Dear Church Family,
One of my favorite moments of every week is the hour I spend in bible study on Wednesday mornings. A group of 6-7 church friends, in the parlor, reading 1 chapter of scripture aloud and then interacting with the text. The bible matters. I know that our church family is in agreement about that. Every Sunday the sermon, liturgy, songs, prayers…it’s all shaped with an eye toward scripture and to our daily lives. You let us know how much you appreciate the diligence with which we approach the Word.
Saying ‘the bible matters’ does not mean the bible is easy. It’s actually often troubling and ugly and confusing. What I find, however, is that whatever part of the bible I read, with church friends, the discussions are always life-giving. Though the bible is certainly not the only place to encounter God I do encounter God through scripture read with dear friends. There are fewer people engaged in regular bible study at RCHP than I would expect. I’ve been thinking that maybe the word study is intimidating or misleading. Study suggests preparation, knowledge, rigorous work. Please don’t be intimidated by bible study!
How about these options:
“Reading and Reflecting on the Bible Together”
“The Bible and Our Lives”
“Hearing God Speak through Scripture and Each Other”
“Faithful Conversations prompted by scripture”
It’s summer. Want to try a new thing? Can you join me, on Wednesday mornings, at 7:45, for whichever title above will entice you to give our group a try? Mid-week Faith Development options at RCHP are so rich right now. If Wednesday mornings don’t work for you, Pastor Amos has a book group currently reading, “Jesus and John Wayne.” I just finished it and found it so important and troubling. Every Christian who is concerned that Christianity seems to have been hijacked by extremists should engage with Amos on this. Cori, Liz and Amanda have a Wednesday early evening bible-related-group at 5:30pm. Pastor Terry has all sorts of bible engagement opportunities for youth who might want to read together.
Anyway, if you’ve got a moment this summer, find friends with whom to read the bible. God speaks through the text when it is read together in community. And who doesn’t want God to speak? It’s a beautiful thing to receive a fresh word or two to guide the week.
The Peace of Christ to you,
Pastor Seth
P.S. Check out the photo gallery at the end of this email for church family highlights!
|
|
Upcoming June Events & Happenings |
June 5: Communion Sunday, Sunday school, A post-second-service appreciation event for Wendy Jager and Lara Arp. As was sent out in a previous newsletter, Wendy and Lara have been on staff at RCHP for 15 and 10 years, respectively. They are entering new chapters in their lives and are stepping down from their church positions. God has blessed us. Let us take time to acknowledge them together.
June 5: Ukrainian Cultural Event, 6;30pm, Hosted at RCHP, by the Global Awareness Club of Highland Park High School. This is a great opportunity to raise funds for Ukrainian war relief and funds to help Ukrainians resettle as refugees in New Jersey.
June 8: World Refugee Day, which happens later in June, has snuck up on us this year. Sometimes we have a weekend picnic, but we couldn’t pull it off! We are going to try a gathering from 4pm-7pm this coming Wednesday! Join us and invite your friends!
World Refugee Day Potluck Picnic
Please join us for our annual Picnic in celebration of World Refugee Day!
Date: Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Time: 4pm to 7pm
Location: Donaldson Park, Picnic Grove 2 (699 South 3rd Ave. Highland Park, NJ 08904
Please let us know what you are bringing. We will need help with set up and clean up afterwards.
|
June 10-11: Camping at Washington Valley State Park
RCHP members will meet up on the evening of June 10th, at Washington Valley State Park, for a night with a campfire, camp songs, fellowship, frisbee, food and fun. We’ll camp, take walks and play in the morning, before coming back to Highland Park early Saturday afternoon. Please join us! The church van will leave RCHP at 4pm.
June 12: During Worship on June 12th we will celebrate our High School graduates during worship. June 12th is the last Sunday with services at both 9am and 11:15.
The final day for Children's Sunday School, 2022, is June 12th. We are so thankful for all our teachers and students and the commitments they've made this past year!
Policy Engagement Group - Next meeting is Sunday, June 12th at 2 pm Contact Pastor Amos for Zoom link: amoscaley@gmail.com
|
BLUEGRA$$ 4 GOOD - Sunday, June 12 at 3pm at Pino’s in Highland Park
Tony Trischka is one of the leading lights of contemporary banjo. His innovations have inspired players like Béla Fleck and myriad others, helping to define the dynamic banjo stylings of today.
Magnolia Street String Band is a bluegrass group based in central New Jersey. You can find them performing sweet and stomping music at concert venues, festivals, farmers markets, and private parties around the Mid-Atlantic.
|
Patrick Beckford to Represent Classis New Brunswick at General Synod from June 9-14: General Synod is in Pella, Iowa this year, at Central College. Please pray for Patrick as he represents Classes New Brunswick as a delegate at what will likely be a fairly contentious synod meeting—as big denominational decisions might take steps forward. Additionally, Amanda Bruehl will be at Synod, working as RCA staff, helping with logistics. We welcome news from both Patrick and Amanda upon their return.
