with you and offer you a safe harbor in the wake of this current storm. In order to do that better, we have created the Care and Support page to help connect you with resources to get the love, support, and care you need. 

On the page you’ll find several resources you can access to find connection and care in the way you need the most. 

**Care Calls**

You can schedule a Care Call to receive a phone or video call from one of the members of our pastoral staff. This is an excellent opportunity to have someone reach out to you for prayer, friendly conversation, or just a check-in. 

**Support Groups**

We also have multiple support groups you can join and our groups are all meeting virtually so you can connect wherever you are. Groups vary in scope to meet your needs. We offer a group called [Financial Peace University](https://hobokengrace.com/fpu/) (FPU) which is a great financial resource group. Many at Hoboken Grace have seen their lives change as a result of FPU. Rather than just focusing on lost finances, FPU helps you with all matters related to your financial health; from budgeting to life insurance, to how to eliminate debt. Whether you’ve had to cut back to manage your finances better under the strain of the economic issues right now, or if you just want to set a budget to make sure you’re staying on track, joining an FPU group can help you get your finances in order. 

Crossroads is an addiction support group to help you manage the isolation, anxiety, and depression you may be facing during the quarantine that could affect your sobriety. Whether you need help maintaining your sobriety or you are just beginning the journey towards sobriety, Crossroads is an excellent resource to guide you. 

If you’re new to this whole “God thing” or you’re struggling with doubts and questions, or just seeking your way back to Him, Starting Point is a safe space to ask the tough questions and get honest answers. It is also an excellent place to connect to others who are facing similar issues or questions in their relationship with God. 

If what you really need is simple community and connection, Dinner Groups are, and have always been, an excellent way to connect to others in the Hoboken Grace family and local community. You can forge deep and lasting friendships, get prayer and support, and learn more about God while connecting to a community who will be there for you during this uncertain time. 

**Connectors**

If you are seeking connection or looking for a chance to be of service to your community, our Connectors program is a great outlet. These are different than our Care Calls as they are peer to peer vs Pastoral staff. You can request to be contacted by a Connector who can be there for you and offer prayer, 

conversation, and connection to help minimize loneliness. Or if you want to find a way to serve others and give of your time, you can volunteer to be a Connector who reaches out to others in the community to impact and support them.

**Prayer**

If you just need someone to pray for you or for a loved one, you can submit a virtual prayer request online. Our prayer team and staff pray for all the requests we receive every week and we would love to offer you this comfort and help in bringing your requests to God. 

**Personal Counseling**

Our care staff are available to reach out to you and provide counseling or connect you to our professional counseling resources. If you’re struggling with mental health issues, loss, anxiety, marital strain or just need someone to connect with on a deeper level about spiritual or emotional issues, Personal Counseling is available. 

**Funerals and Weddings**

Even though many of life’s activities are on hold right now, we understand that Weddings and Funerals may not be able to wait. If you need to request one of our pastoral staff members to officiate a wedding or funeral or to discuss your plans for the future, you can also request more information here. 

[**Home Response Plan** ](https://hobokengrace.com/relief/)

We are not just partnering with you to offer care and support for your emotional and spiritual needs, we also want to help you with your physical needs as well. 

We’re helping with food packages as well as business support and personal job searches. We are setting up a benevolence fund to help people with emergency financial needs and much more. To learn more, visit our Home Response Plan page. 

We look forward to hearing from you and helping you find whatever type of support you may need. Even though it may feel like it right now, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. So please, reach out and visit the [Care and Support Page](https://hobokengrace.com/support-2/) to take the first step seeking support; you won’t regret it!


Finding Care and Support in the Wake of Uncertainty

Since March, social distancing has forced us to live life over Zoom, FaceTime, email and snail mail (for those of us who are REALLY bored). It hasn’t stopped us from participating in connection events, but the events had to be online. Online connection events are fun and enjoyable, but nothing beats seeing each other face-to-face. On June 28th our community traded their sweatpants for some real pants as we met at Pier A Park for an afternoon of friendship, smiles, sun, and spike-ball.

