Volume 26-05, March 04, 2026 | | |
The season of Lent is situated in spring for a reason. It’s all about those things that lead to growth—personal growth, community growth, and the growth of God’s Kingdom on earth. Like planting a spring garden and nurturing seeds to grow into fruit-producing plants, it takes some effort to make that happen and the work of spiritual growth also comes at a cost.
However, when we consider the cost of Jesus’s effort to bring us into God’s Kingdom, we begin to realize that the cost is worthy of our best efforts. Jesus lived and willingly submitted himself to the cross to show us the way to God’s Kingdom—a place of extravagant love and sacrifice.
We have been called into this hard work, too.
The work of growing the good fruit of God’s Kingdom still includes hard and sacrificial work—it is how we respond to Christ’s gift of salvation. The fruit we produce is living evidence of our gratitude for all that Christ has done for us. It is how we fulfill the responsibility entrusted to us by Jesus for bringing about God’s vision for the world.
Just as Jesus was willing to sacrifice his time, talent, energy, and life for us, so have we been called as Christ’s church to mirror this kind of commitment to his vision. None of us can do this important work alone, which is why we need one another and the support of the faith community.
Growth—for ourselves, our world, and God’s vision for the future— this is the role we’ve been called to.
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Important Upcoming Dates - mark your calendar now
AfternoonTea Party - Saturday, March 7th at 2:00pm in Fellowship Hall. Tickets are necessary if you would like to attend this fun event, which is a fund raiser for the Center for Food Action. Don't miss it! See more details below for a QR code and link.
Women's Book Group - March 9th - final dinner for this session at 6:00pm at Sam's Bar and Grill.
We will be starting up again after Easter with a new book - still to be chosen!
New Members Class - Saturday, March 14, 21, 28 from 9:00 - 10:30 am at 195 Magee Road, Ringwood (the Romaine home).
Search Your Heart Lenten Art Project on Sunday, March 15 at 11:30 am in Fellowship Hall
Join our friend and artist Rena Rubin for the next intergenerational art event. Everyone is encouraged to attend, it's good for the soul! Click here to register.
Children and Youth Ensembles, Skylands Music Academy (SMA) Spring Concert on March 23 at 7:00pm.
SMA Chorale concert, "Sounds of America" on March 28 and 29 at 4:00pm. Registration essential.
Craft and Chat - 2nd and 4th Saturdays in March, 10:00-12:00
Bible Studies
11:00 - 11:40 am on Tuesday mornings on Zoom.
7:00 pm on Tuesday nights in Fellowship Hall
10:00 am on Thursday mornings at Pastor Arlene & Ron's house.
Support Groups
Special Needs Caregiver Support for adult caregivers of special needs children and youth. Meets on the last Monday of every month in the church office..
7:00 pm on the last Wednesday of the month - Caregiver Support Group for adults caring for the ongoing physical, medical, and emotional needs of others.
ALL are welcome.
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Hiking Group
Last month four of us braved the snow and cold to take a relaxing walk at Ringwood Manor. It was snowing by the time we finished, which was beautiful, but I have to admit I was glad to get home to a good hot cup of coffee! Seeing as we still have a lot of snow on the ground, we will give February a miss and plan to resume in March, when hopefully it will be warmer and we will be able to see signs of spring!
So please put our next hike on your calendar for SATURDAY MARCH 14th. If the weather cooperates, and it certainly should by then, we will meet as usual in the church parking lot at 8:00 am.
Any questions, comments or suggestions, please call or text Colin at 201-741-6090
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Congregational Prayer Requests
"Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18
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Susan
Marge
Estelle
Beverly
Aimee
Carole
Bob
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Sue
Ed
Lisa
Jill
Barbara and Joe
Michele
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Iftar Dinner
Last Friday we shared a traditional Turkish Iftar meal with our friends from Peace Islands Institute! Together we seek to “promote peace, love, respect, humanity, integrity, welfare, and understanding. PII aspires to facilitate a forum of mutual respect and collaboration, welcoming and acceptance.” We renewed friendships and made new ones as we discussed both Ramadan and Lent with our PII visitors.
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Have you been coming to CPC and are you interested in becoming a member? What are the perks of membership, you may ask? Members vote at the Annual Congregational meeting and may be asked to serve as an Elder on Session. But more than this, membership is an expression of one’s belief in God’s call and Christ’s mission, here at CPC.
We are about to begin a new, New Members Class on Saturday, March 14th. Anyone interested in joining should speak to Pastor Arlene.
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New Bench
We have recently installed a second Trex bench at the church entrance. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the congregation and Skylands parents we were able to reach our goal of 1000 pounds of recyclable plastic in a little less than four months.
