1 First Presbyterian Church of Newton November 2014 From the Pastor Dear Friends: It might surprise you to know that the Number One thing that motivates generous givers is вЂњgratitude to God.вЂќ The Rev. Bill Carter is a friend of mine serving a church in Clark Summit, PA. He is also the founder and pianist for the jazz group known as the Presbybop Quartet. In addition, Bill leads workshops on Stewardship and Generosity. Along with вЂњgratitude to GodвЂќ Bill adds 3 other qualities of the heart that lie at the center of a Giving Spirit. They are: Simplicity, Contentment, and Generosity. Simplicity: We are all familiar with the desire to keep things simple. Things can get complicated in a hurry! Simplicity gives us the opportunity to put things into a different perspective. Stripping away the unessentials is essential to living in a more God-directed way. When we do this we often find that we have resources we hadnвЂ™t seen before. Opportunities to respond take the place of the busy-ness that robs us of a broader view of life. Contentment: Bill describes contentment as: вЂњwanting what we have instead of having what we want.вЂќ Contentment springs up from the conviction that God has already given us just what we need. Its close companion is the sense that we live in abundance rather than scarcity. Because we have what we need in God we can let go of our innate need to cling and grasp. Especially at this time of year we need only take a brief glimpse at the world around us to see the abundance in the fields and in the forests and know that God is at work showering us with blessings. Generosity. This is perhaps a better word to use than Stewardship. The opposite of generosity is fear. Fear keeps us imprisoned. We have to play it safe because there may not be enough to go around. Instead of fear, what would it be like to cultivate cheerful generosity? When Paul writes that God loves a вЂњcheerfulвЂќ giver (2 Cor. 9:7) the Greek word is actually вЂњhilaronвЂќ. You can see that вЂњcheerfulвЂќ falls far short of the вЂњhilarityвЂќ built into this word. There is something to be said for hilarious giving. Replacing the groan of obligation with the laughter of generosity is one way for us to reshape and refashion the way in which we approach giving. Gratitude: This fourth and final word is our response to GodвЂ™s love. John Calvin, our spiritual forebear in the Presbyterian tradition, believed that gratitude was the central virtue of the Christian life, even more important than love. The ChristianвЂ™s life is one of acknowledging the gifts of God and looking for ways to say вЂњthank youвЂќ by the way in which we live. To know that God has loved us into life, loved us into new life in Christ, loved us hour-by-hour and minute-by-minute and will never let us go may free us up to respond with gratitude and thanks in ways that we havenвЂ™t even imagined. And so, the question is this: How can we, individually and as a congregation, respond to the love of God that we have received and do so in such a way that others can see God at work in and through us? This is a question worth asking ourselves not just in this fall season, but in every season and every circumstance of our lives. Faithfully yours, David 2 Anniversaries 11/3 Bev & Ernie Jones 11/4 Lynn & Paul Cleary 11/20 Carol & Bob Aumick 11/20 Diana & Joseph Garrera 11/27 Debra & Eugene McCarty Birthdays 11/1 Robert Whitworth 11/17 Gail Blakely 11/4 Amy Caffrey 11/18 Betty Space Betsy Griggs Daylight Savings Time Ends November 2 Laura Westra 11/5 Lynn Cleary 11/20 Elizabeth Hall 11/8 Daniela VГ©lez 11/9 Janice Chandler 11/22 Claire Van Auken Amanda Macchia 11/23 Mikayla Stonebridge Betsy Towle 11/24 Mya Conklin Jacob Tonking 11/10 Debra Wechtler 11/25 Daniel Cleary 11/11 Cynthia Fogg 11/28 Eli Osborne 11/12 Kimberly Fogg 11/16 Eileen DelBagno Helen Harris November 2 Communion Servers Aubrey Kline Adult Bible Study. Harry Kaplan, MaryLou Holterman, Jane MacDonald, Jerry Chandler and Bob Gerdes The Sunday evening Bible Study is continuing in its reading and discussion of the Book of Acts. The November schedule of meetings is Nov. 9th, 16th, and 30th. The class is led by Pastor David and runs from 6:30-8pm with dinner at 6 for those who are interested. It meets in the Adult Study room next to the church office. The office will be closed on Friday, November 28th. 3 An Abundant Harvest! This yearвЂ™s Stewardship Theme is the Abundant Harvest of GodвЂ™s Grace. Day by day we each receive untold blessings and gifts from God. As followers of Jesus Christ, we