NBRC Service 12/14/2008 - The Plane Truth About Christmas
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In the audio podcast of this Sunday service, the Carol Choir performs: “The Plane Truth About Christmas”
Audio Recordings:
Learn how you can listen to the audio files streamed over the Internet, download files to your computer or download files to your portable media player. Visit our Podcast page for complete details.
NBRC Service 12/07/2008 - Respectful Ruth and Expectant Ed Take Communion
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In the audio podcast of this Sunday service, the Scripture reading begins at 25:00 and the Sermon begins at 27:20.
Scripture: Luke 14:15-24
Sermon: Respectful Ruth and Expectant Ed Take Communion
Respectful Ruth and Expectant Ed are both taking Communion today in their respective RCA churches. Coincidentally both pastors preached on Communion—Ruth’s in a respectful, even traditional, sort of way, and Ed’s in an expectant, more forward-thinking manner. Ruth’s pastor focused, very respectfully, upon the Last Supper: what Jesus said and did on his way to the cross back then. Expectant Ed’s pastor focused, very expectantly, upon the Great Banquet symbolizing the heavenly wedding banquet after the marriage of Christ the groom to his bride, the church—i.e., God’s goal for the future.
Neither Ed nor Ruth are wrong in their approach to Communion, we just need more of Ed.
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NBRC Service 11/16/2008 - Thankful Psalms: Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem
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In the audio podcast of this Sunday service, the Scripture reading begins at 26:50 and the Sermon begins at 28:00.
Scripture: Psalm 122
Sermon: Thankful Psalms: Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem
What does the Holy Spirit use to move you to give thanks about NBRC? Is it:
The beautiful steeple, the celtic cross, or our warm colored sanctuary?
The friend that greeted you, or your family member who sits next to you?
The memories of a crying baby at a baptism, the crying widow at a funeral, or the choked up father of the bride at a wedding?
What does the Holy Spirit use to move you to give thanks about this church?…
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Junior High & Senior High Keswick Retreat
The Junior High & Senior High Mid-Winter Advance / Keswick Retreat will be held January 16-18, 2009 in Whiting, New Jersey. Please use the forms below to register.
Registration deadline: Signed forms and checks due by December 15th, 2008. Register early to reserve your place.
Download and print:
- Registration Form (PDF)
- Counselor Registration Form (PDF)
Contact Reverend Mark Swart with any questions by email or (908) 725-2313 ext 2.
NBRC Service 11/09/2008 - Thankful Psalms: Thanksgiving For Earth’s Bounty
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In the audio podcast of this Sunday service, the Scripture reading begins at 20:00 and the Sermon begins at 22:50.
Scripture: Psalm 65
Sermon: “Thankful Psalms: Thanksgiving For Earth’s Bounty”
Drama: “Keeping Tabs”
Audio Recordings:
Learn how you can listen to the audio files streamed over the Internet, download files to your computer or download files to your portable media player. Visit our Podcast page for complete details.
NBRC Service 11/02/2008 - Thankful Psalms: Towards Giving Thanks in Tough Times
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In the audio podcast of this Sunday service, the Scripture reading begins at 20:10 and the Sermon begins at 21:30.
Scripture: Psalm 30
Sermon: “Thankful Psalms: Towards Giving Thanks in Tough Times”
Audio Recordings:
Learn how you can listen to the audio files streamed over the Internet, download files to your computer or download files to your portable media player. Visit our Podcast page for complete details.
NBRC Service 10/26/2008 - The Integrated Life
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In the audio podcast of this Sunday service, the Scripture reading begins at 18:40sec and the Sermon begins at 20:00sec.
Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40
Sermon: “The Integrated Life”
The integrated life. Ahh. An integrated life is like a finely tuned machine—everything working in rhythm. Remember the last new car you’ve driven? I am thinking about when we bought our Corolla new two years ago. The engine ran quiet—maybe like a centered heart. The brakes were responsive like a good conscience. The acceleration was smooth like a healthy pace of life. It handled the curves perfectly like a flexible mindset. It went so far on a tank of gas like smart financial plan. The integrated life.
