Another school year is drawing to a close, but not without some celebration. Our last day of class will be on Jun 20th. On Jun 27th, we will officially mark the close of the school year with an Open Air service on the steps of our sanctuary (weather permitting, of course!) and a picnic. In the meantime, the children will be once again working with Ben to prepare wonderful music for the open air service. Our Little Lambs will end the year studying the acts of the apostles after receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The Big Lambs have a variety of interesting topics in store.

Finally, please note that each week’s bulletin will now include the Bible verse and topic of the Sunday School lesson for the day.

On Sunday, May 9th, Sandy presented a children’s sermon celebrating those in our congregation who have served as a Sunday school teacher at some time in the past, and inviting those who wish to become a part of this long tradition. Many in the congregation that day were surprised to hear Sandy tell that we have the oldest continuously operating Sunday School in the country (1779 — present). The torch has been passed many times in 211 years, and it must continue to be passed. Please join our teachers group and help carry our tradition into the future!

Beginning in April, the Word of Life Congregation, which was worshipping in our sanctuary, will be moving to a new location. On the final March Sunday, Hartmut and I received a heart-felt farewell from their congregation, including a card and a bouquet! They are very grateful for the good relationship we have tended over the last five years, and wanted us to share this with entire congregation. They are moving to a location, which is closer to their membership. Their vivid worship on Sunday afternoons will certainly be missed by all of us. We wish them God Speed!

Throughout March and into April, our church has offered the 2010 Census free access to our Fellowship Hall for the purpose of testing new census takers. From about 2:00 until 7:00 pm on Fridays, there has been a continuous stream of applicants. This is just another way that we have opened our buildings for community use.

Truly, this class is an exercise in inclusive ministry! And of course, as you read this, you can still join either for a single session or for the remainder. We meet Friday nights at 8:00 p.m.

Each session’s subject provides another window to the world. We do not want to be a church with siege mentality, where the most prevalent question would be how to keep our faith pure while the world goes berserk. Instead, the world is God’;s creation, and we are some of its stewards.

Consequently, our sessions deal with diverse subjects. How do we respond to evil in the world? Where is our faith when we discuss neurological science and the theory of evolution? What does our faith say regarding the reality of disabilities? How do Christians deal with the phenomenon of the day-and-night society that knows no Sabbath? What happens when homelessness challenges our faith?

Does any of this wet your appetite? Then come and see us Fridays during Lent!

This month in worship we have several Lenten series and services taking place. We started the Lent season with a collegiate service. This year it was our turn to host Second Reformed Church, Suydam Street Reformed Church and Highland Park Reformed Church. The service was very moving with the imposition of ashes, hand washing and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Following it was a delicious Feast of Sausages which people enjoyed.

An Adult Education class series is being offered on all Fridays of Lent. The series will be led by Pastor Hartmut and held on Friday nights at 8:00 p.m. at various church members’ homes. The theme is Living Our Faith in a Messed-Up World. On Feb 19th, the series started at house of the Pastors. On the following dates, the families mentioned will host the next session. All are welcome to attend any of these.

Feb 26th – the Feketes
Mar 5th, the Waanders
Mar 12th, the Vande Buntes
Mar 19th, the Novacks
Mar 26th, the Hances

We thank all of these generous people to open their houses for these classes.

Like last year on Maundy Thursday, there will be a Seder meal followed by a Tenebrae Worship service. This service was very well received last year, and I know people are looking forward to having this service again. See the article about this elsewhere in the newsletter. And the first Sunday of April we will celebrate Easter. Again special elements for the service are planned.

Looking further ahead on the calender: For our annual Rally Sunday in September, we are working on something really special. It will be a full weekend of special events. The dates to put on your calendar are Sep 11th and 12th. We will host Lorraine Nelson-Wolf in a Song Gift Weekend. More details will be announced later.

Since several folks asked me to consider meeting on a different night (Wednesday the choir practices) so let’s gather on Friday, Jan 15th at 8:00 pm. Since it is our week of the Men’s Shelter, we can meet at the church and provide our volunteers some mutual support. I’ll bring some cookies and make some coffee or tea.

