Fairfield Good News KNOWING HIM AND MAKING HIM KNOWN

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1 Fairfield Good News KNOWING HIM AND MAKING HIM KNOWN May 2018 Upcoming Events Thursday, May 3 Nat l Day of Monday, May 7 Consistory Thursday, May 10 Ascension Day Sunday, May 13 Mothers Day Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19 Voices of Praise Concerts Sunday, May 20 Pentacost Monday, May 21 Eveready Monday, May 28 Memorial Day Fairfield Reformed Church 360 Fairfield Rd. Fairfield, NJ reformedchurch@gmail.com oldchurchnewsong/ From the desk of Pastor Scott: After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. Men of Galilee, they said, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:9-11) Ascension Day is May 10 this year. As we reflect upon the Lord s returning to the Father after his resurrection, let us not forget the promise of the angels. He will come back again for his people. As we wait for that wonderful day, may these words from the famed preacher, Charles Spurgeon, serve as a reminder of the work we should do until Jesus return. Brethren, do not let anybody spiritualize away all this from you. Jesus is coming as a matter of fact, therefore go down to your sphere of service as a matter of fact. Get to work and teach the ignorant, win the wayward, instruct the children, and everywhere tell out the sweet name of Jesus. As a matter of fact, give of your substance and don't talk about it. As a matter of fact, consecrate your daily life to the glory of God. As a matter of fact, live wholly for your Redeemer. Jesus is not coming in a sort of mythical, misty, hazy way, he is literally and actually coming, and he will literally and actually call upon you to give an account of your stewardship. Therefore, now, to-day, literally not symbolically, personally and not by deputy, go out through that portion of the world which you can reach, and preach the gospel to every creature according as you have opportunity. For this is what the men in white apparel meant be ready to meet your coming Lord. What is the way to be ready to meet Jesus? If it is the same Jesus that went away from us who is coming, then let us be doing what he was doing before he went away. If it is the same Jesus that is coming we cannot possibly put ourselves into a posture of which he will better approve than by going about doing good. If you would meet him with joy, serve him with earnestness.

2 Cont d from pg. 1: If the Lord Jesus Christ were to come to-day, I should like him to find me at my studying, praying, or preaching. Would you not like him to find you in your Sunday school, in your class, or out there at the corner of the street preaching, or doing whatever you have the privilege of doing in his name? Would you meet your Lord in idleness? Do not think of it. I called one day on one of our members, and she was whitening the front steps. She got up all in confusion; she said, "Oh dear, sir, I did not know you were coming to-day, or I would have been ready." I replied, "Dear friend, you could not be in better trim than you are: you are doing your duty like a good housewife, and may God bless you." She had no money to spare for a servant, and she was doing her duty by keeping the home tidy: I thought she looked more beautiful with her pail beside her than if she had been dressed according to the latest fashion. I said to her, "When the Lord Jesus Christ comes suddenly; I hope he will find me doing as you were doing, namely, fulfilling the duty of the hour." I want you all to get to your pails without being ashamed of them. Serve the Lord in some way or other; serve him always; serve him intensely; serve him more and more. Go tomorrow and serve the Lord at the counter, or in the workshop, or in the field. Go and serve the Lord by helping the poor and the needy, the widow and the fatherless; serve him by teaching the children, especially by endeavoring to train your own children. Go and hold a temperance meeting, and show the drunkard that there is hope for him in Christ, or go to the midnight meeting and let the fallen woman know that Jesus can restore her. Do what Jesus has given you the power to do, and then, ye men of Britain, ye will not stand gazing up into heaven, but you will wait upon the Lord in prayer, and you will receive the Spirit of God, and you will publish to all around the doctrine of "Believe and live." Then when he comes, he will say to you, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." So may his grace enable us to do. Amen. May 8 John & Margaret Wert MAY 6 Aletha Thomas 24 Gayle Lurie Peter walked up to his teacher s desk, holding a report card with a big red F. If I were you, said Peter, I would change this while you still can. Why is that? asked the teacher. Because my daddy told me that if I brought home one more failing report card, someone was going to get a beating.

