An inclusive faith community | | In Worship October 12th... | | |
Preaching:
Rev. Brooks Smith
Scripture:
Ps 66:1-12
Luke 17:11-19
Sermon:
Hanging on - letting go - trusting
Offertory Anthem:
Now Thank We All Our God
| | | BBPC Calendar ... 10/11 - 10/17 | | |
Saturday - October 11
Children's Choir - 10am
Community Garden Day 9am
Sanctuary + Seed
Sunday - October 12
Currents, 8:45am
Food Pantry set-up, 9:30-12 noon
Worship, 10 am
Sunday School for Children & Youth
Sugar Rush coffee hour
Food Pantry, 12:00-3pm
Sanctuary + Seed, 2pm,
Martinsville Campus
Sr. High Youth Group 6pm
Monday - October 13
Funeral of Marilyn Cortright 11am
Interim Pastor Search Committee 7pm
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Tuesday - October 14
Office now closed on Tuesdays
Faith Formation 7pm
Wednesday - October 15
Staff meeting 11am
Caring Ministry 12:30pm
Choir School 3:30pm
Junior High Youth, 7pm, Cave
Thursday - October 16
Men's Breakfast 8am
Silence Seekers, 9am, Cemetery
Choir School - Individual lessons 3:30pm
Bell Choir Rehearsal, 6:30pm
Choir Rehearsal, 7:30pm
Friday - October 17
Choir School - Individual lessons 3:30pm
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JOIN US IN PRAYER
Please join us in prayer for the needs of the community and our loved ones.
CLICK to view our Prayer Concerns List
*Please contact the church office with prayer concern updates*
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Click HERE to view the Online Directory
Click HERE for instructions to download the directory
| | Please Note: Anything that is in red and underlined is a link to more detail on the subject. | | |
Dear BBPC Friends,
Thank you doesn’t seem enough to express my gratitude for the outpouring of love you showed me last Sunday. I am still pouring over your cards, gifts, scrapbook and more, and will be for some time to come. I am also feasting on leftovers from a wonderful spread and a rich tenure.
I have been so honored to travel with you in a variety of roles over the past twenty-four years, and I will hold you in my heart forever. I trust that good things are ahead for you and for me. I will be prayerfully cheering you on from a distance!
Many Blessings,
Linda
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Thank you to Hannah Kerwin who preserved in photos, the Sunday service and Linda's retirement party, October 5, 2025.
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The Annual Coffee House Fundraiser is October 10 at 7pm.
From Musical Theater to Pop, Rock, and Classic Parodies,
including a tribute to the late Tom Lehrer,
you will be dazzled with a tremendous variety of beautiful music!
We always have such a fun time and it's a good chance
to see a different side of our parishioners.
Funds raised will benefit the Special Music Fund.
| | Registration closes on Friday, October 10 | | |
You’ve seen our flyers for Sugar Rush, and we hope you will attend and be a part of the fun this Sunday, October 12th.
But did you know that Sugar Rush is part of Deacons’ Sunday, when the church focuses on the work of the Deacons in our church and local community?
BBPC Deacons have committed to the work of bringing the love of Jesus to the church & the community. How do we do this?
- By being the “hands and feet” for any church activity or ministry where there is a need. Deacons can be found supporting the Food Pantry, Worship & Music, the Mission Commission, and Faith Formation.
- By checking in with church members who are unable to attend services, so they have a name, a face, and a friendly connection to their church community.
- By providing rides and delivering meals during times of illness, crisis, or emergency.
- And by managing a ministry of Benevolent Giving, which provides modest, one-time financial assistance to local and church community members who are experiencing a financial emergency due to an unexpected crisis/event.
You will hear more details about our work in worship this Sunday. Or you can check in to next week’s Buzz for more details.
Meanwhile, How can you help support the Deacons?
- Participate in Sugar Rush this Sunday Oct 12 after worship – Eat, Fellowship, & Donate!
- Place a donation check in the offering plate, designating Deacons’ Fund in the memo line.
