|
|
Packanack Community
Church
August 2019
|
|
Your August e-Bell is here!
|
|
Read the articles and click the links for more information about our church.
For information about upcoming events, see "This Week at a Glance," our weekly email.
QUICK LINKS:
|
|
The Bread We Break
” I am the living bread that came down from heaven.”
Jesus
We start out every month here at PCC with breaking bread during communion. What a great way to start the month! Some of my most memorable experiences of going to church centered around meeting and munching during fellowship hour …chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, macaroons, fruit cakes and cupcakes, hot cross buns, homemade breads, rhubarb crumbles, strudels, and many more irresistible delicacies. Every congregation always seemed to have a couple of master chefs.
Somewhere I read that the reason restaurants give away bread before eating is to slow down kitchen orders and stop the chef from being inundated with orders.
At church bread is a staple; homemade breads and yeast rolls show up at potluck dinners; garlic bread accompanies every spaghetti dinner fundraiser; scrumptious loaves of bread show up on the altar for communion.
Jesus knew about bread. It seems that every time he turned around, the disciples were hungry or they were worried about crowds that were hungry.
So, Jesus sends them to town for food, while he teaches a foreign woman about the living water that always quenches thirsty souls. Or, he has them gather up a few leftover loaves of bread and fish so that he can create a feast for many.
Jesus trusted in the bread. But sometimes, his disciples didn’t seem to understand the deep significance of what he meant. Maybe they were thinking it was about the potluck dinner, the hungry crowd getting a good meal, or their Jewish ancestors receiving a good breakfast each morning as they wandered in the wilderness.
Jesus corrects the disciples who are only focused on the bread that perishes, the bread that goes stale, the bread that falls if not properly leavened, and the bread that never seems to go far enough to feed the hungry world.
Jesus spells it out when he tells the disciples what he told a foreign woman beside a well in Samaria: “God gives you the true bread from heaven. . .. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Unlike restaurants, we share the bread not to keep from being inundated with orders but to invite all. Jesus trusted the bread—not of this earth, but of heaven, the nourishment of God. This is the bread that feeds and nourishes our hungry souls, the bread that never goes stale, the bread that always satisfies and never disappoints. For this is the bread of life, the bread of God’s love, the reminder of Christ’s presence on this earth and the Holy Spirit’s ongoing presence in our lives.
When we allow Christ’s love to flow freely through us, Christ unites with us in ministry and mission, nourishing us and others so that we can be the body of Christ, the arms and legs, hands and feet, head and heart of God’s presence here on earth.
Pastor b
|
|
UPDATE FROM THE TRANSITION TEAM
Your survey and focus group recommendations are in!
|
|
Thank you to all those who took the survey and/or attended our focus group sessions on June 23. We are excited to share with you the results of the surveys and insights gained from the focus groups:
- There was a lot of agreement that Packanack Community Church has a rich history of serving our community and the families that dwell in it. Most felt that we are a friendly, open congregation and strive to welcome all who come through our doors.
- There was strong support for our music program and many felt it was a major draw for our church. Much discussion took place about how to better capitalize on this and inform those outside the congregation about it.
- Many felt concern about the lack of children and young families in our congregation. Many good ideas came up about ways to attract more young families - from providing alternate worship times to tapping into the already-present PCNS families. There was tremendous support for the hiring of a Youth Director to provide more programs for young people.
- A blended style of worship incorporating new elements with the familiar, traditional elements is favored. Combining hymns from the hymnal with newer, more contemporary music styles and incorporating video and other elements to appeal to a younger population, without giving up the traditions we all know and love seemed to be the direction to go.
- The new minister should be young and vibrant, with bold new ideas, a good preacher and someone who is trustworthy. Emphasis on building the congregation and reaching out to the community.
- Addressing social justice issues such as hunger and using our time and talents toward mission work is important to this congregation.
to see survey results
Please note that the survey was set up as a “quiz” which is just the lingo they use for this kind of survey. You may have received a “score” at the end of your survey, but please know that there are no right or wrong answers and we do not look at the scores at all. Our interests were in the opinions stated and using that information to help us to write the church profile.
Also - please note that all paper survey answers were entered into the online system so those results are included here as well.
Thanks and please do not hesitate to ask questions of any Transition Team member.
Jenn & Neil Kelly
Carey Lochridge
Lauri Masur
Steve & Karen Rusiniak
Bob Seela
|
|
Men's Breakfast Saturday, August 3
|
|
Join the men of our congregation as they share coffee and conversation together during this monthly opportunity for fellowship and faith. The group meets
at 8:00am at the Alps Diner
,
located on Route 23 North in Wayne on the first Saturday of every month. All men are invited!
|
|
YOU'RE INVITED!!!
HAMPSTEAD CONGREGATIONAL HAS A NEW PASTOR!!!
|
|
Our former Pastoral Intern, Kathy Youzwak, has been called to be the permanent pastor of Hampstead Congregational Church in NH. Kathy’s ordination will be held on
August 24 at 11AM at the Community Church of Mountain Lakes
, 48 Briarcliff Road, Mountain Lakes, NJ. There will be a reception after the ceremony.