Our time at the Pier was a laid back, casual setting which was just what everybody needed to reenter the world of in-person socializing. “It didn’t matter what we did” Nick, Hoboken Grace Community Director told me. “That’s why we planned it at the Pier. We needed a safe place to do nothing, which ended up being more than enough.” Nick is right. Sometimes simple is better. For some of us, it had been over three months since we’ve seen our friends anywhere other than a on computer screen and that was the goal of this whole thing—to reunite and reconnect.

The event really brought home the idea of what it looks like to be a community. Nick summed it up perfectly when he said, “The opportunity to be with our friends in person was really great. I’ve been going to Hoboken Grace events for eleven years, and it was one of the most memorable.” This first in-person event since Covid-19 proved that the people make it special, not the activity.

Even though games were played, it seemed all people wanted to do was catch up and enjoy the sun together. Personally, I kept thinking of the saying “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” We’ve all heard a grandparent or Oscar winning movie say it, but it’s true. I love connection events, but I haven’t always made an effort to attend all of them. Usually if they involved food, I was there but often I’d find myself saying, “I’ll make it to the next one for sure!” Until suddenly, there wasn’t a next one; at least one that wasn’t virtual. People I thought I would see next Sunday were suddenly quarantined in another state with family members or sick themselves.

Looking around at everybody having a good time, the general feeling in the air was that this was much needed. John, an attendee, expressed his excitement saying, “As an extrovert the virtual side was helpful, but I definitely noticed something was missing. I realized how much I missed personal interaction. It energizes me and fills me up. Seeing my friends again in person made me feel a bit like my normal self again.”

It comforts me knowing these bonds are so strong that it doesn’t matter what we do or where we are in life. What matters is just being together and giving each other the little bit of energy we need to become whole. I don’t know what future connection events will look like; they could be completely different or return to some form of normal. Whatever the case, I know I won’t take the time I have with my Hoboken Grace family for granted ever again.

Don’t miss your chance to connect either; check out our Events page in the app or on the website to see what future in-person and online [connection events](https://hobokengrace.com/events/) we have coming up!


Face Time (In Real Life)

The last three months have been one of the longest periods of continuous transitioning I’ve ever experienced in my life. When the pandemic hit, I was forced to work from home, then I experienced the unexpected loss of my father to COVID-19, found myself in a new relationship, and inherited a big, slobbery Saint Bernard named Mia. Everything about my life—all of its routines and habits—have been uprooted, completely reshaping what “normal” looks like for me.

It’s easy to get pulled in a lot of different directions, especially when everything is so new and different. That’s why the current series, “Thriving in Transition” has been so relevant for me. Pastor Chris spoke about how the habits formed during the midst of transition will be the habits we keep after transition. It’s also important to be mindful of the habits we are making or the lack of habits we are making. We want to make a conscious effort to form positive habits that will lead to the best version of ourselves, while also bringing us closer to God.

The first new habit that I had to work on was making time with God my first priority. I started waking up 30 minutes earlier to read the bible and create a prayer list for people needing support. This way I would set my mind on God first thing in the morning and connect with His plan for my life. Starting my day off with God helps me to set up a positive rhythm for the whole day. As Paul stated in Colossians 3:2, “Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (NLT). I realized it is so easy to fall into an unhealthy rhythm for the day. By putting God first, I am able to focus on His needs instead of my own.

The second habit I’ve been working on is saving money. This transition has made me aware of the amount of times I was going out unnecessarily per week. Friends birthday’s, work happy hours, I haven’t seen you in two weeks let’s go out to dinner,etc. But this post Covid-world has made me realize that you can still get together with friends and family in a meaningful way without spending a lot of money. Now I suggest to my friends going for a walk on the waterfront, having a birthday party in a park, or just hanging out on the front stoop. We can still have these great connections, just in a simpler way. Also, having the extra funds in my pocket has allowed me to make donations to various organizations including towards the Home Initiative at Hoboken Grace.