The collection bin in the parking lot and the containers at the library will remain as members of BASS, the animal shelter on Margaret King Road are presently collecting for a bench at the shelter. They are within 200 pound of their goal at the moment.
After they garner a bench our own Skylands Learning Center will begin collection for a bench of their own to be placed in their playground.
Please continue to deposit your plastic in the bins as we will begin collection for a third bench for the memorial garden once Skylands is finished. Many thanks for your support.
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Craft and Chat
Calling all crafters - and want to be crafters (of all ages)! Please come join us for a time of sharing and visiting the 2nd and 4th Saturdays in Feb and March. If you already have a crafting skill or a project you are working on bring your supplies and come work together as a group. If you want to learn to knit, crochet, paint make paper crafts etc - come with an open and excited heart. These are not “classes” where one person teaches the entire group - it is just a gathering to share skills, supplies and stories. Please sign up for communications and information with Tracy at tracyrynkowski@gmail.com or in person this Sunday at coffee hour.
**PLEASE NOTE - this is for all ages, children are so very welcome - with an adult if they are younger than 14.
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Upcoming Skylands Music Events
Registration is now open for the upcoming Skylands Chorale concert, titled Sounds of America.
There will be two performances of the same program on March 28 and 29, both at 4:00 p.m. Registration is free but required: Click here to register..
If you need assistance with registration, call Erin Schwab.
The Children and Youth Ensembles of Skylands Music Academy will present their Spring Concert on Monday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. This performance is also free to attend;
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Please Update Your Information in Realm!
If you are asking "What is Realm?", this item is for YOU.
Realm is our church management software but very importantly, it functions as a congregational online directory, helping us to keep in touch with each other between Sundays.
Realm can only be really useful as a directory, if we share our contact information with other members of CPC. We invite you to go into your Realm account and take a look at your information and privacy settings. If you need to make any changes - and maybe add a photo - the attached information should help.
Please click here to download some basic Realm 'how to' information.
Click here to reach your account - you will need your account user name and password.
If you need to set up an account, need help in making updates or have mislaid your account information, please contact Alyssa in the office for help.
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Children, Youth and Family Ministries
Children's Worship Center
We hope you’ve had a chance to see our new Children’s Worship Center at the back of the sanctuary. Creating a welcoming space for our youngest worshipers is important to us, and this area is designed to provide quiet activities that help make time in the pew a little easier for families.
Activities and hands-on materials are available for toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-aged children. Children are encouraged to pick up a children’s bulletin and choose an activity or two to bring back to their seat. At the end of worship, all items can be returned to the basket labeled Returns.
We are continuing to build our collection of activities and manipulatives and would greatly appreciate your help if you feel called to contribute. A link to our wish list is included below for anyone who would like to participate.
Thank you for helping us create a space where children feel welcome and families feel supported during worship. Our wish list
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Clarum Sonum
Clarum Sonum will join West Side Presbyterian’s chancel choir to perform Bach’s “St. John's Passion” on Sunday, March 22nd @ 3:00 p.m. Admission is free (with a goodwill offering taken) - the church is located at 6 South Monroe Street in Ridgewood.
Click here for more information about Clarum Sonum
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Ringwood Friends of Music
Ringwood Friends of Music presents:
Aaron Wunsch, piano; Julia Bruskin, cello; Todd Palmer, clarinet
Works by Bernstein, Brahms, Beethoven, Nino Rota
Sunday, March 22 at 3:00 pm
Community Presbyterian Church – 145 Carletondale Rd., Ringwood, NJ
Info: (973) 962-9025, (973) 216-4017
Free Admission & wheelchair accessible. To attend the performance, please register names at ringwoodfriendsofmusic@gmail.com
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At the Annual Meeting of the Presbytery of Highlands on February 24, the necrology of elders and pastors was read. With gratitude and hope, we remembered these faithful servants of our Lord who devoted their lives to the ministry of Jesus Christ and served their congregations tirelessly. We give thanks for their witness, their leadership, and their enduring legacy in the life of the church.
Click here for the video
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Synod-wide Commisioned Ruling Elder Training
The Synod is pleased to invite you to an exploratory conversation about a new Synod-wide Commissioned Pastor (CRE) Training Program designed to cultivate strong, accessible, and unified preparation for commissioned pastoral leaders across our region.
Contact Steve Shussett for more information
Read more
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Centering Prayer in the Presbytery - Lenten Season
In this busy season in the life of the church, we are reminded that Jesus took time to go apart for a while, and he would sometimes invite disciples to join him. And he invites us still.
We will gather by Zoom to pray in silence.
Fridays at 8:00am, February 20-April 3
Read more
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