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December 7, 2018

BBPC Weekly BUZZ September 06, 2019

This Week in Worship

Saturday, February 8, 5:00 p.m.

&

Sunday, February 9, 10:00 a.m.

Rev. Linda E Owens Preaching

“Distortion“

Scriptures:

Isaiah 58:1-12, Psalm 112:1-9

1 Corinthians 2:1-12, Matthew 5:13-20

Baptism of Christopher Schiff, Jr.

The Adult Choir

“Teach Me O Lord” - THOMAS ATTWOOD (1765-1838)

Guest Organist: Lois Buesser

BBPC welcomes Transitional Director of Music,

Tim Smith on Feb 16th

There will be no BUZZ next week,

the next edition will be released on February 21, 2020.

Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Presbyterian Church of

Bound Brook will be held on Sunday, February 9th

at 11:45 a.m. in the Sanctuary.

A light lunch will be served between the worship

service and the meeting

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Benefit Concert – Brook Theater

– February 8

This is a reminder to come out and Stand With

Bound Brook! Please join us at the Benefit Concert

at the Brook Arts Center, 10 Hamilton St, Bound

Brook, on Saturday, February 8 starting at 4:00

pm. The concert w ill raise money for those af-

fected by the Bound Brook fire. Music and dance

performances will be on the bill along with the

chance to meet and greet first responders. And fea-

tured among the musical acts will be none other

than Second Wind, with our own Sal Lalama on gui-

tar! Tickets are $10 with children and first respond-

ers enjoying free admission. All proceeds will bene-

fit the fire relief efforts. So please come and join

us!

Interfaith Hospitality Network

of Somerset County (IHN)

Just a reminder that IHN guests will be joining us

on Sunday. P lease remember if you signed up

to make a meal or volunteered to host our guests

during a time slot this week. The sign up sheet will

be on display after church, as a reminder. If you

have any questions, please contact Carol Eichhorn

at 732-302-0591.

Love Local on Feb. 23: Borough

of Bound Brook’s Future

After worship on Sunday, Feb. 23, we’ll have an

opportunity to hear from Borough Council Member

Abel Gomez, who will talk about the impacts of the

recent fire in downtown Bound Brook, and the on-

going plans for residential and retail development

projects in Bound Brook. Abel will present his per-

spective on these topics that are vital to the Bor-

ough’s present and future, and there will be an op-

portunity for questions and discussion.

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Youth and Families

This Month

Spark Sunday School students are continuing

their lesson on Mary & Martha, two sisters who in-

vited Jesus into their home and had different ideas

on what they needed to do when he arrived. Our

Students enjoy a weekly workshop rotation includ-

ing cooking, science, and art. All children, ages 3

through 5th grade are invited to walk over with

their class after A Time For Children in the worship

service.

Echo Sunday School is for youth in grades 6-12

and takes place in THE CAVE (the Church base-

ment) every Sunday at 10am. You can join any-

time!

The Second Saturday Senior High School

Group will meet or their own special night, On

February 8th starting in worship at 5PM. From

6-8Pm, we will have a special (platonic) valentines

themed event! Come and join us for some seriously

silly shenanigans!

Youth Group will meet on February 16th from

5-7Pm in THE CAVE. This month's theme is

LOVE, and students will be playing fun games that

spoof on an old television show "Let's Make a

Date". All youth in grades 6-12 are invited to join

Youth Group for the event.

Confirmation w ill meet on February 9th and

23rd in THE CAVE. Students are reminded to

bring lunch, study bibles, and workbooks with

them.

ASP Soup-er Bowl Event

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Thursday Morning Bible Study

Returns

Beginning Thursday, April 23 @ 10:15AM in

the Cemetery Chapel

We will be reading and discussing Rachel Held

Evans’ book A Year of Biblical Womanhood, a hu-

morous yet profound look at what the bible has to

say about being female, being human, and being

faithful. The book can be ordered through Ama-

zon. This course will last 6 weeks, covering two

chapters be week and will be lead by

Pastor Linda.

LIFE UNIVERSITY: Faith

Formation for Adults

In the coming months, in addition to the Sunday

Morning Adult Class, After Hours Bible Study, and

Silence Seekers, we will offering a couple other

educational opportunities for adults.

