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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Follow the NJ District Youth at the National LCMS Youth Gathering
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Find All 50 States at the NYG
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Be sure to follow the hashtags #NJDtoNOLA and #NYG2016 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, as youth from around the NJ District attend the National LCMS Youth Gathering in New Orleans, LA - July 16-20.
You can watch a livestream of each evening's Mass Event at the Gathering website. Be sure to tune in on Saturday night, July 16, as our NJ District youth will be seated somewhere on the floor in front of the stage. Who knows? You might catch a glimpse of the youth from your congregation on the big screen! NJ District Event at the NYG Registration is ongoing for the District Event at the NYG: dinner, live music and more at Ducote Designs, a Mardi Gras float den. The $45 registration fee includes a catered dinner, District T-shirt, and music for all those who attend. Participants from the LCMS Eastern District (encompassing parts of New York, Pennsylvania and the panhandle of Maryland) will be joining us at the event, as well. The NJ District t-shirt will resemble Bruce Springsteen's classic "Greetings from Asbury Park" album cover.
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St. Paul's, Closter Offers "God For Us" Class
St. Paul's Lutheran Church, located at 171 Closter Dock Road in Closter, New Jersey, will offer a special class this summer. Called, "God For Us," the class will be offered on Sundays at 9 AM beginning June 19.
"God For Us" is an introduction to Lutheran teaching written by Pastor David Strelan. Pastor Strelan shares that the 10 chapter class "presents the Lutheran faith simply and straight fowardly, in language which will appeal especially to people who are not used to reading heavy theology." The course is designed for people who are thinking of joining the Lutheran church, or who just want to know Lutherans better. It's also a good review for those who have been Lutheran for years.
Rev. Robert Holsten, pastor of St. Paul's, will teach the course. The course will be offered with coffee and refreshments in St. Paul's Koepchen Fellowship Hall. The study guide for the course costs $15. For further information, or to register for the course, please contact St. Paul's church office at 201-768-6310.
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Pioneer Camp & Retreat Center's "New Creation" Satellite Camp: July 10-15
Pioneer Camp & Retreat Center's East Coast friends looking for a short ride will love this satellite Pioneer Camp at Central PA's Refreshing Mountain Camp.
Dates: July 10-15, 2016
Ages: 9-14
Location: Refreshing Mountain Retreat and Adventure Center
Have your best week of summer, picking from zipline, high ropes course, swimming pool, gagaball, basketball, volleyball, Ultimate, archery, talent show and Eagle's Nest, and more! All this, while growing your faith and making new Christian friends.
Scholarships are available for NJ District youth to help with the cost of camp.
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Sixth Annual "Together With All Creatures" Event - July 23
Join Emmanuel Lutheran (Milford, PA) for their sixth annual "Together With All Creatures" community outreach & service event.
TIME: Check-in is between 8am to 9am at the Anne Street Park in Milford.
River and shore clean-up and trail maintenance will take place between 9am and 1pm, followed by a 1pm Barbeque at Milford Beach.
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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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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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2016 LEA Convocation: Grow!
GROW: Just a single word that captures what educators in Lutheran agencies do, professionally and personally!
We grow in Christ, in the Word, in grace, in knowledge, in skills, and in other ways too. And, of course, we nurture our students to grow.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. ~2 Peter 3:18
The 2016 LEA Convocation will take place October 13-15 at DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Dr. Tony Steinnbronn, our New Jersey District president, just announced that next year a group of New Jersey Lutherans and friends will tour the Holy Land of Israel February 13-23, 2017.
More comprehensive than most tours, this pilgrimage will include the Mediterranean coast; Nazareth and the region of Galilee; the Judean desert, the Dead Sea and Masada; and, of course, Bethlehem and Jerusalem. With excellent local guides it will highlight more than 4000 years of history, restored archeological sites, ancient cities and impressive terrain. It will be physically manageable for most able-bodied persons.
Dr. Steinbronn asked the Rev. Dan and Connie Schmalz, frequent travelers to this region, to design and coordinate the tour with Educational Opportunities, a large and experienced Christian tour company. The cost is $3188.00 which includes all travel from Newark except lunches, tips and shopping. Color brochures including the detailed itinerary will be available soon after Easter. You are invited to contact Pastor Dan and Connie via email. Church Office Staff: Please include the above text in your congregation's weekly bulletins and/or monthly newsletters.
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LCMS Camps & Campgrounds - Plan your summer travel!
As your family travels this summer, remember there are lodgings available at Lutheran camps around the country.
Visit the NLOMA website to find a camp near your destination. Contact camps to see if there are cabins, campgrounds, or hotel rooms available!
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Items Available
Prince of Peace in Howell, NJ has 48 copies of "Joyful Sounds The New Children's Hymnal" to anyone who would like them.
These hymnals have been properly stored and are in good condition.
Each hymnal includes worship resources geared toward children ages 9-14, but will appeal to all ages. These hymnals contain:
- Orders of Worship, The Apostles' Creed and other prayers
- Hymns and Spiritual Songs (indexed by season)
If interested, please call Maria at 732-363-0732 to arrange a convenient time for pick up.
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Good Shepherd, Old Bridge has "Everest" VBS materials available.
In addition to the kit, there are posters, puzzles, and more.
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Calling Congregations - Website for Call Documents Has Changed
The website and log in information for accessing call documents has been changed.
Any congregations in the call process who need access to official call documents, please contact Elaine in the district office at 908-233-8111.
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Prayer Focus
Circuit 1 (Hudson) of the New Jersey District, including their Circuit Visitor, the Rev. Robert Holsten (St. Paul, Closter), and the congregations and school ministries of: - Trinity - Cliffside Park
- St. Paul - Closter
- Immanuel - East Rutherford
- Holy Cross - Mahwah
- Zion - Maywood
- St. Matthew - New Milford
- Bethlehem - Ridgewood
- Zion - Westwood
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 - developing a call list
- Good Shepherd, Blairstown
- 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 - pastoral candidate, Daniel Merz, has been assigned to the congregation from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and will be installed on June 18
- Luther Memorial, Tinton Falls - being served by intentional interim pastor; developing a call list
For the human fathers God has given us, that He by whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named would preserve them in the vocations to which He has called them; that by His grace they would serve with a compassion after His own heart, caring for their own families, for His Church and for widows and orphans in distress; and that all men would use the strength and skill that God provides to defend, protect and serve the weak, the small and the helpless among their neighbors, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
From Let Us Pray: Prayer of the Church, Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, 19 June 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
JUNE 2016
Discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew with Dr. Jeff Gibbs
Thursday to Friday, June 16-17
8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Somerset, NJ
Day With the Presidents Saturday, June 18 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Somerset, NJ JULY 2016 LCMS Synodical Convention July 9-14 Milwaukie, WI National LCMS Youth Gathering July 16-20 New Orleans, LA Use the hashtags #NJDtoNOLA and #NYG2016 to follow our youth on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. AUGUST 2016
Youth Workers Meeting
Saturday, August 6
9 AM to 12 PM
NJ District Office - Mountainside, NJ
2016 Prayer Jubilee Saturday, August 27 More information to come.
SEPTEMBER 2016
Pastors' Wives Retreat
Friday, September 30 to Saturday, October 1
More information to come.
OCTOBER 2016
NJ District Youth Ministry Sunday: SOLA
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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