In this episode, Pastor Mark talks about the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner that his congregation hosts every year but celebrates the cultural differences that the dinner will have this year.
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1232396/
Pastor Mark is a Christian Pastor, author, blogger, and sometimes background actor. He brings all of his years of life experience to ask spiritual questions about the ordinary events of life.
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #46
November 20, 2023
A Different Thanksgiving This Year
Since long before I became pastor of the congregation I serve, there has been a custom around Thanksgiving. I inherited this custom and have enjoyed it thoroughly. This custom is to hold a Thanksgiving Dinner for congregation members on the day before Thanksgiving.
This tradition began decades before I ever heard of this congregation and, I am told, was originally begun for people without families to go to for the holiday. It was established for single people who would have spent this festive day alone and was meant to give fellowship, and good food for people who might otherwise have spent the day by themselves.
I must say that I am happy to have inherited this tradition. It has brought me joy over the years to have welcomed people to this festive dinner. Unlike most of our fellowship meals, this one is elegant, using China dishes instead of paper plates, glass stem-wear instead of paper cups, and even candles lit on the tables. Visitors from outside our congregation who have attended this event have commented that it is fancier than they have seen in church facilities. I consider that to be quite a compliment.
The turkeys are always supplied by two sisters who are part of the church. One of these two also supplies corn pudding. People attending bring dishes to pass. Of course, over the years, these have been rather traditional Thanksgiving dishes. Mashed potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, and gravy have all been on the menu. This year I suspect that our menu might be a little different.
Beginning in January, a Hispanic church planter has been working with us and we now have a new, Spanish Speaking congregation nested within our congregation. Many of those folks will be attending this Thanksgiving dinner. For some folks, this will be their first Thanksgiving in the United States. They don’t know about Turkeys, stuffing, or mashed potatoes but they will be bringing dishes to share at the dinner. I don’t know what food they will be bringing but I suspect it will be very different from the kind of foods that we think of when we Anglos think of Thanksgiving. I don’t know what additions to expect but I do expect a few surprises.
Yes, our tradition continues, and we will be sharing food, enjoying fellowship with new friends and old friends. This year our tradition won’t change but our menu will. Some people, who have attended this dinner for years will be guests again, but newcomers will also be there. It will be the same but different and I suspect that it will be better.
I look forward to this event more than I have in the past. I suspect it will be a blessing to all.
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#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#Thanksgiving #Traditions
#Immigrants #Hispanic
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
In this episode, Pastor Mark contrasts his trip to the Holy Land one year ago and the conditions of warfare there now. He talks about the need to live each day fully as we never know what tomorrow will bring.
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1219367/
Pastor Mark is a Christian Pastor, author, blogger, and sometimes background actor. He brings all of his years of life experience to ask spiritual questions about the ordinary events of life.
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #45
November 13, 2023
What A Difference A Year Makes
I received a pop-up on my Facebook account yesterday. It was a picture that I posted one year ago when I was a traveler in the Holy Land. I do not recall who took the picture, but it is of a large portion of our group that made this trip. It was the best trip that I have taken in my life. I am very happy that I took this trip last year. This year the trip would have been impossible because of the war that Israel is waging against Hamas in Gaza.
The Holy Land was experiencing relative peace when we were there. But even then, we were not able to visit Jacob’s Well. This historic place sits in the occupied West Bank and there were some demonstrations going on there. Many demonstrations in the West Bank quickly escalate and the Israeli army quickly suppresses them with great force and might.
Not seeing Jacob’s Well was a disappointment for me. I would have enjoyed standing on the spot where Jesus spoke to the Samaritan Woman. This is one place that I looked forward to standing on. I am happy however, that we did not take the risk. I certainly did not wish to become a victim of mob violence or get caught in the middle of a violent clash.
Frequently in the occupied areas there are demonstrations. Israel, with a history of holocaust, the early fighting with Palestinians before Israel was founded as a nation, the Six Day War, and the Yom Kippur War, is justified in its fear of annihilation and it’s need for security and survival. The Palestinians are angry. Their land is being occupied and they face conditions of poverty because of the constraints that Israeli control imposes on these lands. I understand the anger and fears of those on both sides of this conflict even as I hope and pray for a peaceful resolution.
The security of Israel must be guaranteed. Likewise, I pray that the occupied lands will no longer be occupied, and Palestinian rule will be restored to these lands that have been occupied for fifty years. Terrorism will never end if people are held in conditions of poverty and feel hopeless about their situation every improving. It seems to me that the best way to eliminate terrorism is to increase the standard of living of those who could potentially be terrorists.
