908-369-3838 newsletter september 2016 -...
TRANSCRIPT
Neshanic United Methodist Church 301 Maple Avenue
Neshanic Station, NJ 08853
908-369-3838
Newsletter
September 2016
Pastor J. T. Young Pastor Tammy Blose
[email protected] [email protected]
Greetings Neshanic UMC,
As summer comes to an end and we begin to look toward fall, I can feel the whisper of new beginnings in the air.
Those who are students and teachers start a fresh year, with all the promise that comes with empty notebooks
and a clean slate. That promise of a fresh start each semester reminds me of one of the most beautiful truths of
our Christian faith. In Lamentations 3:22-23 (NRSV) we read,”The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his
mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” We serve a God of fresh
starts, and clean slates. When we confess our sin in repentance, we are forgiven. Truly forgiven. And every
morning brings fresh mercy. A new chance to live and serve our God.
I can feel that same promise of new beginnings in our ministry this fall. The loss of The Children’s Garden of
Learning and the wonderful ministry that was done for families within our community there has birthed a
renewed vigor to reassess and repurpose the use of our facility. The beginning of our praise band and acolyte
team this summer spurred on the subtle changes to our chancel and attention to our sanctuary. The vision
retreat we had in the winter identified our top values and resulted in a 3 year plan with goals in each of the
areas of ministry we value most. This fall Pastor JT is forming a ministry team that will attend to those goals and
to sharing the progress we make toward them. There is a New Members Class forming, as well as a Confirmation
Class. The bells music ministry will pick back up, as will bible studies, and youth gatherings. Each one a fresh
opportunity to draw ourselves closer to God and closer as a community of believers.
Friends as we embark on this fresh start as a community, I am also very aware of the fresh starts many within
our community are experiencing in their lives. Job searches, new businesses, new babies, and the sometimes
jarring new diagnoses some of our number are experiencing bring challenges and stresses as well new
opportunities for blessing. We must keep one another in prayer, carrying the burdens of one another and
sharing in the joy of one another. This is our greatest strength and one of our most sacred duties as a community
of faith.
As we breathe in the fresh fall air, breathe in the promise of fresh starts. Feel the mercy that is new every
morning.
Blessings to you and yours,
Pastor Tammy Blose
A thank you note (submitted by Pastor Lin)…
Dear Lin,
Could you please pass along to the generous people at your church my heartfelt gratitude for
helping me out furnishing my new apartment. It made such a big difference. Things are
moving along with the apartment. Thank you again.
Bridget Marshall
A Sunday school teacher was asking her students some questions after a series of lessons on God's omnipotence. She asked, "Is there anything God can't do?" All was silent. Finally, one boy held up his hand. The teacher, on seeing this, was disappointed that they had
missed the point of the lesson. She sighed and asked,
"Well, what is it you think God can't do?" The boy replied, "He can't please everybody." Author Unknown
For who is God except the
LORD? And who is a Rock
besides our God? - Psalm 18:31
Psalm 117
Praise the LORD, all nations; laud
Him, all peoples! His loving
kindness is great towards us, and
the Truth of the LORD is
everlasting. Praise the LORD!
NUMC Music Ministry Submitted by Irene Novak
We hope you have been enjoying the music in our worship services. Our newly formed Praise Band provides a
contemporary accompaniment for some of our hymns and songs each week. We are very grateful for our organist,
Chaequan Anderson, who performs organ and piano music in a variety of styles ranging from the very traditional sacred
music to music in the modern, jazzy improvisational style.
In addition to the four hymns in our worship service, we look forward to enriching the worship experience by
occasionally providing special music. We have recently heard a flute and guitar prelude performed by Sarah Huffman
and Tom Mayer. Brothers Al and Arnie Cumba often sing country gospel tunes. After taking a summer hiatus, the bell
choir will be back “in swing” by mid September, and will soon be ready to participate in the worship service on a
monthly basis.
We know that many of the adults and youth in our congregation enjoy singing or playing an instrument. This
would be a great time for these individuals come forward to share their musical talents during a Sunday worship service.
We welcome your participation, whether it is a vocal or instrumental solo, or if you will perform in a group ensemble.
We don’t have a choir now, but we can form one!
Some ideas for expanding our music ministry include having an afternoon hymn sing or an evening coffee house
gathering. We might be able to invite some other local Methodist Church members to gather their musical groups
together with us for a festival of worship music. We are looking for many ways to offer praise and thanksgiving through
music. Please share your ideas so that we can work together in this endeavor.
Psalm 100:1-2
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
Come before him with joyful songs.
