Dear Church Family,

On Sunday night, November 19th, our church sanctuary was very full.  It will filled with people representing the Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh traditions.  The service was laced with prayers and songs in Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish, Indonesian, Hindi, Sanskrit and probably others that I’m not remembering right now.  

The fact that the church was full, this year, was particularly important.  The world situation, being what it is, means that the walls could come up, that relationships could fall apart, that judgement and hate could gain a foothold.  

Sunday night, by turning to God with grateful hearts we did not avoid the pain of the war in Israel and Palestine, or the pain and suffering that we see elsewhere.  Instead, we acknowledged that pain and refused to have that be the only scaffolding upon which to build our lives.  

So many traditions.  So many perspectives.  All were of one mind that God is a God to whom we should turn with gratitude at all times, come what may; in God we are not alone.  

As a Christian pastor I want to say, with no uncertainty, that I am thankful for the faith traditions that inform and give life to our neighbors. I am encouraged by other practitioners to deepen my own journey with God in and through our understanding of Creator, Christ and Spirit. 

God is amazing. God’s love for all God’s human family is creative and beautiful. I was thankful, and I could tell you were too, to step into that creativity and beauty again this year. Thank you for being a church that is not afraid to ‘appreciate the faith of your neighbor even as you appreciate your own faith.’ I think that is a form of loving one’s neighbor as oneself.

Entering Advent, and the stories of God’s arrival in the Christ Child, is an enriched experience, it seems to me, against the backdrop of Interfaith Thanksgiving. How? I’m not sure. I’m just happy that it’s there—nudging and challenging me..nudging and challenging us…to let the mystery of God’s ways guide us. 

Peace, Pastor Seth

Included in this Issue: Check out the "Serving & Working for Justice..." section for info on the upcoming NJ Reparations Council Public Session #2: Segregation in NJ

Upcoming December Events & Happenings

Poinsettias Church Fundraiser

We will soon be adorning our sanctuary with beautiful poinsettias.  You could purchase one in memory of a loved one or just to make our sanctuary look more festive for the holiday season.  As we get closer to Christmas, there will be a Memorial Insert where the names of those being honored will be listed.  Please hand in completed order forms to the church office.  Thank you!

South River Bazaar, Saturday, December 2nd—On December 2nd, from 11am - 3pm, join our South River Church Family for their Holiday Bazaar. Come and enjoy a day of great community building and holiday celebration + homemade clothing, food, toys, crafts and more! Remember RCHP now has two campuses: Highland Park and South River. The address is 40 Thomas Street, South River.

NEW! Men’s Fellowship Ministry meets December 2nd from 12pm - 1pm

All who identify as male are invited to this new group which will meet every 1st and 4th Saturday of the month for a prayer breakfast and more! For more info, contact Justan at jmitchell5770@gmail.com

Advent Preparation Night, Sunday, December 3rd—Join your church family from 5pm-6:30pm for an evening of Advent Preparation.  Make an Advent Wreath for your home, sing Christmas carols for the first time of the season, write encouraging Advent Cards to home-bound members and friends.  This is always a very special way to start the Holiday Season remembering God’s transformative arrival into the world in the infant Christ.

Spanish Worship, Sunday, December 3rd—We are, each month, holding worship in Spanish at 6:30pm.  Please invite all Spanish speakers, and, for those who are learning Spanish, it’s also a wonderful time to make connections with our local Spanish speaking community.

Christmas Ornaments for the Animals (December Nature hike), Saturday, December 9th—Join us at 9am, at RCHP, to hear a wonderful story from Ms Vicki Zarra, about a family that decorated the woods for the animals. And then, join us, in the woods next to Donaldson Park, and decorate with us! Feel free to make edible ornaments for animals (birdseed, carrots, apples…whatever you think birds and deer and squirrels would enjoy).  

Christmas Pageant Costume Fitting and Role Assignments, Saturday, December 9th—On December 9th, right after the nature hike, families are invited back to the social hall for costume fitting. This should occur right around 11am.