Kathy would love to see everyone at PCC and would like to extend an invitation to attend her ordination and wish her well as she begins her new calling. All are invited!
|
|
Save the Date for the Church Picnic
|
|
On
Sunday, September 15
, the Annual Church Picnic will be held immediately after the worship service.
Hamburgers, hot dogs and soft drinks will be provided.
Mark your calendars and plan to join us for this wonderful opportunity to meet new people and have fellowship together.
|
|
TRANSGENGER
101 event coming in September
|
|
The PCC Community Outreach Team will be hosting “TRANSGENDER 101” on
Wednesday, September 25
at 7 p.m.
There are 30,000 Transgender adults, and uncounted thousands of Transgender children, teens and young adults presently living in New Jersey who are our friends, classmates and co-workers. This event will be a night of information and shared stories told by and about some of our own Transgender neighbors. Come join us to learn more about their lives.
"TRANSGENDER 101" is open to all parents, teachers, friends, family members and anyone with an interest in learning more about this subject. Further information coming soon regarding registration for this event.
|
|
Save the Date for the PCC Golf Outing Fund-Raiser
|
|
The PCC Golf Outing Fund-Raiser will be held on
Friday, October 18, 2019
at Sunset Valley Golf Course, Pompton Plains, NJ. The registration fee is $130/per person which includes 18 holes of golf, golf cart, Continental Breakfast and BBQ Lunch Buffet.
|
|
Please Sign Up to Provide Flowers for the Communion Table- Flowers are needed for September
|
|
The 2019 Flower Chart is now posted on the bulletin board in the narthex. Please sign up for a Sunday to provide flowers for the communion table.
You can bring your own flower arrangement or Bosland's Flower Shop in Wayne will give a 50% discount for your order and will deliver the flowers to the church
Flower dedications should be emailed to
office@Packanack.com
at least one week in advance in order to appear on the Sunday announcement sheet.
Upcoming flower signups:
August 11- Joan Riley
August 18- Susan Maxon
August 25- Claire Butler
September 8-
OPEN
September 15-
OPEN
September 22-
OPEN
September 29-
OPEN
|
|
Sunday, August 4
Worship in the Sanctuary, 10:00 AM
Communion
Food Pantry Collection-
Toiletries
Sunday, August 11
Worship in the Sanctuary, 10:00 AM
Sunday, August 18
Worship in the Sanctuary, 10:00 AM
Baptism of Luciana Pickler
Welcome new members Rae and Casey Pickler
and their daughters Luciana and Maggie
Sunday, August 25
Worship in the Sanctuary, 10:00 AM
Hymn Sing Sunday
We have our summer hymn sing every Sunday.
Come prepared with your favorites.
|
|
We are grateful for the following gifts made in memory of Bill Leonhardt:
- Judy Corvino
- Lynne Lefelar
- Ada and Tish Liggett
- Henry E. Kroh and Margaret Weller
|
|
Broadway Arts Lab 2019 Season
|
|
|
|
Broadway Arts Lab has announced their 2019 Season.
Highlights include Into The Woods, Dance Classes, and even a Make Up Magic Workshop.
Please lick
HERE
to visit their website for more information.
|
|
Please send cards to Church Members Who Have Moved Away
Several church members have moved from our area to be closer to family members. The following individuals would greatly appreciate receiving cards and staying in touch with our congregation:
Judy Corvino
,
Arbor Terrace, 361 Speedwell Avenue, Unit 365A, Morris Plains, NJ 07950
973-694-8993
Alva Breithaupt
,
1275 Turnpike Street, Unit 203, North Andover, MA 01845
Alva turned 94 this past October. A recent letter from her family expressed how much she appreciates our cards and phone calls. Her phone number is 978-258-0604. She can best be reached in her apartment at the following times: 11am - 12noon, 3-5pm, and after 7pm.
Betty Fenyo
,
Bickford of Suffolk, 6860 Harbour View Blvd. #405, Suffolk, VA 23435
Jessie Goehner,
132 Warwick Road, Apt. 1-C, Haddonfield, NJ 08033
The Rev. Dick Batchelder
,
9115 Warrens Way, Wanaque, NJ 07465
|
|
Cindy Clarke
Wilma Nydam
Trudy Leonhardt
Jim Klein
Laura Lefelar, Lynne Lefelar's daughter
Mike Barch, Lynne Lefelar’s son-in-law
Kathy Pallone, sister of Ginny Mullen
Bob Butler, Claire Butler's son
Kerry Babcott, Jessica De Haan’s friend
Bill and Claire Butler
Patrick Bosma, Ray and Diane Bosma’s grandson
Regina Erwood
Helen Barton, Claire Butler’s sister
James Gould, Virginia Gould's son
Judy Corvino
Bridget Davis
Dusty Peters
|
|
Packanack Community Church Putting God's Love in Motion
|
|
Sign Up for " This Week at a Glance"
To receive a copy of "This Week at a Glance", our weekly email detailing all of our upcoming events, send a request to office@packanack.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
