FEBRUARY
Wednesday, 1st
6:30 pmMen of St. Paul’s
7:30 pmConfirmation Class
Thursday, 2nd
7:30 pmAdult Choir Rehearsal
Saturday, 4th
9:00 amPraise Team Rehearsal
Sunday, 5th
8:00 amPraise Team Rehearsal
9:30 amChoir Rehearsal
10:00 amWorship Service/Communion
SOUPER BOWL – bring in cans of soup
Sunday School
11:30 amChildren’s Choir
Wednesday, 8th
1:00 pmNew Testament Study
7:30 pmConfirmation Class
Thursday, 9th
7:30 pmAdult Choir Rehearsal
Friday, 10th
6:00 pmSYG Retreat
Saturday, 11th
9:00 amPraise Team Rehearsal
SYG Retreat
Sunday, 12th
8:00 amPraise Team Rehearsal
10:00 amWorship Service
Sunday School
11:30 amChildren’s Choir
SYG Retreat
Rose Sale
Monday, 13th
7:30 pmConsistory
Rose Sale
Tuesday, 14th Happy Valentine’s Day!
Rose Sale
Wednesday, 15th
1:00 pmNew Testament
7:30 pmConfirmation Class
****MISSION TRIP DEADLINE****
Thursday, 16th
7:30 pmAdult Choir Rehearsal
****TIDINGS DEADLINE****
Saturday, 18th
9:00 amPraise Team Rehearsal
Sunday, 19th
8:00 amPraise Team Rehearsal
9:30 amChoir Rehearsal
10:00 amWorship Service
Sunday School
6pm-8pmJunior Youth Group
Senior Youth Group
Wednesday, 22nd
7:30 pmConfirmation Class
Thursday, 23rd
7:30 pmAdult Choir Rehearsal
Saturday, 25th
9:00 amPraise Team Rehearsal
Sunday, 26th
8:00 amPraise Team Rehearsal
9:30 amChoir Rehearsal
10:00 amWorship Service
Sunday School
Soup Swap
Pastor Rich takes Friday Off.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
March 1 – Ash Wednesday Service at UMC
March 8, 15, 22, 29 – Lenten Family Dinners
March 26 – Soup Swap
FEBRUARY 2017
Greetings,
“Do not be afraid.”
The expression ‘do not be afraid’ is one of the most frequent commands in the Bible. It is found 85 times in scripture. It was said to Abram, Moses, the Israelites,
Joshua, Isaiah, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, the disciples to mention a few.
Not being afraid is not easy.
At one level, fear is healthy. ‘Fear’ is an emotion induced by a perceived threat. It is a natural human emotion. It is God-given. It is a basic survival mechanism. It keeps us alive. It protects us from danger.
However, there is also such a thing as unhealthy fear. The Greek word commonly used in the New Testament is phobos – from which we get the word ‘phobia’. This is unhealthy fear. It is disproportionate to the danger posed. It is ‘False Evidence Appearing Real’. It is when I overestimate the danger and underestimate my ability to cope.
Common phobias include fears in relation to health, finances, failure, growing old, death, loneliness, rejection, messing up, public speaking, flying, heights, snakes and spiders. They also include things such as, what is now called, FOMO – the fear of missing out, the fear of not being special.
In my own life I have experienced fears – from a fear of losing to a fear of being home alone as a child to the fear of doing anything that might bring dishonor to the name of Jesus.
Another type of fear is the fear the Holy Spirit produces. The Spirit of God does not produce negative fear, but a positive
healthy fear – the fear of God. This does not mean being frightened of God. In fact, it means the opposite. It is an understanding of who God is in relation to us. It means respect, reverence, awe, honor, adoration and worship; and it could even be translated as love for God. It recognizes the power, majesty and holiness of God Almighty. It leads to a healthy respect of God and is the antidote to all other fears and phobias we experience in life. Fear God and you need not fear anything else or
anyone else.
It is no coincidence that as the fear of God has decreased in our society, all the other fears have increased. We need to return to a right relationship with God.
May 2017 be a year of fearing God.
Godspeed
Pastor Rich
PRAYER FOR FEBRUARY
Loving Father, your Son called us to become like little children. Help us in this day to hear those words afresh and to allow them to shape our lives.
Grant us a spirit of true humility that
enables us to approach you with empty hands. Forgive us that our hands so often become filled with possessions, roles and selfish expectations.
Grant us a spirit of openness to new
ideas. Forgive us that our thoughts are so easily cluttered by our knowledge and
experience of life that we are unable to hear anything that is new.
