PastorMarkCast
In this week’s episode, Pastor Mark talks about the importance of multi-generational mentoring to develop people interested in community service.
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.
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/901401
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #15
April 10, 2023
Grandpa’s Mentoring
Those of you who are approximately my age remember that every September when school started again all the students were given the assignment to write an essay, “what I did on my summer vacation.” My age group also remembers the comedians “Cheech and Chong” doing a controversial skit around that same subject. There are variants on that theme each week of our lives when people ask us, “what are you doing over the weekend?” or “where are you going on vacation?”
This week I was very pleased with the answer that a young man, Liam, who had a great answer to that question. He was on spring break from school. His grandfather, Jack, is one of the volunteers who makes lunches for our Day-Laborer Ministry. Jack and Liam are not members of our congregation although I wish they were. They are part of the UCC Church in nearby Cresskill. We have partnered with that congregation for years in this ministry.
I have met Liam before. On the occasion of school holidays he has sometimes come and help prepare the lunches for distribution. This week, on the week of his school vacation, he chose to come and help us again. He could have stayed sleeping late in bed. Liam also had the option of staying home and playing games or watching television. He made a different choice, a choice to come and prepare lunches for those less fortunate than himself. I celebrate that he made such a choice.
So, what did he do? He carried boxes of supplies. He loaded bags with chips, cookies, apples, water and sandwiches. He also filled three boxes of prepared lunch bags. There were thirty-six lunches made altogether. He did all this work happily without complaint. He didn’t even complain about bringing the extra supplies back into the storeroom.
When he had so many other options of how to use his time, why would he make such a choice? I believe that in part it was because of the mentoring of Grandpa Jack. Grandpa Jack introduced him to this mission and showed his enthusiasm for this work. Grandpa Jack led by example. He taught by showing and doing and that is often the best learning.
A new generation is now helping with this ministry because of this mentoring. This is an example for all of us who mentor children in one way or another. Our influence in the young can be a positive or a negative. The young will learn both from what we do as well as what we do not do.
Do we show the young that worship of God is important? Are we demonstrating that prayer is crucial to a life filled with Christ’s peace? Are we demonstrating that service to others is more important than personal comfort?
Let all of us grown-ups be mindful of what we are teaching the next generations.
#ReformedChurchInAmerica #PastorMarkAuthor
#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#ChristianService #Mentoring
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
PastorMarkCast
In this week’s episode, Pastor Mark talks about his daughter’s wedding and the hopes he has for her future.
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.
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/892683/
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #14
April 3, 2023
Marriage is not Thanksgiving Dinner
My daughter got married on Saturday and I enjoyed it immensely. It was a day of celebration and it was a day of uniting family and friends for a joyous occasion. For three years of COVID we have not had very many things to celebrate and it was good to have happy festivities again.
A few people were a bit surprised when my daughter chose to have no one walk down the aisle with her or “give her away.” She must be a bit like her parents. We didn’t have anyone “give away” Pam either. She and I walked down the aisle together to be married in 1981.
My daughter also did not have me preside over the ceremony either. She chose to have a beloved professor from seminary perform the wedding. Some folks wondered why. I don’t know but that is OK. It was nice to be able to sit and enjoy the ceremony without being responsible for the event. I got to be the “father of the bride” first and a minister second. It doesn’t get much better than that.
I did conduct the service of Holy Communion. As part of that service both the groom’s father and I were two of those who distributed the elements. It was a joy and honor to serve the wedding party communion, especially my daughter and son-in-law who were having communion for the first time as a married couple.
Most people never get to see their mother’s wedding. My grandson did. This is a second marriage for my daughter. She and her husband included him in the ceremony as they promised to care for him and guide him all of his life. It was wonderful to see my grandson involved in the wedding and he relates well to my new son-in-law. This is a relief. His protection is one of my foremost priorities.
It was a fabulous day but I hope that this wedding is not a Thanksgiving dinner. What does a wedding have to do with Thanksgiving? Every year I enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends. There are days and weeks of preparation but it is over in a few hours. The leftovers are gone within a week and the whole day is forgotten until the following fall.