- Make an online donation earmarked to the Deacons’ Fund.
It is only with your support that we can do this important work. Thank you!
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Notes From the Congregational Meeting
At the congregational meeting on September 28, members were asked to vote on two documents; The Dissolution Agreement and the Separation Ethics Covenant. There was some confusion between the Session and the Moderator from the Presbytery's Committee on Ministry. Rev. Paterson assumed that the congregation had seen both documents ahead of time, while the session and Pastor Linda assumed that the moderator was going to go over the documents with the congregation and then would proceed to ask the congregation to vote on the Dissolution Agreement, as required by Presbytery, and introduce the Separation Ethics Agreement as an informational item only. The Separation Ethics Agreement was already approved by Session, Presbytery and Pastor Linda. It was our understanding that the congregation was not expected to vote on that document. Instead, the two documents were presented together as a single motion, sight unseen. Our sincere apologies for the confusion. The documents are described below and can be viewed by clicking on their title in RED.
The Dissolution Agreement details the terms of Pastor Linda’s departure including payment for unused vacation, surrender of the church credit card and the date by which she must vacate the Pastor’s office.
The Separation Ethics Covenant is a mandated agreement detailing the relationship between the retiring pastor and the congregation. This covenant, while it may seem severe, is meant to protect both the retired pastor and the church as it begins a new chapter, eventually welcoming new pastoral leadership.
| | Have you Seen? There were 2 shopping bags filled with sheets and towels that we use for the HOME program that are missing. They were in the cave, on top of the blue storage units at the beginning of June, and we are unable to locate them. If you have seen them or have any ideas, please contact the church office. Thanks you! | | | Grants Workshop-- Join on Sunday 10/26 at 11:30-12:15 to learn about and discuss the process of seeking grants from individuals, foundations and corporations. We will work our way through some sample applications and discuss additional learning opportunities. Meeting upstairs in the session room. | | |
PEERING THROUGH THE MIST:
AN ENCOUNTER WITH A MYSTIC, AND MYSTICISM
The Fall Gathering of the Presbyterian Women in Highlands Presbytery will venture into the mystic, led by Rev. Carol Howard, author, and pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Madison, NJ. The Gathering will be at Johnsonburg Camp and Retreat Center on Saturday, November 1, from 9am–3 pm. A free will offering will be taken to cover the cost of lunch and the program.
You may register for the Gathering with Jane MacDonald at jkmac3536@gmail.com or 973-383-4166 by October 24 so that lunch arrangements can be completed.
If you wish to carpool, contact Doris Sabin at dorisssabin@gmail.com.
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Soft Plastic Recycling Update
As of September 30 we have collected 748.5 pounds of soft plastic recycling toward our goal of 1000 pounds by February 28. Awesome job everyone. That is a lot of plastic we have saved from landfills!
| | | EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES | | |
ADULT EDUCATION & SPIRITUAL FORMATION
Currents: Every Sunday, 8:45am-9:45am, in the PCC. Discuss current topics of interest with attention to the way in which our Christian faith informs our response. The discussions are always lively and everyone’s view is respected.
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The After Hours Women's Bible Study:
Finding Resilience, Joy, and Our Identity in Jesus Christ.” by Rhashell D. Hunter
“How do we find our resilience and joy in the midst of stressful life circumstances?
By reconnecting to our spirituality, following women in the Bible, and studying
Jesus’ witness, we can discover a path that helps us fully embrace and celebrate
who we are as faithful disciples.”
This is the Horizons Bible study that the After Hours circle will be using this year. You may purchase this Bible Study from presbyterianwomen.org/shop or call 800-533-4371.
All women at BBPC are invited to join. We are an informal group that has been exploring our faith through Bible Study for over 30 years and enjoy welcoming new participants.
The program year will start on Monday, October 27, at 7:30 PM. when we will explore “Mary 'of a Certain Village' ” - Chapter 2 of Finding Resilience.
We will meet at Janet Holmlund's home at 153 Flanders Road, Hillsborough. A carpool will leave the church parking lot at 7:00; contact Doris Sabin at dorissabin@gmail.com to participate.