Wednesday Evening Lenten Soup Supper & Bible

Study

Beginning Wednesday, March 4 @ 6:30 for

supper, 7:15 for study in the church reception

area

We will be reading Amy Jill Levine’s book, Entering

the Passion of Jesus a six-week DVD study following

the Jesus’ journey to the cross. The book can be

ordered through Amazon. This course will last six

weeks with discussion led by Pastor Linda.

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CELEBRATE PER CAPITA MONTH!

The Stewardship Commission has declared February, PER CAPITA MONTH! We would like to

get a jump on the collection of per capita dues from our membership by encouraging you to

pay your per capita in February. Per Capita? What is that, you ask. Simple. Annually the

church is assessed a fee per member (not per household) that is set by Presbytery, but is di-

vided between our denomination’s General Assembly, our regional Synod and our local Pres-

bytery. This fee supports the work of the larger church. It makes the work of these governing

boards possible. This work is important as it provides essential services and support to indi-

vidual congregations including ours. Most recently we have been the recipient of our Presby-

tery’s guidance and support in the call of our pastor. We have also received I the past finan-

cial support for our Appalachia Service Project Youth Trip. Currently several members of our

session and congregation are active in the larger work of our presbytery serving on a variety

of working groups, task forces and commissions.

So what is the bottom line? What do we owe? Individually the per capita fee is $34.50 per

member. In year’s past the church has only contributed that which it had received. Last year

that was less than $2,500. By comparison, what we owed was in the ballpark of $16,000.

Bear in mind that while we can choose not to pay our full assessment, the Presbytery must

pay forward on our behalf what is owed to the Synod and the General Assembly (a portion of

the per capita fee). This year we want to do better. We believe in the connectional nature of

the larger church and we have budgeted to pay a minimum of $10,000. Without your contri-

bution, that $10,000 will come from our operating budget and will impact other areas of min-

istry. We hope that you will step up this month and contribute your per capita fee for each

member in your household. Contributions to per capita should be marked clearly on the

memo line of your check, or on the outside of your envelope.

Nothing says, “I LOVE being Presbyterian!” like paying your per capita.

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Courtney Rzeplinski, in just the couple of months as our Director of Christian

Education, has quickly established herself as “comedienne extraordinaire” at

BBPC! Having fun while worshipping is nothing new at BBPC! It’s great to

see that priority advanced with our newest hire. Courtney comes to us from

Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick, a village in Tewksbury Township, where she

served for two-and-a-half years as Director of Youth and Family Ministry.

Courtney grew up in Point Pleasant, and that is where she now lives with her

husband, John, and their four-year-old daughter, Lillian. John is in IT support at

Georgian Court University, and Lillian is in preschool. Courtney works twenty-

five hours a week spending Wednesdays and Sundays at BBPC and working at

home while Lillian is in school.

Church has always been at the center of Courtney’s life. She grew up in the

Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church where her mother was the Superintendent of the Sunday School and her father

was a youth group advisor. Courtney is the middle child of three girls, all of whom continue to live in NJ. As a

child, Courtney was involved in the child, youth, adult and bell choirs. She attended and later taught Sunday

school. Courtney says she “found her identity in the church.”

Point Pleasant High School was a very busy time for Courtney. She was the goalie on the varsity field hockey

team as well as in her senior year on the lacrosse team. She also played softball, saxophone in the band and sang

soprano in the chorus. Courtney was voted the senior class “optimist” and was crowned the senior prom queen!

During her junior and senior years, Courtney spent her mornings at the Ocean County Vocational Technical

School in Waretown. The field of law enforcement was a possible career consideration for Courtney and, for two

years after graduation in 2006, Courtney worked in law and public safety in Point Pleasant as a special law en-

forcement officer. This meant she did not carry a gun but was trained in police tactics. One might argue that this

training, in addition to many other qualities and talents, prepares Courtney well for her present position!

Though John was only one year ahead of Courtney at Point Pleasant High School and though they traveled to and

fro on the same bus, they did not know one another until after high school when they were introduced by a mutual

friend. Happily, they were married in 2014.

