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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Merry Christmas from the LCMS New Jersey District!
Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
~Galatians 3:23-29 ESV (Epistle for The Circumcision and Name of Jesus)
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Pastors: Register Today for the Convocation on the Coram Relationships with Dr. Robert Kolb - Jan 27-28
Registration is now open for the Convocation on the Coram Relationships - January 27-28 at the Erdman Center at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Dr. Kolb will lead sessions on the coram Deo, coram meipso, coram hominibus, and coram mundo. There is no cost to this event, and it is President Steinbronn's hope that district pastors will stay overnight at the Erdman Center on Friday, January 27 for an evening of wine, cheese and fellowship together -- plus some special time with Dr. Kolb. The Erdman Center has 41 single rooms, 4 double rooms (for those who want to share a room), and 10 suites (with two suites able to accommodate a small family).
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SOLA Fide: NJ District Winter Youth Gathering - Feb 4-5
We're excited to welcome back Rev. Bill Yonker to the Winter Youth Gathering, as we explore what it means to live SOLA Fide: By Faith Alone.
Share your #flatmarty pictures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, using the hashtags #flatmarty #njdistrict and #LCMS. Mark your calendars now -- and see you at the Winter Youth Gathering in February!
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Cookie Exchange Fundraiser
St. John's in Bloomfield and Holy Trinity in Somerset shared some photos of their Cookie Exchange Fundraisers - held on Sunday, Dec 18.
Above: The cookie table at St. John's-Bloomfield. Right: The cookie table at Holy Trinity-Somerset. Yummy! |
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The money raised will help support the annual NJ District Winter Youth Gathering. Ten percent of the funds raised will be gifted to LCMS Youth Ministry for their Youth Outreach Grants (Eutychus Grants) program.
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Reformation 500th Anniversary History Exhibit
The New Jersey District has a 15-panel traveling display highlighting important developments in the history of the Protestant Reformation.
The display is available without charge for one week at a time. The exhibit is currently available for locations within 100 miles of New York City, and must be picked up and dropped off at the District Office in Mountainside, NJ. Download a brochure here.
We also have a number of pastors and history educators available, who can lead a presentation or discussion with your students or community.
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Our Savior, Fair Lawn Youth Deliver "Gifts for Kids"
Our Savior Lutheran Church's Gifts for Kids ministry was blessed on December 14 with the opportunity to deliver gifts, toys and books to the children at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, in Paterson, NJ.
Over the last several months, our youth, ranging from our pre-schoolers to our high schoolers, worked alongside volunteers of all ages, to create beautiful hand crafted gifts to bring to children who remain in the hospital for treatments. We were blessed during this outreach to also provide the gift of books, including The Story of Jesus, and Bible Activity books in both English and Spanish.
A very special thank you to the NJ District CHEF Grant for providing the financial support of this Health Ministry outreach developed by our youth!
The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11
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St. Paul's-Closter Welcomes All to Celebrate the New Year
St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Closter, NJ) will mark the end of the old and the beginning of the New Year with two worship services.
On Saturday, December 31, St. Paul's will celebrate New Year's Eve with a service of Evening Prayer and Holy Communion at 7:30 PM. A candlelight reception will follow the service in St. Paul's Koepchen Fellowship Hall. On Sunday, January 1, 2017 at 10 AM, St. Paul's will celebrate New Year's Day with a service of Holy Communion.
"On New Year's Eve, and on New Year's Day, we take comfort in the fact that one of the other names for Jesus is Emmanuel," comments Rev. Robert Holsten, pastor of St. Paul's. Emmanuel means, "God with us." Jesus, our Savior, became flesh, lived a perfect life in our place, suffered and died, and rose from the dead. His promise to each one of us is "Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. That's Good News to keep in mind at the end of one year and the beginning of another."
The public is welcome at these worship services. For further information or directions, please contact the church office at 201 768-6310.
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Prayer Focus
Circuit 4 (Central Jersey) of the New Jersey District, including their Circuit Visitor, the Rev. David Behm (Trinity, Morris Plains), and the congregations and school ministries of: - Somerset Hills - Basking Ridge
- St. Paul - Flemington
- Holy Spirit - Montville
- Trinity - Morris Plains
- King of Kings - Mountain Lakes
- Good Shepherd - Randolph
- Holy Trinity - Somerset
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
- Gethsemane, Hackettstown - being served by Rev. Dick Izzard
- Prince of Peace, Howell - being served by vacancy pastor, Rev. Ken Fosse
- Village, Lanoka Harbor
- Holy Cross, Mahwah - being served by SMP Vicar Matt Hass
- St. Thomas, Manalapan
- Calvary, Medford
- Bethlehem, Ridgewood - Rev. Matt Peeples has accepted the call to serve as Bethlehem's pastor, and will be installed on January 8. More information coming soon.
- Luther Memorial, Tinton Falls - developing a call list
- Grace, Union - being served by vacancy pastor
Rev. Jim Buckman, who has accepted a call to Faith Lutheran Church in Lake Forest, IL. He is currently working with the congregation, and will be installed on January 15. Please pray for Pastor Buckman and his family during this time of transition, and for the congregation as they welcome their new pastor.
Rev. Ryan Ankersen (St. Paul, Flemington) and his wife Keri, upon the birth of their second daughter, Eliana Joy on Dec. 15.
Eliana was born 4 weeks early, and is still in the hospital undergoing treatment for her underdeveloped lungs. We pray for God's care and protection for Eliana, for the doctors and nurses providing treatment, and for the Ankersens as they await the day they can bring their daughter safely home. UPDATE: Elliana is now off a ventilator, and we continue to pray for her healthy development and praise God for this milestone reached.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. The heavens are the work of Your fingers, yet You have willed to save us in the most humble and sacrificial of ways. On the eighth day after being born of the virgin Mary, Your Son was already at work for our salvation by fulfilling Your Law and shedding His blood. Receive our thanks for the gifts of righteousness and grace from His life of perfect obedience and His death in our place for our sin. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
From Let Us Pray: Prayer of the Church, The Circumcision and Name of Jesus, 1 January 2017
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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
JANUARY 2017 Pastors' Wives Winter Luncheon Saturday, January 21 10 AM to 2 PM Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Somerset, NJ
Convocation on the Coram Relationships January 27-28 Erdman Center - Princeton, NJ
FEBRUARY 2017
District Winter Youth Gathering: SOLA Fide - Faith Alone
With Rev. Bill Yonker
February 4-5
Holy Land Tour February 13-23
APRIL 2017
District Youth Lock-In: SOLA Gratia - Grace Alone April 28 More information to come.
Pastors' Wives Spring Luncheon Saturday, April 29 10 AM to 2 PM Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Somerset, NJ
JULY 2017 Convocation on the Word July 7-8 Erdman Center - Princeton, NJ More information to come.
SEPTEMBER 2017 Pastors' Wives Fall Retreat September 29-30 More information to come.
OCTOBER 2017
Convocation on the Church and Ministry in the 21st Century
October 16-18
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club - Cape Cod, MA
More information to come.
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