A weekly e-Newsletter from the LCMS New Jersey District
Does your congregation have a story of mission & ministry to share? Want to promote an event within the district? The deadline for submissions to The Grapevine is each Monday at 5pm. Submit stories and photos via email here.
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Knitters Supply Hats & Mittens for Special Needs Students
For the sixth consecutive year, members and friends of St. John's Lutheran Church in Clifton hand-knitted hats and mittens for the special needs children who attend the North Jersey Elks Developmental Disabilities Agency elementary school in the city.
More than 110 matching sets of hats and mittens were presented to the children at a special ceremony this past December. Barbara Anstadt of St. John's Lutheran Church coordinated the program.
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Does YOUR congregation have a knitting and/or sewing group?
Are you using the warm-weather months to stock up for next winter's needs in your community? Share inspirational stories and pictures from your handcrafting group with the rest of the New Jersey District! Email Caitlin Dinger for more information. |
The NJ District's Outreach Council is trying to assess how they may best serve the congregations and pastors of the District, and your input is needed!
Thank you for your time & attention!
The deadline for participation in this survey is April 22.
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BONUS: A special Saturday, April 23 session has been added especially for volunteers & parents!
Join us on Friday, April 22 from 8:30am to 3pm for the New Jersey District's annual Spring Education Conference.
Registration is $75.00 per participant.
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FREE for all congregations attending Saturday's session!
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BONUS SATURDAY SESSION: A special Saturday, April 23 (8:30am to 12pm) session has been added especially for volunteers, parents, pastors and workers.
The Saturday session is just $20 per person, with a maximum of $60 per congregation. Bring a group from your church and your 4th - or more! - team member is FREE.
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Click the picture above to see a full-size version of this infographic
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Registration Now Open: MC12 Mission Classic Golf Outing - Thursday, May 19
The 2016 Mission Classic Golf Outing will benefit NJ District Mission Outreach to Military, Veterans, and Their Families.
Women golfers are being especially encouraged to participate in this year's Golf Outing - and you can expect to see some special incentives & prizes just for them!
Download a poster to share with your congregation, golfing friends, club, or workplace!
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Film Premiere, The First Rosa - May 21
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The First Rosa, film trailer
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Circuit 4 (Central Jersey) of the
New Jersey District will host a premier showing of the film, The First Rosa, on Saturday, May 21 at 10am.
The showing will take place at the Bow Tie Parsippany Cinema, 3165 Rt. 46, Parsippany, NJ 07054.
Rosa Young was instrumental in founding and promoting 30 Lutheran Elementary schools and 35 Lutheran congregations in Alabama's "Black Belt." The LCMS has produced The First Rosa, a film that will enlighten the viewers to Rosa's remarkable history and inspire all of us as Christians.
Admission is Free. The Circuit and the AAA Academy for Children will collect donations ($5, $10 or more are suggested) to benefit the Rosa Young Schools.
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10th Anniversary Gala at Prince of Peace, Howell - April 30
Take a step back in time as we celebrate our 10th Anniversary Dinner/Comedy Show/Gift Basket Auction on Saturday, April 30, 2016.
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
434 Aldrich Road Howell, NJ 07731
Admission Tickets are $35 in advance, and $37 at the door.
Pre-Sale Gift Basket Auction Tickets are also available. More information can be found on our Facebook page or by calling the church office at 732-363-0732 or on our website.
- Doors Open: 5:00 PM
- Dinner Served: 6:00 PM
- Laughter Begins: 7:30 PM
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LWML Convention - August 5-7
Registration is NOW OPEN for the 2016 LWML NJ District Convention on Aug. 5-7 at the Hyatt in Morristown, NJ.
We are honored to have Patti Ross, the National President of LWML, joining Rev. Dr. Tony Steinbronn, President of the LCMS New Jersey District, as a keynote speaker for our Saturday evening banquet which will honor the service of our pastors.
We also have a Mission Prayer Walk planned for Saturday afternoon on the historic Green in downtown Morristown. Early bird registration is due by May 14 and our final registration deadline is July 1.
