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July 2020

2020-07-26 Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Worship Online Resources

By Intersections, Sermons

Worship Guide (v1) for July 26, 2020

Readings July 26, 2020

Notes to Share for July 26, 2020

Children’s Worship Ages 4-7 for July 26, 2020

Children’s Worship Ages 8-12 for July 26, 2020

This week is the perfect time to join in our worship online. We simplified our online service and made it even easier to participate, and viewing does not require a Facebook account! Join the video stream on Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/coldspringchurch) or, if you don’t have internet access, use our New call in number: +1 (929) 205-6099. Enter Meeting ID: 875 2479 7260.

Re-Discovered Treasures Photo Op!

While staying at home, what forgotten treasures, keepsakes, other items have you re-discovered? Maybe after Summer-cleaning, rearranging, or re-modeling you came across something of value, a forgotten treasure! Share a photo on Facebook, and tag coldspringchurch, or email.

Share Your Experience!

You have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, right where you are, anytime. Once you and your family are ready, share the picture with us by posting to Facebook #ColdSpringChurch or Instagram #coldspringchurchnj. You may want to subscribe to our weekly Connections email newsletter. Sign up here!

Message Preview:

Hello.

When have you felt God’s love even in the midst of a really difficult time? How was God’s love made real to you? Like archeologists of the holy, this week’s Scripture readings from Matthew 13 and Romans 8 will help us excavate our spiritual landscapes for things of worth and resources that help us re-discover God’s presence in our COVID-19 experience. 

God’s mercies are new every morning, even COVID-19 mornings. We can re-discover what is truly valuable: people, relationships, creation, beauty, mercy, truth, kindness, joy, love, faith. All things, God says, work together for the good. “That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good” (Romans 8:28). What good can possibly come from something so atrocious and painful as a world pandemic? We can re-discover that God is in the business of turning sadness to joy. We can re-discover spiritual wellness, and the intersection of faith and science. We can re-discover that church is not an indoor place but an outdoor activity of God’s people. We can re-discover Jesus’ (and our) ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing. We can re-discover the mandate of caring for others. We can re-discover home.

I hope to see you Sunday for Worship Online when we Re-Discover God’s Goodness in a COVID-19 World.

Pastor Kevin

Music Preview:

Our worship includes our weekly musical selections offered by Jayne McDonough at our grand piano and a beautiful solo by the Rev. Larry Moyer. We will also enjoy two other inspiring hymns, Graves Into Gardens, and It Is Well With My Soul (When Peace Like A River).

In March 2020, artists Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, Steven Furtick, and Tiffany Hammer of Elevation Music wrote Graves Into Gardens in response to our COVID-19 pandemic world that is causing unimaginable pain, anxiety, and fear with its spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, and social traumas. God accepts and loves us just as we are and delivers treasures of resources to discover. Let’s sing the fantastic news that God turns our graves into gardens, bones into armies, and overwhelming seas into highways of hope. Only God can do that!

Our second hymn, It Is Well With My Soul (When Peace Like A River) offers comfort when things go horribly wrong. In 1873, Horatio Spafford sent his wife and four daughters on a ship to a vacation in France, planning to join them later. Tragically, of his family, only his wife survived. Taking the next boat over, as he passed the spot where the ship went down, he began to write, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll,” drawing comfort and assurance from Christ in times of physical and spiritual crisis, offering us hope today. His friend Philip Bliss composed the tune that will lift our spirits.

2020-07-19 Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Worship Online Resources

By Intersections, Sermons

Last Week’s Service July 12,2020

Worship Guide (v1) for July 19, 2020

Readings July 19, 2020

Notes to Share for July 19, 2020

Children’s Worship Ages 4-7 for July 19, 2020

Children’s Worship Ages 8-12 for July 19, 2020

 

This week is the perfect time to join in our worship online. We simplified our online service and made it even easier to participate, and viewing does not require a Facebook account! Join the video stream on Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/coldspringchurch) or, if you don’t have internet access, use our New call in number: +1 (929) 205-6099. Enter Meeting ID: 875 2479 7260.

Photo-Op for Everyone!

