Looking Ahead from 23 Aug 2009

• 6 Sept 2009 (Sunday) - 9:30 am Worship Service with Communion

• 13 Sept 2009 (Sunday) - 10:30 am FALL WORSHIP TIME RESUMES

• 26 Sept 2009 (Saturday) NOON - 5 pm ABERDEEN DAY (page 3)- at the High School. Come and enjoy the food, fun and music. Peggy Knowles is looking for people to stay by the FPC Booth for an hour or so to hand out brochures, talk about the upcoming Coffehouse

• 9 Oct 2009 (Friday) 7 pm - ? Fall Coffee house - Advance reservations are being taken now for performing! For an idea, check stories on our last coffee house in May. Also look for a notice in the Lantern. Again, the proceeds will go to fund Mission Matawan.

"Choose!" (Sermon Aug 23, 2009)

Today's readings were Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18, and John 6:52-68.

The Sermon today is based on John's Gospel, and I've chosen to present it from a different translation:

⁵²At this, the Jews started fighting among themselves: "How can this man serve up his flesh for a meal?"

^53-58But Jesus didn't give an inch. "Only insofar as you eat and drink flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of the Son of Man, do you have life within you. The one who brings a hearty appetite to this eating and drinking has eternal life and will be fit and ready for the Final Day. My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. By eating my flesh and drinking my blood you enter into me and I into you. In the same way that the fully alive Father sent me here and I live because of him, so the one who makes a meal of me lives because of me. This is the Bread from heaven. Your ancestors ate bread and later died. Whoever eats this Bread will live always."

⁵⁹He said these things while teaching in the meeting place in Capernaum. ⁶⁰Many among his disciples heard this and said, "This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow."

^61-65Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, "Does this throw you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don't make anything happen. Every word I've spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. But some of you are resisting, refusing to have any part in this." (Jesus knew from the start that some weren't going to risk themselves with him. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, "This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father."

^66-67After this a lot of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: "Do you also want to leave?"

^68-69Peter replied, "Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We've already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:52-68, The Message)

MUGWUMP: a fence sitter. The term in US History came to be known as a member of the republican party during the election of 1884 who bolted from the party, enabling the election of Grover Cleveland. Today is mugwump is someone who is considered to be cautiously neutral on a topic. Pastor Loril said that a person who is a fence sitter, like many of the disciples who stopped following, were like Mugwumps.

Here is a classic message from a famous rock group from the 60's, Loving Spoonful in the song "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind"?

From "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?"

Sometimes you really dig a girl the moment you kiss her

And then you get distracted by her older sister

When in walks her father and takes you in line

And says, "You better go home, son, and make up your mind"

Jesus knocked the mugwumps right off the fence. Jesus says he IS the bread of life. Sometimes you have to actually make a decision, one way or the other.

Who IS this God? Sermon Aug 16, 2009

¹⁰ But he said unto her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this did not Job sin with his lips. (Job 2:10, New American Standard Bible)

Job said atop a pile of ashes, scraping the boils with a broken pottery shard. In our main reading today (Job 1:1; 2:1-10) God and Satan test the faith of Job, a devout man. The Satan of Job is not the Satan most of us think of. Also known as "ha-Satan" he is the accuser, the bringer to trial, who only worked at the behest of God. For the better part of its 42 chapters, Job encounters misfortunes, the responses of well-meaning but misguided friends, and questions God.

Today's sermon asked "Why are we christian?" Are we only the christian who thanks God for answered prayers of goodness. For the receiving only the rich fluffy buttery muffin, for smart children, and for that rare, front row parking space? The story of Job warns us against believing only in a God that rewards our belief with prosperity and success.

Job's God is the all knowing, powerful God who loves us in adversity as well as good times, and asks us to trust God. It may not look like it from our vantage point, when we may well be sitting on our last nerve ending, or a pile of ashes, but all will be well, in God's time.

Camps and Conferences - Near and Far

Mid-summer reminds me of camps and conferences and all the fun I've had at them. Four facilities of the PCUSA come to mind.

1. This week, the Montreat Conference Center, a PCUSA conference center near Asheville, NC, is hosting the 2009 Montreat Women's Connection. There will be a college conference in January 2010 and a youth ski weekend in February 2010. The Youth Conference and the famous Worship and Music Conference were already held back in June. Read more about Montreat here.
2. You may also want to check out the 2010 Bible Conference at the PCUSA-affliated Massanetta Springs Camp and Conference Center near Harrisonburg, VA.
3. Stony Point Center, the conference center of the Synod of the Northeast, is primarily a retreat for missionaries while in the US. It hosts the occasional conference. Recently it has affiliated itself with Way Points as a destination for spiritual travelers. Way Points is currently offering a program called Biblical Feasting, which deals with the foods of the Bible. The next session is in October 2009.
4. Through its mission giving, FPC sponsors Camp Johnsonburg, a resource of NJ's seven presbyteries. Check out the camp's interactive calendar of upcoming retreats. Check out building availability for your own church retreats. And consider taking a group to the camp and working on one of the many volunteer projects they need help with.
   

Living Expectantly - Sermon 9 Aug 2009

"Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters." Isaiah 43:16

Today's sermon was based on Isaiah 43:4-21 and 2 Corinthians 1:18-22. The verses that especially resonated with me were from Isaiah: 18 “Remember not the former things,nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (ESV)

Pastor Loril asked us to avoid using at least 2 phrases: "We've never done it that way before" , and "We've tried that, and it doesn't work."

We can more profitably invest ourselves living a life of expectant hope and joy, letting go of hurts of the past and cynicism about new ideas.

