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The Voice of FRC - April 2022

The Newsletter of the Franklin Reformed Church 973-667-7022 www.frcnutley.org

FROM THE PASTOR"S DESK

“Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and on the third day be raised up alive. Peter took him in hand, protesting “Impossible, Master! That can never be.” But Jesus didn’t swerve, “Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works.” Matthew 16. 21-23 The Message

Loss, loss, and more loss! That’s what it has felt like over the past two years. Death, separation from family and friends, disruptions in daily schedules, loss of jobs, economic uncertainty, disturbed school schedules... shall I go on? Then add to that war, famine, pestilence. Oh boy! Perhaps along with many of you I have raised the lament of the Psalmists: “How long O Lord?” And in the back of my mind there is always the reminder to myself: “wait until Easter.” The resurrection of Jesus and the victory over death, the promise that out of something so unspeakable comes hope, reassurance, and new life. But wait! Jesus replies to Peter who tries to bend history to his own will, who Jesus then calls “Satan” which is often translated as “deceiver.” Don’t be deceived, Peter; something different than what is expected will happen. I don’t think that there is one of us who facing tragedy, difficulties, or challenges doesn’t wish for something different, pray for some different outcome. But we are reminded in this exchange between Jesus and Peter that we can’t wish, or will, or maybe even pray our way out of grief. Grief is a process. It takes many different forms emotionally, behaviorally, and physically. It never seems the same from one person to another, or for any individual not the same from event to event that provokes grief. Grief has no timetable. Grief is something that we go through, that we engage, that we sometimes succumb to all in our own time. And we need to go though it; not over it, or around it, or under it. We need to walk through the “valley of the shadows.” I guess that I just couldn’t go right to Easter joy in this newsletter, while we were still tarrying in the season of Lent. It was many years ago that I first heard the refrain from a sermon by a Black, Baptist pastor S. M. Lockridge who intoned, throughout a Good Friday sermon, the refrain - “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s comin’.” That simple truth is that we can’t get to Sunday without getting through Friday and Saturday first. We need to move through our grief in order to get to “new life.” So here we are. Loss and grief. Today it might feel like Friday - but I can assure you that hope, resurrection and new life are in our future.

This and That Discovering God, our adult Christian Education program, will not meet in April because of Palm Sunday and Holy Week. This year we are studying Women in the Old Testament. In May we will be considering Potiphar’s wife, in the story of Joseph, which you can find in Genesis 39. If you do not regularly get the emails for Discovering God and would like to join us, send an email to frcnutley@optimum.net with the subject line “Discovering God” and you will be added to the list. Our meetings are currently hybrid, unless otherwise noted.

On April 3rd we will celebrate Communion. We will continue to have hybrid Worship and Christian Education. Bible Study on Tuesday and Sunday will continue to be on ZOOM for the time being.

A schedule for Holy Week is at the end of the newsletter for those who receive it electronically and on the back cover of the newsletters that are mailed and or can be found on the schedule and events page of this website. Make a note of the things that will be happening from April 10th, Palm Sunday, through April 17th, Easter Sunday, and join us! On Saturday, April 16th at 9:45 am the Worship Team and those who wish to participate will gather to decorate the sanctuary for Easter. We will also go out to breakfast afterwards.

At its March meeting the Consistory decided on the following updated COVID precautions for all groups - including church groups. The precautions will be updated weekly based on the information from the NJ Department of Health. Community statistics are either low, medium, or high. Each week we will review and hang the sign for the current precautions. Low is green, medium is yellow, and high is red. The Consistory will review this decision at their monthly meetings and make changes as they deem prudent in light of the changes in the CDC recommendations and NJ Department of Health community stats.

It takes a church! I am grateful to God for all those who have lent a hand, taken on a task and shown their commitment to the ministry of our congregation over the last month:

  • Loretta and Robert for their oversight of our campus

  • Those who made donations for the Community House roof repair

  • People who have agreed to come back onto Consistory

  • The folks who helped with the “repast” after Bob T.’s burial

  • Loretta and Lin for digging a hole

  • Anthony at Valley Bank who has helped make the transition between Treasurers go smoothly.