The third habit I have made has been prioritizing Mia’s health. Mia was my father’s therapy dog that I inherited. She was trained by my dad to help people in nursing homes, autistic schools, hospitals, and library reading programs. In order for her be able to help others in the future, I have had to change both of our routines. Our new habit together is walking every morning and evening so that we can keep her healthy and strong. After the pandemic regulations loosen, I’ll be able to become therapy certified so that Mia and I can carry on my dad’s legacy of bringing joy to the people who need it most.

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2020/07/Thriving-in-Transition_Square-for-App-1.jpg)

This transition period has been difficult but also good. The series, [“Thriving in Transition”](https://hobokengrace.com/series/thriving-in-transition/) has allowed me to make a conscious effort to form positive habits during this time of change. I know that once I go back to work and the daily demands of  
my life begin return to what they once were, these new habits will stick and I’ll be able to grow into a better version of myself through my engagement with God and my other healthy new routines. As Pastor Chris has pointed out, our ability to continue to transform our lives is found in creating habits that draw us closer to God. There is nothing we need, nothing we long for, nothing more important than our pursuit of Him


Putting Things Into Place

Have you ever had the feeling that you could be experiencing more of God? It’s this nudge inside of you that suggests there’s more. Sometimes it comes while you are listening to Pastor Chris speak or watching people get baptized or listening to a worship song or sharing with a dinner group friend. 

Perhaps there is no nudge. There is only unrest. A weekend away doesn’t seem to fix that deep unrest that won’t go away. You think it’s just a busy season, but you are starting to suspect it may simply be your life.

I found myself there a few years ago. I wasn’t where I needed to be spiritually to be the wife, mom, friend and leader I was called to be. Everything felt hard ー too hard. Hoboken Grace kept expanding, our family kept growing, and my life kept taking unexpected turns. With every new season, my personal experience of God took a hit until I hit a wall and there was nowhere left to turn but to Him. I knew that if I was going to be who He has called me to be I needed Him. Not just on Sunday, not just in dinner group ー every day in every season.

One habit I implemented that DRASTICALLY impacted my experience of God was taking one day away with God every three months. Yes, a full day away. It took some time to get used to (the first time I made it two hours before I called a friend and asked her what I should do). Now the day flies by, and I often wish it could be longer. In case you want to give it a try, here’s what a typical day away with God can look like:

1. Schedule the day the way you would schedule any other important event. It doesn’t get moved just because another event came up.
2. Start the day with whatever helps you clear your mind. Maybe that’s taking a walk or bike ride. Maybe it’s yoga. For me it’s always a workout. It may sound odd, but it helps my mind STOP when I push my body to its limits physically. I also listen to worship songs and let my mind be consumed by thoughts of Him.
3. Once there, my time with God follows a rhythm of confession (ways I know I am not being who I am created to be), gratitude (acknowledging everything good in my life is a gift from Him), and time with a Bible and journal. Spending time in God’s word is CRUCIAL because it is a letter written with you in mind and He has something to share through it. Your journal is so you can write out what is on your heart and where you are. Writing it down helps you stay focused.
4. Halfway through, do something you enjoy WITH God that brings you rest. God is fun and He would LOVE to enjoy His time with you. He will meet you anywhere! I have gone to the beach, to the spa or to my favorite lunch spot with Him. You may be wondering what “with Him” means. For me, it’s that I keep doing my reading while having lunch or I talk to Him the way I would with a friend. If you are new to that it will take some time, but I promise you will get there.
5. Go back to your Bible and journal. I try to end the day by asking Him who He wants me to pray for or encourage. He often brings someone to mind throughout the day, and so this is the time I take to reach out to that person. I can’t tell you how many times the response I get back is, “This is exactly what I needed today. Thank you!”

This may seem too time-consuming, and I completely understand that fear! It seems counterproductive and even selfish. But if you’re tired of getting the nudge without doing anything about it, if you want ACTUAL rest from the One who knows you best – give it a shot. 

You can even do it with friends who want to try it with you. Doing it with a friend means you come back at the end of your alone time and you share what you read, what you heard, what you experienced. Friendships like that are a lifeline and will help deepen your experience of God.

