Sausages will be served following the worship, at which a symbolic liturgy of ashes, including the washing away of them again will precede the Lord’s Supper.

Save the date: Annual Congregational Meeting on February 26th directly following worship. A special lunch will be served that day, too.

What a diligent group of young volunteers from Rutgers University, guided by Pastor Hartmut, Gary & Lauren Bernhofer, and Rod Gray, came out Saturday afternoon to work around our church. Gravestones received mulch around them to keep down the grass, various places received a coat of paint, the curtain sheers were hung throughout the church house, the sanctuary was restored to order in preparation for RALLY DAY! Phew! I’m getting tired just writing it all down. Thank you! Thank you all for time and efforts.

And what a fun and spirited RALLY DAY we had. There was a flea, a lion, a magician, a king and a ring master with the flea. Such small sparse props were used still the message of joyful hope made room in our hearts because we allowed it to have some space there. Let’s carry that hope with us through all that we are doing as a church.

Here’s what’s happening this week at FRC:

Monday, Sept 19
Staff Mtg. 10:30 am
Ad-hoc TCCDC Comm. mtg 2:30 pm

Tuesday, Sept 20
House of Manna 4 -7 pm
Consistory 7:30 pm

Wednesday, Sept 21
Lunchtime Recital 12:15 noon
Choir Rehearsal 7:30 pm

Thursday, Sept 22
House of Manna 4 – 7 pm

Sunday, September 25
Choir Rehearsal 9:00 am
Breakfast & Banter 9:30 am
Bell Rehearsal 9:50 am
Worship 10:30 am
Friendship Luncheon w/ our friends at the Interfaith Dialogue Center 11:45 AM

Upcoming Events:

October 1st – Spaghetti Dinner & Game Night $20/ family & $8/Person
Games, Apples, and lots of laughs!

Blessings and peace be with you,

Pastor Susan

We found out today that the Van Wickle House coordinators are very concerned about the weather on Sunday due to the arrival Hurricane Irene. It will be near New Jersey around 2 pm. But since the Van Wickle House is located near the canal and river, they are concerned about flooding and possible wind damage. Pray that it doesn’t happen!

Therefore, plans have been changed. The Highland Park Reformed Church (off of 2nd Avenue – Parking is in the back) will host the special worship service and the picnic will take place in their social hall.

Worship will begin at 10 am.
Picnic will follow at 11:15 am. Please bring a dish to share.

Moreover, be safe and take care!

Blessings,
Pastor Susan

We arrived around 11:00 a.m. and went on a hike around the retreat center. The estate is large, and with the new St. Paul’s Prayer Chapel there are now two nice sanctuaries to pick from. After the hike, we returned to the Picnic Grove and had a lavish potluck lunch.

Slideshow – Pictures from the Warwick Retreat

Then the Circus opened! As in many years before, we used the performance to test features of the Rally Sunday program at church in the end of summer. Everybody had a good laugh, and we decided the program was worthwhile.

Following this, the majority of us took a long break at the swimming pool while others went on a hike in the woods belonging to the Center.

We concluded the retreat with a devotion in the newly built prayer chapel. Most of us were back home between 7:00 and 8:00 p.m.. It was a fun day.

During this time, if there are any pastoral emergencies or visitations in the hospital, we kindly ask that you call the Church Office and leave a message. We have arranged for either John Coakley or Ron Vande Bunte to offer pastoral care if need arises.

Please don’t forget that Sunday worship services are on-going at 10:30 a.m. and will be lead by various volunteers, which always offer a new and refreshing style. Come and see!

Incredible work was done this past Saturday at the Property Committee’s Work DAY! The following was accomplished: the tiling of the Randolph Room back entryway, stripping of the floor in Fellowship Hall, the curtains taken down in various places for cleaning, and pruning around the church. Thanks to all who worked: Paul & Caryn, Lauren & Gary, Josh, Elian, Joan, and Pastor Hartmut. You did a wonderful job!!! Thank you!!

As you know, First Reformed Church is a spiritual community, which believes in serving the wider New Brunswick community by involving itself in interfaith activism. Our next concert is an outgrowth of that mission; it is truly an interfaith, spiritual celebration that aims to create a forum in which we can share the music of our different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

The concert
Spiritual Crossroads
At
the Crossroads Theater (New Brunswick)
Saturday, July 16 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm.
Come hear:
Jeanel LeBlanc sing African-American Spirituals,
Wind of Anatolia band play and sing Turkish spiritual music, and
Raíces Cultural Center Ensemble perform music from Afro-Cuban Spiritual Masses.
Ticket prices are:
$20 for premium seats, $12.50 for general admission, and $5 for children 12 and under. All proceeds from tickets will go towards the historic preservation
of First Reformed Church.

