FAIRFIELD GOOD NEWS

“KNOWING CHRIST AND MAKING HIM KNOWN” June 2016

Important Events:

June 6

Consistory Meeting

June 10

June 12

Welcome Summer

June 19

From the desk of Pastor Scott:

“And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:12-13)

Rainbows have long been a part of the human experience. Norse mytholo-gy tells of a marvelous rainbow bridge that spans the distance between earth and Asgaard . Over the rainbow is where the Land of Oz was to be found. And as a little boy I believed it when my Irish mother told me lepre-chauns had hidden a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And today rain-bows are making a resurgence. But sadly not for God’s intended purpose as the rainbow is currently used by the homosexual movement to promote their agenda. Yet with the story of Noah, we are reminded that before the mythology, the fantasy and the heresy there was the reality of God and the sign of the rainbow. The sign of his faithfulness. It has been noted that the rainbow of God's love spans the Scriptures. From the first book of the Bible to the last, rainbows have been an important symbol for the believer of how God has chosen to interact with his children. Here in the story of Noah it is the sym-bol of God's covenant with all creation. A sign that he will not destroy the earth again in raging floodwaters. Ezekiel 1:28 describes God appearing to the despondent prophet in exile like a "rainbow in the cloud on a rainy day," with the good news of release from captivity. While it is not recorded in Scripture can we doubt that when the storm clouds of Good Friday dispersed a rainbow broke through in the heavens? And in Revelation 4 the picture of God's eternal throne room includes these words: "A rainbow ...encircled the throne." From beginning to end the rainbow is a sign of God's faithfulness. You have probably never heard of George Matheson. He was a famous 19th century preacher, teacher, poet and hymn writer in Scotland. He was also blind. Matheson is perhaps best remembered today for a hymn that grew out of a dark moment in his life. Writing in his diary in June of 1882, Matheson recorded these words: "Something happened to me, which was known only to myself, and which has caused me the most severe mental suffering." We really don't know what that something was. Matheson never explained. Which is perhaps good because it allows us to put, as Lloyd Ogilvie says, "our own brand of mental suffering - anxiety, worry, stress, fear, rejection, loss, grief" in that blank. Whatever that storm was in his life Matheson struggled through it to a greater experience of God's love and faithfulness.

Fairfield Reformed Church

360 Fairfield Rd.

Fairfield, NJ 07004

973-227-5428

FairfieldReformed@gmail.com

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Now a rainbow was one of the last things George Matheson saw before his blindness was complete. So the image of the rainbow appeared many times in his poems. "Jesus, rainbow of my sorrow," "And all tears are rainbow bright when Calvary crowns the way," "the rainbow view, the springtime of my days," were just a few of those poetic references. In the midst of his "severe mental suffering" Matheson would return once again to that wonderful symbol of God's faithfulness. And from this preacher's heart we would receive the wonderful hymn "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go." The third stanza of which reads: "O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not in vain That morn shall tearless be." Ogilvie says, "our own brand of mental suffering - anxiety, worry, stress, fear, rejection, loss, grief" in that blank. Whatever that storm was in his life Matheson struggled through it to a greater experience of God's love and faithfulness. These words can be our words as well. We too can trace the rainbow in the midst of our pain. It has been observed that it takes three things to make a rainbow. Clouds, rain and the sun. And who of us hasn't seen the dark and threatening storm clouds in our own lives? Who of us hasn't been stung by the icy raindrops of fear and disappointment? Our lives are often lived "under a cloud." Sometimes the storms rush in and rush out like a brief summer shower and sometimes they rage and roar into our lives leaving destruction and despair. Yet we need to remember that above the clouds the sun still shines. That behind the storm of life God is still there. Ray Stedman so beautifully draws it all together for us: "God sets a rainbow against the darkness of the clouds and says that the rainbow, that sign of glory, grace and hope is HIS guarantee to us that there will never come another flood like this..." That applies to us today. We have God's guarantee that there will be no storm so strong, no flood so power-ful that can sweep us away from his love. The rainbows of nature should remind us of the rainbows that God brings into our stormy lives. They may be something as simple as a child's smile or as intricate as answered prayer, but God will without fail put into our stormy lives evidences of his care for us. We need only look within the clouds.

