Canon James T. Yarsiah, Priest-In-Charge

Phone: 732-681-1863

Email us at: stmichaelnj@gmail.com

2015 Allenwood Road

Wall, New Jersey 07719

CURRENT WORSHIP SCHEDULE (Please join us):

9:00 AM Holy Eucharist Rite II

Zoom Remote Worship is Available

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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88377383368?pwd=UXV6YnM0Z0ZmVG9zckwrelRHUEZSZz09

Meeting ID: 883 7738 3368

Passcode: 629708

 Sunday School resumed on September 8th!

ALL ARE WELCOME!

P-I-C Message for April

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Ophelia and I are deeply grateful for your thoughts and prayers during our travels to and from Liberia between February 5 and March 14. Our journey was filled with excitement, challenges, grief, and loss.

One of the greatest joys was spending time with my mother, who stayed with us throughout our visit. We also cherished reconnecting with our siblings, relatives, friends, and church communities. I had the privilege of celebrating and preaching at St. Thomas Parish, Camp Johnson Road, on February 16, and at my former parish, St. Stephen’s Parish, 10th Street, Sinkor, Monrovia, on February 23. Additionally, on March 2nd, I celebrated and preached at St. John’s Irvin Memorial Church, located outside Monrovia in northwestern Liberia. This parish played a significant role in my journey by sponsoring my seminary education and ordination in the Episcopal Church of Liberia (ECL).

Amid the joys of our visit, we also faced profound sorrow with the illness and passing of Aunty Christiana Teah, Ophelia’s beloved aunt. We took her to the 14th Military Hospital outside Monrovia, where she was admitted. Sadly, after 14 days in the hospital, she passed away on March 1. Ophelia took on the responsibility of coordinating all funeral arrangements, and the service was held on March 8 at First United Methodist Church, where Aunty Christiana had faithfully served as a Lay Reader at the 8:00 a.m. service. Her passing was a heartbreaking experience for her children and our entire family. We are grateful for everyone who upheld us in their prayers. It was by God’s providence that we were in Liberia to support Aunty Christiana in her final days—just as she had cared for Ophelia’s mother during her terminal illness in 2017 and babysat our daughters when we returned from the USA in 2002.

Another challenge we faced was the delayed arrival of the relief container we had loaded on December 14 and shipped to Liberia in December 2024. It finally reached the Freeport of Monrovia on March 1, 2025. Unfortunately, the Diocese of Liberia lacked the necessary funds ($1,966 USD) for customs clearance, so we had to borrow the amount to ensure its release. Once again, we see God’s hand in placing us there at the right time to resolve a difficult situation. With His grace, we successfully distributed the donated items to various institutions, organizations, churches, and the Diocese of Liberia. Below are photos capturing these distributions—after all, as the saying goes, “Pictures are worth a thousand words.”

 In Christ’s love, Canon James T. Yarsiah