News & Events

Latest Announcements 

Acolytes are needed! United Reformed Church needs young people to light the candles at the beginning of the service on Sunday and then extinguish them at the end. This is a great way for your child to serve the church.

Save Those Stamps!  The Columbiettes of St. Joseph’s Parish in Millstone is collecting used postage stamps in support of their missionaries. Cut the stamps from your mailings (leaving at least ¼ inch border on all sides. Give the stamps to the church office or Elizabeth Fowler. She will see that they are delivered to the parish.

DO YOU SEW? Worship Committee is looking for members or friends who are would be willing to sew for upcoming events here at United. Costumes will be needed and if you can help with this ministry, please give Ruth Reader (908) 823-9402 or the church office a call.

DO YOU HAVE A CONCERN? Do you have a concern, please let the Church Administrator, Sharon Thompson know. We want to remember them in our prayers and mention their name in the “In Your Prayers” reminders for the week in our Sunday bulletin.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

SUMMARY OF 2009-2010 YOUTH GROUP AND SUNDAY SCHOOL

As we wrap up yet another year, I would like to take a moment to recap some of the activities that the youth group and Sunday school have participated in. Starting with last summer, the youth group, along with Pastor Paul, attended a week long mission trip to help get a new camp in Kentucky that will serve disabled and blind children up and running. Over the summer, they enjoyed a trip into Manhattan to visit several historical churches, the former site of the Twin Towers, as well as the Body Exhibit at the South Street Sea Port. In November, some of our youth group attended a 24 hour fast, along with the Colts Neck Reformed Church, they to help raise awareness for world hunger. For the 12th Night Celebration, they helped paint family crests that were used as decorations. They also shared their talents by Irish step dancing, playing the bagpipes, singing and acting as well. They enjoyed time with each other and Pastor Paul by going to the movies, making casseroles for SHIP, as well as hosting a luncheon for the congregation. Like last year, the youth group will be working along side the Methodist Church youth group to sell food and soda on Memorial Day during the bicycle races on United’s front lawn.

The Sunday school continued to use the Whole People of God curriculum, which follows the lectionary readings. In addition to their weekly lessons, the children enjoyed a day at The Farm. They have participated in the Sunday worship in a variety of ways including assembling and passing out brown bags with everyday items and how they remind us of God’s love. They have shared God’s love by making baked goods and assembling baskets (with fruit and candies) that were delivered to our shut-ins. They made Thanksgiving cards for the congregation, participated in the 12th Night show as angels, sprites, and pages. They cooked and help host, along with the youth group, a luncheon which helped raise money for Haiti after the devastating earthquakes. On Valentine’s Day, each person in the congregation received a Valentine and candy kiss from the children. They prepared casseroles for SHIP’s Galley. They made chocolate covered pretzels and hosted coffee hour, passed out palms for Palm Sunday The children made thank you cards for some of the Good Shepherds of our church. Participated in the music program with the chimes as a special gift, they shared with the congregation on Mother’s Day. The year concluded with planting and sharing of marigolds. We hope that our contributions this year was like a little splash of God’s love that will ripple throughout our church and community. We would again like to thank the children for their faithful attendance as well as David Tromadore who assisted Beth Cassidy and I each week.

Amy Stires

THE INFORMATION AGE
COMES TO CHURCH

Where and how do we get information these days? There are the traditional sources readily available – newspapers, magazines, newsletters of all sorts, the library, small and large bookstores, the drug store, television and radio. Many people forego most of these sources and log onto the Internet for news, research and may other pursuits. Everyone seems to have a website. If you are reading, this you are probably interested in our church and denomination. Well there are websites at every level of our church – URC, the classis, the regional synod and the Reformed Church in America. There is a wealth of information on each of these sites. You are encouraged to log in and explore. The RCA site is spectacular and will give you a new appreciation of the depth and wide range of activities of our little denomination. I would like to hear from you about something fascinating that you learned. from your exploration:
United Reformed Church
www.urcsomervillenj.org
Delaware Raritan Classis
www.dr-classis.net
Regional Synod of the Mid-Atlantics
www.rsmat.org
Reformed Church in America
www.rca.org
Room for All
www.roomforall.org

I am looking forward to attending the 2010 General Synod at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa in June. As a member of the General Synod Council, I will be a non-voting corresponding delegate. A brief summary will be coming in July. For earlier news log on to the RCA website.

Tom Dibble

KENDRA HAS GRADUATED

A note from our Student Pastor, Kendra VanHouten upon her graduation from New Brunswick Theological Seminary.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! It doesn’t seem like enough for all that you have done to help encourage and support me over the past two years while I have been in seminary. Thank you for taking me in last year and allowing me to walk with you for the year (and to let me come back and visit over this past year). I was hoping to be able to come and visit one more time before heading back to Michigan for a month, but I guess I’ll just have to try later this summer. Following graduation, I will be headed back to Michigan for a month to take my Classis exams, and then spend time with family and friends, then I’ll be back in the area as I continue the search/call process over the summer.

I have truly been blessed to have such gracious and encouraging ministry sites such as yours to teach and affirm my gifts. You have played such a huge role in my journey through seminary,

Kendra VanHouten