Gingerbread House Making! - Saturday, December 9th

Make your own gingerbread house, Saturday Dec 9th at sometime between 11:30am and 12 noon til 1pm - Come and make your own edible gingerbread house following the fall hike and Christmas Pageant Rehearsal. We will be providing pizza for lunch. Small pre-built gingerbread houses as well as candy and icing will be provided. For more information, call or text Wendy Nussman: 732-715-9025

Christmas Caroling, Saturday, December 9th, 2-4pm—Join RCHP for Christmas Caroling.  We’ll visit some of our congregants who are in nursing homes and who are homebound—bringing some Christmas cheer.

Christmas Pageant and Child/Youth Orchestra, Sunday, December 10th—One of the greatest ways we collectively welcome baby Jesus is with our youth orchestra and Christmas Pageant. All children and youth are invited to help lead this! If there are friends in the community who would like to be ‘actors’ we can always make room for additional shepherds and angels. We invite families to encourage your kids to act this out at both services.

The Longest Night, Sunday, December 10th, 7pm—The Advent/Christmas Season can be a very heavy time of year for those facing loss. Join us for a quiet, thoughtful evening, where we ask God to meet us where we are at.

RCHP-AHC Tenant Dinner, Tuesday, December 12th, 6pm-8pm—Every December our church affordable housing corporation throws a holiday party for tenants. We eat delicious food, reconnect with tenants who live in our ‘owned housing’ and enjoy good music too. If you’d like to help set-up and serve this meal, and to help provide a special evening for many of our tenants, please let Pastor Seth know.  

Arts, Crafts & Conversation: Wednesday December 13th, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm in the quilt room. 

Come join the fun and meet new people! Whether you are a new member or have been here for many years, please drop in and check out this group. It’s a great way to de-stress while having fun. You may not know this but there is an inner artist in everyone. Coloring books, perler fusion beads, and shrinky dinks are not just for kids. Feel free to bring your own materials or use the supplies provided. Questions? - text or call Wendy Nussman at 732-715-9025.

D.E.P.T.H. - Thursday, December 14th, 7-8pm

DEPTH (DIscussing and Exploring Personal Theologies Honestly) will meet virtually this month from 7-8p on Thursday, December 14th. The topic for December will be "prayer." Email Austin at retroboi319@gmail.com  for complete prompt details and the Zoom link if you'd like to join in the discussion.

Christmas Music Sunday, December 17th, both 9am & 11:15am services—We’ll celebrate the Christmas Season with a very special music Sunday—inviting in a special youth string quartet to guide our service.  

Christmas Party at Keiko’s house, December 17th (for High School and Middle School Youth)  Contact Keiko for more info:  keikokereh@gmail.com 

Christmas Eve—5 Christmas Eve Worship Services (3 in Highland Park and 2 in South River)!!!!   Scroll down to the Worship & Educations Ops section for the full schedule

“Evolve” Young Adults Group - 

Gathering on Tuesday, December 19th from 6:30-8pm

“Evolve” is a fellowship group for the “20-somethings” (20-30 yrs old) of the RCHP congregation and beyond (people outside our congregation are welcome to join us as well) that will focus on fun, service, and personal development.  Gatherings will be bi-weekly on Tuesdays from 6:30-8pm, and officially start on January 9, 2024.

Before we officially start the group, we want to have a Christmas/Holiday gathering to kick things off and get a feel for what the group will be like.  Please join us on Tuesday, December 19th from 6:30-8pm in The Cave.  We will watch a Christmas movie while decorating cookies and drinking hot chocolate!  SCAN THE QR CODE on the flyer to sign up so Maddie and Megan can get an idea of how many people are attending.  We look forward to seeing you!  

Questions?  Contact Maddie at 732-713-6980 or madisonfisher227@gmail.com OR Megan Shook at 908-227-1326 or meganshook08@gmail.com 

Stephen Ministry training class beginning in January

Stephen Ministry is a ministry of presence in which trained Stephen Ministers provide one-on-one confidential care to individuals facing life challenges. If you are interested in learning more about this program, either to become a Stephen Minister or receive the care of a Stephen Minister, please speak to Renee DiGrigoli rmdigrigoli@outlook.com , Anthony DiGrigoli awdigrigoli@gmail.com , John Rametta or Pastor Stephanie.  