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Men's Prayer & Mission Breakfast: First & Third Thursdays @ 8:00am
Please contact Brooks Smith (smithjbrooks25@gmail.com) if you plan to attend. We want to make sure we have enough food for both body and soul.
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What's the Point?: WTP meets monthly on the last Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm. Next meeting October 22.
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Silence Seekers, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." - Matthew, 18:20. Meeting Thursday Mornings at 9:00am at the Cemetery Chapel.
| | CHILDREN & YOUTH MINISTRIES | | |
Members Community Events
We would love to know about any activities you are involved in outside of church. Please tell us if you are singing in a concert, or performing in a play, etc. This section can let others know about your community events, and hopefully support you.
Hannah Kerwin: Journey Through the Past in the Old Presbyterian Graveyard on East High Street, just blocks away, this Saturday, 10-5, and Sunday, noon-4. Come on down! Hannah is giving continuous tours, and they have a presenter who will dress as a real stonecutter from 200 years ago and talk about stonecutting and memorializing the dead.
Kat Britt: Brite Nites, which takes place Oct 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 right here at the Wagner Farm Arboretum just up the hill in Warren. WFA (a non-profit) supplies organic produce (grown by volunteers) to the BBPC soup kitchen each week, and Brite Nites is their major fundraiser for the year. More information
Kat Britt: Jersey Harmony Chorus, a non-profit which sings 4 part acapella harmony in the barbershop style and is part of Sweet Adelines, Intl. is a group which Kat directs. Her concert is November 15 in Princeton: Link to flyer
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Community Bulletin Board
Entering Biblical Stories through Shared Imaginations. Connecting with the wisdom of our faith ancestors as we face the struggles of today.
Events at Johnsonburg Presbyterian Camp this fall
An opportunity for an interfaith dialogue about targeted communities
CELEBRATE NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH!
We invite you to this year’s Herencia Lectures, hosted by the Latinx Collegium at Princeton Theological Seminary. For nearly two decades, this annual event has honored the legacy and contributions of Latinx scholars and leaders in the church and beyond. This year, we will reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis—the first Latin American, and therefore the first American pontiff in history.
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10/20 - Paint and Sip 6pm
10/26 - Jr/Sr High Glow Bowl Party
11/1 - Walk of Remembrance 8am
11/2 - All Saints Sunday
11/9 - Inquirers class 11:30am
11/16 - Advent Workshop 11:30am
11/17 - Remembering Biblical Stories
11/30 - HOME guests here through 12/7
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12/3 - Advent Soup Supper Devotions 6pm
12/7 - Amazing Race 3:30pm
12/10-Advent Soup Supper Devotions 6pm
12/13 - Community Carol Sing 5pm
12/17-Advent Soup Supper Devotions 6pm
12/21 - Lessons & Carols
12/24 - Christmas Eve 4:30, 8, 11
(preludes at 7:30 and 10:30)
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NOTE NEW Church office hours:
Monday, Wed - Friday: 9am - 2pm
Church Office:
Sharon Dougherty
(732) 356-3575 Ext. 700
office@bbpc.org
Director of Music:
Benjamin T. Berman - Ext. 703
ben@bbpc.org
Clerk of Session
Steve Decker
clerk@bbpc.org
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Director of Faith Formation
Rev. Lissette Gonzáles Sosa - Ext. 702
lissette@bbpc.org
Office hours at BBPC: Wed, Friday
Hours at Sanctuary & Seed: Tues, Thurs
Cemetery Superintendent:
Wayne E. Barry, Jr. - Ext. 704 or
(732) 356-1021
cemeteryoffice@bbpc.org
Click HERE to view a list of our Church Officers
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Caring Minister on call for the week of:
October 11th-October 17th
Doris Sabin
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The Presbyterian Church
at Bound Brook
409 Mountain Avenue
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
www.bbpc.org
(732) 356-3575
| | | To support The Presbyterian Church CLICK here | | | | |
