The Blawenburg Beacon Newsletter for the members and friends of the Blawenburg Reformed Church

Transcription

1 The Blawenburg Beacon Newsletter for the members and friends of the Blawenburg Reformed Church An Open Letter to Marble Collegiate Church 2016 MAY The following letter was sent to MCC with gratitude for our partnership. As you will see, there are suggestions for strengthening our ties. If you have any further suggestions, please tell Dave Cochran. This Issue Includes: Letter to Marble 1 Worship May Schedule Hospitality Lay Dinner New Members Life-Long Learning Christianity & Islam Learning & Fellowship BVS Highlights Missions Ref. Church Home Gardening Oman: Bradsells Proclaiming Rummage Sale Comm Team Survey Blue Pomegranate Marble Church Admin. Info Consistory Notes Church Admin Calendar 12 Dear Friends in Christ, The Consistory at your partner church, Blawenburg Reformed Church, thanks you for all of your support. When we began the partnership, neither BRC nor MCC had a clear understanding of how the partnership would evolve. Indeed, it is still evolving. We want you to know that your support has enabled us to thrive at a time when we were thinking of ways to survive. Our membership is small, but we are a very active church, thanks in part to our partnership. We thank you for the financial help you have given us. We also thank you for the pastoral support that you have given as we discern who our next pastor will be. Every MCC pastor who has led us in worship has given wonderful sermons that have enriched us and strengthened our faith. We also have benefitted from the live stream talk backs that you have offered. We would like to continue and strengthen the partnership, and we have brainstormed some ways we might do this. Just a few that we discussed include: visiting each other to benefit from what each church has to offer. participating in more live and streamed events. (see page 9) joining together in worship, prayer, and mission events. joining together for social events. sharing blogs from each church. There are many other things we could do, but we recommend that we cooperatively establish a few attainable goals for the remainder of the partnership. We would like to engage in activities that will help us grow spiritually through sharing God s word and applying our gifts to helping others. Jesus calls us to do this, so let s work together to make this happen. We are so thankful that the Lord has led us to this partnership, and we pray that we can continue to work together for the benefit of God s kingdom. With gratitude, The Blawenburg Church Consistory...and more!

2 Page 2 We commit our gifts to WORSHIP gathering as a community to celebrate God s presence among us! Do you want to help plan & coordinate worship? Join our team! Contact Gracie Johnson. gtuckerbj@gmail.com or Next Worship Team Meeting: Tuesday, May PM in Cook Hall Missed Worship? Listen to sermons online at blawenburgchurch.podbean.com/ and view the bulletin at May Worship Schedule May 1 6th Sunday of Easter 8:32 AM, Family Worship and Breakfast (See more on page 5) 10:00 AM, Service of Holy Communion Preacher: Rev. Paul Walther, retired RCA pastor Acts 16:6-10 and John 14:23-29, Three Tiny Words of Wonder May 8 7th Sunday of Easter/Ascension Sunday Preacher: Lynwood Spell, student at Princeton Seminary Acts 16:16-34; Psalm 97; Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21; John 17:20-26 May 15 Pentecost Preachers: Nancy Curtis & Jo-Ann Hoffman, professor emeritus of Rutgers University Acts 2:1 21, Faith Overcomes Fear May 22 Trinity Sunday Preacher: Nancy Curtis Proverbs 8:1 4, 22 31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1 5; John 16:12 15 May 29 Second Sunday after Pentecost Preacher: Rev. Kirsty DePree, Marble Collegiate Church I Kings 18:20 39; Psalm 96; I Kings 8:22 23, 41 43; Psalm 96:1 9; Galatians 1:1 12; Luke 7:1 10 Nancy Curtis has stepped in to lead worship with us on numerous occasions this year and we are delighted to see how she is growing as a preacher and as a chaplain. We look forward to having her lead worship again on Pentecost, along with a friend from the Roman Catholic tradition, Jo-Ann Hoffman. Our partnership with Marble continues to be strong during our time of transition to a new pastor. We re grateful for Mark King s leadership during our Communion Service on April 3 (pictured at left), and appreciated the talk-back session in Cook Hall following worship. We are also grateful for Chad Tanaka Pack s leadership on April 17 and look forward to having Kirsty DePree with us again on May 29.

