Quick Notes Update for July 25, 2023

Editors note: We've run into some challenges with our listing of job opportunities and have removed long standing ads. We will now be grouping them together in the newsletter and noting the post date and removing them after three months unless the sender contacts us to renew the posting. Thanks for your patience as we implement this policy change.


OUR EMAILS ARE FULL OF USEFUL INFORMATION, PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO CHURCH FRIENDS SO THAT THEY CAN SUBSCRIBE USING THE FORM TO THE RIGHT HERE, JUST CLICK ON IT AND SEND THEM THE LINK.
Dessert and Dialogue with the Mayors
(Franklin Twp., North and South Brunswick)
Wednesday, July 26th at 7:00 PM

Greetings Community Leader,
 
If our country is going to weather our current polarizing political climate, we will need to re-learn the art of dialogue. Our faith community has decided to start a dialogue with our local civic leaders by hosting a "Dessert & Dialogue" event on Wednesday, July 26th @ Six Mile Run Reformed Church Hall (Franklin Park) -7pm.
 
Would you plan to attend and be a part of the conversation? Also, please invite others to attend and include this announcement (written below) in your community's correspondence.
 
Dessert and Dialogue with the Mayors(Franklin Twp., North and South Brunswick)
What makes a good citizen from a major’s perspective? Do any religious teachings,
such as the Ten Commandments or the golden rule in Christianity, inform the
mayors’ perspective? What role can the faith community play to encourage and promote such good citizenship for our community? Should the faith community support it? Or is there any critique the faith community ought to offer concerning the nature or limits of civil citizenship? These are the conversations we hope to have, with dessert included! Please join us on Wednesday, July 26th at 7:00 PM.
 
 
Thanks, I hope to see you on July 26th!
 
Darryln Tarantino
VP Of Consistory, SMMRC
Franklin Park, NJ
FIRST POMPTON PLAINS YOUTH OUTREACH IN NICARAGUA
An outreach that our youth will be doing while in Nicaragua is distribution of Portable non electric water filtration systems. How many homes do we want to supply with healthy drinking water? The number is only limited by our funds available. The cost per filtration system is $66. You can contribute here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YN6S/campaign/C-13RZE
THE REFORMED CHURCH HOME GOLF CLASSIC: SEPTEMBER 12
(click on the image below for the full brochure)
CHATGPT IS FOR YOU!

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence platform that generates text based on prompts. So for instance, you might ask it (as I did in December) for ideas for "a protestant sermon on Christmas Eve." Using this platform as a writing partner is very interesting and something you should explore. Let me know if you'd like an introduction!
We are in need of many food items this month.
Cereals, pancake mixes and syrup, oatmeal, peanut butter and jelly, coffee, fruit juice, mac and cheese, pasta and sauce. Mayo,
small bottles of vegetable oil. We quietly feed area families in need each month and are hoping for your support.
"I was hungry and you gave me something to eat"~Matt 25:35

Greetings!
The Church Multiplication Team has contracted with MissionInsite (see link at top) for one year. Any RCA church can request an analysis of their context. They can receive 3 different responses.  Churches may search by zip code or by street boundaries or by another geographic description.  

They will get data regarding Beliefs about God, Beliefs about Jesus, Beliefs about Moral and Spiritual Values, Faith and Religious Involvement in their context. They also get an Executive report about demographics.  They can contact me aletashepler@gmail.com for assistance.  

Peace and Grace, 
Aleta Shepler 
Church Multiplication Committee RSMAT 
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN IMPROVING YOUR TECHNOLOGY USE!

Would you like to:
Discuss church software for managing member information and online donations?
Learn to use email newsletters to keep members informed?
Rework your website to a more modern look?
Create online forms for people to register for events and provide feedback?
Create online visual databases like the livestream example above?
Take your livestream to the next level?
Develop a social media plan and a team to implement it?

REPLY TO THIS EMAIL AS WE FORM LEARNING GROUPS!


THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING CHURCHES FOR ADDING THEIR LIVESTREAM INFORMATION TO OUR ARCHIVES PAGE
Wyckoff Reformed
Three Bridges Reformed
Ocean Community, Mahahawkin
Parkside Community
RSMAT churches are livestreaming and maintaining recorded service archives. This presents us with a unique opportunity to learn from each other and celebrate the amazing gifts in our community! Please use this webform to provide us with your church livestream link and a link to your recorded services archive. We will make a single page view available of all of this information so that you can visit around and get inspired!
Are you using a VR headset and exploring how virtual reality might be used in ministry? Let's have a conversation!
MURAL and other online whiteboards provide a way to add more interaction to zoom meetings. Let me know if you want to explore this further.
GATHER TOWN is a fun way to add some social involvment to your online options.
DO YOU HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF ADAPTING AND INNOVATING TO SHARE FOR INSPIRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT? SEND IT TO US!
NJ CONGREGATIONAL CENTER FOR CANCER CARE
We have created an online gathering of all of the newsletters of the program. Find help for those facing cancer.
CHURCH BASED MENTAL HEALTH NEWSLETTERS ARCHIVE
We've created an online gathering of all of the newsletters the program has sent out during COVID. Very helpful insights to pass along to your congregations!
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.
basicImage