How does your garden grow? Share a photo of your indoor or outdoor gardens. What types of fruits, vegetables, or herbs have you grown during the Pandemic. Post your photos on Facebook, and tag coldspringchurch, send via Facebook Messenger, or email.

Share Your Experience!

You have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, right where you are, anytime. Once you and your family are ready, share the picture with us by posting to Facebook #ColdSpringChurch or Instagram #coldspringchurchnj. You may want to subscribe to our weekly Connections email newsletter. Sign up here!

Hello friends,

Last week, we re-discovered the joy of planting seeds. We were delighted that many shared photos of their outside and countertop gardens from herbs to vegetables to beautiful flowers. One person shared their garden of garlic! Remember, the joy is in the planting!

But, we can become impatient and disappointed when we don’t see growth or an immediate return on our planting effortss. We think its our God-given job to judge whether what we see is a weed or plant. Unilaterally we emotionally, spiritually, physically, or metaphorically take out, prune, sort, even burn what we’ve judged unworthy. Even though it seems counter-intuitive to let everything in the garden grow up together, there will be a harvest. Its not our garden. Its God’s garden and God does the sorting.

In a culture in which we constantly accuse, condemn, complain, sort and label, value or discard, Jesus’ message is radical (literally, down to the roots). What is that person wearing? What accent do they have? When with that person shape up? What is the color of their skin? What kind of house do they live in? What are they driving and what does their bumper sticker say? What church do they attend or not? What news network do they watch? So by our “weeding” we bluntly tell God, “I’m going to pull up the weeds. You’re welcome!” Its God’s garden and God does the sorting.

Our assessments and assumptions are often completely wrong and when we act on them, they are often utterly destructive to the entire ecosystem and will alienate us from one another and at worst kill each other.

This week, let’s agree to stop pulling weeds. Let’s take joy in planting seeds that will grow and nurture others. Its God’s garden. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Pastor Kevin

2020-07-12 Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Worship Online Resources

By Intersections, Sermons

Last Week’s Service July 05,2020

Worship Guide (v1) for July 12, 2020

Readings July 12, 2020

Notes to Share for July 12, 2020

Children’s Worship Ages 4-7 for July 12, 2020

Children’s Worship Ages 8-12 for July 12, 2020

 

This week is the perfect time to join in our worship online. We simplified our online service and made it even easier to participate, and viewing does not require a Facebook account! Join the video stream on Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/coldspringchurch) or, if you don’t have internet access, use our New call in number: +1 (929) 205-6099. Enter Meeting ID: 875 2479 7260.

Photo-Op for Everyone!

What seeds have you planted? Share a photo of your indoor or outdoor gardens. What types of fruits, vegetables, or herbs have you grown during the Pandemic. Post your photos on Facebook, and tag coldspringchurch, send via Facebook Messenger, or email.

Share Your Experience!

You have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, right where you are, anytime. Once you and your family are ready, share the picture with us by posting to Facebook #ColdSpringChurch or Instagram #coldspringchurchnj. You may want to subscribe to our weekly Connections email newsletter. Sign up here!

Hi friends,

Thank you for taking a few minutes to read this week’s issue of Connections. As loving, thoughtful neighbors, we continue safe physical distancing, wear our masks, and wash our hands. My message this week is about the Great Gospel Give-Away. We find Jesus in a boat telling a huge beach crowd the story of the sower of the seeds. Jesus reminds us not to worry about the harvest we see around us, and not be picky and only plant seeds of hope where we think the receiver is worthy. The rocks and thorns and birds, the weather, the natural disasters, the convergence of historical events, COVID-19, are out of our control. We must not hoard the blessings but cheerfully give to all. Everywhere. Thank you for being a Good News-sower. Let’s keep sowing, regardless of all the circumstances inhospitable to the harvest. God gives the increase. Keep sowing! Give the Good News Gospel away!

Sincerely,

Pastor Kevin

Our Session Leadership Team (2020)

By Intersections, Newsletters

A Session is the leadership team for a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation, a denomination that Cold Spring Presbyterian Church has been a member of since, well, before the denomination was formed! The Session is comprised of nine (9) women and men who are Ruling elders elected by the congregation to terms of service. The Session Meeting gathers monthly with the Transformation Pastor, Dr. Kevin Yoho, who serves as the Session Moderator. The Session is responsible for the spiritual vitality of its members and listening to the Spirit of God and the voice of the congregation to best serve the community of Greater Cape May, New Jersey in the name of Jesus Christ.

