September 2016 Homecoming Sunday September 11th — Pastor Ron de Groot CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN MAKING DISCIPLES DISCIPLES IN THE MAKING L ast year I wrote the following; “Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospi- tality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.” ― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Reaching Out In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? – John 14 Romans 12:9&13 Let love be genu- ine …….. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. I recently enjoyed a conversation with a neighbor who provides advertising for what he calls the “hospitality” industry. And it is as he says, a lucrative industry. I checked and it is currently the world’s fastest growing industry, earning 3.4 trillion dollars annually. It is also the largest private employer in the United States. Faith communities have been in the hospitality business for centuries and it has not often been very lucrative. Israel and the followers of Jesus were called to welcome the stranger because they were at one time strangers to the house of God. In all of the struggles of vulnerable and threatened communities they had learned to be dependent on the hos- pitality of each other and others. The Greek word used in the New Testament for hospitality ( phileoxe- nia) is literally “love of the stranger” related to our English word “xenophobia” meaning fear of the stranger or fear of the other. There is much xenophobia around the world today given the challenge of the ex- plosion of refugees and immigrants. Xenophobia will not open the doors of our homes because we fear we do not have room for strangers and that they will consume our scarce re- sources. Hospitality adds another chair(s) to the table and graciously shares what we have with the stranger. Jesus tells his disciples not to fear the stranger because he has made a place for us in the father’s house. If we have found a home through Jesus we are among those who believe that there is room for others. It seems to me that we are so crea- tive in providing hospitality for our family and friends and yet lacking in imagination for creating spaces at the table for strangers (who really are friends we haven’t met yet). Per- haps the place to change this is to develop a deep appreciation of our home (faith community) at Calvary. Most of us were at one time strangers to this congregation until someone found a chair and set an- other place at the table saying, “come eat with us!”. We need to engage our imagination in such a way that we take hospitali- ty to the streets of our surrounding communities. This year we are going to do exactly that. Our “Homecoming Festival” is being transformed into a hospitality event for our neighbors. We are hav- ing a Block Party on the Deerfield Avenue Extension our church re- cently built. Our neighbors have been invited (see invitation on page 2) and I encourage every member of our fellowship to help (see Golden Ticket) make this event a truly wel- coming experience for all who at- tend.
Transcript
September 2016 Homecoming Sunday September 11th — Pastor Ron de Groot
CALVARY PRESBYTERIAN MAKING DISCIPLES DISCIPLES IN THE MAKING
L ast year I wrote the following;
“Hospitality means primarily
the creation of free space where the
stranger can enter and become a
friend instead of an enemy. Hospi-
tality is not to change people, but to
offer them space where change can
take place. It is not to bring men and
women over to our side, but to offer
freedom not disturbed by dividing
lines.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Reaching
Out
In my Father's house there are many
dwelling places. If it were not so,
would I have told you that I go to
prepare a place for you? – John 14
Romans 12:9&13 Let love be genu-
ine …….. Contribute to the needs of
the saints; extend hospitality to
strangers.
I recently enjoyed a conversation
with a neighbor who provides
advertising for what he calls the
“hospitality” industry. And it is as he
says, a lucrative industry. I checked
and it is currently the world’s fastest
growing industry, earning 3.4 trillion
dollars annually. It is also the largest
private employer in the United
States.
Faith communities have been in the
hospitality business for centuries and
it has not often been very lucrative.
Israel and the followers of Jesus
were called to welcome the stranger
because they were at one time
strangers to the house of God. In all
of the struggles of vulnerable and
threatened communities they had
learned to be dependent on the hos-
pitality of each other and others.
The Greek word used in the New
Testament for hospitality ( phileoxe-
nia) is literally “love of the stranger”
related to our English word
“xenophobia” meaning fear of the
stranger or fear of the other. There is
much xenophobia around the world
today given the challenge of the ex-
plosion of refugees and immigrants.
Xenophobia will not open the doors
of our homes because we fear we do
not have room for strangers and that
they will consume our scarce re-
sources. Hospitality adds another
chair(s) to the table and graciously
shares what we have with the
stranger. Jesus tells his disciples not
to fear the stranger because he has
made a place for us in the father’s
house. If we have found a home
through Jesus we are among those
who believe that there is room for
others.
It seems to me that we are so crea-
tive in providing hospitality for our
family and friends and yet lacking in
imagination for creating spaces at
the table for strangers (who really
are friends we haven’t met yet). Per-
haps the place to change this is to
develop a deep appreciation of our
home (faith community) at Calvary.
Most of us were at one time
strangers to this congregation until
someone found a chair and set an-
other place at the table saying,
“come eat with us!”.
We need to engage our imagination
in such a way that we take hospitali-
ty to the streets of our surrounding
communities.
