Dear Members and Friends,

I have just returned from Choir Tour 2016. On February 12, a group consisting of 28 youth and 14 adults took a bus from

Caldwell to JFK for a flight to London. Once arriving in the UK, the days were filled with sightseeing and performing our

Cabaret show, “Walking in Space.” The group was thrilled to be visiting sites that they had either studied in school or read

about in travel books: Stonehenge; Shakespeare’s birthplace and hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon; the city of Bath and the

famous Roman Baths; three cathedrals with a wide range of historical significance – Worcester, Coventry & Leicester; and

the historic sites of London – the Globe Theatre, Tower of London & Buckingham Palace. One very special opportunity

was to attend evensong at Westminster Abby and hear the famous choir that is part of regular worship services there. We

sat in that beautiful sacred space among the resting places of such important historic figures as G. F. Handel, Isaac Newton

and Charles Darwin.

Our host churches were intent on giving their guests from the USA the “royal treatment.” We were humbled at their efforts

to serve us delicious, home-cooked meals before our performance and at their eagerness to talk with us afterwards about our

show and our life back in the States. Our hosts opened not only their church buildings but also their homes. We made new

friends and hope that perhaps they will come visit us someday.

“Walking in Space,” which included songs from the musical Hair and interspersed with thought-provoking monologues

about living in relationships with others, was the perfect show to present overseas. A prevailing message of looking outside

ourselves to the needs of others and the importance of each individual to be responsible for peacemaking efforts in the

world was well-received. While we may speak the same language as our British neighbors, there are still many cultural

differences to learn about and respect. Our visit to Coventry Cathedral was especially poignant in understanding how

important it is to remember the difficulties from the past and create challenges for future generations. The Cathedral was

destroyed in the Blitz of 1940 as the city burned by bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe. The ruins of the old Cathedral remain

on site and a new building was built next to it. A huge window in the current building looks out upon the ruins and offers a

constant reminder of humans’ ability to destroy one another. The ministry of the Cathedral in the 21st century is to be a

symbol of peace and reconciliation to the world.

Our choir group were exemplary ministers to current peacemaking efforts. From not chewing gum because it is considered

rude in Britain, to leaving handwritten notes at their host homes, the youth made me proud. We learned that there are

misconceptions about people in other countries coming both from us and from them. The Brits are truly friendly and not

“stuffy” as we imagined them to be. They also take great interest in American politics and are genuinely happy to welcome

us to their country. We proved that American youth can be quiet and polite in public settings and that we can travel with a

carry-on size suitcase. Haven’t wars been fought over just such trivial differences? And, most important, traveling to a

foreign country is safe and not frightening at all.

It is through our music, the universal language of all peoples, that we were able to return to Caldwell in triumph. Thank

you to the FPC congregation for supporting our music groups so that they can continue to sing new songs.

Rev. Barbara Jo Piercy

Minister of Music

1784 - 2016

M a r ch First Church News

MARCH 2016 “Helping all people build life-transforming relationships with God and each other.”

Young Adult Group Calling All Young Adults! (Ages 18-29)

Young Adults (ages 18-30) are invited to join us every other Monday at Cloverleaf Tavern for food, drinks and

fellowship! We alternate between discussion and a guest speaker. We hope you'll join us on March 7th and

21st at 7pm! We also gather for fun and service. This month we will be bowling at Hanover Lanes on Sunday,

March 13th at 7pm. Let Jaime Staehle know if you are able to join us! Join our Facebook Group - First Pres.

Caldwell Young Adults - to stay up to date!

Choir Tour 2016

Lenten Women's Book

Club

All women are invited to join us this Lent

to read "And the Angels Were Silent: The

Final Week of Jesus" by Max Lucado. In

the last week of his life, Jesus deliberately

sets his face toward Jerusalem—and certain

death. This is no ordinary week. Even the

angels are silent as they ponder the final

days of Jesus Christ. This is no ordinary

walk. Jesus doesn't chatter. He doesn't

pause. He is on his

final journey. He

walks determinedly to

the holy city, angrily

into the temple,

wearily into

Gethsemane, painfully

up the Via Dolorosa.

And powerfully out of

the vacated tomb.

Master storyteller and

best-selling author Max Lucado invites

you: "Let's follow Jesus on his final

journey. For by observing his, we may

learn how to make ours. And discover what

matters to God." “And the Angels Were

Silent” allows you to enter and observe a

revealing and intimate view of our Savior's

last week. A copy of this book is available

in the Library Cart in Room 120. We will

gather on Wednesday, March 30th at 7pm

in the Parlor for discussion and dessert.