Here’s what’s happening this week at FRC:

Tuesday, June 28
House of Manna 4 – 7 pm
Consistory Meeting 7:30 pm

Wednesday, June 29
RADAR Staff Mtg. 4:00 pm

Thursday, June 30
House of Manna 4 – 7 pm

Sunday, July 3
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Hymn Singing 10:00 am
Worship 10:30 am

Blessings and peace be with you,

Pastor Susan

You know, it is no easy thing to be a faithful deacon and usher, as far as worship duties are concerned. Bruce was here for all these years, Sunday after Sunday, not at 9:30a.m. or 9:45a.m., but always punctually at 9:00a.m. He helped the corresponding deacon of the month, organized substitute deacons or ushers when there was a shortage, and was a reliable whistle blower when there was a mistake in the bulletin – like a hymn number from the red hymn book wrongly ascribed to a hymn in the green book. More than once he prevented potential calamities!

However, a retirement, temporary or not, is an important thing, because it enables other deacons and ushers to grow into the responsibilities. I realize this sounds a little bit like work. But there is enjoyment as well when we gather prior to worship and find ourselves surrounded by the sounds of the church coming to life: coffee brewing in the kitchen, the choir rehearsing, and happy bantering in Fellowship Hall.

Then we do what has been done for centuries: We cut the candles, mark the readings, change the liturgical colors and put up the hymns. All over the world, the sounds and actions are similar, at least in principle. Preparing for worship – it is clearly a constant within the story of our faith. What could be more rewarding spiritually than the feeling to be part of it, and to have a place in a line of succession that spans the centuries?

Truly, the hour before worship has special grace!

Choir Practice 5:30 – 6:00 pm
A Light Dinner 6:00 – 6:20 pm
Caroling on Hiram Square 6:30 – 7:00 pm – All are welcome to come along!!
Candlelight Worship Service 7:30 pm
Mulled Cider and Fellowship 8:45 pm

We do hope that you will invite family and friends to celebrate with us the birth of our Lord!!

The construction of Pine Grove Nursery School made our summer hot. We received a sprinkler system on both levels of the education building, remodeled both stairways in the building, had new carpet laid, new phone lines brought in, and a host of other things. This brought contractors, inspectors, fire officials and a great number of volunteers into our building. We are proud that everything has been accomplished and that the school is up and running. Oftentimes, Susan and I looked at each other and said, “If the school wins, we win as a church.”

But now the hot fall comes. With the receipt of a new grant, the remediation work on the site of our former oil tank will resume in October. We had to negotiate the date carefully, because now we have scaffolding on our education building. This will have to be removed before a large drilling rig can make it onto our premises. The rig is needed to install a DEP mandated groundwater well that records water contamination.

Meanwhile, we have learned how the reconstruction of George Street affects our neighborhood. During working hours, lower Bayard Street is a two-way road, too narrow for a rig that requires piloting through town. But somehow the officials in charge showed heart for our church, and with God’s help, the rig will arrive on October 18th.

I have spent much of the beginning of August negotiating these things. Sometimes I closed with the remark that I lost my notes from learning these things at seminary. This and other remarks prompted Bill Gaventa, director of The Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities at UMDNJ, to suggest a new sermon title to me: “Getting Through the Jungles to Church”.

That would be a funny title! But I hesitate using it for fear that this might deter us from coming to church. We cannot afford the reputation of not being accessible on Sunday mornings. The reason is simple: if worship here at First Reformed is not the most important part of our life as church, then everybody will think that construction is. This would be a fatal error!

In reality, the opposite should be true. Construction should boost our attendance, because it is very special to come to church at such a historically significant time. I know, I sound like a child of the world when I talk like this. As if attending worship could depend on a lure! But I admit to being driven in part by the fact that our numbers were just so low over the summer. Yet, even if my motivation is theologically entirely off target, it remains part of my human emotions nevertheless.

Be this as it may. I think it is important that we all commit ourselves to increasing our worship attendance this fall. Rally Sunday on September 12th will provide us with a great kick-off. It is part of a special Song-Gift Weekend with star musician and composer Lorraine Nelson Wolf, a voice from deep inside the Reformed Church in America.

Lorraine and her family will perform a special concert on the anniversary of September 11th. Please see the poster in this issue of the newsletter. During worship the following morning, she will present our church with the gift of a special song, written and composed just for us. It might become the anthem of our church. Please make sure you’ll come on Rally Sunday.

For a number of years now, the men of the church take over the kitchen on the morning of Mother’s Day. They come in and prepare all different kinds of delicious food for everyone. One year, we had pancakes of all different ethnic backgrounds; last year, the eggs were cooked to order.

This year, Gary Bernhofer is organizing this event again. Breakfast will be served from 9:30 a.m. If you want to help or supply any kind of food, please let Gary know or email him at JRTPals@aol.com.

There will be a basket for donations; this year the donation will go to the Worship and Music committee to help offset the programs and activities they organize.

As we are writing this, we are in the middle of our Lenten time. The Adult Education class, Living Your Faith in a Messed Up World, has had its challenges, as we all do at one time or the other. Once it had to be cancelled due to the snow, another week it was very wet and windy, once it had to be postponed because of Ted’s funeral service. But most classes have been very well attended, and even though we have not been able to make it to one of the classes, we have heard nice reports about it.

Nature has been rough on us the last couple of weeks, and so getting to church was not always so easy. But the weather did not deter people from coming to hear the Bell Choir play a beautiful piece on Mar 14th. Since so many could not hear, we are planning on playing it again some time.

