Saint Matthew's

Town-Wide Garage Sale – September 25

Saint Matthew’s first “Town-wide Garage Sale” is scheduled for Saturday, September 25th. As the time is coming by quickly, there are a number of items that need to be checked off on the to-do list. One big work chunk of “to do’s” is the need for used books, baked goods that will be sold, and help setting up and cleaning up after the sale here at church. A green sign up sheet is located on the table in the narthex. If you can help out with a baked good or two for September 25th or if you could possibly donate a book or two or even help out here at church that Saturday, please sign up soon.

Additionally, we will need help handing out maps of New Milford that plot the individual garage sale homes. If you can help handing out these maps, please sign up on the green sheet in the narthex.

For more information, please speak with Debbie Bigbee after church. Thank you.

Hymn Tune Destinations – Staycation

Our final summer destination can also be a “staycation” – America/National anthem, “God Bless Our Native Land” (LW497). Like many other hymn tunes, this one has two names. Among other denominations, current Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic hymnals know it as “America”. Both LCMS and ECLA hymnals calls the tune “National Anthem”, probably because it was the tune of the Russian national anthem until 1833 and still is the tune for Great Britain’s national anthem, “God Save Our Gracious Queen”. It was also used for patriotic texts in France, Sweden, and Denmark.

The origin of the tune is obscure. It first appeared in the English publication “Harmonia Anglicana” in 1744. The text is an adaptation of a German hymn, “got segne Sachsenland” (“God Bless Saxony”), by Siegfried Mahlmann and was first sung in 1815. The first stanza of the English text was written by Charles T. Brooks (1812-83), a Unitarian minister from Salem, Massachusetts, who graduated from Harvard Divinity School. It was published in 1845. Brooks later served parishes in Maine, Vermont, and Rhode Island. The author of the second stanza, John S. Dwight (1813-93), was also a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and a Unitarian minister for a brief period before extreme shyness led to his resignation.

Continued Confessions Study This Wednesday

Barring and unforeseen weather calamities, we will hold our weekly Divine service with bible study outside in the parsonage backyard this coming Wednesday beginning at 7:00pm. We are continuing our study of the Lutheran Confessions, looking at individual articles of the Augsburg Confession. If you have time this Wednesday, please join us. And yes, mosquito repellant will be available.

We Did It Again for the Homeless

Although the Samaritans were all tired, our hearts were happy for being able to help those less fortunate. We are proud of the pot roast dinner we served and are complimented for it numerous times.

Our thanks to Shop Rite in New Milford for supplying the beef and to Adam Wong for the Terra chips. My thanks go to Anneliese and Helmut Schmidt, Karen DeRosa, Lynne Helming, Marc Quintavella, Lee Bigbee, Jody Wangerin, Audree Caponetto, and Pastor Iovine for working at the church and also at the Bergen County Center for Family Promise.

Those who donated a dessert included Debbie Bigbee, Audree Caponetto, Karin DeRosa, Inge Eicher, Lily Eng, Pat Masten, Doris Traumuller, and Joan Wilson. Thank you so much!

My personal thanks go to Pastor Iovine for his help day-to-day for the past few weeks putting it all together.

Evelyn Comer

Chairman, The Samaritans

Fall Time Change

Just a reminder that this week is our last week at the 9:30 slot for morning service. Starting on Rally day, September 12th, our service returns to 10:00am.

Reminder

Just a reminder that beginning this month and October respectively our Sunday School and Confirmation classes run weekly with the exception of the first Sunday in each month.

Town-Wide Garage Sale – September 25

Saint Matthew’s first “Town-wide Garage Sale” is scheduled for Saturday, September 25th. As the time is coming by quickly, there are a number of items that need to be checked off on the to-do list. One big work chunk of “to do’s” is the need for used books, baked goods that will be sold, and help setting up and cleaning up after the sale here at church. A green sign up sheet is located on the table in the narthex. If you can help out with a baked good or two for September 25th or if you could possibly donate a book or two or even help out here at church that Saturday, please sign up soon.
Additionally, we will need help handing out maps of New Milford that plot the individual garage sale homes. If you can help handing out these maps, please sign up on the green sheet in the narthex.
For more information, please speak with Debbie Bigbee after church. Thank you.

Hymn Tune Destinations – Jerusalem

Our musical journey today takes us to Jerusalem (Jerusalem, do hochgebaute Stadt; “Jerusalem, O City Fair and High,” LW 306) The  city is sacred to three of the world’s great religions:

- Judaism – David made it the capital of his kingdom about 1000 B.C.

