Dear Church Family,
I want nothing more than to sit down in a full sanctuary with all of you. To see the sanctuary decorated, and then undecorated, for Christmas, without ever filling it with song and prayer and people gathered in love…it just seemed wrong. To be honest I have a bit of a knot in my stomach closing down Christmas here in 2020.
I am so thankful for all the efforts made in Advent to be connected. The daily blessings (what a beautiful project and incredible follow through!), the youth-led Christmas Eve service…it was all wonderful. Yet, nothing can make me ok with the absence of corporate worship in the house that we keep and maintain for corporate prayer.
In a small way (very small) I can imagine what it must have felt like for the people of Judah in Babylon, longing for Jerusalem and for their temple. Yes, God can meet us ‘on the road.’ Yes, God gives us new insights when we encounter God away from what is familiar—but wow do we miss our spiritual home!
I want to make a suggestion to all of us, as we start January. Come to the sanctuary. Surely it is not the same to come to an empty sanctuary, but come anyway. The sanctuary itself is just as safe as ever! The thing that wouldn’t be safe is for us to gather in any major way. But the sanctuary itself—the beauty of the space, the memories that are here, the songs that are in the red hymnals, the bibles that you can open and read, the stained glass that you can stare at…it’s all good. Come to the sanctuary.
I am committed to unlocking the doors at 7am and turning the heat on 7 days a week. There will be light music playing in the background, sometimes, but otherwise it will be silent space.
Come to the sanctuary and use this place as a meditative space for you and God.
Maybe, when this pandemic is over, we will have learned something new about our sanctuary. It’s a place for community before God, but it is also just a place for you, individually, to draw close to the heart of God. That would be one wonderful blessing that resulted from this difficult year.
The Peace of Christ to you,
Pastor Seth
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Upcoming Events
Tonight! - Camp Fire Epiphany Fridays, 6pm
Each Friday in January come and warm yourself around a fire pit outside of church! It’s a great way to get to know new friends and connect with old as together we sing songs of faith for 45 minutes or so. Back in the fall we’d last an hour…but given the temperatures we’re shortening things up a bit!
Close GITMO Online Vigil - Monday, January 11 at 1:00 p.m.
This Monday marks the terrible 19th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention center (GITMO). At its peak, this illegal detention center held some 800 men and boys of Muslim faith - most of whom were never charged with a crime. Today, 40 prisoners still languish there.
Nature Hike January 16th
The January nature hike will take place on Saturday, January 16th. Join us in the church parking lot at 9am. We haven’t yet decided on the location for this outing but it will be within a 15 minute drive of HP.
Blood Drive, January 16th
RCHP’s social hall will, for the 3rd time in a year, be turned into a location for a blood drive. Come and give blood and support our healthcare system as it tries to serve our community during this most difficult time in our communal life.
Covid Vaccine Registration Portal
Building A Lego City That Reflects the Love of God, starting Saturday January 23rd:
Our bible offers beautiful pictures of what life could be like of earth if we lived out the love that God has for all of creation.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21)
As we approach a political change in our country, with a new President, we thought it would be nice to have kids build the world they want to see! We invite kids to join us in building a Lego kingdom of God! Starting January 23rd you are invited to join us by bringing in Lego creations (put a sticker on your creation, please) to add to the ever-growing city where “justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5) That passage, from Prophet Amos, was one of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s most often quoted verses…so near his birthday we’ll start this project!
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Worship and Education Opportunities
Online Worship Services: For January (and probably for February as well) we will have a schedule that includes a full online worship experience (sermon, songs, prayers, liturgy) that is available starting at 7pm on Saturday nights. Please join us online, and, help us by using this opportunity to share RCHP worship with a larger audience. Send your Facebook link or YouTube link to your friends beyond our church.
In-Person Worship: Each Sunday, at 11:30am, there is an opportunity to gather with your church family for 30 minutes of song, prayer and short liturgy. We are not sitting down…it’s too cold! However, there is great warmth in being together. Join us!!!