The purpose of our Youth Ministry at First Pres. Caldwell is

to Reach Over to students in our congregation and community,

providing a safe, caring and fun environment in order to equip them

to Reach Up - learning about God, challenging them to grow in a

relationship with Jesus Christ and fostering a desire to Reach Out,

providing opportunities to serve others in Jesus' name and become

leaders within the Church.

Each month we have a variety of events and activities

designed with our Purpose in mind. All teens are invited to join

us! Off site events do require a permission slip and some events

require a signup because of limited space!

Jr. High Fellowship - 6th-8th Grade

All are invited to join us each Thursday from 6:30-8pm for Diners,

Drive-Ins and Dives! We will be finding fun spots to eat each

Thursday this month! Bring $10 and an appetite. No need to sign

up, just show up!

Sr. High Fellowship - 9th-12th Grade

Sunday, March 6th - 11:30am-1pm - Chili Lunch (buy your

tickets from a Pittsburgh Teen!)

Friday, March 11th-Sunday, March 13th - Retreat at Camp

Johnsonburg

Sunday, March 20th - 11:30am-1pm - Sr. High Lunch and

Fellowship (bring $5)

Sunday, March 27th - Happy Easter!!

Youth News

Good Friday Children’s Program

Friday, March 25th - 9am-3pm All children in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to join us for a

day of learning about Holy Week. We will be doing games, crafts, lunch

and a movie. All children are asked to bring a sack lunch. Registration

forms are available on the Christian Ed desk.

Annual Easter

Egg Hunt

Sunday, March 27th

12:00pm All children are invited to join us in the

graveyard for an Easter Egg hunt

following our second Easter worship

service. Bring a basket!

MEMBERS AND FRIENDS IN OUR PRAYERS

We share the joys and sorrows of life and in all things give thanks to God for

his blessings to us.

HEALING AND SUPPORT TO …

...Alice Brackmann, Harry Coppens, Bill Hayden, Edith Jipp, Barbara

Piggery, Louise Ritscher, Barbara Robison, Laura Winter and Clarence and

Helena Wispelwey.

Please let the office know if there are others to include.

The First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell

326 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, NJ 07006

Office Hours M – Th 9am – 5pm F 4pm

Phone: 973-228-0310 Fax: 973-228-0629

E-mail: fpc@firstprescaldwell.org

Web page: www.firstprescaldwell.org

Dr. Richard N. Sommers, Pastor/Head of Staff

Rev. Don Brown, Associate Pastor

Rev. Barbara Jo Piercy, Minister of Music

Jaime Staehle, Director of Youth & Children’s Ministries

Laurie Fergusson, Youth Intern

Nancy Felter, Office Manager

Lauren Restaino, Communications Specialist/Admin Assistant

Brittany Heun, Sunday Morning Receptionist

Noel Piercy, Associate Director of Music

Chris White, Building Manager/Head Sexton

Ray Uhlendorf, Sunday Custodian

Kathleen Carlson

Director of the Weekday Nursery School

973-226-6674

David Hicock

Superintendent, Prospect Hill Cemetery

973-228-4410

Dr. Robert R. McGruther, Pastor Emeritus

Rev. J. Robert Pryor, Parish Associate

Stephen Ministry

stephen.ministry@firstprescaldwell.org 973-228-0310 Ext. 235

TAIZÉ RETREAT 2016

Young adults, ages 17 – 30, are invited to participate in a two-

week retreat this summer, from the end of July to mid-August (dates to be

determined by plane reservations). The theme of the retreat is “Peace and

Reconciliation” through visiting the city of Amsterdam, which had strong

resistance activity in WWII and the beaches of Normandy (Omaha &

Utah Beach, Caen Memorial Museum, the American Cemetery). This is

followed by a week-long experience at the Taizé Community in the south

of France and meeting and worshipping with several thousand young

adults from all over the world. The final part of the retreat is a visit to the

city of Geneva, home of the UN, Red Cross, and World Council of

Churches. A special visit to St. Peter’s Cathedral and the Reformation

Museum will offer an opportunity to learn more about John Calvin, the

reformer of our Presbyterian Church tradition. This retreat offers the

opportunity to change the world one person at a time – starting with each

one of us!

Please contact Rev. Barbara Piercy for more information.

Commitments need to be made soon in order to begin plans and to secure

the best possible airfare. The total cost of the trip is $1,500 - $1,600 for

the two weeks. This includes the airfare, all lodging and the week in

Taizé, France.

Lenten Study

"Illuminating Lent deepens

faith and enhances

knowledge through the

exploration of the Lord's

Prayer."

