PRESBYTERIAN MESSENGER (PM)                                                                                     

UPCOMING EVENTS. . .

Every Sunday 10:00 AM Worship

Communion served 1st Sunday of Month

Choir Practice 8:30-9:30AM

Knitting Group 2nd Sunday of Month in

Sanctuary 12-1:30PM

Every Tuesday – Bible Study 7-8:30PM

Every Wednesday – Bible Study with

Rev. Lou Kilgore 10-11:30AM

Bell Choir Practice 7PM

Thu 5/4-8 Rev. Kilgore Vacation

Sun 5/14 Mother’s Day Cake Auction

Mon-Fri 5/15-19 Rev. Kilgore Away – Homiletics Conference

Fri 5/19 Chris Buckley Vacation Day

CIW Update

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is a worker-based human rights organization internationally recognized for its achievements in the fields of social responsibility and human trafficking. Organized by Florida farmworkers in the tomato fields in 1993, it now covers workers at farms in seven states, including the Ag-Mart Farm in Cedarville, NJ. CIW launched the Fair Food Program to assure better working conditions and increased wages, supported by participating buyers, including Stop & Shop, Subway, McDonald’s and Trader Joes. They are still boycotting Wendy’s, which refuses to join the Fair Food Program and now buys its tomatoes in Mexico, which has very poor working standards.

Annual Mother’s Day Cake Auction

Pastor Lou Kilgore and Laura Peterson-Kilgore will be the auctioneers in the Covenant Room on Mother’s Day, May l4th, for our annual cake sale/auction to benefit the Mission Trip to the Eastward in Farmington, ME.   You are invited to bring a cake, cupcakes, muffins or your favorite baked item, all to support our Mission team and volunteers as they prepare for the Maine Mission Trip this July 1-8.   We raised $l300 last year and it was our biggest success.  Please join us and take part in all the fun to help a most worthy cause.

April 29 Walk In Dinner

A special thank you to all those who supported the Mission Committee in helping serve about one hundred people at the Iglesia Presbyteriana Church in Paterson last Sunday.  Pasta dinners with salad, rolls, lemonade, fruit and cookies was enjoyed by everyone.  It was a very special day beginning with prayers and everyone was most grateful and satisfied. Bless you all.

New Church Office Email

Please note that all email correspondence to the church office/Chris Buckley should be sent to office.manager@highmountainpres.org

Ḟaithworks

This week children and youth will begin learning about the early church and their witness in the world. They’d had or will have opportunities for doing mission (locally) supporting the mission team of the church. This is a good time for establishing quality connections with their community of faith and to affirm each child as a valued member of the church family. Also, during the activity time, the group will be working on the gifts for Mother’s Day and women of the church Sunday on May 14^th. Our focus Bible story for this coming Sunday is Acts 2:42–47. As noted in verse 42, the rituals and practices of the early Christians who followed Jesus watched and learned how to live in caring ways. The followers of Jesus got together often to worship, eat a meal together, and recall the stories and teachings of Jesus. They would share whatever they had with one another. No one ever had to go without or be lonely. Those who were not part of this community saw the great love and caring between them and often became part of the community themselves. One of the key things that this reading from Acts tells us about the early Christians is that they shared their food “with glad and generous hearts” (v. 46, NRSV). Given the persecution of the time and the fact that there was incredible uncertainty about the future, this seems a very courageous and wonderful thing to do. The community of followers was filled with the spirit of Jesus. The loving ways of Jesus went on and on. Possessions serve the common good and respond to any in need. Leviticus 25 taught the tradition of Jubilee – an appointed time when debts would be forgiven and slaves would be set free. Acts 2:47 reports that this community of Jesus’ followers enjoyed the “goodwill of all the people.” “Goodwill” is a translation of a Greek word that also means “grace.” Perhaps such feelings of goodwill made it easier for the Body of Christ in that place to make God’s grace known to their neighbors. The passage also notes the community’s growth. The writer declares that such transformation comes from God through the power of the Spirit. This is a witness to the church in all times about how growth is a gift of God’s provision of grace, nurture, and feeding. Suggestions to do as a family this week. When we share what we have with others, the love of Jesus grows in our world. What might you share with others? Consider giving away clothes, toys, or books that you don’t use anymore. Offer to make a meal for someone who has a difficult time cooking. Give your friendship to someone who is lonely. As always, all children and youth are welcome to join us for Bible story time and activities on the 2^nd floor after the time of conversation with the pastor. The group will come back to the church to take Communion. Childcare is available for children 4 and under on the 2^nd floor as well.