- Christianity – Here Jesus suffered, died, and was resurrected in the 1st century A.D.

- Islam – Following His death in the 7th century A.D. Muhammad is said to have ascended into heaven from the site of today’s Dome of the Rock.
Melchior Franck (c. 1573-1639), the composer of  the tune, was born in Germany and was a student of Hans Leo Hassler. In 1603 he was appointed musical conductor in Coburg, a position he held until his death. Along with Hassler (“O Sacred Head, Now Wounded,” LW 116) and Michael Praetorious (“On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry,” LW 14), Franck is considered a master of German Lutheran hymnody during the end of the 16th century and the early 17th century. This tune was first published in 1663.

Johann Meyfart (1590-1639), the author of the text, was the son of the pastor in Wahlwinkel, Germany. He received his Doctor of Civinity from the university in Jena in 1624. He taught the gymnasium in Coburg and later was a professor of theology at the university in Erfurt, where he later became rector. The text of the hymn, based on Matthew 17:1-9, was published in 1626.

Continued Confessions Study This Wednesday

Barring and unforeseen weather calamities, we will hold our weekly Divine service with bible study outside in the parsonage backyard this coming Wednesday beginning at 7:00pm. We are continuing our study of the Lutheran Confessions, looking at individual articles of the Augsburg Confession. If you have time this Wednesday, please join us. And yes, mosquito repellant will be available.

Walk In Kitchen Coming Up Soon

Thank you very much to those who have signed up to help make a dessert for the Samaritan’s August 26th service at the Hackensack Walk-in Kitchen. For those of you who have not signed up yet but are interested in do so, you still have time. We thank you in advance for your thoughtfulness and aid.
This year, as a reminder, we ask you all to hold onto your receipts for all the items you purchase for your dessert. Please keep all receipts for the ingredients purchased for these desserts and hand them in to Evelyn Comer for a cost tally!
Additionally, Pastor Iovine, as a Board member for Family Promise of Bergen, will be helping at dinner service the week prior on August 20th.

New Jersey Veterans Home Thank You Letter:

Saint Matthew’s received a note from the Veteran’s home in Paramus this week thanking all of those who donated video tapes and books to their library. The text of the letter is as follows:

Dear Friends,

On behalf of our Veterans at the New Jersey Veterans Home in Paramus we would like to thank you for your donation of tapes and books for our Veterans. Your thoughtfulness in remembering our Residents is truly appreciated.

We are most grateful to you for helping to enhance the quality of life for our Veterans. We appreciate all your efforts on their behalf. We count on your continued support.

Thank you again for your support of our Veterans,

Susan Pettigrano

Director of Volunteer Service

We will continue to collect videos and books for the Veterans home. If you are interested in donating an item, please bring it and place it in the white basket in the narthex.

Additionally, we are continuing to collect food and other staples for families of our military who have been deployed to the Middle East. You can bring canned goods and other non-perishable items to church and place them in a bag and leave them under the Martin Luther bust in the rear of the narthex.

Hymn Tunes Destinations – St. Louis

Today we visit St. Louis (“O Little Town of Bethlehem,” LW 60), home of the administrative offices of the LC-MS and one of its two seminaries. The largest city in Missouri, it is located about sixty miles Northwest of Perry County, where German Lutherans settles in 1839.

Lewis Henry Redner (1831-1908), the composer of the tune, was born in Philadelphia. At age sixteen he entered real estate, owned his own business, and became very wealthy. In addition, he served five churches in the Philadelphia area as organist. The last and most prominent was Holy Trinity Church in the center of the city. Redner was the superintendent of the Chapel Sunday School of Holy Trinity for nineteen years, increasing its enrollment from thirty-six to over 1,000. On Christmas Eve in 1868 he composed the melody for this popular Christmas carol, and it was first sung the following day. In various roles, Redner served Holy Trinity for the last 37 years of his life.

The author of the text, Phillips Brooks (1835-93), was born in Boston. After teaching briefly at the Boston Latin School, he attended a seminary in Virginia and began his ministry in Philadelphia. In 1861 he was called to Holy Trinity Church, where, inspired by a trip to Palestine two years earlier, he wrote the famous text used by Redner. Brooks was called to Boston’s Trinity Church in 1869, where he ministered until death. The 1874 Massachusetts publisher of the hymn named the tune” St. Louis”.

