The Voice of FRC - June 2025

The Franklin Reformed Church

www.frcnutley.com

frcnutley@optimum.net

973-667-7022 Church Office

From the Pastor’s Desk

Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all chief spices— a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon. Awake, O north wind, and come, O south breeze! Blow upon my garden that its fragrance may be wafted abroad.

Song of Solomon 4.13-16b

The Song of Solomon is an outlier in the Biblical narrative. The Tanakh, the Hebrew

Bible, which is ordered differently than the Christian Old Testament, puts this book

in the Ketuvim, which is the section of writings. In our Biblical narrative it fits into

the “middle” section of the Bible which is often called Wisdom Literature. It stands

out for images of the natural world, which appear to compose a love story.

Christian interpretations tend to lean towards this as a love song between

Jesus and the church.

What I love about the Song of Solomon, which I’m not sure I’ve ever preached on, is

the rich tapestry of the natural world around which the text settles. Reading this

passage, I can almost smell the cinnamon and other spices; I can almost hear the

water of the fountain splashing against itself as it tumbles off its shelf; and I can

almost feel the soft winds of the spring on my cheeks. Evocative words call us back

to the natural beauty of God’s creation. This summer the sermon series will be

“Tending God’s Good Garden.” While we often focus only on the first chapters of

Genesis when thinking about creation, we will be seeking meaning and direction

for God’s people about his “good garden.” There will be times when we will look at

how we are called as God’s people to tend the “garden.” Some would call that

Creation care. How do we take care of the natural world that we understand as

one means to see and know God, in theological language “natural revelation?”

As I have worked on preparing for this series, I have tried to be more intentional

about stopping to experience this good creation. Just today I am smelling the new

spring rain, clean and refreshing. I have tried to notice the birds that peck in the lawn

seeking its sustenance. I invite you to join me as we reacquaint ourselves with the

ways that this gift of God is also a mirror for God’s self, and our part, as God’s

children, in keeping this garden good.

This and That

2025 Congregational Meeting Update: Current Consistory members have

graciously agreed to remain serving as we move towards our future. They

have been part of the many discussions along the road to “decision,” and it will

be helpful to have consistent leadership as we move forward over the coming year.

Linda R brought our financial report. We have typically been drawing on our

investments each month, with a total of about $55,000 over the year. Looking at our

current financial assets, and with no financial emergencies, in 2027 we will have

spent out those assets. The Consistory brought three scenarios for the future of the

congregation. Copies of these are available through the church office. Basically,

they are: Sell the church campus and relocate the ministry. Partner with another

church(es) or a non-profit organization. Distribute our assets and request the Classis

to dissolve the congregation and return the buildings to the Classis. The Consistory

depends on the feedback of the congregation as we move towards a decision.

Speak to any member of the Consistory or come to a Consistory meeting. We will

dedicate the first half-hour of our Consistory Meetings in June, July, and September

to discussing the scenarios. We do want your feedback!

We will have a second, special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, October 12th,

after worship. At that time the Consistory will make a final recommendation for

the Congregation to move forward. This is an important meeting; please make plans now

for attending. A reminder that only Active Members are eligible to vote at Congregational

meetings. If you do not know your status as to church membership (active, inactive or an

adherent) please be in touch with the church office, and we can clarify your membership

status.

Generally, Communion occurs on the first Sunday of each month, unless otherwise

decided by the Consistory. We will celebrate communion on June 1st, and again on

August 3rd. Pentecost this year will be celebrated on Sunday, June 8th. The liturgical color

for the day is red! Wear something red to worship that morning as we call God’s

Holy Spirit to dwell among us.

Discovering God, our Adult Christian Education, will meet Sundays in June on the 8th and 15th.

On the 8th we will do the year in review and think about what the fall could bring. On the 15th

we will gather to fill the Welcome Kits at 10am.

Over the summer, beginning on June 22nd, we will be worshiping at 10 am, in the Conference

Room. We will continue with this time and location through Labor Day weekend.

The series this summer is “Tending God’s Good Garden,” which will focus on how the Biblical

narrative informs us regarding taking care of God’s creation. In addition, there will be a book

study of the book “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand,” by Jeff Chu, who is an

RCA minister. It is available on Amazon in hard cover, Kindle, and audio book. Dates for the

gatherings (there will be two) will be announced. And we will have a movie event, watching the

documentary “The Biggest Little Farm.” I hope that you will join us! And finally, if we can arrange

it, we will pay a visit to the Farminary, a working farm affiliated with Princeton Theological

Seminary, which focuses on creation care and ecological theology.