The DVD we will be watching is titled Sunday. The main question that Rob Bell discusses is: When it comes to church, what do you think God has in mind? Intrigued? Hope you’ll consider participating.

Obviously, they are considered too dirty, too unclean, too inappropriate. The list could go on, right?

This sketch may be distributed, adapted and for use with possible donations going to The Church of Scotland HIV/AIDS Project, and it does present the attitude most feel toward people with HIV/AIDS: we are afraid of them being in the picture with the rest of us. We had a great cast for the play, including those with no speaking parts. The donkeys and sheep were just so cute!!! Thanks to those of you who jumped in at the last moment because of the snow storm. The play was too good not to show to a bigger congregation, so we performed a shorter version on Christmas Eve as well.

While the children were practicing in the (cold) sanctuary, the walkways were shoveled by Frank, and in the kitchen all things were prepared for the pizzas. The kids were looking forward to the pizzas made by Ethel and Erie, with so many options and different variations. To make it a little healthier, a salad and carrots were available as well.

When we had devoured about seven pizzas and were getting ready for dessert, a jolly good old man appeared. He came with a bag full of gifts; all the children who came got their gifts, as well as the cooks in the kitchen. Dessert was a big birthday cake for all the Eckerts kids who had just celebrated their birthdays.

After all the dishes were done, the kids started playing in the nursery, some went into the tower with Pastor Hartmut, while some other adults (or at least all the women) gathered in a circle, on their laps a small present. Frank read us the story of how Mary and Joseph traveled to the inn with no room left. Of course, the story was filled with rights, lefts, and crossings. So the gifts when around and back and over again and again. Only to end up on the same lap as they started. We could not figure out how that happened but in the end, we solved that and everybody was happy with her gift!

After that, it was time to get the little ones home, and everybody else out of the snow! Thanks for all those that did show up and helped with all the celebrations!

However, after December, we had to ask them to move to a new facility because the second floor will be renovated by the Pine Grove Cooperative Nursery School. The school, which has been in existence since 1957 and located off the Busch Campus, will be making the education building’s second floor (excluding the Pastors’ and Music Director’s offices) ready for classes, which will begin in September 2010. Approximately thirty preschoolers will be divided into three classes from Monday through Friday.

We are very excited to have the Nursery School in our midst. It is just another opportunity for our church to open its doors to the community. We look forward to the children’s voices, play and laughter in our rooms. We are excited to be working with a great group of teachers: Tracy Hanzes, a teacher and Executive Director, Lolly Schenck, and Lillie Suabedissen. And, we anticipate future cooperative events that we all can offer to the larger community.

Adoption of the Belhar requires that b of all Classes of the RCA ratify it prior to General Synod 2010. In order to bring us up to speed with this development, we organized a congregational forum following worship on Nov 15th. Ten women of our church had prepared special ethnic food from all corners of the earth and presented it on corresponding ethnic tablecloth. Thank you to Ellen Hamilton for organizing this!

Then we watched a DVD from the proceedings of General Synod 2009, when the parliamentary adoption process was formally launched. Following this, we had some discussion and received an introduction to the text.

When we left for home, most of us shared a feeling of satisfaction over the possibility that the Belhar Confession may become one of our foundational documents, a Standard of Unity, as we say. However, we also recognized that adopting a text from a different culture remains meaningless if we do not allow the liberation struggle of that culture to affect our own. If we adopt Belhar, we will have to face areas on our own home turf that need revision and change.

8:00 p.m. Friday night, December 11th. Please RSVP to the church office or to us directly: 732-545-1005.

The approach offered by Rob Bell and the NOOMA DVD series appears to offer looking at our faith in a fresh new way. NOOMA is ground-breaking project that is changing the way that people in our world experience spirituality by viewing a series of short films that are amazing tools for group discussion. Each NOOMA DVD is approximately 10-13 minutes long and is accompanied with a 32-page discussion guide to get you thinking.

Okay, so, now it is time to get ourselves together and to set up a meeting time at someone;s house. All that is required is a few comfortable chairs, a DVD player, a beverage, and a welcoming attitude. Pastor Susan will be arranging the first Home Spirit Group, and then let’s see how it develops from there.