This year we are going to do exactly
that. Our “Homecoming Festival” is
being transformed into a hospitality
event for our neighbors. We are hav-
ing a Block Party on the Deerfield
Avenue Extension our church re-
cently built. Our neighbors have
been invited (see invitation on page
2) and I encourage every member of
our fellowship to help (see Golden
Ticket) make this event a truly wel-
coming experience for all who at-
tend.
Page 2
Calvary Presbyterian Making Disciples Disciples In The Making
A BLOCK PARTY INVITATION Connecting Neighbors with Neighbors
We Would Like You to Come!
SUNDAY, SEPT 11, 2016
12noon to 2:00pm
At the Deerfield Drive Extension & Calvary Church’s Back Field
WHY A BLOCK PARTY? We are hosting this informal gathering to neighbors so you can say hello to those you
know as well as those you haven’t met yet. Whether you have lived in the neighborhood for decades or just weeks, our goal is to give you an opportunity to meet, greet, and connect with each other. This event is sponsored and paid for by Calvary Church. There will be no costs, solicitations, or hidden agendas. Our only motive is to reach out to those living within a couple blocks of each other to foster friendships and a deeper sense of community.
FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT We will have Food for All including Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Pulled Pork Sandwiches,
Chicken Kabobs, Refreshments, and more. If you would like to bring something to share, that would be great - but it’s absolutely not necessary. Children can meet new friends and enjoy unstructured playtime with a bounce house, face painting, playground time, sidewalk chalk, etc. Live Music provided by Matt Mattheiss & Rob Bertus (Soft Rock/Country)
INSPIRATION for this BLOCK PARTY came from a short paragraph we recently came across: “All holiday pa-
rades, picnics, and ceremonies started somewhere, with someone who wanted to give back to the community in which they lived. It’s not too late to propose and execute a new tradition in your own community, whether it’s a block party or an annual picnic. Your particular vision, gifts, and strengths are part of what makes your community unique, so as you recognize them in yourself, feel free to offer them to those who live in your vicinity. Whether your offerings are visionary or practical, they are the very essence of community.”
Page 3
Children’s Participation In Communion
O n the first Sunday of each
month the children of the
congregation (4 & 5 yr. olds,
older and younger elementary)
worship with the congregation at
the morning worship service.
You are invited to attend the
"Table Talk" session that is de-
signed to orient parents and their
children to meaningful participa-
tion in the Communion service.
Preparing young people to re-
ceive the Communion may be
done by children/parents/
guardians attending the "Table
Talk" session, led by our Pastor
on October 2 at 9:30 am. Ses-
sions provide interactive in-
struction regarding the mean-
ing and manner of participat-
ing in the sacrament.
At Calvary Presbyterian
Church, we worship as a
community. Our community
includes young people, and
we welcome and include
them all in worship. We en-
courage young people to wor-
ship with families or with
caring adults who will help
them worship as full members
of our community. The Pres-
byterian Church recognizes
how important it is for young
people to worship through the
sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Our constitution states
“Baptized children who are being
nurtured and instructed in the sig-
nificance of the invitation to the
Table and the meaning of their
response are invited to receive the
Lord’s Supper, recognizing that
their understanding of participation
will vary according to their maturi-
ty” .
Contact the Church Office to regis-
ter your child for this event.
Calvary Presbyterian Making Disciples Disciples In The Making
Ibtissam Moussa 4 Christopher Plummer 6 Janet Johannessen 7 Eleanor Ackerman 8 Robert Atchison 10 Laura Romanski 10 Richard Himics 16 Jene Hopping 17 Melissa Merkel 17 Timothy Stevens 19 Barbara Garing 9 Paula Romanski 24 Akkad Moussa 26 Carolyn Rose Allen 29 Thomas John Allen 29
Dorothy Reutlinger 30
September Anniversaries
Gus & Sam Moussa 9 Matt & Carol Allen 16 Barry & Nancy Lack 22 Tom & Patricia Nash 27 John & Sandy Wright 27
LECTIONARY FOR SEPTEMBER 2016
SEPT 4
(23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Jeremiah 18:1-11
Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18
Philemon 1-21
Luke 14:25-33
SEPT 11
(24th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Psalm 14
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-10
SEPT 18
(25th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Jeremiah 8:18–9:1
Psalm 79:1-9
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13
SEPT 25
(26th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
1 Timothy 6:6-19
Luke 16:19-31
Calvary Presbyterian Making Disciples Disciples In The Making
Calvary Presbyterian Church, 144 Ridgedale Avenue, Florham Park, New Jersey 07932
Pastor Ronald J. de Groot Director of Music: Olga Koutcherova
Website: calvarytodaylive.org
Church Office phone: 973-377-4837 ; fax: 973-377-3204