NEW!  Movie Mondays

On most Mondays at 10:30 am, a small group gets together in the church parlor to watch a "feel-good" movie that the group has decided on.   All are welcome!  Examples of movies that have recently been seen are The Perfect Game, Mamma Mia (Both 1 & 2!!), Hidden Figures, Big, and Fly Away Home.  Your suggestions are also welcome!  

If you have any interest, please contact Cecilia with your cell phone number.  You will be included in the text invitation, which is on a week-by-week basis.  Bring your own snack and drink, and join whenever you'd like to hang out for a casual Monday morning with your church friends!  Cecilia: (732) 809-2638, czr852@yahoo.com 

PLEASE NOTE: Game Day is taking a break for December and will return in January 2024

Prison Correspondence Team

Pastor Amos has been gathering a team each month to correspond with a list of elderly people who are incarcerated in New Jersey prisons. This team is a vital part of a policy campaign that Salvation and Social Justice is driving, to create second chance opportunities for incarcerated senior citizens to return to their communities. Please contact Pastor Amos for more details.  amoscaley@gmail.com



New Feature enhances your shopping experience: Global Grace Marketplace—be Thoughtful About How Your Gift Giving Supports Others

RCHP’s commitment to Fair Trade took a major step forward this year as we added Global Grace Marketplace.  In addition to selling absolutely beautiful gifts from around the world, Global Grace exists to help growers, and artisans, in smaller economies, to make enough money to meet their basic needs.  We are so happy that Meredith Carman has added little QR codes next to the products, so shoppers can immediately learn about the communities that make the gifts you are purchasing!  Come on in and check it out!

ARE YOU GETTING THE WHOLE STORY? Some email providers truncate this newsletter due to the length when viewed on a desktop or laptop computer. Look for the “message clipped” text and then click on the blue “view entire message” to make sure you get the whole newsletter.

Worship Schedule for Christmas and New Year’s Day

On Christmas Eve 

Sunday Morning Services:

RCHP will have 1 morning service only, at 10am.  

In South River we’ll hold 1 service at 9:30am.  

There is no Sunday school on Christmas Eve morning at either church.  

Sunday Evening Services:

4pm, South River will hold its Christmas Eve Service

7pm, Highland Park will hold its Christmas Eve Service 

11pm, Highland Park will hold its Youth-Led Christmas Eve Service

New Year’s Eve Sunday:

RCHP will hold only 1 morning service on New Year’s Eve—at 10am.

After the holidays, we'll return to our usual Sunday Morning Worship Schedule—Here is the RCHP (in Highland Park and South River) schedule from September to late June.

In Highland Park:

9:00am First Service

11:15am Second Service

In South River:

9:30am Bilingual Service

Sunday Nights—The Table, 5:30pm: RCHP offers a terrific evening gathering, each and every week, for around 40-50 people. Get to know friends in church and those from the wider community at The Table.  

Kids Choirs at 5pm. Join us for 30 minutes of singing simple songs about God’s love! Ages pre-K through 1st grade (First Voices) meet with Pastor Seth in the Social Hall. Ages 2nd through 6th grade (Voices of Praise) meet with Pastor Amos in the Sanctuary.

All singers are invited to stay for pizza after singing, and then to join Ms. Meghan and others, for stories and fun, from 6pm-7pm. 

Fall Season continues for Adult Choirs! Here’s the schedule:

6:00pm - Gospel Choir

7:00pm - Chancel Choir

8:00pm - Praise Team

Contact Pastor Amos if you’re interested in giving it a try! amoscaley@gmail.com

Calling all Student Musicians!

 

Our Children’s Christmas Pageant will be on December 10 at the beginning of both worship services. Each year, we assemble a youth orchestra to accompany Christmas carols during the pageant. If you’d like to play an instrument or lead the singing, please contact Pastor Amos amoscaley@gmail.com Pastor Amos has already distributed some music but has parts for most instruments available upon request.

Fun Zone - Gathering Opportunity for Youth - Every Wednesday Evening!