Here ’s an update on what’s new with our
church’s website:
In addition to some updated content, such as our vision
statement, there is an Events Calendar where we can
keep track of ongoing and upcoming church events and
meetings. A new Media page has been added, where we
will be posting church videos, newsletters, and other
media. Check out our new mobile-friendly website
at http://neshanic.org/. You can also find our church
videos on our new church YouTube channel
called Neshanic United Methodist Church when you
search YouTube online.
Vacation Bible School Submitted by Pastor Tammy
A Big “thank you” to all who made Vacation Bible School a great time for all those who attended
this year. Though our attendance was lower and significantly younger than last year, we had a
very successful VBS. Thirteen wonderful children experienced the love of Christ in Christian
community. The heat wave we experienced made it easy to pretend we were sitting at the “Surf
Shack”. We raised $145 dollars for S.H.I. P. and had a wonderful time serving the children and
families of our community. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to share the stories and themes
of VBS with the congregation in our summer sermon series.
Are You Listening? (Adapted from worthydevotions.com)
James 1:19-20 - So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt got tired of smiling that big smile and saying all the usual things at those White House receptions. So, one evening he decided to find out whether anybody was paying attention to what he was saying. As each person came up to him with extended hand, he flashed his big smile and said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning." People would automatically respond with comments such as "How lovely." or "Continue on with your great work." Nobody listened to what he was saying, except for one foreign diplomat. When the president said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning," the diplomat responded softly, "I'm sure she had it coming to her.
"It's a funny story, but how often do we do the same? It seems that we have lots to say but we are not very good at listening. Think about it. How many language, speech and speaking courses can you find in a book store? Compare that with how many books you can find on listening; that is if you can find one. There is such a lack of good listening skills in this day and age that we have to pay someone a lot of money just to listen to us! More importantly, God has many things He desires to reveal to us -- but we're always talking, talking, talking!
Let's strive to do less talking and more listening today. Let's give the LORD and others a chance to be heard.
Coming this fall…
A Confirmation Class is
forming now for the
FALL. Please Contact
Pastor Tammy for more
information about joining
the Class.
Would you like to become a
member of Neshanic UMC? A new
class will be forming in the fall.
Contact Pastor Tammy Blose for
more information.
The Adult Bible Study will resume on Tuesday, September 6, at 7:00 PM. We will be studying Paul's Epistles. Paul wrote two-thirds of the New Testament, and while the Gospels tell the story of Jesus' life, death and resurrection, and retell His teachings, Paul's letters address the practical applications of Christian principles.
Please join us for a challenging and enlightening learning experience.
The Bell Choir will
resume rehearsals on
Wednesday, September
14th. Rehearsals will be
held from 7:00 to 8:00
each Wednesday. If
interested in joining the
Bell Choir, please see
Irene Novak.
Serve the LORD with
gladness; come before Him
with joyful singing -
Psalm 100:2
A big THANK YOU to all who volunteered their time to help serve at the 4-H Fair this year. Through your hard work and dedication, we raised enough money to pay off approximately three months of apportionments. This is good news indeed!
Conversations with Karl Barth Pastor J. T. Young
“The angels laugh at old Karl as he tries to capture the truth about God in a book of dogmatics.” —
Karl Barth
Karl Barth, a 20th century Swiss Reformed theologian, has been called the most important
theologian since Thomas Aquinas and his major 13-volume work, the Church Dogmatics, is a tome
which has defined modern Protestant thought. Yet, despite decades of working in academia, he had
the above to say about his theological project. And it is the reason so many of us theologically-minded
Christians love him.
Barth always had an ambivalent relationship with his own work. He never wanted to draw
people to himself. Toward the end of his life in an interview, he warned strongly against people in the
church becoming “Barthians.” Instead, he wanted to point people to Jesus. He wanted people in the
church to become Christians. And he was always willing to throw off his own work if someone came
along and did a better job.
He once famously remarked that, in the church, there should be no non-theologians. We are all
charged with the task of understanding God and that can only happen from the standpoint of faith.
As Christians, we are all in this boat together and are all charged with continually evaluating our
God-talk. But, in the end, all our scholarship is nothing in relation to the God who loves in freedom.
In comparison to God’s love, all our books and peer-reviewed articles are nothing but paper
and our God-talk is just words. And Barth recognized this. He knew that in the scheme of eternity,
his Church Dogmatics wouldn't matter. He wasn't any more of a Christian because he was a
professional theologian. But he sought to embrace the kingdom of God like a child. And Barth’s child-
like faith, amidst his commitment to academic theology, is what keeps me coming back to him again
and again.
