Communications Team

Are You Ready to Grow From Tourist to Explorer?

Explorer Membership Orientation will begin in October!

Have you discovered Cold Spring Church through the Explore God series? Wonderful. We have created a special group for you if you’d like to make deeper connections to our community of faith!

Or, maybe you’ve been attending Cold Spring Church for weeks or months. Or, even years! And we’re glad you have! You can receive even more blessings by connecting as a member of our faith community. If you’re a Tourist, is might be the right time to consider becoming an Explorer. That’s someone who is interested in learning more about Cold Spring Church, its future, and its mission.

People participate in church for many different reasons and for more than 300 years, Cold Spring Church has welcomed thousands of individuals to connect in whatever way was right for them, and we still do!

For those who’d like to move from awesome Tourist to that of an amazing Explorer, you may want to become a member of Cold Spring Church. All of us have questions about spirituality and you may want to deepen your faith in Christ. Well, this orientation promises to increase your spiritual energy and provide more satisfaction in being part of our community of faith. The three enjoyable, informative, 40-minute sessions will consider the foundations of the Christian faith and the unique benefits and responsibilities afforded to members. Participation in these interactive conversations may lead to membership in our church, but there are no obligations.

The Explorer Membership Orientation will be guided by the pastor, Dr. Kevin Yoho, and begins on Sundays starting soon. We will meet in the upstairs classroom on the 2nd floor of the worship center (red brick building) from 9:35-10:10 AM. We plan to start and conclude on time. Refreshments are provided.

Now is the time for new possibilities! Please contact Pastor Kevin for more information and to register your participation in this no obligation opportunity! Call the church office or email pastor@coldspringchurch.com.

Build a new future as an Explorer! Sign up today.

Explore God with us!

The Clerk’s Corner, by Rob Riehl, clerk of session, ruling elder

We all have questions about God, faith, religion, and more. Where can we find the answers? Where –and with whom– can we discuss our personal perspectives and experiences about these questions? The “Explore God” series is designed to provide opportunities for people to explore these important questions through hearing sermons and participating in follow-up discussion groups. Six area Christian churches have collaborated to invite their surrounding communities in Cape May County to explore the many common and important questions about God. This community outreach initiative calls everyone who is seeking satisfying answers to these questions —both those affiliated with a church and those who do not belong to a church. Why is having and sharing this knowledge important? What is the objective –the mission– of this initiative? Through this process, participants can both strengthen their own faith beliefs and be able to engage in healthy spiritual conversations with others. This is a way for everyone who hears the Word of God to fulfill the command of the Great Commission: to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to his/her world —their “sphere of influence”. You are invited to explore God!

The “Explore God” Sunday sermon series schedule:

• September 24 “Does Life have a purpose?”
• October 1 “Why does a good God allow pain and suffering?”
• October 8 “How bad is ‘too bad’? / How good is ‘good enough’?”
• October 15 “Jesus: lunatic, moral example, or God?”
• October 22 “Is Christianity too narrow?”
• October 29 “Is the Bible reliable?”

Q Place

“Q Place” means a safe place where you can ask questions about the topic under discussion. Everyone has the opportunity to explore the question more deeply –some by asking questions or sharing their own perspective and experience; others may prefer to just “listen in” and learn from what others have to say. Whether you are an active or a passive learner does not matter; the shared questions, perspectives, and experiences provide an interesting learning opportunity for everyone in the group. A short DVD introduction of the scheduled question will be viewed, followed by comments from the group. These comments are often the catalyst that ignites stimulating discussion! Recommended readings would be presented for those who wish to further explore the topic on their own.

For anyone interested in discussing these Sunday sermon questions within a small group setting, simply show up for the designated class. No registration is needed to participate in this open-meeting format. You may participate in any one or more of these weekly sessions.
Coffee and fellowship begin at 10:15 a.m. with the discussion led by a facilitator beginning at 10:30 a.m.

The “Q Place” discussion group schedule:

• Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. in the Taylor Room of Price Hall
• September 27; October 4, 11, 18, 25; and November 1

In the course of the next few weeks, you will notice a banner proclaiming “We all have Questions! –Explore God” posted on Seashore Road as you approach our worship center. There will also be several “lawn signs” positioned by our several property driveways and facility entrances. This is just one of the several ways that our church is announcing to our surrounding community (and the out-of-town drive-by vehicles) that we at Cold Spring are a participating church in this mission! Help us by “spreading the word” and by your personal prayers for its success. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

–Rob Riehl

The joy of service to others.