By the time you receive this, the Easter plans are all complete. Like last year, the Bell Choir will play a piece during the service and the choir will sing beautiful songs to mark this important holiday.

If you have any questions or suggestions for the Worship and Music committee, our next meeting with the Christian Education and SNAP committee is planned for Apr 11th, and another meeting for ‘just’ the Worship committee is on the agenda for May 23rd. Please feel free to approach Margaret or Erie and your concern will be put on the agenda.

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.

Please mark your calendar for Apr 1st, 7:00 p.m. The Seder meal menu will include lamb, rice pilaf, greens, various Seder foods, dessert and beverages. A vegetarian dish will also be available. Since Ethel Salamone is “The Chef”, we know that the meal will be delicious. The cost of the meal is $10 per person and $30 for a family.

Reservations will be required since we have to set up tables in the sanctuary and need to plan out the number of seats. There will be a sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall, with a cut off date of Mar 21st. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask Ethel Salamone or Joan Fekete for more information.

With so much physical work, it is necessary that we take care of our spiritual balance. The time of Lent offers itself for this, as it provides us with some great opportunity to find center in our worship life. As every year, we will begin Lent on Ash Wednesday, Feb 17th, at 7:30 p.m. with a collegiate worship service here at First Reformed Church. Folks from the Highland Park Reformed Church, Second Reformed Church, and the Suydam Street Reformed Church will join us for the occasion. Our organist and choir director, Ben Berman, has found great music for the combined choir.

Following the Ash Wednesday service, we will offer a special confessional liturgy during the beginning part of our Lenten Sunday worship services. This liturgy centers on the baptismal font and is based on words from Psalm 51. Each time, we will pour water into the font, reminding ourselves of the beginning of our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In doing so, we will adapt a format that comes to us from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

In addition to this special worship liturgy, we offer a Lenten Adult Education Class. It has the title, Living Your Faith in a Messed-up World, and comes to us from our sister denomination, the Christian Reformed Church. Each session will focus on a short film or interview that provides an exemplary insight into the relevance of the Reformed faith today. The sessions will be held on Friday nights at 8:00 p.m., beginning on Mar 19th. We are trying to hold these sessions in various homes rather than at church. If you would like to host a session, please call our church office (732-545-1005).

A Presbyterian Lenten liturgy and a Christian-Reformed adult education class — this also reflects where we are as the people of First Reformed Church: firmly embedded in our Reformed tradition and, yet, always eager to broaden our horizon and outlook.

May this year’s Lenten journey be meaningful to you!
Pastor Hartmut

A deeply moving Seder meal, like the one we held last year, is once again planned for Maundy Thursday. We will begin to collect reservations soon. This meal is then followed by a Tenebrae Worship during which we remember our Lord Jesus’ death on the cross. More information about this meal will follow in March.

As flu season is still around us, we have to be careful to not spread germs. In order to help this along, there are wipes and hand sanitizers available in the back of the church for you to use.

At our last meeting, we also talked about the Lunchtime Recitals. The spring season is coming soon, and we are preparing for it, even though the State of New Jersey has announced that it will be freezing all grants for arts events. So keep an eye out for the announcements of the dates and performers, and any call to help us celebrate this ministry for the New Brunswick Livingston School music classes and the elderly who are served through this outreach program.

What a truly anticipatory time! Traditionally, we wait for the coming of Christ. I will tell you something else you can expect: a very eclectic Christmas Eve music program on December 24 . The adult choir th and the bell choir have been working tirelessly to provide a meaningful set of music to the congregation.

On Christmas Eve, you will see and hear the space in the sanctuary being used to its fullest potential. There will be virtuosic displays by soloists, intensely devotional hymns by the choir, and joyous music heralding the coming of the Son of God.

Everyone is welcome to sing in the adult choir. Our practices are Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Christmas is the perfect season to join, and we are more than glad to include you. The more the merrier! And the merrier the choir, the merrier the Christmas! So let’s have a very merry Christmas.

The Worship Committee reacted with an ad-hoc session and brainstormed what to do. Due to increased building usage, the Holy Table and the communion set are moved around several times each week. We needed a sturdier set, therefore, and we discussed several options.

Finally, Heather Epstein brought us a sample cup from Trio, a shop for Judaica in Highland Park, where she knew the owner. She presented this to the choir and a wider audience prior to one of our summer worship services and gathered comments. After some further consideration, it was decided to purchase the cup. At the same time, an anonymous donor gave us a fitting silver plate. The cup features a relief of the holy city Jerusalem, a motif that connects Jews and Christians simultaneously and adds an interfaith dimension to our worship services. Please see the accompanying pictures. We will dedicate the new communion set during Rally Sunday on September 13th.

We’re delighted to report that the church has $40,000 of the $50,000 grant awarded us by the NJ State Historic Trust over a year ago. In the intervening months, Pastor Hartmut completed many forms and assembled many documents to fulfill the requirements of the state. This money is to be devoted to the development of specific plans by Westfield Associates, our architectural firm, for the restoration work.