JANUARY
Monday, 1st Happy New Year!
Church Office Closed
Thursday, 4th
7:30 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal
Saturday, 6th
9:00 am Praise Team Rehearsal
Sunday, 7th
8:00 am Praise Team Rehearsal
9:30 am Adult Choir
10:00 am Worship Service/Communion
Sunday School
11:30 am Children’s Choir
6:00 pm Jr. & Sr. Youth Groups
Wednesday, 10th
1:00 pm Psalm 119 Adult Study
6:30 pm Men of St. Paul’s
7:30 pm Confirmation
Thursday, 11th
7:30 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal
Friday, 12th
5-6 pm Backpack 4 Kids
Saturday, 13th
9:00 am Praise Team Rehearsal
Sunday, 14th
8:00 am Praise Team Rehearsal
9:30 am Adult Choir
10:00 am Worship Service
Ordination/Installation Consistory
Sunday School
11:30 am Children’s Choir
Soup Swap
Monday, 15th
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Church Office Closed
7:30 pm Consistory
Wednesday, 17th
1:00 pm Psalm 119 Adult Study
7:30 pm Confirmation
Thursday, 18th
7:30 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal
****TIDINGS DEADLINE****
Saturday, 20th
9:00 am Praise Team Rehearsal
Sunday, 21st
8:00 am Praise Team Rehearsal
9:30 am Adult Choir
10:00 am Worship Service
Sunday School
11:30 am Children’s Choir
6:00 pm Jr. & Sr. Youth Groups
Wednesday, 24th
1:00 pm Psalm 119 Adult Study
7:30 pm Confirmation
Thursday, 25th
7:30 pm Adult Choir Rehearsal
Saturday, 27th
9:00 am Praise Team Rehearsal
Sunday, 28th
8:00 am Praise Team Rehearsal
9:30 am Choir Rehearsal
10:00 am Worship Service
Sunday School
11:30 am Children’s Choir
Wednesday, 31st
1:00 pm Psalm 119 Adult Study
7:30 pm Confirmation
Pastor Rich takes Friday Off.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
January 3 – No Confirmation
January 14 – Soup Swap
February 14 – Ash Wednesday
February 21 – Lenten Family Suppers
February 24 – Applebee’s Fundraiser
January 2018
Greetings
My new years’ resolution is______.
How will you fill in the blank? Is this year’s resolution the same as last year’s?
The problem I find with new year’s resolutions is that they set us up to fail. Once we break our resolution, we stop trying and give up.
For that very reason I don’t make new year’s resolutions. What I do, is make a decision to do something. It is a one day decision, which I hope to make every day of the year, regardless.
My daily decision for 2018 is to believe God’s promises.
Are you experiencing ‘God’s rest’ in your life? Or are you worn out trying to control everything and everyone around you? Maybe it is time to resign as general manager of the universe and start believing God’s promises and trusting God to do what only he can do.
The way to find ‘rest’ for your soul is to listen to God’s promises, believe them and show that you believe them by living in obedience to the word of God.
Many people hear the gospel. When you hear the gospel you have to make the most important decision of your life. Do you respond with faith and believe? Or do you respond by hardening your heart and disobeying?
The writer of Hebrews says, ‘We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith’. He urges them not to harden their hearts (v.7) or to fall through disobedience (v.11).
God’s promise to everyone who believes in the gospel is that they will enter his rest (v.1): ‘If we believe… we’ll experience that state of resting’.
In this life, there will always be trials and testing. It is never going to be without times of turmoil. However, if we believe the gospel, we have the promise of God’s eventual and eternal rest: ‘And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God’.
One day, every human being will have to give an account before God: ‘Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account’.
In the meantime, you have an amazing opportunity to experience a foretaste of that ‘rest’ as you open your heart to the word of God, for ‘the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword… it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart’.
As you open yourself day by day, the word of God penetrates your inner being, revealing areas of your life (‘the thoughts and attitudes of the heart’) that you need to sort out. At times, this may seem painful and challenging. However, the purpose is to prepare you for entering God’s rest.
Today, you can enjoy God’s rest and peace as you trust in him and his word believing that he will take care of you and provide for all your needs.
Have a blessed New Year.