I want this wedding to be forever, not over within a few hours or even a week. It is up to this new couple to put their full energy into making this marriage work but it is not only their responsibility. It is the responsibility of all of us to support and give our help in strengthening their marriage. Marriage is difficult and those of us who were part of the wedding must help them in their marriage.
Like Thanksgiving, a wedding takes a long time to prepare. Unlike Thanksgiving, a wedding is meant to last forever, not a few hours. We want all of our months of preparation to lead to a lifelong event. I pray that we all will work together to make this outcome happen.
#ReformedChurchInAmerica #PastorMarkAuthor
#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#Marriage #MaritalCommittment
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
PastorMarkCast
In this week’s episode, Pastor Mark celebrates the ordination of Rev. Arlene Lillian Romaine as a Minister of Word and Sacrament. He also describes the “Laying on of Hands” and recalls his own experience when he was ordained thirty-nine years ago.
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.
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/882652/
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #13
March 27, 2023
Passing on The Holy Spirit
Our area Reformed Churches had a wonderful celebration yesterday afternoon. We ordained a new Minister of Word and Sacrament and installed her as the new pastor of a church not far from mine. As part of the service of ordination, those of us who are ordained to that office place our hands upon the person being ordained. It symbolizes the passing on of the Holy Spirit to a new minister. I have never been part of a service of ordination and not felt moved by it. No, I don’t feel any electrical jolts and I certainly have not falling to the floor, but the symbolism is important and the I have always felt God’s Spirit present at such times.
I had never experienced this ritual until I myself was ordained thirty-nine years ago. I was told about it and it was described to me in seminary but hearing about it is not the same as experiencing it. When I knelt to receive the “laying on of hands” it seemed that every minister present, and all the ministers before me were in that room giving me their support in the present as well as the future. I felt the warmth of God’s presence.
To this day I still remember that feeling of God’s presence at my ordination. It is a memory that I cultivate because a minister faces circumstances that are difficult and require that memory and assurance that you really are called to minister in God’s name. Many people perceive that ministers have easy lives. Perhaps that was true in past generations when the church was popular and ministers honored but those days have long since left us. A majority of citizens do not attend church nor believe that faith is valuable. Ministers, who once were held in high esteem, for a variety of reasons, are not valued as they once were. When days are difficult, we who are ordained must rely on intangible feeling of Christ’s presence and the memory of the support that we received at our ordinations.
I pray the best for the new Reformed Church minister, Rev. Arlene Lillian Romaine, as she begins her ministry at English Neighborhood Reformed Church. I pray that she will have few frustrating days and that she will not despair during difficult periods of ministry. I pray that the feeling she had during the “laying on of hands” will never leave her and will be a strength for her during spiritually dry times. I pray that God will always be with her, guiding her steps that she may not stray from her calling.
Arlene is called. She is ordained. The Spirit is upon her. May her ministry bear much fruit. God bless you, Rev. Arlene Lillian Romaine.
#ReformedChurchInAmerica #PastorMarkAuthor
#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#EngishNeighborhoodReformed Church #RevArleneromaine
#LayingonofHands #HolySpirit
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
PastorMarkCast
In this week’s episode, Pastor Mark celebrates the 50th ordination of women as elders and deacons in the Reformed Church in America and reflects on the long struggle to make it happen.
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.
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/872972/
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #12
March 20, 2023
Fifty Years of Reformed Church in America Women Elders and Deacons
On Saturday I was part of a webinar that celebrated women’s leadership in the Reformed Church in America. I remember the battle for women to be ministers in 1979 but knew little of the history of the discussions about women elders and deacons. This happened when I was in grammar school and high school. I really did not know that this was a heated discussion. In my adult lifetime, women have always been elders and deacons. I can’t imagine a church without women leaders.
This wasn’t always so, as I found out. Many of the early women who became elders and deacons actually faced great obstacles. The male deacons, elders, and clergy were often blamed for the opposition but many women who were among the first to be ordained report that their biggest opponents were other women. The ordained women felt betrayed by their sisters who assumed would give them help and support.
