New Food Bank

NorthJersey Vineyard — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:28:27 +0000

Starting this Sunday, the North Jersey Vineyard is officially accepting donations of non-perishable foods and grocery store gift cards (e.g. Shop Rite, Stop and Shop, etc.) for our new Food Bank. Please remember that we cannot store perishable items so please only donate non-perishable items such as canned or boxed foods, pasta, cereals, rice, etc.

In addition to non-perishable items, you can also donate personal toiletries like toothpaste and soap, as well as other household necessities such as toilet paper, paper towels, laundry detergent, etc.

Your continued donations to the Food Bank will help us conserve our Compassion Fund to help families in our congregation who may need help paying for rent, utilities, gas and other non-food necessities.

Remember, as Jared preached last Sunday, the definition of compassion is not simply feeling sorry or empathetic for a person in need, but rather finding a way to meet that need to the best of your ability. If you missed the sermon, we encourage you to listen to the podcast from our website. You can access the podcast here.

New Sunday night services at the North Jersey Vineyard!

NorthJersey Vineyard — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:17:07 +0000

Starting this Sunday, March 7, the North Jersey Vineyard will also offer a 7pm evening service!

Same great message & worship… come check us out

Toddler care will be provided.

And if you do attend the first evening service this Sunday, make sure you click back here and leave us your thoughts & comments about how you thought it went. We’d love to hear from you!

Love 146 Benefit Concert: Feb 20

NorthJersey Vineyard — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:08:16 +0000

The North Jersey Vineyard Love 146 Task Force is hosting its second annual concert to benefit Love 146.

Please come and support the noble cause of ending child sex slavery. The money raised goes towards Love 146, a non-profit organization committed to the prevention of child sex-trafficking and the aftercare of trafficking victims.

The concert will feature a worship band, musical performances, dancing, and more. There will be raffles, as well.

** Check out the Facebook Events page to RSVP & receive updates. **

Saturday, February 20, 2010

7-9 pm

North Jersey Vineyard Church

370 North Street. Teterboro, NJ.

On your calendar: Coffee & Classics, Part 2. Feb 20 (New date!!)

NorthJersey Vineyard — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:24:31 +0000

Like to read? Like to talk? Like to read and talk about God? Join the Book Circle!

Our second book in the series, The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer, is coming up.

Come for conversation, coffee, and camaraderie as we engage with the great ideas of the Christian faith.

Saturday, February 20, 10-11:30a

Some Frank Talk about Haiti

NorthJersey Vineyard — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:45:49 +0000

You might be feeling overwhelmed or despondent about Haiti’s plight following the devastating earthquake on Jan 12. Despite the millions of dollars that are being sent in aid from all over the world including the United States (over $22 million has been raised for the Red Cross by text messages alone), you might wonder if the money will be effectively used, or if it’s even enough to make much of a dent in helping Haiti build a stronger future than the impoverished one it has known for decades.

New York Times Op-Ed Columnist Nicholas D. Kristof confronts some of these questions as well as some others that you might be afraid to ask, like “Why is Haiti so poor?” ”Is Haiti hopeless?” ”Will our billions in aid even help?”

I’ve reposted some of the article below.

Why is Haiti so poor? Is it because Haitians are dimwitted or incapable of getting their act together?

Haiti isn’t impoverished because the devil got his due; it’s impoverished partly because of debts due. France imposed a huge debt that strangled Haiti. And when foreigners weren’t looting Haiti, its own rulers were.

The greatest predation was the deforestation of Haiti, so that only 2 percent of the country is forested today. Some trees have been — and continue to be — cut by local peasants, but many were destroyed either by foreigners or to pay off debts to foreigners. Last year, I drove across the island of Hispaniola, and it was surreal: You traverse what in places is a Haitian moonscape until you reach the border with the Dominican Republic — and jungle.

Without trees, Haiti lost its topsoil through erosion, crippling agriculture.

To visit Haiti is to know that its problem isn’t its people. They are its treasure — smart, industrious and hospitable — and Haitians tend to be successful in the United States (and everywhere but in Haiti).

Read the rest here and don’t buy into the despair and hopelessness.

Haitians, like anyone else in times of trouble, needs compassion, hope and faith. As one woman in our congregation with relatives in Haiti stated this past week: It’s not important to dwell on why this is happening but rather how God will use this tragedy for glory. Because He will.

Believe that and please continue to pray and donate for Haiti.

Haiti Update from Vineyard USA Mercy Response

NorthJersey Vineyard — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:40:29 +0000

Vineyard USA is working with two large, well-respected organizations in response to the earthquake in Haiti.The two organizations are Convoy of Hope and Compassion International. We have a strong working relationship with both of these organizations. Both had a presence in Haiti prior to the disaster and currently are engaged in relief efforts in the hardest hit areas.