Pastor Rich
WORSHIP
7 - COMMUNION
Lois Jessen is preaching
14 - ORDINATION/INSTALLATION
Have a Jesus Centered New Year
John 6:53-39; Romans 11:17-18
1. The First Question That Matters
21 -
Matthew 16:13-23; Luke 10:38-42
2. Reconsidering Jesus
28 -
Matthew 15:21-28; John 4:1-30
3. The Beeline Practices
JANUARY ’S BENEVOLENCE
December’s benevolent distribution, 8% of December’s income including the communion offering, will be used to
SOUPS ON!
January 14
On Sunday, January 14 you will have a chance to exchange $5 for a quart of home made soup.
December’s Soup Swap raised $250
If you are willing to make some soup there is a sign up in the narthex or contact Tanya Roberts @ 732-651-1257 or email
ORDINATION / INSTALLATION
SERVICE
On Sunday, January 14 the following people will be installed onto consistory.
Deacons: John Garback - 2nd Term, Sean Sullivan - 2nd Term, Debbie Kovacs, Tracy Rucinski.
Elders: Rebecca Jones - 2nd Term, Melanie Dwyer, Lois Jessen, Matt Park, Tracy Rucinski & Nikki Wesen.
PRAYER of the MONTH
Father, we surrender our thoughts — especially our feelings and our emotions — to You, You who are Faithful and True. Where fear and anxiety loom, help us fully trust in You and Your goodness, no matter the circumstances. Your Word says that You don’t give a Spirit of fear but rather Your perfect love drives out fear. Lead us to walk in the freedom of that love. Your Word promises that when we pray, anxiety will flee and peace will prevail. We purpose in our hearts to pray more faithfully and consistently so we can walk confidently in Your peace.
We ask this in the powerful and mighty name of Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who will do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ever ask or imagine. Amen.
A JESUS-CENTERED
NEW YEAR
Starting Sunday, January 14 @10:00AM marks the start of a 4 week sermon series on living the life you didn’t think was possible, a Jesus-Centered Life.
We will explore the basic foundation and key truths of living a Jesus-Centered Life.
We will explore 2 central questions in our lives which are found in Jesus interaction with Peter. The questions are:
1. Who do you say that I am?
2. Who does Jesus say that I am?
JR. & SR. YOUTH GROUP
The dates of our Sunday night meetings of faith, fun and fellowship are
January 7 & 21 @ 6:00PM
MEN OF ST. PAUL’S
The men of St. Paul’s are invited to gather on Wednesday, January 10th at 6:30pm for supper and fellowship.
PSALM 119
Even the most mature believers face dark nights of the soul. During those times, God feels distant, His Word dry, and the vibrant intimacy we knew before seems absent leaving us wondering, “Where is the Lord in this?” In Psalm 119, introduces you and me to the words of King David who experienced similar seasons of life. Serving as the anchor for the study, Psalm 119 demonstrates the power of God’s Word in the lives of believers and its ability to provide a warm blanket for the soul.
The study begins Wednesday, January 10th at 1:00pm in the social hall.
If you are unable to attend the study, you can log on to Right Now Media through our website www.stpaulsmilltownnj.org
Once on the site search Psalm 119.
GOT CHURCH APP?
We have a NEW Church App for your smart phones and tablets.
For iPhone & iPad
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/st-pauls-church-milltown/id1283839854?mt=8
For Android Phone & Pad
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bf.app106eee
The church APP will keep you informed about how you can help bring God’s love to the heart of the community.
You will find a weekly listing of events, a monthly calendar, a prayer wall to leave prayer requests, a daily devotional, a link to our Facebook. You will be able to make a donation.
myEoffering
Have you signed up?
INVITATION # 3
to participate in our NEW online giving designed to simplify your giving to St. Paul’s.
myEoffering is electronic giving that enables you to make your offering using electronic fund transfer or credit card.
It is as easy as going to:
www.myEoffering.com and signing up.
When traveling, illness or other circumstances prevent you from attending services, myEoffering will allow your weekly offering to continue uninterrupted, enabling us to fund our ministry of bring God’s Love to the heart of the community.
Information about how you can sign up will be forth coming.
Faithful consistent weekly giving is essential to the financial health of our church’s ministry.
ASH WEDNESDAY
Feb. 14, 2018
This year we will be hosting the joint Ash Wednesday service with the Milltown Methodist Church.
