Upcoming Events at MRC and Worship for January 23

Post date: Jan 21, 2022 6:13:15 PM

Dear Middletown Reformed Church Family and Friends,

Epiphany blessings to you! I pray you are staying healthy and well.

I write this Friday to let you know of some upcoming events in the life of our church. 

First, please make sure you attend worship on January 30 as we will have our annual congregational meeting. Come and find out about all the ministry we have continued to do even in the pandemic. We will be voting on our Consistory nominees slate — For the Office of Deacon: Pam Ehrlich and Jamie Zeller; For the Office of Elder: Angela Hank and Peter Larson.

Second, beginning February 1 we are, once again, collecting shoes in partnership with Four Corners International Mission. Bring your shoes to the parsonage garage Monday - Saturday, anytime between 9 AM - 3:30 PM. Our goal is to collect 30,000 shoes to be repurposed in order to raise money for school renovations for orphans and homeless  children in Uganda, East Africa. 

Third, on February 5 from 1 - 4 PM we are hosting a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site in partnership with TopLab, a company for whom MRC member Chris Poyner works. The tests administered will be PCR tests so please let people know they may come to our church campus and get tested on that day.

And last, but certainly not least, on February 19 from 1 - 4 PM we are having a free COVID-19 vaccination clinic on our campus as we did in October. This is in partnership with the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission No. 1, Aetna, CPC Behavioral Health, and the VNA. There will be other activities besides vaccines given, so please let your friends and family know to come to MRC and get vaccinated or receive their booster.

If you would like to volunteer and be a smiling, welcoming face on February 5 or February 19, please let me know. I am so grateful that MRC is a place where God has called us to provide not only spiritual love and support for people, but also community services for the health and benefit of our neighbors.

I look forward to being with you in worship this Third Sunday after Epiphany at 10:30 AM. Due to the very high transmission rate of COVID-19 in our area, we are online only and are offering two ways for you to worship — either through our FaceBook page or through Zoom. (Please note that music is best heard and less distorted through FaceBook). Andrew Olenik, violin is our featured musician this week and he will be playing  “Arioso” by J.S. Bach,  “Gabriel’s Oboe,” “The Heavens are Telling,” and “In Christ There Is No East Or West.” I will be preaching from Luke 4.14-22 and my sermon title is All Eyes on Jesus. 

In gratitude for the privilege of being your pastor and the holy call of loving you,

Pastor Trish