Join Pastors Rick and Don,

Parish Associate Bob

Pryor, and Roseland PC Pastor Mac MacArthur

for a study of the Lord's Prayer entitled

Illuminating Lent. The series will be held on

Tuesday mornings at 11:00AM in the parlor,

beginning on February 16th. The series will run

for 6 weeks.

1 9:30am Staff

11am Lenten Study

7:30pm Session Committees

2 9:30am Crafting

Group

4:30-6pm Lenten

Blaze

3 7am Men’s Fellowship

Breakfast

12pm Women’s

Fellowship Luncheon

6:30pm-8pm Jr. High

Fellowship

6:30pm Chancel Bells

8pm Chancel Choir

4 5:30pm AA

Meeting

5 8am DADS

With a Mission

10am

Communion

Class (3rd-6th)

12pm 2nd

Graders Bake

Bread

2pm Chili Prep

6

2nd Grade Communion

9am Confirmation Class

10am Church Family Sunday

11:30am Adult Education

11:30am Chili Lunch

4pm Pilgrim Choir

4:45pm Chapel Bells

5:30-7:30pm Youth Musical Rehearsal

7:45pm First Church Ringers

7 7pm Yoga

7pm Venture Scouts

7pm Young Adult

Gathering @Cloverleaf

8 9:30am Staff

11am Lenten Study

5pm Finance

5pm-9pm TPP Trip

to NJ Foodbank

7pm Deacons

Committees

7:15pm Deacons

9 9:30am Crafting

Group

4:30pm-6pm Lenten

Blaze

10 7am Men’s Fellowship

Breakfast

10am Old Guard

6:30-8pm Jr. High

Fellowship

6:30pm Chancel Bells

8pm Chancel Choir

11 5:30pm AA

Meeting

12 8am DADS

With a Mission

13

8:30am Chapel Worship

10am Worship Service & Sunday School

11:15am Adult Education Committee

11:15am Worship Committee

11:30am Confirmation Mentor Lunch

11:30am Adult Education

4pm Pilgrim Choir

4:45pm Chapel Bells

5:30-7:30pm Youth Musical Rehearsal

7:45pm First Church Ringers

14 7pm Yoga

7pm Venture Scouts

7pm Bible Study Group

15 9:30am Staff

11am Lenten Study

6:15pm Mission

Committee

7pm Off The Scale

7:30pm Session

16 9:30am Crafting

Group

4:30pm-6pm Lenten

Blaze

17 7am Men’s Fellowship

Breakfast

6:30pm-8pm Jr. High

Fellowship

6:30pm Chancel Bells

8pm Chancel Choir

18 5:30pm AA

Meeting

19 8am DADS

With a Mission

@ Rockin’ Joe

20 8:30am Chapel Worship

9am Confirmation Class

10am Worship Service & Sunday School

11:15am Stephen Leaders Meeting

11:15 Church Life Meeting

11:30am Adult Education

4pm Pilgrim Choir

4:45pm Chapel Bells

5:30-7:30pm Youth Musical Rehearsal

7:45pm First Church Ringers

21 6:30pm Stephen

Ministry Supervision

7pm Yoga

7pm Venture Scouts

7pm Young Adult

Gathering @Cloverleaf

22 9:30am Staff

11am Lenten Study

6:30pm Chancel

Bells

7pm Off The Scale

8pm Chancel Choir

23

9:30am Crafting

Group

4:30pm-6pm Lenten

Blaze

24

7am Men’s Fellowship

Breakfast

10am Old Guard

1pm Women’s

Fellowship Board

Meeting

5pm Seder Meal

7:30pm Maundy

Thursday Worship

Service

25

9AM-3PM Good

Friday Children’s

Program

12pm Prayer and

Meditation

5:30pm AA

Meeting

7:30pm Worship

Service

26

8am DADS

With a Mission

8:30am Soup

Kitchen

8pm Easter Vigil

27

6:30am Sunrise Service

9:30am Worship Service

11am Worship Service

12pm Easter Egg Hunt

28

CHURCH OFFICE

CLOSED

7pm Yoga

7pm Venture Scouts

7pm Bible Study

29

9:30am Staff

7pm Off The Scale

30

9:30am Crafting

Group

7pm Women’s Book

Club

31

7am Men’s Fellowship

Breakfast

6:30pm-8pm Jr. High

Fellowship

6:30pm Chancel Bells

8pm Chancel Choir

Sr. High Retreat

Conf irmat ion Retreat Sr. High Retreat

Conf irmat ion Retreat

PURCHASE YOUR GIFT CARDS IN THE CHURCH

OFFICE AND SUPPORT OUR BUDGET AT THE SAME

TIME!

ShopRiteCard@firstprescaldwell.org