Dear Church Family,
I’ve never met a smallish church that is able to accomplish more than our church. There are so many incredible things happening in and through the creative people, inspired by God, who spend their days in and around this place. It’s really special. People ask, all the time, how the church is what it is. My answer is simple—this is a place that approaches God, listens for God, and then responds to God in the world. That’s what we do together.
Keeping this balance—approach, listening, responding—is really important. As we start Fall 2021 we are aware of the need that many people feel for more time to be spent in prayer in a sacred space. It is our desire to have the sanctuary open regularly, so that people, at any time, can come in off the street and sit, aware of God’s presence.
Might you be interested in helping us open the sanctuary more often? We really do feel that we should have someone present while it’s open. Please let us know if you can commit to helping in this way.
We, Pastors Stephanie and Seth, would like to thank the entire congregation for the recognition given at our 20th Anniversary celebration in September. The service was absolutely beautiful, and it acknowledged the presence of God in our life and work. We were deeply moved by the expressions of love and appreciation and by the holiness of the day. And, just saying, the FOOD was incredible!
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!
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Upcoming October Events & Happenings |
Saturday, October 2nd Town Wide Garage Sale
Youth Supported Fundraiser for Haiti Relief, Saturday from 10 am-2 pm. Any proceeds that come in from the Thrift Shop will be directed to on-the-ground relief agencies in Haiti. Please stop by their table to support this worthy cause! (Parents: can your teen help with setup or teardown? Contact Pastor Terry terryjon.stokes@gmail.com )
RCHP Holiday Grief Support Group Starts October 4th
See entry under “Supporting Each Other...” section for more info
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Nature Hike, October 9th
Come and join the October nature hike for a walk on the Thompson Park Big Loop Trail in Jamesburg. We’ll leave the church at 9am.
Meet & Greet (monthly every 2nd Saturday) - Saturday, October 9th at 11 a.m. in the parlor. Come on out for this informal gathering to catch up on what’s happening in the lives of your church family. All are welcome!
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Annual Bazaar Saturday, October 23rd from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Event will be outdoors, rain or shine. Come do your holiday shopping early! More info to come.
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Prayer Bead Workshop - October 23, 3-5pm in the parlor
Praying with beads is an ancient spiritual practice found in many faith traditions. It is a practice that integrates our body, mind and spirit in intentional prayer, helping us to focus our minds by occupying the body with a tactile, repetitive motion. Prayer beads can be used for specific prayers, meditation, or simply allowing space to be in the presence of God free from distractions.
Join the Care Committee on Saturday, October 23 for a special workshop in which you'll learn a bit about how different traditions use prayer beads, how we in the Reformed Church might adapt this practice for ourselves, and then make your own!
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Halloween Party October 30th
RCHP has a longstanding tradition of providing a wonderful town wide Halloween Party. This year will be no exception! While details are still to come, count on a good deal of this year’s Halloween Party being outside, with some aspects of the event masked and inside
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Save the Date and Join the RCHP Team!
Walk for Suicide Prevention Sunday, November 7th at 10am
Click on this link to find out more about how you can join Nicci and Renee to bring awareness to, and raise money for, the NJ Chapter of the American Foundation for the Prevention of Suicide (AFSP).
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Wednesday Night at Global Grace Cafe
From 5:30-7:30, get a $6 dinner and visit with your church family! Global Grace Cafe is serving up deliciousness each and every weekday from 11:30am-2pm, and now on Wednesday nights as well!
General Synod 2021
This month Pastor Seth will be representing our regional churches at the General Synod in Tucson, Arizona. A few hundred delegates, from Classes all around the country, will gather to discuss matters of importance that are before the church as a whole. This year might be particularly contentious, as a report called Vision 2020 (written for last year, but not dealt with because of Covid), is before the General Synod for consideration. This report calls for radical changes in the life of the denomination. Pray for Pastor Seth as he represents us in this way.
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Worship and Education Opportunities |
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Sunday, October 3rd - Celebrating Communion at 9am and 11:15am, Sunday School for all ages at 10:15.
