CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK
Baptist Women Create Supplies for Hospitals
Fanwood Presbyterian To Present Joseph
With Church Choirs
FANWOOD — The Ministry of Music of the Fanwood Presbyterian Church will present Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber on Sunday, February 13, at 4 p. m. in the church Sanctuary.
Directed by Robert Gangewere, the production will feature the church’s Westminster Singers, Calvin Choir and Celebration Choir.
The church is located at the corner of Martine and LaGrande Avenues in Fanwood and is wheelchair accessible. Child care will be provided.
First United Methodist Slates Feb. 10 Seminar
On the ‘Tween Years’
SCOTCH PLAINS — Parenting in the “Tween Years,” a seminar for people with children ages 10 to 14, will be presented next Thursday, February 10, from 7 to 9 p. m. at the First United Methodist Church, 1171 Terrill Road in Scotch Plains.
Elizabeth Levin of Rutgers Cooperative Extension will discuss a child’s increasing need for independence and a parent’s struggle to meet that challenge. Seating is limited and registration is required.
A $5 materials fee will be collected at the door. Interested individuals may contact Margaret Ames at (908) 3225805 or Ameseast@ aol. com.
Allison Franzetti to Perform In Sunday Church Concert
First United Methodist Marks 150 Years With Quilt, Events KEEPSAKE QUILT… Committee chairwomen gather at the recent dedication
ceremony for a quilt commemorating the 150th anniversary of the First United Methodist Church of Westfield. The quilt features signatures from past and present church members, pictures related to the church dating back to 1849 and colorful designs representing each of the seasons on the church calendar. Pictured, left to right, are: Pat Curtis, Norma Hockenjos and Margaret DiSalvi.
WESTFIELD – The First United Methodist Church of Westfield has been celebrating its Sesquicentennial (150th) Anniversary with several events.
A recent weekend featured the big band sound of the “Buffalo Rhythm Kings” and a concert of Broadway show tunes performed by members of the church.
In addition, there was a Family Cel ebration on the church grounds with
various entertainment, including an appearance by “The Mad Scientist,” a jazz band, clowns and more.
The weekend events, which concluded with a candlelight dinner under a tent, was planned and organized by a committee chaired by church members Carolyn Greasham and Linda Newingham.
As part of the celebration, a 150th Anniversary Quilt was dedicated. Signatures from past and present church members were secured, arranged and transferred onto the fabric. Pictures relating to the church from 1849 to the present were also included.
To add a liturgical dimension and color to the quilt, designs for each of the seasons of the church year were prepared and arranged throughout.
These included the blue “Bethlehem Star” for Advent; gold and white “Cross and Crown and Star” for Christmas and Easter; the green “Tree of Life” signifying the Epiphany and Kingdomtide; Lent’s “Hearts of Love” in purple and the seven flames of “Fire and Wind” in red for Pentecost.
The leaders of the Anniversary Quilt Committee were Pat Curtis, Margaret DiSalvi and Norma Hockenjos.
WESTFIELD — Pianist Allison Brewster Franzetti will be the featured artist of the Sunday Serenade Series sponsored by The Presbyterian Church in Westfield, 140 Mountain Avenue, on February 6 at 4 p. m.
The public is invited to attend the concert, featuring a variety of music, which will be held in the Christian Lounge of the Parish House.
A solo pianist and chamber musician, Ms. Franzetti has given performances in genres ranging from early music to world premieres of contemporary music by composers from around the world.
An accomplished accompanist, she has collaborated with renown performers
such as James Galway, Ransom Wilson, Eugenia Zuckerman and members of major United States and international symphony orchestras.
She has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, at festivals in the United States and in Europe and on radio and television.
Born in New York City, she received her Bachelor of Music Degree from The Manhattan School of Music and her Master of Music Degree from The Juilliard School in New York City.
No advance tickets are necessary, but a free will offering will be accepted.
Allison Franzetti
WESTFIELD — Women of several generations gathered for three hours on January 15 at the First Baptist Church of Westfield to share childhood Christmas memories and get acquainted with one another and with the traditional means of handson support of missionary hospitals.
The women cut clean cloth into fourinch squares that are shipped to countries which charge duty on larger pieces of material and rolled long strips of cloth into bandages. Hospitals attached to American Baptist Missionary centers utilize these supplies.
American Baptist Women have performed this kind of “White Cross” work for generations, according to the Reverend Darla Dee Turlington of the First Baptist Church, located at 170 Elm Street in Westfield.
YMCA Plans Ski Trip To Catskills on Feb. 24
SCOTCH PLAINS — The FanwoodScotch Plains YMCA will sponsor a trip to Belleayre Mountain the Catskills Mountains in New York on Thursday, February 24.