Online Sunday School/Adult Education: Each Sunday morning, at 10am, people of all ages are invited to Sunday School. For the youngest children we have a combo Sunday School/Children’s Worship opportunity. For Middle/High and Adults we have classes led by Pastor Terry and by a rotating crew of teachers. Adult Education hour will also be held at 10am, discussing many topics and texts related to the theme of epiphany. Zoom links for these classes are found at https://www.rchighlandpark.org/education
Wednesday Night Worship Music: Every Wednesday evening, from 8:00 to about 8:30, Pastor Amos, Derek, Ian, and Keiko will be leading a time of singing and prayer over Zoom. Please join us, to provide a mid-week "lift," and an opportunity to be together in a worship space. The Zoom link is found on the top of the RCHP Home page
The Table: Sundays at 5 pm, (social hall)
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Children and Youth
A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM PASTOR TERRY
Hi RCHP family,
In the short time I've been here, I've been so impressed with, among many other things, the deep friendships that exist among our youths, and your openness to listen and respond to how God is asking you to serve. I'm excited to see where those fruits of the Spirit will unfold this year, including in:
- A recommitment to more micro-level pastoral care and relationship building between me and our young people, one-on-one and/or in small groups of 3-4.
- More time spent in forming relationships with youth outside our church, especially through involvement with the HP Teen Center.
- To that same end, starting or joining in with a community interest group (e.g., a musicians' gathering, pick-up basketball group, board games group, etc.) that can provide a space for youth to invite friends and form new relationships.
- Planning a mission trip for the summer
- Going on one or more retreats together
Parents, do remember that I would love to hear from you if:
- You'd like me to try to connect with your youth
- Your youth has games, performances, etc. that I could come and support
- If you know kids in the community who need a youth mentor/pastor
In love,
Pastor Terry
'Tweens and Teens Connections
Sundays at 6 pm, Confirmation Class (basement or outdoors)
Sundays at 7 pm High School Youth Group
Wednesdays at 7 pm, Middle School Youth Group (basement or outdoors)
Choirs
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Connecting With God
Daily Online Prayer: Join your church family Monday thru Saturday at 9 a.m. for a time of reflection, prayer, support and sharing our joys and sorrows. For Zoom link, go to https://www.rchighlandpark.org/
Wednesday morning Bible Study: Every Wednesday, at 7:45, Pastor Seth leads a socially distanced bible study in the social hall. Join us!
Wednesday evening Bible Study: Every Wednesday, at 5pm, Anna Langholz leads bible study. This too, for January, will be socially distanced at 5pm in the social hall. You can join this group through zoom as well!
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Connecting With One Another
NJC4 Continues Keeping the Faith Health Series
Please click on the image for info on how to join these important and informative sessions, viewed through the lens of a faith-based perspective.
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.
"LitLovers" Reading 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 or your latest Covid cooking creation. Contact our host, Carol Turner cjteddpc@mac.com for more information and for a Zoom link.
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Serving and Working For Justice and Peace
Global Grace Farm
RCHP’s farm program is up and running so smoothly. We invite you to come out and help harvest greens this winter! Reach out to Pastor Seth for more information about this. Harvest for yourself and harvest to deliver to others (maybe especially to those who are shut-in due to Covid?)
Global Grace Cafe and Marketplace
Our marketplace is open each day from 10am-2pm, and, with sufficient volunteer support, we’d like to keep it open for additional hours most days. Would you like to join us? Please reach out to Pastor Seth if you’d like to cover a consistent shift each week. It’s fairly quiet…not crowded…but very rewarding work. Also, all church members can help us advertise for our fair trade store by encouraging your friends to come and make purchases! Also order online at https://global-grace-marketplace-cafe.square.site/
Global Grace Cafe
Thanks to various grants that we’ve received in 2020 Global Grace Cafe has been able to produce an incredible number of meals for distribution to the homeless and hungry. We are talking about 20,000 free hot meals that we’ve delivered since the pandemic began. In addition you can come and buy a to-go meal at Global Grace most any day! Come in and see and support our cafe and our refugee chefs.
