The Blawenburg Beacon

In the large group circle, Mrs. Van Doren and the children brainstorm about what to do with certain challenges in life. Mrs. Meyer records everyone’s suggestions on the chart. Then Mrs. Van Doren tells the story of the challenge of the Israelites to take over Jericho. How would the Israelites take such a fortified town? The suggestions from the children covered the gamut—from using saws to using nuclear bombs—to take down the two- and three-foot stone walls. But what the people of Jericho did not know was that the Israelites had God as their secret weapon, and He had a plan. Just as the Israelites learned to trust in God’s power to help with the challenge of bringing down the walls of Jericho, we can trust in God’s power to help us with our challenges.

As we continue to study the Old Testament, we are seeing more and more how God is bringing His people back to Himself.

Rehearsal Time for Palm Sunday

The Sunday school children and teachers are rehearsing Halle, Halle, Hallelujah which they will sing in church on Palm Sunday. Instead of using instruments, they will parade with palms and sing the chorus of the song after the adult choir sings each verse. After they parade around the sanctuary, the children will march over to Sunday school. (On Easter Sunday, however, all children will stay in church with their parents for the whole service.)

A group of ladies from our congregation are getting together to discuss a spiritual, but practical, book Having a Mary Heart in a Martha world. They will meet again Saturday, March 15. All are welcome to join them at 7:30 AM for coffee and a light snack and 8:AM to discuss chapters 1-4. (you understood the time correctly---Marthas are busy people) Let Bernice know if you want her to order a book for you.

Enjoying the March Pot Luck Luncheon after
church: Baby William with mother, Kristen Haaijer

April 13-19 is the Week of the Young Child and our preschool would like church members to volunteer to read in the classrooms during that week.

During this Lenten period our mission is to support the work of our Reformed Church World Service. We are reminded that God wants more than our 'words', 'the fruit of our lips'; He desires our participation in sharing our resources to change people's lives. While we, and the world, yearn for the Living Water of His Word, many global neighbors simply yearn for water. The hand water/well pump in the front of the sanctuary is intended to give us a particular focus on these dual needs during Lent.

Coin banks and calendars with ideas for daily giving are on the back table of the sanctuary for your use during Lent. Please bring them in on Palm Sunday for dedication. (Check donations between now and then should be made out to BRC, noting 'OGHS' on the memo line.)

The Outreach is a publication of the

Blawenburg Reformed Church

424 Route 518; P.O. Box 266

Blawenburg, NJ 08504

e-mail address: brc2001@msn.com

Website: blawenburgchurch.org

Phone: (609) 466-3108, Fax: (609) 466-8237

Rev. Richard Van Doren, Minister

Please join us for an informal discussion about mentoring to low income individuals/families and how poverty affects many people in our area. Mission Connect is a non profit organization that recruits, trains and matches volunteers who want to become mentors with individuals/families who live at or below the poverty line. We operate out of the Rockaway Reformed Church in Whitehouse Station. The mentors work as a team, at least two, and act as an "ear" for someone who many need some guidance and support. This orientation is a time to learn about mentoring, poverty, ask questions, etc..no commitment on your part. Please consider joining us for an informative discussion.

To say that Kosovo is a difficult issue is an understatement of monumental proportions. As Americans, we generally look at nations seeking independence with sympathetic eyes. In following the news coverage of Kosovo declaring its own independence on Feb. 17, I note this rather one-sided view of things, as the news coverage comes from the United States and Western Europe. I wish to present here a slightly different perspective on why this action is such a controversy for our Serbian neighbors.

I should state from the outset of this that I find the violence in Serbia and Kosovo as a reaction to the independence inexcusable, and the lack of police protection at the embassies attacked as a catastrophe. That being said I think that it might be helpful to understand a bit more of Serbia’s position in all this.

As has been reported, Kosovo is about 90% Albania. Serbs are a minority to be sure. However, since before 1389 (the date of a famous battle in the history of Serbia) Kosovo has been a part of Serbia.

Due to many factors in the last century, Serbs began leaving Kosovo and as they did so Albanians began settling in the region. Part of the last war in the Balkans was of course Serbia trying to reassert its dominance in the area to the point of atrocity and genocide. Enter NATO and the UN, which have been administering Kosovo as an “autonomous region” of Serbia since 1999.

I don’t wish to debate the various merits of everyone’s claims to Kosovo, but to state herein what Serbia’s basic problem is by way of an analogy.

Suppose that a couple of natural disasters followed by a dust bowl hit Texas causing huge segments of the population to leave. Imagine this flight is followed by a huge influx of people from Mexico and other Latin American countries. After a couple of decades of this, the population of Texas becomes more than 90% Mexican. It is decided because of a number of complicating factors that it is in the best interest of the 90% to be independent of the United States. Uncle Sam is outraged and will hear nothing of it. Texas, after all, is a part of the Union; it belongs legally to the United States. Then, what if Russia, China, and many other countries come into the matter and back the new country’s independence. How would the United States react?

Again things are much more complicated in Kosovo, and the analogy I have quickly hobbled together here will not hold long, but I think that it at least gives some balancing perspective. It helps us see why Serbia is so attached to Kosovo. It is not as simple as saying to Serbia to “get over” the Kosovo thing. That is to diminish Serbia’s claim and to demonstrate an intolerable lack of understanding.

Even so, in this we must not forget the tragedies of the last decade nor the rights of the Albanian majority to their own voice and free determination. It is perhaps a wiser course however to consider the implications and long-term consequences of involvement, especially involvement of this magnitude.

I certainly don’t know what the solution is, nor is that my ministry here, but part of what we are here for is to provide those who have sent us with a fuller picture of the region we serve. In all of the coverage I read and watched I did not receive much of what I could say was a true representation of Serbia’s position, and that is why I write this now.

In all of this we would ask that you our partners would be especially mindful and prayerful for our students who some from all over the region and from different sides of this issue. Many are naturally concerned about their families, friends, and of course their future. Pray that wise and peaceful solutions that are respectful to all involved might be sought. And pray for our professors and students who need to travel across the region, that they would be kept safe from harm.