Betrayal seems to be the common feeling among the early women I know as they sought ordination. They had served their congregations in various capacities throughout their lives. Even as children, many had showed leadership and the fruit of the spirit was evident within them. Despite the Holy Spirit and despite their good works, churches were telling them that they were not “appropriate” for ordained offices. They believed that God was telling them one thing and the church was telling them another. The church, in their view, had betrayed them.
Ultimately, women were ordained as deacons and elders, and twenty years later, to be ministers of word and sacrament. Many of them are the most gifted and talented officers that I know. I can’t help but wonder how many of these gifted and talented women we kept out of ministry because the male hierarchy kept women out for so many years. I can’t help but wonder if many of our churches would be stronger today if we had embraced these spirit-filled women decades before we did.
Where would any of us who are disciples of Christ without gifted and Spirit-filled leaders? Often our mothers first taught us Bible stories. Usually it was women who were our Sunday school teachers. Many of us saw women elders and deacons when we were young. They were all valuable in our own faith formation. I think that we all owe words of gratitude to these faithful women who made us what we are today.
It makes me wonder who else we are ignoring today when we evaluate future leaders. Do we base leadership on who and what a person is? There really should only be two questions that we ask: is the person full of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and has God called the person for leadership. Should we, with our internal prejudices, add to that list? What categories or attributes to we think are as important as God’s calling and the fruit of the Spirit? I hope that as we celebrate women office-holders we don’t make the same mistake of excluding people based on any other attributes.
#ReformedChurchInAmerica #PastorMarkAuthor
#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#WomenDeacons #WomenElders
#WomenMinisters #God’sCalling
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
PastorMarkCast
In this week’s episode Pastor Mark discusses the many customs of the American celebration of St. Patrick’s day, both the true and the false, and pays tribute to this great saint of Ireland.
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.
Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/863535/
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2023 Blog #11
March 13, 2023
A Tribute to Saint Patrick
This week is Saint Patrick’s Day. In our nation we tend to celebrate with parades, songs and by consuming a great deal of alcohol. I would like to pay tribute to St. Patrick and critique some of the customs that we affiliate with St. Patrick.
Corned beef is not a food item in Ireland. American Irish began eating this in New York City as they affiliated with German immigrants who regularly ate this as a staple.
In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is less a celebration of revelry and more a sacred time of prayer held in church.
St. Patrick did not drive snakes out of Ireland. Given it has been isolated since the ice age, chances are that no snakes ever lived in Ireland.
So what is the real story of Saint Patrick? There are differing stories as to where he was born and lived. The majority of people believe that he grew up in England while a minority believe that he was originally French. Historical accounts do agree on the following:
He was kidnapped by Irish raiders and lived as a farm slave in Ireland.
Despite his slavery, he felt an affinity for the Irish people and grew to love them.
He felt called to the priesthood and vowed to escape slavery and return to Ireland as a priest.
After a long and dangerous journey he escaped, studied and was ordained a priest and returned to evangelize Ireland.
His knowledge of the creation-worshipping people of Ireland helped him translate the gospel of Jesus into a language the Irish could understand. He began to teach around bonfires as Irish pagans regularly used fire to scare away evil spirits. The common Celtic Cross that we know today was a merger of the circle which represented the world and the traditional Christian cross. This represented that Christ died for the whole world.
What about the Shamrock? St. Patrick used this to explain the Holy Trinity.
Whether he had exceptional speaking gifts, extra charisma, or his use of Irish tradition was effective, he moved Christianity to be the majority religion of the people on that Island. He felt love and affection for those who had once enslaved him.
How many of us would be so loving toward those who made us slaves? How many of us fall in love with people who had captured us by violence? How many of us could tailor our preaching so well by knowing our audience? I suspect not many of us have the heart and talents of Saint Patrick.
He showed courage in his escape. He showed love for oppressors. He showed ingenuity in evangelism. He is a role model for us all. May we live as faithfully and lovingly as he.
#ReformedChurchInAmerica #PastorMarkAuthor
#BergenCounty #BergenfieldNJ
#St.Patrick’sDay #St.Patrick
#Ireland #Saints
To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:
Pastor Mark Author 