look for ways to give back and to share our blessings with brothers and sisters near and far. We want to do this because we know how richly blessed we are. Early in October a letter went out to members of the congregation to remind us that our Stewardship Consecration Sunday is coming up on November 9th. NORWESCAP NORWESCAP Newton Head Start offers a FREE preschool program for income eligible children ages 3-4 from Sussex County. Limited transportation and meals are provided for half and full day programs. NORWESCAP Early Head Start, a home based program, services income eligible pregnant mothers and children birth to three years old and provides a weekly socialization and home visit. For applications and questions call the center at 973-300-4091. Each Sunday leading up to the 9th we have had brief presentations on the many ways in which we are already making a difference in the lives of others. A second mailing will be arriving shortly with more detailed information, including a pledge card and also some pie charts to illustrate our income and expenditures. We hope they are helpful to you. This year we have an opportunity once more to reach beyond ourselves and extend the abundant harvest of GodвЂ™s grace even further. Will you join with other disciples in supporting this shared ministry that deserves our prayerful consideration and commitment? All SaintsвЂ™ Sunday Celebration On November 2nd at both services we will include a remembrance of all our loved ones who have died in the past year. If you have someone whom you would like to have remembered in this way, please give us the information via email or phone. 4 Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service and Piefest On Tuesday, November 25th, at 7:00 p.m. we are hosting a Community Thanksgiving Service. It will be followed by a time of fellowship with pies made by our youth group. Everyone is urged to attend this Our Confirmation Class helped out with our Banner Celebration and Remembrance of our Reformed Heritage on Oct. 25th. Thank you for helping to make this service so memorable! ecumenical gathering and time of saying thank you to God for all the blessings of life. Newton Presbytery Meeting Nov. 15th Our neighbors at Christ Episcopal are dedicating a new piano on November 2nd at 4:00 p.m. with a special performance of the BrahmsвЂ™ Requiem. This famous work for chorus and soloists will include Pastor David as the baritone soloist. The concert is open to the public and free, although a free will offering will be accepted. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a connectional church. Commissioners from each of the churches in northwestern NJ (Sussex, Morris, Warren, and parts of Hunterdon Co.) meet regularly to address issues of common concern and to collaborate in mission and ministry. The next meeting of the presbytery will be on Saturday, Nov. 15th, from 10-2 at the Hilltop Presbyterian Church in Mendham. Pastor David will be attending, along with our commissioner from session. It is an open meeting and all are welcome to come and find out what presbytery is doing on behalf of us all. In September First Presbyterian Church of Newton hosted the guests from Family Promise for one week. We provided comfortable bedrooms and delicious home cooked meals for two adults and two children. Once again, the week went smoothly. I would like to thank every one of the people who are on my schedule and also the many people who are not on my schedule who contributed to the week. An old вЂњAfricanвЂќ proverb says вЂњit takes a village to raise a childвЂќ and I would like to tell you that it takes a congregation to host Family Promise. Thank you to all of the disciples of Christ in our congregation. Mary Lou 5 November Greeter/Usher Schedule Food for the month: canned fruit or veggies 11/2 11/9 11/16 11/23 11/30 Bev & Ernie Jones Dirk & Jackie Kelly Betsy Towle & Tim Voss Marylou Holterman & Shirley Smith Gail Blakeley & Betty Terwilliger Call Betsy Towle if you cannot be here on your Sunday. (973) 383-8098 (H) or 973-670-9058 (C) The Holiday Season is upon us!! Church Mouse college care packages will be prepared on December 7 for our college students. If you would like to contribute, ideas include lip balm, body lotion, granola bars, chips or other snack items, microwave popcorn, ramen noodles, mints, gum, gift cards for MacDonaldвЂ™s, Burger King, Subway, etc., brain teaser puzzles, cookies, cookies, cookies, desktop Christmas item, cough drops (hopefully no one is sick, but just in case), air freshener (those