Upcoming Faithworks Event

• May 14 Is Mother’s Day and Women of the Church celebration. Faithworks’ children and youth will mark this day by distributing gifts to the women of our church after the service.

Mission At The Eastward Update(MATE) July 1-8

So far I have word from 12 mission team candidates for this year’s trip. If you are planning to go on this trip please send me an email today, so that we can finalize our reservations.  If you know of someone who told you that they want to go, forward this message to them and ask them to reply to revlouie@aol.com.   A fifty dollar deposit is requested to reserve your spot.

All adults attending this year’s trip must have completed a background check as required by the personnel committee of the church. This cannot be done at the last minute.  Please send me your email address and I will send the instructions on how to sign the agreement for the check.  Anyone 13 or younger must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

The next event on our calendar is the cake auction on Mother’s Day. Make a cake and help to reduce the costs for everyone.  The cakes are received before church on May 14 and the auction is held during the refreshment time.  Bring your friends.    Decorate a cake for your favorite team and show your support of the mission team.

On June 25^th there will a commissioning service for all team members.  This will be held in the High Mountain Church 10AM service.  All participants should make every effort to attend in order to show you thanks for the $350.00 per person support that comes from the church. Please mark your calendars now for this date.  Following the service there will be a meeting for orientation and training for all team members.  Parents are encouraged to stay even of you are no going on the trip.

We leave from the church here in Franklin Lakes on Saturday July 1^st and we return on July 8^th.  We do not work on July 4^th; we join in the celebration of the Farmington community.   The cost per person is $350.00 (if that creates a hardship for you please notify me as we have some scholarship money for youth).  We are also asking every team member to sell shares in the trip.  We will be giving everyone some stock shares to sell after the cake auction.

If you know someone who is hoping to go on this trip but does not receive the church’s newsletter, please copy and paste this announcement to them in an email.

Blessings on your preparations,

Pastor Lou and Laura, your trip leaders

Summer Mission Trip to Maine Saturday July 1^st to Saturday July 8th.  Register now.

July 1^st – July 8^th High Mountain Church is once again sponsoring a mission trip.  The trip is under the leadership of Pastor Lou Kilgore.   Laura Peterson and Chris Buckley will be assisting in leadership and co-ordination as we prepare for another year of ministry in Maine. The purpose of the trip is to assist residents of northern Appalachia who are trying to stay in their homes but cannot afford to address many of the bricks and mortar problems that come with independent living.  The families we work with are facing severe challenges of a variety of sorts and we commit to making their homes safer, warmer, and drier.  We build, repair, dig, whatever is needed.  We will be working with a group there call Mission at the Eastward.  It is a Presbyterian mission agency.

There are two aspects of this trip:

1. There is one group that actually takes 8 days of their summer and uses their hands and feet to do the work and build relationships of support with the families. Last year there were 25 who attended. This group is mostly teenagers and young adults and the other adults who help to provide support and encouragement to the youth. This is an intergenerational experience with a priority of the development of the youth.  Adults who attend have the added challenge of relating and engaging in positive ways with teenagers as well as the work they are given to do and taking direction from program directors. The minimum age is 13 for all participants.    If you want to register send an email now to Pastor Lou, revlouie@aol.com or to Chris Buckley, office administrator, chrisbuckley@highmountainpres.org. A fifty dollar deposit is your reservation and it is nonrefundable.  This trip is open to those who are not from our church but space is limited.  Register now.