3 The Blawenburg Beacon May 2016 Page 3 HOSPITALITY cont. We commit our gifts to HOSPITALITY caring for those in our congregation and the greater community. Left: Jotham, Jim, Gracie, and 10 others enjoyed a dinner of chicken or roasted mushrooms Below: The Rev. David Kahler and the Griggstown Reformed Church Praise Team made a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord and for the honorees. Making a Joyful Noise Did you know that Evelyn Cochran (left) has been serving our church for over 40 years? We were happy to honor her at the Synod's Lay Recognition Dinner on April 8 at The Imperia in Somerset. Thank you, Evelyn, for participating in worship, choir, Bible study, and for chairing so many committees. An Official Welcome Bud and Hilde Lewis have been regularly worshiping with us for more than a year now and have been active with our missions, Bible Study and more. On April 10 we officially welcomed them into the membership of Blawenburg Church via transfer from the Reformed Church of Rocky Hill, and we look forward to growing in faith together for years to come. Welcome, friends! Mary & Martha met on April 26 at the home of Bernice VanNostrand. All women were fed both spiritually and physically, and laughter was shared by all! ***See next page for details about the May gathering.*** Hilde and Bud with their new grand kids Max and Doo-Daa. What fun to have a granddaughter who raises goats!

4 Page 4 We commit our gifts to LIFE-LONG LEARNING providing spiritual growth opportunities for all. Perspectives on Islam and Christianity by Bob Bradsell, alt. On Sunday, May 22nd, Princeton management consultant Salim Manzar will be the guest speaker during an Education Hour at 11:30 AM, offering a comparative look at Islam and Christianity from the perspective of his Muslim faith. Mr. Manzar attended Mimi Coffey s event on March 6 and looks forward to continuing the conversation with us this month. At a time of much anxiety about the Muslim faith, we feel this is a valuable service we can offer the community, says David Cochran, vice president of Blawenburg Church s governing board. Mr. Manzar has graciously accepted our invitation to offer this program, and we re grateful for that. The May 22nd program will serve as part 2 in a 3-part series of special programs looking at the Muslim faith and its relationship to Christianity and our culture. In part 1 on March 6th Dr. Maryann Coffey led a program on Understanding Islam. And on Sunday, June 12th, former Blawenburg Minister Kenneth Bradsell, now with the Protestant Church of Oman on the Persian Gulf, will present a first-hand perspective on the subject from that tense part of the world. (read more from Ken Bradsell on page 7) Salim Manzar is CEO of the consulting firm Princeton Advisory Group. He is an accomplished business, insurance and finance executive and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He and his wife, Mona, have lived in Central New Jersey for the last 37 years. More Fellowship & Learning in May Family Worship on Sunday, May in Cook Hall Wendy Herbert will be cooking and the story of the Prodigal Son will be led by Emma Murphy and Morgan VanLiew. We welcome all young people and the young at heart! Mary & Martha on Tuesday, May PM at the home of Bernice VanNostrand. We ll be looking at Part Three: Living in the Lord's Presence from the book Pathway of Peace by Cheryl Elton. Come join us for dinner, prayer, discussion, and camaraderie. For more information contact Bernice (vns206@aol.com or ). Men s Breakfast on Wednesday, May AM at the Blawenburg Café. For more information contact Joe Pavlicek (jpavl1999@aol.com or ). Diving into the Word Weekly Bible Study on Tuesdays at 10 AM At right: Ms. Jen Lizzi, our music leader, enjoying breakfast with her son. Below: goldfish crackers and pretzels enhance the story of Jesus feeding breakfast to his disciples at the lakeshore. May 3 Acts 16:16 34; Psalm 97; Revelation 22:12 21; John 17:20 26 May 10 Acts 2:1 21 or Genesis 11:1 9; Psalm 104:24 34, 35b; Romans 8:14 17; John 14:8 17, May 17 Proverbs 8:1 4, 22 31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1 5; John 16:12 15 May 24 I Kings 18:20 39; Psalm 96; I Kings 8:22 23, 41 43; Psalm 96:1 9; Galatians 1:1 12; Luke 7:1 10 May 31 I Kings 17:8 16, (17 24); Psalm 146; I Kings 17:17 24; Psalm 30; Galatians 1:11 24; Luke 7:11 17 EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY Sunday, May 11:30 AM in Cook Hall Below: Bernice VanNostrand encouraging participation as she tells the story.

