 Despite how we often envision Advent and Christmas as a calm and peaceful season, John the Baptist brings a different idea to the coming of our Lord! Out of the wilderness, dressed in camel's hair and a leather belt--and eating locusts and wild honey--he tells everyone listening that it is time to repent because the Lord is here. For us, today, it is easy to misunderstand this call to repentance as simply offering a confession, asking for an apology from God, and then moving on with our lives, as if nothing happened. But when we do that--we miss the real purpose of repentance, which really means to have a change in heart and mind. We can take this time of preparation during Advent to really think about the ways we can make changes in our lives and in the lives of those around us. But Remember, this isn't some resolution for the New Year! God continually gives us the chance to make these changes--we don't have to quit if we mess up on January 3.
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Rev. CHRIS HOUTZ
Welcome to the pastor’s blog! This page will have sermons uploaded so you can listen to them whenever you want, and I will add a brief reflection on the text, the sermon, or a little bit of both. My hope is that you will be able to see that the Bible can still speak to our world today, and that we can always find a note of God’s grace in any passage, whether it is one of the most well-known and beloved passages, or one of the most difficult readings to grasp. Archives
March 2020
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Click Map for Directions Address: 1295 Oak Tree Road Iselin, NJ 1295 GPS Address: 20 Middlesex Ave, Iselin, NJ Office Hours
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Our Mission StatementWe are a friendly, multi-cultural congregation that welcomes all to worship with us as we glorify our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; sing praises to God, the Father; and let the Holy Spirit guide our footsteps. As faithful witnesses to our Christian beliefs, we dedicate ourselves to worship, stewardship and discipleship. We will always endeavor to nurture the youth in our congregation to grow in their commitment to God and the Church and to become active participants in the life and work of the Church.
We commit ourselves to evangelism and mission to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to all people in a variety of ways in our community and beyond. We will continue to be open to God’s presence, leading us into new pathways of ministry and service for the betterment of the community and to the glory of Jesus Christ our Savior. - -ratified by congregational vote, January 27, 2008 |
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