The Voice of FRC - January 2025

The Newsletter of the Franklin Reformed Church

www.frcnutley.com

frcnutley@optimum.net

Church Office 973-667-7022

Pastor Jill Fenske

From the Pastor’s Desk

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.“ Isaiah 43.2

I don’t recall a turning of the year when I have said, “good riddance” to the year

that was. But this year, I am officially glad that 2024 is almost finished. As most of you

know the seasons in the last one third of 2024 were challenging ones for this

Congregation. Aging, illness, loss, and death were all part and parcel of what was on

our collective “plates” since August.

I am hopeful that the year to come, as we try to remember to write 2025, will

bring us some relief from these burdens that we have carried over the last five

months. I look to God to bring us some sense of the future of our church community. I

pray that we who are aging will learn to be gentle with ourselves and our aging

bodies. I hope that treatment of sickness will bring relief. I long to see a day where we

can concentrate on ministry and mission, rather than financial issues.

None of us can know what the new year will bring, and I think that’s a good

thing. It will do us no earthly good to worry about what we see in our personal and

collective futures. Ecclesiastes reminds us that all time is in God’s hands. The writer

reminds us, after telling us that everything has its own season, “I know that whatever

God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God

has made it so, in order we should fear (be in awe) before God.” (chapter 3.14&15)

Since we cannot know what lies ahead of us, personally and collectively, what is

there that will carry us through both the joys and difficulties that we will encounter in

the months of the year of our Lord, 2025?

I often turn to the Heidelberg Catechism, one of the confessional foundations of

the Reformed Church in America. The catechism was written, in part, by Zacharius

Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus and approved by the Synod in 1563. This document

written to teach the theology of the Reformed tradition, was an educational tool. Up

through the 1960's those in “confirmation” classes were required to memorize the

catechism in part or in total.

The catechism is divided into three distinct parts: guilt, grace and gratitude, or

alternatively sin, salvation and service. But it is always the first question and answer

that rings in my head and heart. The question: “What is your only comfort in life and

in death?” The answer: “That I am not my own but belong - body and soul, in life and

in death - to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.”

So, no matter what this year holds for us, we can be sure that we do not

celebrate or sorrow without God, in Jesus, accompanying us along the way. And that

can be our comfort as we stand in the doorway of this new year.

This and That

Consistory will meet next on Sunday, January 5th. We will be addressing 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.

Everyone who is part of our church family is invited and encouraged to submit a

scenario, defined as an imagined or projected sequence of events, especially any of

several detailed plans or possibilities, as to what you may have discerned that God

might have in mind for the future of this community. To include them in continuing to

unfold what God may be saying among us, please leave them at the church office or

submit them to frcnutley@optimum.net. Once we have homed in on one or two

scenarios, the Consistory will call a congregational meeting to discuss our

recommendation and reasonings.

Discovering God Leaders and Learners have selected the theme for 2024-2025:

Trees in the Biblical narrative. In January we will be learning about olive trees in the

Bible. Diane M. will be our leader. Join us! Discovering God meets on the 2nd, 3rd, and

4th Sundays of each month at 10 am, which this month is January 12th, 19th, and

26th. We gather both in person and via ZOOM using the same link that is sent out for

worship.

If you have not yet returned your Commitment Card for 2025, please send it to

or drop it off at the Church Office. This information is helpful as the Consistory makes

financial decisions during the year. Thank You!

Thank you to all who participated in the “Gifts of Hope” project this year, and to

Gail for coordinating the program this year. You may or may not have noticed the

ornaments on our Christmas tree in the Sanctuary which have been collected over

several years and which are sent as a thank you for our participating in this ministry of

mission.

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.

Yes, there is a church Christmas card... but as usual we are a wee bit tardy in

sending it out. Look for it in the coming days.

Generally, Communion occurs on the first Sunday of each month, unless

otherwise decided by the Consistory. 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.

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:

• Everyone who pitched in to “deck the halls” here at FRC this season

• Gail M. for taking on the Gifts of Hope program this year

• Everyone who helped facilitate the doorjam Christmas Concert this year. It was

especially nice to have the support of some of our “church kids,” Nicole L., Andrew

and Joyce D., Al F. W., and Linnea and Anna B..