After the two years in law enforcement, Courtney matriculated at Rutgers University, majoring in criminal justice

and graduating in 2010. Changing careers because of a conviction that she “wants to make Christian ministry her

life career,” Courtney began to work at Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church in 2011 where she was the Youth Con-

nection Coordinator for the sixth through twelfth graders. Though she obtained a “lot of knowledge,” she found it

difficult to be viewed as the “little kid who grew up in the church.” A year after starting at Point Pleasant PC,

Courtney began to attend Princeton Theological Seminary on a part time basis receiving a Certificate in Youth and

Theology in 2014. In that same year, Courtney was accepted in the Masters of Divinity program at Princeton

Theological Seminary just when she learned she was pregnant with Lillian. Therefore, she deferred acceptance.

Courtney began to work at Zion Lutheran in 2016 where she did a lot of “foundational work” that she believes has

prepared her well for the job at BBPC.

CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE.

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Continued

Courtney tells the interesting story of interviewing at BBPC. Three “mysterious” connections were persua-

sive in her conviction that this was the job meant for her. First, in 2011 Courtney went with BBPC on its

summer ASP trip. This was as a result of a Point Pleasant friend who knew about BBPC and its involvement

with ASP. So, Courtney already knew Pastor Linda. Second, the secretary at Zion Lutheran, where Courtney

worked when she applied to BBPC (Jennifer Gelson), had done her seminary internship at BBPC. Third,

Courtney recalls that she prayed in the BBPC parking lot before her initial interview seeking discernment and

perhaps even a sign that this was the intended job. When she came into the church, Linda asked her to go

down to the cave and, on her way there, the first thing Courtney saw was the sign indicating “Norton Room.”

Norton is Courtney’s maiden name! That did it!!

Believe it or not, Courtney also has a part time job at Gymboree Play and Music in Toms River. For the last

eight years, she has worked there on Saturdays helping little children learn through play and music. When

they are not working or caring for Lillian, Courtney and John enjoy movies and binge watch various shows.

They admit to being Marvel Universe fans!

Courtney is impressed by her job so far. She thinks that BBPC has “great programs, great volunteers, a good

curriculum and lots of energy.” Lillian and John try to attend church with Courtney about once a month. You

may have seen or met them here on Super Bowl Sunday at the BBPC Soup-er Bowl cook off selling baked

goods. Not surprisingly, Courtney finds her daughter, Lillian, to be “amazing” and describes her as her

“world.” That said, it seems evident that Courtney has a big heart and wide arms that are ready to embrace

the kids of BBPC. Welcome, Courtney!

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Thank you to all of you that participated in the

Soup-er Bowl Cook-off Event.

Together, through the donations of the Soups and Chilis

and the overwhelming generosity of your

financial support, we were able to raise $615 at the event.

Thank you to everyone that participated and

CONGRATULATIONS to our top Winners!

1st Place - Chicken Tortilla Soup - Cori Peloso

2nd Place - Chicken Corn Chowder - Laura Goodman

ASP Soup-er Bowl a BIG SUCCESS!

The Golden Ladle Award went to Cori Polosi for her Chicken Tortilla

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Bill and Hannah would like to thank the following people whose uncredited voices are heard in the video (in order of appearance):

Hannah Kerwin, Ted Settle, Adriana Biedermann, Dave Costain, Martha Costain, Karen Costain D'Aloisio, Page D'Aloisio, Cheryl

Clougher, Jill DeMouth, Greg and Alex Gilson, Kathy Hobbs, George Hellermann, Nancy Birdsong, Hailey, Lila, Finn, Victor

and Kathy Holmlund, Linda Lee, LaVerne Miner, Max Biedermann, Marion Oliver, Anne Russo, Doris Sabin, Megan Van Antwerp

and Linda Owens.

Thanks!

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Tom’s ReTiRemenT CelebRaTion phoTos &

video have been posted!!

♫ Please CLICK HERE to view the photos.

♫ Please CLICK HERE to view the video.

please see Tom’s updaTed ConTaCT info below:

154 Sunset Circle South

St. Augustine, FL 32080

Email: tpr309@gmail.com

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Follow us: Facebook @ B.B.Presbyterian Church & Instagram @ bbpresby

The Bound Brook Presbyterian Church

409 Mountain Avenue, Bound Brook, NJ 08805

To contact us email office@bbpc.org or phone (732) 356-3575

In Other News…

Caring Minister On Call: February 9 - February 15: Doris Sabin Tim Smith’s Email address: music@bbpc.org Flag Dedication: In memory of my father, Donald B. Potter, veteran of the 10th Moun-

tain Division, U.S. Army, who landed in Italy 75 years ago this month and prevailed in several decisive and grueling battles in the northern Apennine Mountains, Po Valley, and southern Alps during the winter and spring of 1945, ending the German occupation of Italy. -Chris Potter

Save The Date: Annual Cemetery Lot Holder’s Meeting - February 16, 11:45am.

