News from Old First Church
Wednesday, November 24th, 2021
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Good Afternoon,
It’s been a tough twenty months for all of us. So many have lost their friends and family as a result of the pandemic. But here we are, ready to have the second Thanksgiving since our lives were forced to change so radically. Some of us still wonder: what is there to be thankful for?
A great deal. We have not suffered the same hardship as those Pilgrims who came to these shores seeking religious freedom. Of the 102 who boarded the Mayflower, only 52 survived to that first Thanksgiving feast, one in which they gave thanks to God that they were “so far from want,” as Edward Winslow wrote.
The important thing about gratitude is that it is to be shared. Only being thankful for one’s own good fortune is not gratitude, but self-indulgence. Gratitude means giving to others, bringing them the realization that they have intrinsic value.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Joyce
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Scratch - Presented by the Old First Church Arts Initiative |
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Last Sunday, you may have had the pleasure of attending a lively performance here at Old First: Scratch - A Staged Reading of Archibald MacLeish's "The Devil and Daniel Webster." The reading, directed by Dr. Robert Cioffi, was performed by players Michael Kroll as Daniel Webster, Michael Chartier as Scratch, Christopher Tomaino as Jabez Stone, and our own Pastor Joyce as Judge Hathorne. The performance was followed by a talk back by the players in Fellowship Hall. Thank you to Robert Cioffi, the players and all the volunteers who helped make the evening a smooth success.
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Spirit Soundings Daily Meditations & Sermon - Shades of Truth |
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All of the Spirit Soundings meditations are available here and on the Old First Church website. Click below to access a few of the latest posts from Old First:
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Deck the Halls December 18th
Join us December 18th from 1:00pm - 2:00pm for tree trimming and decorating in Fellowship Hall. We look forward to seeing you then!
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Season of Giving - Pledge to Old First |
Dear Friend in Christ,
The last eighteen months has been a test of fire for Old First. Beginning in March 2020, we were unable to have Sunday services. Pastor Joyce sent daily meditations and weekly sermons to help hold us together. The Deacons kept checking in on the community to make sure we were all okay. And as a result of the ministry by the congregation, we not only survived, we grew stronger.
The Covid-19 pandemic tested us as a church community. The lockdown resulted in the closure of public worship for a period of time; in June we began offering worship on YouTube. Finally, we were able to reopen public worship in September. Because some are unable to attend in person, the YouTube worship has continued. The YouTube outreach has reached people beyond our immediate congregation.
Old First has continued our witness to show God’s love for the world. The needs have been great. Working with other churches, Old First has continued to respond to the many requests for assistance during this time.
Old First needs your commitment to service and in your pledge in order to grow and develop. This community of faith was founded over 333 years ago with just a dozen members. Like an accordion, it has expanded and contracted over the years, becoming the mother church to fourteen other churches in Monmouth County.
Old First still seeks to be a voice for reason in sharing God’s Good News of the kingdom of justice, mercy, and peace. We ask that you prayerfully consider your pledge to Old First for 2022 and that you participate in our growth and development. Click here to download pledge form.
Sincerely,
Peter A. Ahern
Moderator
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INGREDIENTS:
- 16 cups (1 gallon) apple cider
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- Pinch grated nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 1 orange
- Cinnamon sticks, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large pot over medium heat, add the apple cider. Stir in the brown sugar, allspice and nutmeg until the sugar is dissolved and bring to a low boil. Stick the pointy ends of the cloves into the orange so that just the buds of the cloves are visible. The entire orange should be covered with the cloves. Add the orange to the cider and reduce the heat to simmer. Cover and continue cooking for 20 minutes. Serve in warm mugs with a cinnamon stick garnish.
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Thoughts and Prayers
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Liz Congdon on the passing of her daughter, Charlotte Sbarra of New Bern, South Carolina.
Sandy K., Margaret B., and Gretchen & Jim H. -- "Housebound and caring for themselves and others."
Ruth Jacques is home and can be reached at her home number or via her cell phone.
Elaine Lent is showing rapid improvement and is up in her wheelchair doing all kinds of things, such as fixing her own meals and doing her own laundry. These sound like little accomplishments but they are meaningful in the road to recovery.
For all of us, in this time of concern for the health of our community, the Nation, and the world. The Church Directory contains the email addresses of our community. Please email us at office@oldfirstchurchjnj.org with any updates. Thank you.
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Books to Discover - The AAUW bookstore is now open
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The AAUW bookstore is now open on Saturdays 9:00am - 1:00pm If you have questions, the book sale voicemail is 732-275-2237. Remember - If you wouldn't buy it, we can't sell it! Please click here to see our donation policy.
Book Sale Hours and Location
Open: Saturday from 9:00 to 1:00pm
Donations: Saturday 9:00 to 12:30pm; Thursdays 10:00 to 11:30am
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Reminder for Sunday Worship |
Sunday service begins promptly at 10:30am. We look forward to worshiping with you! |
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Less than 0.01% of native prairie landscape remains in Illinois. Even rarer are gravel hill prairies like the Bell Bowl Prairie, which is home to the endangered rusty patched bumble bee and slated for almost complete destruction as part of the expansion of the Chicago Rockford International Airport on November 1st, 2021.
Please act quickly to save Bell Bowl Prairie from demolition. Preserving this prairie is critical to ensuring the rusty patched bumble bee continues to survive in Illinois. Bell Bowl Prairie provides ideal habitat for rusty patched bumble bees, rare native plant communities, and birds like the black-billed cuckoo.
Thank you in advance for taking action to protect Bell Bowl Prairie from demolition and for ensuring rusty patched bumble bees survive within the prairie state.
Click HERE to donate now.
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This Holiday Season Shop Amazon Smile for OFC
Shop smile.amazon.com: Sign in to smile.amazon.com on your desktop or mobile phone browser. From your desktop, go to Your Account from the navigation at the top of any page, and then select the option to Change your Charity. Or, from your mobile browser, select Change your Charity from the options at the bottom of the page. Amazon donates a small percentage to OFC. Choose OFC as your charity.
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69 Kings Highway
Middletown, NJ 07748
Phone: 732-671-1905
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