THE MESSENGER The Newsletter of

MEYERSVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 223 Hickory Tavern Road at the Circle in Meyersville

Gillette, NJ 07933-1038

The Rev. Barbara F. Aspinall, Pastor

Holy Week and Easter

Thursday, April 2 Maundy Thursday 6:30 pm Covered Dish Meal followed by a 7:30 pm Communion Service around tables

Friday, April 3 Good Friday 7 am - 7 pm Vigil in our Sanctuary 7:30 pm Worship Service at First, Stirling

Sunday, April 5 Resurrection Day 7:00 am Early Easter Worship at Hillview Farms, 223 Meyersville Road Coffee and Fellowship at Kielblocks’

10:00 am Worship Celebration, Sanctuary 11:00 am Fellowship Hour

908-647-0390 - www.meyersvillechurch.com - secretaryMPC@aol.com

APRIL 2015

Dear Church Family,

In The Longing for Home, Frederick Buechner wrote about the

peculiar, when you think about it, fact that the gospel writers tell the

Easter story of Jesus’ resurrection in a whisper and not with exuberant

choirs of angels or a big brass band. Whether you read the story in

Matthew, Mark, Luke or John, it happens in the quiet of the dark of the

early morning. Women tiptoe; an angel or two calmly state the

obvious: “he is not here;” nobody shouts. Mary had a quiet

conversation with Jesus in the garden, not even knowing it was him at

first. Thomas was so unsure he had to have the evidence of the nail

holes. On the road to Emmaus, the disciples didn’t recognize Jesus

until they sat down for lunch. And on the beach, they didn’t know it was

him until he’d cooked them breakfast.

Buechner says, “Jesus came back from death not in a blaze of

glory, but more like a candle flame in the dark, flickering first in this

place, then in that place, then in no place at all. If they had been making

the whole thing up for the purpose of converting the world, presumably

they would have described it more the way the book of Revelation

describes how he will come back again at the end of time with "the

armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white and pure" and his eyes

"like a flame of fire, and on his head many diadems." But that is not the

way the Gospels tell it. They are not trying to describe it as

convincingly as they can. They are trying to describe it as truthfully as

they can. It was the most extraordinary thing they believed had ever

happened, and yet they tell it so quietly that you have to lean close to

be sure what they are telling. They tell it as softly as a secret, as

something so precious, and holy, and fragile, and unbelievable, and

true, that to tell it any other way would be somehow to dishonor it. To

proclaim the resurrection the way they do, you would have to say it in

whispers: "Christ has risen." Like that.”

And so I whisper, “Happy Easter to all. May the truth and the

joy of Jesus’ resurrection enliven your life!”

Yours in Christ,

email: baspinall223@aol.com

April 2015

Holy Week and Easter

Maundy Thursday, April 2 Covered Dish Supper and Worship with Communion

When Jesus came to Jerusalem for the last time, it was

during the festival of the Passover. Many people had come

to the city for this week of celebration of God’s deliverance of the

people from slavery in Egypt. Fellowship around the table continues

to be an important part of our connection to one another, whether it is

in our homes or in the community of the church. Join us for two kinds

of meals - both for our bodies, minds and hearts. On Maundy

Thursday this year, we will join with our friends from First

Presbyterian in Stirling at our church for a Covered Dish Meal and

Communion Service around tables at 6:30 p.m.

Good Friday Vigil, April 3 The dictionary defines “vigil” as a purposeful period of

wakefulness and watchfulness. As part of our

congregation’s Holy Week observance, we will be holding

a vigil in our sanctuary from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Good

Friday, April 3. Volunteers can sign up to be in the sanctuary for ½

hour or more over the course of the day. This time may be used for

prayer, meditation, Scripture reading, or devotional reading that will

be provided. In this way, our congregation will be “awake and

watchful” during the time that Jesus was suffering in prison, on the

cross, and beginning his journey to hell and back. A vigil sign-up

sheet will be on our bulletin board or call the church office.

Good Friday Worship, April 3 Our congregation will be joining with our friends at First

Presbyterian Church for a Good Friday service at 7:30

p.m. The service this year will follow a pattern of

Scripture readings, silence and responses of prayers and

hymn verses.

Day of Resurrection, April 5 We celebrate the resurrection of our Lord at our 7:00 am

with our early Easter worship at Hillview Farms, 223

Meyersville Road. The Kielblocks have invited all for

coffee and fellowship afterwards. At 10:00 am, we have our

celebratory worship in our sanctuary followed by Fellowship Hour.

Almost Spring Rummage Sale

and Pancake Breakfast Buffet a Great Success!!

Our now annual spring rummage sale was a wonderful success

this year. Thanks to Kelly Roshto, our creative, hard-working and

highly organized Rummage Queen, and all her helpers, the sale raised

over $3,000 for the ministry of our church. The many helpers did a

great job sorting and washing rummage, counting pieces, displaying

treasures for sale. The kitchen workers provided a delicious pancake

breakfast, along with baked goods. Many thanks also to all those who

contributed items from their homes and baked goods from their

kitchens. The unsold rummage items were given to mission

organizations such as local missions, some to the Lupus Foundation,

Visiting Nurse Association and others to a ministry in Nicaragua.

