Ben Johnson, Youth Director Gail Lee, Minister of Music Dr. Martin Tel, Organist Amy & Dr. Ken Carter, Children’s Choir Directors E-mail: [email protected]Website: http://www.dutchneckpresbyterian.com Inside this issue: Our Life Together 1-12 Bicentennial info 3, 8 Kid’s Page 9 Calendar 10 Birthdays 11 Worship Services 12 COMMUNITY PRESCRIPTION DROP OFF DAY - MAY 7 The Religious Leaders of West Windsor is a cooperative, nonpartisan, partnership of all houses of religious worship committed to the well being of West Windsor, New Jersey. Members include the Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Moslem faith communities. In partnership with the West Windsor Police and the West Windsor-Plainsboro Municipal Alliance a prescription drug drop off is scheduled for May 7 th , 2015. This will be a day when members of West Windsor can dispose of unused and/or expired medications anonymously. A box will be conveniently located at the West Windsor Municipal Complex (off of Clarksville) from 10:00AM-1:00PM. HYMN OF PROMISE Every spring when I see the tulip bulbs that we planted in the fall come up, I think of the beautiful Eastertide “Hymn of Promise.” You can find it in our Glory to God hymnal, nr. 250. The first verse goes as follows: In the bulb there is a flower, in the seed, an apple tree; in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there's a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. This hymn catches magnificently the promise of our faith which is the promise of new beginnings. Easter affirms this promise: Christ is risen! Whenever something seemingly has ended, even life, something new begins. In the words of the poet T.S. Eliot, who inspired the writing of this hymn: “In my end is my beginning.” Both the texts and the music were composed by Nathalie Sleeth in the mid-nineteen eighties. Sleeth once stated that she wrote it when she was “pondering the ideas of life, death, spring and winter, Good Friday and Easter, and the whole reawakening of the world that happens every spring.” The month of April will be full of wonderful signs of spring: trees in blossom, blooming tulips and other spring flowers. I realize that spring invites me to a time to quiet the mind, as nature lets loose colorful signs of hope. Spring makes it easy to connect to the Creator of light in the darkness, because God’s beauty will be revealed in the tiniest of flowers. Stanza 2: There's a song in every silence, seeking word and melody; There's a dawn in every darkness bringing hope to you and me. From the past will come the future what it holds, a mystery, Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. Shortly after its composition, the composer’s husband Ronald Sleeth was diagnosed with what turned out to be a terminal malignancy. He requested that the “Hymn of Promise” be sung at his funeral service, an appropriate occasion for this song indeed. Or, as the last verse concludes: In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity; In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity. In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory, Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. God bless, The Rev. Jan Willem van der Werff DUTCH NECK CHURCH NEWS “Nurturing...Sharing...Serving” Phone: 609-799-0712 Reverend Jan Willem van der Werff
Transcript
Ben Johnson, Youth Director Gail Lee, Minister of Music
Dr. Martin Tel, Organist Amy & Dr. Ken Carter, Children’s Choir Directors
The Religious Leaders of West Windsor is a cooperative, nonpartisan, partnership of all
houses of religious worship committed to the well being of West Windsor, New Jersey. Members include the Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Moslem faith communities.
In partnership with the West Windsor Police and the West Windsor-Plainsboro
Municipal Alliance a prescription drug drop off is scheduled for May 7th, 2015. This will be a day when members of West Windsor can dispose of unused and/or expired
medications anonymously.
A box will be conveniently located at the West Windsor Municipal Complex (off of Clarksville) from 10:00AM-1:00PM.
HYMN OF PROMISE Every spring when I see the tulip bulbs
that we planted in the fall come up, I think of the beautiful Eastertide “Hymn of Promise.” You can find it in our
Glory to God hymnal, nr. 250. The first verse goes as follows:
In the bulb there is a flower,
in the seed, an apple tree; in cocoons, a hidden promise:
butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter
there's a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
This hymn catches magnificently the promise of our faith which is the
promise of new beginnings. Easter affirms this promise: Christ is risen! Whenever something seemingly has
ended, even life, something new begins. In the words of the poet T.S. Eliot,
who inspired the writing of this hymn: “In my end is my beginning.”