• Robert W. and Loretta K. who worked with People’s Heating when the Sanctuary

boiler (which is 45 years old!) had issues during Christmas week.

• Robert W., Jim T. and Loretta K. who keep up after our buildings and cemetery.

• Joe R. who was our musician for Christmas Eve

• doorjam for their participation in the Christmas Eve Service and Lessons and

Carols

• Linda R. who created the Christmas Card; the photo was from last year’s

Christmas Concert, Kerrie’s last decorating year

• Jeff G. for coordinating the Poinsettias and Church Christmas Card and for

coordinating gifts of flowers for worship each Sunday

• Readers during Advent and Lessons and Carols: Gail M., Ginny J., Vicky C.,

Linda R., and Jeff G.

At the September Consistory meeting some general decisions were made about

celebration events for the year 2025, the 170th Anniversary of the founding of this

congregation. 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 a 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: except for 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 selfcontained. 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 Grieco will be handling 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.

Well done good and faithful servants who over the years have supported the

Purple Dragon farm share for Marion House. Unfortunately, the program has stopped

due to several factors. Thanks be to God for Diane M’s leadership in this ministry over

the years, and everyone who financially supported it. We will begin conversations as to

how we might continue to support the residents at Marion House soon.

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 MidAtlantics have decided to do the same. We are grateful to those who have made their

contribution towards the assessment amount in 2024. When we have the amount for

2025, we will let the Congregation know.

From the Historian

January 1925 at Franklin Reformed Church:

The Men's Association celebrated their 7th annual anniversary dinner on January

15th. The guest speaker was Mr. Sherman Rogers, Associate Editor of Success

Magazine known throughout the United States as the "lumberjack orator."

His Five points were printed in the Jan. 25 bulletin:

First - People must be big enough to know that there are three sides to every

question: your side, the other fellow's side, and the right side. Second - Ninety-five per

cent of people want to be square, but the only way people can be square is if they are

thoroughly acquainted with both sides of a problem. Third - No man or woman is big

enough to hate or reason at the same time. Fourth - People, in all walks of life, must

inspire respect. Fifth - Faith in man is the gyroscope of civilization.

Also in the bulletin on that day was "A Collect for Club Women" by Mary Stuart

Broadbent, (1873-1963). She was the church organist at the time and married to

Ernest L. Broadbent (1871-1957). Their daughter was Elizabeth, and they are buried in

our cemetery. Mary’s father was Rev. William Stuart.

Her collect was used by the Nutley Woman's Club and noted in the bulletin that it

was "worthy of a place in the devotions of all our families" by Rev. Harold Schenck.

100 years later as we begin a New Year it is just as timely:

"Keep us from pettiness; let us be large in thought, in word, in deed. Let us be

done with fault-finding and leave off self-seeking. May we put away all pretense and

meet each other without self-pity and without prejudice. May we never be hasty in

judgment and always generous. Teach us to put into action our better impulses,

straightforward and unafraid. Let us take time for all things; make us grow calm,

serene, gentle. Grant that we may realize it is the little things that create differences;

that in the big things of life we are as one. And may we strive to touch and to know

the great common heart of us all and let us not forget to be kind."

From the Hart

Congratulations – we made it! I must confess there were long moments when I

didn’t think we would - or that I would. I have described 2024 as a roller coaster year.

Highs followed by lows. Some of those lows threatened to cripple us. But then there

would be another high – and then another low. So, we start 2025 still reeling from

some of last year’s lows. I have just begun my medical treatments, and already there

have been good days and bad with over a month to go before they finish. We still

mourn the loss of very dear loved ones. And every day brings news of yet another

virus floating around waiting to create more worldwide chaos. But somehow, I am not

afraid. I know that my life is in God’s hands. He has been with all of us through the

highs and the lows of 2024, and He isn’t going anywhere in 2025. So, here’s to the

New Year. May God grant the strength and courage to face whatever it brings.

Till next month,

Lin