5 The Blawenburg Beacon May 2016 Page 5 Blawenburg Village School PO Box 153, Blawenburg, NJ info@blawenburgvillageschool.com Karen Hill, Director Above: As part of an Earth Day Celebration, students had fun painting with plastic bottles, and learned that you can reuse many different items. May Events April 25 to May 5 BVS artwork, inspired by Eric Carle, on display at Princeton Library! pictured at left) May 6 Muffins with Mom May 13 Kids Night Out May 19 & 20 Annual Trike-a-Thon May 30 & 31 School Closed Registration for the academic year is underway! Four weeks of Summer Camp in July: Join us as we visit The Happiest Place on Earth: A Disney Experience. Counterclockwise from left: A BVS mom stops by as a secret reader for one of the Blossoms classes. The Buds class made chicks using their hand and foot prints. A Blossoms class brings nature inside and investigates the behavior of earthworms. Fun with bingo stamp markers at the April 15 Kids Night Out. more on facebook!

6 Page 6 We commit our gifts to MISSIONS serving those in need both locally and around the world. Blaze a Trail: Older Americans Month with the RCA by Barb Pavlicek, Missions Chair With the Executive Committee of the Synod of the Mid Atlantics, BRC will endorse the Reformed Church Home as our Mission of the Month during the month of May. The theme for this Older Americans Month is Blaze A Trail. The goal is to promote healthy aging and increase community awareness on the issues pertaining to our seniors. As a result of our successful Rummage Sale in April (see article on page 8) we are able to contribute $1, to the Benevolent Fund of the Home. It would be wonderful if we could add an additional $ to this amount from the congregation. Please give as generously as you can. You may use a Mission Fund envelope from your offering envelopes, a pew envelope, a check in the offering box, or simply write a check and mail it to the church. Be sure to put Reformed Church Home on the memo line. Look for a flier in the Sunday bulletins. Your Mission Team thanks you for your generosity and for being a Trailblazer! For more information about the Reformed Church Home in Old Bridge, visit Blawenburg Church is happy to have been able to send $900 to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) to support their many programs, thanks to the generosity of all who attended our Rummage Sale. TASK feeds those who are hungry in the Trenton area and offers programs to encourage self-sufficiency and improve the quality of life of its patrons. For more info visit Gardening at Crawford House Spring is in the air and that means it is time to garden! Even if you don t have a green thumb you are invited to work alongside the ladies of Crawford House as we prepare and cultivate a working garden at their home. We will be meeting at least one Monday per month, April through October. If you d like to participate, please contact Ethel Terhune Join us Monday, May 9, 6:00 to 7:00 PM! View our calendar online for more dates!

