IN GENERAL NEWS ITEMS ARE ABBREVIATED AND CAN USUALLY BE CLICKED ON TO FIND MORE INFORMATION. THIS IS OUR QUICK NOTES PHILOSOPHY THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SCAN WHAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO YOU.

Click here for a brief history of Labyrinth

Dear NJIC3/CIC family and friends,

I'm happy to share the news that we'll soon be launching a new virtual book club!

You're invited to join us as we read and discuss Maggie Bruehl's book, "Suspended: Living With Dying," a memoir of her cancer journey. The insights, reflections, and stories shared will resonate with you regardless of whether you've personally experienced a cancer diagnosis or you've supported a loved one as they navigated a cancer journey.

If you're interested in the group, please visit https://rebrand.ly/NJIC3-LWD-book-club for more information, to vote on a meeting day and time, and to complete the sign-up form. Email me at austin.njic3@improvingnj.org with questions that aren't answered on the sign-up form.

Feel free to share this email with any friends and family who might be interested in joining the group. (And remember, since it's a virtual book club, it's accessible to your friends and family no matter where they live. (Delivery of books will be arranged for out-of-state participants.))

Have a good evening,

Austin

There will be another round of zoom calls for feedback on the current proposals. If you scroll down on the webpage linked from the image above or below you will find them. Please sign up for one of the available dates.

TWO CALLS LEFT,

MARCH 7 AND MARCH 8

SIGN UP TODAY!

Earth Day 2024 is Monday, April 24. Creation Justice Ministries has taken up the theme from EarthDay.Org to consider the environmental effects of Plastic.They have prepared materials that your congregation can use to bring this forward. Thanks to Robin Suydam, elder at Six Mile Run Reformed Church, for bringing this to our attention. She is a board member at Creation Justice Ministries as a representative of the RCA.

LOVE LIFTS US UP is a project that seeks to provide underprivileged children facing hospital stays with encouragement. It was begun by Rev. George Kaden and continues with his support. They will be holding a major Bingo Fundraising Event on April 14. Watch for more details or visit their website or social media by using the linked image above. It will likely be in the Jersey Shore area.

JOB POSTINGS

REVITALIZATION AND DIVERSITY RESOURCE MODERATOR

Classis New Brunswick has approved a new part time position for a person to work with classis congregations on revitalization and diversity initiatives. CLICK HERE to view the job description. Interest and/or applications shold be address to clerk@classisnb.org.

CHURCH POSTINGS

• The Community Church in Harrington Park, NJ seeks full-time pastor. For more information see RCA website https://www.rca.org/jobs 
• OLD NORTH REFORMED CHURCH SEEKS PASTOR (posted November)
• MINISTER OF MUSIC, TRINITY COLLEGIATE PLAINFIELD (20 HOURS)
• CLOVER HILL REFORMED CHURCH, SEEKING PART-TIME PASTOR (ABOUT 24 HOURS/WEEK)

Clover Hill Reformed Church, a traditional, homey congregation with an active core of about 30 congregants, is seeking a part-time pastor.

Like many churches who have had a long-time pastorate (ours was almost forty years), our path forward has had many twists and turns. Almost eight years after this pastor’s retirement, we have completed a full self study and are looking forward to our next season. We have active ministry teams that oversee all the work of the church led by a group of committed servant leaders. We are committed to each other, our community and God, and need the support of a pastor who will help translate these commitments into action, growth and ministry.

The part-time position would be about 24 hours and involve leading worship, pastoral care, and working with our teams to develop new strategies for outreach. The pastor will be president of our Consistory. The candidate should be ordained, or eligible for ordination in either the RCA or one of our denominational partners (the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Christian Reformed Church in North America.)

Clover Hill Reformed Church is in Hillsborough New Jersey, which is in central New Jersey, almost equidistant between Philadelphia and New York and about 30 minutes from both the Princeton and New Brunswick Theological Seminaries. The church is located in a rural/suburban area with one of the top school systems in the State. The current parsonage is a vintage farmhouse and is adjacent to the church. 

Workload and compensation will be negotiated with the successful candidate.

Our church profile can be found here: https://www.cloverhillchurch.org/job-opportunities

To apply, please email our Search Team Chair, Marilyn Fineman, at m2fineman@gmail.com (posted Sept 22, 2023)

• Lisha's Kill Reformed Church, in the small upstate NY city of Schenectady, seeks a minister of Word and sacrament. They hope their new pastor will be excellent preacher of bible-based messages who is also is a good spiritual leader with a focus on church growth. From their profile: "We believe God has a plan and will lead us to the right person to not only be a wonderful pastor leading church worship services, but also focusing on strengthening our members and overall health and well being of our congregation." Interested candidates should email the search committee chair, Robert Farquharson, to request the church profile. rfarquharson77@me.com (posted September 19, 2023)
• Plainview Reformed Church is seeking a full time Minister (posted Sept 15, 2023)
• RCA Chief Financial Officer (posted Sept 7, 2023)
• Grace Reformed Church, Edison NJ (posted August 25, 2023), Pastor, part-time

Aleta Shepler recommends the following recording as it relates to church growth and multiplication in the Regional Synod

THIS INFORMATION COMES TO US THROUGH A CONNECTION AT PONDS REFORMED CHURCH

Do you know couples who would consider a career opportunity in which they could work together to positively impact youth from disadvantaged backgrounds? Milton Hershey School (MHS), in Hershey, PA, is seeking married couples for a career opportunity called Houseparenting. Houseparents live on-campus and care for eight to twelve students – providing them both structure and nurturing so students can thrive. The School employs over 200 couples and has over 2,000 PreK through 12th grade students enrolled. MHS pays for relocation and training.

The positions are salaried, with benefits, plus housing, utilities, and meals while on duty. 

Learn more at https://www.mhskids.org/houseparents/ 

Robin Suydam, a member of the Regional Synod, is a board member at Creation Justice Ministries as a representative of the RCA. There are many resources available on their website.