Thrift Shop
RCHP’s thrift shop is as busy as ever (maybe more so). Please reach out to Pastor Seth to learn how you can sign up to cover a regular shift. Masks, social distancing, of course.
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:
Peanut Butter
Pasta
Tomato Sauce
Soup
Canned Fruit
Cereal/Oats
Shelf Stable Milk
Diapers- sizes 2, 3 and 4
dried fruit and nuts
jams/jellies
INTERFAITH RISE Update
We are preparing to receive a family of 6 from Guatemala into our Highland Park community on January 14th. Watch for opportunities to make donations to help furnish a house!
DIRE Food Distribution
RCHP is aware of the suffering of our immigrant neighbors—none of whom have received a dime of stimulus from the federal government, despite working at jobs considered essential. Every other Saturday DIRE is collecting and distributing groceries to families. Please let us know if you’d like to be part of this effort!
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Supporting Each Other During Difficult Times
Church Based Mental Health
Asking for help is a sign of strength. Call our bilingual (nosotras hablamos Espanol!) Warmline for free non-crisis confidential mental health care (866) 777-2380 Email: ayuda@improvingNJ.org www.NJCommunityMentalHealth.org
Stephen Ministry
Our lives are delicately balanced. A small shift in one area of life can set us off balance; a major change can send us spinning out of control. Each one of us has become acutely aware of these truths over the past year. Perhaps you’ve tried to find support for yourself or a family member, or maybe you’ve been looking for a way to help others. Stephen Ministry can provide both that support and a place to use your gift of compassion. It’s a unique ministry in our congregation in which trained and supervised lay persons, called Stephen Ministers, provide one-to-one confidential Christian care to individuals facing life challenges or difficulties.
So for what types of issues do Stephen Ministers provider care? They can help those who are discouraged, lonely, grieving a loss, struggling with their faith, facing unemployment, experiencing divorce or separation, or coping with a serious illness. They listen and care, and most importantly, bring the stability of God’s love and grace into people’s lives. If you are interested in learning more about Stephen Ministry, please reach out to Pastor Stephanie, Anthony DiGrigoli awdigrigoli@gmail.com or Renee DiGrigoli rmdigrigoli@outlook.com
Bereavement Calendar for December
RCHP remembers all those who died in January and all those who still mourn
The following names have been offered for remembrance in January 2021:
Harold Baum, Beloved Husband of Carmen Baum
Michael Bellak, Beloved Father of Elaine Hudson
Sandra Daubert, Beloved Mother of Renee DiGrigoli
Ruth Epstein, Beloved Mother of Carla Epstein-Teliha
Charles Jackson, Beloved Brother of Gail Green
Peter Kaiser, Beloved Husband of Susan Kaiser
Michael Lavelle, Beloved Father of Lisa Berman
Getroida Longdong, Beloved Mother of James Rumagit
Loretta Lord, Beloved Wife of Rich Lord
Julianna Miller, Beloved Member of RCHP
Susan Nussman, Beloved Mother of Wendy Nussman
Soei Oroh, Beloved Mother of Silvia Kalalo
Cindy Potts, Beloved Wife of Gary Potts
Lorraine Tuers, Beloved Mother-in-law of Joan Molnar-Schafer
Elwood Williams, Beloved Father of Dorothy Maitland and Richard Williams
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.
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Containers to Central America
RCHP joined with partner agencies Feed My Lambs and 1000 Smiles (Mil Sonrisas) to send 4 20ft containers and 1 40 ft container to Central American countries impacted by the hurricanes of early November. We are so thankful for all the donations and all the muscle that went into that successful project!
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We give thanks for all the many ways we saw the light of God breaking in during these challenging Covid times. Holy Innovation was in plentiful supply! |
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