Both the texts and the music were
composed by Nathalie Sleeth in the mid-nineteen eighties. Sleeth once
stated that she wrote it when she
was “pondering the ideas of life, death, spring and winter, Good
Friday and Easter, and the whole reawakening of the world that
happens every spring.”
The month of April will be full of wonderful signs of spring: trees in
blossom, blooming tulips and other spring flowers. I realize that
spring invites me to a time to quiet the mind, as nature lets
loose colorful signs of hope. Spring makes it easy to connect to
the Creator of light in the darkness, because God’s beauty will be revealed in the tiniest of
flowers. Stanza 2:
There's a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There's a dawn in every darkness bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
Shortly after its
composition, the composer’s husband
Ronald Sleeth was diagnosed with what
turned out to be a terminal malignancy. He requested that
the “Hymn of Promise” be sung at his funeral service, an appropriate occasion
for this song indeed. Or, as the last verse concludes:
In our end is our beginning;
in our time, infinity; In our doubt there is believing;
in our life, eternity. In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.
God bless,
The Rev. Jan Willem van der Werff
DUTCH NECK CHURCH NEWS “Nurturing...Sharing...Serving”
Phone: 609-799-0712
Reverend Jan Willem van der Werff
NON-RINGER SINGERS, PALM SUNDAY, APRIL 10
Session initiated a series of
conversations with staff by inviting Robbin Albert, the Office
Administrator and Financial Secretary, to come talk about her
job. The combined position is a very busy one and, while there are a
number of routine tasks each week and month, there are many
unpredictable or special tasks that she deals with, especially on the
office administrator side. She said that she feels well supported by
other staff and by session and that she very much enjoys working for
the church. Looking ahead, session will meet with members of the music staff at its June meeting.
Jan Willem started a discussion
about how the church budget is aligned with our six major focus
areas (children and youth, worship and music, pastoral care, mission,
history and identity, invitation and outreach). A first-cut analysis
showed that we are adequately invested in worship and music,
pastoral care, and the use of our facilities in invitation and outreach.
But we may be under-invested in mission and children and youth. Jan
Willem invited session members to
MARCH 15 SESSION SUMMARY come up with different ways to
look at this question and think about our hopes for the future in
terms of, for example, how we are staffed.
Bill Whipple, representing the
Memorial, Planned, and Special Gifts (MPSG) Committee,
presented a proposal to establish and investment committee as a sub
-committee of Stewardship and Finance. According to the
proposal, this new sub-committee would develop written policies for
investing church funds and report to session periodically on the performance of the church’s funds.
While these investments are not especially complicated, and most
of them are held with the Presbyterian Foundation,
nevertheless it is a “best practice” to have more than one person
looking at investment decisions. An investment committee would
also concentrate expertise and take a burden off the MPSG and
chair of Stewardship and Finance. Session approved the plan and
asked that MPSG report back with the names of the investment
committee members.
Page 2
CORNERBRIGHTENERS
Come Sunday April 10 at 8:45 AM - Don’t miss it!
Our pick-up choir for all ages meets on April 10 for our
monthly contribution to the Sunday worship celebration. We hope that you will join us at 8:45 a.m. in Fellowship Hall, when
we will have you ready to sing for 9:30 am worship. No preparation, music reading, or prior choral singing experience is
necessary and the choir is open to all ages--bring the kids! And a friend!
So if you like to sing with others but can't commit to the weekly
choir, please join this Non-Ringer-Singers choir! If you have questions (or name suggestions for the choir,
one submitted recently is: the Joyful Singers) contact Martin Tel ([email protected]),
REV. DR. THOMAS F. TAYLOR TO PREACH ON WILLS EMPHASIS SUNDAY
The Rev. Dr. Thomas F. Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Presbyterian Foundation, will be the guest preacher at the Wills Emphasis service on May 1, 2016. and will also lead the Adult Education class that day on “The Status of Philanthropy in the Presbyterian Church”. Dr. Taylor's visit continues Dutch Neck's tradition of having a guest
preacher on this special Sunday when we acknowledge and give thanks for the generous gifts Dutch Neck has received in the past.