Every Wednesday in the Cave from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. all kids ages 9 through 12 are welcome to join us for an hour of Billiards, Board Games and more! Questions? Please reach out to Justan Mitchell at 732-621-6064 or jmitchell5770@gmail.com 

Opportunities for Daily/Weekly Spiritual Growth, through discussion, study and prayer

Morning Prayer, 9am-9:30am, Zoom: Each morning, Mon-Sat, since the pandemic started in March of 2020, RCHP has held a daily morning prayer. Different church members and pastors share for 10 minutes or so and then there is a time of prayer and sharing. All are welcome.  

https://us02web.zoom.us/s/442816580 pwd=cTBQT2xwWWpOL3UrM0t2emRlUzU0Zz09#

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Wednesday Morning Bible Study—If exploring the Bible is something you’re looking for, maybe Wednesday morning at 7:45 is right for you.  A group of 6-10 people read together and then reflect on the passage.  No preparation is necessary.  You can leave when you need to (to get to work etc…) and we wrap up at 9am sharp.

Contemplative Fridays

We've begun our practice of creating space on Fridays for contemplation and meditation. Each Friday morning from 7:00 to 8:00, the sanctuary is open and prepared for quiet prayer and meditation. Every two weeks at noon, we're also journeying through a podcast and engaging in quiet conversation. Contact Carrie Dirks for more information.

"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 more info, contact Cecilia Rowedder czr852@yahoo.com 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.

Opportunities for Spiritual Growth through Sewing & Knitting/Crocheting

On Thursdays, from 10am-1pm, the Women’s Sewing Circle meets to create beautiful items that are incorporated into the annual bazaar.  This group, meeting year round, also is a wonderful form of support and encouragement for all who are involved.

On Tuesdays, from 7pm-9pm, the Prayer Shawl Ministry creates beautiful shawls that are then distributed to church members and to others who are prayed for in our worship services.  All are invited to learn this craft and to contribute in this way.

A Message from our friends at the NJ Institute for Social Justice

NJ Reparations Council Public Session #2:  Segregation in NJ

Monday, December 4th at 6:30pm via Zoom or YouTube

Dear Friends,

Racial segregation may have been outlawed years ago but – in practice – it relentlessly persists in countless areas of our lives – in our schools, neighborhoods, housing, even social circles.  This is true right here in New Jersey, where our public education system is among the most segregated in the nation. In fact, a judge recently found that New Jersey “intentionally failed to exercise their constitutional obligations and authorities to remedy [school] segregation.”

These conditions didn’t happen overnight or by chance. They're the result of generations of institutional inequities stretching back to slavery in New Jersey, and they make all of our lives smaller.

On December 4 at 6:30 p.m., the New Jersey Reparations Council will hold its second public session, this time hosted by the Segregation in New Jersey Committee, to discuss this issue.

In order to make it a success, we need you to participate and share your views.

Each Committee of the New Jersey Reparations Council will hold one public session to inform the public of its findings to date, and, crucially, to hear from people with connections to New Jersey about the Committee’s area of focus. The Committees will then use the public’s views to inform their work and recommendations.

We invite you and your networks to join us on December 4 at 6:30 p.m. for the Segregation in New Jersey Committee’s public session. 

We want to hear your thoughts on segregation in New Jersey and how it is directly connected to today’s racial disparities, some of the worst in the country.

If you’d like to join the session via Zoom and share commentary live on segregation in New Jersey, you must register here. We will hear from as many registrants as time allows. Commentary will be limited to three minutes.

If you’re unsure about what to comment about, we have you covered: the registration form will provide guidance.  If you prefer to watch the session live but not participate, you can still join via Zoom or watch on our YouTube channel here.

If you’d like to submit longer testimony in any form – writing, video, audio, art or other means of expression – whether or not you participate live or watch, you may do so here.

You can learn more about the New Jersey Reparations Council here.

Onward!