And, to be really “out there”, we have also considered gathering around a DVD player at Panera Bread or some other coffee shop. This way, those who are not immediately involved in our church may see and hear and our discussion. So if that would be your preference, please let Pastor Susan know and get ready for our first Home Spirit Group coming up in November.

Also, about 20 volunteers with ages ranging from 12 – 85 helped out as well. Sandy Boyles, Walter, and Kathleen led the groups through games. And, as usual, the kids liked that station the most.

Pastor Susan, Lily and Allison all helped out on various days wherever they were needed. Joan Fekete was in the snack area, making sure that the kids didn’t get a sugar high from eating more than two cookies each.

As usual, we celebrated the end of the week with a combined Collegiate worship and picnic at the Van Wickle House. The children performed some of their songs and six clergy led the liturgy.

Of course, we missed some nature. Even the little bit that we had planned was taken away: Dark clouds prevented us from stargazing on Saturday night, and light drizzle rain made it impossible for us to celebrate worship outside. Yet, this would not have been any better had we stayed on the campground! Rather, we were very happy to worship in the bright seminar room the center had provided for us; please see the corresponding pictures.

This year’s theme centered on the astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei. We familiarized ourselves with his biography, some of his discoveries, as well as documents pertaining to the church trial he had to face in 1633. At length, we discussed the meaning of the exoneration that was issued 359 years later. Was the Vatican on target when it called the trial’s verdict unfortunate and premature?

I was surprised how critical our Warwick travelers were. Obviously, none of us denied the truth of the Copernican world view. However, several of us felt that there was no need for the Church to apologize for the verdict of 1633. This is how they argued: Galileo had not been indicted for his discovery, but for the publication of the same as fact. By rejecting this publication, the Church took an early stance against what some have called “the wheelings and dealings of scientists”. While scientifically outdated, this stance holds ethical value today. As you can see, it was quite a discussion this year in Warwick.

Would this entice you, dear reader, to join us next year?

The dictionary defines evangelism as the preaching or promulgation (to set forth or teach publicly) the gospel. This sounds very formal and intimidating. Some may
have a different view of evangelism. Knocking on doors or standing on street corners may come to mind. Seems a little scary to be an evangelist and approach people,
maybe only the pastors should do it, right?!

Now instead of the “E word”, replace it with something like the statement of “sharing of our faith” as well as “what does our faith mean to us”. These statements bring to mind a different picture or manner of evangelism. It does not seem as scary – perhaps? The Invitation & Outreach has just started our study of this book and the “E word”, and we are excited about what we are finding out – not only about our own faith but also about each other. It is helping each of us put into words what God means to us. The book gives us the Who, What, Why and How of faith sharing. We are anticipating learning much more as our study continues.

If you have any questions or are interested in more information, please ask Erie Beemsterboer, Pastor Susan Kramer-Mills or Joan Fekete. We would enjoy sharing about our faith and our study with you, as we hope to grow into the “E word” with less hesitation.

There were also special eggs, formed like animals on Noah’s Ark, which turned out to be a great ‘hit’ this year with all of the kids – children and youth alike!

Thanks to Chrystal and Kraig Wade for providing them for all! A big ‘THANK YOU’ to all who provided eggs!!

Very early in our discussion at Claude and Cindy’s home, we realized that there is, really, no substitute for going to Warwick: it is a mainstay of our Reformed identity and a year without it would simply not be the same. We would miss the freedom of the unspoiled nature, the joy of casual fellowship, and the freedom of our annual open-air worship. We would also miss this linkage to our denomination and the people we meet in Warwick every year.

But not everybody among us is equally fond of camping, and the preparation of meals on propane stoves – if left to a small group – can also be tiresome. So there was enough need for us to change and try something new. Here is what we came up with: This year’s retreat will be one night shorter, from 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Aug 8th to Sunday, Aug 9th after morning worship. We will stay in the older East Lodge – a place not air-conditioned but quaint and comfortable, nonetheless. If someone wishes to stay in the more modern West Lodge, he or she will have to pay a higher price and stay a second night, but the choice is available. Together, we’ll take advantage of the meals prepared by the conference center, but most of our activities will still be outdoors, including our open-air worship service on Sunday morning.

