Ewing Presbyterian Church 100 Scotch Road Ewing, NJ 08628
Transcription
Ewing Presbyterian Church 100 Scotch Road Ewing, NJ 08628
Ewing Presbyterian Church 100 Scotch Road Ewing, NJ 08628 ewingpres@verizon.net www.ewingpres.org The newsletter of Ewing Presbyterian Church March 2015 March Worship at EPC Sunday, March 1st 2nd Sunday in Lent Communion 9:30 Worship Rev. Paul Rhebergen preaching Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:23-31; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38 Wednesday, March 4th Pathways Out of the Wilderness Lenten Devotions/Study 7:00 Led by Karen Bachman Sunday, March 29th Palm/Passion Sunday Palms Parade 9:30 Worship Rev. Paul Rhebergen preaching Mark 11:1-11; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Isa50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16;Philippians 2:5-11,; Mark 15:1-39 Wednesday, March 25th Pathways Out of the Wilderness Lenten Devotions/Study 7:00 p.m. Led by Karen Bachman & Pastor Paul Holy Week at EPC Sunday, March 8th 3rd Sunday in Lent 9:30 a.m. Worship Rev. Lukata Mjumbe preaching Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 Wednesday, March 11 Pathways Out of the Wilderness Lenten Devotions/Study 7:00 p.m. Led by Karen Bachman & Pastor Paul Sunday, March 15th 4th Sunday in Lent 9:30 a.m. Worship Rev. Paul Rhebergen preaching Numbers 21-4-9; Psalm 107:1-3,17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21 Wednesday, March 18th Pathways Out of the Wilderness Lenten Devotions/Study 7:00 p.m. Led by Karen Bachman & Pastor Paul Sunday, March 22nd 5th Sunday in Lent 9:30 a.m. Worship Adult Choir will lead us in a musical service Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33 April 1st Wednesday of Holy Week Service of Wholeness and Healing 7:00 p.m. April 2nd Maundy Thursday 6:00 p.m. Christian Seder and Agape Meal and Communion 7:15 p.m. Service of Shadows (Tenebrae) April 3rd Good Friday Our Worship space will be open from 12:00-3:00 for any who wish to come for personal prayer and reflection. We encourage you to attend a Good Friday Service in the area: Westminster Presbyterian Church 12:00-2:00 p.m. Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church Gospel Blues Service 12:15 p.m. Abiding Presence Lutheran Church 7:00 p.m. April 5th Easter Sunrise Service in the Cemetery 7:00 a.m. Celebration of the Resurrection 9:30 a.m. Rev. Paul Rhebergen preaching Report from the Session At the January 13th meeting of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, the decision of the Synod of the Northeast Permanent Judicial Commission regarding disciplinary charges filed against the Rev. Elizabeth Vandegrift was read and recorded in the minutes as is required by our Book of Order, the denomination’s form of government. Here is the entire content of that report: By order of the moderator of the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Northeast I (the stated-clerk of the presbytery) report to the presbytery that charges filed against the Reverend Elizabeth Vandegrift alleging plagiarism were dismissed by the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Northeast, subject to an agreement between Ms. Vandegrift and the prosecuting committee that satisfied both parties. All documents pertaining to the judicial case, including the terms of the agreement, are to be held in confidence by the parties to the agreement. The Session decided that it was important to have this information available to the people of our congregation because of the past conflict in the congregation, the deep emotions carried by some of our people around this judicial case, and so that the action of the Judicial Committee is interpreted and understood. First, understand that in our disciplinary system any allegations of ministerial misconduct will result in the formation of an investigative committee by the presbytery where the minister/pastor is a member. That committee carries out an investigation to determine if the allegations warrant charges to be filed, what those charges are to be, and the level of discipline that will be sought. It is that committee that is then responsible for filing charges, which then begins the process towards a “trial”, or determining that charges are not warranted and the process ends with the committee reporting accordingly to the stated-clerk of the presbytery. If the committee determines that charges are warranted, and if so, the stated –clerk is informed, as is the accused and