The bus will depart the Martine Avenue facility at 6 a. m. and return at approximately 8 p. m. The cost for this trip, including transportation, lift ticket and a onehour, any level lesson is $50 per person.
Skis, boots and poles may be rented for $16 and snowboards and boots for $25.
An adult must accompany children under 18 years of age. Transportation for a nonskiing parent or guardian is free. Registration and medical release forms are available at the FanwoodScotch Plains YMCA, 1340 Martine Avenue in Scotch Plains.
The deadline for registration is Monday, February 14.
For more information, please call the YMCA at (908) 8898880.
Service League to Hold ‘Bag Day’ on Feb. 5 To Mark End of Season
WESTFIELD — The Westfield Service League’s Thrift Shop, located at 114 Elmer Street in Westfield, will hold special endofseason sales through Saturday, February 5, when its “Bag Day” will take place. A large selection of winter merchandise is still available.
On “Bag Day,” customers may purchase a grocerysize bag for $3 and fill it to the brim with clothing, books, household items and accessories. There is no limit on the number of bags which may be purchased.
On Tuesday, February 8, the shop will debut its spring line of clothing and accessories. It is open for business Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a. m. to 4 p. m.
The Westfield Service League, which owns and operates the Thrift Shop and Consignment Shop, also located at 114 Elmer Street, provides dispatchers to the Westfield Volunteer Rescue Squad and drivers for Mobile Meals of Westfield.
Proceeds from the shops are donated to local charities. For information about the sale, please call (908) 2332530.
Fanwood Library Plans To Update Collection
Of Books on Tape
FANWOOD – The Fanwood Memorial Library has announced that its existing books on tape collection will be updated regularly with at least 12 new unabridged titles every three months from the Recording Book Company.
The selection will feature popular new fiction and nonfiction titles. In addition, a new video collection has been added in the adult circulation area. A broad selection of nonfiction, documentary, howto, opera, drama and ballet, among other videos, are now available for circulation.
Some titles include The Great Century, From the Earth to the Moon, The Civil War, Baseball, Life of Birds, Yoga and Jazz Legends.
The collection currently features over 150 videos and is expected to increase throughout the year, according to Library Director Dan Weiss.
There will be no charge for borrowing videos, which will circulate for one week. Three videos may be taken out at one time.
The expanded unabridged books on tape collection and video offerings were both funded by donations from The Friends of the Fanwood Memorial Library.
Nursery School Open House To Feature New Gym Bus
JCC Announces Schedule Of Classes in Scotch Plains
SCOTCH PLAINS — The Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Central New Jersey, Wilf Jewish Community Campus at 1391 Martine Avenue in Scotch Plains, has announced several new classes and programs which will take place through the spring.
A day and an evening book group will meet monthly at the JCC. Group members will select a book each month to read, and area authors occasionally appear as guests. The group is free to JCC members and $2 for nonmembers.
Please call Randy at (908) 7891419 for the day group and Wendy at (908) 2221098 for the evening group.
Creative Memories, a handson scrapbooking workshop, will meet on Wednesdays, February 9, March 1, April 12 and May 17 at 7: 30 p. m. and on Thursday, February 10, at 9: 15 a. m.
Participants are asked to bring eight photographs to each class. The cost is $8 per class for members and $10 for nonmembers, and includes supplies. For more information, please call Sandy at (908) 7555830.
Feng Shui, a Chinese principle of interior design, has been rescheduled. The new date and time is Wednesday, March 1, at 7: 30 p. m. The class, taught by interior designer Barbara Rood, will be held in a private home. For more
information, please call Susan at (908) 8898800, extension no. 205.
Weekly classes are also held at the JCC in computers, T’ai Chi, Lamaze Childbirth and Cancer Support. The JCC of Central New Jersey is a beneficiary agency of the United Way and the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey.
For more information about these classes or other JCC offerings, please call (908) 8898800.
BUS FULL OF FUN… The purple “Gym Bus,” which will soon be making weekly visits to the Scotch Plains Baptist Christian Nursery School in Scotch Plains, will be available for public view during the school’s Open House this Saturday, February 5, from 9 a. m. to noon. The nursery school is located at 333 Park Avenue in Scotch Plains.
SCOTCH PLAINS — The Scotch Plains Baptist Christian Nursery School, 333 Park Avenue in Scotch Plains, will hold an Open House this Saturday, February 5, during which families will have an opportunity to view the purple “Gym Bus” which will soon make weekly appearances at the school.
The speciallydesigned bus is equipped to provide children with all the necessities for a gymnastics class. Children will receive an introduction to preschool gymnastic skills such as the forward/ backward roll, bars, balance beam, climbing, head/ hand stands, walk over and cartwheels. They will also have an opportunity to practice other large motor skills.