_Hoboken Grace has resources available to help you in your journey with God – [RightNow Media](https://accounts.rightnow.org/Account/Invite/hobokengrace?returnUrl=https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Account/Media/InviteReturn) (free access to a library of video studies), [Rhythms](http://hobokengrace.com/rhythms/) (a way to build daily habits, also found in our app), [Axiom](https://hobokengrace.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/147651) (a weekend retreat), and all [past messages](http://hobokengrace.com/podcast/)._


Take a Day


Every month we talk about incorporating rhythms into our lives in order to engage with God throughout the day. But new habits don’t develop overnight. We often must first acknowledge and embrace the challenges that keep us from hearing how God is speaking into our lives. Here are five guidelines if you’re struggling to develop rhythms that lead to a meaningful conversation with Him. To assist with this, we also create monthly rhythms for our community to make our engagement with God a consistent part of our day. These rhythms can be found [here](https://hobokengrace.com/rhythms/) on our website or on our app.

**1). Start small**

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are daily habits. Be patient with yourself and aware of what is and isn’t a realistic addition to your routine. If you already find it difficult to pray first thing in the morning ― whether it’s because you have kids or because you’re usually scrambling to get out the door ― trying to make prayer work at that time will likely just lead to disappointment.

Instead, build new habits around old habits. Evaluate the places where God Time can complement your already established routine. Maybe it’s during the hour you have carved out for lunch, or during your kids’ naptime. Or maybe prayer fits into your morning run and also during your commute home. If you’re struggling to make something stick, try starting with something simple, like engaging with God for a few minutes every time you brush your teeth. Then expand the conversation to other parts of your day.

**2). Work on changing the conversation**

In Thessalonians, Paul tells us to be joyful and pray continually. Paul is calling on us to change the conversation. Instead of talking to yourself all day, talk to Him ― just as you would talk to a friend. If you find the conversation drifting back to you (and you likely will), try exercising that muscle through journaling. Instead of journaling for yourself, write as if you were talking to God.

**3). Tame your wandering mind**

Create space to talk to Him with limited distractions. Pinpoint where your mind is going instead and try eliminating it. If you find yourself staring at dirty laundry and dishes in the sink, head to a coffee shop or the pier. And if it’s your phone that’s distracting you, leave it at home.

If your mind is still going elsewhere, find something to rein it in. For those who find it particularly difficult to sit still and focus, try meditating on His word with scripture-based adult coloring books (yes, really). Coloring reduces activity in the amygdala ― where our worries and other stress-induced emotions originate ― and is a meditation unto itself. While your mind might still wander, it can’t go far. So try dreaming and creating alongside God while illustrating scripture. As an added bonus, you’ll probably memorize a new verse by the time you’re done.

**4). Set reminders**

If you struggle with forgetfulness (as we all do), try creating reminders for yourself, at least until a new rhythm becomes a full-fledged habit. To help in establishing these rhythms, we created a way to set-up daily reminders through the [Hoboken Grace App](https://hobokengrace.com/appdownload/). Here is a quick step by step to get started:

1. Download the Hoboken Grace App on your phone.
2. Go to the three horizontal lines at the top left corner.
3. Go to settings and then notifications.
4. Here you can choose to set up notifications for our monthly rhythms.

Once completed you will begin to receive three notifications each day. At 8am a reminder about the daily bible reading plan, as we walk through the new testament together in a year. Along with this notification you can also join us live on the app for Anthony and Chris in the Morning, also at 8am, as we walk through and engage in this reading together. Then at 12pm you will get a notification that will take you to our meditation passage for the month. This will be an opportunity for all of us to take a moment in our day and stop what we are doing to engage God in prayer over this passage. Finally, at 4:30pm, before our day comes to an end, a reminder will be sent regarding the memory verse for the month which will give you another chance to stop and reflect on God’s word.

**5). Own your failure**

You know when you forget to return someone’s call or email, then avoid that person out of guilt when you run into them? Don’t let that be your relationship with God.

Inevitably, your daily to-do’s will get in the way. So when you fail to engage with God, own up to that failure and release any guilt that comes with it. Because when you move closer to God, God will move closer to you.


