Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 47

November 22, 2021

Fire House Generations

During this past week I had the solemn duty to conduct two funeral services. The two gentlemen who died were from the same family. They were in-laws. A married couple from the church had each experienced the death of a father and a father-in-law on the same day. This was certainly unique, but I’m sure it was not unprecedented. But that is not the point of this blog. The point of this blog is to highlight that one death was that of a former fire chief from town. He was certainly remembered well and received full honors from members of Volunteer Fire Company #2 in Bergenfield.

The point of this blog is not the two deaths or the involvement of the firefighters. The point of this is to admire the generations of faithful service that the Hoyt Family has shown our community. Former Chief Norman Hoyt Sr. was buried with full honors but his funeral was organized by another firefighter, Norman Hoyt Jr. Norman Jr’s children, Ryan and Elizabeth are also part of Fire Company #2. They were among the firefighters standing guard at Norman’s funeral service.

I am certainly in awe of the courage and sacrifice of our firefighters. Few people that I know would be willing to run into burning buildings on behalf of strangers and give up long hours to train for preparedness. Yet, these people do that. Former Chief Norman Hoyt Sr. was especially adept at doing that. He is someone who should be honored.

What intrigues me even more is the multi-generational membership of firehouses. Firehouse memberships can become family legacies. I wish that we in the church did so well. Many congregations have members without the zeal that firefighters show. Many of our congregations lose the next generation due to lack of interest. Firehouses seem to do better than we do at keeping the descendants of fire fighters.

I honor the service of the late former chief Norman Hoyt Senior as I do all volunteer firefighters. I admire the courage that these firefighters show and their ability to recruit subsequent generations. Please, firefighters, tell me how I can do the same in our churches. I would love our members to show the same zeal and to keep the next generation interest.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                    #BergenfieldNJ

#NormanHoytSr                                                       #NormanHoytJr

#BergenfieldFireCompany#2                                 #ElizabethHoyt

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order copy of his book:

ahttps://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 46

November 15, 2021

Veteran’s Day; Celebration or Solemn?

During this past week, all over Facebook I have been watching posts that wish people a “happy Veterans Day. The sentiment is nice but too many veterans have suffered too much for this to be a “happy day.” Too many of our veterans have physical and mental wounds some of which will never heal. This is a day to thank veterans but it does not seem like any event that should be “celebrated.” The word “celebrate” seems to me as if it implies a party.

Fortunately, many of our veterans did not return from deployment scarred mentally or physically. Nevertheless, their deployments interrupted their lives as well as the lives of their families. Soldiers when away to other places miss out on important events in the lives of children. Most of us simply take these times with our children for granted. Our veterans, and active-duty personnel give up on a lot of things as they serve our country.

My daughters are now in their thirties. I remember fondly attending their births. The memories of those births are embedded in my mind. Many of our soldiers have no such memories. My son-in-law missed the birth of his son, my grandson because the army would not grant him leave from an overseas deployment. I will never forget the joy on his face when he returned and got to see his little boy for the first time. I was thrilled with the joy of that day but regret that he had to give up the joy of seeing the little boy born.

Yes, Veterans and Active-duty troops need our thanks, respect, and support. I am grateful for their service to our nation. I am also thankful to the families who sacrifice a great deal while their soldiers are away. Veteran’s Day must remain an important day for us but it must never be a day of happiness. It must be a solemn day of Thanksgiving to those who have given so much for us.

Veterans, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. God bless you. Let me know how I can express my thanks to you.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                    #BergenfieldNJ

#Veteran’sDay                                                          #Veterans

#MilitaryDeployment                                                #MilitaryFamilies                             

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order copy of his book:

ahttps://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 45

November 8, 2021

Living Saints

Last week we celebrated “All Saints Day” during our worship. It is our custom during this celebration to read off the names of our church members who entered God’s nearer presence during the prior year. We celebrate the lives of those saints who are no longer with us but who have arrived in God’s kingdom. This blog focuses on two saints who still live with us on earth yet are truly saints as God calls us to be.

Specifically, I’ll be paying tribute to, and thanking God for, two of our elders, Elaine and Leslie, who really know what it is to be a disciple of Jesus. For six months they have been giving service above and beyond in caring for another elder who has been declining recently and has become in need of a high level of care in a memory care unit.