One year after we visited the Holy Land, Hamas attacked Israel, killing, or wounding 1,200 Israelis. Another 200 are being held hostage, assuming they are still alive. The real effect of Hamas’ attacks is the deaths of Gaza civilians which is now estimated at over 11,000. If Hamas was trying to benefit Palestinians by the invasion of Israel, the group failed miserably.
One year ago, we walked through the Holy Land in relative peace. We never dreamed that such an attack by Hamas would happen. One year ago, the Palestinians in Gaza never dreamed that war would be happening on their land. One year ago, Israeli citizens could not possibly have dreamt that their security wall could be breached as it was and so many families in Israel would be mourning dead relative and worrying about their family members taken hostage.
What a difference a year makes. Often, we live lives thinking that what we experience will last forever. We can become oblivious to potential dangers. Nothing, however, is guaranteed. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring. Let us enjoy each moment of life. If there is a blessing to give or a kindness to grant, let us do it today. We do not know if tomorrow will come. Let us live each day to its fullness.
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#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#HolyLand #Israel
#Palestine #LiveForToday
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #44
November 6, 2023
Trick or Treat for Prayers
I remember loving Halloween when I was a child. Costumes were fun and collecting candy was even better. All the kids on the block would go Trick or Treating together so we were safe but that really wasn’t a concern. We never left our neighborhoods. We knew the neighbors and the neighbors knew us.
Of course, there were holiday parties sponsored by local organizations. Church youth group always had a party as did the cub scout troop and we had a small party at school. We even were allowed to wear costumes to school which was a welcome change from our usual dress code.
Now I see fewer Trick or Treaters than I did in past decades. Most towns in my area now hold “Trunk or Treat” events. I rather like them. They have turned Halloween from a kid event into a family event. For two years now, our congregation has participated in the Bergenfield Trunk or Treat. It has been a wonderful experience as I met people I would not have ordinarily met. It has been a chance for our congregation to get outside of itself and interact with the broader community.
This year, we participated a little differently than we did in past years. This year, instead of just giving out candy, we held prayer cards and asked those with whom we interacted to write down prayer request. Elder Tina, my partner in the event, passed out candy while I passed out church literature and prayer cards. Several people quickly filled out prayer requests and seemed grateful for our prayers. One man had eyes welled with tears as he asked me to pray for his family. His family lives in Gaza. My heart was broken when I read his prayer request.
I am happy that our congregation is participating in this community event. I also am happy that we are giving out more than candy. One of the best things that we can give to our community is our prayers. Do we as Christians do this enough?
The people that I approached asking for their prayer requests seemed genuinely surprised. I wonder if anyone has offered to pray for them before.
It reminded me a bit of an old song by Billy Joel,
“You said your mother told you ‘All that I could give you was a reputation.’ She never cared for me but did she ever say a prayer for me?”
If we who are faithful are not offering to pray for people, we are not doing our jobs very well. The prayers of God’s faithful are powerful and are among the most important things that we can give to people in the world. Are we doing that job well enough?
Our Trunk or Treat was a real opportunity for us to get out of our buildings and engage with people and learn of their real concerns. I hope that none of us wait until next Halloween to do it again. Maybe this is what we ought to be doing every day of the year.
#ReformedChurchInAmerica #PastorMarkAuthor.com
#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#Halloween #TrickOrTreat
#Prayer #CanWePrayForYou?
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
In this episode, Pastor Mark describes his congregation’s participation in the local “Trunk or Treat” celebration in town and the reaction that he received while asking people what prayer concerns, they had and how the congregation could pray for them.
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1206067/
Pastor Mark is a Christian Pastor, author, blogger, and sometimes background actor. He brings all of his years of life experience to ask spiritual questions about the ordinary events of life.
In this episode, Pastor Mark describes a high school senior from his congregation who knelt in prayer before playing a football game. Are we so intentional about praying before we set about our activities?
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1194609/
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #43
October 30, 2023
Prayerful Playing
Several weeks ago, I was invited to attend a high school football game in the nearby town of Dumont. I was invited by a church family whose oldest son, Tyler, is a senior player and the seniors were to be honored before the game that evening.
To say that Tyler’s family has been a part of this congregation is an understatement. He and his brother are part of the church as are his parents. His late grandparents were part of the church as were his two great grandparents. He has a long legacy in our congregation.