college rooms can get rank!). Please put any donations in the marked baskets under the mission table in the narthex. If you are a baker, WE NEED YOU for our annual Christmas Cookie Sale. Once again we will be holding this in conjunction with the PW Breakfast with Santa-the date is December 6. Proceeds will go to Book Scholarships given to our high school graduates in the spring. Thank you so much for your support of both of these projects! Fellowship time before and following both Sunday morning worship services is a great opportunity to get to know one another better, greet new members and visitors, and catch up on lifeвЂ™s happenings. As Presbyterians, we know that food enhances any fellowship time together and soвЂ¦the Discipleship & Nurture Team likes to serve snacks during our coffee hour. We could use your help providing the snacks for Sunday morning. If you enjoy baking, great, just sign up on the sheet in the parlor for a Sunday that works for you. If not, or if you are just too busy to find time to bake, store bought cookies, crackers, pretzels, donuts, cakes and coffee cake all work well and can be brought in any time. Kids enjoy this time as well so individually wrapped snacks like Rice Krispie Treats work well. If we get an abundance one week, we will just keep the extras for the next week. Thanks! InquirersвЂ™ Class Update The InquirersвЂ™ Class is designed for those who would like to know more about the Presbyterian church in general and First Pres. here in Newton, in particular. The InquirersвЂ™ Class that was scheduled for October 12th had to be postponed. It will be held after the second service on November 16th, from noon to 1:30. A light lunch is planned. If you are interested in attending this informative gathering, please let the office know so that arrangements can be made. 6 Thanksgiving Pie MakingвЂ¦Help Needed! Once again, the youth group will be making homemade apple and pumpkin pies to be placed in Thanksgiving baskets for families in need in Sussex and Warren Counties. Last year we made over 200 pies! This year we will gather in Fellowship Hall on Sunday, November 23rd at 4:00 pm to mix and roll crust, peel and cut apples, mix pumpkin pie filling, and assemble and bake the pies, all for delivery to Project Self-Sufficiency the following morning. How can you help??? Bring a rolling pin and apron and join in the fun on the 23rd. All ages are welcome! Donate some of the many supplies needed including butter, shortening, flour, sugar, pumpkin pie filling, evaporated milk and eggs. Not into bakingвЂ¦ we need help folding and decorating boxes and cleaning up after all the fun! Look for the list of supply needs in the parlor on Sunday mornings or call or email the church office at 973-383-4420 or [email protected]. During the month of October, the Sunday School children collected more than 100 cans of soup and stew for the Sussex County Food Pantry. Thank you to the entire congregation for supporting our Yes We Can! Soup Collection. The Sunday School children send out a big THANK YOU to Betsey Towle for helping them learn about hunger in our community. Using a grocery bag of non-perishable items a family might receive from a food pantry, Betsy helped the children see how difficult it would be to feed a family of four for two days on this one bag of food. The children also learned that the food given by the pantry doesnвЂ™t include things like milk, bread or eggs and itвЂ™s not like going to the grocery store where you get to pick out what you like to eat. Thank you for a very valuable lesson! During the months of November and December, the Sunday School children will be saving their coins to purchase an animal for Heifer Project. We will let you know as soon as the votes are in, just which animal or animals they plan to purchase for a family somewhere around the world. 7 Coming in December... December 7th A Sunday School Advent Adventure вЂ“ All children and youth gather in Fellowship Hall at 9:00 am on December 7th as we learn how to expectantly wait during Advent. Look for more details in the December issue of The Beacon. December 14th The Sunday School Christmas program and covered dish dinner. Look for more details in the December issue of The Beacon. Youth group meets most Sunday evenings from 6-8 pm at the church and is open to all youth in grades 6-12. Below is a listing of events and activities for November. Feel free to contact Mrs. Duffy at [email protected] or by phone at 97-383-4420 with questions. Sunday, November 2nd Meeting at the church from 6-8 