Being Church:

Engaging with Neighbors and Neighborhoods

Even as we are called to love God with our heart, mind, soul and strength, we are equally called to love our neighbor. Sometimes it is easier to give lip-service to this calling, than truly put it into action, especially regarding our neighbors. Community demographics change over the years and congregations often find themselves inhabiting a church building, but not truly knowing the community that surrounds them. It has been my experience that the more engaged a congregation is with and within its community, the more vibrant it is as a vital, transformative community of faith. In my brief time among you I have, already, been inspired by the creative and life-giving engagement of many of our local churches within their communities and will plan to highlight some of those in the coming year. There is also recognition that “post-pandemic” many congregations continue to experience smaller numbers in worship and that trend is not expected to change. Despite some challenging realities, there is also incredible opportunity to expand the meaning of “parish,” creating more authentic engagement with neighbors and neighborhoods that surround our church buildings and find new ways to love God and practice our faith.

The following article invites deepening reflection and action regarding these very themes of reaching out beyond church walls and practicing our faith in new and dynamic ways. Even as you read Jonathan Brooks thoughtful piece, I invite you to send our office (admin@coastlandspresbytery.org) stories of ways your congregation is already engaged in your community and ways your neighborhood is central to your ministry and life as a community of faith. I look forward to highlighting some of these as we continue to explore what it means to be Coastlands Presbytery and how, together, we can be a source of justice, compassion, mercy, transformation and love in our region. As we grow as a new presbytery, may we pay particular attention to the gifts and needs that surround us in our neighborhoods and communities and respond to the call to extend beyond ourselves to further the kin-dom of God on earth.

Jonathan Brooks: How engaged is your church in your neighborhood? | Faith and Leadership

May the peace and courage of the Holy enliven you!

Mary Westfall, Relational Co-Leader

Coastlands Presbytery

ep@coastlandspresbytery.org

PCUSA Leader Reflects on Recent Holiday

The rights of people matter. Following recent Supreme Court decisions, the PC(USA)’s advocacy director reminds us why

by Jimmie Hawkins

For many Americans, the Fourth of July is important as it helps to define our national identity. For Presbyterians, Independence Day holds a special place in our collective consciousness.

Read the rest of the article here.

Candidate Linda Kwak attends

Korean American Presbyterian Clergywoman

(KAPCW) Conference

Linda Kwak, a candidate under care at Presbytery of the Coastlands and a member of Nassau Presbyterian Church, recently attended the annual conference for Korean American Presbyterian Clergywomen (KAPCW) at Zephyr Point Retreat and Conference Center, Lake Tahoe, NV. This gathering helped Linda explore the theme of ‘jeong’ as well as her own identity among fellow PC(USA) Korean American women pastors. This experience will also fuel her work as a PhD student at Boston University School of Theology as she continues her research on the theopolitical impact of Asian American women pastors in the aftermath of Covid-19. Please keep Linda in your prayers as she enters the second year in her program.

Linda's travel was supported by the Peace and Global Witness offering.

From the Treasurer's Desk

Per Capita Status and Update

The latest Per Capita and Mission Giving Summary for 2022-2023 is found here for your review.

If you have any questions or corrections, please let us know at treasurer@coastlandspresbytery.org. Previous month contributions appear in the published report following the trustees meeting on the 4^th Tuesday of the next month.

REMITTANCE FORM

Synod

Click on image link, below for newsletter:

Congregational News and Notes

Broadway Night of Praise – July 15

First Presbyterian Church of Hamilton Square will host Broadway music on Saturday, July 15, at 7:00 PM. Youth from our church and community will sing solos, and Scott AuCoin, previous FPCHS choir director, will bring his wonderful voice and baton to sing and conduct our choir. Music will include selections from Godspell, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Children of Eden, Les Misérables, Wicked, Rent, Dear Evan Hansen, The Wizard of Oz, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Secret Garden, and Seussical. The Night of Praise series features Christian messages in a variety of musical genres.

Young Leader Retreat

at Camp Johnsonburg

Sunday, August 27, 2:00-6:30 PM

Registration deadline: Monday, August 14

For youth ministry leaders - working with older youth or younger,

Sunday School or youth group, paid or unpaid. If you work with the younger among us, you are invited!

This year we are pleased to welcome Megan DeWald, the Director

of the Institute for Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary,

who will lead a hands-on workshop entitled "Designing Youth Ministry...for Now." Yes, we are in a challenging time when it comes

to youth ministry, but what if this time of rapid change also presents

the church with an opportunity to grow curious, experiment with new ideas, and course-correct from some of the ways we’ve erred in the

past?

To get more information on the retreat and to register, go to the

Highlands Presbytery website.

Emergency Operations Planning Workshop

for Houses of Worship

A workshop for churches offered by FEMA and the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness on Wednesday, July 12th from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.

For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Come and See for Yourself by N. Scott Cupp

Rev. Dr. N. Scott Cupp, who previously served as Transitional Pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Matawan, has written a book titled Come and See for Yourself: The Gospel -- As if for the First Time, published by West Bow Press.

More information is available here.

Registration is live for Teach Us To Pray! This event, hosted by Old Tennent Church, includes leaders from at least 5 congregations and is shaping up to be a great chance for us to gather, pray and learn together. Visit https://www.oldtennent.org/teachus2pray for details and to register to attend.