On Main Street in Newton, the county seat of Sussex County, Christ Episcopal Church has stood at the center of the community since 1769. Just off the town square, south of the intersection of Route 206 and Route 94, the stone church and adjoining buildings form a small campus that hosts weekly worship, a renowned music program, Christian education for every age, and a steady stream of outreach ministries. Christ Church is the oldest congregation in Newton and the second oldest parish in the Diocese of Newark, and its members describe a parish that is growing every day, drawn by what is known as a uniquely harmonious blend of people from a broad spectrum of political beliefs, gender identities, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Sunday Worship
Holy Eucharist is celebrated at 8:00 a.m. and Choral Eucharist at 10:00 a.m. each Sunday. The 10:00 a.m. service is livestreamed on YouTube. Children are welcome in all aspects of the worship service and encouraged to participate as they are able. A professionally-staffed nursery is provided for children who are not yet ready to take in the full liturgy. Adults may gather for Bible study at 9:00 a.m., and Sunday School runs from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. through the program year.
Worship is liturgical and traditional, with opportunities for lay people to serve as ushers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and acolytes. The Altar Guild cares for the vessels, linens, and vestments used throughout the church year, and prepares the altar for Sundays, holy days, and funerals. Coffee hour follows the 10:00 a.m. service each Sunday, with coffee, tea, bagels, pastries, and fruit catered by volunteers.
A Music Program Heralded Across the Diocese
The music program at Christ Church is described throughout the diocese as one of its brightest treasures. Director of Music Joseph Mello has been at Christ Church since 1979, the same year his wife Deborah Mello joined the staff as Children's Music Director. The couple was honored with the Inaugural Distinguished Music Educator Award from Yale University in 2007 for their long service to music ministry and education. Pianist, organist, and music educator Diana Greene also serves on the music team.
The Senior and Junior Choirs sing at the 10:00 a.m. service from September through June. At Easter, the Senior Choir is joined by a brass quintet and timpani. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is presented annually on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, drawing worshippers from across the region. Children in grades one through six who like to sing are encouraged to join the Junior Choir, which rehearses on Sundays immediately following Coffee Hour and teaches music reading and Bible stories alongside the rehearsal.
The current Reuter Organ was constructed by the Reuter Organ Company of Lawrence, Kansas, and installed in 2003. A fully refurbished 1924 Steinway Model B concert grand piano, donated in memory of a former parishioner, complements the organ and choir.
A Parish Older Than Its Diocese
Christ Church Newton predates the Diocese of Newark itself, which was not formed until 1785. The congregation traces its origin to December 1769, when a group organized in what was then called New Town in communion with the Church of England. In April 1770 the Proprietors of East Jersey granted the new parish 200 acres of land on Fredon Road, three and a half miles outside of Newton, and Newton resident Jonathan Hampton contributed ten acres to fulfill the parsonage requirement.
The parish was formally incorporated by royal charter on August 15, 1774, granted by Royal Governor William Franklin on behalf of His Majesty King George III. The original sheepskin charter still hangs under glass on the west wall of the nave.
The first rector, Uzal Ogden Jr., a founder of Trinity Church in Newark, was named despite not yet being ordained. He traveled to England in 1773 to be ordained by the Bishop of London. The first church building was erected and consecrated on November 19, 1823, with Clarkson Dunn designated as rector the following day. The parish acquired its first organ in 1824 and a bell was hung in 1838.
By 1867 the church was deemed unsafe, and the cornerstone of the present church was laid on August 21, 1868, in the presence of Bishop William H. Odenheimer, the two former rectors, and the new rector, the Reverend William Welles Holley. Services were first held in the new building on July 11, 1869. Anderson House, built in 1785, was moved to 62 Main Street in 1896 and joined to the church by a two-story parish hall dedicated in 1969. To date, the parish has had only nineteen rectors.
In November 2019, Christ Church celebrated its 250th anniversary with a full weekend of services, an evening concert titled "Hands Across the Sea," Evensong sung from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and a gala at the Lake Mohawk Country Club. The Most Reverend Julio Murray, Bishop of Panama and Archbishop of Central America, and the Right Reverend Dr. Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham, joined the diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Carlye Hughes, for the celebration. A message of congratulations was received from Archbishop Michael Curry, Primate of the Anglican Communion.
