Community Outreach
The FRC of Pompton Plains is a very active part of the community and around the world. Below are many of activities and outreach initiatives driven or supported by our Church.
Market Street Mission in Morristown
1 to 4 people (age 12 and up) needed to serve dinner to shelter residents on the 4th Monday of every month from 4:15 - 5:45. To sign up contact Robin Callan through the church office 973-835-1144.
Employment Group - Meetings Every Wednesday Morning
For the last two years, the First Reformed Church has provided an Employment Group offering support, networking, resume critiquing, coaching for interviews and other services. Many have found positions but the group will continue meeting until all are employed. Meetings are held on every Wednesday morning in Keator Parlor at 9:30 A.M. The group received much coverage in local newspapers this year and also was featured on CBS-TV news http://wcbstv.com/video/?id=131186@wcbs.dayport.com
Job-Matching = Life-Changing
In conjunction with First Reformed Church’s Employment Group and as a service to those in our congregation who may have lost his or her job, we will be instituting a “job matching” service. If you are looking for a job, contact Roland Petit at the church office on Monday or Wednesday mornings (973-835-1144 x14) – or simply leave a message at 973-779-4745. He will ask for “job titles” associated with positions you are seeking and will confidentially keep your contact information and resume. We will publish the job titles (only) on the back of this insert each week and ask anyone in the congregation who has or knows of an opening, to contact Roland at the same phone numbers. He in turn, will connect the two parties. This can be a simple, yet life-changing ministry with your help along with God’s guidance. Thank you in advance!
Toastmasters Public Speaking Training
Shape your Words and your Future
Remarkable changes and achievements – that’s how many people describe the changes they have experienced by joining this public-speaking and self-esteem building non-profit organization. Featured at over 12,000 locations in the world and with more than 150,000 members, Toastmasters, has now become available for the first time to the Pompton Plains community. The meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Monday evenings from 7:30 – 8:30 in the Friendship Hall Building on the campus of The First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains.
Some of the benefits of joining include:
· Increased confidence and self-esteem
· Ability to communicate effectively and easily in front of groups
· Improved one-on-one interactions with others
· Detailed instruction on how to relax, plan and present outstanding speeches
· An opportunity for self-growth and to practice while receiving guidance and support in a friendly, structured environment
· Proven results that increase your value to employers, supercharge your interview skills and more.
The cost:
Toastmasters - $20 one-time charge for materials and $27 membership fee for 6 months
(Other for-profit seminars charge as much as $2,095)
Bring a friend and see what it’s all about.
The benefits:
Your life-skills, self-esteem and future may change forever.
Meeting Times:
1st and 3rd Monday nights from 7:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.
For additional information, call Roland Petit at 973-835-1144 x14 on Monday, Wednesday or Friday mornings.
Food Pantry (All Year)
Our church houses the Township Food Pantry that is available to any Pequannock Township resident. The Food Pantry’s mission is to increase access to food for hungry people. Donations for the Food Pantry can be dropped off at the church at any time. Volunteers are also needed to help cover shifts. It is open to qualified residents on Tuesdays and Thursdays of the first full week of the month and on Saturdays by special request. On Tuesday the hours are 3:30pm-5:30pm. On Thursday the hours are 4pm-5:30pm. Please call the church office for more information or to find out ways you can help volunteer for this wonderful mission.
Crop Walk (Fall)
Please join us as we walk together to take a stand against hunger in our world. CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Hunger Walks help fight hunger and poverty around the world, including the United States. Each year 25% of the proceeds raised at the walk we participate in are divided amongst 3 local charities. More information is available at www.cropwalkonline.org.
Give-A-Gift program (Winter)
In December, our church collects and brings gifts to the North Reformed Church in Newark. Anyone is invited to pick a holly leaf/tree from the bulletin board in Friendship Hall with a description of what a needy child would like. The gift should be wrapped and returned to Friendship Hall. People are also needed to load up all the gifts and/or drive to Newark together as a group and participate in giving these gifts to the children and families at the North Reformed Church. Please call the church office if you would like more information about this amazing opportunity!
High School Youth Group : F.U.S.E. (Faith Unity Spirit Everyday)
Throughout the year our High School students raise money for various charities (listed below):
All night Game-a-Thon (Fall)
Our High School Youth Group raised money for the charity Med-To-One which gives medical assistance to people in third world countries who suffer from long-term illnesses, such as epilepsy and diabetes. Everyone was invited to sponsor the students and leaders in our Youth Group to play games all night. The money raised was donated to this charity. Last year our Youth Group raised over $1200 - which was enough to provide medicine to FOUR PEOPLE for a full year! This year we raised enough to sponsor one more person for an entire year!! If you would like to donate to this charity through our Youth Group, please contact Michelle Ebert. For more information on this charity, please visit www.med2one.org.
SOUPer Bowl (Winter)
In January/February, our High School Youth Group collected soup cans and money for the Pequannock Township Food Pantry through our annual SOUPer Bowl Event. We went on a scavenger hunt around town to collect soup/money on January 30th (people signed up to have the students come to their house). That night we also be had a lock-in with our Youth Group. We have collected thousands of soup cans, and dollars, over the years through this event. Everyone is invited to donate to this wonderful cause. If you would like to donate to this charity through our Youth Group, please contact Michelle Ebert. For more information on this charity, please visit www.souperbowl.org
30 Hour Famine (Spring)
At the beginning of May our High School Youth Group starved for 30 hours to raise awareness for world hunger through our annual 30 Hour Famine event. This was in connection with World Vision, which is an international charity. The reason our students went 30 hours with out food is because that is the average time a 'poor' person waits for their next meal. It takes $1/day to feed and care for one child. Everyone is invited to donate to this wonderful cause. We have raised thousands of dollars over the years by participating in 30 Hour Famine. If you would like to donate to this charity through our Youth Group, please contact Michelle Ebert. For more information on this charity, please visit www.30hourfamine.org
"Stuffed With Hugs" event (Spring)
Build-A-Bear workshop hosts the "Stuffed With Hugs" event every year. Our High School Youth Group goes to a location at a local mall and helps stuff bears that the store will send to kids in foster care waiting to be adopted. We have helped stuff over 70 bears in the past 2 years and will be going again this year during the May event.
Other Community Outreach and Assistance
Girls Scouts
FRC provides our facilities to the local Girl scouts to host their meetings and special activities.
Relay for Life Cancer Walk
In June we participate in Relay for Life Cancer Walk at the Pequannock Township High School. FRC is one of the largest money raisers of this annual event!! Our church has three teams (one for the F.U.S.E. Youth Group and two for the congregation).
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings
FRC provides our facilities every Thursday at 7pm (beginner's meeting) and 8pm (open speaker's meeting) and Saturday at 9:30am (open meeting). Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an informal meeting society for people who identify themselves as alcoholic. AA suggests that alcoholics abstain from alcohol and follow its spiritual program of action and share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem
Al-Anon
FRC provides our facilities for Al-Anon meetings. Al-Anon and Alateen are international organizations jointly known as Al-Anon Family Groups with a membership of over half a million men, women and teens, providing a twelve-step program of recovery for friends and family members of alcoholics. Al-Anon meets every Friday at 7pm.
If you need any information on these or any other community outreach initiatives, please contact the church office at office@firstreformedchurch.com or (973) 835-1144