Taking into account that 2009 has been declared the Year of Astronomy, we decided to place our retreat under the theme Heaven and Sky. We hope to have a hobby astronomer accompany us so that we might be introduced to the wonders of the nocturnal sky.

The cost of the retreat will be a little higher than previously. But don’t forget that we purchased our food in previous years prior to the retreat, and that the camping gear made it necessary for several of us to bring two cars. This year, we will not have this extra cost.

Here are the prices:

• (Adult) triple $ 84.00
• (Adult) double $111.00
• (Adult) single $192.00
• Youth (4-12) $61.00
• Children (3 and younger) free

We have to reserve an exact number of rooms very shortly. If you, dear reader, wish to join us for this retreat, please notify our church office (732-545-1005) as early as possible.

We spent another day in Istanbul, but this time a little less focused on sightseeing. We did, however, start out with the enormously large and affluent Dolmabahaçe Palace, the White House of the Ottoman Empire since 1853. I have traveled a fair bit in this world, but I had never seen a palace of this grandeur before. It made me wonder why it was first during graduate studies at Heidelberg University that I learned something about the Ottoman Empire. Why was its history not taught in high school during social studies or history? Looking back, it is sometimes hard to understand how much our curricula did not cover.

Later that same day, we were received by Dr. Ahmet Muharrem Atlið of the Journalists and Writers Foundation in Istanbul. Over coffee and cake, we engaged in an interesting discussion on the nature of interfaith dialogue. Dr. Atlið shared a moving story with us that can serve as a base line for many of our interfaith endeavors. Having been robbed once, he asked Fethullah Gülen, the leader of the Turkish interfaith movement, whether this would not require revenge. “Yes,” said Dr. Gülen, “but your revenge shall be that you contribute to society.” In other words, Dr. Gülen encouraged the victim to view the robbery in a larger context, as an act against society. From this vantage point, the best revenge is, indeed, to do the exact opposite, to live a life of contribution to society.

Many of our interfaith efforts suffer from the narrow-mindedness and the parochialism still prevalent in our cultures. Listening to Dr. Atlið, I wondered whether we could not apply a similar conclusion to the hurdles of interfaith dialogue and collaboration: more criticism requires more efforts towards reconciliation and understanding. It’s a rather simple concept, if you think about it.

In the evening, we visited the Istanbul headquarters of the famous newspaper, ZAMAN. Talk about avant-garde architecture! Mr. Abdullah Bozkurt, the Executive Editor of TODAY’S ZAMAN, received us in a beautiful and modern conference room. We talked about the economic situation, the special challenges all newspapers face in the digital age. Some time into the discussion, I asked Mr. Bozkurt about
ZAMAN’s general position regarding the new acts of war and violence in the Gaza Strip and Northern Israel.

He said that, regardless of which side caused the aggressions, ZAMAN would focus on the human tragedies. “Casualties” he said, “is a term that does not make sense, and we need to point this out to our readers.” And I recognized the same principle that was behind Imam Atlið’s anecdote: the more violence we experience, the more we need to talk about human suffering and pain.

I would like to conclude my travelogue at this point. Much more could be said. After all, we visited several other cities on the Mediterranean coast: Izmir and the ruins of Ephesus, including the House of Mary; Antalya, and Bursa where the Silk Road begins. But it is time now to let some of the pictures speak for themselves. For our travel group it was in many regards a life-changing journey. Our understanding of culture and civilization suffers great loss if we do not take Turkey into account.

Turkey Travelogue
Turkey Travelogue – Part II

March 3rd — The Story of the Anabaptists. Movie and discussion that night will lead us into the birth pangs of the reformed faith in post medieval Europe. The film provides a good chance to learn about an ancient tension in our branch of Protestantism: are we a gathering of the pure or a gathering of all? 

March 24th — Hildegard of Bingen. The discussion that night will center on the life of this medieval mystic, as well as the general meaning of role models for the life of us Christians. How important are they? Do they change in the course of a life? What’s your experience? 

April 7th — Dietrich Bonhoeffer. We will look at Bonhoeffer’s life as an extraordinary example of spiritual growth. It will also provide us with some insights what it might mean to take a stance today.