This declining elder has no family nearby. Her nearest relative is a niece in Chicago. The woman declining lives with us here in New Jersey. Who would help this woman? I have been her power of attorney and manage her money for her but organizing, packing and moving her was beyond the hours that I could take time for. I brought this concern to the board of elders and, as usually occurs, God raises up faithful elders to assist. Elder Elaine and Elder Leslie, rose to the challenge. They organized, packed, and got Elder Joan ready to move to a place where she could receive greater care. Without these elders Joan would have had a much more difficult time with her relocation.

Sometimes we don’t appreciate God’s faithful people until they die and speak nicely about them at the wake. Such a practice is not good enough for Elder Elaine and Elder Leslie. They deserve to hear this sentiment of gratitude.

Thank you, Ladies. You have been a fine example of what the church of Christ should be. You did great work and blessed a declining lady. May we all follow your example. I learned years ago never to underestimate spirit-filled elders. These two remind me of that every time I see them.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                    #BergenfieldNJ

#ElaineMuller                                                            #LeslieLepre

#Elders                                                                      #MinistryofMercy                             

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order copy of his book:

ahttps://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 44

November 1, 2021

Thank You, General Powell, Son Of Immigrants

It has been more than a week since the death of General Colin Powell. I was saddened when I first heard the news. I had never heard of him until the First Gulf War and then he became a household name. I was among the first to buy a copy of his book when it was published a few years following the conclusion of that war. After reading it I was even more impressed with him than I had been from simply hearing news stories about him. I am grateful that his parents chose to immigrate to our nation. We are better off because of their decision, and the service General Powell gave to our armed forces.

Years later, when I moved to New Jersey, I met a member of our great consistory who knew General Powell personally. These two gentlemen, had gone to college together, were members of the same fraternity, and both served in our military. They had stayed in contact with one another. Through this man I heard some college stories about General Powell. Each of these stories helped reaffirm my high opinion of him.

One of the things I enjoyed most about Colin Powell’s book was his list of thirteen rules for leadership. No, they don’t come up to the level of the ten commandments, but they contain good wisdom for becoming a good leader. Like the commandments, I will never truly live up to them, but attempting to live by them, I think, makes me a better leader.

If you haven’t heard them I will list them.

1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
2. Get mad, then get over it.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position fall, your ego goes with it.
4. It can be done!
5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it.
6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision
7. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.
8. Check small things.
9. Share credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind.
11. Have a vision. Be demanding.
12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Let us all strive to follow the ten commandments from God and the leadership rules from Colin Powell. Also, if we think that immigration hurts our nation, do you think that we would be better off if General Powell’s parents had not moved here?

I pray that God will bless General Colin Powell with the peace and blessing of Christ’s presence.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                   

#BergenfieldNJ

#GeneralColinPowell                                               #TenCommandments

#ColinPowell’sRules                                                #Immigration                        

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book:https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 43

October 25, 2021

Moving Away or Moving Towards?

After I was born I came home to my parent’s house, was put in a bedroom, and there I stayed until I left for college. Moving was not anything I had experienced although I did observe it. In grammar school, I lived in the midst of “white flight” from Jersey City. They were fleeing the increasing movement of non-whites into the neighborhood. The non-whites who were moving in, loved moving to a safer neighborhood, yet their enthusiasm was curbed when they realized that not every white was welcoming to non-whites. Some people were moving away from something, and others were moving toward something.

This week I am helping a distinguished elder in our congregation move from her independent living apartment into a memory care unit. She isn’t moving from anything, she is running toward a better place with more appropriate care.

Also, this week, I am helping my daughter relocate to a new apartment and soon she will be starting a new job. Is she moving away from or moving toward something? Maybe it is both. When I speak to immigrants they often tell me that they are always moving toward what they believe is a better life, but they are always moving away from difficulties in their home countries.

Most of our lives we are moving away from, as well as moving toward something. Like the ancient Israelites at the Red Sea, not only were they moving from slavery, but they were also moving toward the promise of a rich land for them to inhabit. Moving is, perhaps, always away and toward.

The real question for us in our movements is whether God is directing our movements? Are we moving without inquiring from God where God wants us to be or do we ask God first when it is time to go and where we ought to go? Do we make our moves based on our wisdom or God’s wisdom? “Moving from or moving toward” is not really the question. The question is “where does God want to leave and to where does God wish us to come?” Do we ask that question enough? If we get into the wrong place, perhaps it is because we fail to ask this important question.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                   

#BergenfieldNJ

#Moving                                                                    

#God’sGuidance

#WalkingWithGod                                                    #Immigration                        

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book:https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 42

October 18, 2021

Grandsons and Christian Mentoring

My younger grandson turned two years old this week. In just a few months my older one will be three years old. It does not seem possible that close to three years ago my life changed for the better with the arrival of a grandson. I really didn’t think that I was old enough to be a grandfather.