Kelly

Pancake

flippers,

John and

Guy

Our initial

investment covered,

more raffle tickets

are available for a

chance at this

beautiful grill!

$20/ticket,

6 for $100

Karen sells lunch tickets.

Hotdog anyone?

Some great stuff!

Delicious pancake

and sausage

breakfast

Old Testament Bible Study Resumes

Sunday, April 19, 11:15 a.m.

Beginning on Sunday, April 19

after the worship service, we will be

resuming our study of the Old Testament.

The group will meet for approximately an

hour and a quarter and will be using an

excellent DVD lecture resource published by The Great Courses

program. Working more or less in the order of the Bible, we are now

up to the books of Samuel and Kings and the stories of King David

and glory days of the monarchy and the united kingdom. We will be

considering the Israelite monarchy - its successes and failures, its

principles and personalities. Who was David? What happened with

Solomon? And then with the end of the period of the great kings, how

did God speak to God’s people through the prophets?

The informative and entertaining 30-minute DVD lectures by a

professor of the Old and New Testaments at Vanderbilt University

provide in-depth historical and textual background on the passages we

are studying. This will serve as a jumping off place for discussion of

God’s Word to us in Scripture.

The class will continue each week and all are welcome to

participate every week or to come whenever possible. The discussion

will be led by Barbara Aspinall and we will meet in the Parlor after a

chance to socialize for a few minutes at coffee hour.

April 19 King David I Samuel 16-31, II Samuel, I Kings 1-2

April 26 From King Solomon to PreClassical Prophecy

I Kings 3 - II Kings 17

Come help on Saturday, April

18th at 10 am when we will be

beautifying our church

property after a long, hard

winter. Projects include pew

cleaning, gardening, planting,

mulch spreading and shed

organizing. Bring gloves, clippers, leaf rakes, stone rakes. Coffee and

snack provided!

Meyersville Church Book Club

Friday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.

The Meyersville Church Book Club will next meet

on Friday, April 10 at 7:30 pm to discuss best-

selling author, Christina Baker Kline’s Orphan Train: A Novel.

Members, friends and not-yet-friends are all welcome. From the

publisher:

Between 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly

from the cities of the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest,

carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be

determined by pure luck. As a young Irish immigrant,

Vivian Daly was one such child, sent by rail from New

York City to an uncertain future a world away.

Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet,

peaceful existence on the coast of Maine, the

memories of her upbringing rendered a hazy blur. But

in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a

turbulent past. Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows

that a community-service position helping an elderly widow clean out

her attic is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as

Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes and possessions, she

discovers that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they appear. A

Penobscot Indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes,

Molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has

unanswered questions about the past. Moving between contemporary

Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful

tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected

friendship.

MULTIPLE CHOICE!

Taught by skilled members of our own congregation, our

church offers continuing and different learning experiences. Free

Gentle Yoga is taught by a certified yoga instructor, Rosanne

McGraw; Rug Braiding is taught by Peg Arnold who has been

making braided wool rugs for many years. Members and friends are

most welcome to participate in any (or all!) of these free classes.

Gentle Yoga: Continuing Tuesday mornings at 9:00 am

Rug Braiding: Continuing Tuesday mornings at 10:00 am

Weber Grill Raffle

As part of our Almost Spring Rummage Sale, (and before and

after) we will be selling raffle tickets for a beautiful new Weber grill,

the Weber Genesis S-330, that has a retail value of $950.00. The grill

winner will have the options of propane or natural gas and may use

the value of the grill toward an even fancier grill if desired. The

drawing will be on Friday evening, June 19th at a special spring dinner

that our church will be hosting. The raffle tickets will be $20 each and

$100 for 6 tickets. There will be only 252 tickets sold. Tickets are

available from the church office. Tell your friends! Sell some tickets!

The “specs:”

total cooking area: 637 sq. inches

38,000 BTU per hour input main burners

12,000 BTU per hour input flush mounted side burner.

three stainless steel burners.

10,000 BTU per hour input sear station

7 mm diameter stainless steel rod

cooking grates

stainless steel flavorizer bars

stainless steel shroud

center-mounted thermometer

stainless steel work surface

fuel gauge

SPRING Italian DINNER PLANNED

for Friday, June 19th

The lucky winner of the Weber Grill

Raffle will be drawn at a special Italian style

dinner planned for Friday, June 19th. We plan to

serve chicken parmesan, spaghetti and

meatballs, salad, bread, and a fancy Italian

dessert and hope to have church members and many community

friends join us for this event. Mark your calendar!

Many thanks to all those who took responsibility for plowing

and shoveling this winter: Robert Kielblock was our ever-conscientious

plower, and Ruud Zijdel, Doris Mertz and Kelly Roshto did a lot of

snowblowing, and shoveling.

Many thanks to all those who helped us get through this snowy winter!

EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT Joshua Leski (foreground) and his fellow Scouts work on his

Eagle Scout project: building a low stone wall and landscaping the

church property in front of the big sanctuary window. Come see the

results after the spring planting!