3 May 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat National Day of Consistory Ascension Day Pentacost Communion Eveready 28 Memorial Day Voices of Praise Concert 7:00 19 Voices of Praise Concert 3:00 & 7:

4 Thursday, May 3 Noon National Day of Boonton Town Hall (rain/shine) Montville Twp. Town Hall ChangeBridge Rd, Montville Lincoln Park Borough HaLL Chapel Hill Rd., Lincoln Park Monday, May 7 6:30 PM Elders Deacons 7:00 PM Full Consistory Thursday, May 10 Ascension Day Sunday, May 13 Voices of Praise A Concert of Praise Celebrating Liberty in Christ Friday, May 18 7:00 pm and Saturday, May 19 3:00 & 7:00 pm Preakness Valley Bible Church Covenant Christian Reformed Church Valley Rd., Wayne North Haledon Sunday, May 20 Monday, May 21 Eveready Ladies 7:00 PM Fellowship Hall

5 Dear Friends a Fairfield Reformed, All of us know of at least one credible evangelist-the one who led us into a relationship with Christ. And you can be the next one. This is the message I ve been preaching consistently to all the student leaders I m coaching. College students have amazing built-in opportunities to be witnesses for Christ with their classmates, teammates, roommates, etc. Our HQ-based team of 10 staff reaches over 100 campuses. As coaches, we re training students to lead THEIR ministry. Our aim is to multiply the workers, and train students to be ambassadors for Christ to their campus. This semester I m coaching 8 campuses. And across the board, the biggest need I see is for courage. The students I know are extremely polite and sensitive to the feelings of others. But what they typically lack is boldness. Would you pray that God gives our students the courage they need to share their faith and lead their ministry? Pray God gives them the faith and determination to find ways for every student on their campus to hear the gospel. For a long time I ve been praying about having more staff coaches. Now the Lord is opening a new opportunity. The Northeast region has invited me to come up and lead a one-day training event for all the New England Cru staff leaders on the Art of Coaching. Most staff are accustomed to leading ministries. This training will focus on equipping students and volunteers to lead their own. I m excited and I look forward to seeing where this goes. Carolyn is also busy. She leads a team that hosted a dinner for Cru major benefactors at a home one Feb. night, then the next night the team hosted a huge desert at the same home for select Cru students invited to a weekend conference at HQ to give upperclassmen a chance to explore the option of doing a 1-yr internship with Cru after graduation. This year about 91 students came from all over the U.S. It s become so large they don t have space for everyone to even sit down! The students, along with 21 current interns thinking of their next steps heard Steve & Judy tell their stories of how God used their personal talents and gifts in ministry as they followed His lead and walked in His spirit. A letter from Chris and Carolyn West Thank you so much for your support of our work. I mentioned this in our last One Minute Update, but it deserves another mention. In 2017 God provided 100% of our support! This is an emphatic testimony to your faithfulness and God s. We re overwhelmed with gratitude. Our work continues because of your kindness, and we thank God for you. With Love in Christ, Chris and Carolyn ( BTW - Did you know that Chris grew up in Fairfield and his father still lives in town?)

6 Mother s Day is this month. With that in mind, here are Twelve Extraordinary Women of the Bible, can you unscramble their names? aahhnn iadly thur ownam ramy deganmale bahar nnaa ratham You will see 14 names in the list for 12 women. The same name is listed three times because two extraordinary women in the Bible have the same name and a third has that name as part of a 2-word name. Another woman is not mentioned by name in the Bible, but she is called by her nationality, using 2 words. You will soon find a book in our library bookshelf in the Ivory Room about these women, feel free to borrow it. yamr harsa starmanai vee army You will see a donation jar in the church narthex through the summer months for Good Shepherd Mission. The jar will be put out each Sunday during worship for you to deposit any loose change you may have in your pockets/purse, etc. At the end of the summer the Missions Committee will send Good Shepherd a check for the total amount in the jar. Your LOOSE CHANGE can CHANGE THE LIFE of a homeless man. Thank you to those who gave of their time/talent at the recent Spring Clean Up day. AND to those who mow the grass, trim, leaf blow and pick up debri continually, keeping the church grounds so well taken care of.