7 – Elizabeth Steinman

12 – Gary Morgenland

16 – Christie Munn

19 – Roberta Vega

28 – Laura Safar

June

June Wedding Anniversaries

3 Allan & Phyllis Conover

14 John & Stephanie Sharralt

15 Ken & Edith Myron

21 Jim & Betty Gwinn

26 Glenn & Cindy Snider

June 2016

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1 2 3 4

5 6

Consis

tory

7 7—8 PM

Prayer

Ivory

Room

8 9 10

Eveready

trip to

High

Society

Tea House

11

12

Welcome

Summer BBQ

Communion

13 14 7—8 PM

Prayer

Ivory

Room

15 16 17 18

19

Fathers’ Day

20 21 7—8 PM

Prayer

Ivory

Room

22 23 24 25

26 27 28 7—8 PM

Prayer

Ivory

Room

29 30

REMINDER: The Eveready Ladies Circle is collecting donations to purchase shoes for The Children of Appalachia.

The deadline is June 12; give your donation to an Eveready lady.

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12

11:30 to 1:00

Fellowship Hall

Church will supply meats, rolls and condiments Please bring your favorite side dish! Sign- up sheet is in Fellowship Hall

Communion Service

1:00 PM

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The Eveready Circle is planning a trip to the

Date: Friday, June 10th at 5:30

Time: meet at the church at 5:00 PM (the tea house is located in Wayne)

All their food is prepared fresh in their kitchen.

They also serve gluten free foods .

Let Edith know by Tuesday, the 7th, if you plan to attend so she can make the reservations.

First Choice Women’s Resource Centers have five strategic locations in Morristown, Montclair, Jersey City, Newark and Plainfield where clients receive accurate information, select medical services, and support to help them make healthy decisions about an unplanned pregnancy and those who are at risk for an unplanned pregnancy. They provide all services free of charge relying on the volunteer efforts, financial support and dedicated prayer of men and women like us.

Their Mission “To protect the unborn by empowering women” Everything they do – whether it’s counseling a woman in an unplanned pregnancy, mentoring new moms through their parenting program, challenging students to live pure lives, or sharing the Gospel – contributes to their mission.

Some of Their Free Services Include:

Screening for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Ultrasound for Abortion-Vulnerable Women Maternity Wear, Baby Clothes and Furnishings Referrals to Doctors, Housing and All Social Services Post-abortion Counseling (through their PACE (Post-Abortion Counseling & Education)

groups. As with all of their services, all inquiries and participation is kept confidential.

A couple testimonials: “Everyone made me feel EXTREMELY comfortable. The whole staff treats you as though you are a friend rather than just a patient. The services offered here are amazing.” “I really felt respected and understood. The information was really what I needed. You helped me more than anybody would. Thank you.” "I was able to open up and express myself and not be judged."

For more information visit their website: www.1stchoice.org or call the 24-hour Client Help Line: 1 888 3Choose

Mission of the Month - June

The Adult Sunday Bible Study has

taken a break for the summer.

The Tuesday Evening Prayer time will meet in the Ivory room through June 28th. Then it’s also breaking for the summer. You are encouraged to pray at home for the requests on the email June sends or the prayer bulletin insert. Tuesday Evening Prayer Time will resume meeting in the Ivory Room on Sept. 13th.

Have you tried it yet? Have you chosen one of Pastor Scott’s sermons to listen to again?

You can do that going to www.scottssermons.blogspot.com and clicking on recent sermons and archived ones .

The church has three used window air conditioners available to anyone who can use them. These were in the parsonage before we had central air installed. They are in the garage. See Bret or John. Also in the garage is a used kettle style charcoal grill. If you brought it to the church and want it back, please take it. Otherwise that is available to anyone who can use it. All these items must be removed from the garage no later than June 6!!

Find Words of Verse: II Timothy 2:15 (KJ) approved needeth Dividing unto Not The Be

Study God To Word To a Of

Shew Workman Ashamed Truth Thyself that Rightly