Things are always in a state of flux, coming and going, living and dying. But I look at my little pot on the window sill, with the pot of "living stones", and I wait in expectation. What is expected of me?

Coos Van Waalwijk - 7 Aug 2009

Coos Van Waalwijk, former long time member of FPC and husband of Gerda Van Waalwijk (Elder and PW member), passed away on Friday, August 7 after a long illness.

The arrangements are:

Monday, August 10:
Ocean Community
Reformed Church
Route 72
Manahawkin, NJ

10:00 - Reception in fellowship hall.
11:00 - Funeral service/sanctuary.

Condolences can be sent to:
Gerda Van Waalwijk
7 Dogwood Road
Manahawkin, NJ 08850

In memory of a life well lived. Thanks, Coos.

It's Party Time - 2 Aug 2009

Today's sermon was based on the parable of the great feast, from Luke 14:1, 7-24. The other reading was Micah 6:6-8.

We are all invited to share in the bounty of God's table, and celebrate in lives that reflect our joy.

Committed to Serving - The Church and The Community

We support a number of local and regional mission causes and are always looking for new opportunities. Our community outreach includes:

1) Mission Matawan, a week-long summer program that provides a helping hand to people who lack the resources to deal with yard work and home repair;

2) The Matawan Community Food Pantry, sponsored by Cross of Glory Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian Church of Matawan;

3) Local Habitat for Humanity affiliates,

4) The Connect Program;

5) Love, Inc.; and

6) The Refugee Resettlement Program

Church Family Pictures set for August - Sign Up Now

It is once again time to prepare an all new updated Pictorial Church Directory! Sign Ups for appointments have already begun during coffee hour after church, in the fellowship hall.


What a wonderful way to put names to faces to those you meet on Sunday mornings - if you are a long time member, or a new member.



There is no charge for having your photographs taken, and each family receives one free 8 x 10 portrait. Additional photos in many combinations and sizes will be available for purchase, if you are interested.



Photographers from Lifetouch Photography will be in our Fellowship Hall on:
• Wednesday, August 19 from 1 pm until 8 pm
　
• Thursday, August 20 from 12 noon to 4:30
　
• Friday, August 21 from 2 pm until 8 pm
　
• Saturday, August 22 from 9 am until 4 pm.



If you prefer, reservations may be made on the church website: www.fpc-matawan.org. Click on "Photo Sign-Ups" on the left side and then follow the directions to make your reservation.

Youth Group Trip to the Adirondacks

The First Presbyterian Church of Matawan Youth Group sent eleven high school students and three adult leaders (Diane Ferry, Pat Cashin, and Nicole Spadafino) up to the Adirondacks for a summer mission trip in July. Don and Sara Day hosted the group at Daybreak, their wooded, four-acre homestead in Chester, New York. (Mailing address is North Creek) The group worked on several local mission projects in coordination with the pastor of the nearby Grace Bible Fellowship.

The youth group drove to upstate New York in a rented van on Saturday 18 July. Don and Sara made their way from Matawan in their family station wagon a day or two earlier. With only five bedrooms at Daybreak, Don thought they might have to put the boys up in the barn, but things worked out that everyone could sleep in the house. The barn was relegated to the group's morning yoga routine. The youth group had nightly Bible readings and discussion, as well as daily morning prayers after yoga.

On Sunday 19 July, the youth group attended worship at Grace Bible Fellowship, where the pastor's sermon focused on that week's recently completed Vacation Bible School. The chancel was covered with art boards telling various Bible stories. After church, the pastor fixed hamburgers for the youth group. After the cookout, the youth group went for a welcome swim at a local watering hole.

On Monday 20 July, the youth group met at the church at 8 am. The pastor and his wife and three children live in a manse right next door to the church. The pastor and his roughly 9-year-old son worked on all the projects.

The first job was for a pastor with a heart condition and his wife. They had a wrap-around porch that needed painting, plus a slope covered with 6-foot logs and tree limbs from the recent clearing of land leading down to a pond. Clearing the hill involved tying ropes to the ends of the logs, then manually pushing them up to level ground while others pulled the ropes. I hear that Pat did a lot of the pushing. Don says the neighbors have been encouraged to come by for firewood.

The second job was another porch that needed painting. This was for a woman who was recently widowed and was having difficulty making ends meet. The group got half the job done on Monday, then Don and a couple of the youth finished up on Wednesday morning.

The third job involved adding a pitched roof to a house trailer belonging to a husband and wife and infant child. The couple were missionaries heading to southeast China in two weeks to teach English (and spread the Gospel as much as the Chinese authorities will allow). The trailer had a flat roof that might cave in under the pressure of winter snows, so the youth installed joists across the top of the trailer to increase the pitch of a new roof. The missionaries spoke to the youth group over lunch about their planned trip to China. (I don't know if they are part of this particular program, but if you want to see an example of Christian mission work that is linked to English language training in China, see the Antioch School of Missions.)

The fourth job involved cleaning the windows at the church and putting the story boards away. Don says the Bible stories were illustrated by an amazing artist in the church. Don was disappointed that the Praise Band couldn't perform while the youth group was there, but the Vacation Bible School materials occupied the space where the band would normally set up. Maybe next year, if the youth group breaks its rule of never repeating a mission trip destination?

The youth group found time to visit Lake George and have some fun. The youth group Facebook site has plenty of photos of the trip. The picture at the very top of this article shows some crack shots at the arcade.

Don told me that the youth group worked amazingly well together, apparently because they get along so well. Don and Sara were both struck by how well organized they were and how discipline was simply never an issue. Well, there was the Silly Stringing of the pastor on his birthday. . .

Write me and let me know you're interested in writing your own FPC-related blog articles now and then and I'll sign you up as an author on the blog.