The Voice of FRC - April 2025

The Franklin Reformed Church

www.frcnutley.com

frcnutley@optimum.net

973-667-7022 Church Office

From the Pastor’s Desk

Jesus said: I’m telling you the solemn truth. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains all by itself. If it dies, though, it will produce lots of fruit. John 12. 24 The New Testament for Everyone

The first thing that caught my attention in looking a bit more closely at this verse is how so many people want to talk about biology. Apparently, folks want to talk about the difference between a dead seed and a dormant seed. And yes, there is a difference, according to biology, but the biology of seeds was not something people in the first century knew anything about. Jesus is using the figurative language of planting something that “looks like it’s dead,” and yet the result is something that is alive.

The Greek word translated die, apothnesko, is interesting. It’s not just to die, but to die off, or to be separated from. So, what might Jesus be pointing to in this verse? Perhaps it is that something needs to end before there is a beginning. One thing naturally follows the other. One of the things I love about living in the Northern hemisphere is that during Lent we see the natural movement from winter to spring. We see what has lain dormant blossom into life, and living things return from their winter habitats. Life is all around us.

And yet I, myself, have often moved too quickly from death to life, from separation to reunion. And that I think is something that we all need to be more careful about. During this season of Lent, we have considered passages from the Biblical narrative that represent loss. Loss, not simply death, is part of each and every one of our stories. No exceptions.

Loss tends to teach us a great many lessons in life. I am sure that you have stories of your own about how when one thing was lost, another came into its place. How the process of grieving over loss has moved you from one place in your life, to the next. No matter how hard that lesson is, we can grow and learn from our losses.

Death and grief in our culture are often awkwardly rushed through. We want to get back to where we were before. We have moved death into institutions, think funeral homes, churches, and cemeteries, and out of our homes. If that makes your skin crawl, maybe that’s the point. Too often people want to rush through their grief, in a month or a year, as if there is a time limit on grief. Many are often left at a loss for words in the face of loss. And what complicates grief is that every one of us will experience it differently, will learn a different lesson.

Growth and transformation often require, yes require, letting go or even a sacrifice. Nadia Boltz Weber, a Lutheran (ELCA) pastor and theologian, has written, and which thankfully Jainie has reminded me of: Resurrection looks a lot like death. So, it is my hope that we can stay a while at the cross, which is itself a crossroads of life, death, and eternal life. But let’s take it slow and easy before we rush to the after party. Let us allow ourselves to grieve our losses so that we can then find what it really means to live.

This and That

Due to the nature of the Lenten series, Necessary Losses, please know that if any of the themes or worship services provoke feelings that you are having trouble holding, Pastor Jill is, as always, available to sit with you and listen to the things this series may raise in you.

Consistory will meet next on Sunday, April 6th. We continue to address several different “futures” as we continue to seek God’s guidance. We have prayed, studied Scripture, invited God’s presence to be with us, and engaged in deep thinking together. Once we have homed in on one or two scenarios, the Consistory will call a congregational meeting to discuss our recommendations and reasonings.

We are having our weekly Lenten Book Study again this year with Holy Trinity and Grace Episcopal Church. The book that the clergy have chosen is Jesus’ Alternative Plan: The Sermon on the Mount by Richard Rohr. This is an updated version that was released in 2022. We will gather via ZOOM from 7:30 pm on April 3rd and 10th.

We will gather at 9:45 am on Palm Sunday at the church on April 13th for the Blessing of the Palms followed by a Potluck Breakfast. Join us! Bring a breakfast treat to share.

On Maundy Thursday, April 17th, we will gather for a meal and worship with Communion at table. We begin at 6:15 pm. If you are planning on attending, please sign up on the list on the bulletin board or call the church office.

Good Friday, April 18th you are invited to participate in The Cross Walk led by the Nutley Clergy Fellowship. We will gather in front of the High School at 12 noon. The walk continues with Scripture readings and prayers at significant “spots” in the center of Nutley. The walk takes about an hour and 15 minutes.

On the evening of April 18th, we are invited to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for a service based on the Seven Last Words. The service begins at 7pm.

The decoration of the church for Easter will take place on Saturday morning April 19th at 10am. The crew usually goes out for breakfast afterwards. Everyone is welcome.

On Easter Sunday we will gather at 10 am in the Community House for breakfast. Again, there is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board.

Generally, Communion occurs on the first Sunday of each month, unless otherwise decided by the Consistory. We will celebrate communion in April on Maundy Thursday, April 17th and in May, on the day of our Annual Meeting, May 18th. If you are unable to attend services in person, the Pastor is available to bring Communion to your home. Please call the church office to make a request.

Discovering God Leaders and Learners have selected the theme for 2024-2025: Trees in the Biblical narrative. In April we will be considering the Cross. Pastor Jill will be our leader. We are meeting only once during April, on Sunday the 27th. We gather at 10am; the meeting is hybrid using the ZOOM link sent out with the Worship materials on Fridays.

Mark your calendars for the Congregational Meeting, which will be held on May 18th following worship. We will be talking about possible “futures” of the congregation. Please join us. More specific information will be in the May newsletter.

We want to assure folks that the new doors for the east side of the Community House have been ordered. When they arrive, our contractor will schedule a time to install them.

It takes a church! I am grateful to God for all those who have lent a hand, taken on a task and shown their commitment to the ministry of our congregation over the last month:

• Ann Marie who has made new tags that go with the Sunday morning flowers

• Tricia for creating the new art piece in the sanctuary for Lent and Easter

• Loretta and Robert who oversee the buildings

• Jim T. who looks after the Cemetery

• Loretta and Linda R. who organized the Ash Wednesday Pancake Supper

• Jainie who not only provides us with music on Sunday mornings, but also provided

music for the San Giacomo family prior to the internment of ashes

• Nicholas and Eric Buset and Robert Wilson who assisted in the cemetery for the internment of ashes.