We are in the midst of our Lenten Book study with Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. The book that we are be reading is Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginners Guide to Holy Week by Amy Jill Levine. Our remaining meetings continue on March 31st and April 7th.

As might be expected, our Shop Rite gift card ministry slowed down over the past 2 years. At our March meeting the Consistory decided to continue this fund raiser (the church receives $5 for every $100 sold) for the next six months and reconsider its future at that time.

As a reminder: with the exception of Elders meetings, all church gatherings, including Consistory meetings, are open to every member of the Congregation. If you are interested in attending any gathering that is announced, contact the church office for more information. Consistory minutes and financial reports are available upon request. The next Consistory meeting will be held on Sunday, April 3rd.

The Consistory is considering a new class of Elders and Deacons. Several of our members have stayed on beyond their terms in response to the COVID pandemic. God may be calling you to serve the church in this way; prayerfully consider your response. Please speak to a current Consistory member for more information. Elections for Consistory are at our Annual Meeting in May; the new term starts in June.

At last June’s meeting the Consistory decided that all funds that are designated for the “Repair Fund” will be, going forward, deposited in the Capital Improvement Fund account. The Fund is with Edward Jones whose offices are not in Nutley, so please be patient if your donation takes more than a week to be deposited. We continue to collect items for the NFSB Food Pantry and Vincent UMC Care Pantry (personal care, paper goods and cleaning products). There is a basket in the vestibule of the Cone Building, the outer door remains open for this purpose.

We are also collecting items, and funds, for Sunrise Welcome Kits. We could still use deodorant, bar soap, and small packs of tissues. Contact Loretta for more details.

Over the past year we, as a congregation, have been able to assist both organizations and individuals through our Deacon’s Fund. Our funds for this purpose are running low. A donation to the Deacons Fund will help keep us active in the support of our members and friends.

The Mission Church Team will meet again on Sunday, May 1st, after worship. Please speak to Jainie for more information.

For your information the assessment, monies that we send to the Reformed Church in America to assist in funding regional and national denominational activities, is $91.00 for 2022. Our Classis collects these funds for disbursement to other church bodies. There are envelopes in the offering boxes for the Assessment - which you can contribute as a one-time donation or in four increments. Some people include this amount in their regular giving, others choose to designate their contribution. The Consistory also covers the cost of those who are unable to make this contribution from our General Fund.

FRC website update! You can now see the dedication and a photo of the bouquet of flowers which is displayed during worship each week on our website. You can find this under "worship flowers" in the menu or click the photo of flowers in the gallery on the home page, then click "go to link." You can also view the Newsletter "The Voice of FRC" on the frcnutley.org website. The Newsletter online will feature news and information that might be of interest to the general public. There are also lots of other interesting things to see on the website, like our schedule of events calendar, the Prayer Walk, and the Donate page. We hope you will visit it! (Our policy for using names on the website is to use the first name and first initial of any living person and the whole name of anyone who has died except when that name is the same as the person who is living, or we have permission from the living person. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please feel free to contact Tricia c/o frcnutley@optimum.net)

The new sign-up sheet for Purple Dragon (which is our donation of fresh fruits and vegetables to Marion House in Newark) is available. You may sign up on the bulletin board in the hallway outside the church office or through the website. Either way we appreciate your participation! To sign up online go to frcnutley.org and push the DONATE button. You will be taken to the DONATE page. On the right side of the page, you will see a box that says “Purple Dragon Co-op.” In that box it says, “To sign up to donate a half ($30.00) or whole share ($60.00) click here.” Just click there and you will be brought to the sign-up sheet. To pay for your donation you may select “Marion House-Purple Dragon” in the dropdown menu of the Tithe.ly App or send a check to the FRC church office at 45 Hillside Crescent, Nutley, NJ 07110.