7 Page 7 MISSIONS cont. Listen Generously A note from our Mission Partner, Ken Bradsell, in Oman In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2) Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds. (Fussilat [Elaborated] 41:9) Thus began a lively Scriptural Reasoning conversation in our living room a couple of months ago, our fourth session on Muslim/Christian dialogue and understanding. There were eighteen of us. Nine of us were from the Protestant Church in Oman. Nine were Muslim friends including some Imams from the Sultanate s Department of Religious Affairs, and a couple of college teachers. We had just dined together in our garden (life s tough in Oman in winter) and had settled in for our evening discussion. Scriptural Reasoning, first developed at Oxford University in England, is a process in which we read each other s texts for understanding and to deepen our appreciation of one-another s faith. The process is a simple one where-in the Muslim s read aloud the Christian text, the Christian s read aloud the Muslim text. We engage in conversation in which we wonder together about the texts and explain to each other the understanding of the text from the perspective of our faith. Questions are raised to be pondered and dwelt on rather than corner, incite, or cover a looming argument. Reading together in this way we often gain insights into each other s Scriptures from those who are reading them for the first time. American writer Krista Tippet, writing in her just published, Becoming Wise, An inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living (Penguin Press, 2016) says, We ve all been trained to be advocates for what we care about. This has its place and its value in civil society, but it can get in the way of the axial move of deciding to care about each other. Ms. Tippet goes on to quote Rachel Naomi Remen who teaches young doctors the practice of generous listening, listening to the other powered by curiosity a willingness to be surprised, to let go of assumptions and take in ambiguity. (p.19) Marcia and I are returning to the USA this June after almost 2-years in the Sultanate of Oman, a small place about the size of Kansas, but a place of world importance grounded in its commitment to listening to the voices of multiple faiths, listening to regional and world leaders in government, listening to warring voices among the factions within their own Muslim faith, and encouraging all of these, and us too, to listen generously for understanding. We are coming home in the hope that we can lend our voices to changing the narrative in our own homeland that we might be emissaries of generous listening. Our brief experience with our expatriate Christian communities, and with our Omani friends has taught us another truth Krista Tippet writes of: that when people who disagree with each other come together with a goal of gaining better understanding of why the other believes what they do, good things come of that. We look forward to being with the BRC congregation on June 12, a few days after returning from Muscat for the summer. Plan to attend worship on June 12 and stay for a special Education Hour with Ken Bradsell about the Protestant Church in Oman! Picture at right: Ken and Marcia Bradsell Follow the link below for an excellent article on Oman's policies of religious pluralism. The article also has a reference to (and photo) of our Al Amana Centre here in Muscat.

8 Page 8 We commit our gifts to PROCLAMATION spreading the good news of salvation in Christ. Rummage Sale Was a HUGE Success! by Jean Beachell, Rummage Sale Chair The rummage sale committee would like to THANK all of you who contributed to making this year s sale a record breaking success!! All of you who helped us by contributing, unpacking, organizing and pricing were AWESOME! That was a huge amount of work this year. Thank you to Allison and Kevin for the hot dog lunches. They were delicious. The lunches and bake sale were a big help to our success. Thank you to Gracie Johnson for parking our cars on Friday and greeting our bargain hunters on Saturday. The total profit came to $9, We have shared our profit by contributing to TASK in Trenton and the Reformed Church Home. (see page 6 for more info) We will use part of the remaining money to redo the floors in the east and west foyers of the sanctuary. Communication Team Survey With A GRATEFUL HEART, The Rummage Sale Committee Jean Beachell Allison Clancy Evelyn Cochran Elmi Hill Ethel Terhune Do you read the e-news? Do you share events on facebook? Are announcements in the bulletin helpful? The Communications Team wants to know how we can best share with you BRC news and events. Please take a few minutes to complete a survey at church on Sunday, May 1 or complete the survey online at We would love to have your input by Wednesday, May 4. Thank you for your feedback! And please only complete the survey once, either online OR on paper.

