Fairfield Good News

Events Oct. 2nd Luncheon Worship

and

Communion

Oct. 3 Consistory Meeting Oct. 15 Health

Fair

Oct. 28

Chili/Baked Potato Dinner & Bake Sale

“KNOWING CHRIST AND MAKING HIM KNOWN” October 2016

From the desk of Pastor Scott:

Last month I shared with you what I consider one of the best devotional

tools I know of, The Valley of Vision; this month I want to share with you

who I think is one of the best modern devotional writers I know. In fact, I

know him personally. Todd Thompson went to Northwestern College with

me back in the early 1980’s. Over the years he has bounced around from

insurance agent, to seminary student, to part-time preacher and now is

teaching in a small Christian school in Texas. I have always appreciated his

way with words and over the years his wisdom has encouraged my walk

with the Lord in incalculable ways. Below is his latest offering from his web-

site, One Eye Out (www.toddthompson.net) You can subscribe there to

receive his weekly meditations for yourself.

Ripple Effect

“Living here at the lake, a favorite part of each day is to watch the patterns

on the surface of the water. An ever changing design, it’s easy to get lost in

the view. Not unlike staring at clouds as they pass overhead. Sometimes

wind creates the liquid art. Boats and jet skis carve zig-zag wakes in the

summer. Ducks and geese cut V patterns as they paddle along. Sometimes

the lake is perfectly still.

A few days ago at sunrise I stood in the grass by the edge of the lake. It

was blissfully cool and quiet. A Kingfisher screeched in the elm tree while a

blue heron, watching for his breakfast to swim by, walked the shore. And

all over the lake, little splashes. Fish jumping for flies flitting just above the

surface. With every splash, a series of concentric circles spread across the

water. The further they rippled out, the bigger the circles grew.

Ever wonder if what you do matters? Is the hard work and encouragement

you’re putting forth everyday making a difference?

According to a recent Pew Research study, the average adult Facebook user

has 338 people on their friend list. Unless you’ve been holed up in a cave

most of your life, it’s likely you have many more friends than that. 338

might sound like a lot of people to you but if I started prompting you with

questions I bet we could come up with a list at least that long.

Fairfield Reformed Church

360 Fairfield Rd.

Fairfield, NJ 07004

973-227-5428

FairfieldReformed@

gmail.com

Cont’d from pg 1..

For the sake of example, let’s round it down to 300 people. If you know 300 people and those folks are

no more or less social than you are then they each know 300 people, too.

By a simple “friend of a friend” equation, you have access to 90,000 people. (300 x 300 = 90,000).

Imagine. One degree separates you from a mid-size city of people. The implications, of course, are many.

For purposes of business, marketing, communication and even ministry, being only one degree away

from 90,000 people is exciting. Realizing those 90,000 people also have at least 300 friends and the

possibilities get crazy.

Most of us are working hard at what God puts in front of us to do. We are immersed in raising our kids,

growing our businesses, leading our teams, and teaching our students. We’re too busy to realize the

ripple effect created by our efforts. We don’t stop to think that 90,000 people could be reached by what

we do.

Whether we realize it or not, the fact remains. Our influence extends far beyond our awareness. When

we are intentional in doing the good works God has prepared for us to do, the ripple effect we create

impacts far more people than we realize.

Perhaps you’ve heard it said, “If you make a difference for one person, you change the world.” It’s true.

Because it’s impossible to make a difference for only one person. Because that person is connected to

other people. Make a difference for him or her and you make a difference for every person they know.

The Minnesota farmer who gave me advice when I ran out of gas as 16-year old kid has made a differ-

ence in hundreds, if not thousands, of lives because I’ve told the story and passed on his sage wisdom to

all my students and in messages I’ve preached over the last 25 years. That farmer has been gone for at

least 20 years. Yet the ripple of his wisdom continues to roll out.

The small splashes you’re making in your family, friends, work and ministry may not seem like much.

Some days you might be discouraged thinking you’re not making a dent, let alone a difference. When I

started writing my columns many years ago, I was consumed with wondering who was reading them and

if they were making a difference. After a time, I realized my focus on the potential ripples my writing

might create wasn’t healthy. It was distracting me from my responsibility, which is to create. So I made a

conscious decision that has served me well. I decided my only job is to write the best I can with the gifts

and talents God has given me. After I hit the “send” button it becomes God’s business as to what He will,

or won’t, do with my effort.