Adults (please take special notice) you are welcome at any age with the understanding that the week is challenging physically and emotionally and personally. Not everyone is prepared to travel and spend a week with teenagers in a tightly organized schedule under the direction of the trip leaders.  If you are interested in learning more please send an email to pastor Lou at revlouie@aol.com and let him know that you are interested in going. We have only participants, no chaperones and no tourists.  Background checks will be required for all adults.

The cost for the week is $350.00 and that includes most of the meals and lodging at the University of Farmington for the week and the building materials and tools needed to do the work and transportation to Maine. If you are planning to go please let us know now as there are many steps to being ready.  A fifty dollar donation is your reservation for the trip and this is nonrefundable.  Please spread the word.  Priority will be given to church families and members, but this is an open trip.

2. There is another group that supports the trip in prayers and financially. This work begins now with praying for those who are making decisions and getting their plans in order to go. There are fund raising events like a cake auction on Mother’s day at High Mountain Church. Some will make the cakes and some will buy them and together we raise support for this work.  We will offer stock shares which can be purchased in various amounts to support the effort.  The actual cost of the trip is $700 per person and we try to raise $350 in donations in order to make it so everyone can afford to go. We have already raised $1,500 dollars.

Please watch for more news and information. Time will go by very quickly so let’s begin the conversation now if you are thinking about being part of this year’s trip.

Pastor Lou, Mission trip Director.

Book Club at HMPC

The Book Club meets on the 4th Friday of the month and anyone is invited to come and discuss the books.

May 26 – When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

May 26 – Alternative Book: The Two Family House by Linda Cohen Laigman

Fernie Friends And Family Habitat Build                        

The Fernstroms are excited to share with you the latest news about the Fernie Friends and Family Habitat Build. Due to favorable weather this winter, 147 Hamilton Avenue now has a house ready to finish and waiting for volunteers to assist in its completion. Four building dates have been scheduled for Saturday May 13 and 20, July 15 and 22. A maximum of ten workers can participate each day.

Work will include decking, framing, subflooring and landscaping. We will not know the specific jobs until the date. Volunteers need to arrive at 7:45 am and work will end at 3:30, with a morning coffee break and an hour lunch time (food and drink to be provided by the family). Volunteers must be 16 to participate.

To sign up and join us for one or more of these four days, please go to the link provided below. You will need to set up a New Account with a username and password and it will walk you through the sign-up, getting some basic information, and ask you to sign a very important liability waiver. Once that’s completed you can select the Fernie Family Build date of your choice and sign up as a volunteer! PLEASE NOTE REVISED SIGNUP WEBSITE!!!

https:/fernstrom.phfhg.volunteerhub.com

Two more volunteer build dates will be scheduled in the fall. Our hope is that the house will be completed by the end of the year so that the Gonzalez family can spend Christmas in their new home!  We are so impressed with the support of so many who have shown an interest in the project and want to be part of our plan to help revitalize Paterson. Donations so far total $45,000. The Fernstroms appreciate all who have expressed their encouragement and support of this endeavor.

Annual Jersey Jubilation

The 13^th annual Jersey Jubilation Handbell Choir will be performing on Friday, May 19, at Ridgewood Methodist Church, 100 Dayton Street in Ridgewood.  Suggested donation is $10.  For more info please call 201-447-2751 or email info@jerseyjubilation.org

Prayers & Announcements

Announcements for the Sunday Worship service should be emailed to the church office. If you would like the community to pray with you please call the office at

201-891-0511.

                                         HMPC Sunday Servers: Second Quarter 2017

*Assigned families can decide who will be reader. Please inform Chris (201-891-0511), who is reading one week before you are scheduled. If you will not be available for your assigned date, please try to switch with someone else and inform the office of this change.  Please check PM regularly to see the date of your assignment. Thank you!