The gymnastics program is an “elective” at the Nursery School, for which parents will contract directly with the “Gym Bus.” Youngsters will participate in groups of 8 to 10 for 30minute sessions once a week.
During the Open House, which will take place from 9 a. m. to noon, parents will also be able to meet the school’s teachers and visit classrooms. Registrations for Summer 2000 and the 20002001 school year will also be accepted.
Scotch Plains Baptist Christian Nursery School enrolls threeand fouryearold students. Extended care and summer hours are available. For more information, please call the school at (908) 3225487.
By REV. GARY F. ROTHWELL
The year 2000 seems to be the year for getting married. For couples approaching marriage, my wife, Carol, and I conduct marriage training together. Right now, we are working with six couples.
Scheduling the seven sessions with them prior to my agreement to marry them keeps us all busy. Along with the training sessions they also view three videos and take two personal inventories to help them better understand the commitment of marriage and their differences as individuals.
We have joked with the couples that the sessions are $200 each and they will get the full amount refunded when they complete the seven sessions (the training is free). Today my associate pastor jokingly remarked to me that we should make it refundable only after 10 years of successful marriage with each other.
The breaking of marital commitments is no joking matter. Couples starting out together today face an uphill battle due to societal pressures and the pattern for relationships established by many of their parents.
The current divorce rate in the Unites States is slightly less than 50 percent. Recent research has revealed that the picture inside the church is not much better, with its rates for both laity and clergy almost matching those of people who claim no church affiliation. Where have we gone wrong? What is causing this destruction and dismantling of the American family?
I am sure there are many reasons; too many even to try to list. Rather than try and isolate the problems, I would rather focus on some simple, positive actions individuals can take to not only make their marriage last but make it a healthy and growing marriage that will bring joy to each partner.
Most of our training for marriage centers on communication. One of the first things we teach is the basic difference in communication styles between males and females. Knowing these basic differences and learning to grow through them can help both parties better communicate with their mates.
Gary Smalley’s video tape series,
Keys to Loving Relationships, is an excellent video series that defines these basic differences. We have our couples watch the first two videos and many want to continue with some of the next 16 tapes. These tapes are available through the Smalley Relationship Center, (800) 8486329.
You can also think of communica tion as the fuel for marital intimacy.
Each partner has a love tank that needs filling for them to feel that they are in a healthy, growing, safe and secure relationship. The problem enters in when we cannot communicate well or when we communicate in a way our partner cannot understand.
Most of us communicate love to our partners the way we generally understand love communicated to us. Gary Chapman has written a great book entitled “The Five Love Languages” that shows that there are five basic love languages and that each of us receive love primarily in one or two of these languages.
To communicate love so that our mate will understand it as love, we need to know their languages of love. This resource is available through Lifeway Resources as a book or video, (800) 4582772.
One of the best ways Carol and I have found to help keep our communication growing is to communicate to God together. Statistics show that, although the divorce rate is almost equal for those in the church as it is for those outside the church, for couples that pray together this rate drops significantly.
Our closeness as a couple is made even closer as we approach our Creator together on our knees. We also find that including a marriage builder in our devotional/ prayer time together also helps us grow in our communication as a couple.
We would recommend two devotional guides for couples. They are “Moments Together” by Dennis and Barbara Rainey and “Devotionals for Couples” by Patrick Morley.
It is never too late to start marriage or marriage enrichment training! It is not just for those approaching the altar but it is also for those who have celebrated many anniversaries. A few special minutes a day spent in meaningful communication building activities will make a world of difference in your relationships.
Taking time to watch some productive videos or read a helpful book on relationships will give you new skills and understandings that will help ignite lost passion and encourage the feelings of closeness. Small deposits of time and energy will reap big rewards in your relationships. Take time to grow in your relationships and make them the very best possible. The rewards are eternal as well as delightful.
* * * * *
Reverend Gary F. Rothwell is Pastor of the Scotch Plains Baptist Church, 333 Park Avenue in Scotch Plains.
FESTIVE OCCASION… St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church in Westfield recently held its New Year’s Eve Gala, during which Monsignor Jim Burke recognized and congratulated the organizing committee for the event. Pictured, left to right, are: Pat Genova, Rich Snyder, Carole Genova, Laurie Gewirtz, Anne Wischusen, Mary Traynor, Ellen Idland, Dick Renga, Cathy Renga, the Reverend Burke and Paulette Cicero. The gala, which featured food, music and a cozy atmosphere, was attended by approximately 100 people.
A Weekly Column From Members of the
Scotch PlainsFanwood Ministerial Association
Communication With Your Partner And God is Key to Making Love Last
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