EXPECTATIONS. Monthly Newsletter IN THIS ISSUE. July

Transcription

1 EXPECTATIONS A WELCOMING CHURCH IN THIS ISSUE Table of Contents Welcome. 1 Pastor Ken s Message... 2 Church Ministries News/Celebration Calendar Sunday Worship 10:30 am All are Welcome! Monthly Newsletter Twitter.com/emmanuel07450 July Emmanuel is a growing, welcoming, caring community, celebrating the rich diversity of God s Creation, treasuring our common humanity and following the way of Christ s love, justice and mercy in today s world.. The Ministry at Emmanuel Ministers All Who Love & Serve God Senior Minister 1 Pastor Kenneth Gill

2 Thoughts from Pastor Gill WHEN DOES GOD GET MAD? You don t hear me preach much about the God of anger on Sundays, as I prefer to emphasize the God of love in my sermons. Certainly, the entirety of the biblical witness describes God primarily as loving grace, despite the fact that the church, for centuries, has used the image of a vengeful, punitive God to scare the hell out of people and enforce compliance with the rules and expectations of the church. There are, however, many instances in the Hebrew Bible and even in the New Testament in which God s anger takes center stage. The question is, what provokes the wrath of God and is that righteous indignation ever justified even by the followers of the Prince of Peace. It is clear that the thing that really makes God s mad is injustice. Even more so, injustice perpetrated or supported in God s name and by those who claim to be God s people gets God s blood boiling. Just a few of the dozens of relevant biblical texts are found in the prophets Amos, Jeremiah and Isaiah. Amos said in 5:21 in response to those who were abusing their own people, I despise your feasts and take no delight in your solemn assemblies The epitome of God s righteous indignation against religious hypocrisy at the expense of the poor, the oppressed, the most needy and most vulnerable is described in Isaiah Chapter 58. Please read that chapter in its entirety as you reflect on the latest current events. Even Jesus, at times, could not hold back his anger when it came to taking advantage of the most vulnerable and powerless. When he overturned the money changer s tables in the Temple he was calling out economic injustice. He could have just as easily been in a modern payday lending office. Yes, the God I know is a God of love but this same God seems to have a pretty short fuse when it comes to using his/her name in defense of doing things which hurt other people, especially the least of these. One of our own government officials recently appealed to the Bible to justify the unjustifiable practice of separating children from their parents. I don t think God would be to happy with this, in fact, I think it would make him downright mad. What makes you mad? Do you get mad when somebody steals your parking place or cheats you out of a few dollars? Maybe we re getting angry about the wrong things. This past week there has been a groundswell of indignation regarding the separation of immigrant families. The right kind of anger is not necessarily bad. Paul himself said to be angry and not sin. I challenge you to become more Godlike by getting upset about the things that matter most and then channeling that anger into constructive, redemptive action which can, in small ways, bring some light into the world. 2

3 MISSIONS..at home and around the world Congratulations everyone! The total collected for one Great Hour of Sharing was $752. That will do so much good along with other funds donated by American Baptists around the country and distributed by the World Relief Committee. Many thanks to all who helped. Our food donations have not been so good. The food box has very little in it and we are scheduled to take the food for June to the Ridgewood Board of Social Services. If you can bring food by June 30th that would be great. The July food will be given to the Center for Food Action. Again, the box is located in the hall between the Sanctuary and the Peace Lounge and a list of suggested items is posted. During the month of July the Mission bulletin board will include letters and cards of appreciation from many of the organizations that our Mission-minded Church has supported during the past year. Check out the Thank You EBC board. Also during July we will collect school supplies for needy children in this area. The stores have already begun having sales on school items. These along with July food collected will be delivered to The Center for Food Action who will distribute them. Plans for a Mission trip for the summer of 2019 are still being explored. Some possibilities are Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Honduras, Haiti, or places in the U.S. that have suffered from storm damage. We are hoping to include young people and adults in projects to help others. Please let Nancy or Joan know of your interest. 3

