Pompton Reformed Church 59 Hamburg Tpk. Pompton Lakes, NJ (973) September 2017

Transcription

1 Pompton Reformed Church 59 Hamburg Tpk. Pompton Lakes, NJ (973) September 2017 Pastor s Note: Each of us is on the venture of life, and even if we are retired, the Labor Day weekend is a time to be reminded that in our daily pursuits, God is right there with you on your life journey. He is there beside you on your venture into new relationships and unknown situations. God is with you as you initiate exploration of your hopes. If David had not been aware that God was with him on the job, we would not have Psalm 23 with all its helpful and cherished phrases. Joseph could have given up in the Pit or in Potiphar s house or in prison, but he continued to believe that God would work out His purpose through Joseph. Miriam and her mother could have given up when they learned that all boy babies would be drowned, but they continued to believe God would work out his purpose, and what innovation they created! When uncertainties of life build anxiety, I recall the vision that Bishop Quaily found helpful in his pursuits. As he was concerned about facing a restless night with little sleep, he sensed that God was saying to him, Quaily, let me do the worrying overnight and you get some sleep, so you can be my representative well in the morning. The Bible is filled with reminders that God wants to be a partner, enriching our daily dynamic. God has insights for making our life ventures more fulfilling and satisfying. God leads me in the right paths Psalm 23 God corrects the misdirected and sends them in the right direction. Psalm 25:9 The Lord shall guide you so you shall be like a well- watered garden. Isaiah 58:11 Pastor Mel

2 Sounds of September By Elaine Peacock Well September has arrived and so have the sounds of September; school bells, football games and street fairs just to name a few things that comes to mind. September sounds for me is the sound of a train whistle as it pulls out of Grand Central Station for a reunion with my friends in Connecticut or the honking of the car service horn waiting to take me to Newark Airport for my next adventure. September has always been my vacation month, when I worked I spent the summer keeping the work flow going while everyone else went on vacation then it was my turn. September is the start of all the fun autumn events too; it seems that every weekend there are so many events to choose from it is hard to make up your mind. So whatever strikes your fancy get out there and enjoy the last of Indian summer and the sounds of September. ROUNDTABLE OF THANKS v A HUGE THANK YOU TO CINDI AND VALERIE PETRIDES FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK IN ORGANIZING THE TOWN WIDE GARAGE SALE AND TO ALL THE FAITHFUL VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED MAKE THE GARAGE SALE SUCH A SUCCESS. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND DEVOTION TO PRC. v ANOTHER HUGE THANK YOU GOES TO CHARLIE QUANT FOR HIS TIME AND TALENT IN MAKING THE BEAUTIFUL CROSS IN FELLOWSHIP HALL. ALSO THANKING CHARLIE FOR HIS DILIGENCE AND DETERMINATION IN OBTAINING GRANT MONEY TO REPAIR THE RYERSON VAULT. WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR TALENT AND DEVOTION TO PRC. To Our Friends at PRC, Just a little note to say thank you so much to our friends at PRC for all the prayers, get well wishes, cards, notes, calls and s. Each and everyone meant so much to me and Chuck. We are Blessed with so many wonderful friends at PRC. God Bless you all. Helen & Chuck Gioia Pompton Reformed Church: Thank you very much for the presentation of the cross of PRC 1814 in honor of my Christian endeavors. I am truly grateful and humbled by it. God has been very good to me in many ways, one of which is having brought me to Pompton Reformed 66 years ago. Thank you. Jeanette Sweetman Poulsen (With apologies to Mrs. Poulsen, this should have been in the July/August edition)

3 Thank you so much for the continued generous support of my seminary education. It means a lot to have the support of my church family. The money will help me pay for my books or this coming year. Thanks and God Bless, Anna Gordon Dear Scholarship Committee, Wow, Thank you so much for selecting me for a scholarship this year. Furthering my education is very important to me, and I m very glad the church feels the same way. I love PRC and I hope that we will use the ideas and voices of young people in the church. I have several ideas for the future of the church and I hope that ideas like mine can help and contribute to the future and the church. Thanks so much again! Sincerely, Michael Warner Thank you for your generous donation you have given me. This money will go a long way in helping me pay for my 4 years of education (maybe more) at Rutgers University. Your contribution has reminded me that my hard work has not gone to waste and has motivated me to continue striving for academic success. Thank you again. Jackson Hayes A round of thanks to: Garage Sale Fundraiser Thanks to All! Everyone who donated or purchased items. Doreen and everyone who helped price items. Volunteers who assisted with set- up and clean- up. Many who assisted throughout the day. Pastor Mel who was enjoying greeting and mingling with everyone. God blessed us with a fun, hot and busy day. We were able to raise $1, towards our roof fund. Valerie and Cindi Petrides Looking Ahead September 7, Choir rehearsal resumes-new voices welcome September 10, First Day of Sunday School September 12, Pick up your mums (last day to order is 9/3) September 12, tentative start of Bells-new ringers welcome** September 17, BackPack Sunday September 24,2017- Grandparents Sunday October 21, Autumnfest **contact janinemaletsky@gmail.com

