rsmat
Quick Notes Update for May 22, 2019

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Have you checked the synod calendar to see what's happening? For more information on the events below, click on the calendar link.  Don't see your church's event listed - be sure to include the synod on your email and mailing lists by sending information to rsmat@rca.org.

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The information and materials that appear in the email newsletter, facebook page or on the Website of the Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics of the Reformed Church in America ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE OPINION OF THE REGIONAL SYNOD OF THE MID-ATLANTICS OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA, NOR ARE SUCH NECESSARILY ENDORSED BY THE REGIONAL SYNOD.  THE ACCURACY AND VALIDITY OF THE INFORMATION IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PROVIDER OR AUTHOR.


 2019 ANNUAL MEETING


The regional synod thanks Rev. Chris Heitkamp for his service as president this past year, and congratulates Elder Claudette Reid on being elected president, and Rev. Dr. Phil Bakelaar on being elected vice president.



CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR THE FULL FLYER

SPOTLIGHT 
BLAWENBERG /  GRIGGSTOWN


On Wednesday, May 15th the Blawenburg Reformed Church held an interfaith prayer service and Ramadan Iftar. The event was co-led by co-led by Rev Jeff Knol and Montgomery Mayor Sadaf Jaffer. Local faith leaders, including Imam Sohaib N. Sultan, the Muslim chaplain at Princeton University, gave reflections on the topic of community. Many local Muslim residents came out to the event to pray and break their Ramadan fast with a potluck iftar meal, served in the church's fellowship hall. As our Muslim neighbors do not have a Mosque in our township, it was joy to offer a space where they could pray and celebrate within our shared community.

On Saturday, May 18th the Griggstown Reformed Church held a blessing of the animals cookout. The event was hosted on the front lawn of the church. We served a light dinner and welcomed congregants, neighbors, and new friends who brought their cats, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, and even a tarantula to be blessed. I asked each person how God had blessed them through their pets before saying a prayer of blessing over each animal and their family.

RCA MISSION 2020
January 16-18, 2020


click on the image above for full information

SUNDAY MAY 25 6:30PM
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT




   
CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR THE FULL FLYER


CONGREGATIONS IN OUR REGION SEEKING PASTORS

Lincoln Park First Reformed seeks Pastor:
We are a conservative, Bible-based Church, seeking a long-term, full-time, residential (manse provided), senior pastor in search of a pastor who will lead us in glorifying God through serving each other and the community. We offer a salary and full benefit package commensurate with experience and in accordance with RCA guidelines.   Our congregation deeply desires a pastor who is adept at both pastoral care for all (especially the elderly) along with a pastor who is deeply concerned with and personally involved with the children and youth. We seek a pastor whose love for Jesus is obvious from spirit-filled, life- application sermons, strong Biblical leadership, and interest in maintaining and growing our congregation. Our pastor should be adept at church and staff administration, be available for counseling and be actively involved in our surrounding community.  For an overview of our church and community please visit this website created for our search https://sites.google.com/view/frcoflpinfopacket. If interested please email resume and any other pertinent information to frcoflpsearchcommittee@gmail.com



VISIT OUR REGIONAL SYNOD ONLINE CALENDAR!



Remember that the Synod Foundation has opportunities for loans and even some grants
...visit their  webpage on our website

Wise men and women in 1987 created an independent, not-for-profit corporation named the Synod Foundation:

To receive, hold, manage, invest, and re-invest the real estate and investment assets of PSMA [aka RSMAt], and to process and act upon loan requests and upon requests for grants from the churches and classes within the jurisdiction of PSMA from its commissions and subsidiary corporations, and from others within the scope of its concern and mission.

The Synod Foundation is governed by eight trustees appointed on an annual basis at RSMAt's annual meeting. The Trustees approve the loans and grants and manages the other investments. The Foundation currently has 20 active church and social responsibility loans totaling over $1.1 million. The balance of the funds, $1.8 million, are invested in a wide variety of short and long term securities.

Churches secure loans for new roofs, parsonage or church furnaces replacement or upgrades, repointing brick or stone, interior church and parsonage renovations, removing accessibility issues, purchasing a building, and hurricane cleanup and repairs. Recently, four churches have secured loans for solar systems as a witness to green stewardship and expecting to lower their future electrical energy costs even as the solar system loan is being paid. With the Federal and New Jersey government assistance, the expectation is for the loan to be paid in around 12 years with the life of the solar panel system good for another 15 or so years.

See the Foundation flyer for commonly asked questions or contact the Synod Office for more information.



FREE Online Learning Opportunities
Mediated Organizations: 
Technology for your church ministry

We are setting up online seminars for the Fall season. Please let us know which topics are of interest to you. Seminars are usually held online using Zoom or GoToMeeting on Thursday evenings. Other times are available on request.
Consider having a custom training for your own church team or board! On-sites are possible with enough notice.

Let us know what you are interested in or if you have questions!

  1. Using Facebook 
  2. Using Twitter 
  3. Using free and low cost websites
  4. Using higher end paid websites
  5. Using podcasts
  6. Using mind mapping for planning and meetings
  7. Using visual thinking for planning and meetings
  8. Using online collaborative platforms for teams and organizations: basecamp, slack and more
  9. Using projection in your church ministry
  10. Using email newsletters: constant contact and mailchimp
Courses are taught by The Rev. Dr. Philip Bakelaar, , rsmat communications coordinator, pastor at Ocean Community Church in Manahawkin and adjunct professor in the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. 

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