Newsletter of the South Branch Reformed Church June, 2018 South Branch Reformed Church From the Pastor... 870 River Road Hillsborough, NJ 08844 Office: (908) 369-4956 Fax: (908) 369-4602 Web: www.sbrchurch.org Inside this issue: A Note from our Treasurer... SBRC & Online Giving 2 Women s Group Dinner 3 Lectionary Readings for June Birthdays & Anniversaries 4 Congratulations Graduates 4 Monthly Calendar 5 2 3 June is a special time for SBRC as we welcome our Confirmation students in adult communicant membership! Marc Gulla, Megan Norz, Elyssa Ofray & Mikayla Shephard have spend the past year preparing to become adult communicants members of SBRC. They have met with the Board of Elders and the culmination of this time of preparation will be on June 3rd - Confirmation Sunday. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide you, protect you and make you a blessing to all whom you meet! The Summer months are quickly approaching and many of us are planning time away with our families and friends - a much needed break from the normal routine! So, while you are out enjoying God s gift of the sun and warm weather, please remember SBRC this Summer. Also, while we may be able to take a break, the monthly bills certainly do not take time off. I would like to encourage all of us to maintain our pledges and offerings during the coming Summer months. Usually this is a very lean time for the church and your effort in maintaining your pledge will help us to make our budget as well as be able to keep the lights on. Remember, SBRC now accepts online donations & information is printed in the Newsletter & bulletin about how to do it. June 10th marks the start of our Summer Worship (it is an abbreviated service). I would also ask that you pray for those serving as delegates to the 2018 General Synod. It is sure to be an interesting meeting & I would ask you to pray for me as I travel to attend General Synod this year. Finally, I would like to thank the members of our Youth Group for an outstanding Pig Roast dinner that you provided to all of us! It was a wonderful event and thank you for all that you do for SBRC! See you in worship!!
PAGE 2 A Note from our Treasurer... I want to thank everyone for their generosity this month. We began April, sadly, $12,636 in the red. But as spring came upon us, attendance picked up and produced offering receipts of $15,381 ($3,116 weekly average). We require $2,480 weekly to insure we make budget. Easter showered us with generous donations of $1,655. Through our new online giving program we received a couple of donations. At the end of the month we enjoyed a very successful Roast Beef Dinner that boasted a profit of $2,454. After paying our monthly bills including the final snow plowing and salting invoice, we ended April $659 in the black. Way to go South Branch! Keep up the momentum as we head into summer where several large quarterly payments are due and attendance tends to drop. ~Robyn Friedlander SBRC & Online Donations! Pastor Steve mentioned in his piece for the Newsletter that the summer months can be a very lean time for the church. While vacations are planned, weekend getaways occur or just staying home in the air conditioning - some of us forget to maintain our financial commitment to the church. The bills keep coming even when most are away soaking up the sun or exploring a different part of the country/world. The Consistory decided to upgrade our membership software and this includes the ability to receive online donations! So, while you may not be able to be here physically, your continued financial support of the church can be maintained. So, how does this work? 1. Simply go online to: sbrchurch.churchcenter.com/giving 2. Select a Fund (Current Expenses, Building, Benevolence, etc) 3. Enter amount of donation for each Fund 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete! Yup! It is that easy!!! You can also access the donation link through the church s website at www.sbrchurch.org. In October, SBRC will be accepting credit cards for the church dinners as a way to help our guests. If you have any questions, please feel free to speak with Pastor Steve.