the permanent judicial commission of the presbytery. At this point the investigative committee and the accused may seek resolution of the charges, before they are prosecuted before the judicial commission. If the parties agree, and the judicial commission agrees with the resolution, the process ends with the announcement of the agreement. When this happens, there is no decision as to guilt or innocence regarding the charges. The agreement usually includes steps to be carried out in for the fulfilment of the agreement. The parties agree that the matter is ended as long as the agreement is fulfilled.. This is what has happened in this matter. The members of the presbytery’s investigative committee tasked with prosecuting the charges, and Elizabeth reached an agreement for the resolution of the judicial case without it going to trial. The session and I as your pastor invite any of you who have questions about this to speak with me. I will gladly listen to your questions and your thoughts. The session is working to establish a way for any who are still troubled by this to find peace and resolution. In Christ’s service Paul Rhebergen Moderator/Transitional Pastor Deacons’ Doings What have the Deacons been up to this month? Here is a list for your perusal. Ushered each Sunday and helped set up and clean-up from coffee hour Delivered flowers after church Sent cards and made visits to those in need of care Prepared the soup and hosted the Simple Soup Supper on Ash Wednesday Hosted a 3rd gathering for the residents of South Fork on February 22nd Delivered food to Mercer Street Friends – remember to bring your donations the 3rd Sunday of each month. What’s planned in the future? Distributing palms for Palm Sunday Decorating for Easter – watch for your chance to donate money towards Easter flowers either in memory of or in honor of loved ones. Children’s Easter egg hunt Helping with Extended Communion and organizing a follow-up outreach End of the year covered dish luncheon Blawenburg Band Ice Cream Social – August 23rd New officers were elected: President – Carol Hecky Vice President – Rachel Morgan Treasurer – Cindy Strain, Corresponding Secretary – Sandy Pezzillo Recording Secretary – Jane Kidder Ushering Coordinator – Lisa King As always, the Deacons are here to serve you, the congregation, and to reach out to anyone in need. Let anyone of us know if someone needs care or if there is a problem that needs attention. Blessings to all and hopefully spring is right around the corner. The soup brigade. Guest Speaker On Sunday, March 8th the Reverend Lukata Mjumbe will be our guest preacher. Beyond being a powerful preacher, Lukata is the Evangelist / Executive Director of the Urban Mission Cabinet, Inc. in the Presbytery of New Brunswick and the Organizer of the United Mercer Interfaith Organization (UMIO) of New Jersey. As a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, Rev. Mjumbe served as an Intern at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change under veteran civil rights leader Rev. Bernard Lafayette. As a student activist in the 1990's, he had frequent contact with Civil Rights movement luminaries such as Coretta ScottKing, Rev. C.T. Vivian, Anne Braden, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Stokely Carmichael (Kwame Ture) and H. Rap Brown (Imam Jamil Al -Amin). He is an honors graduate of both Morehouse College and Princeton Theological Seminary where he earned both his Masters of Divinity and Masters of Theology in the Religion & Society Program. He was awarded the Presbyterian Leadership Award and the Elder Garnet Hawkins Award for Scholastic Excellence. Prior to seminary, Lukata served as the Commissioned Lay Pastor of the historic Westminster Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL and Northern Heights Presbyterian Church in Selma, AL. He has been privileged to serve as a nationally recognized community organizer, transformational interfaith leader and innovative non-profit executive serving local, statewide, national and international organizations and communities for more than 25 years. He is the husband of Kayren Carter Mjumbe with whom he raises their three children. March Adult Education at EPC Special Lenten Musical Service Sunday mornings at 11:00 March 22nd, 5th Sunday of Lent Sunday, March 1st Exploring John Calvin Wayne Allen will lead an exploration of John Calvin, the “father’ of Presbyterianism. In this session we will learn more about who he was, and