Neighborhood Initiative
The Neighborhood Initiative inspires fellowship, communication, and collaboration among parishioners outside the walls of the church. This strengthens the capacity of everyone in the church family to care for each other and to represent Christ Church as God's caring presence in local neighborhoods reaching beyond the needs of Christ Church parishioners alone.
Christ Church is a community of faithful Christians living in several North Jersey counties including Passaic, Bergen, Morris, and Somerset. Everyone in the congregation is in one of fifteen neighborhoods. A local Neighborhood Leader is the point person for the neighborhood. Participation is voluntary. Those who participate are claiming an opportunity to "be God's sparkle in the world." Perhaps it is by supporting a neighbor who is grieving or helping to welcome a new baby or family to the community. Or maybe where you live, joining with other community resources can help meet a larger need. While it's often the small things that happen to make the Initiative successful, the potential for our neighborhoods to respond with kindness in our communities is enormous!
One of our leaders met someone at the doctor's office who has no transportation, is part of our congregation, but hasn't been able to get to church for health reasons. She now has a ride to church! It's just that simple.
Some neighborhoods respond to designated needs in their communities. One neighborhood has brought together the town mayor and other officials to sponsor a drive to relieve hunger in a very needy community during the summer by collecting canned goods for the Center for Food Action.
A local family, devastated by fire, received funds secured by a Neighborhood Leader from the Thrift Shoppe at Christ Church. The family thought the money would be denied them because they were not Christian. In a world where wars rage over religious disagreements, a Christian response was possible and received.
YOU are the reason for the Neighborhood Initiative. When life happens, it means a lot to have a neighbor nearby who is connected to your parish community and ready to serve you. Increasingly, Christ Church participants are finding this true. One of the joys of serving each other and our communities is that needs, small or large, brief or over a long-term, can be addressed through the network of neighborhoods created by the Outside In/Inside Out Commission of the Vestry. Neighborhood Leaders cross-reference resources with each other and are building a web of compassion. Here is the current list of Neighborhood Leaders who meet quarterly to discuss and plan how best to serve our 15 neighborhoods. Please let us know if your town is not represented. Feel free to call your Neighborhood Leader just to say hello or thanks for being there!
Bloomingdale/Butler/Kinnelon - Karen Bogert - 973-634-0190
GlenRock/North Haledon/Totowa – Marianne Taylor - 201-741-8825
Haskell/Wanaque - Joyce McDiarmid - 862-262-0719
Oakland/Wyckoff/Franklin Lakes - Geri Sheehan - 201-337-7395
Pompton Lakes, Christ Church area - Nancy Dalzell - 973-202-7704
Pompton Lakes, Colfax - Matt & Louise Hanania - 973-616-1604
Pompton Lakes Hamburg Trnpk North - Alison Thornhill - 973-886-9728
Pompton Lakes, Hamburg Trnpk North - Mary Ann Salerno-Fitzgerald - 973835-6553
Pompton Plains/Pequannock - Megan & Kat Menezes - 201-575-9459
Ringwood - Joan Van Splinter - 973-856-4978
Ringwood - Sue Helm - 973-856-2129
Riverdale - Bette Davis - 973-809-1384
Wayne - Packanack Lake, Preakness - Cindy LoBue - 973-694-7813
Wayne - Sheffield - Barbara Hazelwood - 973-696-4966
West Milford/Stockholm/Oak Ridge/Hewitt - Barbara & Karl Schinke - 973-557-5465
Foreigners & Travelers (SW Morris Cty/Somerset Cty/Princeton and beyond) - Andy Shaw - 973-927-0202
Nursing Home Ministry - Teams of dedicated and caring people visit nursing homes and shut-ins bringing the Gospel, Eucharist and fellowship from our Church. On Easter and Christmas additional nursing homes are visited.
Food for Friends - On the second Sunday of each month groceries are collected at both services for distribution to needy families and seniors in our neighborhood.
Pasta Dinner - On the second Thursday of each month our Patsta Dinner Crew serves a delicious, hot, pasta dinner to anyone in our community who wants fellowship and good food, for a minimal price of $4.00 (or whatever you can afford.)
Little Lamb Children's Center is a state licensed nursery and pre-school center maintained by Christ Church Pompton. The center is housed in the lower level of the church in a secure, recently updated facility. There is a large enclosed play area located at the rear of the church for the children. This is fully equipped with ageappropriate play equipment and toys. The facility provides full-day care and instruction from 7 :00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and is open all year. The center provides care for children from age 3 months until kindergarten. There are separate rooms for each age group. The infant room has a kitchen and feeding area with a separate section for cribs and a third area for play time. Each age group receives age-appropriate instruction, interspersed with both indoor and outdoor play time. The oldest group learns all the basic skills needed to excel in kindergarten. Their learning continues throughout the summer until they begin kindergarten.
Shepherd's Haven Social Adult Day Center is the outreach program provided by Christ Church to meet the needs of the elderly in the area. Shepherd's Haven provides daycare for adults in an enriching atmosphere. The center provides older individuals with a variety of activities and social interactions including meals and entertainment. The role of Shepherd's Haven is to give older individuals an opportunity to socialize which, in turn, enables their care givers to attend to personal or professional tasks.
The Thrift Shoppe, located at 420 Ramapo Avenue, is a boutique-like shoppe with bargain basement pricing! We take great pride that all items are clean and only gently used, providing the community with a place to shop for quality items at inexpensive prices. The hours of operation are: Tuesdays 3:00 - 7:00 pm, Thursdays 4:00 - 8:00 pm, Saturdays 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.
