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IN GENERAL NEWS ITEMS ARE ABBREVIATED AND CAN USUALLY BE CLICKED ON TO FIND MORE INFORMATION. THIS IS OUR QUICK NOTES PHILOSOPHY THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SCAN WHAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO YOU. | |
Greetings Colleague,
Welcome to the WELL Conference 2024: THRIVING TOGETHER!
As the President of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, I invite you as our esteemed guests to the 2024 WELL Conference, titled “Thriving Together: Cultivating Holistic Wellness in Ministry.” The WELL Grant Program at New Brunswick Theological Seminary (NBTS) is a 5-year grant program that promotes the mental, physical, and spiritual well-being of Black and Latino pastors and faith leaders. Here are the details for this upcoming exciting conference:
When: Monday, June 3, 2024, from 8:30AM to 5:00PM EST
Where: In person at New Brunswick Theological Seminary located at 35 Seminary Pl, New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
FREE Registration- Discount code: NBTS1784 and Click here: https://rb.gy/11t56t
This in-person conference will feature a keynote address from Dr. Thema Bryant who is an award-winning author, past President of the American Psychological Association, Minister, and Sacred Artist. To learn more about her Click Here!
What to Expect at the WELL Conference:
· Inspiring Talks with NBTS’s President Micah McCreary and Dr. Thema Bryant
· Interactive Panel Discussions and Workshops, and valuable Vendor Exhibits
· Networking Opportunities and Meaningful Connections
Why this is the Conference for You:
· Connect and learn with ministry leaders on ways to cultivate mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness.
· Receive practical insights for personal and professional well-being, leadership development, and community flourishing.
· Come away feeling refreshed and recharged for the important work you do.
This WELL Conference is for you and is open to EVERYONE! Please feel free to spread the word and invite at least 5 people in your ministry and professional networks. Here is this link: https://rb.gy/11t56t
Questions? Please feel free to reach out to anyone on our WELL team at wellprogram@nbts.edu . We are excited to connect with you soon!
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FROM THE RCA GLOBAL MISSION OFFICE
JUNE 6 ZOOM CALL
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
"Together we can advance an America where people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds are treated respectfully, fairly, and with dignity."
Counter Anti-Muslim & Anti-Jewish Hate
Friends,
You are receiving this email message because you are someone whom I believe cares about the rise of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate and discrimination we are seeing in the United States (and around the world), so I wanted to personally invite you to attend this upcoming, FREE Zoom conversation, led by the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, and sponsored by the Reformed Church in America, RCA Global Mission, the Al Amana Centre, Calvin University, and the Kaufman Interfaith Institute at Grand Valley State University.
This conversation began when concerns about the rise in Anti-Jewish and Anti-Muslim hate and discrimination on college and university campuses in West Michigan were brought to a joint group of RCA and CRC interfaith leaders, but we all agreed these concerns are prevalent throughout the United States. Therefore, we want to offer this conversation opportunity to a larger audience.
The Reformed Church in America and the Christian Reformed Church in North America are both denominational members of Shoulder to Shoulder. I was blessed to attend their annual business meeting earlier this year as the RCA representative, and I continue to be amazed at the work they are doing. You can learn more about the work of the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign here: https://www.shouldertoshouldercampaign.org/.
Please join us on June 6 from 1-2:30 PM ET (register by clicking on the link on this page), and share this invitation with others who might be interested in attending.
Thank You,
JJ TenClay
Missionary & Refugee Ministries Coordinator
Global Mission
Reformed Church in America
jjtenclay@rca.org
https://www.rca.org/jj-tim-tenclay
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Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Some of us have just celebrated Women in Ministry Sunday, alongside Pentecost. To continue the ongoing work and celebration of the Spirit gifting and calling women (and men), I want to remind you that you are invited to the CBE (Christians for Biblical Equity) International stateside conference, taking place July 26-28, 2024, in Denver, Colorado. The theme for this year is “Tell Her Story: Women in Scripture and History.” Get more details about the event, including lodging options.
Please note the special RCA registration page. We get a 35 percent discount for being a member organization! Be sure to use this code for the 35 percent discount: CHAMPIONS
This conference is for women and men who are passionate to see us all live freely, fully into our gifts and callings. Come with an open heart to connect with like-minded siblings in Christ, learn from global experts, and bring transformational resources back to your context!
We have a wonderful, diverse group of RCA leaders already registered, so you will be among friends when you join us! My team and I will be at this conference as well, and we look forward to welcoming you!
Register for the CBE conferencePlease do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Together in ministry and mission,
Rev. Liz Testa
Director of Women's Transformation and Leadership
The Center for Church Multiplication and Ministry
Reformed Church in America
#sheiscalled #ellaesllamada
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Hello Friends in the Denomination,
Here at the denomination office we are looking to hire a couple positions and we are hoping you can help us spread the word. We hope to fulfill these positions in the next couple months!