what shaped his thinking. Sunday, March 8th Exploring John Calvin Wayne Allen will lead the exploration of the major ideas of John Calving and their role in the Presbyterian understanding of God and church. Sunday March 15th A Pathway Out of the Wilderness Karen Bachman brings the Wednesday evening Lenten study to Sunday morning, leading an exploration of the Lenten themes of Trust, Truth & Wisdom, Mercy & Steadfast Love, and more. Sunday, March 22nd The Lenten Journey and the Labyrinth Karen and Pastor Paul will guide participants in the spirituality of the Labyrinth. Come experience an ancient spiritual practice in the midst of our worship space. Sunday, March 29th Holy Week and the People Around Jesus Karen Bachman will lead the class as it focuses on the People around Jesus as he journeys through Holy Week. __________________________________________ Walk the Labyrinth You are invited to walk the Labyrinth during this Lenten Season. From March 20th through March 27th, Princeton Seminary’s portable Labyrinth will be set up in Fellowship Hall. Walking the Labyrinth is an ancient spiritual practice being reclaimed as a meaningful tool for developing and strengthening our faith. It can be understood as prayer in movement, a pilgrimage, or what it is, and the faith journey it invites us to take. Choral Settings of the Agnus Dei by Hans Leo Hassler, Franz Schubert, Charles Gounod, Bob Chilcott and Ethan McGrath Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us your peace. The symbol of Jesus Christ as a lamb, or the Lamb of God, is one that has been widely used in artistic expressions of faith throughout the history of Christianity. The idea originates with John the Baptist, who declares in John 1:29, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” In describing Jesus as the “Lamb of God”, we bring to mind the sacrificial nature of his life and death and our ultimate redemption through that sacrifice. The Agnus Dei is a widely used Christian prayer, and is one of the standard parts of the Catholic Mass, usually spoken between the Lord’s Prayer and the Eucharist (communion). Speaking these ancient words in Latin transports us from our daily lives of work and routine, into a prayful opportunity of connection and communion with the Holy Spirit within us. And of course, music is its own special kind of prayer, both for the performer and the listener. During the morning service, the choir will be presenting several different choral arrangements of these ancient words, written by composers from the 16th century to the present. As we listen to different interpretations of the same text, we can be reminded of how our lives and journeys are unique to each of us, shaped by our experiences and circumstances, but in God, we are all one - we speak the same text that of love and faith and hope. Please join us on March 22nd for a special opportunity to experience God’s word through prayer and music. _________________________________________ Seder Meal On April 2nd, Maundy Thursday, we will share in a Seder meal beginning with the traditional Seder plate followed by an Agape Meal, which is a light supper consisting of foods Jesus may have shared with his disciples. The Service of Shadows will follow the Seder. Look for sign-up sheets later in the month. _________________________________________ Seniors In spite of the cold, the Ewing Presbyterian Seniors had a good turnout for their meeting on February 3rd. We enjoyed each other's fellowship over lunch and discussed future programs. Rich Stoneking, physical therapist, provided our program. He spoke about falls, and why it is important to do all we can to avoid them. He talked about things we could do to reduce hazards in our homes and ways we could strengthen our muscles, especially our quadriceps, to lessen the possibility of falling when bumped. He gave us several handouts on these topics to encourage us to take the steps he outlined for us. Our next meeting will be on March 3rd and will be a potluck lunch. The program will be given by Stephanie Bradley from Meals on Wheels. We are also exploring the possibility of a bus trip to Hunterdon Hills Playhouse for our June meeting. Copies of the hand out from the February meeting are available on the table outside of Fellowship Hall or by contacting the Church Office. __________________________________________ Our Church Family In Loving Memory… Joan Disbrow, 95 Jean Vernam, 87 February 19, 2015 February 24, 2015 Presbyterian