Grant us a spirit of simple trust. Forgive us that we find it so easy to complicate life, and to look with cynicism at others.
Grant us a spirit of adventure that is ready to travel with you to new places where you will be able to use us to extend your child-like kingdom of love and peace.
We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen
WORSHIP
5 COMMUNION
2 Peter 1:19-21
God Said It, I Believe It, That Settles it
12
1 Timothy 6: 6-10
A Destroying Love
19
Psalm 139
It IsNot About Who You Are, But Whose You Are
26
Matthew 7:1-5
Love The Sinner Hate The Sin
MEN OF ST. PAUL’S
All men of St. Paul’s church family are invited to join us on Wednesday,
Feb. 1st at 6:30pm for supper and fellowship.
SUPERBOWL POOL
Pick your box/es on line:
$20 Superbowl pool
$10 Superbowl pool
OR pick your boxes at fellowship hour after worship.
Cash and checks made out to St. Paul’s Church can be drop off or mailed to the church office.
How the Super Bowl pool works:
Once all the squares have been selected, numbers will be randomly picked from 0-9 for each team in the Super Bowl, and that number is assigned to a particular row or column. These numbers represent the last number in the score of each team. Example: The score is AFC 17 - NFC 14, then the winning square is the one with an AFC number of 7, and an NFC number of 4.
Winnings Breakdown for Squares
•End of 1st Quarter: 10% person with winning square
•End of 2nd Quarter: 10% person with winning square
•End of 3rd Quarter: 10% person with winning square
•End of Game: 20% person with winning square
•Payout to St. Paul’s Youth Group: 50%
SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
Let’s score a WIN for the hungry in our community. We are collecting cans of soup in connection with the Super Bowl to donate to the Milltown Food Pantry.
Sr. YOUTH GROUP
Sun. Feb. 5
NO MEETING
Fri. Feb. 10 - Sun. Feb 12
Winter Retreat at Harvey Cedars Conference Center on Long Beach Island
Sun. Feb. 19 9:30am
Youth Sunday Worship Service
Sun. Feb. 19 6pm - 8pm
Regular Youth Group Meeting
MISSION TRIP 2017
July 9 - 15
Registration form is included.
PLEASE NOTE THE DEADLINE IS
FEBRUARY 15
FINANCIAL
Dec Yr To Date
Expenses $25,908.55$294,717.38
Income $31,594.70$256,709.29
Gain/(Loss) $ 5,686.15 ($ 38,008.09)
NO APP
As of January 31 we will no longer have a church App.
$967.6 Million
Smartphone and tablet users spent a record $967.6 million dollars on game apps between Christmas and New Year’s.
$36.9 billion in 2016 is what was generated in revenue world-wide through games on smartphones and tablets! That makes mobile games the largest sector of what is roughly a $100 billion a year video game industry.
Let’s put this into context. Americans give about $115 billion annually to churches in any given year. Let that sink in.
Let me just say that I have nothing against playing games. Video games might be fun but they don’t change our world. Churches doing the work of God do! Every day in multiple ways St. Paul’s Church works to extend the Kingdom of Peace and Hope to those without peace and hope.
A gift to St. Paul’s impacts not just the present but eternity. So, let’s give generously because we know that life is not a game and people need more than the latest app on their phone. They need Jesus!
PUSH PAY
We will NO LONGER be using Push Pay for on-line giving.
In 2016 there were only 24 transactions totaling $4,024. After paying the annual fee and transaction fees consistory decide to discontinue use of Push Pay
You are STILL ABLE to use PayPal to make on-line contributions
FELLOWSHIP HOUR
HOSTS NEEDED:
February 5, 12, 19, & 26
You are responsible for providing treats and milk for coffee. Sunny D generously provides juice for kids.
Coffee, cups, plates, napkins, plastic utensils and sweeteners are provided.
SIGN UP TO HOST
@ coffee hour or
contact:
Julie Park 732-545-4266
or
Tracy Rucinski 732-545-6982
.
MEMORIAL FUND
SPIKE ADOCHIO
Chuck & Tracy Rucinski
Quinto & LuAnn Bacchetti
Bobroski Family
George & Louise Hipko
Victor & Angelina Barus
Ed & Donna Lucid
Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Lewis
Debbie Criscuolo
Ben & Cheryl Jones
Harry & Gloria Collins
Florence Murphy
Helen Haugerud
Judy Lapelosa
ORGAN FUND
FLO TOROK
Kathy Stout
Letters…
Pastor Rich,
Thanks for all the candy and goodies you sent to me at Ramapo. It was really nice to get something from home.