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New RCHP Adult Education Course: Space for God
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. Author Don Postema draws on his own rich experiences as a Christian pastor and on the writings of John Calvin, Thomas Merton, Henri J.M. Nouwen, C.S. Lewis, Madeline L’Engle and others. The result is a rewarding spiritual journey that can lead to a fuller life.
All are Welcome. Three ways to participate. Choose the way that works best for you!
~Audit the course on the RCHP website. Free and flexible. A new chapter uploads to the RCHP Website every month, for ten months, beginning 10/15/2021.
~Independent Self-Study. Purchase a copy of the text with a free will donation (up to $25 to cover costs). Dive deep.
- Read one chapter of the text, ‘Space for God, each month.
- Complete the ‘At Home’ exercises at the end of each chapter.
- Reflect on your experiences in a personal journal.
~Small Group Connections. Share your journal reflections with other participants in a monthly meeting on the second Monday of the month (lunch hour in person or 7-8pm on Zoom).
RSVP and Questions: Contact Course Coordinator, Carol Turner at cjteddpc@mac.com
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Tricky Topics Book Group
Starting next week, Pastor Amos will be leading a year-long book group called “Tricky Topics,” which will examine some of the challenging junctions of faith and society. We’ll be reading at a pretty relaxed pace — less than 50 pages a week — and we’ll be gathering weekly (on Zoom) on Thursday afternoons at 4:00.
Here is a list of the books we’ll be engaging from October through June:
You’ll be welcome to join any or all of these sessions; there is no commitment required. If you are interested in joining for the first session, please let Amos know. He has purchased several copies of “How to Have an Enemy,” which the group will begin reading for the first Thursday afternoon discussion on October 7. Reach out if you’d like to reserve a copy, or you are certainly welcome to join with your own copy. Please RSVP to amoscaley@gmail.com, so Amos can circulate the reading calendar and the study guide questions.
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Adult Ed Sunday, October 24th
Have you lost family or friends to suicide? The WISE Care Committee is sponsoring an adult education program for survivors in the RCHP Sanctuary on Sunday, October 24 from 10:15am-11:10am. Guest speaker Megan Sullivan will help us share challenges, blessings and resources for recovery. All are welcome.
The Table at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays
Join your church family for a more intimate and informal version of worship which includes a simple meal + a time for thoughtful prayer and biblical contemplation.
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Sunday School updates
It's been great to have children and youth returning for in person Sunday school, held Sunday mornings from 10:15 a.m. to 11:05, in between our 2 worship services. In September we celebrated God's great creation focusing on a different element each week. During October and November the lessons for ages pre-K - 8th grade will explore Jesus' teachings from the gospel of Mark. For pre-K - 5th grade, we'll be bringing back the art journals; each week we'll draw a symbol together that will remind us of the gospel story. So bring your journals this week and if you don't have an art journal yet, we'll have one for you at Sunday school. Our new volunteer teachers for this age group are Ashley, Maria, Justan and Aidan and Wendy N. We plan to continue meeting outdoors during October for pre-K - 5th grade, so please dress accordingly. Student pastor Nkiru and another one of our new volunteer teachers, Jodi, are leading the Middle School class each week. This class meets in the corner classroom off the stage. Pastor Terry and volunteer teacher Liz are leading the High School class, which meets upstairs in room 201. For any questions about Sunday school or to register your child, please contact Wendy Jager wendyjager3@gmail.com
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Children’s Choirs
October 6th kicks off 5:30pm Children’s Choirs (First Voices, ages 3-1st grade/ Voices of Praise 2nd-6th). Please join Pastor Amos and Pastor Seth, outdoors, for these wonderful music opportunities!
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RCHP Youth Lock-In October 15th-16th, 8 p.m. - 8 a.m.
This is the one time where being locked-in is actually a GOOD thing! Youth are invited for an overnight of food, fellowship and fun. Contact Pastor Terry for more info terryjon.stokes@gmail.com
LYT
Calling all LGBTQ+ youth, grades 2nd - 12th! Join the L.Y.T. (LGBTQ+ Youth Together) group at their next meeting on Tuesday, October 12th from 7-8:15pm in the Cave. L.Y.T. is a discussion/activity group for LGBTQ+ youth led by Austin Morreale and other adult members of the local queer community. Email Austin at austin.lytgroup@gmail.com Sponsored by the RCHP Care Committee.
