Volume 62, December 04, 2024 | |
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Where Grace Happens
This is another newsletter packed full of information about all our Christmas events including Blue Christmas, our Christmas services and the SMA Children's Concert. Other upcoming events include our December hike, the new Women's book group and other holiday concerts. We also look back at some successful events from the last couple of weeks. Read on - you won't want to miss anything!
Our next newsletter is due on December 18th - please let Sue or Christine know by 12/13 if you have news to share.
Community Church website
CPC Ringwood YouTube Channel
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Pastoral Pondering...
Just 20 more days until Christmas Eve! As we countdown toward our grand, Christmas Eve celebrations, I invite us to remember the reason behind it all.
When the news came to a teenage Mary who was betrothed but not yet wed, that she’d be having a child, I am always astounded at her serene and peace-filled response… “Let it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38.) Personally, I don’t know that I would have responded to such sudden, unexpected, and shocking news with quite the same peaceful serenity. Surely, it must have put a crimp in Mary’s plans for her future!
In this season of waiting for Christ’s birth, we too may find our own peace and serenity waning, as things out of our control put their own crimp in our festive holiday planning. Things like long checkout lines, fruitless web browsing, technology glitches, and delayed Amazon deliveries, can all send us over the edge away from peace, and toward panic.
But, when the joyful seasonal celebrations become the source of growing frustration and anger, then it’s time for us to take stock of what we are doing, and why we are doing it. Advent is the perfect season to search our hearts and minds to seek God’s peace. Surely every moment of every day between now and December 24 will not be a continual experience of serenity, but we should find ourselves motivated by the love that sent our Savior into the world.
Remember, Jesus came to save us from meaninglessness and despair. Jesus came to show us a different way of life that leads to hope and joy. So, in this season of running, spending, and preparing, take stock of how your heart is. Then be sure to prioritize those things that are life-giving and honoring of the true gift of Christmas—the Savior, born without glitz or glitter, born of an unwed teen in a manger, born among lowly animals and visited by unwashed shepherds.
This is how it came to be… the Christ, who came to set us free!
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Blue Christmas
Sunday, December 8 at 3:00 PM
Honoring those we’ve loved and lost with prayer, scripture and the lighting of candles. Invite a neighbor, friend, or relative, and join us in the sanctuary.
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Advent Wreath Candle-lighters
We begin each Sunday in Advent with the lighting of the Advent candles, to mark our progress to Christmas Day. Thank you to the following people who will lead us in this Advent tradition!
December 1st—Christian, Casandra, and Joseph Rohn
December 8—Phil Butler and Ron Romaine
December 15—Josh, Jenna, and Sophia Kelly
December 22—Marge Gavin and Muriel Lustig
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Christmas Services
Christmas Eve Family Worship at 7:00 PM
Perfect for young and old, this joyful service will include handbells, a vocal ensemble, candlelight, and a children’s sermon… and our littlest ones will even be home in time for bed!
Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship at 11:00 PM
Lessons and Carols—A festive, grand celebration of Christ’s birth, as told through the voices of multiple readers, the singing of carols, choir, brass, stings, organ and harp. Join us as we ring in Christmas Day with this traditional service.
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2025 Stewardship Committee—SO MANY THANKS!
What a joyful time we had on Harvest Sunday, November 24th, as we culminated CPC’s stewardship season and returned our promises to love and support one another in 2025!
A tremendous thank you to our committee members—Bob Oostdyke, Charlotte Williams, and Bruce Gibson—who have been hard at work and also made our Luncheon possible. Thank you to all who provided desserts, set up, and cleaned up afterward. Thank you to Neil McDonald, Bruce Gibson, and Charlotte Williams, for their faith testimonies during worship in November, and for sharing their personal stories with us.
2025 Faith Promise Pledge Cards
If you haven't had a chance to return your pledge card for 2025 yet, that’s OK! We will continue accepting pledges through the end of the year. They can be mailed in or dropped off at the church office.
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Hanging of the Greens
If you weren't able to join us for last Sunday's "Hanging of the Greens" celebration, you missed a very happy event. While the adults got together to sing some Christmas songs and enjoy the delights of the 'robust Coffee Hour', the children were able to make holiday ornaments and other craft projects, before doing their Christmas shopping at the Children's Christmas Bazaar. While this was going on members of the Worship Committee led a team of decorators in preparing the Narthex and the Sanctuary for the Christmas season.
Our thanks go out to Elyse Williams, Tracy Rynkowski and all the members of their team who worked hard to make this event happen.
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Church Hiking Group
Last month our group revisited Laurelwood Arboretum in Wayne on a chilly October morning. In spite of the season, there was still much to see and as the picture shows we all enjoyed the sculpture!
This month's hike is scheduled for SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14th. It is the turn once again for a more challenging hike, and as we always do around this time of the year, we will visit the ruined house on the bluff of Castle Point above Skyline Drive. This is a 3 to 4 mile hike with some gentle climbing involved, the reward being a fabulous view towards the city and the south. Last year it took us three tries to get this hike done, so hopefully the weather will be kind to us. On that subject, just to be clear, rain, snow or any weather that may cause slippery conditions will automatically cancel the hike. If in doubt, call Colin at the number below.
We will meet at the usual time, i.e. 8.00 am in the church parking lot on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14th.
Any questions, comments or suggestions - call or text Colin at 201-741-6090
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Church Garden Club
In November, the CPC Garden Club planted a Limelight Hydrangea tree opposite the entrance to the church in memory of our dear friend Ilse Schnaitmann, who was a dedicated member of the Garden Club for many years. We have all benefited from all the hours Ilse spent on our church garden and we miss her dearly.
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Women’s Book Group
It's not too late to join our new women's book group. We will be meeting in Fellowship Hall, starting on January 13th, 2025. We will begin reading Brené Brown’s seminal work, The Gifts of Imperfection.
This group will meet twice per month to discuss the latest chapter and how Brown’s work might influence our lives for the better. If you would like to be included, email Pastor Arlene rev.arleneromaine@gmail.com
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Upcoming Clarum Sonum Concerts
Advent Meditation Concert on Saturday, December 7th @ 7:00 p.m.
St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, 326 Avenue C, Bayonne, N.J.
Candlelight Carols Concert on Sunday, December 15th @ 4:00 p.m.
Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church - 600 Ridgewood Road, Maplewood, N.J.
Both concerts are free with a goodwill offering to be taken. For more information go to clarumsonum.org
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Centering Prayer in the Presbytery
Thursdays at 8am, December 5, 12, 19
As we enter the season of Advent, we prepare for the arrival of the Prince of Peace. And we can know that God-given peace, if only we will receive what God so dearly wants to give.
An invitation is before us now, to be still and heed God’s call to “be still, and know that I am God.”
During Advent, a group will be gathering by Zoom to pray in silence. A brief introduction to Centering Prayer will be offered, followed by twenty minutes of silence, however it is your practice. You will be with others. And you will have a chance to be at rest..
Read more and register
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