June 14th New Members Class (Evening) 7 pm - 9 pm - Contact Pastor Seth
|
June 18: The Poor People’s Campaign: Mark Lesko and others from our church and area will be traveling to Washington for a day of political engagement and solidarity around social issues that matter greatly to this church. Can you join him? Tickets are FREE on a bus that leaves early morning from Highland Park and returns by evening. For more info, contact Mark at lostfish222@gmail.com
June 18: A Memorial Service will be held for Richard Hepburn (Matt’s father) at 11am
June 19: Join us at Donaldson Park, after worship, for a Father’s Day Picnic
|
|
Worship and Education Opportunities |
|
Sunday Morning Adult Education Calendar - June 2022
Join us for RCHP Sunday morning Adult Ed throughout the month of June as we observe and celebrate Pride Month! Click on the poster for details. All are welcome! NOTE: Please see our "Supporting Each Other..." section for this month's W.I.S.E. Care blog, "Open Your Hearts with Pride", by Nicci Spinazzola.
RCHP Collegiate Church South River Updates:
RCHP is grateful to Mckenzie Kramer for helping us launch the South River ministry on February 1 of 2022. Mckenzie got us off to a great start by developing meaningful worship on Sundays and also helping build bridges in the community. We are particularly grateful for the relaunch of the Study Zone, which brought 15+ elementary school kids, and their children, into the church space two days a week throughout the Spring.
Mckenzie had a pre-planned hiking trip in Spain with her husband Owen for the month of June, and prior to leaving informed us that despite a great love for the South River people and the ministry she did not feel she was the right person to lead South River at this time.
We are thankful for her leadership as we got started and we wish Mckenzie well in all future endeavors. The Consistory and staff have plenty of ideas for South River going forward and we will build off Mckenzie’s great work.
|
|
How can you get involved?
We are trying to start a Spanish/English Conversation Cafe on Wednesday or Thursday from 4pm-6pm in South River. Are you interested? You don’t have to have any language skills to be effective in this space.
We are hoping to launch “Family Fun” afternoons on Wednesdays and Thursdays, starting immediately. This will involve story time, legos, drawing and painting.
You can commit to Worshiping in South River regularly, getting to know the members of that church.
In July we will team up with SNAP Education to do healthy cooking classes, and in June/July two Spanish speaking Community Health Workers from Global Grace health will lead health programming for adults. Would you like to help with any of this?
|
|
June 26: RCHP Summer Worship Begins: Starting June 26th RCHP will have the following services each week. This schedule will continue through Labor Day. For these 12 weeks the sermon preached in Highland Park will be preached by the same preacher in South River at 11am. We encourage members to ‘try out’ South River.
9:00am—Worship at RCHP
10:15am—Coffee Hour at RCHP
10:45am—Indonesian Worship
11:00am—Worship at South River
Noon—Coffee Hour at South River
|
|
RCHP Adult Education Course: Space for God Continues
Based on the text, Space for God: Study and Practice of Spirituality and Prayer by Don Postema.
-
Through devotional reflections and readings, art, meditation and prayer, Space for God provides a joyous guide for spiritual living. The video introductions to the first 8 chapters is available on the RCHP website at www.rchighlandpark.org/spaceforgod The video for chapter 8 will be posted shortly. Reach out to Carol Turner (cjteddpc@mac.com) to learn how to connect with this group.
|
|
‘The Table’ is Back On! A very generous family has offered to assist in relaunching The Table. All who would like to have a weekly meal, on Sunday evenings, are invited to join at 5:30, starting on June 12th. If anyone is interested in helping ‘shape this time’ as more than simply a meal, let me know. Some sort of spiritual practice, or community sharing, could be incorporated.
|
|
A Message from Wendy Jager:
Dear RCHP families and friends,
June 12 is our last day of Sunday school for this school year. If you haven't had a chance to join us yet, please do. We meet on the stage at 10:10 a.m. each Sunday morning during the school year to celebrate God's love, worship, hear stories of our faith and respond in thought and action. 2021 - 2022 has been a beautiful year together and I want to acknowledge and thank our teachers for the amazing love, care and commitment they have shown to our children and youth this past year. Please join me in thanking Liz Townley and Terry Stokes in the high school class, Jodi Bishoff, Amanda Bruel and Cori Anderson in the Middle School class, Aidan Selmer and I in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade class, Justan Mitchell, Meghan Pirri and Wendy Nussman in the 1st and 2nd grade class, and Maria Ovando-Palacios, Ashley Setia, Jewel Soroka and Nilofar Sarwary in the pre-K, K class. It is a blessing to be together again.