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Wednesday Bible Studies
7:45am with Pastor Seth, 5:30pm with Student Minister Nkiru Menakaya. Both Bible Studies are either outside in the front yard of the church, or, with inclement weather, in the church parlor.
Morning Prayer, Mon.-Sat. @ 9 am on zoom
Take a few minutes in the morning to connect with your church family. You are invited to join by going to the link at rchighlandpark.org on our website.
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Connecting With One Another |
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Prayer Shawl Group is Meeting In-Person!
The Prayer Shawl group meets on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. in the parlor. If you are an experienced crafter or are looking for guidance, feel free to drop in and spend time with this caring community. Masks are required and all are welcome.
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"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. Contact our co-hosts, Deb Convery at deborah.convery@gmail.com or Carol Turner at cjteddpc@mac.com for more information and for a Zoom link. FOR OCTOBER, we're exploring Ageing, Ageism & the Aspiring Wise Elder Journey. All are welcome!
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Committee Connections
RCHP has wonderful committees that keep us being creative as a church family. Let the pastors know if you’d like to find a committee where you can really serve! Meetings are 45 minutes long, once a month. Join a committee and help shape the church!
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-Noon, there is a wonderful opportunity to gather folks together for crafts and conversation, as the group prepares for our Annual Bazaar and shares in the creation of beautiful handmade items. Please come to the Quilt Rm on Thursdays and check this out!
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Serving and Working For Justice & the Beloved Community
All church members are encouraged to see our “Justice Collaboration Newsletter” (sent on September 28th) for more details on engagement each month. Here’s a short list of happenings associated with the life of the church and beyond.
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Interfaith-RISE Monthly Meeting
Interfaith-RISE will gather in person on October 21st at noon, and at 1:30 on zoom, so that we can keep as many people as possible engaged in the work of refugee resettlement. Please join us for this meeting!
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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:
Urgent Needs:
Oatmeal
Cereal
Pancake Mix
Shelf Stable Milk
Adult Diapers- all sizes
They also need
Feminine Hygiene Products
Canned Salmon and Chicken
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.
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Supporting Each Other During Difficult Times |
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RCHP Holiday Grief Support Group
The holidays are times spent with our loved ones. This has been imprinted on our souls from a young age. Holidays mark the passage of time in our lives. But since holidays are for being with those we love the most, how can anyone be expected to cope with them when a loved one has died? For many people, this is the hardest part of grieving, when we miss our loved ones even more than usual. The sadness deepens and the loneliness can feel isolating. The need for support may be the greatest during the holidays. But you can – and will – get through the holidays. Rather than avoiding the feelings of grief, lean into them with us.
If interested please contact Pastor Stephanie at stephanie.kaperdale@gmail.com Our first group will meet Monday October 4th followed by additional dates of November 8th, December 10th, and our final group on January 10th.
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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
Church Based Mental Health
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Bereavement Calendar
RCHP remembers all those who died in October and all those who still mourn
The following names have been offered for remembrance in October 2021:
Marie Lavelle, Beloved Mother,
and Tim Lavelle, Beloved Brother of Lisa Berman
Sharlene Petersen, Beloved Mother of Kathleen Malkiewicz
Jean deKoster, Beloved Sister of Cecilia Rowedder
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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SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS AND MILESTONES |
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What a ride it’s been - 20 Years with Pastors Stephanie & Seth!
Good wishes poured in, even from as far away as Japan! (pictured is April Humes in Florida). And what an amazing keepsake created by the women’s quilting group, with squares representing the many programs birthed in our church over the past 2 decades!
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The celebration continued with a delicious dinner cooked by the Indonesian community - we are so grateful for their non-stop energy and hospitality! |
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Youth Group Weekly Gathering
Despite the lingering pandemic, we are still finding ways for youth to connect - what a blessing!
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And last but not least….
Team RCHP was up for the task! Kathryn & Richard Riss are grateful for the assistance they received cleaning out and cleaning up their flooded basement after Hurricane Ida. Sometimes angels come in the form of masks, gloves and knee-high boots.
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