4 COMMUNICATIONS O R N E R From the Communications Director July 2018 Please see several projects, events, publicity, and social media underway at Emmanuel. The Uncoupling Support Group has 300 members in the group on Meetup.com. There are 43 followers on Instagram. The use of #hashtags has helped with getting the word out about the church. Publicized Events (May-June 2018): ** Please note that each event requires pre-event and post-event publicity depending on event needs. Publicity includes but is not limited to internal communication, press release, website slider and updates, Facebook event and posts, social media updates, program, flyers, and media outreach. Monthly Peace and Justice Forums- May 15th, June 27th Monthly Community Pasta Dinners- May 15th Uncoupling Support Group- Ongoing twice a month Worship Schedule at Emmanuel Sunday Sermons Church Picnic Emmanuel Events Featured in the News (May- June 2018): Monthly Community Pasta Dinners Monthly Peace and Justice Forums Uncoupling Support Group Emmanuel press releases have been featured on the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce website or in the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce newsletters (Note: See Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce website). Social Media: Emmanuel has several social media accounts including Facebook, Meetup.com, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Emmanuel now has a free Hootsuite account, which means that three social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) are connected to it for automation of posts and content. As of this report, here are the social media statistics: Meetup.com: A new church Meetup.com account was created for the Uncoupling Support Group. The Uncoupling Support Group Meetup has 300 members in it. Facebook: Emmanuel s Facebook profile has 242 friends Emmanuel s Facebook Page has 154 likes If you are on Facebook, follow the church at Twitter: Emmanuel's Twitter page has 23 Followers. If you are on Twitter, please follow the church at Instagram: Emmanuel's Instagram has 43 Followers. If you are on Instagram, please follow the church YouTube: Emmanuel's YouTube page has 13 Subscribers. Follow the church's Live Stream at Website: Website ( has been updated as needed. Members Only Section as well as several pages throughout the website have Church Facility Rental Forms and Wedding Forms. New addresses for office staff have been established. New online prayer request form available on website. Business Cards: Business cards with church logo and contact information were designed, created, and ordered for the church. The purpose of this church business card is so that congregation members can invite friends, acquaintances, and anyone that they know to visit or attend events at the church. 4

5 July 2 nd Prayer Group Join us in praying for mutual concerns and reflection on Step 7 of the Twelve-Step Program. If there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with thanksgiving; and the peace of God, which is much greater than understanding, will guard both your thoughts and your heart -Philippians 4: 6-7- Will resume in September. Enjoy your summer!! Will resume in September. Enjoy your summer!! 5

6 CULTURES AND FRIENSHIP INTERNATIONAL This international friendship group will resume meeting in September with a Welcome Back Luncheon on Sept. 19 th. MEN S FELLOWSHIP With the support of the members of Emmanuel the Men's Fellowship recently made contributions to Church World Service, Good Shepherd Mission, Center for Food Action, Social Services of Ridgewood, SHARE, Family Promise, Habitat for Humanity, and Emmanuel Labor (Paul Ballesteros). Looking forward to seeing everyone at our next Oktoberfest. WOMEN S REFLECTION GROUP Join us on July 15 at 7 for our monthly gathering for mutual support and Biblical reflection. We are using the devotional book, Sacred Space. COMMUNITY PASTA DINNER Will resume in September. Enjoy the lazy, hazy days of Summer! PEACE AND JUSTICE FORUM At our June 27th Forum with guest speaker, Rev. Dr. Dan Buttry on Peace Making! Finding Common Ground in our Local Communities, the 45 people in attendance were encourage and inspired to increase our efforts in interfaith communication and coalition building. READERS CHOICE met May 18th for an animated discussion of Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue. We wish everyone a great summer and look forward to our September 28 return when we discuss The Handmaid s Tale by Margaret Atwood. 6

7 ESL COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM Our Thursday evening class for English language learners will resume in September. Students practice reading and speaking skills, using an ESL newspaper. Our multicultural circle of learning includes students from China, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Peru. Congregants Corner To increase your happiness. Randomly wish for somebody else to be happy. Hade-Meng Tan Do you have an idea, thought or topic that you would like to share in our monthly newsletter? If so please send your submissions for Expectations to the church If you have glasses that you have outgrown your prescription, please consider donating them. Box is located in Library. 7

8 THE UNCOUPLING GROUP CONTINUES The "Uncoupling" group will continue on the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 7:30-9:00 pm. The purpose of the group is to create a supportive environment for anyone who is going through a relationship breakup, a separation or divorce, Persons can RSVP by calling the church office at or by registering on line through the Meet Up website. The next dates are July 26 & August 23rd. Comments from group members Thanks again Pastor Ken & Tracy. I get a lot out of these Uncoupling Group but most of all I feel bonded, safe, secure & calmer when I'm amongst such caring friends. The readings, tapes, music, & singing bowls helps me. I know now I may just come out on the other side one of these years. My hope is this Uncoupling Group will continue for the rest of the year & beyond. This was my first meeting and I can't say enough good things about how it went. I came into the meeting feeling confused and in limbo about the long time separation from my husband, but left being able to see clearly for the first time. I ordered the book and can't wait to start reading it. I give thanks to God for sending this group my way. Annual Meeting of the North New Jersey Baptist Association July 22 at the Van Riper Ellis Broadway Church, 7-01 River Rd. Fair Lawn, NJ at 4 pm followed by a picnic dinner at 5 pm. 8