Carts of Caring is a ministry that allows us to take our faith to the streets! Thanks to all those

who marched, to our partner Nutley Shop Rite, members of the NFSB who joined us, and those

who have provided support. Remember: Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation! Donations over the

summer are important, especially for children who have access to lunch during the school year.

Donations of apple sauce and other fruits (unsweetened are best), granola bars, juice boxes,

peanut butter and jelly are especially helpful in the summer.

“Creating Healthy Boundaries; Developing and Keeping Sacred Trust” sponsored by the

Classes of Passaic Valley and Greater Palisades, was held on May 31st at the Warwick

Conference Center. My thanks to Linda R, Jainie, and Tricia who attended.

doorjam will be performing in Ocean Grove on Saturday, July 5th at 1:30pm (note this is an

earlier time slot than we usually have). It is also the day of the Ocean Grove 4th of July Parade

which steps off at 10:30am on Main Street. Make a day of it! Hope to see you there.

The RCA in partnership with the Christian Reformed Church in Northern America, produces a

quarterly newsletter called “Breaking Barriers” and deals with disability issues in the church.

If you are interested in receiving this newsletter by email, go to rca.org and look under

“Publications and Media” or type “Breaking Barriers” into the search line. The form to subscribe is

at the bottom of that page.

We want to assure folks that the new doors for the east side of the Community House have

been ordered. When they arrive, our contractor will schedule a time to install them.

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:

• Lin, Anna Marie, Dale, Gail, and Ginny J for their work on the Camp Sunrise Welcome Kits

• All those who donated items and cash for Camp Sunrise Kits

• Those who have assisted in making sure that the trash and recycling go out for pick-up

• Jim T who looks after the Cemetery

• Robert W who continues his father’s legacy by tending to the church buildings

• Jainie who has prepared Communion in Loretta’s absence

• Gail, Vicky, Linda R, and Jainie who provided leadership at the Annual Meeting

• Consistory members who have agreed to extend their terms on Consistory one year to

provide consistent leadership for this time of transition.

For those who might be interested: there are two upcoming Pride events in Nutley: Pride Flag

raising at Grace Episcopal Church, with Nutley Pride, on Wednesday, May 28th. A prayer service

will begin at 7:00pm and an outdoor reception will follow.

On Sunday evening, June 8th at 6pm, a Pride Mass will be hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of

Newark at Grace Episcopal Church in Nutley. A reception will follow.

We will be celebrating the 170th Anniversary of the founding of this congregation in 2025-2026.

Currently we are planning a Quilt Show and Open House, a Sunday School Reunion in the

summer months, with a picnic - Jeff reminded us that the Sunday School, established prior to the

Church, will celebrate 200 years of learning in 2025, a field trip to the Van Bunschoten

homestead in Sussex, NJ, an Anniversary Dinner, and doorjam’s Christmas Concert. If you are

interested in helping to plan any of these events, and we do need your help, please be in touch

with Pastor Jill or any member of Consistory.

One of the events that I am excited about will be a Sunday School reunion over the summer.

Everyone who has been educated by the church family will be invited to a Bar-B-Que. It was

wonderful to see some of our alumni during the holiday season. Let Pastor Jill know it you would

like to help with the planning for this event.

As a reminder: except for Elders meetings, all church gatherings are open to every member of

the Congregation, including Consistory meetings. If you are interested in attending any

gathering that is announced, contact the church office for more information. Consistory minutes

and financial reports are always available upon request.

Tuesday Morning Bible Study: We have completed our study of the book of Joshua. We will

return to our regular schedule on September 9, 2025. Information will be shared prior to our

return in the fall.

The theater group of Union Congregational Church, 176 Cooper Avenue, Montclair (where Albert

Fenske-Williams is the Facilities Manager) happily presents "Barbecuing Hamlet." Dates are

6/13, 14, 20, and 21 at 7:30 pm, and 6/22 at 2 pm. Vicky Chalk and several Nutley Little Theatre

veterans are in the cast of this hilarious farce in which The Peaceful Glen Memorial Players do

their best to stumble through "Hamlet," but doing it with a Western theme, only ten actors, and

many other challenges. You may not recognize Shakespeare's famous play! $20 is the suggested

donation, and tickets will be available at the door.