The weekend of July 29-31, 2016, was a very rainy weekend here in Neshanic Station. Almost five inches of rain fell; two inches fell on Sunday alone! AND…my daughter’s wedding was that Sunday, and it was an outdoor wedding! However, I was clinging to what the LORD had told me: It would not rain during my daughter’s wedding. Yet, Sunday around noon, I was starting to doubt especially after I walked down my driveway. With Belgium block on both sides of my driveway, the rain was rising. The rain was up to my ankles. My daughter wanted to get married in my front yard under the trees. The area was under water! I cried out to God…well, full confession, I whined. “LORD, I thought You told me it would not rain; I am not happy.”
Then I added, “LORD, I believe; help my unbelief.” (See Mark 9:24.) Immediately, I felt peace wash over me, and then I said, “LORD, but I know You can turn this around.” Around 12:30, the sun came out. My daughter declared that she still wanted to get married outside under the trees. A few of us went out and dried off the chairs. I looked and wondered “Where is the water? Where is the mud?” The wedding was perfect. What a blessing. Thank You LORD God Almighty! The wedding was from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM. At 8:00 PM on the dot, it started to sprinkle a little rain which stopped after a couple of minutes. I knew the sprinkling of rain was for my benefit. I knew the LORD was telling me, “I told you it would not rain.” The rain was a little inconvenient, but I am grateful that it did rain so much. People knew that something miraculous had happened. What could have been a simple and beautiful wedding turned into a Great Testimony of God’s Provision. It is my hope that a mighty seed was planted in the lives of those who came that will lead to salvation. Thank You Jesus Christ!
Disposable You and Me" (Hebrews 10:23 & 2 Timothy 2:13)
By Andrew Moser
Have you ever noticed just how disposable our lives have become? We have napkins, plates, cups and utensils
that we c an throw away after one use. Do you have a little extra money saved away? Forget about saving that
money! That's disposable income! Use that extra money on whatever makes you 'happy' or whatever makes
you feel 'good'. Forget about the future! The future is tomorrow's problem! Do you have a friend that is being a
little too bothersome? Label that person as being negative and drop that person like a baked potato! You don't
need that negativity in your life! Do you have a spouse or a significant other, and you're just not happy in that
relationship? Well, if you're not happy, then that is all that matters! After all, another person’s feelings are not
nearly as important as your own. So, if you are married and you are not happy, then dispose of that ring and try
again. Life is too short to try and work problems out.
Have I made my point? Selfishness and simplicity are 'kings and queens' in the world, today. It is far easier to
start over than it is to work through something. I am not saying you should stay in a damaging relationship;
what I AM saying is that if the only reason you are ending a relationship; whether it be family or friends or even a
spouse, because you are not having fun anymore, that is just not a good enough reason.
What if God treated us the way we treat each other? What if God thought of us as disposable? If God had that
mindset, then we would not have Jesus. Why send His Son into this world to save people that are a dime a
dozen. There are new batches of people every generation. A fresh starting point, if you follow my meaning.
God loves us. Even when we mess up again and again, our Father is right there with us. Our relationship with
God works because He is in it for the long haul.
Think about the depth of God's love for you the next time you feel like treating someone as disposable and,
remember, if God isn't going to give up on you and walk away, then maybe you should work on your
relationships with others instead of tossing them to the side like so much garbage. People and YOU are not
disposable. The best things and relationships in life are found because we work at them and don't give up.
Don't be so quick to give up on people because God has not, nor will He ever, give up on you.
Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows - Matthew 10:31
Mom’s Apple Fritters (from allrecipes.com)
1 quart vegetable oil for deep frying 2/3 cup milk 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 eggs, beaten 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 teaspoons baking powder 3 cups apples – peeled, cored, and chopped ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup cinnamon sugar
Directions: 1. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or electric skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk, eggs and oil and stir
until well blended. Mix in apples until they are evenly distributed. 3. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and fry until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes depending on
the size. Fry in smaller batches so they are not crowded. Remove from the hot oil using a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels. Toss with cinnamon sugar while still warm.