Alex
Dear Pastor Rich,
Just wanted to thank you for the beautiful poinsettia plant and calendar. I was so surprised and speechless. Everytime I look at it I think of you and my friends at St. Paul’s. Again Thank You.
God Bless you and your family and St. Paul’s for the New Year’s: Health, Happiness, Peace & Love
Love
Geri Lizardi & Family
Dear Pastor Rich and all the members who signed my Christmas card,
I want to thank you all for your thoughtfulness. I appreciated it very much.
I also want to thank the carolers for stopping at my home. We really enjoyed them.
Also another thank you for the poinsettia that was delivered to me. I am still enjoying it.
God Bless you all,
Irma Lou Hubbs
A big “thanks” to all who signed my Christmas card. You were “Angels”.
Day started feeling quite good, but by 10, I worked myself into a “tizzy”. And in the mail, a card from St. Paul’s friends!
A Blessed and Merry Christmas,
Betty Miller
Members of St. Paul’s,
Thank you for thinking of me and the gift of a beautiful poinsettia plant. I would also thank the people who took the time to deliver them.
God Bless,
Grace Novello
ROSES FOR YOUR
VALENTINE
The Men’s group will be selling roses Sun. Feb. 12 through Tues. Feb. 14. The cost is $14 per dozen.
You can order your roses in advance by calling the church office.
SOUP SWAP Dates – January 29,
February 26 and March 26
You can SWAP $5 for a quart of delicious homemade soup.
Anyone interested in making soup to swap, speak to Tanya Roberts.
CONSISTORY MINUTES
January 9, 2017
In Attendance: Nick Bamond, Joanne Ciaccio, Frank Devine, John Garback, Karen Gourley, Dave Hastings, Steve Kircher, Julie Park, Greg Reeves, Beckie Rumen, Kathy Shanabrook, Sean Sullivan and Pastor Rich Weyer
Meeting called to order at 7:35pm. Pastor Rich read a devotion, followed by prayer to begin meeting. Ordained and Installed – Beckie Rumen.
December’s Minutes were approved without change. Motion by Sean S./seconded by Kathy S.
Correspondence
.Milltown Fire Department - annual ban
quet request, $300 approved
.Letter from our new World Vision Child
.Several thank you notes from our homebound for poinsettias,
Christmas cards & caroling
Finances
.December’s Financials were approved. Motion by Sean S./seconded by Joanne C
Year End Summary
Our expenses exceeded our income in the amount of $38,000.09
We were $5,261 under budget in our electric and $5,118.53 under budget in our gas. Due to energy conservation measures taken.
We we $12,920.56 over in our budget in repair and maint.due to the repair of the sanctuary A/C and the replacement of the social hall A/C.
We were $23,153.24 under budget in our envelope income.
.Do to lack of use and cost to use it was decided to stop using PushPay for on-line donations.
We will continue to usepaypal for people to give on-line.
.7% of our income, $16,583.72 was given in support of other charitable organizations and causes
.We are seeking a $1,541.39 reimbursement from PushPay since we did not have a 5% increase in giving that was guaranteed.
.Looking for new fundraiser ideas for 2017
.We will be changing to Fios for our internet, cable and phone in June as a cost saving measure.
Consistory
Communion
.February 5 – Team 3
Communion Offering
.January’s Distribution – Milltown Fire Department $300
East Brunswick Crisis Room $1605
Worship
.January 22 and 29 Worship leaders Lois Jessen & Debbie Cheeseman
Ministry Teams
Church Family
.Lent Family Night Dinners will start March 8
Spiritual Life
.Worship Attendance for 2016 showed an average of 110 people per worship
.Worship Projectors – replacing bulbs (light bulbs on order)
.Ash Wednesday Service is March 1st at the Methodist Church
Education
.Sunday school attendance for 2016 showed 51 kids registered; average attendance is 21 kids.
.Vacation Bible School curriculum for 2017 has arrived
.In an attempt to increase attendance there will be a discussion with Julie Petry Milltown director of recreation to see how we might get kids who participate in SACC to attend or VBS.
Property
.Replace 35 year old smoke detectors in Ed. Bldg.
.Install a lock box outside the education building with key so the MilltownFire Department can access if needed.
.2017 Projects
.Paving of west driveway of Ed. Bldg.
.Extend Drain to field of west portico
.Electric in new closets
.Install wire shelving in AC closets.