Chief Ministry Officer - Full Time position, location Grand Rapids, MI or remote
Chief Advancement and Communications Officer - Full Time Position, Location Grand Rapids, MI or remote
We look forward to filling these leadership roles in the organization.
Thank you for your help in spreading the word!
Andrea Grooters
Human Resources Manager
Executive Assistant to the CFO
General Synod Logistics Coordinator
Reformed Church in America
Ph: 616-541-0859 Fax: 616-541-0837
www.rca.org
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TECHNOLOGY CHECK UP FOR THE NEW YEAR
Over the years I've helped different churches in the Regional Synod to work on their websites, video calls and live-streaming. Often churches have wanted to copy something they've seen somewhere else, rather than thinking through what might work for them.
This year I'd like to offer a six point check up that can help churches build a solid foundation for digital presence. Follow this link to read my report, and let me know if you'd like to take this journey in 2024!
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Dear NJIC3/CIC family and friends,
I'm happy to share the news that we'll soon be launching a new virtual book club!
You're invited to join us as we read and discuss Maggie Bruehl's book, "Suspended: Living With Dying," a memoir of her cancer journey. The insights, reflections, and stories shared will resonate with you regardless of whether you've personally experienced a cancer diagnosis or you've supported a loved one as they navigated a cancer journey.
If you're interested in the group, please visit https://rebrand.ly/NJIC3-LWD-book-club for more information, to vote on a meeting day and time, and to complete the sign-up form. Email me at austin.njic3@improvingnj.org with questions that aren't answered on the sign-up form.
Feel free to share this email with any friends and family who might be interested in joining the group. (And remember, since it's a virtual book club, it's accessible to your friends and family no matter where they live. (Delivery of books will be arranged for out-of-state participants.))
Have a good evening,
Austin
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CHURCH POSTINGS
- CLOVER HILL REFORMED CHURCH, SEEKING PART-TIME PASTOR (ABOUT 24 HOURS/WEEK)
Clover Hill Reformed Church, a traditional, homey congregation with an active core of about 30 congregants, is seeking a part-time pastor.
Like many churches who have had a long-time pastorate (ours was almost forty years), our path forward has had many twists and turns. Almost eight years after this pastor’s retirement, we have completed a full self study and are looking forward to our next season. We have active ministry teams that oversee all the work of the church led by a group of committed servant leaders. We are committed to each other, our community and God, and need the support of a pastor who will help translate these commitments into action, growth and ministry.
The part-time position would be about 24 hours and involve leading worship, pastoral care, and working with our teams to develop new strategies for outreach. The pastor will be president of our Consistory. The candidate should be ordained, or eligible for ordination in either the RCA or one of our denominational partners (the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Christian Reformed Church in North America.)
Clover Hill Reformed Church is in Hillsborough New Jersey, which is in central New Jersey, almost equidistant between Philadelphia and New York and about 30 minutes from both the Princeton and New Brunswick Theological Seminaries. The church is located in a rural/suburban area with one of the top school systems in the State. The current parsonage is a vintage farmhouse and is adjacent to the church.
Workload and compensation will be negotiated with the successful candidate.
Our church profile can be found here: https://www.cloverhillchurch.org/job-opportunities
To apply, please email our Search Team Chair, Marilyn Fineman, at m2fineman@gmail.com (posted Sept 22, 2023)
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Lisha's Kill Reformed Church, in the small upstate NY city of Schenectady, seeks a minister of Word and sacrament. They hope their new pastor will be excellent preacher of bible-based messages who is also is a good spiritual leader with a focus on church growth. From their profile: "We believe God has a plan and will lead us to the right person to not only be a wonderful pastor leading church worship services, but also focusing on strengthening our members and overall health and well being of our congregation." Interested candidates should email the search committee chair, Robert Farquharson, to request the church profile. rfarquharson77@me.com (posted September 19, 2023)
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Plainview Reformed Church is seeking a full time Minister (posted Sept 15, 2023)
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Aleta Shepler recommends the following recording as it relates to church growth and multiplication in the Regional Synod | |
Robin Suydam, a member of the Regional Synod, is a board member at Creation Justice Ministries as a representative of the RCA. There are many resources available on their website. | |
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
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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!
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THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING CHURCHES FOR ADDING THEIR LIVESTREAM INFORMATION TO OUR ARCHIVES PAGE
Wyckoff Reformed
Three Bridges Reformed
Ocean Community, Mahahawkin
Parkside Community
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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!
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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. | |
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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! | |
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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.
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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! | |
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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. | | | | |