Thank You

I have to admit – last Sunday’s congregational “surprise” was truly a stunning one for me. Yes, on June 25th, I celebrated my fifth anniversary as an ordained pastor. And to be honest, I almost forgot!! The night before I was reminded of my ordination date by an acquaintance who called me at home to congratulate me.

The gifts presented to me last Sunday were received with a very humbled and thankful heart. The Yankee tee-shirt, the Yankee tickets, the Yankee cake (I think I sense that all of you believe I am a Yankees fan?), the cards and money were incredibly generous from all of you. In these situations, words like “thank you” do not do justice.

To everyone here at Saint Matthew’s who had a hand in planning this surprise, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Congregational Picnic

Well, we couldn’t let the cat out the bag last week, but now that the surprise was delivered, we can let you all know that since the picnic was in honor of Pastor’s 5th ordination anniversary, Thrivent Financial picked up the cost for the food and great Yankee cake that was served.  Thank you, Pastor, for all you do to shepherd our congregation, and may we share many more anniversaries with you.

Caregivers Chronicle

Hearts of Hope are distributed free– of- charge to people transitioning through difficult times in their lives. Each heart is accompanied by a hand-written greeting card personalized by the painter. You can plan an event for your group—large or small. It’s easy, because we supply everything you need: hearts, cards, brushes, and paints. You supply the people who want to give the gift of hope, caring and support. Hearts cost $3.00 each and are provided in kits of 25, 50, 75 or more.

A “cay date” is already set for Saturday, July 31st  10am-2pm. at the Art Center of NNJ, New Milford (across the street). To RSVP to join them, call (201) 336-7427.

“The Coffee Hour” continues after church on Sunday, May 16th. Please join us for this nice time of fellowship and fun as we gather around coffee and goodies following our gathering around Word and Sacrament.

Since embarking on “The Coffee Hour” on each second through fourth (or fifth) Sundays of the month (the first Sunday of the month is Friendship Fellowship Hour and is held downstairs in Fellowship Hall), this has been a labor of love for a few “providers” of coffee and goodies each week. Starting this Sunday, we are starting a weekly sign-up sheet where all members of Saint Matthew’s can provide goodies for “The Coffee Hour.”

If you are so inclined, please sign up this weekend on the sheet in the Upper Classroom, dubbed “Saint Matt’s Cafe.” Hope to see you this weekend at worship.

Just as a reminder, Circuit 1 of our New Jersey District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod will hold special Ascension Day services today, Thursday May 13th.

Our daytime service will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Westwood beginning at 10:30am

Our nighttime service will be held at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in Closter, beginning at 7:45pm

For more information, please click over to the Pastor’s Blog for more information.

(New Milford, NJ) – Saint Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church has released its first online weekly newsletter. It includes the information that is published in Saint Matthew’s weekly bulletin announcement section. Over the course of the next month, additional information will be added:

- A weekly bible study

- “Wrestling with Theology” column that tackles a theological issue impacting the church

- “In Public,” a column that deals with living the Christian life in a sinful world

- News and information updates from the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

- Blog postings and commentary from pastors throughout the LCMS

For more information, click over to the newsletter page and download the first edition.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

Saint Matthew’s Mission to Our Soldiers
Now Through April 25th

As you all know, our brother in Christ, Captain Jacob Butz, recently was deployed back to Afghanistan. Saint Matthew’s is embarking on a special mission for Jacob and the members of his troop. We are preparing Care Packages that we will ship over to them that we hope will provide a little taste of home.

We are looking for the donation of a number of items for these care packages, including:

Magazines and paper back books.

Phone cards

Powdered milk mixes

Slim Jim

Pringles

Peanut Butter crackers

Gum, candy (Lifesavers & Tic-Tacs) no chocolate

Boxed cookies

Toothpaste and brushes

Baby Wipes

Odor Eaters

Gel Insoles for boots

Gold Bond powder

Please consider helping this important mission of our church. Over the coming weeks, please bring these items to church and place them in the bucket in the narthex of the church (near the entrance to our church). Anything you can provide will be very helpful to Jacob and the men who serve under him. And please tell a neighbor about this project – ask them to help, as well!

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is sponsoring the shipping costs and anything else they can help with– thank you for the generous help! We are trying to get this special project together by April 25th, when we will have a boxing event to package everything for shipping. If you can come that day, lunch will be served! In advance, thank you for your tremendous support for Jake and our soldiers! Please RSVP for the lunch.