Women s Group Our thank you's to those of you who brought in stamps, and if you haven't yet, we can still use more. The stamp basket is on the shelf in the church office. We took a Mother's Day break from clipping, but we'll be ready to go in June. So far this year, the Stamp Alliance in Florida has raised $14,000 toward publishing Sunday School materials in Spanish for communities in the US, Central America, and Spain. In support of preventing river blindness in Africa, we deposited $9 in coins for May. Again our thanks to those who drop their coins in the container at the entrance to the sanctuary each week. It doesn't take much to help so many who don't have any coins to spare. Please feel free to join us any second Sunday of the month, even if you have never been there before. All are welcome at any time. ~ Lynne Diehl Several of SBRC members had a great time watching the Somerset Patriots play ball on May 9th. Food Bank Just a reminder that SBRC will continue to collect food throughout the summer months for the Hillsborough Food Bank. All donations are greatly appreciated. You may leave your items in the hallway by the Sanctuary door. Lectionary Readings for June June 3 1 Samuel 3:1-20 Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Psalm 81:1-10 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 Mark 3:20-35 June 10 1 Samuel 8:4-11, 16-20 Psalm 138 Genesis 3:8-15 13:11-13 Psalm 130:16-20 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 Mark 3:20-35 June 17 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 Psalm 20 Ezekiel 17:22-24 Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17 Mark 4:26-34 June 24 1 Samuel 17:32-49 Psalm 9:9-20 Psalm 133 Job 38:1-11 Psalm 107:1-3; 23-32 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Mark 4:35-41 Flowers PAGE 3 Just a reminder that if you have signed up for flowers in the Sanctuary on a particular Sunday, the cost is $40.00. Make checks out to SBRC with Flowers in the memo section. Greeters & Coffee Hour Opportunities to Greet on Sunday and/or host Coffee Hour are still available! Please sign-up and help keep this important fellowship activity going strong!
PAGE 4 Birthdays and Anniversaries 09 Scott Davidson Sammy Neske 11 Christopher Nunn 17 Anthony Della Ventura A very Happy Birthday and a blessed year ahead to those who are celebrating a birthday in June: 01 Danielle Burt 04 Mary Escoffrey 06 Thomas Sarles 07 Fiona Lenzo 08 Cindy Giurlando Jeannette Neske 18 Mia Martorano 23 Stephanie Martorano Matthew Proodian 25 John Cilo 27 Kim Kowalchuk Daniel Sheldon 28 Armando Franco Also, congratulations and Happy Anniversary to: 08 John and Pam Evans 10 Shep and Linda Shepard 15 John and Ruth Cilo 16 Lowell and Judy Kreeger 19 Frank and Barbara Eckert 23 Rick and Cindy Giurlando 30 Tom and Sherry Marlatt Congratulations Graduates It is our pleasure each year to congratulate the graduates in our immediate and extended church family. Congratulations to: Amber Jane LiBrizzi, daughter of Annette and Joe LiBrizzi, graduated from Delaware Valley University on May 19, 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Equine Business and Management. Frederick V. Neske, son of Jennette and Fred Neske, graduates from Somerville High School on June 21, 2018. Freddie will be attending Drexel University, College of Engineering in the fall. Jacob Davenport, son of Tracy and Daniel Davenport, graduates from Hillsborough Elementary School on June 19, 2018.
June 2018 Information for the Summer Newsletter is due on June 16th! Please leave your information in the Church Office or send to newsletter@sbrchurch.org. Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 3 Confirmation Sunday Communion 10 Summer Worship Begins 4 5 11 12 17 18 19 24 Book Club at 7pm in the 25 26 1 2 6 7 8 9 13 Knit, Crochet, Pray at 7pm at the Stockman 20 Consistory at 7:30pm in 27 Knit, Crochet, Pray at 7pm at the Stockman 14 15 16 21 22 23 28 29 30 Rug Hookers at 10am in the Parlor PAGE 5
South Branch Reformed Church 870 River Road Hillsborough, NJ 08844 Book Club In April, the group met and had a great discussion! They welcome new member: Beth Ann Kenny! Live and Love Like Jesus Rev. Stephen Eckert ~ Pastor Mr. John Colaiacovo ~ Music Director Mrs. Karen Abbatiello ~ Church Secretary Mrs. Maureen DeMarco ~ Preschool Director Mrs. Maritza Acosta ~ Sexton Book Club will meet on Sunday, May 27 (Memorial Day Weekend) at 7pm in the Parlor to discuss "Sunset at St. Tropez" by Danielle Steele. The Book Club selected the following books to read: For June 24, we will read "The Supremes at Earl's All You Can Eat" by Edward Kelsey Moore. For July 29, we will read "Force of Nature" by Jane Harper.