Five Tips If You’re Struggling to Develop Rhythms

**Opening the Door to Volunteering**

After moving to the area, Justin and Fernanda felt disconnected from their new community. What helped change that, they say, was helping others adjust to their own new surroundings. 

After seeing an ad on Instagram, Justin and Fernanda began volunteering with The Open Door, a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening communities and immigrant families through classes in English as a second language, mathematics, children’s literacy and computers. Anyone can matriculate to the classes, and the best part is that they are completely free. The group aims to empower immigrant families to reach their “God-given potential.” Between their two locations, 300 people participate in the program. 

For the first six months, Fernanda was volunteering as a teaching assistant to another teacher. When the teacher had to move on to another class, Fernanda began teaching herself. Because it was such a big class of basic-level students learning English, Fernanda got her husband involved as well.

“We didn’t have any teaching experience before volunteering there and we have been learning as we go,” Fernanda said. “But there is a curriculum that we can follow and it is pretty straight-forward. The most important thing really is to love the students and create a safe space for them to grow in community.”

On a typical evening, Justin and Fernanda arrive at Nazereth Baptist Church in West New York at 7 p.m. to teach level 4 (most advanced) English once a week. The teacher from the previous day will email them where she stopped in the book and they will then follow from there. They try to mix in writing, speaking and reading exercises, then take a 15-minute break to listen to a Bible story or a motivational speech. After speaking only English so the students can practice with them, the night ends at 8:30 p.m.

[![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2019/05/opendoor3-1024x683.jpg)](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2019/05/opendoor3.jpg)

Volunteering with The Open Door has been a life-changing experience, the couple says they now feel like part of the community. They even run into their students on the street and get introduced to their families. 

Volunteering has also helped them become closer to God. The students are a constant inspiration, Justin and Fernanda say. As they get to know them better, they hear about their journeys. It has not been easy for many of the students, but they are so faithful that it motivates Justin and Fernanda and boosts their own faith in Him. 

Even their Dinner Group has gotten involved, visiting one night in March for “Conversation Night.” They had some questions written down, but it was not necessary to use them because the conversation flowed quite easily. Some of the topics included the experience of living in a different country with a different culture, favorite foods and what they liked to do for fun when they were kids. Justin and Fernanda describe it as a very emotional evening because the students truly felt loved and were excited to see that this group was paying attention to them and wanted to get to know them. For their Dinner Group, the experience overflowed with love and kindness. For Justin and Fernanda, it was a great opportunity to love their students and to get to know them better. It was also a great opportunity to love their Dinner Group and give them the chance to get to know this special group of students. 

_To learn more about The Open Door and other local partners that we work with and how you can get involved [click here](https://hobokengrace.com/local-partners/)._


The Open Door

**Can you relate to any of the following?**

* You decided to try living clean/sober again and really want to make it stick this time. You’re concerned though as past strategies haven’t worked so you are willing to try something new.
* You are recently clean/sober and are interested in expanding the spiritual side of your recovery.
* Your recovery program is working but given all that’s going on it is getting tougher each day. You would like some additional support.
* You have been sober and/or clean for a while and would like to support others at the start of their recovery journey while refreshing your own program.

If you answered yes to any of the above, I can assure you that you are not alone! I know because not only have I answered yes to each of these questions myself, but I’m also part of a support group Hoboken Grace has started called Crossroads to help all others who can relate. 

My name is David and my Crossroads journey began 23 years ago. For the first 6-plus years, I battled with whether or not I really had a problem with alcohol. After finally admitting that the answer was yes, I agreed to attend an intensive outpatient program and then a 12-step program. Over time, I came to realize that to remain clean and sober, I needed to confront the question I had been avoiding for so many years, namely who God was to me. After struggling for several years, finally, through regular meetings with a local pastor, I slowly found my way back to God and began a journey of building a relationship with Him.

After gradually slipping into an auto-pilot recovery program for about 10 years, several very vivid drunk dreams really shook me. They made me acutely aware that I needed to find a way to better integrate my recovery experiences with my spiritual life as well as do more to help others with their recovery journeys because I know that it is by giving that I receive.