9 INVITATION TO JOIN PASTOR GILL USING A DAILY MEDITATION DAILY DEVOTION GUIDES: AN INVITATION We are all invited to develop the practice of daily devotions in your own home using Richard Rohr s, A Spring Within You- Daily Meditations. If you want to try it out, please speak to one of us. Copies are available from Jo Marie in the church office, Pastor Judy or Don Wheeler. A Spring Within Us reading schedule - starting on Mondays: *WEEK 34, JUNE 25- July 1, Trinity, p. 257 *WEEK 35, JULY 2- JULY 8, The Evolving Journey, p. 264 *WEEK 36, JULY 9-15, Non-Dual Consciousness, p. 271 *WEEK 37, JULY 16-22, Contemplation's, p. 280 *WEEK 38, JULY 23-29, Life as Participation, p. 288 *WEEK 39, JULY 30- AUGUST 5, Eucharist, p. 215 *WEEK 40, AUGUST 6 12, Mutual Indwelling, p. 303 *WEEK 41, AUGUST 13-19, The Gate of Heaven is Everywhere, p. 311 *WEEK 42, AUGUST 20-26, The Principle of Likeness, p. 328 Council Highlights June 25, 2018 Council Meeting As always, full council minutes are on the bulletin board outside the Pastor s Office. Quarterly review of Priority Goals: Personnel Committee and Policies and Procedures Handbook reviewed discussed. In addition to regular events, a Progressive Dinner will be held on October 6 (Saturday) more details to come, and a Mission Project is planned for 2019 if there is interest. A one day session is planned for Vacation Bible School in July Trustees: The elevator is fixed, please use it if needed Mission/CE: Day trip to Camp Lebanon a success. Mission goal for June met with $752, $152 over goal. Children s class coverage complete for summer Memorial for Anthony King on July 13 at 2 p.m. Stewardship 2019 theme: Gratitude, Generosity and Abundance. All council members made their commitments to this drive 100% The next Council Meeting will be Monday, September 24 at 7:30, or earlier if there is a need. 9

10 Recognition of Our Youth and Children During the June 17 th service the following youth and children were recognized and congratulated on the completion of this school year: College students: Katie Byrd, Andres Davila, David Davila, Jack Foresman, Leah Hammer, Justin Kuo, Tara Timpone High School seniors: Andrew Timpone and Verona Wang High School, Middle School, and Elementary School students: Emma Byrd, Cole Cheman, Joseph Saffioti, Vesa Wang, Jonathon Negron, Lianna Lauricella, Chelsea Cheman, Caroline Saffioti, Jalmier Royster, Jernell Royster, Hope Ehman-Osborne, Daniella Valerio, Jasiyah Reyack, Christopher Davila, and Veronica Wang Summer Campers include: Emma Byrd, Chelsea Cheman, Christopher Davila, Caroline Saffioti, and Joseph Saffioti We give thanks for these children and youth and pray summer blessings for them all! 10

11 VBS Come join us for a day filled with fun and learning. July 12 from 11 am-2:30 pm Lunch will be provided Many thanks to Sami Belford for repairing our Pride Flag. It is proudly flying again! IN REMEMBRANCE Dr. Richard Swarm, member of Emmanuel since 1968, passed away on June 21, We give thanks for his life and his long and faithful service in the church. We hold his children, LeeAnn and Bob, and the Swarm family in our prayers. 11

12 CAMP LEBONON VISIT

13 LEFT TO RIGHT: Carol Loscalzo- Forun Steering Committee and Unitarian Society; Ali Harwin, ran unsuccessfully for Ridgewood Town Council with her two children; David Warshaw, fellow activist, Bea & Jim O Rourke; former buddies of Don at Ramapo, Prof. Mitch Kahn, Jessica Massler s advisor in Social Work and Prof. Charlie Carreras, retired Latin American History; Judy and Don Wheeler; and Laurence Fine, Students Against Violence. Jointly Sponsored by Unitarian Society, Ridgewood JOLT and Community Peace and Justice Forum 13

14 1-Christina Brigliadoro 9-Kyo Hyun 14-Kim Cheman 15-Jennie Van Osten Carol Krzeminski 17 Judy Wheeler 21-Emma Byrd 29-Frank Cocheo 30-Irene Jura Happy Anniversary 6-Florence & Andy Degelman 23-Ken & Connie Gill 14

15 July 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Thank You Letters Communion Monthly Food Dr 10:30 Worship Youth Ministry 2 Noon-discussion Grp 3 4 8:30 pm AA pm Rehearsal 6:30 pm & 8 pm AA 7 3 pm Wedding 8 Thank You Letters 10:30 Worship 9 Noon-discussion Grp VBS 11 am-2:30 pm 13 2 pm Memorial 3 pm Reception 14 Holmstead 8:30 pm AA 6:30 pm & 8 pm AA 15 Thank You Letters 10:30 Worship Youth Ministry 7 pm Women s Reflection Grp 22 Thank You Letters 10:30 Worship Young Adult Ministry 29 Thank You Letters 10:30 Worship 16 Noon-discussion Grp 23 Noon-discussion Grp 30 Noon-discussion Grp :30 pm AA 8:30 pm AA :30 pm Uncoupling :30 pm & 8 pm AA 27 6:30 pm & 8 pm AA 21 9:00 am Men s Fellowship Breakfast :30 pm & 8 pm AA 15