For our June meeting on the 30th, we plan to go to a restaurant as a final close for the season. The details will be determined and we will announce it at worship.

Please know that everyone over the glorious age of 65 is welcome to come along — friends included!

For our May meeting, we decided to do another visit. So on May26th, bring your brown bag lunch to First Reformed Church. We will eat at noon, and then head out in two cars to Johnson Park and the East Jersey Olde Towne Village. Hopefully the weather will be nice for us.

If you are not familiar with East Jersey Olde Towne, let me share with you the following: it features the largest collection of original, reconstructed and replicated 18th and 19th century structures, which “represent the vernacular architecture typical of farm and merchant communities of central New Jersey”. Structures include the New Brunswick Barracks (Visitors Center), Runyon House, Six Mile Run House, Vanderveer House, Indian Queen Tavern, Fitzrandolph House (Storytellers Cottage), and the Smalleytown Schoolhouse.

Again, anyone — even your friends — who are over the age of 65 are welcome to come along.

We are going to gather again on April 21st at noon. We are hoping to have Margaret Coakley as a guest, to lead us through some appropriate exercises.

Wear comfortable clothing and bring your lunch. We’ll eat after our ‘work out’. Our Free Spirit group is made up of folks over the age of 65. We enjoy gathering, discussing, sharing meal time with one another. Bring a friend too, if you would like!

Also unusual was that their bodies (faces, legs, hands, etc.) were covered with Arabic calligraphy painted on with henna. Once again, the artist used various techniques and methods to present the women in her photos in a feminist Muslim way. This exhibition goes until Jun 6th and is well worth the visit.

For March, we have planned to enjoy our annual Blarney Day celebration. All Free Spirits are invited to bring lunches on Mar 17th at noon. Pastor Susan will provide something green for dessert. Please bring stories or jokes to share with all.

In February, we will be gathering a week later than usual because of Ash Wednesday worship service during the third week of the month. So please mark your calendars for Feb 24th. We will gather with our brown bag lunches at noon, then car pool over to the Zimmerli Museum and see what is on exhibit over there. We plan to arrive back to the church around 3:00 p.m. or thereabouts.

In January, we plan to meet in the Randolph Room for our brown bag lunch on Wednesday, the 20th at noon. We have invited our Choir Director, Ben Berman to lead us in some songs and instrumental music. It should be a lot of fun. Hope the weather is good for that day so many of you can come.

Here is a short description of the exhibition, for you all. “The Foundation’s Annual Festival of Trees features Christmas trees and has represented as many as sixteen countries, all trimmed by members of local ethnic community groups and the international Sister Cities of New Brunswick. The trees feature handmade decorations and showcase traditions unique to each country, allowing others in our cultural community to share their traditions.

In September, let’s gather for lunch at noon on September 16th. Bring any ideas for short excursions or other activities with you, which we could do together.

Any members over 65 years of age (or even your friends) are welcome to participate in the FRC Free Spirit group.

In May, we are hoping to go down to the Princeton Sculpture Museum. Pastor Susan is going to find out the details and will inform the group as to the date and time for us meeting there. Most likely, we will go on May 20th and eat lunch at the café, which is located there.

The accompanying pictures give a true sense of our table talk that day:
“God and the world, and Pastor Susan holding up the specials.” Yet it is true, if there is one group in our church that tries to be informed about everything, from the Sunday School curriculum to the seriousness of brick-and-mortar, it is our Seniors’ Club. A church within the church, they hardly allow any item to escape their attention, and many of their reflections have had an impact on the ministry of our church. Thank you, Free Spirits, for yet another year of faithful caring for God’s church!

Our next gathering will be May 28th at noon. We decided to have lunch at the Hopewell Valley Bistro & Inn which is located right on Route 518. Hopewell is a lovely town and the bistro has a nice veranda, offering a wide variety of salads, sandwiches and entrees – all at affordable prices. If you want to arrange transportation, please call Pastor Susan. She will be leaving the Church office around 11:30 a.m. Hope to have you come along with us!!

Just be ready for some fun and good laughter! Don’t forget to bring your lunch!

 

The next gathering of the Free Spirits is Feb. 27th at noon. Of course, there will be some theme or short program provided. All Seniors are welcome to come; bring your lunch and join the funny round table.

Jane and Vincent Parker then shared a marvelously done movie on Luther’s life which was so real that they were just raving about it.

If you missed our costume party (do you recognize some of the faces in the picture?), well, you are certainly invited to join The Free Spirits on Wednesday, Dec 5th at noon in the Randolph Room for an Advent & Sinterklaas Party.

We are going to look into the meaning of Hanukkah as well since it begins on that day.

Please bring your lunch; Pastor Susan will provide cookies and coffee.

All are welcome (if they dare!) to attend.

Bring your lunch and the fun will be provided.

Our next meeting will be in June 20th at noon when we will be enjoying a movie. We always enjoy new faces and fun discussions, so please feel welcome (and encouraged) to come at noon with your lunch in hand and share in this wonderful fellowship.