This year also marks my last year as the Sunday school director. I have been remembering all of the faith filled moments and beauty I have experienced leading our children and teachers over these last 15 years. Making real the stories of our faith and responding creatively have always been a backbone of our Sunday school program. I have included an early photo of one class dramatizing what it must have looked like when Jesus stood up in the temple in his home town and began speaking with authority. Most of these kids are juniors and seniors this year.
Thank you, RCHP for valuing children and their faith journey and for creating spaces in our church life where that can flourish. It has been a great joy to be a part of our children’s and youth ministries here and watch them thrive, adapt, ebb and flow and flourish. I will leave you with a few words that I often say to children when they ask difficult questions, or have deep feelings of hurt or confusion about our world because these statements remain true and are good for all of us to remember. “God loves you. God is always with you. God wants good things for your life.”
With gratitude,
Wendy Jager
|
|
A Message from Pastor Terry
Youth Group June 4 from 11 am to 4 pm South River Floodplain Cleanup.
This Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership EVENT IS CANCELLED! It seems the rains and warmer days have prompted overgrowth of foliage (including poison ivy) and biting insects in our South River and Sayreville floodplains. However...........
All youth (and friends and family) are invited to Sustainable Highland Park's river cleanup event this Saturday June 4, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (come anytime during those hours). We will be working along the Valley Place Trail and Ravine, and the trail along the River and the riverbank. We will meet in the morning at the trailhead at the intersection of Valley Place and South Adelaide Ave. Gloves and bags will be provided. Wear clothing you don't mind getting dirty, long pants, and boots. Bring insect repellent and sunblock.
Also, come camping with the church next weekend, the evening of the 10th through the morning of the 11th. See above Events & Happenings section for details. We'll have some youth group time and activities as part of the trip.
Jr High Youth Group, Sunday Nights at 7:00pm in the Cave
High School Youth Group 5:30 pm Sunday Nights
|
|
Bible Studies Wednesday morning and evening! If you want to read the Bible in community and see the power of the text as it intersects with our lives please join us at 7:45am in the parlor or 5:30pm in the Prayer Chapel.
Morning Prayer, Mon.-Sat. @ 9 am on zoom
Daily Morning Prayer Is a Great Way to Start the Morning Connected to God and Neighbor - For over 2 full years now RCHP has offered a 6 day a week morning prayer time over zoom. This is a great way for those who are finding outings challenging to stay connected to the life of the church, and, even for those who are totally back in their routine, starting the day in prayer, with church family, has been something that some might want to continue engaging in forever! You are invited to join by going to the link at rchighlandpark.org on our website.
|
|
Musical Opportunities, Wednesday Nights: Our choirs sounds great right now! If you’d like to add your voice to our choirs (gospel, chancel or kids choirs) please know that you are always welcome!
Childcare on Wednesdays runs from 6pm-8:15pm, with a 30 minute ‘break out’ for the kid-choir practices.
Adult & Children's Choir Rehearsal Schedule - All on WEDNESDAYS
5:30 to 6:00pm - Praise Team Rehearsal in Sanctuary (for just that week’s team — respond to Amos if you need that schedule)
6:00 to 7:15pm - Chancel Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary (Childcare provided upon request)
6:45 to 7:15pm - Children’s Choir Rehearsals in Parlor (Voices of Praise) and Prayer Chapel (First Voices)
7:15 to 8:15pm - Gospel Choir Rehearsal in Sanctuary (Childcare provided upon request)
|
|
Connecting With One Another |
|
"LitLovers" Reading & Culture Group
If you love talking about media and arts, and would like a lightly structured format for sharing, give LitLovers a try on Tuesdays from 12:30 to 1:30pm. Each week, participants are welcome to share about books, movies, TV shows, music and culinary delights. For June: Carol Turner and Deb Convery hand the leadership reigns over to Cecilia Rowedder czr852@yahoo.com and Esther Barcun misseando@verizon.net. We are grateful for our new co-hosts! Please email to receive the Zoom link.
|
|
Weekly Virtual "Drop-In"
All are welcome to drop-in for an hour of friendly, free-wheeling conversation on Thursdays from 12:30 to 1:30pm. Contact our host, Carol Perry caca98@aol.com for more information and for a Zoom link.