.Parking lot lines – last done about 10 years ago
.Solar Energy
.Scrubbing wall by kitchen counter
.Broken window upper room
.Snow blower being repaired – rebuilding carburetor – Dick MacDowell
.Waxing floor
Old Business
.Install new interior hand rails/replace existing exterior hand rails
.Increase security of fellowship hall – no report
New Business
.Election:
Steve Kircher – President
Kathy Shanabrook – Vice PresidentRebecca Jones – Secretary
Appoint:
Debbie Paley - Financial Secretary;
Lois Jessen, Grace Kothari and Sue
Hoiberg scholarship committee
Motion approval of elections and appointments by Frank Devine, second by Dave Hastings
.Review consistory info sheet for accuracy.
.Reorganization – each consistory person chose the ministry team they would serve on – Property, Education, Church & Family or Spiritual Life.
.Blessings in a Backpack.org – meals for needy children to bring home for the weekend so they can have good meals. Dawn Ramsen was given the green light to see how we could participate in this ministry.
.Souper Bowl Sunday, February 5 - we will be collecting cans of soup to give to the Milltown Food Pantry.
Future Dates
.January 16 – 24 to Double – 7:30 pm
Session 1
.February 5 – Communion
.February 13 – Consistory
Motion to dismiss 9:35pm
Prayer concerns
Closing prayer
HEAD USHERS FOR
FEBRUARY
5Consistory Team #3
12Karen Gourley
19 Grace Kothari
26Joanne Ciaccio
GREETERS FOR
FEBRUARY
5Connie Michael & Carol Calantoni
12Curtis & Joan Peck
19 Lorraine Fisezi
26Sandy Muller
Greeters are asked to arrive at church by 9:20 a.m.
GREETER COORDINATOR
Judy Skalla
THANK YOU TO ALL – for donating food items for the Milltown Food Pantry. If you know of anyone in need, please refer them to the Municipal Building daily between 8:30am and 4:30pm. Food Pantry is for Milltown residents.
Music at St. Paul’s
UPCOMING
Ash Wednesday (March 1) our adult choir will join that of the Methodist Church to sing at the evening service. Interested in singing? Speak with Emily.
Holy Week preparation
Beginning, Thurs., March 2, our Adult Choir will be rehearsing music for Holy Week. We rehearse at 7:30 pm on Thursdays and welcome additional singers for the season!
Hymn Festival (March 26, 4 pm) at St. Paul’s, sponsored by the American Guild of Organists. Come journey through the story of Jesus’s passion through song. Admission is free, but we will take a freewill offering.
AMAZING GRACE
Do you know the story behind one of our most popular hymns, “Amazing Grace”?
John Newton was a former slave trader who, after a conversion experience, wrote the words to “Amazing Grace” in 1779. He became an abolitionist and minister. His autobiographical words, paired with an American melody, became a staple in Methodist hymnals even while slavery was still legal in the USA.
Although the hymn was popular in churches from the early 1800s, it was revived in the 1960s, when folk singers in the US and UK recorded it. Thanks to such recordings and placement of the hymn in popular movies, it is probably the hymn most recognized by people outside the Christian church.
And what an entryway into Christian theology! If you know nothing else about our faith, know that anyone can be forgiven, not by our own merit, but by God’s redeeming love!
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
The Lord has promised good to me;
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
ST. PAUL’S CHURCH
Founded in 1872
So. Main St. & W. Lakewood Ave.
Rev. Richard H. Weyer, Pastor
Emily Sensenbach-Gopal,
Director of Music
Church Office 732 828-0020
FAX # 732 828-0027
Please leave a message if no one is available.
Church Secretary Mrs. Carol Lagowski
Office hours: 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Financial Secretary Mrs. Debbie Paley
(address inquiries to church office)
Please address all financial inquiries to the Church Office.
NEXT TIDINGS DEADLINE –
Thursday, February 16th
2017 CONSISTORY
Elders:
Joanne Ciaccio
Frank Devine
Karen Gourley
David Hasting
Rebecca Jones
Julie Park
Greg Reeves
Don Wesen
Deacons:
Nicholas Bamond
John Garback
Steve Kircher
Robert Ramsen
Chuck Rucinski
Beckie Rumen
Kathy Shanabrook
Sean Sullivan
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Save time and prevent mistakes by writing your parishioner number on your checks and envelopes. Example: 002W
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Please notify the church office if any of the following changes occur in your household: address change, phone number change, email change, marriage, separation/divorce, death, birth, adoption, adult child(ren) moving out, or a family member being moved to a rehab. or nursing home.