We are again collecting items and donations for the Welcome Kits that we send to Camp Sunrise in the summer. Items still needed for the Welcome Kits include - deodorant, soap, combs, large bottles of shampoo, packs of tissues, washcloths, and monetary donations of any size. Please place these items in the CAMP SUNRISE box in the sanctuary. Thank you!

We will be celebrating the 170th Anniversary of the founding of this congregation in 2025. Currently we are planning a Quilt Show and Open House, a Sunday School Reunion in the summer months, with a picnic - Jeff reminded us that the Sunday School, established prior to the Church, will celebrate 200 years of learning in 2025, a “field trip” to the Van Bunschoten homestead in Sussex, NJ., an Anniversary Dinner, and doorjam’s Christmas Concert. If you are interested in helping to plan any of these events, and we do need your help, please be in touch with Pastor Jill or any member of Consistory.

One of the events that I am excited about will be the Sunday School reunion over the summer. Everyone who has been educated by the church family will be invited to a Bar-B-Que. It was wonderful to see some of our alumni during the holiday season. Let Pastor Jill know it you would like to help with the planning for this event.

As a reminder: with the exception of Elders meetings, all church gatherings are open to every member of the Congregation, including Consistory meetings. If you are interested in attending any gathering that is announced, contact the church office for more information. Consistory minutes and financial reports are always available upon request.

Tuesday Morning Bible Study: We are studying the book of Joshua in the Old Testament. You do not need to have been to other sessions; each session is self-contained. Bible study is held via ZOOM, from 10 to 11:30 am. If you are interested in joining us, please send an email to frcnutley@optimum.net with Bible Study in the subject line, and you will be added to the invitation list.

The 2025 Flower Chart has been posted outside of the Sanctuary. The flowers may be given for special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, in memory of a loved one, etc. The cost for each Sunday is $30. Jeff handles the orders. While blessing us with beauty on Sunday mornings, the flowers are given to a member or friend of the church after each worship service. They go with our prayers for those who receive them. If you know someone who might be blessed by receiving the flowers, please let Jeff know.

The RCA General Synod made decisions in 2022 regarding the annual assessments. Each congregation is being assessed according to a percentage of their annual income, as opposed to the number of members that we record with the denomination. The Classis of Passaic Valley and the Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics have decided to do the same. We are grateful to those who have made their contribution towards the assessment amount in 2024. Assessments for 2025 are $137.00, or if you use the 3 Assessment envelopes in your box set it is $46.00 per envelope.

From the Historian

100 years ago, April 5th was Palm Sunday. Franklin Reformed Church received new members, and Ruth Keenan, Olive Pfannkoch, and Dina Romlein were among those who were confirmed. In the 1980's the three of them served on Consistory. Easter Sunday was on April 12th. As was the custom for many years, the service included the Rite of Baptism. The next day at 10 am the members of The Franklin Boy's Club met Rev. Schenck and went on a hike. The boys were instructed to bring dues, lunches, and baseball equipment. On Sunday April 19th there was a pulpit exchange with Rev. Bradley J. Folensbee of the Twelfth Street Reformed Church, Brooklyn, NY.

Among the bulletin notices in April was one sharing the news for those who had been at the Annual Meeting in February that their gift was given to Rev. and Mrs. Calvin Meury for their new home in the Bronx. "Friends from the Franklin Reformed Church are now represented there by a chair in the sun parlor." On May 7th the Women's Missionary Society was going to celebrate their 40th anniversary in the Community House. On April 19th Division Two of the Women's Guild was presenting An Old-Fashioned Play. The tickets were 50 cents for adults and 35 cents for children. The Elementary School Principals in March sent advance notice to the churches in town that Friday, April 24th there was going to be a presentation of Tony Sarg's famous Marionette show and was requesting assistance from church groups to keep the date free from competing events.

80 years ago, Nutley Mayor William J. Jernick led meetings that were held in January and February with citizens to consider the formation of a Nutley Historical Society. On March 5th, more than 200 residents attended a meeting in the Stockton Room of the Nutley Library to learn of the plans from the mayor. Those present voted and approved of the proposal. Two members of our church were on the Steering Committee representing the oldest families in Nutley, Frank B. Speer and Miss Elizabeth Tuers. The first two organizational meetings of The Nutley Historical Society were held on April 11th and May 2nd of 1945.

From the Hart

The year was 1961. I was ten years old, in fourth grade, and about to experience my very first honest-to-goodness crush. Because Dr. Kildare was about to debut on our black and white TV. Being a kid, I usually gravitated toward sitcoms. But Daddy had control of the dial (no remotes back then), and we generally watched whatever he wanted to watch. So, on came this medical drama starring Richard Chamberlain as the young doctor K, and Raymond Massey as wise old Dr. Gillespie. One look at those gorgeous eyes (which I later discovered were bright blue), and I was hooked. I sat through every episode until the show was cancelled in 1966. Then nearly 20 years later, when I DID have control over the remote, I sat through all eight hours of The Thorn Birds to watch Mr. Chamberlain as the very sexy Father Ralph. Oh, my beating heart! I heard that my heartthrob passed away yesterday. Today would have been his 91st birthday. But in my heart, he will be forever young and beautiful. Rest well, Dr. Kildare. I will never ever forget you.

Till next month, Lin