The meeting will be held in the cemetery chapel. After Hours Bible Study meeting in 2020 from 7:30—9:00pm:

Feb. 24 (lesson 6), Mar. 23 (lesson 7), Apr. 27 (lesson 8), May 18 (lesson 9), June, picnic. Date and time TBD.

Church Office Hours: Monday—Friday, 9:00am - 4pm, closed from 1-2pm for lunch

BBPC is SMOKE FREE! No smoking is permitted on church grounds. We hope that this will create a healthier and more pleasant environment for all of us.

Chair Yoga Class—Join us! Monday at 9:00-10:00am, Wednesday at 12:00-1:00pm, and Friday at 12:15-1:15pm. Please note, all classes will be at the Freeman Chapel in the cemetery. Cost: $40 for 8 weeks per class.

Flower chart: The 2020 Flower chart is posted outside the Sanctuary.

Hearing Aids : Hearing aids are available for use during services. They are located near the church office. An usher can assist you in locating them.

Please send Buzz articles to office@bbpc.org. Article are due on Thursday 1:00pm.

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Weekly Calendar February 7 — February 22

Friday 12:15 p.m. Chair Yoga 7:00 p.m. BBP Railroad Club 8:30 p.m. AA

Saturday 5:00 p.m. Worship 6:00 pm. Senior High Youth Group

Sunday HOSTING IHN (FAMILY PROMISE) 8:45 a.m. Adult Education 10:00 a.m. Worship 11:30 a.m. Confirmation Class 11:45 a.m. Annual Congregational Meeting 12:00 p.m. Inspired Class

Monday HOSTING IHN (FAMILY PROMISE) 9:00 a.m. Chair Yoga 8:30 p.m. AA

Tuesday HOSTING IHN (FAMILY PROMISE) 10:45 a.m. Adult Choir 5:30 p.m. Presbytery 8:00 p.m. AA

Wednesday HOSTING IHN (FAMILY PROMISE) 10:00 a.m. Middle Earth 10:00 a.m. Elder: Issues and Answers 10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting 12:00 p.m. Chair Yoga 6:00 p.m. Cantabile Choir 7:30 p.m. Worship & Music

Thursday HOSTING IHN (FAMILY PROMISE) 9:00 a.m. Silence Seekers 9:00. am. Cemetery Committee Meeting 6:45 p.m. Bell Choir 7:15 p.m. Boy Scout Troop Meeting 7:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Finance Committee 8:00 p.m. AA Meditation

Friday HOSTING IHN (FAMILY PROMISE) 12:15 p.m. Chair Yoga 7:00 p.m. BBP Railroad Club 8:30 p.m. AA

Saturday DEPARTURE OF IHN GUESTS (FAMILY PROMISE) 5:00 p.m. Worship

Sunday 8:45 a.m. Adult Education 10:00 a.m. Worship 11:15 a.m. CE Commission Meeting 11:45 a.m. Plot Holders Meeting 12:00 p.m. Inspired Class 5:00 p.m. Youth Group

Monday Presidents’ Day—Office Closed 9:00 a.m. Chair Yoga 8:30 p.m. AA

Tuesday 10:45 a.m. Adult Choir 7:00 p.m. Sessions & Deacons Meeting 8:00 p.m. AA

Wednesday 10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting 12:00 p.m. Chair Yoga 12:15 p.m. Caring Ministry Team 6:00 p.m. Cantabile Choir

Thursday 9:00 a.m. Silence Seekers 6:45 p.m. Bell Choir 7:15 p.m. Boy Scout Troop Meeting 7:30 p.m. Choir Rehearsal 8:00 p.m. AA Meditation

Friday 12:15 p.m. Chair Yoga 7:00 p.m. BBP Railroad Club 8:30 p.m. AA

Saturday 5:00 p.m. Worship