Shop-Rite Gift Cards

Saint Matthew’s continues to sell Shop-Rite gift cards in 25, 50, and 100 dollar denominations. Every time you purchase a card, you help Saint Matthew’s—we receive a 5% donation for each card purchase. This is an easy way to help Saint Matthew’s. Please speak with Debbie or Lee Bigbee after church to purchase a card.

Garden Café Sundays

Saint Matthew’s will be enjoying a 10% discount every second Sunday of the month at the Garden Café in New Milford on Henley and River Rd. Thank you to Linda, the manager, and the Café for this great opportunity to enjoy glorious weather and lunch on their
verandah  as well as the great incentive to visit. See you there!

Easter Egg Hunt

St. Matthew’s annual egg hunt was blessed by superb weather this year! 6 of St. Matthew’s littlest members had a ball playing in Pastor’s backyard, eating pizza, hunting for over 100 eggs, and ending the party with cookies and huge cupcakes with even bigger frosting. Videos and pictures were taken of everyone having a great time. Many special thanks to our SMYG leader, Ed Geiger, without whom this party would never have been so much fun! Thank you, Ed, for all the hard work and planning to make the day.

This Wednesday, March 24th beginning at 6pm, Saint Matthew’s will host its final “Lenten Soup Supper” at 6:00pm. The supper is held downstairs at the church in Rev. Jack D. Wangerin Fellowship Hall. Following dinner, our weekly Lenten Divine Service will be held. Our sermon series on “The Lord’s Prayer” will continue, this week focusing on the Sixth Petition. We look forward to seeing you.

Written by Rev. Anthony J. Iovine
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Electricity is still out for about 39,000 PSE&G residents, most of them here in Bergen County. One could say that the outage number is rather high, but considering that yesterday the number stood at around 83,000, workers have made dramatic progress in trying to return life to normal. Boil water advisories are still in effect for many communities in our immediate region. While Dumont, our nearest neighbor to the east, has a water advisory up for it, New Milford does not. Schools, as you would guess, are still closed all over Bergen County, including here in New Milford.

I drove around yesterday with the intention of checking on homes of members of Saint Matthew’s, and was glad that of those I could reach, there appeared to be little to no damage. One family was very, very lucky as trees fell in their front and back yards, but the only damage they received was to their gutter. However, driving around in order to see these homes was hard — streets are still blocked by trees and fallen power lines. I have about seven or eight homes to visit or drive past this morning. Driving up north was a little hard yesterday; I hope this situation improves today.

My reason for the drive by is that I was unable to make contact with a number of congregants, so I figured I would just burn a little fossil fuel and drive past homes. It is still very shocking to see huge trees strung out across streets. Yesterday in my travels, I drove by Concord Street here in New Milford, but the road was blocked by a rather large oak. It is almost surreal to see these huge, beautiful trees just laying in the middle of the road.

Flooding here in New Milford has subsided and those who were effected are completing their clean up. However, in a number of our communities in Bergen, Passaic, and Morris Counties, flood waters are still rising and are expected to crest sometime today. Officials say that even after the waters begin to go down, this process will take some time.

Here at church, the fallen pine tree in our yard is scheduled to be chopped up today at 1pm. I will be back here at church to do what I can to help.

I was asked by a member about my family in New York — my brother is doing fine; my father’s house is without power; Con Edison expects to get power up and running in his neighborhood by Friday. Maybe.

Continue to pray for our neighbors as we all try and rebound from this incredible devastation.

Vision Meeting!!

Vision meeting today after church – please come share your ideas and see what’s in store for St. Matthew’s!!

Shop-Rite Gift Cards

Just a reminder—we are selling Shop-Rite gift cards in $25, 50, and 100 denominations. Every time you purchase a card, you help Saint Matthew’s—we receive a 5% donation for each card purchase.

Please speak with Debbie or Lee Bigbee after church to purchase a card.

Chinese New Year’s Dinner

This festive dinner was held this past Saturday and catered to a packed house! Thank you to Stanley Eng and Ed Geiger for arranging the meal and for all volunteers that helped with setting up Thursday night. Once again everyone pitched in to make the event fun and a success.

Souper Suppers

This Wednesday is the first Souper Supper of this Lenten season.

Join us for this humble meal and the service to follow as we remember the suffering of our Savior, His sacrifice for us, and our own difficulties in eschewing sin and its allure.

Samaritans

Thank you to everyone who helped make our meal at the Walk in Kitchen a blessing to so many people. I will have a longer report next weekend. Again Thank you!!

-Evelyn Comer