9 The Blawenburg Beacon May 2016 Page 9 PROCLAMATION cont. Thanks to everyone who contributed a quilt to the event and who helped with the set up and clean up! Jazz and Quilts The April 21 Blue Pomegranate event drew a large crowd to hear the music of the Straight Jazz Trio and admire the works of local artists, including some beautiful quilts! Join us for the next Blue Pomegranate event on the Third Thursday, May 19, at 7:30 PM in Memorial Hall. Marble this Month Annual Prayer Intreat Saturday, May 7, 9:30 AM to 2 PM. Prayer and Meditation using a labyrinth. For more info or to RSVP call Judy Talin, (212) , ext. 207 Heaven is Beautiful Tues, May PM. Seminar with author Peter Baldwin Panagore who survived a near-death experience. Transforming Brokenness into Compassion Saturday, May PM. Rev. Becca Stevens shares about radical hospitality and love in the stories of abuse survivors at Thistle Farms. Woman, Renew Thyself! Mon, May 6PM. An uplifting evening of wisdom, humor, and warm sistership with Sister Carol, introducing her new book Among Women. Sacred Sites Tour Sun, May 22, 1:30 to 3:30 PM. Marble is part of this 30th Annual tour of NYC. Preparing for Golden Years Monday, May PM. Retirement planning seminar with an attorney and financial planner. Dinner included. The Rite of Spring Thurs, May PM Chad Tanaka Pack uses the parable of talents and a chamber orchestra to talk about entrepreneurialism. WeWo Worship on PM...with LiveStreaming available! Jazz Revelation FRIDAY 6:30 PM. More details and events online at JUNE BEACON Please submit your completed articles or photos to Barb Pavlicek (bjpmay1998@aol.com) and Sarah Hong (brc1832@verizon.net) no later than Monday, May 23. Thank you for your attention to the deadline so that we can continue to publish the Beacon on the 1st of each month!

10 Page 10 Consistory Highlights Meeting of Monday, April 18, PM in Cook Hall For a full copy of the minutes, please stop by the church office during open hours (see back page). 1. Consistory amended last month's Minutes to reveal that a complete handrail is not needed at this time but a grip may be ordered; also discussed and were reminded of prior approval of the use of beer and wine at functions (church and rental). 2. A letter will be sent to MCC thanking them for their support in our partnership and suggestions will be made on how to strengthen this partnership. 3. The Search Team is meeting weekly and setting up face-to-face interviews with candidates. 4. The Worship Team continues to evaluate the form and content of the worship service. Volunteers are still needed as liturgists. Speak to Gracie. 5. The Finance Team is keeping on top of payments. Twenty percent of rummage sale proceeds will go to missions TASK and the Reformed Church Home. 6. The Care Team is organizing meals for the Tabacks as Louise recovers from surgeries. Thank you for your contributions. 7. The Missions Team reported that monthly gardening has started at Crawford House. The mission for May will be the Reformed Church Home. 8. For Life-Long Learning, there will be two program offerings focusing on Christianity and Islam one on May 22 with Salim Manzar and another on June 12 with Rev. Ken Bradsell. 9. More children are enrolling in BVS, and summer camp is filling nicely. 10. The Nominations Team is looking for candidates to fill one elder and one deacon position of outgoing Consistory members. 11. The Communications Team continues to work on publicity, directory update, expanded press list, upcoming articles for press release, communication survey, and other administrative issues. 12. We regretfully accepted Sarah's resignation, but we send our blessings to her, Marc, and the children on their new venture at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Her official last day with us is May Our meeting closed with prayer for our church in transition and for health issues of community members. Nominating Team We are looking to nominate one elder and one deacon. Please consider serving God and our church in this way. Let Alan Taback or Chip Parmele know if you re interested! Memorial Hall Rentals Please share the following information with your friends or neighbors who might be interested: The Memorial Hall warehouse space, which is just under 2000 sq. ft., is available for short- term or long-term rental, but most importantly now for special event rentals like Birthday Parties, art or craft shows, etc. We also have two other spaces available for long-term rentals: one 300 sq. ft. finished office space upstairs, accessible by the back staircase; and one 496 sq. ft. unfinished space downstairs that can be closed off, with its own bathroom, which is perfect for an artist or craftsman. For more info, contact Gracie Johnson at #

