A Canticle for Leibowitz

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Rev. Dr. Hartmut Kramer-Mills

Starting on the first Wednesday in November, the adult education class of First Reformed Church will discuss a new book. A staple on modern high school and college curricula, A Canticle for Leibowitz is a sci-fi novel of ecclesiological interest. This means that, while reading it, one can learn a lot about the nature of the church. Since the book has three parts, we will be reading it through the month of January.

A_Canticle_for_Leibowitz_cover_1st_ed

A_Canticle_For_Lebowitz

Interested in a three-month commitment? Then order your copy online and join us on Wednesday, November 3 at 6:30PM for a light dinner with discussion to follow at 7:00PM. Please use the entrance on 9 Bayard Street.

Posted in Christian Education, Events, General, Items of Interest | Leave a comment

Lunchtime Recitals Going Strong

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Rev. Dr. Hartmut Kramer-Mills

Our recitals can be so different. Sometimes, the music is somber and stately. At other times, it is youthful and filled with surprises. Likewise, our audience can be very different. A recital may provide the unexpected opportunity of discussing the mysteries of music theory. At another occasion, we have our youngest children responding to the music with spontaneous dance. You just never know.

These pictures were taken at the recital of Elizabeth Thompson (cello) and the recital of trio play (Kevin Willois, flute; Ken Ellison, clarinet; Lynda Saponara, piano).






We look forward to the final recital this year on November 13 with Mark Cotton (Baritone) and Brittany Montoro (pianist).

Posted in Events, General, Items of Interest, Music | Tagged | Leave a comment

Dutch Dancers at Ciclovia New Brunswick

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Rev. Dr. Hartmut Kramer-Mills

New Brunswick has a long history of creating and celebrating the diverse community of the inner city and the surrounding neighborhoods. Now it has become part of the Ciclovia movement that started over 30 years ago in Bogota, Columbia.

Ciclovia means “bike way” and refers to a specific day in the life of our city when major thoroughfares are closed to car traffic and open to bicycles, pedestrians, dance groups and all sorts of community activities.

When this happened on October 6, our Dutch Dancers used the opportunity! It was a short performance, perhaps only 15 minutes long – just enough for the five dancers that had come out that day. But it was a great success! For 15 minutes we had the crossroad of Bayard and George Streets just to ourselves, meaning the eyes and ears of the crowds. While our dancers danced, I distributed decals and magnets inviting people to First Reformed Church. Later, we invited bystanders to join in a few simple dances. It was a hit, especially among many children.



When you look at the pictures, you can see what this all means: people from First Reformed Church meeting people in the neighborhood, and not much of a threshold in between. May we have many more such opportunities of building the community church we want to be! This one came as a gift to us.

Posted in Events, General, Items of Interest | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Harpsichord Recital this Sunday

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Benjamin T. Berman

Please join us as we present Lewis R. Baratz, harpsichordist, this Sunday evening in concert. He and his guest, Minju Lee, will perform at 7:00 at the Randolph Room of First Reformed Church.

The program is entitled “Unsuspected Eloquence: Harpsichord Music of the 17th Century” and features the music of Byrd, Farnaby, Sweelinck, Frescobaldi, and Erbach. Also on the program are the Suites in A minor and F Major for two harpsichords by Gaspard Le Roux. Lewis will be playing his southern Italian c. 1630 inspired instrument by Owen Daly. Minju will be playing our Mersenne-inspired instrument by Willard Martin.

For admittance to the concert, we request an at-will donation to First Reformed, suggested: $15 general, $10 seniors, $5 students.

Please come experience this wonderful program with us on Sunday. Thank you for all of your support.

Posted in Events, General, Items of Interest, Music | Tagged | Leave a comment

Weekly Update – Oct 28 – Nov 3

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Susan Kramer-Mills

Dear Friends ~

“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”– Mark 4:35-38 (NIV)

We need to be honest and admit that we often feel the same way when our lives feel threatened by the storms of life. We feel battered and forget who is in the boat with us. So it shouldn’t surprise us when Jesus rebukes the storm that he also rebukes his disciples when He asks, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Our fears are linked to our unbelief, because we believe that the storm is bigger than God. So remember who is in the boat with you, for He cares for you and will not leave you alone.

Two Congregational Meetings:

November 10 – Discussion about the Sanctuary with the Liaison Team
November 24 – 2014 Budget Meeting

Here is what’s happening at FRC this week:

Tuesday Oct. 29
2:00 pm TCCDC – Prep Mtg. for Plan. Bd.

Wednesday Oct. 30
7:00 pm Women Aware Open House (268 Livingston Ave.)
2:00 pm Choir Rehearsal

Thursday Oct. 31
10:00 am TCCDC – Finance Mtg.

Saturday Nov. 2
8:30 am ISP Work Group
10:00 am RU Volunteer Day

Sunday Nov. 3
9:00 am Choir Rehearsal
9:30 am Breakfast & Banter
9:50 am Bell Choir Rehearsal
10:30 am Worship – Ordination & Installation of Elders & Deacon
Ushers: Rod Gray & Margaret Coakley
Bread-Janet W., Juice-Heather E.
11:30 am Coffee Hour host: tbd

Peace be with you,
Susan

Posted in Events, General, Items of Interest, Worship | Tagged | Leave a comment

Old Friends

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Church Staff
Rosalie Burns, Walter Johnson

The two people are “old” friends: Rosalie Burns Davis and Walter Johnson.
Rosalie was the Finance Chair about 8 years ago, before she moved to North Carolina. She remains a member of our church!

Posted in Items of Interest | Leave a comment

Music at First Reformed Church

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Benjamin T. Berman

The musical life at First Reformed Church will continue to be a vivid and euphonious ministry in the fall of 2013. We have three more Lunchtime Recitals lined up—on October 9, October 23rd, and November 13th. In addition to that, there will be two evening concerts—one on November 17th featuring harpsichordist Lewis Baratz, and one on November 23rd which will bring the Rutgers Jazz Trombones to our church to raise money for Rutgers Protestant Campus Ministries. Also in November, the Rainbow Children’s Choir will perform at the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. You don’t want to miss any of these awesome musical events.

For more information, see the tri-folds with the title “Music at First Reformed Church” which will start appearing around our halls in the next week. Thank you for being our steadfast audience.

Posted in Events, General, Items of Interest, Music | Leave a comment