The Voice of FRC - March 2025

The Newsletter of the Franklin Reformed Church

www.frcnutley.com

frcnutley@optimum.net

973-667-7022 Church Office

From the Pastor’s Desk

Job said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1.21

It is believed by scholars that the book of Job, part of the Wisdom Literature in the Biblical

narrative, was the first of the books of the Old Testament to be written down. The beginning of this

story introduces us to a man who is wealthy, happy, socially responsible, and healthy. On a dare

from one of the “sons of God,” God allows that “Satan” (the adversary) can inflict trouble on Job to

see if troubles will turn Job away from God. As we all can attest it’s easy to honor God when our lives are going well, and perhaps easier to blame God when we face difficulties. Job’s oxen, asses, sheep, and camels, along with his shepherds and servants, were all wiped from the face of the earth. The final blow, Job’s ten children, and all their families, were killed when a great wind brought their house down around them. It is after all these catastrophes that Job utters the words above.

Sometimes I even wonder how he could have spoken these words after all the losses that he

faced. Blessed be the name of the Lord! Really, after all that?

Everyone, yes, every single one of us, has suffered through loss. It comes in many forms,

some as old as Job, and some newer catastrophes that only our modern world can produce.

Our church community suffered a great deal of loss during the fall of 2024. The deaths of

significant people, the continuing financial concerns, a campus of buildings that are not aging well,

and acknowledging that we are a congregation that is aging and facing age related infirmities, with

few young people (and I’ll remind you that young is certainly relative!) to take up the work of this

church community. Add to that the fact that more and more people across all denominations, and

even in community focused service groups, are “opting out.”

I have often gone back to a book that I read in the late 90's titled Necessary Losses: the

Loves, Illusions, Dependencies, and Impossible Expectations that All of Us Have to Give Up in Order

to Grow by Judith Viorst. When we read to the end of Job, we get to Ms. Viorst’s point, there are

things we have to let go of, in order to grow. Job grows, through a conversation with God, in the

understanding that God IS God, no matter our circumstances. God is constant and loving and

wanting relationships with His people, no matter the outward events of our lives.

Through the season of Lent, we will consider stories of loss and of grief in the Biblical

narrative. We will hear the words of the Psalmists, who lament their circumstances. We will see that

the narrative itself reminds us of how we, as God’s people, are called to understand and make peace with the losses in our own lives, so that we can move forward to growth and a deeper faith.

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, March 2nd. 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 recommendation and reasons.

We will “spring ahead” on Saturday night, March 8th. Don’t be late for Discovering God or

worship on March 9th!

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

Biblical narrative. In March we will be learning about palm trees in the Bible. Jeff will be our leader.

Join us on March 9th, 16th and 23rd. We gather at 10am; the meeting is hybrid using the ZOOM link

sent out with the Worship materials on Fridays.

Ash Wednesday is March 5th. We will gather for a Pancake supper at 6:15pm followed by

worship in the Sanctuary at 7:30pm. If you are planning to attend, please sign up on the sheet on

the bulletin board or call the church office.

Orders for Easter tulips at $10 each and lilies at $12 each can be placed through March 9th.

Those who have ordered in the past will be contacted by email. Anyone else can contact Jeff with

their orders.

We will be 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 7pm to 8:30pm on March 13, 20, 27 and April 3 and 10. If you need assistance

purchasing the book, contact Pastor Jill.

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.

In the evening of April18th we are invited to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church for a service based

on the Seven Last Words. The service begins at 7pm.

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.

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

the Consistory. We will celebrate communion on March 2nd, and in April on Maundy Thursday, April17th. 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:

• Jainie who preached on February 2nd

• Loretta and Robert who “oversee” the buildings

• Jim T who looks after the Cemetery

• All those who helped to “undeck” the halls after the Christmas season

• AnnMarie who oversees our bank deposits

• The church ladies who made sure that Lin got to all her appointments

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 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 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 G. 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.

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, or if you use the 3 Assessment envelopes in your “box set” it is $46 per envelope.

From the Historian

Ten years ago, when we were planning ways to celebrate the 160th anniversary of our church

we used Kerrie’s suggestion for the anniversary booklet which we gave out on Nov. 7, 2015, at our

anniversary dinner which was held at Mamma Vittoria Restaurant in Nutley. Kerrie's idea was to ask

members and friends to tell the story of how they got to the Franklin Reformed Church. Kerrie was

confirmed on Pentecost Sunday, May 17, 1970, at FRC.

For her story Kerrie wrote: "I come from a long line of Dutch Reformed Protestants. I was

baptized and raised in the Hasbrouck Heights Reformed Church (since that was Mom's church) until

Mom thought it would be best to have my sister and me join a local church. So, I joined the Franklin

Reformed Church and stopped going to church (as a lot of high school students do.)

Fast forward to Doug's birth. He was baptized by Rev. John Hart in 1989. A few years later I

met up with Laureen at nursery school who told me that she had taken over the cradle roll at FRC

and saw Doug's name. She said that there are Sunday School classes for the little ones --- why don't

I come? And the rest is history. (Thanks, Laureen!)

We know the rest of the story of what Kerrie did for our congregation in so many ways yearround, a loving and caring friend, whose love of family, smile, and enthusiasm are just a few

reminders of what we will remember for her. A beloved member of our church,

Kerrie S. G. - February 23, 1957 – September 24, 2024

From the Hart

So, did you miss your newsletter last month? I’m sorry to report that neither the Pastor nor

your editor was feeling up to the task of putting it together, due to a case of the flu and continuing

medical treatments, respectively. First miss in 13 years for me, and much longer for Pastor Jill.

Happily, we are both quite recovered now. My treatments were much harder than I had expected

them to be, and I am truly grateful to Jainie, Linda, Loretta, Shivani, and Graham who drove me all

the way to Livingston every day in all kinds of winter weather – and we were never late! I am also

grateful to my team at St. Barnabas who treated me with kindness, caring, and respect. I really miss

those guys! And I am grateful to God for walking with me through every step of the procedures. But

I am so glad to have that all behind me. It feels great to have something more interesting to talk

about than how I am feeling all the time. I look forward to the spring and being out in the world

again. Thanks be to God!!!

Till next month,

Lin