11 Page 11 A Bittersweet Farewell Dear friends at BRC It has come time for me to say a bittersweet good bye. My husband, Marcus, has been offered a wonderful position at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and our family will be leaving New Jersey in mid-june. THANK YOU for all of your love and support this past year. It has been wonderful working with you all in service to our Lord. I will be doing all I can to help during this time of transition and encourage you to go on our website and share the job posting for Church Administrator (shown below) with anyone who may be interested. We hope to fill the position by the end of May. With love and gratitude, Sarah Hong Right: Abigail and Matthijs read while their mama works. Thanks for allowing them to tag-along on some Monday mornings :) Job Opening: Part-Time Administrator Blawenburg Reformed Church Blawenburg (Montgomery Township), NJ Part-time: hours per week Blawenburg Reformed Church is a small established church that has been faithfully serving God and the community for 184 years. We re looking for a friendly and organized administrator to serve alongside us. The Church Administrator is responsible for the management of the church office and serves as a primary assistant to the pastor and first contact point and face for the church. As such, it is expected that the Church Administrator maintain a welcoming and courteous office for church members, visitors, and those communicating with the church. Responsibilities include working with the Pastor and Worship Team to prepare worship materials; working with the Finance Chair to manage church finances; working with the Communications Team to relay news and events within the congregation and the broader community via flyers, newsletters, online calendars, and other venues; managing and phone correspondence for the church; and maintaining the church website. The Administrator should be competent in Microsoft Word and Excel and display a willingness to learn software such as Quickbooks and Microsoft Publisher. Familiarity with WordPress and basic audio editing software, such as Audacity, is a plus. If interested, please send a resume to BlawenburgChurch@gmail.com or Blawenburg Church, PO Box 266, Blawenburg, NJ Pastoral Search Update The search team had 3 interviews on April 20 that went well and we have received 6 new applications this past month. We are working hard to find the right person to lead us now and into the future. Please continue to pray for our team, for our future pastor, and for the future of our church.

12 OFFICE HOURS MON 8:30 to 12 TUES 8:30 to 4:30 WED OFF THUR 8:30 to 4:30 FRI OFF The Blawenburg Beacon is a publication of Blawenburg Reformed Church 424 Route 518 PO Box 266 Blawenburg, NJ brc1832@verizon.net VP of Consistory David Cochran Church Administrator & Beacon Publisher Sarah Hong Beacon Editor Barb Pavlicek The Blawenburg Beacon May 2016 MAY Summary of Dates (see articles for more details) Sunday, May 1 8:32 AM Family Worship & Breakfast (p 4) 10 AM Service of Holy Communion (p 2) Thursday, May 5 10 AM Communications Team Meeting Friday, May 6 9 AM BVS Muffins with Mom (p 5) Monday, May 9 6:00 PM Gardening at Crawford House (p 6) Tuesday, May 10 4:15 PM Worship Team Meeting (p 2) Friday, May 13 5:30 to 8:30 PM BVS Kids Night Out (p 5) Monday, May 16 7:30 PM Consistory Meeting Tuesday, May 17 6:30 PM Mary & Martha (p 4) Wednesday, May 18 7:30 AM Men s Breakfast (p 4) Thursday, May 19 7:30 PM Blue Pomegranate (p 9) Sunday, May 22 11:00 AM Education Hour (p 4) Monday, May 23 Deadline for the June Beacon! (p 9) Tuesday, May 31 Sarah s Last Day! See page 2 for the Preaching Calendar! See page 9 for events at Marble Church! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 13 Travis Winckler 16 Barb Bradsell 22 Ethel Terhune 26 Chip Parmele 27 Don Terhune 19 Angelina Han 31 Eric Perkins ANNIVERSARIES! 1 Bud & Hilde Lewis 25 Elmi & Doug Hill 29 Barb & Joe Pavlicek Page 12 If you don t see your name listed and it should be, please let Sarah know so we can celebrate with you! WEEKLY EVENTS Worship Bible Study in CH Library AA Meeting in CH Basement PLAN AHEAD June 5 Family Worship June 12 Worship & Education Hour with Ken Bradsell June 13 & 27 Gardening at Crawford House June 16 Third Thursday Blue Pomegranate in MH More events and meetings online! BLAWENBURG REFORMED CHURCH In Service to the Risen Christ since 1832 BRC is a ministry partner of Marble Collegiate Church in NYC. To learn more, visit The Blawenburg Reformed Church is a covenant community of God s people united in Christ through the Holy Spirit. We commit our gifts to worship, hospitality, life-long learning, serving those in need, and proclaiming the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.