Christian Education for Every Age
Christian Education runs from September through June. Children from preschool through sixth grade gather for Sunday School from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. using the "Spark Activate Faith" curriculum, with music, scripture study, discussion, games, and crafts. The annual Christmas pageant is a parish highlight. Teens meet as "Journey," the Christ Church Youth Group, for Bible study, current events, and regular visits to senior residents at nearby Liberty Towers. The youth group traditionally takes semi-annual trips following the Rite of Confirmation, and adds social outings like snow tubing and hiking throughout the year.
Adults gather for Bible study on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. with the Rector, and a Thursday morning worship and reflection service is held at 10:00 a.m. in the parlor from September through June. The Church and Main newsletter keeps the parish informed and connected.
Hands at Work in Sussex County
The Thursday New Beginnings Community Breakfast runs from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m. in Holley Hall, the parish hall adjacent to the church with its entrance on Church Street. A hot breakfast, fellowship, and information about community programs are offered to anyone who walks in. Partners in the program include the Town of Newton, Family Promise, Project Self-Sufficiency, Market Street Mission, the Mental Health Association, the Center for Prevention and Counseling, Pathways 2 Prosperity, and Benny's Bodega.
Each Sunday, immediately after the 10:00 a.m. service, volunteers prepare and distribute bagged lunches to neighbors in need through the Sunday Brunch in a Bag program. On the fourth Wednesday of each month, volunteers serve lunch at Manna House, the local meal program in Newton. Christ Church in Stitches gathers parishioners who knit, crochet, and sew prayer shawls, blankets, scarves, and hats for those in need.
Christ Church Newton opens its doors to a number of community organizations as well, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Al Anon, the Center for Prevention and Counseling, the Sussex County Oratorio Society, the Sussex County Youth Orchestra, and NORWESCAP's Pathways to Prosperity.
Christ Church Women
The Christ Church Women's group follows the mission of the National Episcopal Church Women: to empower women to do Christ's ministry in the world. Members meet monthly for a potluck luncheon at the church or in members' homes, support grieving families and members facing health crises, host receptions for parish events, and gather each March for a Spring Retreat. A partnership with the women of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Newton brings the two congregations together for shared services, programs, and outreach. The Keeping in Touch note card ministry reaches out to those experiencing loss, illness, recovery, or isolation, and acknowledges appreciation, gratitude, and celebration.
Hospitality Around the Table
Coffee hour follows the 10:00 a.m. service each Sunday, with coffee, tea, bagels, pastries, and fruit catered by volunteers. Monthly church breakfasts bring parishioners together from September through May, often with an accompanying presentation. The annual Easter Vigil reception features barbecued lamb and Greek delicacies; the June parish picnic, the Stewardship Dinner, concert receptions, and the Sunday School kick-off party round out a year that prizes shared meals and gathered conversation.
Leadership
The Reverend Chris Streeter serves as Rector. The Reverend Dr. Patricia Lyons is Associate Priest; the Reverend Jeanette Hile and the Reverend Candace Sandfort serve as Assisting Clergy. The Reverend Jenny Streeter directs Christian Formation. Susie Mittelstadt leads Children's Ministries. Joseph Mello directs music, with Deborah Mello as Children's Music Director and Diana Greene as pianist and organist. Geri Livengood and Mary Ann Risley serve as wardens. The vestry includes Danise Tellefsen as Clerk, along with Cecelia Clayton, Mark Dubel, Sarah Jaqueth, Mike Ragsdale, Diana Riker, Caroline Silva, Patricia Taggart, and Cate Terwilliger. The parish is part of the Diocese of Newark, led by Bishop Carlye Hughes.
Visiting Christ Church
Christ Church Newton is located at 62 Main Street in Newton, New Jersey. The church entrance is on Church Street, just off Main Street in the heart of downtown Newton. Sunday worship is held at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., with the 10:00 a.m. service livestreamed on YouTube. Office hours are Monday through Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. The priest is always available for pastoral emergencies.
Members and friends support the parish through pledges, weekly offerings, online giving, employer matching programs, planned gifts, and bequests. Christ Church, Newton, is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.