Sometimes I don’t realize how much these two guys have changed until I look back at old pictures. When I view them, I realize how incredibly these to have grown and transformed. I remember the past and I see the present. What will the future of these two boys be?

I have helped them to walk. I have encouraged them to speak clear words and worked on table manners and polite speech. I am now helping parents to teach them how to use a water closet properly so diaper expenses will be a thing of the past.

How about their faith? Can I be a good and faithful teacher of the Christian faith in these boys? Will my faith and life, as imperfect as they are, be effective in drawing these two in the Christian faith, life and fellowship. Granted, it is not only me who will be working toward this outcome. Parents, Grandparents, and the congregational community will also be hoping for and struggling toward this goal. To coin a phrase, it really does “take a village” to help a child become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Yes, we all will be encouraging the boys to come to worship. Yes, we are reading Bible stories to the boys. Of course, we are praying for, and with, the boys, and teaching them to pray. More than that, we are all striving to be good role models of what adult Christians act like and sound like. I am grateful that other will be showing these examples. I often fall short of acting as a Christian gentleman should act.

I know the past and I know the present of these boys. What will the future be for them? I don’t know. It is up to God. I’ll be doing all that I can do for a good outcome and I’m sure that God will be blessing our good efforts and correcting us when we are off course. The final outcome? Only God knows. I will work as if it is all up to me and pray as if it is all up to God.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                    #BergenfieldNJ

#Grandsons                                                              #Discipleship

#ChristianMentoring                                                #Prayer                                 

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book:https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 41

October 11, 2021

One Young Man Lived and One Young Man Died

My Sunday afternoons are usually a mixture of happiness and fatigue. I’m happy after worship and the chance to interact with congregation members. I always feel fatigue when the adrenalin declines. I’m usually seeking a nap but that does not often come.

This Sunday was different. I received two notifications, one on Facebook and the other on email. Each of these caused me grief and sadness. My Sunday afternoon was not the one that I expected.

The Facebook notification was from a young man in the church who had a friend who had died suddenly. This young man had suffered from seizures. In fact, he almost died a year ago. During a seizure he stopped breathing. Fortunately, he was at the home of a nurse who quickly performed CPR and saved his life. Now, a year later, a massive seizure struck him. This kind young man, full of life and wanting to live, died suddenly.

The email I received from a young woman in the church was from an acquaintance of hers. This young man, suffering from a bi-polar disorder had sent out an email to his family and friends. This email was his will and was a time-dated email to go out after his death by suicide. In theory the email would go out after his death. God had other ideas. A friend of the young man thwarted his suicide attempt. The young man who wanted to die, lived.

In one period of a few hours, I learned of a man who wanted to live and died and one young man who wanted to die but lived. How is one to make sense of this? I really don’t know. Perhaps there is no sense to be made of this. Maybe I’m not supposed to understand. That is not my job. My job is to be the real presence of Christ to those who grieve a death and a suicide attempt. I don’t have to understand, I have to be there as a Godly presence to those involved. Life often makes no sense. There are tragedies that will boggle our minds in this life. I’m glad that I don’t have to understand. I only have to represent Christ in the midst of these crises and walk the dark valley with them.

God does not require my understanding but God does require me to stand with the grieving as they grieve. Please, join me in praying for those stricken by these events and the two men involved; the one who lived and the one who died.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                    #BergenfieldNJ

#Grief                                                                         #Suicide

#Depression                                                             #Seizures                             

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book:https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 40

October 4, 2021

Grief Delayed

Saturday I spent part of my day away from my normal schedule of sermonizing and paused to watch an online memorial service for an important mentor, Rev. Allan Janssen. He died more than a year ago, in April 2020, of Covid-19. It is a sad tragedy that he has left us and hundreds of us who were mentored by him or were students of his, are mourning and missing him.

Somehow I did not fully feel the grief of losing him. Perhaps when he died I was too busy learning how to keep safe myself. Three weeks later, my own sister died, further pushing off my grief. This past Saturday, while participating in his memorial online, I finally felt it.