 Through a variety of what I believe were God-directed events; Hoboken Grace connections and working with Pastor Anthony; I found my answer – establishing a Crossroads Support Group at Hoboken Grace. Crossroads is a step by step guide away from addictions. The original intent was to pilot a group later this year, but with Covid-19 causing many to live in isolation, a real enemy of sobriety, we decided to launch the first group several days after the Hoboken “stay at home” announcement. Five weeks in, our group of 8 is going strong. We are supporting each other in staying clean and sober and growing in our relationships with God. 

Thinking back over the past 23 years, somewhat implausibly I have come to believe that my addiction was one of the best things that could have happened to me. Crazy maybe, but without it I never would have stopped running away from God and avoiding Him, and never found the forgiving and loving God with whom I have a growing relationship today. 

If you would like to learn more about Crossroads and/or how we can support you in your recovery, **on a confidential basis**, email: [Crossroads@hobokengrace.com](mailto:Crossroads@hobokengrace.com)


At a Crossroads with Drugs and/or Alcohol?


We all have our morning routines, whether we are the “early riser” type ready to take on the day, or the “2 cups of coffee before speaking” type, mornings tend to set the tone on how the rest of our day will shape out. That is why it is important to start it on a positive note; no matter what type we are!

When Hoboken Grace introduced ‘Anthony & Chris in the Morning’ I quickly knew the show was going to become part of my routine. Not only has it become routine, but it is that exact “positive note” we all need during what could feel like the start to another uncertain day.

The dynamic of the show is great! First, we get a dose full of laughter while Anthony and Chris banter back and forth about whatever topics tend to surface that morning. Then, we have a devotional for the day that always takes us to scripture and such a great conversation around what Jesus is telling or showing us through His words and actions.

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/v1/archive/2020/05/Coffee-Icon_Morning-Prayer.jpg)

However, I have to say, there is one extremely unique part about the show to me and that is the chat functionality that is available to the viewers of the show. Hoboken Grace is known for its community engagement and this quarantine has not impeded those efforts to continue to connect to us all. The chat makes us feel like we are all in the same room together; checking in on each other, laughing together, and engaging in God’s word together. To provide an example, I want to share an amazing experience that came to fruition because of the chat.

One morning, Anthony and Chris somehow got on the topic of movies that are meant for children but are actually scary rather than kid-friendly. Some examples mentioned in the chat included Mulan (specifically, the Huns!), the witch from Snow White, and Pinocchio. Pinocchio stopped me for a minute because I remember being terrified of the scene where Pinocchio gets swallowed by a whale!

Suddenly, I felt God tapping me on the shoulder. Earlier in the week, my dinner group discussed the question: “What are some examples in scripture where people faced unexpected circumstances?” Through this engagement with the community, God was showing me another amazing example. After reviewing Jonah 1-2, I quickly picked up my phone to share this message with my dinner group.

After reviewing the story of Jonah (by actually watching a children’s video online), I shared with my group that in this story, Jonah was trying to hide from God when he decided to get on a boat. The boat was soon rocked by a large storm and Jonah was thrown into the ocean and was swallowed by a whale! Jonah lived in the belly of this whale for 3 days and 3 nights. He prayed to God every day which gave him strength, but there were so many nights Jonah thought he would never see the light of day again. On the fourth day, the whale opened his mouth and spit Jonah out onto the shore. God spoke to him and said “You cannot hide from me! Whatever you do, I am with you all the time!”

There are so many days during this quarantine where we may feel like Jonah; like we will never see the light of day again, but we always need to remember to call on God for He is with us all the time. When we engage in conversation with God and those in our community, our eyes become open to things we never thought we would be able to see.

I encourage you to start your day off right and join me, and the rest of our community, online every day at 10:00am ET to engage in the conversation. Click [HERE](https://subsplash.com/hobokengrace/lb/ms/+x22pwpn) to listen anytime!


“Anthony & Chris in the Morning” — Have You Tuned In Yet?

Blog

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.

https://res.cloudinary.com/dzs7qxusf/image/upload/b_rgb:ffffff,c_lpad,h_720,w_1280/v1709609543/Web-Icon-01-favicon_da4fdo.png