2020 Session Team Leadership

Beverly Mate, Fred Ferrari, Kevin Beare, Lenore Bowne, Marjorie Wetherill, Martin Bowne, Norris Clark, and Tom Imperato. As of March 2020, there is one vacancy on the session. Our elders are structured to serve on one of six (6) ministry teams. Speak with them to share your ideas, concerns, joys, learn more, and please, consider joining a team that interests you.

Restructuring Session Teams to Better Achieve Our Mission

The Session has been faithfully meeting via Zoom since March. In May 2020, the session restructured the teams to better achieve our mission together. Below are the team names and the elders who serve on them. Contact information for our session members can be found on our staff and leadership contact page.

    • Finance and Personnel Team (Tom Imperato with Beverly Mate). The mission of the Finance and Personnel Team is to facilitate accountability of the Church’s funds and other assets and provide financial information to enable decision-making that will ensure the Church’s financial sustainability and to ensure Church employees have the training and tools to perform their job, are held accountable for achieving the goals of the Church, and are compensated appropriately for their efforts.
    • Worship and Music Team (Marty Bowne with Lenore Bowne) The mission of the Worship and Music Team collaborates with the Pastor and the Organist/Music Director to enable meaningful worship in the preaching of the Word of God, the administration of the Sacraments, and celebration with music. Through meditation on the Word of God, and subsequent application to their lives, the members of our congregation will be better equipped to serve God and the community.
    • (NEW) Cemetery and Grounds Team (Fred Ferrari with Tom Imperato). The mission of the Cemetery and Grounds Team is to improve the beauty, accessibility, care, usefulness, and maintenance of our entire campus including cemetery-specific structures such as the field office, garage, and mausoleum, roads, parking lots; promote cemetery services, develop cemetery use guidelines, rules, operating procedures, review and recommend cemetery services prices, review monthly and annual reports such as required by the New Jersey Cemetery Board, and other responsibilities assigned by the session from time to time.
    • (NEW) Facilities Team (Kevin Beare): The mission of the Facilities Team is to improve the beauty, accessibility, usefulness, efficiency, care and maintenance of our buildings and structures, both interior and exterior, (including Price Hall (rental policies and processes), Red Brick Church, and manse, but excluding cemetery-specific structures).
    • (New) Congregational Life Team (Marge Wetherill with Lenore Bowne) The mission of the Congregational Life Team is to provide church fellowship events during the year to celebrate our life together as one church family. The Team serves as a liaison for groups within the church to offer a variety of year-round fellowship events to foster Christian unity and love among the congregation.
    • (New) Community Life Team (Norris Clerk). The mission of the Community Life Team is to identify opportunities for positive community engagement and increased involvement and service by promoting and creating welcoming experiences, mission activities, concerts, and programs like Cold Spring Suppers.

The Top Ten Session Responsibilities include:

  1. Mission of the church (working with the congregation, inspiring the congregation, and equipping the congregation to achieve the vision and mission of Cold Spring Presbyterian Church)
  2. Worship (providing regular, spiritually energizing and equipping, experiences)
  3. Transformation (learning and growing in community-directed ministry)
  4. Evangelism (sharing the Good News about Jesus)
  5. Community (serving the community of Cape May)
  6. Education (providing learning experiences for all ages)
  7. Stewardship (promoting the joyful participation of our time, energy, and attention to support God’s work)
  8. Finance (setting the annual budget, financial review and accountability, and investing resources)
  9. Administration (works with the pastor to pro five supervision and training to all staff)
  10. Higher Governing Bodies and Ecumenical Relationships (regularly participating in the regional ministry of West Jersey Presbytery, the national ministry of the Presbyterian Church, (U.S.A.), and local ecumenical partners)

Additional session leadership resources are discussed in the, The Presbyterian Trustee, A Guide, (Geneva Press, 2004).