Women Calendar of Events Coordinating Team Sunday, March 1st Noon Gerri Apostolos, Moderator Tabitha Circle Tuesday, March 10th 9:15 a.m. Vergene Wieman, Hostess Lydia Circle Tuesday, March 10th 10:00 a.m. Janice Rockmore, Hostess Ruth Circle Wednesday, March 11th 7:30 p.m. Harriet Berens and Carol Hecky Hostesses Mission Sewing Tuesday, March 17th 10:00 a.m. – Noon Sylvia Allen, Leader Mission Luncheon Tuesday, March 17th Noon Tabitha Circle, Hostesses Next Coordinating Team Sunday, April 12th Noon April Spring Tea and Silent Auction Sunday, April 19th 2:00 p.m. Youth Group There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God; for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ~Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 Beloveds, Spring is almost here! Very soon the days will lengthen and the earth will thaw, and we will be able to go outside and feel the warmth of the air on our skin! In the meantime, in this Lenten season, I pray you and your families are keeping warm, using the weather as an excuse to seek inward after God, the source of joy and hope and peace. This spring, I invite you to my home for dinner. We will be gathering in groups of 8-10 for no other purpose than to eat together, enjoy each other's company, and pray for one another. If you would like to join us for dinner, please contact me for dates! I hope you will join us, whether you are a family or an individual, teenagers or adults, grandmas, grandpas, aunties, uncles, the friend next door. Let's gather to love and care for one another over a meal and see how God blesses us! All my love to you, Pastor Katie katiesmulligan@gmail.com (805) 448-9641 http://facebook.com/groups/mmtnj The Glass Castle: March 14-19 Katie will be in West Virginia with a group of Rider students. We will be visiting the town of Welch, where Jeanette Walls spent part of her childhood. She wrote a memoir called The Glass Castle which has been very popular with students over the last year. If you are interested in reading the book and discussing it over dinner, please join me on Monday, March 23, 5:30-8pm. Please RSVP and plan to read the book. Jr. High Fellowship: open to students in 5th-8th grade 3/8: Roller Skating! 1-5pm at the Rolling Thunder Skating Rink. Cost is $10 per person. Meet at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church Jr. High Camp Johnsonburg: May 15-17. A weekend retreat for students in grades 6-8 at Camp Johnsonburg. Fellowship, games, music, good conversation, friends, and fun. Cost is $105. Transportation will be provided from the church. Where to Find Katie: Sunday Worship: 3/1: Lawrence Road 3/8: Covenant 3/15: College trip to West Virginia 3/22: Ewing 3/29: Holy Imagination retreat at Johnsonburg High School Fellowship: open to students in 9th12th grade Every Wednesday at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church, 6-8:30pm. Dinner at 5:30pm. Begins February 1. Friends are welcome! hop, justice and resistance--we'll be looking at music and lyrics written by others and writing our own. No experience required! Retreat will be held at Camp Johnsonburg and transportation will be provided from the church. L.O.G. (Love of God) High School Retreat: April 17-19. Join us for a student-led weekend of fellowship, games, great food, worship, prayer, singing, and friends. Cost is $50 per student. Retreat will be at Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church. Rider Christian Fellowship: Every Tuesday, 5:307:00. Dinner and discussion group for college aged students at Rider in the downstairs chapel office (Gill Chapel). If you would like to help feed college students or adopt students in other ways, please contact Katie for more information! Monthly Prayer Vigils with UMIO: Every month we gather on the first Monday to pray for Trenton and surrounding communities. We pray specifically for homicide victims and their families and then share a simple community meal of soup and bread. Please join us on first Mondays, 6-8pm at Covenant Presbyterian Church. March 2, April 6, May 4. L.O.G. Team Weekends: for L.O.G. team members. Please save the dates--more details coming: March 6-7, and April 10-11. Holy Imagination Retreat: for older youth and young adults, ages 14-24. March 27-29. Cost is $50 per person. Our theme for the weekend will be hip Nursery School Notes March is always a wonderful month at the nursery school. One of the themes throughout this month is the weather because we can see all kinds of weather, from snowfall to warm sunshine. Many kites and windsocks are created in the classrooms and some are put to the test outdoors. Of course, there is a lot of green in March for St. Patrick’s Day and we see such beautiful shades of green when we have a mini-fieldtrip to see the newly budding plants and trees. spring and what happens in the spring, especially the blossoming of spring flowers. If weather permits, we will take a walk around the outside of the school to look for the different signs of spring. 