Our Steeple and

Bell Need Repair

The Property Committee

of the Session has been

investigating what might

be done about the

disrepair of our church’s

steeple, bell tower and

bell support. We have not

been able to ring our

1500 pound bell in some

time because its support

frame is unstable. The

property committee is in

the process of meeting

with a steeplejack and

church bell expert to

determine what repairs

need to be done and the

cost.

Village 2 Village Update

Laurie Kroll, V2V Director visited

Uganda recently. Some notes from her trip: The

staff has organized several local people to

speak on various topics and expertise, and it’s been fantastic. We’ve

had a couple come speak that does various empowerment and

development projects, in addition to motivational discussions about

education, and your typical teenaged issues. A nurse and Ugandan

board member came by and spoke about health issues, and after the

younger children were separated into another group, issues

surrounding romantic relationships and how that relates to

completing their education within this culture. This week a local

female police officer is coming by to speak about women’s rights.

Local speakers make

presentations to the

older children, staff and

caregivers.

Laurie walks along footpaths

to make home visits. She

always has an entourage of

curious children.

A home visit. Chairs are

for guests!

Lectionary Readings

April 5 - Resurrection of the Lord/Easter

Acts 10:34-43 or Isa. 25:6-9; Ps. 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Cor. 15:1-11 or

Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8

April 12 - 2nd Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:32-35; Ps. 133; 1 John 1:1-2:2; John 20:19-31

April 19 - 3rd Sunday of Easter

Acts 3:12-19; Ps. 4; 1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36b-48

April 26 - 4thSunday of Easter

Acts 4:5-12; Ps. 23; 1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18

April 2015

APRIL

SPECIAL

MISSION

One Great Hour of Sharing is a nationwide, united effort by

America’s Christians, in a joint program, to provide vitally important

relief and rehabilitation work to churches overseas and also prove to

the world how great the power generated when Christians join

together in a common use.

This effort began in 1949 as U.S. Protestant churches made

appeals for help to reconstruct in areas that were almost destroyed

completely by the fighting during World War II, primarily in Europe

an Asia. By 1954, One Great Hour Aid and the Jewish Passover

Appeal and space was donated for advertising through the

Advertising Council. The Presbyterian Hunger Program, Presbyterian

Disaster Assistance and Self-Development of People all receive

about one third of the Contributions to One Great Hour of Sharing

are a powerful, tangible witness to the healing love of Christ for all

people.

We Keep in Our Prayers:

Mike Ambrosio, friend of Doug Smith

Jessica Arico and daughter, friends of Carol Boyle

Sal Badalamenti, friend of Barbara Aspinall

Pat Bankowski, church friend

George Barker, Marion Barker’s brother

Marilyn Barker, Marion Barker’s sister-in-law

Margaret Bauknight, friend of Lynne Hilf

Bird Family, community friends

Clark Carson, husband of Claudia

Claudia Carson, former member

Joanne Coker, Lynne Hilf’s mother

Ellen Dreyer, sister-in-law of Barbara Grillo

Betty Garrett, friend of Lynne Hilf

Betty Lembrich, church member

Eleanor Matthews, friend of Peg Arnold

George McDaniel, relative of the Skidmore family

Tyler McGuire, cousin of Michele Urbanski

Quaid Mobus, friend of Roberta Keller

Ian Rahimi, friend of Minaian family

Adrienne Schmitt, Deborah Schmitt’s mother

Beth Shaw, Kielblock cousin

Garland Smith, Joanne Smith’s brother

Theresa Soeth, Marcie Skrobacz’s aunt

Mary Stapperfenne, Jean’s daughter-in-law

Johnny Urbanksi, Michele’s nephew

Myles Urbanski, Michele’s son

Robert and Elva Wenz, Jean Stapperfenne’s sister & brother-in-law

Charlene Wilverding, friend of Kelly Roshto

“LIKE” US ON FACEBOOK!

Have you checked yet? Our church is

on Facebook, so you can check our page for

new information. And, if you “like” us, you

will receive the latest information on your

own page as it is updated. Have a look!

April 5, 2015 COMMUNION

Preparing Elements: Lisa Kielblock, Carol Boyle

Elders Serving Communion: Class of 2018:

Barbara Grillo, Rosanne McGraw, Robert Kielblock

Call to Worship:

April 5 Art England

April 12 Carol Boyle

April 19 Sandy Seymour

April 26 Laura Minaian

MISSION for April One Great Hour of Sharing

NEWS OF OUR CONGREGATION

Happy Birthday

April 8 Jeffrey Beltz

April 10 Natalie and Erik Gast

April 17 Carol Faison

April 25 Lynne Hilf

April 27 Alexander Sadowski

April 28 Betty Lembrich

April 29 Shanon Cook, Doris Mertz

New Session Assignments 2015

Clerk of Session: Sandra Seymour

Christian Education:

Community Relations: Laura Minaian

Congregational Life: Loura Zijdel

Mission: Doug Smith and Rosanne McGraw

Memorial: Barbara Grillo

Personnel: Marion Barker

Property: Doris Mertz, Robert Kielblock

Stewardship & Finance: Rosanne McGraw and Doug Smith

Worship: Marion Barker and Doris Mertz