Then I had an accident with the van. Suddenly the vehicle seemed to be falling apart. At first, I noticed a fender hanging slightly, so I thought Whew! Got away with minor damage. Only to find some days later smoke pouring out of my engine. Turns out I had a hole in the radiator leaking antifreeze. So I towed it in to get that fixed. After haggling with the insurance company and dealership over the repaired radiator, come to find out that the heat no longer worked. That was the water pump for which they had to remove much of the engine again to fix. Let this symbolize the un-integrated life. The blown radiator may symbolize angry attitudes. The broken pump might be like broken family relationships. The fender might be like spending habits weighing down with debt.
What is the key to an integrated life? Read more
NBRC Service 10/19/2008 - The Money Trap
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In the audio podcast of this Sunday service, the Scripture reading begins at 24:30sec and the Sermon begins at 25:55sec.
Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22
Sermon: “The Money Trap”
It scares me to think this way, but there is an enemy of your souls that wants to trap you with a good thing: money. That enemy used taxes and religious taxes to trap Jesus.
The Herodians and Pharisees had only one thing in common: they hated Jesus, so they set a trap. The Herodians who benefited from Rome’s support said, We want Jesus to tell his followers to pay their taxes. The Pharisees who opposed Rome’s occupation said, We want Jesus to tell the people to not pay Roman taxes but the temple tax to God. So the trap pitted Caesar vs. God. If Jesus chose Caesar the Pharisees could run negative cam-paign ads against him accusing idolatry because they thought only God was to rule the Jews; if Jesus chose God then Rome could arrest him. Master, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? The people perked up their ears because their furrowed brows worried how to pay up to 42% in taxes?!—21% temple tax and up to 21% Roman taxes! Seeing the trap Jesus asked, Show me a coin… Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. Whoa?! Jesus avoided the trap by declaring us citizens of heaven and earth.
But as citizens of Caesar’s and God’s realms how do we avoid the trap of financial fears?! Read more
NBRC Service 10/12/2008 - Lawrence House Mission
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In the audio podcast of this service, the Scripture reading begins at 28:00 and the Sermon begins at 29:55.
Scripture: Matthew 25:31-40
Sermon: “Lawrence House Mission”
God has richly blessed NBRC with this early 1800’s farm house to be readied for it’s new use. Elder Scott Pontier explains the mission for The Center for Life Transitions.
Audio Recordings:
Learn how you can listen to the audio files streamed over the Internet, download files to your computer or download files to your portable media player. Visit our Podcast page for complete details.
NBRC Service 10/05/2008 - Profits or Prophets?
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In the audio podcast of this service, the Scripture reading begins at 19:30 and the Sermon begins at 22:12.
Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46
Sermon: Profits or Prophets?
Why does God no longer favor the Jews, but now favors the Gentiles? asked a Jewish man in Matthew’s house church in Jerusalem. It was some 30 years after Jesus, and his movement had spread throughout Jerusalem, Samaria on to the uttermost parts of the Gentile world. Matthew stroked his beard replying, Ah yes, do you remember that parable that I wrote down for you where Jesus talked about a landowner leasing his vineyard to tenants? At harvest time the owner sent one servant after another to gather the profit, but each was killed. Until he sent his son who was also killed. Yes. Do you remember what we said Jesus meant? Yes. The vineyard is God’s kingdom, and the servants gathering the master’s profits were the prophets. Nice word choice there! Yes, and the son was Jesus. Correct! And why did they kill the son? Because of profits.
—in the parable their hope was the owner would die so that by law they’d inherit the vineyard; in real life Jesus upset the system that the religious leaders controlled, so, in a sense, he effected their bottom line. Yes, we Jews sought our profits not God’s prophets.
In the 21st century western world on Worldwide Communion Sunday, it would seem that God’s kingdom is passing America by, as it did the Jews. Notice the growth of Christianity by continent per year according to www.adherents.com In 1908 70% of Christianity was in the western world; today 70% is outside the West. In the kingdom is God replacing America with 3rd World Christians? Are we too wrapped up in profits?
So today’s question is: will America listen to our profits or the prophets?
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