During Holy Week, Christians recall the events leading up to Jesus’ death by crucifixion and his Resurrection. Join us as we contemplate and celebrate.
Holy Week Schedule
-
Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem is greeted with shouts of “Hosanna.” Palms will be distributed and our children’s choirs will provide service music. For our online congregation (facebook and YouTube), you may pick up palms at your convenience, following the service until Wednesday afternoon from the bucket outside the sanctuary by the ramped entrance.
-
You are invited to gather in Fellowship Hall (upstairs in the Community Center, the elevator is located on the north end of the building) for a service of communion, singing, and storytelling. We will hear a multitude of Jesus stories, as well as celebrate the Lord's Supper together as we journey to the cross before Good Friday. *Please note that this service will not be live-streamed.
-
This is a moving and dramatic service in which the lights of the sanctuary are gradually dimmed until we are in complete darkness. A bell then tolls 33 times reminding us of the years that Jesus lived on earth. Confronting the crucifixion is not easy – but it is necessary so that we can best appreciate the radically redemptive Good News of Easter. This service is held in the sanctuary.
-
7:00am This half-hour service is held outdoors in the cemetery adjacent to the church (dress comfortably) as we recall those who went to the tomb of Jesus “early in the morning” only to find that the stone had been rolled away and that Jesus was raised from the dead. In case of inclement weather, this service will be held in the sanctuary. *Please note that this service will not be live-streamed.
9:30 and 11:00am Festival services celebrating the resurrection feature choirs, brass and bells as together we bring our acclamations of “Alleluia!” Thanks be to God for the resurrection that proclaims that “because Jesus lives, so shall we live also.”
featured links
-
List Item
Type content here...
-
Give remotely!
Our church needs you in order to stay healthy - please consider making your offerings online if you are not able to give from the pews. Your gifts help keep the church strong, especially in this season of deep need—the mental, emotional, economic, physical and spiritual needs are great. Thank you for allowing us to minister effectively and to support our mission partners who serve on the front lines for those in need.
A typical sunday at cnrc
Take a quick look at how we "do church" on a typical Sunday morning. It is a wonderful, inclusive, uplifting - sometimes lively, other times solemn - time of worshipping and giving thanks to God and our Savior, Jesus Christ
How to worship with us
- Masks are optional.
- If social distancing is a concern, the front pews are usually sparsely populated
- Guests are asked to follow the CDC guidelines if feeling ill, experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, recovering from COVID-19, or after having been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when considering attending a service
- We offer contactless offering and communion (communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month) for those who prefer not to touch the passed offering plate or communion elements
- The 9:30 a.m. service is live-streamed on our Facebook page and our YouTube channel
Facility safety measures
- Hand sanitizer is available at both entrances
- HVAC systems have been set to increase fresh airflow/air circulation
- All gathering spaces are cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected regularly
Your safety is very important to us. We will continuously monitor New Jersey state guidelines.
Thank you for taking the time to visit the Colts Neck Reformed Church website. We welcome you to visit us in-person, too! Our aim is to be a growing, relevant, active, caring, compelling, and empowering place for all those who come through our doors, serving so that all would grow in the knowledge, grace, and hope that is found in Jesus Christ.
If you attend one of our services (see our worship times and visitor information) you will notice that we are a traditional church with a heart for the contemporary world. We draw people from a wide geographical area. Everyone is welcome, and we pray that you will find a place here with us. There is no requirement of how a person should dress for church or what your political ideology is, or a person's sexual orientation; rather, our Consistory (leadership team) and congregation affirm that:
The Colts Neck Reformed Church is committed to welcoming all people into the life of our church community. We commit to affirm the beauty, value, and gifts of all people. These commitments are not subject to a person's color, race, ethnicity, place of origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, relationship status (single, married, separated, divorced), socioeconomic situation, or a person's mental, physical, or emotional health or ability. All people are welcome to participate fully in the life of our faith community. Anyone seeking to know more about Jesus is welcome at Colts Neck Reformed Church.
The Colts Neck Reformed Church has a motto which includes the words, "Nurture our Faith: Life-long Learning". Our commitment to this ideal brings us to offer Christian Education to all people who seek to know God, to love Jesus, and to be inspired by the Holy Spirit through the Bible. For children, we offer Church School for three-year-olds through seventh grade, Confirmation classes for eighth grade and older, Children at the Lord's Table for those taking communion for the first time, and summer Sunday activities. We offer Bible Studies on many different days and times for members and non-members alike. Speakers and special classes are offered during Discovery Hour and occasionally at other times. Come, join in, and learn what God has to say to you and your family!
God's healing power is available to us through the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. As an offering of gratitude for this blessing, the Health and Wellness Ministry promotes the wellness of body, mind and spirit. Our goal is to educate and inspire our congregation and community with programs intended to improve well-being, as well as inspire a lifestyle of healthy habits. The ministry's holistic approach to achieving a well-balanced life by unifying physical, social, psychological, and spiritual wellness is rooted in our strong faith. The Healer (Jeremiah 30:17) never turned away anyone who was hurting, and there was no ailment too challenging for Him to cure. We view taking care of our health as an act of worship which deepens our relationship with the Great Physician (Mark 2:17).
It is our duty as disciples of God to come together and be one another's remedy through support, fellowship, and encouragement (Galatians 6:2). We have a canning group who gather several times per year to enjoy fellowship and a shared desire to capture the fresh fruits and vegetables by learning how to can them, a Chronic Illness Support group which meets monthly during the day at a local restaurant, Holy Yoga classes, and more. See a complete list of our offerings.
In both the Old and New Testaments, music is mentioned many times as a way to express our praise to God. We embrace that with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength at the Colts Neck Reformed Church! Whether you like to make music through singing in a choir, ringing handbells, playing an instrument, or lifting your voice on the hymns on Sunday mornings, there are opportunities for all ages to grow in your faith through music. And if your passion is art or drama, there are many ways to use your gifts to glorify God. Psalm 95:1 says, "O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!"
God's gift of salvation comes to expression in our community of faith in many ways. Engaging in mission and outreach are two expressions of our salvation life. We feel God's call to serve the needs of others. We serve others by providing financial support for benevolent causes, regular volunteering, and special mission opportunities. We seek to make an impact in our local community, in the wider regional area, nationally, and internationally. We would love to help you find ways to lend your gifts to God's work.
The church is more than a building or an organization - the church is people! The Colts Neck Reformed Church is people who care for one another. We celebrate successes and mourn losses together. One way that fabric of the church is woven even tighter is through fellowship. All are invited to participate in caring, supporting, laughing and drawing ever closer in the love of God!
The Colts Neck Reformed Church Early Learning Center was founded in 1970 as the Colts Neck Reformed Church Nursery School and became the Colts Neck Reformed Church Early Learning Center in 2021 to reflect its focus on educating young children. It is a New Jersey licensed, non-profit, cooperative school committed to Christian values. Children of all faiths and races are welcomed and embraced. Our aim is to nurture self-confidence, and to guide children in the joy of discovery and learning. The daily schedule is flexible and programs are developed to provide different opportunities for socialization and independence based on the children's ages and, more importantly, their developmental stages. The school uses the award-winning Creative Curriculum® for Preschool/Kindergarten which is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features exploration and discovery as a way of learning, enabling children to develop confidence, creativity, and lifelong critical thinking skills.