4 Year Old Class – Mrs. Sipe - February has been an interesting month. We had some really cold days and we enjoyed playing with the snow at our science table. We had a great Valentine’s Party and our pajama party was a lot of fun. 2 Year Old Class – Mrs. Contento - With high hopes that the bitter cold and snow days are behind us we start the month of March. This month we will work with the color yellow. A bright yellow sun piñata now hangs in our room. The class will learn a new song to sing to Mr. Sun each morning. It may take some time but he will soon shine down on us and we can thaw out the playground. The children are more than ready to run and play. With the sun comes spring! We will slowly transform our artic crafts to warm signs of spring. Sunny warm thoughts to you all! 3 Year Old Class – Mrs. Genovay – During the month of February, the children learned about Groundhog Day (and their shadows), Presidents’ Day, Chinese New Year, colors, shapes and numbers. They really enjoyed their Valentine’s Day Party. March is going to be an interesting month. We will be watching the weather and hope to see signs of spring soon. We will begin learning about dinosaurs and can’t wait to see who our experts will be in our class when it comes to the dinosaurs. Registration for the 2015-2016 School Year – There are openings in classes for children from 2 through 5 years old. Application packets may be found in the hallway outside the nursery school office and on the table just outside the church office. Please call the nursery school office to receive an application packet by mail. Marrazzo’s – Thank you so much for bringing in your Marrazzo’s receipts and keep them coming! During the month of March, we will study Transportation. Children will learn that there are various types of transportation. They will learn about Wind and Weather. The children will learn about the season of Around the Presbytery The Allentown Presbyterian Church will be offering Jazz Vesper services on the first Saturday of the month for the next four months at 6:30 p.m. We are blessed to have a musical director, Enoch Smith, Jr, who is a renowned jazz musician. Additionally, top musicians from New York and Philadelphia will be participating in these services. The Jazz Vesper services offer the attendees the unique opportunity to hear world class jazz musicians while sharing in a unique for of worship. The services will offer all an opportunity to pray, meditate, and worship while learning more about the unique synergy between jazz and spirituality. __________ The First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton Square is having their Annual Indoor Rummage Sale! Saturday, March 21, 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Featuring clothing, books, music, DVDs, housewares, china, toys, jewelry, collectibles, craft supplies, and more! Bake sale and food stand run by the youth groups. $1 donation at the door. Donations of clean, useable items accepted Thursday, March 19, 5:00 - 9:00 pm and Friday, March 20, 9:00 am - 8:00 pm. Call the church office at 609-587-3683 with questions. _________________________________________ Eco-Palms It is estimated that nearly a thousand congregations across the country will be waving 1 million ecofriendly palm fronds as Holy Week observances begin this year. As churches of all denominations remember Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem, palm fronds will play a key role. But have you ever wondered where the fronds come from and how important they are to the people who harvest them? In 2005, Lutheran World Relief and the University of Minnesota began offering congregations an opportunity to purchase palm fronds harvested in ways that support communities and protect forests. Catholic Relief Services and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) later joined the initiative, dubbed Eco-Palms. The fronds come from communities in Mexico and Guatemala, and