The service time is 7:30PM
LENT FAMILY NIGHT DINNERS
The first of our five Wednesday night dinner will be February 21st. The dinners start at 6:30pm followed by a worship service at 7:30pm
The theme of this year’s Lenten worship services is: 40 Days with Jesus.
It is a series of eyewitness accounts that dramatically retell the course of Christ’s ministry leading up to his crucifixion.
Applebee’s Flapjack
Fund Raiser
February 24, 2018
8am - 10am
The Senior Youth Group is hosting this fund raiser for the benefit of the church.
Tickets are available after worship or at the church office.
FINANCIALS
NOV. 2017 YR to DATE
Income $ 19,688.32 $223,380.77
Expense $ 23,408.27 $248,683.71
Gain/(Loss)($ 3,719.95) ($ 25,302.94)
Nov. 201 ($ 7,718.08) ($ 43,694.24)
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
I have been told numerous times that all the church wants is money.
I will never apologize for asking for money or for taking up an offering. The offering IS worship.
When you give you are showing your love for God and your obedience to Him.
Many people struggle with giving away their hard earned money. There are bills to pay and stuff we want. Giving is often far down our list of priorities.
How can we love giving away what we frankly love, money?
I love to give and here is why. When I give it is to give back to God a portion of the many blessing He has given me. Realizing His graciousness to me allows me to be gracious in my giving.
When I give I remember that I can never out give God and that God has promised to bless me when I give. Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you.”
When I give I know that it will be used to impact people for Christ. I know my gifts make a difference.
Thinking of giving in these terms makes giving more fun and creates a love of giving within.
SCRAP BOOKING
Do you have photos you don’t know what to do with Join our Scrapbooking Club. We meet two Wednesdays a month in the social hall from 10am – 2 pm, $5.00, bring your lunch. Call Donna Lucid to RSVP or with any questions at 908-331-1758.
Music at St. Paul’s
Thank you, thank you
To all who added their musical gifts to our December worship: Adult Choir; Praise band; Sunday school children and Elana Kircher; soloists Tanya Roberts, Richard MacDowell, Harry Costello, Nate Devine, Dawn Milburn, Pam Sarch, Matt Park. Thanks be to God for your generosity!
Our Advent season and entry into Christmas have included the proclamations of a lovely cantata and Christmas pageant, as well as so many beautiful carols and hymns.
And thank you to all of you, the members of St. Paul’s, for lifting your voices in song as we confess together that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Children’s Choir
The Children’s Choir resumes regular rehearsals on Sun., Jan. 7. We meet after Sunday school, from 11:30 to noon in the chapel of the church school building, and we welcome new singers in grades 1-6.
Adult Choir
Resumes regular rehearsals on Thurs., Jan. 4. We rehearse from 7:30 to 9 pm on Thursdays in the choir room.
This year’s first order of business is preparation for the Ash Wednesday service that St. Paul’s will host on Feb. 14, 2018. We will be joined by the choir of the Methodist Church of Milltown.
Come join us; new singers are always welcome!
RESURRECTION WINDOW
KENNETH CHRISTENSEN
Cindy Gray
Christine Bettendorf
MICHAEL & NANCY DUFFY
Ken & Judy Skalla
Helen Soulea
Fran Christ
MEMORIAL FUND
JACK WEBER
Doris Weber
KENNETH CHRISTENSEN
Doris Weber
CLARENCE SOULEA
Helen, Nancy, Lois & Connie
GENERAL FUND
Chris Tarjani
KEN & JUDY SKALLA
Michael & Nancy Duffy
BREAVEMENT
Our sympathy to the family of Don Schiable, who died 11/25.
Consistory Minutes
December 11th, 2017
In Attendance: Rebecca Jones, Greg Reeves, Nick Bamond, Steve Kircher, John Garback, Julie Park, Dave Hasting, Chuck Rucinski, Joanne Ciaccio, Sean Sullivan, Frank Devine, Debbie Paley, and Pastor Rich Weyer.
Meeting called to order at 7:35pm by Pastor Rich who opened the meeting with devotions and prayer.
November’s meeting minutes were approved without change. Motioned by Frank D. / seconded by Rebecca J.
Correspondence
-None
Finances
-Permission was given to Debbie Paley to transfer money from the endowment fund to the capital improvement account to cover the recent invoice for work on the window.
-Five people have been using E-Offering.
-Fourteen $25.00 gift cards were purchased from the left over benevolence money from November to be used for families in need in the future.