pm. Bring $5 for pizza. Sunday, November 9th Meeting at the church from 6-8 pm. Dinner will be served. Sunday, November 16th Laser Tag at Laser One in Wantage. Gather at the church at 4:30 pm. We will return around 8:00 pm. The cost is $20 per person and includes 3 missions of laser tag, two slices of pizza and a fountain drink. RSVP with Mrs. Duffy no late than November 9th at [email protected] or call or test at 973-222-0561. rd Sunday, November 23 Pie Baking at the church. Join us at 4 pm for our annual pie baking night where we make apple and pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving baskets for families in need in Sussex and Warren Counties. Bring a covered dish to share. Beverages and dessert will be provided. DonвЂ™t forget your apron and a rolling pin. We will finsh around 8 pm. th Sunday, November 30 No meeting today. Youth Group Trip to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey Thank you to the following for chaperoning the youth group trip to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside: Suzanne Boland, Sue Hough, Pastor David, Dot Smalley and Colleen Duffy. It was a great morning of service. 8 Serrv Gift Shop The Mission Team will be sponsoring a SERRV Gift Shop from November 16th thru December 14th. All items for sale are вЂњfair tradeвЂќ items. The term fair trade encompasses much more than just products and fair prices, fair trade is a way to empower people, вЂњ to help them build the kind of economically sustainable future that causes them to become involved in their community, to become a force for peace and stability.вЂќ SERRV partners with people all over the globe to provide opportunities, training, work and a fair income to the artisans and farmers who struggle to support their families, and continues to provide long term sustainable markets. So come and see what wonders our gift shop will hold - and just in time for Christmas! There will be jewelry, scarves, baskets, ornaments, and chocolate, just to name a few items. Share in SERRVвЂ™s goal to break the cycle of poverty and build stronger societies, economies and peace. Your Mission Team Congratulations to Rachel Kline, Peyton Stonebridge and Anthony Harding. They each received the gift of a Bible from the congregation during worship on October 12th. The youth group gave them a Bible cover for their new Bibles. Pictured to the left is Anthony, to the right Rachel, and Peyton below checking out their gifts. 3 2 4 Tue 5 Wed 30 First Sunday of Advent No Youth Group 4 pm Pie Baking 6-9:30 Living Waters Thanksgiving Healing Service 7 pm Thanksgiving Service with Pies @FPCN 7 pm Bell Choir 26 25 24 23 19 5:30 -8:30 pm Basketball 7 pm Bell Choir 6:30 pm - 10 pm New Sussex Symphony 18 4-9:30 Samaritan in Couponing 7 pm Session 7 pm Bell Choir 12 12 - 1:30 pm InquirersвЂ™ Class SERRV Gift Shop Opens 4:30 - 8 pm YG Laser Tag 16 11 4:30 - 6pm Confirmation Class 17 10 5:30 -8:30 pm Basketball 7 - 8:30 pm Literacy NJ Board Mtg Stewardship Sunday 9 11:30 Deacons All Saints Day Daylight Savings Time 7pm Finance & Facility 7 pm PW Coordinating 7 pm Bell Choir Ends 7 pm Dis. & Nurture Team Meeting No Bible Study 7pm Manna Hs Brd Mon Sun November 2014 27 5:30 -8:30 pm Basketball 20 5:30 -8:30 pm Basketball 13 6 Office Closed 28 1 - 3:00 pm Quilting Workshop 5:30 -8:30 pm Basketball 6 pm - 10 pm New Sussex Symphony 21 1 - 3:00 pm Quilting Workshop 5:30 -8:30 pm Basketball 14 1 - 3:00 pm Quilting Workshop 7 Thu Regular Sunday Schedule Fri 9:00 am Sunday School 9:00 am Worship (Chapel) 9:15 Adult Study Group 10:30 am Worship (Sanctuary) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Youth Group 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Bible Study 11-1pm BOL 29 12 pm - 9 pm New Sussex Symphony Concert 22 Newsletter Deadline 10-2pm Presbytery Mtg in Mendham @ Hilltop Church 11-1pm BOL 15 11-1pm BOL 8 11-1pm BOL 1 Sat Items in italics are outside organizations using the church facilities 9 10 First Presbyterian Church of Newton 54 High St., Newton, N.J. 07860 Phone: 973-383-4420 E-mail: [email protected] Web site вЂ” www.fpcnewtonnj.org Reverend David Young, Pastor 2014 RU LING ELDERS & D EA CONS OF F IRS T P RES BY T ERIA N Ruling Elders Deacons Class 2015 Class 2016 Class 2017 Gerald Chandler Ed Caffrey Robert Gerdes Eileen DelBagno Doris Christians Betsy Hall Cindi Gaechter Dirk Kelly Robyn Meehan Terry VanAuken Carol Weaver Shirley Smith Susanne Gerdes Cindy Fogg Scott Hoffman Nancy Lange Gloria Hehn Nancy Smith Judy Prendergast Sue Hough Wendy Celentano Betsy Towle Tara Walsh