It was hard to control my tears. I’m glad that no one else was around to see my reaction. I must have looked like a sight, look at a computer with uncontrolled tears. Feeling every word that was spoken. Finally, with this service of worship, I had the chance to fully grieve.

Time had meant nothing in the grief process, but the public memorial meant everything to me. The memorial liturgy was familiar to me. I’ve used it dozens, if not hundreds of times, as I have presided at funerals and memorials. Yet, this time I heard the words of comfort more clearly. I was listening and not speaking. I was grieving, not presiding.

It was a grief delayed, but I finally got there. I was able to grieve in the presence of God and his faithful people. I can move on and live the life that Al would want me to live; faithful to God and faithful to the Reformed Church in America. Thank you, Al, for being such a good example of this.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                    #BergenfieldNJ

#Grief                                                                         #Rev.AllanJanssen                                     

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book: https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 39

September 27, 2021

Religious Exemption

I have heard on the news that many people are requesting a “religious exemption” from getting vaccines. To me it seems that vaccines are more of a public health issue than a religious one. Recently a colleague from another denomination told me that a member of one church was unable to get an exemption from his priest and came to him requesting one. Of course, he declined. It makes me wonder if there are other exemptions we should seek, beside those from inoculations. Here is a list of other things that people might want to be exempt from.

1. How about churches get religious exemptions for Board of Health retail food licenses? Each year, churches with kitchens who serve food must be licensed by the Board of Health. Maybe we should get exemptions from them also and simply risk serving food in unhealthy environments. I bet that if we pray well over the food, God will never allow anyone to be ill even if our kitchens are contaminated!
2. The state regularly inspects church boilers to make sure that they are safe. The state does not feel that unsafe boilers should be running in public buildings. Shouldn’t we just trust God. God would never allow a church boiler to explode, would he? Let’s petition to get a religious exemption for boiler inspections as well.
3. Maybe I should seek a religious exemption for child car seats as well. Why should I have to put my grandsons into a child car seat? Certainly, since I am a minister, God would never allow my grandsons to be hurt in a car accident. Come to think of it, why should Christians be required to use seat belts? How can anyone assume that God’s guardian angels won’t protect us even if we do risky behavior.

I hope you appreciate the satire in this blog. The fact is that Jesus told his disciples to “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s. He also taught against “putting God to the test.”

Saint Paul instructs that the government is put in place by God to bring order to and protection for citizens. Maybe the better witness to the world for Christians to make is not to seek religious exemptions but instead to cooperate with governmental regulations and guidelines. To not do so would be to defy the instructions of Jesus and Saint Paul. How good a witness to the world if we ourselves defy what our Lord instructs?

Religious exemptions? I speak against them.

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                   

#BergenfieldNJ

#Vaccines                                                                  #ReligiousExemptions

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book:https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2021 Blog Number 38

September 20, 2021

It’s Too Late Now!

A month or so ago, I read a news article on the Yahoo news feed. It was an intriguing story of the pain a sadness of physicians who have been working diligently during the Covid-19 plague. One doctor, who works in a Southern state where the value of Covid vaccinations are minimized, told a very heart-wrenching story.

This physician had been fighting to save the life of an un-vaccinated patient who contracted Covid and whose condition was worsening. As he neared death, he looked at the doctor and asked if he could get the Covid-19 vaccine. The doctor had to tell him sadly, “It’s too late now.” Yes, the man died a few days later.

There are times in life when we wait too long and it is “too late.” I’ve not experienced it, but I know people who have arrived too late to the airport and missed a flight. Somethings in life have timeframes which are inflexible.

Relationships are especially like this. I have met a number of people who were estranged from family or friends. When the family member or friend dies without a reconciliation, the surviving member feels guilt knowing that reconciliation is not possible. It is too late.

How about your relationship with God? Will you build one before it is too late? Do you visit with God in his house? Do you talk to him each day? When was the last time that you inquired from God what he wishes you to do. This recent plague has taught us all that life is short. Our time to die has come any day. Have you made good plans to meet God face to face? If not, why not? If you wait too long to get right with God it might be “too late.”

#ClintonAvenueReformedChurch                         #ReformedChurchInAmerica                    

#PastorMarkAuthordotcom                                    #BergenfieldNJ

#CovidVaccines                                                       #Death

#Timing                                                                      #FriendOfGod

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please order a copy of his book: https://deepriverbooks.com/books/the-circle-of-seven/