Dr. Taylor joined the Presbyterian Foundation as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2010. He previously served as
Deputy Executive Officer for Mission at the Presbyterian Mission Agency. He also served for 12 years as a minister in Southern California and Utah. Tom began his career as an attorney in Salt Lake, Utah. He has taught courses and
educational seminars at several institutions including Princeton Theological Seminary.
Tom holds a B.A. degree from the University of Illinois-Urbana, a Master of Divinity from Yale University, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law and a Ph.D. from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Dr. Taylor has numerous academic and popular articles on the interaction of Christian faith, law and culture. His books
include the award winning Seven Deadly Lawsuits: How Ministers Avoid Litigation and Regulation (1996) and Coming to Grips with the Contradictions of Jesus (2006).
The Memorial, Planned and Special Gifts Committee, as part of Dutch Neck’s Bicentennial celebration, is sponsoring Dr. Taylor’s visit.
ADULT EDUCATION - APRIL
DNPC PHOTO DIRECTORY UPDATE
The photo directory will be going through final reviews before being submitted to the printer. Printed copies should be ready shortly.
For those members and friends of DNPC who are computer savvy, Bill Davis has prepared instructions for you to access the directory online. You may want to check out the information that is currently
online. The final directory will be available soon.
To access the Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church Online Directory
NOTE that we consider the information in the church directory PRIVATE and it is only for members and friends of the congregation.
Go to http://www.instantchurchdirectory.com/
Click on "Church Member Sign In", a gray box in upper right.
On the page that comes up, towards the bottom of the "Church Member Sign In" box, click on "Create a
login now." Enter the email that is in the church directory in the top box (if this is no longer valid, contact the church
office).
Enter whatever password you like in the two remaining boxes (don’t use your first or last name, as this is too easy to guess by outsiders).
The site will send email to you for information on how to login to http://www.instantchurchdirectory.com/ for
the first time. You can change your password later, if you wish.
Once you have an account, you can download the directory to your personal computer (in PDF form), or just access it through a web browser. You can also get convenient apps for your tablet or smartphone.
Last year’s theme was about having a conversation with someone about the walk, NAMI Mercer, and the importance of awareness about mental illness. This year we want to turn that conversation into an invitation to someone outside the church to
join our walk team in support of our brothers and sisters who are affected by mental illness. This will be a great way to introduce people to our church, to our mission efforts, and to NAMI Mercer.
If you would like to sign up, please go to http://www.namiwalks.org/team/fpcodn. Our goal is to have at least 40
walkers on our team, one for every five years of our great history. Please save the morning of Saturday, May 7th on your calendars, call a friend or two and join us in our support of NAMI Mercer. If you have any questions, please
DNPC for your loving support of me and my family when Jim died in
January! Christian love was exemplified by so many in so many
different ways. Fellowing God’s love surrounding us gave and is giving me the strength to accept his
being in Heaven after 64 years together on earth.
Special thanks, also, to the caring Deacons who provided the reception after Jim’s service, our
talented Martin Tel, the very patient Robbin Albert, and our very loving Pastor, Jan Willem. I am truly
blessed to be a member of DNPC!
Most sincerely and humbly, Betty Blaine
HELP SUPPORT THE CHURCH GARDEN!
Hi! I am Ryder Van Dyke of Troop 66, and a student of the confirmation class of 2012. For my Eagle Scout service project, I am building a tool shed for
the church’s garden so the gardeners can store more and larger tools, instead of using
the mailbox they are using now.
Along with the Tool shed, will be a built-in bench with an overhang so workers can get
off their feet and take a cool break in the shade. Naturally, a project like this will come with costs and I
along with the church gardeners would greatly appreciate any financial support that can be given by the church
body to expand the ministry of the garden. If you would like to help out with a donation, building advice or even
volunteer for the workdays, please contact me at [email protected] or 609-721-2069.