As you’re hard at it, doing the works in front of you that God has prepared for you to do, know that your

influence extends far beyond your awareness. Keep your head down and keep at it. God will honor your

effort. Simply put? Make the splash. Trust God for the ripples.

The first joint luncheon of Fairfield Reformed and Maranatha Fellowship:

Sunday, Oct. 2nd 11:30 AM Fellowship Hall

Following the luncheon, in keeping with World Wide Communion Sunday,

there will be a communion worship service at 1:00

October 2016

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

1

2

Luncheon

Worship with

Communion

3

Consistory

4

Prayer

Time

7—8

5 6 7 8

9

Fellowship

Adult Bible

Study

Worship

10 11

Prayer

Time

7—8

12 13 14 15

Health

Fair

10—2

16

Fellowship

Adult Bible

Study

Worship

17 18

Prayer

Time

7—8

19 20 21 22

23

Fellowship

Adult Bible

Study

Worship

24 25

Prayer

Time

7—8

26 27 28

Chili/Baked

Potato Dinner

& Bake Sale

6:30

29

30

Fellowship

Adult Bible

Study

Worship

31

Halloween

The Chili/Baked Potato Dinner

Friday, Oct. 28th 6:30 PM Fellowship Hall Tickets are $15.00 each HOSTED BY: The Eveready Circle

ALSO includes a Bake Sale in the Ivory Room

Invite your friends and see

an Eveready Lady TODAY for your ticket.

All homemade baked goods are welcome for dinner deserts and the bake sale.

Please put a note listing ingredients of bake sale items to avoid allergy issues.

Fairfield Reformed Church is sponsoring a …

Saturday, October 15, 2016

10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Fellowship Hall

There will be vendors with information on different health related

topics such as: Medicare supplement choices NJ211.com helpline information NJ poison control information Alcohol and drug treatment information Dental/vision and/or Prescription drug card Senior citizen information

And screenings will be done for such things as: Blood pressure screening Cholesterol screening Blood sugar testing Body mass index (BMI)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS, INVITE your family, friends AND neighbors (We need some volunteers to help set up prior to event, direct people, serve light refreshments and

break down tables at close, etc.) If you can help, see a consistory member.

October

5 – Art Nelson

6 – John Wert

10 – Betty Gwinn

13 – Phil Epifanio

18 – Ken Myron

19 – Tannette Butterly

27 – June Favatella

The child was a typical four-year-old girl - cute, inquisitive, bright as a new penny. When she expressed difficulty in grasping the concept of marriage, her father decided to pull out his wedding photo album, thinking visual images would help. One page after another, he pointed out the bride arriving at the church, the entrance, the wedding ceremony, the recessional, the reception, etc. "Now do you understand?" he asked. "I think so," she said, "is that when mommy came to work for us?"

Oct. 7

Russ & Laura Safar

Wedding Anniversary

Operation Christmas Child UPDATE We have almost all we need to fill the 30 boxes. We could use a few more “Fun Stuff” items if you haven’t finished your OCC shopping yet.. Fun Stuff such as: hand held games, balls, jump ropes, small Slinky’s, pinwheels, toy cars/trucks, girls’ bracelets or pocketbooks/small canvas bags.

We do need : hard candy such as candy canes (nothing that will melt, NO choc.).

Also remember it costs $7.00 shipping for each box so any donations to cover that cost are appreciated.

NO LIQUIDS OF ANY KIND (i.e., no Elmers Glue) ITEMS MUST BE SMALL ENOUGH TO FIT IN A SHOEBOX WITH ALL THE OTHER ITEMS

We will pack our shoeboxes this month and they will be delivered to our local distribution center in Nov.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< We don’t have many “extras” but those we have will be put in Christmas stockings for Eva’s Village homeless children. Anyone who has extra Christmas stockings, please bring them to the church as well.

Missions project coming in Nov. - We will be collecting canned and packaged food

items for Good Shepherd Mission. So, if you see such things as coffee, sugar, oatmeal,

pasta, pasta sauce, trash bags, paper products on sale now, pick them up. Good Shep-

herd is a mission to homeless men in nearby Paterson that we support . They also take

men’s gently worn winter clothing.

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” ― Lauren DeStefano, Wither

This is a newsletter received from Chris & Caroline West, our missionaries to Campus Crusade for Christ. It

is included here to give you an update on the important work they do on college campuses as they open

for the new school year.