Weekly Bible Studies Tuesday Morning is studying the Gospel of Mark. We meet at 10:00am. We continue to meet via ZOOM. If you are interested in joining us, please send an email to frcnutley@optimum.net with Tuesday Bible Study in the subject line, and you will be added to the invitation list. Sunday Evening meets at 5:00pm. We are studying the book of Exodus. We continue to gather via ZOOM. If you are interested in joining us, please send an email to frcnutley@optimum.net with Sunday Evening Bible Study in the subject line, and you will be added to the invitation list.

From the Mailbox It was so very sweet of my friends at FRC to hold a coffee hour after the service for my husband. My sons and I are grateful for your kindness. I hope to see everyone again at the annual meeting. Many thanks and much love, Linda


From the Historian April 1922 at the Franklin Reformed Church: Wednesday April 5th at 8:00 pm: There was a Prayer and Fellowship Service in preparation for Communion to be celebrated on Palm Sunday. Pastor Schenck was speaking on The Christian Ideal. A Consistory meeting followed, a meeting with those desiring to join the church. Thursday April 6th: Edgar L. Dickerson, FRC member and Instructor in Commercial Geography at Central High School, addressed The Men's Association with "Geography and Its Influence on Man.” Palm Sunday, April 9th: Elizabeth Broadbent (1905-1999, buried in our cemetery), Lewis Blair and Walter Graves were confirmed. Renewal of Confession: Miss Mildred Van Riper and Mrs. Earl LeFevre. There were many letters of transfers received including Mr. and Mrs. David Parker and daughter who came from Grace Methodist Church of Newark. Easter Sunday April 16: 11:00 am and the Evening Service at 7:45 pm: In the Church Notes section of the bulletin a question was asked "How much does the Gospel of the Risen Christ mean to you today?" In 1922 we had a Missionary to Japan, Miss Edith V. Teets, The Church Auxiliaries were: Women's Guild, Women's Missionary Society, Men's Association, Young People's Society, Flower and Christian Service Guild, Junior Christian Endeavor Society, Reformed Church Choir, The Girls Sunshine Circle (led by Gertrude Crawford), Franklin Boys Club (led by Rev. Schenck), and Boy Scout Troop #7. Walter Pfaehler was Scoutmaster assisted by Arthur S. Page. Both were long- time members of our church. George A. Hill was the Sunday School Superintendent. Throughout the 1920's the bulletins were printed each week by Chester H. Ryan owner of The Ryan Press. The bulletin cover included a sketch of the church, "The Little White Church on the Hill." He advertised his shop as "The Print Shop on the Hill" at his home 111 Church Street. He was the brother of Elsie and Fannie (Hallidy). Elsie and Chester were teachers at Nutley High School.

From the Hart I am having such a mixed bag of emotions this week! A couple of people I knew have died recently, and there is another whose passing is imminent. At the same time, I am gearing up for a family wedding next week (I’m the mother of one of the brides). Also, it’s Lent, approaching Holy Week, and I just had another birthday (it snowed all day). My emotions have been as changeable as the weather. It’s also another month that I had planned to perfection, and well, you know how that goes. And, in case you’re wondering how my house cleaning project is going, rest assured that it went right out the window! Maybe next year. So, if I am weeping or dancing, solemn or giddy the next time you see me, or if I have a bag over my head (not thrilled with yesterday’s haircut), don’t be surprised. It’s just me trying to do the best I can in the midst of too many whirlwinds. Wishing you all a blessed and joyous Easter! Till next month, Lin


Holy Week Schedule 2022

Date Day Time Event Location

4/10/22 Palm Sunday 9:15 AM Blessing of the Palms, Kennedy Drive

4/10/22 Palm Sunday 9:45 AM Potluck Breakfast FRC Community

House

4/10/22 Palm Sunday 11:00 AM Worship/Communion FRC Sanctuary

4/14/22 Maundy Thursday 7:30 PM Worship FRC Sanctuary