** Convoy of Hope, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, feeds the hungry and provides pure drinking water to people in need across the United States and around the world. To date, the organization has provided real help to 28 million people in 112 countries and 45 states.

Lauded for its effectiveness and efficiency, Convoy of Hope mobilizes thousands of volunteers each year to deliver food and supplies and to offer hope to the poor and suffering.

** Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.

Founded by the Rev. Everett Swanson in 1952, Compassion began providing Korean War orphans with food, shelter, education and health care, as well as Christian training.

Today, Compassion helps more than 1 million children in 25 countries.

Additionally, Vineyard USA Mercy Response has an assessment team on the ground and they made it to the border of Haiti through the Dominican Republic yesterday. Along the way, they stopped and checked in on the Vineyard Church in Jimani which is about an hour from the border. The church is intact and doing what they can to help in their community. The assessment team plans to head towards Port Au Prince as of Jan 20.

Please be assured that we are constantly processing information from a number of sources as we evaluate the situation. Many of you have asked when you can send teams and how to help; right now the biggest need is financial support and prayer for the victims of this disaster as well as those responding. Our current assessment is that bringing in teams right now could actually hinder the relief effort, but that could change quickly so please continue to check the website for updates.

You can donate to Compassion International here and to Convoy of Hope here. Many corporate employers will match individual donations so please make sure to take advantage of matching gifts if they are available at your job.

Association of Vineyard Churches launches “Justice Response” website

NorthJersey Vineyard — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:55:32 +0000

On January 18, the Association of Vineyard Churches launched the “Justice Response” website designed to equip pastors and lay leaders to address international and domestic human trafficking.

THE ANTI-SLAVERY MISSION OF JUSTICE RESPONSE

Did you know that men, women and children are being bought and sold…right in front of us? We’re talking about the modern-day equivalent of slavery: Human Trafficking.

From Asia and Europe, from the Middle East and the Americas and Africa, almost a million people are caught in trafficking around the world, mostly women and children. An estimated 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked annually into the United States alone, not to mention an estimated 300,000 American children at-risk for domestic trafficking(trafficked within our own borders). These victims of modern-day slavery are being forced to live under oppression in the underground sex industry and labor market, and it is happening in the towns and cities where we live – it is happening where we minister.

OK, what do we do? The Vineyard Anti-Slavery Team(VAST) is gathering and connecting those who have a heart for this ministry of justice for the oppressed. Justice Response is a resource site and a connecting place for us to come together to learn more about human trafficking, train the people in our churches to respond thoughtfully and strategically, pray against it and intercede for the victims and survivors, empowering those within our communities who are at-risk of being trafficked, and effectively serving victims and survivors. We invite you to listen and look for what the Father might already be calling you to do in your community. If this issue touches your heart, please join us as we seek to follow the Father in the fight against human trafficking.

WHAT CAN I DO?

One way to start the journey is to check out and consider joining the Love146 Faith Community Network and Love146 Task Forces: http://www.love146.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=65357

You can join the North Jersey Vineyard Love 146 Task Force by contacting Jenni Weese.

Click here for more ideas.

TO DONATE

Donating is a simple as a text:

-$5 donation: Text LOVE to 85944
-$10 donation: Text LOVE146 to 85944

or visit www.Love146.org

Youth Calendar: Eastern Regional Youth Retreat. Feb 13-15.

NorthJersey Vineyard — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:48:17 +0000

Every year the East Coast Vineyard youth groups get together for a weekend to worship, fellowship and experience God intimately. This year’s retreat, called The Samaritan Challenge, will focus on equipping youth with the tools to change the world by Christ’s love, just as he did for the Samaritan woman at the well.

The retreat will take place at Ladore Camp in Waymart, Pennsylvania.

All youth in grades 6-12 are welcome to attend. Cost is $90 per student.

Please contact Evan Brownell with any questions.

This Friday: Worship & Intercession

NorthJersey Vineyard — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:29:59 +0000

Friday, January 22. 7:30.

Join us as we come to God with the needs of our church, our community & world and to pray for more of his presence.

We will have times of prayer interspersed with times of worship.

All who have a heart for God and our church are encouraged to participate.

This is the perfect opportunity to pray for Haiti with fellow believers and to seek hope and recovery for millions who are suffering.

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. ²⁰For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

(Matthew 18:19-20, NIV)

2009 Year to Date Statement

NorthJersey Vineyard — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:23:58 +0000

In our effort to make things even more convenient, giving statements are now available online through a secured web site. In order to view your statement online, you must first create a user account and password with our hosting company, Fellowship One.

If you haven’t done so already, please create an account by following this link.

Once created, you will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Jared Lee via email or call 201.288.0010.