During the pandemic, I would routinely walk here from Summit: 9 hours one way - a good part up…read morehill. 9 miles back. Typically 8 hours round trip. I walked 800 miles and lost 75 miles over lockdown. This was a holy place higher than religion. It represented the blessing that was Joe Biden's arrival after the horror of the last reign. Walking. Most great religions and philosophies were invented that way.

I've passed this place countless times in the years I've resided in the area without having any…read moreinclination to enter its grounds and explore. It was a shrine (although I know technically what a "shrine" is...as a teen, I had 1 set up in my bedroom to actress Nastassja Kinski...I never quite knew the difference between a "church" and a "shrine" and had no real desire to find out), and it sat up on a hill, surrounded by trees. My relationship to "religion" and "spirituality" has been complicated. Compelled to attend Protestant church as a kid, I had developed enormous hostility to religion. At 17, motivated by an inherent sense of fairness, I recognized that I didn't necessarily know what I was hostile about, and sat down to read the Bible. It wasn't an easy process, but I found the New Testament dealing with Jesus enlightening. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, I found Him to be a sort of proto-Marxist (even though my 17-year-old conceptions of Marxism were pretty inchoate and uninformed), not the button-down conservative with blond hair I had been raised to believe He was. He healed the sick, He championed the poor and destitute, He excoriated the moneychangers and drove them from the temple. What was not to like? Reading the Bible didn't necessarily make a believer of me, but it made me less hostile. In the years since then, I've tried to explore all aspects of spirituality. I've read books dealing with Islam, Judaism, Hinduism (I like their tradition of tolerance, their belief that all religions have the same goal, and can be equally good), Buddhism, etc. (For writings pertaining to the historical Jesus, I recommend the work of Prof. Bart Ehrman). Catholicism always intrigued me. As an adopted kid raised as a Protestant in a largely Catholic-Jewish neighborhood, it seemed a more colorful, less rigid "club" that I wasn't able to join. Later, when I was re-united with my Catholic birth mother, I attended services with her and liked a lot of what I witnessed (it should be noted that my 2 half-brothers, raised Catholic, are staunch atheists now). At some point, I learned that the Catholic Bible has more chapters, or books, in it than the Protestant version I had read so long ago (I guess Luther or King Henry VIII or Calvin decided to remove the chapters they felt weren't necessary). I decided I was going to have to re-read the Bible, but the Catholic version this time. I guess it was timely that in riding around with my old friend, who was raised Catholic, we pulled into the shrine. When I looked inquiringly at him, he said, "I used to come here when my mom was dying. It gave me some peace to come here." There was plentiful parking, the grounds were beautiful, and we entered the main building, which contains a church (or chapel) and a gift shop. A Mass was being conducted, and we didn't stay long (evidently, they also have Masses in Spanish). There's another chapel being built in another part of the grounds. There's a monument outside on the sprawling lawn to those who died in 9/11, with an impressive structure of bells that sound off periodically (I had the misfortune to be standing under 1 when it went off...loudly...and for a few minutes I feared that the bells would accomplish the total deafness that all those Ramones and Black Sabbath concerts hadn't). The gift shop had much for sale, and I ended up buying the Catholic Bible for about $45 (I couldn't help but reflect on those free Bibles the Gideons used to put in hotel rooms way back when). It's a wonderfully crafted edition, with historical explanations, graphs, colorful illustrations, etc., and I have started reading it. I must confess (Sorry, Father, that's "confess" with a small "c") that the Old Testament is a tough slog, but I intend to see it through. They sell other religious books, CDs, DVDs, jewelry (crosses, etc.), and other items pertaining to Catholicsm. They had a statuette of St. Michael with his foot on the Devil's head that I was tempted to buy, but I figured $45 for one day was enough. The proprietor of the gift shop was pleasant and friendly. Am I ready to convert? No. As I face the reality of oncoming death, I envy those with some firm spiritual faith to grasp on to. Protestantism isn't for me; it reminds me too much of Howard Johnson's 28 flavors of ice cream-- take your pick. But I don't know that I can, as a sentient adult, say, "Yes, I'm no longer Pro-Choice, I support celibacy in the priesthood and the 2nd class status of women, and I agree that some of these harmless vices that are common to humanity are grave sins that I need to repent of in order to find forgiveness and redemption." And I don't think Christianity is the only way to find God, if He or She actually exists. Still, the shrine is a lovely, tranquil place for the faithful to engage in reflection, meditation, and expressions of their faith. Or for those who, as I am, are willing enough to at least investigate the possibility of having such a faith.

Although I was only there for a weekday rummage sale, everyone in the building was very nice and…read morewelcoming. One volunteer even kindly offered to hold my selections while I browsed the expansive offerings in the main room and two smaller rooms. There was a neighborly vibe going on, as a local resident stopped in and sparked conversations with the church members. While I'm not the churchgoing type, it was the kind of place I would imagine being a focal point for the community.

I love everything about this Church, had a great worship here while visiting. People are very…read morefriendly and diverse, love the Pastor, the choice of hymns and their cafe where everyone can gather to mingle after or before service. Can't wait to go back to visit again. May God bless their ministries.

Wonderful church. Very grounded. Very much about community and assisting others, especially the…read moreless fortunate. Pastor, Fr Jerry, is wonderful and involved with the congregation and welcomes all people. He works hard and it certainly pays off. All are welcome there. Atmosphere is very friendly and supportive of others.

Holy Spirit is a great church to belong to, or even to just drop in! The pastor is very friendly…read moreand down-to-earth. The building and grounds are beautifully kept. The people in the pews are smiling and welcoming, and if you enjoy good food you'll love the after-service socials! Always good eats! The services are lively and there is always something going on for the kids. The sermons are practical, not stuffy or heady. The pastor is a real "people person" and because he grew up in Verona he really understands the church's larger community. I would recommend Holy Spirit to anyone looking for a great church family!

This church is run by a husband and wife who are committed to God's word. The husband, Pastor…read moreCorprew, is from Newark and wanted to start a church to give back. The congregation is small but familial. On my first visit I did not realize I had to bring a Bible, so they lent me one to use and offered to give me one to keep. They were very kind and their whole focus seems to be on praising God and helping others to become closer to Him in order to have a vibrant life. Check it out if you are in or near Newark!

I got the privilege of serving with this church when sandy hit and the pastors are awesome. It's a…read moregreat multi-cultural church that reaches out to the community

Church is in a nice location. Parking is huge and shares with St Michael's school. But you need…read moreto arrive early because this church gets packed. Services start on time and ends on time. Church gets updated and well kept. Also have yearly confirmation for your kids that start at 9th grade.

This is a great Church. We transferred here from another local (non-episcopal) church and have…read morereally enjoyed it. I didn't know much about the Episcopal Church but I've found it to be very welcoming to everyone. As for this particular Church, it has a variety of different services to fit your needs. It has the typical Sunday morning services like most churches but it also has a Saturday evening mass that is very laid-back and has popular songs incorporated into a one-hour service. They have songs from various artists such as Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Bob Marley, Springsteen, etc. It is quite the variety. They also offer a yoga mass. I've never been but I hear good things. It's exactly what it sounds like. A yoga class centered around mass. You can get more info on these services from the website (https://stpaulswestfield.org). I've found the people there to be welcoming but not overbearing. If you want to duck in and out, you can do that or if you're looking for a great church community, that definitely exists here. They are clearly trying to offer variety to meet lots of different needs.