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Date
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Calendar Event
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Sunday, April 17
3pm to 5pm
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Spring Rally at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Stanhope, NJ - Adoptions through Lutheran Social Ministries
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Friday, August 5 to Sunday, August 7
| LWML NJ District Convention at the Hyatt Morristown in Morristown, NJ - "Keep Calm and Soldier On" based on Eph. 6:11-18
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Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3pm
| Fall Rally at SHLC, Basking Ridge, NJ - Program TBA | |
Sat, Nov. 5, 9am to 3pm
| LWML District Fall Retreat at Crane's Mill, Caldwell, NJ - Program TBA |
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On Thursday, April 28th, Concordia Plan Services is hosting a free Ministerial Care Quarterly webinar at 2:30 PM. Pastors and other church workers are encouraged to participate.
For church workers getting closer to retirement - whatever your plans are, this webinar can help you think about the various considerations you may be missing. Paul Snyder will discuss this topic and answer your questions!
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Prayer Focus
Circuit 5 (South Jersey) of the New Jersey District, including their Circuit Visitor, the Rev. Mark Stillman (Village, Lanoka Harbor), and the congregations and school ministries of: - Luther Memorial - Blackwood
- Holy Cross - Bordentown
- St. John's - Bridgeton
- Trinity - Carney's Point
- St. Peter - Hopewell
- Village - Lanoka Harbor
- Holy Trinity - Lawrenceville
- Calvary - Medford
- Rose of Sharon - New Egypt
All Vacant & Calling Congregations of the New Jersey District, that God would direct their search for a pastor and provide for faithful ministry of Word & Sacrament during their time of waiting, especially:
- Somerset Hills, Basking Ridge - Pastor Gaddini declined the call to serve as Senior Pastor; developing a new call list
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Trinity, Carney's Point
- St. John, Clifton - shared pastoral ministry relationship with Bloomfield
- Prince of Peace, Howell - being served by vacancy pastor, Rev. Ken Fosse
- Holy Cross, Mahwah - being served by SMP Vicar Matt Hass
- St. Thomas, Manalapan
- Bethlehem, Ridgewood - being served by intentional interim pastor, Rev. Phillip Tesch; developing a call list
- Our Savior, Stanhope - a list of four preferred Seminary graduates has been submitted Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
- Luther Memorial, Tinton Falls - being served by intentional interim pastor; a call list of twelve pastors and four Seminary graduates is being reviewed
O Lord, our Creator and Redeemer, we give thanks to You for the beautiful visions of heaven that You have revealed to us through St. John. We ask Your blessing upon all those whom You have gifted in the arts, that their works and words might proclaim the beauty of Your works even in the midst of this fallen world and move us in Christ to eager expectation of the new heaven and the new earth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
From Let Us Pray: Prayer of the Church, Fifth Sunday of Easter, 24 April 2016
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Upcoming Events
Add the NJ District event calendar to your Google Calendar! Our public calendar ID is: google [at] njdistrict [dot] org
APRIL 2016
Spring Education Conference
Friday, April 22 - 8:30 AM to 3 PM
Christ Memorial Lutheran Church - East Brunswick, NJ
Spring Education Conference - Bonus Session for Pastors, Workers, Volunteers & Parents
Saturday, April 23 - 8:30 AM to 12 PM
Christ Memorial Lutheran Church - East Brunswick, NJ
MAY 2016
The Parables of Jesus with Dr. Jeff Kloha
Friday to Saturday, May 6-7
More information to come.
MC12 Mission Classic Golf Outing
Thursday, May 19
JUNE 2016 NJ District Youth Pre-NYG Event Saturday, June 4 A special meet-up for youth & their leaders from around NJ who will be traveling to the NYG in New Orleans. More information to come. Discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew with Dr. Jeff Gibbs Thursday to Saturday, June 16-18 More information to come. Day With the Presidents Saturday, June 18 More information to come. JULY 2016 LCMS Synodical Convention July 9-14 Milwaukie, WI National LCMS Youth Gathering July 16-20 New Orleans, LA AUGUST 2016
Youth Workers Meeting
Saturday, August 6 - 9 AM to 12 PM
NJ District Office - Mountainside, NJ
SEPTEMBER 2016
Pastors' Wives Retreat
Friday, September 30 to Saturday, October 1
More information to come.
OCTOBER 2016
NJ District Youth Ministry Sunday
Sunday, October 23
Resources for worship & prayer coming soon!
Reformation Lectures
Saturday, October 22
Princeton University - Princeton, NJ
More information to come.
Fall Pastors Conference: The Pastor As Teacher
October 24-26
More information to come.
Reformation Concert: The Hymns of Martin Luther
Sunday, October 30
Princeton University Chapel - Princeton, NJ
More information to come.
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