Jean-Pierre Brutus

Senior Counsel, Economic Justice Program

HP Food Pantry

Food Pantry needs for December:

During these challenging times the Highland Park Community Food Pantry is currently not taking individual donations. Instead we now have an Amazon Wishlist where folks wishing to donate have several options to choose from as well as an option to donate Gift Cards. We appreciate greatly any donation as we are facing an increase of folks in need. Thank you all so much. You can access the Wishlist here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/11AKRFJFUGZPF?ref_=wl_share

Most urgent needs are:

Pasta

Cereal

Oats

Always/Stayfree Pads

Poise adult briefs

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: foxyrox18@gmail.com

Fall Grief Support Group - Continues thru December

This Fall, as we approach the holiday season, we are reminded that this is a time we spend with loved ones. This season of celebration has been engraved into our hearts and into our families from a young age. Holidays are one way we mark the passage of time. They are one of the many milestones we share with each other, and they often represent time spent with family and friends. For many of us, this is the hardest part of grieving our losses. Together in our support group we create a circle of healing to hold each other up during our most difficult times. 

Our group is a safe and welcoming space that allows us to explore our thoughts and feelings related to grief and loss. It is a place to receive and provide support and understanding, while finding new ways to approach the challenges presented by grief. Come and meet others who seek meaning, offer perspective, and lessen the sense of isolation so many of us have felt as we walk through this process. Our group will provide you with emotional and spiritual support in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

If you would like to be part of our group, please contact Pastor Stephanie at RCHP, Kathleen Malkiewicz at kathmaldtr@gmail.com or Nicci Spinazzola at niccispinazzola@gmail.com  

NJ Interfaith Center for Cancer Care - Support Group

If you've experienced a cancer diagnosis (no matter if it's recent or from years ago) and would like to join a reflective, contemplative, peer-led, interfaith support and discussion group, the NJ Interfaith Center for Cancer Care welcomes you to our ongoing group. The group currently meets virtually for an hour once a week and while regular attendance is welcome, the meeting topics are independent of each other, making it convenient for individuals whose schedules prevent them from attending every week of the month. If you're interested, please contact Austin at austin.njic3@improvingnj.org  for details.

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. Masks are optional. 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 December and all those who still mourn

The following names have been offered for remembrance in December 2023: 



Ethel Bone, Beloved Grandmother of Renee DiGrigoli

Nanna Marjorie, Beloved Grandmother,

 and John Board, Beloved Great Uncle of Jess Munger

Salvatore DiGrigoli, who always found a reason to smile, 

Father, Father-in-Law, and Grandfather of the DiGrigoli Family

Rupert Hopwood and Iris Nelson, 

Beloved Parents and Grandparents of the Beckford Family

Jim Hudson, Beloved Husband, and Sarah Bellak, Beloved Mother of Elaine Hudson

Louis Keszler, Beloved Father of Luanne Downey, Illona Faust and Susanne Kucsma

Bryce Lewis and Esther Ziegler, Beloved Grandparents of Kathy Lombardi

Adelayda Limpel and Leonard Poulan, Beloved Parents of Pastor Henny Poulan

Wayne Molnar, Beloved Brother of Joan Molnar-Schafer

Diane Faust Santiago, Beloved Sister-in-law of Illona Faust and Andrea Faust

Suzanne ‘Berti’ Turner, Beloved Daughter of Roberta Knowlton

Joan Wagner, Beloved Mother and Mother-in-Law of Fran and Diane Wagner,

and Beloved Grandmother of Amber, Alyssa, and Maddie

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.

NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS AND MILESTONES

Interfaith-RISE Walks with Asylum Seekers was a big hit!  Despite competing with the Veterans Day long weekend (so many people out of town), Interfaith-RISE hosted a gathering of 350+ that started at RCHP and ‘toured the town,’ hearing stories from refugees and asylum seekers at each ‘stop’ along the path.

RCHP-AHC is just a couple of weeks away from completing its next 4 affordable apartments!  Watch for a ribbon-cutting, grand opening, and walk through to occur sometime in the next few weeks.

The Holiday Bazaar was AWESOME!!!  Thank you to all who gathered for a day of fun, and thank you to the many hands that created beautiful offerings that were sold to members of the church and larger community.  Indonesian family, thank you for a beautiful lunch!!!

The book launch gathering for “Global Grace Cafe”, by Liz Estes, brought 30+ people together for a wonderful evening of reflection.  A huge thank you to Liz Estes and the Pangemanan family for leading that event.  Books can be purchased at Global Grace Marketplace for $20/book.

In such tumultuous and uncertain times as these, it’s more important than ever to gather together.  Thanks be to God for the blessings of the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving worship service.