Identity & Communication Event held on 3-20-2004 "Tell 'em Who You Are!" | |
Press Releases
Closter
Invites the World to Its Dialogue Ministry
We use a number
of low-impact, relatively inexpensive (i.e., free) means to communicate the
ministries of First Congregational Church of Closter to the public.
Most
of our ministries are specific to First Congregational Church (i.e., held in
Closter). Our Wisdom’s Light ministry is
intended to spread over the whole state. Currently sessions are held in Closter
and Westfield. These are dialogues in the relationship of religion and science
and how their interaction enriches are faith.
Sessions have been held also in Woodbridge, Toms River, Willingsboro,
and Fordham. Check out the Wisdom’s Light web site at
http://wislit.home.att.net
and e-mail if you are
interested. If you are not interested, talk to me – to find out what you are
missing.
Why do we
advertise our ministries?
We
are an intentionally open-spirited, open-minded, open-hearted congregation of
seekers. That translates to an environment of continuing dialogue among
ourselves and God as each one of us seek out God in our lives. We are an adult
community offering adults the opportunity to be as they are in their seeking
and find support in their seeking. The Spirit speaks through the community and
in our on-going dialogues, she comes to each of us. We agree to disagree, but
encourage everyone to raise issues, opinions, and ideas. From these each
individual can take what seems most congruent with their spiritual journey. I,
the pastor, frame a sermon or a discussion for background, issues, my thoughts,
etc. and then invite the congregation (in good congregational tradition) to
enter into dialogue. We are not afraid of contrary opinions! We want to invite
the pubic into this on-going dialogue, believing that it is one of the richest
ways to deepen spiritual living and offers a better outlook on life in general.
We
hope that people who answer are call will find a spiritually enriching
experience and will return to continue the dialogue!
Communicating
this dialogue:
As
can be seen from my opening commercial for Wisdom’s Light, we take every
opportunity to advertise free.
We
advertise both our Sunday morning services and our Wednesday evening services
using press releases to the local free press, the Suburbanite and the Press
Journal. (See sample, attached.)
The
Wednesday evening programs are topical: religion and science (Wisdom’s Light),
spiritual topics (such as gnosticism), and faith and public affairs. The press
release clearly states what will be discussed with the questions addressed (but
not the answers!), that a dialogue will ensue, and that all faiths are invited.
Boilerplate on the press release includes a mission statement for the church
and e-mail and web site:
and http://fcclostr.home.att.net or
and http://wislit.home.att.net for the
Wisdom’s Light ministry (religion and science). In the case of the Wisdom’s
Light ministry, Westfield sessions are similarly advertised in Westfield papers:
the Suburban, the Westfield Leader, and the Westfield Record Press.
We
also advertise in church newsletters. Closter sessions are shared with Haworth
and put in their newsletter (see sample). Westfield sessions are included in
the Westfield newsletter and Sunday bulletins. (Westfield sessions are held on
Tuesdays.) These notices are similar to the press releases but whereas the
press releases are in the 3rd person, these are in the 2nd
person (more personal).
Between
these two we have drawn folks from the public into our evening sessions.
Attendance ranges from 6 to a 12 (once as much as 30!), with half or more being
non-church members. Many are repeats.
We
maintain e-mail lists of all participants. These lists receive regular
reminders and updates. From time to
time interesting information about a topic is shared via the lists. These
reminders help to keep the momentum moving.
We
also maintain web sites. But these are more background. Web sites are passive –
someone has to go looking for them. They are encountered when a web surfer
happens to run into them or have seen a reference to them (such as in the press
release). No one has come to us by only reading a web site.
Our
Sunday morning services are similarly advertised. Some folks have responded,
but the response rate is not as high. We are looking for ways to increase the
affect of our Sunday service advertising.
We
have tried paid ads. We have never received any response to them, except for
the case of our well-known annual White Elephant Sale.
From
time to time I have written editorials for the Faith and Values section of the Bergen Record. These have been on such
topics as gay marriage and Christian pacifism. We have on occasion received a
response to these.
--John A. Mills
Wisdom Light newsletter notice:
Is the
Resurrection Real?
You are invited to an Adult Education program on Is
the Resurrection Real and how does that jive with our current scientific
understandings? We will gather at 7:30 PM on April 14, Wednesday at First
Congregational Church of Closter. We celebrate on Easter Sunday Christ's
Resurrection. Our tradition teaches that Jesus was bodily raised from the dead,
walked among us, and ascended into heaven. In our modern scientific world how
do we explain this event? Can we only see it as a metaphor of spiritual
re-birth or can we understand it more physical terms? Does Jesus really,
physically still walk among us?
To answer these questions we will turn to Relational
Theology to understand how incarnation and resurrection can be understood in a
contemporary meaningful way. Relational Theology views the reality of the
universe and God as thoroughly interdependent in all time and all space. All of
creation, human and non-human, and God are interdependent in a dynamic process
of growth and evolution from a less perfect state to a more perfect state.
Further, each and every person and creature includes to smaller or greater
degree every other person in all space and time. We are not detached from those
who came before us and those who will follow us. This theology arose from
Whitehead's philosophy in the 20th century and is thoroughly rooted in
evolution, quantum mechanics and the interconnectedness of everything. This
modern theology provides an interdependent and incarnational basis that allows
us to look at many faith traditions with fresh and 21st century eyes.
All are welcomed! The sessions will be facilitated by
Rev. John A. Mills, pastor of First Congregational Church of Closter.
Sunday Service press release:
Church To
Offer Friendly Personal Worship
The public is invited to Lenten services at First
Congregational Church in Closter at 10:30 each Sunday. The services will
provide friendly, personal worship in a small congregational setting. In a
supportive and accepting faith community, worshippers will have the opportunity
to seek God. The sermons, preached by the Rev. John Mills, pastor of First
Congregational Church, will relate
scripture and Christian tradition to worshippers' everyday lives and
intentionally guide listeners to find the reality of God in their lives and the
world around them. During this season of Lent, worshippers will be asked to
discover the uniqueness of a faith community's acceptance, forgiveness, and
spirituality in a world of blame, prejudice and materialism. The services will
include congregational prayers, hymn singing, and the unlighting of the Lenten
candles. Various forums, including wellness activities and bible studies, will
be offered after services.
The church is located at the corner of Harrington Ave.
and West St. in Closter, NJ. The Sanctuary and social hall are wheel-chair
accessible.
First Congregational is a believing community for
seekers who are looking for adult educational and worship opportunities to
explore their faith with an open-minded, open-hearted, and open-spirited group.
It is committed to being an enlightened, open and affirming church that
welcomes all people whatever their age, ethnic background, gender, physical or
mental abilities, or sexual orientation into the full life and ministry of the
congregation and seeks to help each
person find his or her own way to God that is meaningful to them in the 21st
century. Please call the church at
(201) 768-7285 or send e-mail at
fcclostr@worldnet.att.net to register. There is no registration fee. The church
may be visited on the internet at http//fcclostr.home.att.net.
A poster:
How can science contribute to your
spirituality?
How can science and religion work together
to address our life issues?
The Wisdom’s Light Ministry
A ministry of lay dialogs in the
positive relationship of science and religion
Offers you the opportunity to explore science in a
religious context.
Address
such questions as:
· Is
stem cell research moral?
· Is
the resurrection real?
· Are
humans wired for God?
· Can
God be found on the Internet?
Single sessions and 3- and 4- session series available
Interested?
Call or e-mail Rev. John A. Mills
to discuss topics, times, and fees
at 908 322 0017 /
Visit Wisdom’s Light at http://wislit.home.att.net