Most of our family met with Tyler’s family for the game. It was my oldest Grandson’s first live football game. My daughter, wife, and I had not been to a high school football game since we were in high school. Not much has changed since I last saw such a game in the 1970’s.
Adolescents were acting silly like we all did at that age. Parents ran two snack booths to raise money for various causes. The band played loudly, and the cheer leaders were doing chants and flips on the sidelines. Pictures of all the senior class players lined the fence surrounding the field. Of course, Tyler’s family and my family posed in front of Tyler’s pictures. At last, we settled down in our seats and the teams came out onto the field.
“Watch Tyler,” his mother said.
I looked up in time to see Tyler, who wore number 77, walk away from his teammates, and go by himself to an isolated part of the field. I was not sure what he was doing and why he had left his team mates to be by himself, but his motive became clear in a few minutes. By himself, he knelt to pray. I couldn’t have been prouder when I saw Tyler.
Here was a young man praying before playing. I wonder how many other players or people in the stands noticed this and were influenced by Tyler. Besides the obvious example that Tyler showed I appreciate his desire to pray before any important endeavor. Are we, the grown-ups, who are supposed to set an example, as faithful in showing an example to others.
Are we as ready to pray before we do something important? Do we pray before doing something important or is prayer something we acknowledge in theory but not in practice. Do we do our work without inquiring what God wishes us to do? Without such prayer are we really doing God’s work or perhaps our own work as we pretend, we are doing God’s work?
If we set out to do important work for God, I suggest we, do it prayerfully. How else will we know what God wants of us? Let us follow the example of Tyler, my friend from the church and Dumont High School.
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#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#DumontHighSchool #TylerRivera
#Football #Prayer
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
In this episode, Pastor Mark describes the death of two saints of the church and the influence they had on family members seeking vocations. Who do we influence? Is the influence positive or negative?
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1184744/
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #42
October 23, 2023
The Influence of Saints
During the past three weeks our family has been mourning the death of two saints who have entered God’s nearer presence. Both of these saints of Christ’s church had great influence on vocations in our family.
We first learned of the death of Mary Bissett who was a long-time pillar of the First Reformed Church of Wynantskill, NY. She and her late husband, Harry were social workers by profession and Sunday school teachers at the church. There younger daughter was the same age as my wife, and they were good friends as young children. Harry died two decades ago, and I had the honor of presiding at his funeral when I lived in Albany. These two were role models for generations of young people at the church and were spirit-filled church leaders.
I don’t think it is a coincidence that my wife, Pam, became a social worker and earned her MSW. Harry and Mary both had earned their MSW’s. Pam often talks about the influence that Harry and Mary had on her as she chose her future career.
I have no idea if Mary and Harry knew how much they had influenced Pam, but their influence was real and profound even if they never knew.
The other influential saint who died recently is Rev. Bruce Cornwell who served the Community Reformed Church in Colonie, NY which is close to Albany, for thirty years. Prior to entering ministry, he was active in theater. During my time in Albany he and his congregation produced the musical, “Weep Jeremiah.” This musical is the story of the prophet Jeremiah and was actually scouted as a possibility to be brought to Broadway. It never made Broadway, but it had a great influence on Reformed Christians all through the Albany, area.
My daughter, Leah, also an ordained Reformed Church minister, was one of those greatly influenced by the musical that Bruce produced. She was in high school at the time and our family attended a performance. At that time, I did not know that she was contemplating a ministerial vocation. Watching “Weep Jeremiah” was a major influence on her decision to pursue seminary and ordination. Without Bruce Cornwell, and his talents, I do not know if she would have made this decision.
To this day I do not know if Bruce ever knew what influence his musical had on Leah. Perhaps he knew and perhaps he did not. Whether he knew or not, he did have influence on Leah. She is a minister, at least in part, because of Bruce.
We all influence other people one way or another, whether we realize it or not. Who do you influence? Is that influence a positive thing or a negative thing? People see our actions. They view what we are doing and where we are putting our energy and efforts. When they watch us, what are they seeing? Do they see us doing productive activities or negative ones. Are we the people who will leave positive legacies or will those who see us follow our leads into less than exemplary behavior?
Someday we, like the saints before us, will die and leave this earth. Will those who mourn our passing remember our positive mentoring and influence or will they see us as negative examples of living? Let us be as good a mentor to others as others were to us?
#ReformedChurchInAmerica #PastorMarkAuthor.com
#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#MaryBissett #Wynantskill,NY
#BruceCornwell #ChristianInfluence
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
Pastor Mark Author 