Thursday Sewing Circle
Each Thursday, from 10am-1pm, there is a wonderful opportunity to gather folks together for crafts and conversation. Please come to the Quilt Rm on Thursdays and check this out!
|
|
Serving and Working For Justice & the Beloved Community |
|
Sustainable Highland Park Spring 2022 Cleanup - Part 2
When: Saturday June 4, 2022, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (come anytime during those hours)
Where: Valley Place Trail and Ravine, and the trail along the River plus riverbank. Meet at the trailhead at the intersection of Valley Place and South Adelaide Ave.
Street parking. Gloves and bags will be provided. Suggested: wear clothing you don't mind getting dirty, long pants, and boots. Bring insect repellent and sunblock.
|
|
HP Food Pantry
During COVID our community is in need of the food pantry more than ever. The HP Food Pantry is collecting donations via an Amazon Wishlist. To donate badly needed items, click on https://tinyurl.com/s7pxpzn Contact Kathi Lombardi with questions: foxyrox18@gmail.com The items needed most this month are:
Food Pantry needs for June:
Pasta
Rice
Cereal
Oatmeal
Diapers- (especially size 2) but can use all sizes (2-5)
Stayfree and Feminine Hygiene Products
In addition to the Amazon wish list, items may be purchased from big box stores like Costco or Sam's Club; contact Kathi for further details.
|
|
Supporting Each Other During Difficult Times |
|
W.I.S.E. Care Blog - Open Your Hearts with PRIDE
June is Pride month where we honor our LGBTQ+ community members. This year marks the 53rd Anniversary of the Stonewall riots and 6 years since the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando where 49 people lost their lives and 53 others were seriously wounded. Most of them were young LGBTQ+ people of color. It was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history up until that point and remains the deadliest incidence of violence against the LGBTQ+ community.
From the time a questioning youth enters school they are often not given the same rights and protections as their peers. The Trevor Project who advocates for LGBTQ+ youth, reports that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 10 and 24 due to bullying, rejection and harassment.
In 2021, the Human Rights Campaign tracked at least 57 transgender or gender non-conforming people who were fatally shot or killed by violent means. These stories go unreported — or misreported. Most of these people were Black and Latinx transgender women.
These victims, like all of us, are loving partners, parents, family members, friends and community members who worked, went to school and attended houses of worship. They were real people — people who did not deserve to have their lives taken from them.
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL BLOG - Submitted by Nicci Spinazzola
|
|
The Self-Help Support Group
Join co-leaders Jess Munger and Terry Horyn for nurturing support for the body, mind and spirit every Monday and Thursday from 4-5 p.m. in the parlor. Seating is socially distant and masks are required. Topics addressed can be anything from Covid fears to physical ailments to emotional challenges. All are welcome! For more info, contact Jess at jessmsn409@gmail.com
|
|
Bereavement Calendar
RCHP remembers all those who died in June and all those who still mourn
The following names have been offered for remembrance in June 2022:
Edith Collins, Beloved Mother of Jim Collins
Ellen Hori, Beloved Mother of Nobuko Hori
Ana and Mate Jung, Beloved Grandparents of the Juricic Family
Deborah McKay, Beloved Sister of Kathi Lombardi
Kay Pitt, Beloved Member of the RCHP Sewing Circle
Liu Russo, Beloved Friend of Marcia Marcal Persiano
Eleanor Williams, Beloved Mother and Grandmother
to Her Children and Grandchildren
If it would be a comfort to include your loved ones in a monthly memory calendar, call Lisa at the RCHP office at 732-249-7349.
|
MAY HIGHLIGHTS AND MILESTONES |
|
Pond skimming at Bicentennial Park is always a hit - Always discoveries to be made, and appreciation of the wonders of God’s creation abounds!
|
|
The food just keeps rolling in from Trader Joes. If you, or someone you know, would benefit from free breads, vegetables and sometimes meats/cheeses, please reach out to Pastor Seth.
|
|
 |
RCHP-AHC keeps making progress on the renovation of 59 Adelaide Ave. We look forward to three families enjoying beautiful housing on this incredible street!
|
|
|
|
Mattresses and more are needed for newly arriving families! Please reach out to Harry if you have donations of beds, air conditioners and other household essentials.
|
|
|
|
RCHP joined Interfaith-RISE for a wonderful Saturday at the farm. Join I-RISE staff M-F 9-11am, 5:30-7:30pm and on weekends from 8:30am-11am.
|
|
RCHP South River had a wonderful 2 months of Afterschool Homework help and relationship building! Yeah for the Study Zone!
And Pastor Terry and the Youth Group recently visited a Rage Room - don’t try this at home! :-)
|
|
What a wonderful Mother's Day Brunch! Whether you’re a bio-mom, an adoptive mom, an aunty, or you just admire children from afar, everyone is appreciated at RCHP! Thanks to all the men who pitched in and made this event special!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