September begins with our national Labor Day celebration, a movement in the United States that started in Oregon and later spread to New Jersey and three others states in 1887. Designated by the federal government to be the first Monday in September, it is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. Cold Spring Church recognizes Labor Day and expresses gratitude for our staff, and the myriad of current and retired workers both in the congregation and our community at large. Workers have contributed to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our congregation, and our country. The holiday is well-deserved. We should take joy in our work, and enjoy rest from our labor, too.

“Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the people in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the church to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:36-41).

In the passage above from Acts, the ministry team that included Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and John Mark decided to re-calibrate the good things they did by paying attention to what was bringing joy, and what wasn’t. They knew that God not only cared about what we accomplish, but how we are feeling. Our wellness of mind, body, and spirit applies to faith communities, too.

I am delighted and humbled to accept the session’s invitation to continue another year in my interim part-time role as the transformation pastor. West Jersey Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry last month approved the contract for another term and celebrated the progress we have experienced. There is a hope-filled future for Cold Spring Presbyterian Church as we continue to listen to the Spirit and move forward together. Thank you your support.
More individuals have volunteered to take on new responsibilities and many others have increased their participation in worship, activities, events, and ministries. But there is a flip-side to positive engagement; it is called fatigue. As we continue to grow and learn, we need to monitor ourselves so that we do not become fatigued in doing good (see Galatians 5:6-7). How are you feeling? Do you feel energized or fatigued? Do you feel over- or under- utilized? Are you ready for something new? Or, maybe you need a well-deserved break, or to do something different?

While we can feel energized, from time to time we may feel a bit overwhelmed. If you do, that’s O.K., and please let me and others know. We care about how you are feeling! We don’t want to sacrifice our own sense of joy in serving. One of the early mottos of the Labor Day movement was “8 Hours Work, 8 Hours Recreation, 8 Hours Rest.” There is a natural rhythm to the cycles of life in our work, in our volunteer service, and in our retirement, too!

For example, the rhythms of engaging a new vision, preparing, and maintaining high engagement, and then enjoying accomplishments should naturally be followed by rest, learning, reflection, and the option for re-engagement. These cycles vary for each person and can span days, weeks, or months, depending on our circumstances. It’s all good. We might have been energized by serving for years as a liturgist or on a church team, for example, but we now may want to try something different. That’s great! Try something different

There are new ministries developing that might be the perfect fit for you right now, or suggest a new ministry yourself.
Do you volunteer with a community organization, not for profit, or service group? Thank you for your service! But remember to pay attention to your own wellness to be sure you are getting the resources you need to offer your best. You can count on the Cold Spring Church community to deliver refreshment of the spirit and to support you as you serve.

We tend to overlook our own needs. But to experience more satisfaction and joy in your service to others, the first week of September is the perfect time to recalibrate, and be open for what God may invite you to do next. The Apostle Paul’s mission team decided to uniquely invest their resources to visit all the towns where they had served to see how they were doing (Acts 15.36), which resulted in strengthening the churches (Acts 15:41). We need to be strengthened, too.

No matter what your availability or the particular gifts you may have to offer, they are welcomed at Cold Spring Church. You can make a difference. Thank you for your labor (1 Thessalonians 1:2-5). Thank you for the opportunity you have offered me to labor another year with you in this ministry!

Enjoy your Labor Day. Let’s make time to pause, rest, and then consider how to creatively re-engage to experience joy in the ministry opportunities ahead!

Read More

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. — Song of Solomon 8:7
Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas coast, Irma hit landfall in Florida, and now Maria is devastating the Caribbean and Puerto Rico. Historic flooding, forcing rivers and streams from their banks, submerging homes, churches, businesses and roads, and stranding thousands of people, with many lives lost make these storms especially tragic. But you can help! Your gifts are urgently needed now to support the communities devastated by these historic storms. You can join in the response and encourage those in need by standing in the “GAP” — Give. Act. Pray.

Give today to help Presbyterian Disaster Assistance bring hope & healing to families and communities. We are standing by with resources and our National Response Team members are ready to deploy upon invitation and when it is safe to do so.

For those who wish to support PDA’s emergency response and recovery efforts, gifts can be designated to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance-Maria. We need your help. Thank you for giving generously. For more information, please visit pda.pcusa.org.

If you prefer to mail a check, you may send it to:
Cold Spring Presbyterian Church
780 Seashore Road
Cold Spring, NJ 08204

Donations received that are designated for Hurricane relief will be forwarded to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Thank you for your prayers and response!