4 Discovery Group for Seniors and Grandparents Every Wednesday 1:30-3 we meet with Pastor Mel. Over refreshments we explore resources to enrich our intergenerational relationships, and we discuss a Bible passage germane to the development of a future sermon. We welcome people to sample the food and the dialogue! Sunday School News Help Needed-Are you called? The ED Team is in need of Sunday School Teachers for Kindergarten/First Grade & Second/Third Grade. If you feel called to teach our youth - please see Cindi Petrides or Joanie Warner for more details! Blessing of the Children and Sunday School Teachers, Sunday, September 10, 10 am At the beginning of the school year and Sunday School year, all children and teachers will receive a special blessing from the congregation in the early part of the worship service. The litany is one you can take home so you can quote parts of it to family and friends as well. Backpack Sunday, Sunday, September 17, 10 am Students, their parents and grandparents will receive helpful gifts. Students are invited to come with their backpacks. Gifts include items to help with school endeavors, scripture passages relevant to enriching student learning experiences, and parent resources. After worship and Sunday School, during the 11:00 am refreshment time, parents can examine a growing parent enrichment library. Any person can borrow library items free.

5 POMPTON REFORMED CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS BACKPACK SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2017 BRING YOUR SCHOOL BACKPACK TO SUNDAY SCHOOL AND RECEIVE A SPECIAL BLESSING FOR THE SCHOOL WEEKS AHEAD! The Deacon s Corner The summer is almost over and it s time to look into the activities the Deacons have planned for this Fall. As you will see, there is plenty on our plate! We are in the process of planning a Mum Sale, Annual Pledge Drive, a joint Fellowship / Deacon s Appetizer Social and Autumnfest. Mum Sale Mums will be on sale from Sunday, August 13 th through Sunday, September 3 rd. The cost of the mums is $7.00 and will be available for pick-up on Sunday, September 10 th. All proceeds from the sale will go towards the Deacon s fund. Annual Pledge Drive During the month of September the Deacons will be preparing for the Annual Pledge Drive. All monies from your Annual Pledge will be used to keep Pompton Reformed Church up and running! These monies are used for Communion Sunday, staff salaries, the up keep of our building, assisting missionaries, office supplies, as well as providing the essentials for our coffee hour, church picnic, movie night, Toys for Tots and much, much, more! The Pledge Drive Kickoff will take place on Sunday, October 1, 2017.

6 Annual Pledge Drive Kickoff / Appetizer Social Sunday, October 1, 2017 The Deacons, in conjunction with the Fellowship Committee, will be hosting an Appetizer Social on Sunday, October 1 st. Come and enjoy great company, food and drinks. Afterwards, you will be able to pick-up your Annual Pledge Drive packets. Pledges are due by the end of November. Appetizer Social Sunday, October 1, The Deacons along with the Fellowship Committee will be hosting an Appetizer Social on Sunday, October 1 st. ALL are invited to either make a homemade or store bought cold appetizer. Or, if you so desire, you may donate small bottles of water or six-pack cans of soda. Autumnfest Saturday, October 21, 2017 The Deacons are currently working on their Farmstand for Autumnfest. Once again, cronuts and other sweet delicacies will be available for sale as well as fruits and vegetables Fellowship Dates September 17- Community Picnic - Fellowship and Missions will partner on this. October 21- Autumnfest October 29- Chili Social November 18- Sight and Sound Social December 17- Cookie Social Honoring Grandparent And other Intergenerational Mentors at Pompton Reformed Church, Sunday, September 24 10:00 am Be affirmed for your important role. You are invited to a worship service thanking God for the positive influence of grandparents and other intergenerational mentors. A celebrative refreshment time follows at 11 am Receive a packet of helpful resources for grand-parenting and mentoring free to all grandparents, mentors and their friends. Examine the growing Parent and Grandparent Resources in our free loan library.

