The video above was shown at a recent joint worship assembly of the New York City church and the Central Jersey church. My family wasn’t too thrilled about going into the city for church that day, and opted instead to pay a visit to the Freehold Church of Christ.  This presentation is very encouraging and challenging (such goals!), but I had two main concerns when I saw it initially. One was about the term, “Tri-State Region of the International Church of Christ,” and the second was the reference to “regional elders.”  I did some fact-checking and it turns out there was some misunderstanding on my part, so I provide the following explanation for anyone else who might be curious.

What I’ve been told is that this fellowship within the Stone-Campbell Movement is opting to be interdependent, rather than formally denominational (or more accurately, “sectarian,” as in the past, with a strict hierarchy above and beyond the local church) or (more-or-less) completely independent, as is the case with the a cappella Churches of Christ and independent Christian Churches/Churches of Christ.

The “regional elders” refers to the regions of the New York City church, not to the “Tri-State Region” as a whole.  It has further been explained to me that there will only be cooperation in assuring that churches prepare and set apart qualified elders, not that there will be a council of elders external to the congregation.

That said, the plans, aspirations and objectives set forth are really inspiring. I’m proud that my family is a part of the Central Jersey Church of Christ, and for the first time really feel at home not only in the Restoration Movement as a whole, but within a particular segment of it.

This past Saturday, September 26, 2009, the Brazilian Church of Christ in Newark completed 16 years of service in New Jersey. Though it was a coincidence, this was also the day the women of the church offered Bible School for the children. It’s Vacation Bible School, except without the “vacation”!

The video above is from the closing presentation. They had classes and activities all day, from 10am until 4pm. My wife, Christiane, helped out and was thoroughly exhausted when she got home. For more pictures from the Bible school, click here.

The church kids also sang a special song the following day after the service ended. It was an adaptation of one of our hymns, rewritten to tell the story of the congregation. It was cleverly-worded and the children sang it well.

Kids singing in celebration of church's 16th anniversary.