The 2025 Flower Chart is posted outside of the Sanctuary. The flowers may be given for special

occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, in memory of a loved one, etc. The cost for each Sunday is

$30. Jeff Grieco handles the orders. While blessing us with beauty on Sunday mornings, the

flowers are given to a member or friend of the church after each worship service. They go with

our prayers for those who receive them. If you know someone who might be blessed by

receiving the flowers, please let Jeff know.

The RCA General Synod made decisions in 2022 regarding the annual assessments. Each

congregation is being assessed according to a percentage of their annual income, as opposed to

the number of members that we record with the denomination. The Classis of Passaic Valley and

the Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics have decided to do the same. We are grateful to those

who have made their contribution towards the assessment amount in 2024. Assessments for

2025 are $137.00, or if you use the 3 Assessment envelopes in your box set it is $46.00 per

envelope.

From the Historian

200 years of Learning:

2025 - Discovering God, a study about trees in the Bible. Tuesday Morning Bible Study, the 24

chapters of Joshua, and The Beatitudes during Lent with Holy Trinity and Grace Church.

1925 - Sunday School classes: Beginner's Department, Primary Department, Junior

Department, and The Home Department. Before the 11 a.m. Worship Service, 10:35 a.m.

The Junior Congregation Service for the students and their teachers.

The Chapel Hill Chapel Sunday School (begun in 1920) was held on Sunday afternoons at 3

pm for children who were not within walking distance of our church or Brookdale Reformed.

1825 - Our church was an outgrowth of a Sunday School founded by Mr. John T. Dodd at his

home, which was located near the mill of John W. Stitt, which later became Park Drive. As the

class grew, the Reformed Church children were going to be transferred to the Protestant

Reformed Dutch Church at Stonehouse Plains, later known as Brookdale Reformed. The

distance involved in going there after one Sunday resulted in the Sunday School moving to

the barn of Mr. John J. Kingsland of the Spring Garden area.

By 1826 the students were moved to the Povershon School which opened in 1825, at the

intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and Centre Street. In 1826 the average attendance was

60-70 students each Sunday afternoon. In 1839 a new home became known as "The Lecture

Room" because religious services were also held there. It was located on the east side of what

became Vincent Place, and to the north where Vincent Place and William Street come together.

Rev. Roosenraad in the 1855-1955 History booklet wrote, "according to the church records,

near the mill site of Duncan and Cunningham, an old map of 1859 clearly shows the location

of the "Dutch Reformed Church" on that spot." The Franklin (Belleville) 1859 map is featured

on the inside front cover of “Nutley – Yesterday, Today” edited by Ann A. Troy with illustrations

by FRC member Vivian Noyes Fikus (1915-1981) published in 1961. Listed at the end of the

book are Reference Books that included the History of the Sunday School of the Franklin

Methodist Episcopal Church, published by the Committee on the 75th Anniversary, 1900. Also

listed was a book the Nutley Museum had, “TheHistory of Nutley, Essex County, New Jersey”

(1907 republished in 2018) by Elizabeth Stow Brown. She wrote that "the sabbath school was

soon followed by the opening of schools for the different denominations and marked the

beginnings of several churches."

January 5, 1860 - the Sunday School moved to one final home before our church was built,

and our church service was held at the new "School House on the Hill" also on land given by

Henry Stager. Frank B. Speer, in Ann Troy's book, wrote a chapter "When Nutley's Little

Schoolhouse Burned Down" which was in 1874. The Red Brick School was built in 1875,

which he noted was the year Nutley seceded from Belleville and became the Township of

Franklin, later changed to Nutley in 1902.

From the Hart

OK kids, I need a really big favor. If you live at a distance from Nutley, you are excused from

this request, but if you are local, I am asking you to please give it your best, most prayerful

consideration. While we have collected all the items for the Camp Sunrise Welcome Kits, due

to various circumstances, the folks who normally deliver them (and that includes me) will be

unavailable this year, at least for the beginning weeks of camp. For six weeks, beginning on

June 29th, we need someone to bring the week’s kits up to the camp, located in beautiful

Warwick, NY, about an hour’s drive from Nutley, and distribute them to the campers. What a

great opportunity to meet the campers and counselors and see the facility! There are also

many great places nearby for dining, so you can deliver the kits (need to be there by 4pm

each Sunday), grab a bite, and know you’ve done a really great thing. If you can help us out,

please contact the church office or put your name on the sign-up sheet that will be posted in

the Cone building very soon. Thank you in advance for your help!

Till next month,

Lin