7 Consistory Nominations It is once again the time of year to begin prayerfully considering potential candidates to serve on consistory in the office of deacon or elder. Lynn Schlapfer- Scarmazzo has kindly agreed to serve this year as the congregation member at large on the nominations committee. Lynn will work along with our three off- going consistory members (Joe Apgar, Fran Bierwas and Charlie Quant) to present a list of potential candidates to consistory. Any PRC member is able to put forth a nomination. These should be presented to Lynn, who will bring them to the larger group. This year we have two deacon vacancies and one elder. Consistory members serve a three- year term, in this case from This is a pivotal time in the history of PRC as we prepare to welcome a new pastor and face on- going challenges. Please pray for those God has gifted to serve him in these important offices. All nominations should be received by mid- September. Thank you. Attention Long-time Members! Do you know who made this banner? It has garnered lots of admirers since it was recently taken out of storage. Many would love to know who made it. If anyone knows the origins of this beautiful piece of handiwork, please speak to Jackie Bush. Thank you! Birthdays Caroline Winter Chrissy Warner Michael Warner

8 Memorials Given By In Memory Of Designation Manuel Caliolio Robert Buck Undesignated Rev. Mel Van Hattem Robert Buck Undesignated William & Anita Roberts Robert Buck Undesignated Lois Linde Robert Buck Undesignated Judith Zdanis Dorothy Voorman- Fish Undesignated Donna Gudovitz Dorothy Voorman- Fish Undesignated Kevin & Lorna Carroll Dorothy Voorman- Fish Capital Campaign Eleanor Haling George & Madeleine Haling Undesignated Linda Hufschmid Precious Mother, Audrey Capital Campaign Pat Gordon Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Rev. Mel Van Hattem Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Albert & Gail Daley Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign George & Barbara Buckman Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Carla & Charles Barrett Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Thomas & Brigitte Roberts Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Fred & Denise Forte Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Elaine & Robert Vander Goot Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Brenda & Timothy Loughery Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Jimmy & Laura Rose Jeannette Struble Capital Campaign Roy & Andrea Struble Jeanette Struble Capital Campaign Help Wanted Pancake Breakfast Coordinators As was announced in the spring, Cristina and Michael Earle have stepped down as coordinators of our annual Community Pancake Breakfast outreach. They had followed Elena Van Schaack and Jack Tice in this position. Please consider whether this is an opportunity that God is calling you to undertake. This event provides us with a time to lovingly serve our greater community with free pancakes and sausage while providing a place for conversation and meeting new and old friends. Our congregation benefits by joining in a combined purpose that helps us build new relationships with one another. Cristina and Michael will share how they organized the event. You do not need to be an experienced pancake cook, waitress, or dishwasher. Team job requirements: Willing hearts; love of one s neighbors, organizational skills, open to pair with another member. Contact Nancy Begin if interested in learning more.

9 Autumnfest Update Autumnfest 2017 will be here before you know it! It will take place on October 21 from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. This only gives us 51days to prepare! Inside spaces are all filled. Outside spaces cost $ The contract is on our website. Needs as we get closer: Home made baked goods for the Dot Ploch Bake table. Please see Lorna Carroll or Nancy Shimmel for information or to help work the table. Seasonal or holiday items for the Room for All Seasons in room 108. These will be collected beginning in September. Please be sure they are workable and clean. Childrens Games and Crafts needs volunteers to man the area. Games and crafts are provided. Bottled water and cans of regular and diet coke and sprite Thursday night, Oct. 19, to set up room 108. Pizza and meltaways at 5:30 prior to room setup. Sat. Oct. 21, setup and breakdown people needed as well as volunteers to take vendors their lunches. Prayers are requested prayers that we are able to show God's love through our smiles and through our kindness to those in the community. Thank you all in advance for your generosity of time and donations. God Bless You All! Jo-Ann COMING ATTRACTIONS AT PRC The summer of 2017 has flown by as it so often seems to and we will be off and running with another year as Sunday School resumes on September 10 th! Our worship design team has additional guest speakers and preachers lined up as we head into the early Autumn. On September 10 we will have a brief visit from Mr. Mahmood Wali. Mahmood and his family have been staying temporarily in the Lincoln Avenue Manse while sorting out an apartment in the Northern NJ area. The Wali family are refugees from Eritria where Mahmood served as a translator for American armed forces.