I have been given permission for the project by my troop, the BSA Council and Session after consultation from
Peggy Redman, Heidi Jamieson and Bob Dix. If you would like to donate towards the garden, there are two ways to
get the donation to the project!
1.) Leave the donation in the offering plate with a note saying you would like it to be a part of the tool shed
or write "Tool Shed” in the memo portion of the check. Please make checks payable to "Dutch Neck
Presbyterian Church" 2.) Contact me regarding the donation, and I will make
Share this with friends or acquaintances. Post a link into a regular
email and see what happens. The hits on the website have been from Russia, South America and of course The Netherlands. And keep in mind shut-ins. Take a CD
yourself to the person, or play it for them on your smart phone. Contact Skip Williams with any
BICENTENNIAL BITS (fourth in series) by Peggy Redman
Family Dinners
Having been a recipient of the deacons’ invitation to take a meal to a family for whom cooking nightly is currently difficult, http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=HLAN9412, I’ve been thinking about what Rev. Floyd Churn
referred to as “table fellowship” at the First Presbyterian Church of Dutch Neck. We are familiar with potluck suppers, where we can count on Mildred to bring delicious deviled eggs, remember the Black Forest pie Harold Cymes always
contributed, and enjoy all sorts of other dishes from Dutch Neck’s skilled cooks. The March 5th “200 Years of Children, Youth, and Music at Dutch Neck” was an excellent example. It wasn’t too long ago that we divided the
congregation into hospitality groups of 8 to10 people who shared meals and other entertainments at each other’s houses. Even the weekly coffee hour is part of this glorious tradition.
In his Sesquicentennial History 1816 – 1966, Russell Post writes of the many food-based fund raisers the Dutch Neck
women’s groups conducted. For instance, the Women’s Missionary Society (1888 – 1961) conducted box sociables, where a member would pack a delicious meal for two in an attractive package and other folks (presumably husbands and prospective beaux) would bid on and buy the box and the chance to eat the meal with the woman or girl who
prepared it. Their Election Day suppers were famous in the township and plenty of Baptists (among others) came to eat these feasts. The money raised helped to support Christian missions in the US and abroad, to furnish hospital rooms,
and to donate food and clothing to local families.
The Ladies Aid Society (1908 – 1961) raised money for use within the church, for such things as a kitchen in the 1882 chapel (the building at 321 Village Road East which is currently the West Windsor Plainsboro School District Office)
and carpeting and hardwood flooring in the sanctuary. An early fundraiser was a 1908 strawberry festival. In 1912 the Society held a Chicken Pie Supper and charged 25 cents a plate. By 1941 the Chicken Pie Suppers had become an
annual affair and diners paid $1 for the dinner. Addie Roszel was the keeper of the Chicken Pie recipe. She gave each girl or woman a chore to do, such as peel and chop potatoes, so no one else knew the entire recipe. Susan Roszel told
us Addie never passed the recipe on. These were suppers with multiple seatings. One supper fed 396 people! All this took place in the building some of us remember as a Sunday School and others remember as a library.
When the two groups merged in 1961 to create the Women’s Association, they built on the foundations of the Ladies
Aid Society bank account labeled “Kitchen Funds for the New Building” and by dint of monthly suppers raised enough money to outfit the kitchen in the current Fellowship Hall in 1966, including the cabinets, counters, stove, and plumbing. The Women’s Association continued the tradition of strawberry festivals and suppers as fundraisers.
And while the Women’s Association eventually dissolved, as a greater proportions of women could not come to daytime meetings, their tradition of shared meals and service to others lives on in the
Busy Bees, who gather monthly in the CE building for lunch and needlework. Instead of raising funds, our current potluck suppers use fun and entertainment to build connections that strengthen the
Dutch Neck Community.
We gather around the Lord’s table at Sunday worship. The gracious invitation to gather at their home for potluck that the van der Werff/Luijendijks have extended to us during 2015 and 2016 Lent
is part of our rich Dutch Neck tradition of finding friendship and community around a table.