How Does God Talk to Us? Submitted by Alec Schibanoff
When Trish and I were living in Piscataway, I got a call from her one day at my office. She was a home care nurse, and she told me that our neighbor had been assigned to her as a patient. “Carol Hanley,” I responded, thinking of the woman who lived in the house to the North of us. “No,” Trish responded, “the other neighbor.” There was a house to the east of us into which an older Indian couple had moved a few years prior. I was embarrassed that I had never gone over an introduced myself. I waved to them a few times, but never even went over and said “Hello.” “Your patient is in Ilsa’s old house?” I asked. We had known the previous residents who had sold the house to the new owners. “Yes, the husband. And you will never guess what he does for a living,” Trish asked. “Podiatrist,” I responded. I do not know why that popped into my head. “He treats the whole body,” she responded. “I give up.” “He is a Methodist pastor,” Trish informed me. Unbelievable! Here I was, a lifelong Methodist and active in my faith, and a Methodist pastor moves into the house next door to mine, and I do not even have the courtesy to go over an introduce myself. We saw them move in, and since they were Indian, I am embarrassed to admit that I assumed that we had nothing in common! That evening, I walked over and introduce myself to Pastor David Purushothaman. He had been assigned to the East Millstone UMC a few years previously, and that church did not have a parsonage, so he and his wife bought a house and he commuted from Piscataway to East Millstone, about a 20-minute drive. By the end of our meeting, I had signed on to teach Bible Study at his church. I had taught Bible Study at Christ UMC for about 10 years, and I was burned out, so one of my students took over the class. After a few years not teaching, I was ready to get back. And God called me to teach in East Millstone. Pastor David was a humble and righteous man, and I was pleased to be part of his church. Unfortunately, the cancer for which he had been treated returned, and he could not fulfill his duties. There was an elderly, retired pastor, Joe Gillespie, who attended the church and could perform Communion. So Joe and I took over for Pastor David while he was sick a second time. Pastor David returned briefly to the pulpit, but took ill again, so Joe and I took over again. Pastor David passed away in April, so Joe and I filled out his term through the end of June until a new pastor was appointed. God needed someone to help pastor the church while Pastor David could not, and he called Joe and me to do it. When the new pastor arrived, it knew it was time for me to move on. During my years at East Millstone, we had moved from Piscataway to Whitehouse Station, so I began looking for a new church, and I was very blessed to be accepted at a brother in Christ by the wonderful congregation at Neshanic UMC. Does God talk to us? He most certainly does. In fact, sometimes He screams at us. But are we listening?
“In this is love, not that we loved God,
but that He loved us.” (1 John 4:10)
Today I am meeting with a videographer, Carlo, for the second time. We are coming
together to discuss a project because as a business owner, I wondered how to get noticed in a busy
world. We are all but a click of the mouse away from massive amounts of information on the
internet. Which one should I click on? Is it the one that reveals a story, is it something that is
real. For me, I like it to be more about a relationship with the company or business owner. I like
getting to know who they are before what they sell. We’re living in a world that is based on
“being friends” or getting “likes”. What happened to telling a story that people want to connect
with I wondered.
As we talked, he felt that a great place to start would be for me to tell my story, my life
story so people would get to know me before they get to know what I do. He began to show me a
video of someone else’s story. My heart was overwhelmed with the beautiful story being told. I
wept into my hands. I paused and pondered on how I was feeling. Is Jesus telling me that I am
beautiful? Is he telling me I have a beautiful story to tell? I saw that it was not the professional
part of my story that needed to be told through the videographer, but that Jesus was calling me to
tell the relationship story we have.
Jesus wants me to tell my story of redemption, restoration and renewal. When I gave my
heart to Him many years ago, it was the beginning of my beautiful story. I no longer had a story
of hopelessness but of hope with Him. When I was feeling worthless He reminded me that I am
His beloved. This is the story He wants me to tell. That I am not what I once was but I am a new
person in Him. I am never alone or forsaken. He is with me and for me. When I thought my life
was falling apart, He showed me that it was falling into place. When I thought that no one cared,
He showed me that nothing could separate me from His love. This is my beautiful story of
redemption, restoration and renewal.
My story. My hope. My worth. That I could be a child of God loved by a Loving Father.
He sent Jesus for me to have a true holy relationship with Him. This is what the world is looking
for in the internet communities, true relationships. They are found in Jesus alone. When I share
“my life” video, my hope is that it will show how I was once lost but now I am found!
What is your story? Is it a story of the radical love of Jesus’s redemption and restoration?
Did you know that your life story is beautiful with Jesus? It is to be shared with others with the
hope that you have in Christ. The hardships that you have endured, sorrows and triumphs have
not gone unnoticed. Could today be the day that you will start your story with Jesus? You were
not meant to go it alone but to walk side by side with Him. He wants a relationship with you
because He loves you that much. Let today start your beautiful story of redemption, restoration
and renewal with Jesus.
Submitted by Deborah Skomba (http://www.h2hcc.org/)
Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Temperament Therapist, Pastor, and Relationship Life Coach
Jesus said, “I AM the Gate. Whoever enters by Me will be saved, and will come
in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and
destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly – John 10:9-10