10 Sunday, the 17 th of September we ll be hosting a community wide picnic, which will be a coordinated effort of both the Fellowship and the Mission & Outreach teams. Any and all members of the Pompton Lakes and surrounding communities will be welcome. Because this will be open to the public, please remember that due to health dept. regulations, no food can be brought from our homes and all needed food will be provided. We will need lots of helpers of course and we know our PRC brothers and sisters will step up as they always do. Please see any member of either Fellowship or Mission & Outreach to let them know of your availability. On September 24 th we will be blessed once again by a visit and the preaching and teaching of Reverend Jim Knol from the Christian Healthcare Center. Rev. Knol has shared God s word with us previously, most recently in May of last year. Later that day in mid- afternoon, the Mission & Outreach team will be showing the movie The Case For Christ. This movie is based on the book by Lee Strobel, first published back in Mr. Strobel holds a Law degree from Yale and was an award- winning journalist as well as spiritual skeptic who undertook a detailed investigation of the evidence for Christ. This book was such a hit that it spawned others such as The Case For Faith, The Case For A Creator and several others. Lee has been Described by the Washington Post as "one of the evangelical community's most popular apologists. This movie will be followed by a four- session bible study curriculum, which will be offered in the weeks following the movie. If you are only able to see the movie and not do the bible study or vice versa, that is perfectly fine. Either or both will enable us to be better equipped to answer the questions or objections of the skeptics we may encounter and is also an excellent opportunity to invite some friends to the movie. On October 1 st, we will again enjoy a visit from Mr. Jared Cave, from the Coalition For Christian Outreach (CCO). Jared is better known in PRC circles as the husband of Sarah Bartha and father of Piper. Jared reaches out to students at the Community College of Allegheny County, Allegheny Campus, in partnership with LIVING Ministry. He first joined CCO staff to minister to Lycoming College and the Pennsylvania College of Technology students. Since my own college experience, I have truly enjoyed the community that can happen on college campuses, says Jared. Having shared classes with people who are now serving God in many different roles, I knew then that the college age was one I cared for deeply and wanted to serve in the future. I simply point students to Christ and see how God will change their lives. Please plan to join us on October 1st and bring along all the High School and College age folks you know to hear the word of the Lord brought to us through Jared. As an added bonus, you will get to see Sarah again and meet PiperJ No introductions are needed for our guest preacher on October 15 th. Our very own dear sister and now Reverend Debbie Pierce will be gracing the pulpit in the church where she grew up that morning. Debbie currently is serving as Associate Pastor and Director of Christian Education at Ponds Reformed in Oakland

11 Speaking of Ponds Reformed, their Senior Pastor, Reverend Nathan Busker, has kindly agreed to be with us the following Sunday, October 22 nd. Pastor Nate, who has also been serving PRC as an advisor to both our consistory and the search team during our transitional period, will no doubt bring us a challenging and inspirational message from our Lord. The day before Pastor Busker s visit will be a big day in the life of Pompton Reformed! Our Autumnfest craft fair, community outreach and biggest fundraising event of the year, once again expertly organized and executed by JoAnn Sisco and the Fellowship team, will be held that day. This is of course a church- wide effort and there are PLENTY of opportunities for EVERYONE to help in one way or another. Please contact JoAnn with your availability to pitch in and be sure to pray for good weather. The following Sunday, October 22 nd, we have the pleasure of a visit and a message from Mr. Joe Pelligrino. The founder and Former Executive Director of Legacy Minded Men, a ministry to raise up Godly men. Joe is the Publisher of Life & Leisure, LLC, a bi- weekly local publication circulating to 49,500 in northern New Jersey. Joe served as the Chaplain for the New Jersey Jackals baseball team for 11 years as well as an elder at Hawthorne Gospel Church for 7 years. He co- authored the book Safe at Home, published by Moody Press in Joe developed and presents the seminar entitled Not Just An Average Joe. He and his wife, Bethanne, have three children. Their family recently relocated from Wayne to Florida. Last, but certainly not least (for now this is a work in progress), we will have the pleasure to meet, and enjoy what will undoubtedly be a passionate and enthusiastic message from Mr. Wilson Santos on Sunday, November 12 th. In our July newsletter, you read of the Highlands Family Success Center in West Milford, where Wilson serves as director. As detailed in July, PRC has leased this wonderful organization some space and will be functioning as a satellite facility, offering the same valuable community services to our neighbors in the communities near us. This will likely already be up and running by November 12 th, but this will be a great opportunity for everyone to meet Wilson. Although a Social Worker by trade, Wilson s heart burns with a passion to help and enable others, which is what the Gospel is all about. Please also stay tuned for opportunities to volunteer to help out with this ministry. So that brings us to the brink of Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas and 2018! Wow, does time fly!! Thanks for reading this. We ll keep you posted. Please continue to uphold Pompton Reformed and the Pastoral Search Team in your prayers! May God s will be done, in God s perfect timing!! Your Brother In Christ, Mark Warner

12 FYI PRC leadership has recently secured the services of a cleaning service (Capital Cleaning Contractors) to maintain the cleanliness of our facilities. If there are any comments or suggestions, please contact the operations team at operations@pomptonreformed.org or place a note in their mailbox. Thank you. Submissions for the Oct. Newsletter are Due September 24 to khuysers@msn.com or the office mailbox.