workers receive fair wages for practicing sustainable harvesting that protects the local ecosystem. “There was a time when workers would strip the palms in the forests and leave nothing behind,” says Bryce Wiebe, mission associate with the Presbyterian Hunger Program. “Once the trees were stripped of the palm fronds, there was no plan to preserve or grow for future years.” Working with nongovernmental organizations, the churches helped communities in these countries establish a system for harvesting the fronds while preparing for future growth. “Now they have a set cycle for each palm tree. You can only pull a certain number of fronds from each tree,” Wiebe says. “Harvesters must mark the trees with a red tie once two fronds are removed, and no more can be taken, allowing the plants to continue growing.” The Eco-Palms program protects forests and local jobs and provides sustainable livelihoods. With the work of various ecumenical partners, Wiebe estimates nearly $1 million is infused in participating communities. The ecofriendly fronds are purchased directly from the communities at five to six times the normal payment, which provides a stable source of income for families. The annual Palm Sunday premium has provided scholarships for elementary school children who would not otherwise have attended school and has helped young women to attend college. It has also provided jobs that did not exist previously for women in the communities. Wiebe estimates more than 300 million palm fronds are harvested each year for U.S. consumption alone. Last year, 974 Presbyterian congregations participated in the Eco-Palms program. Add Ewing Presbyterian Church to the list as this Palm Sunday will find our congregation waving eco-palms in celebration. This article was reprinted via the Presbyterian News Service. Prayer Requests for healing, wholeness and God’s special presence. H. Wayne Berens Susan Morris, friend of Dave Koch Leslie Nevius, cousin of Barb Salles Pamela Olson Carol Koch Bridges, cousin of Dave Koch Marissa Porfirio Shirley Brower Cara Pressman, friend of Laura Wallin Bull Burton Bill Raughley, friend of Jane Perelli Eleanor Ciccone, grandmother of Julie & Joey Ciccone Janet Corbin Elizabeth Ranson Joanne Ranson Doris Cregar Nancy Riemann, cousin of Dave Koch Rachel Evans & Family Robert Rodgers, friend of Laura Wallin Quentin Fabiano Barb Salles Karen Fuchs, sister of Laura Wallin Michael Bailey Schafer, grandnephew of Mary Hough Ken Harvey Dick & Dottie Schenck Kevin Hecky Ralph Sims Beth Hensler Ann Skeeter, mother of George Renwick Lydia Hill, cousin of Cathy Holland Krista Berens - Smart Cathy Holland Jane Snedeker Jean Hopkins Ceil Szeg, friend of Bette Schubert Dan Hough Frank Szachtowski, step-dad of Mike Hecky Nadine Kunz, mother of Becky Lovett Gene Taylor Bob & Marion Letts Travis Turner, nephew of Gay McGraw Robert MacLaury Skippy Twining, friend of Barb Salles Charlie Magee, brother of Judy Carapezza Gloria Vernam Maureen Magee, sister-in-law of Judy Carapezza Kevin, Megan & McKenna Maisto, friend of Barb Salles Leisal Vidal, aunt of Nancy Kriegner Nelson Wallin, father of Laura Wallin Harold Walter Margaret Marcks Kaitlynn Webster, granddaughter of Nancy Coleman Matt Massimi Mary Lou Weinstetter Samuel Meservey, grandson of Lois Meservey Alfred Wensley Sue Milstead Eileen Whang Aaron Morgan Marva Wyckoff Grace & Norm Yates, friends of the Letts family March 2015 Sunday 1 Monday 2 3 9 Wednesday 4 Thursday 5 Friday 6 Saturday 7 World Day of Prayer Seniors Noon Prayer Vigil & Meal 6:00 p.m. Covenant Presbyterian Church Coordinating Team Meeting noon 8 Tuesday BIG Committee 7:00 p.m. 10 11 12 13 14 19 20 21 Tabitha Circle 9:15 a.m. Daylight Savings Time begins 15 Lydia Circle 10:00 a.m. 17 18 16 Ruth Circle 7:30 p.m. Mission Sewing 10:00 – 12:00 Mission Luncheon Noon Mercer Street Friends Food Collection SPRING BEGINS Deacons Meeting 7:00 p.m. 22 23 24 Breakfast at Michael’s 9:00 a.m. 29 Palm Sunday 30 25 26 27 28 April 1 On Sundays 9:30 Worship, FH 10:30 Hospitality 11:00 Adult Ed. & Sunday School 4:45 Jr. High Youth Group On Mondays 5:15 AA, AL 5:30 Yoga, CR On Tuesdays 7:30 Al-Anon, CR. 8:00 NA, AL On Wednesdays 6:00 L.O.G & High School Youth Group On Thursdays 4:30 Yoga, CR 6:15 Choir 7:00 Scouts 7:30 Bell Choir 8:00 AA, AL On Saturdays 3 pm AA, AL Session Meeting 7:00 p.m. 31 Monday of Holy Week Tuesday of Holy Week EPNS Easter Break------- ---------------- Service of Wholeness & Healing 7:00 p.m.