December 28, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... An end of the year Final Note. It was 250 years ago, in an age so very different and indeed so much more difficult than 2008, when a small group of men and women "envisioned" New Hackensack Reformed Church. Proverbs 29:18 states... "Where there is no vision, the people perish." If you have taken a moment to read each of these "Did you Know?" vignettes that have been in our weekly bulletin for every week of our 250 year-long celebration, you will have learned about the "vision" of all of those who have preceed us and who continue to serve us today. We pray that the vision of our current congregation continues to grow and nourish New Hackensack Reformed Church for the next 250 years.

December 14, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... Under the leadership of Rev. James Neevel, NHRC purchased "Gleneagles", a domiciliary care facility? It quickly became a very important part of our mission ministry. In addition, Rev. Neevel presided over the design, building and fundraising of our $3.1M present-day sanctuary, which was dedicated on Sunday, January 22, 1990 with both national and local government leaders present. Rev. Neevel retired in 2000 and was recently honored by the granting of "Pastor Emeritus, New Hackensack Reformed Chruch" by the Classis and the Consistory of New Hackensack, a first in the history of our church.

November 30, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... During the pastorate of Rev. William Babinsky the Christian Education Building (our current education and Sunday School classrooms) was completed and three additional and separate capital fund campaigns yielded a total of more than $500,000 (in 1967-1970 dollars!!!!). But perhaps, as important as that was, his legacy was the leadership and vitality he instilled in to our church. "He brought out the best in us, he made us better church people." On May 31, 1974 Rev. Babinsky resigned from his pastorate with us.

November 23, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know... The Rev. William Babinsky served our chruch from 1965 - 1974, and he and his family were the very first to live in our present day parsonage (which was formerly known as the McAllister home and property). On January 12 of 1966, under Rev. Babinsky's guidance, consistory went on record as "favoring the relocation of the entire church facility to the new twelve acre site now occupied by the parsonage." This was the beginning of an intense 3-year campaign of designing, fund raising and building to allow new Hackensack members to pursue their dream.

November 16, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... During the pastorate of Rev. Theodore Brinckerhoff, our congregation grew dramatically and in the later summer of 1961, we hired our first Assistant Minister, the Reverend Leonard Sibley. It was during their combined tenure that dual worship sessions and Sunday School sessions as we know them today, were inaugurated in September of 1962. It was also during their tenure that it was agreed to start the planning for a major building program (which ultimately resulted in the current-day sanctuary and education building).

November 9, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... On September 24, 1964, Consistory authorized the purchase of 12 acres of land known as the McAllister home for a purchase price of $55,000. That acreage is the land upon which our present day sanctuary and education buildings exist.

November 2, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... As 1960 closed, our church received a magnificent and bounteous blessing in the form of a $300,000 trust fund established for our church by the will of Miss Mary Bergen. Miss bergen resided in the house that later became known as "Gleneagles" (the property on the east side of Route 376 approximately 2 tenths of a mile north of our present day sanctuary, immediately before Airport Drive). Other notable Bergen family gifts to our church included our Tiffany stained glass windows (which are in our present day sanctuary) and our church bell. The Mary Bergen Trust Fund continues to provide income to our church to this present day with a current value in excess of $1m!!!

October 26, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... The Rev. Theordore Brinckerhoff served New Hackensack from 1960-1964. A native of Beacon, NY, he was a descendant of Joris Brinckerhoff, who gave the land upon which our first church was built in 1776 and he preached his very first sermon as a minister at New Hackensack in 1925, thirty five years prior to his pastorage.

October 19, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... A TRIBUTE... Today we celebrate the 250th anniversary of New Hackensack Reformed Church and we pause to pay honor and tribute and remember in prayer all of the pastors whom have served us throughout the years: Reverends Rysdyck; Van Vrankin; Barculo; Dewitt; Dwight; Van Cleef; Ward; Dumont; Ackerly; Conger, McCahan; Dykema; Cooper; VanBerkmoes; Brinckerhoff; Sibley; Babinsky; Stahl; Hicks; Punt; Neevel; Weyer; Branford; McCanna; Ploeger; Brihn; Kattekola; Tamlyn; and Sheldon!!! Thanks be to God!!!

October 12, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know... The Rev. Harold Ver Berkmoes served our church from 1957 - 1960. The high point of his short tenure was the completion and dedication of the Delmar Cooper Memorial Hall and the replacement of an older reed organ with a Kimball electric organ.

October 5, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... From Consistory minutes of July 11, 1799.... “Consistory having admonished Messrs. Edward Schoonmaker and William Huffman with regard to the unhappy difference existing between them and having obtained an acknowledgment from both as anxious for a reconciliation, accompanied with confession of sincere sorrow, together with a promise of mutual love and harmony - therefore resolved that they may again be admitted into full communion....” Obviously they did not like it when members quarreled!!!!

September 28, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know....  On May 29, 1789 the Consistory resolved "that for the time to come, every one of the members of the kerkraad (consistory) having had previous notice of the time appointed for holding the meeting, and not appearing, shall be fined in the sum of 4 shillings and whosoever comes after the appointed hour, in the sum of 2 shillings.  Lawful reason, however, shall be excused"....  Obviously they did not want people to be late!!!!

September 21, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... Rev. Cooper was sought after for counseling not only by members of our church, but members of other churches, other faiths and the community in general! In addition, he was instrumental in establishing the New Hackensack Fire Department and was their chaplain along with two other fire companies as well. The termination of his first and only pastorate came with an untimely heart seizure and subsequent death on 9/6/56.

September 14, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... At the beginning of the Rev. Delmer Cooper pastorate (1943-1956), our church was comprised of only 40 active members. During his pastorate he received into membership 378 persons, baptized 182; performed 86 marriages and 62 funerals. In addition, under his guidance, the choir developed from a trio to a youth choir and finally to a full, four-part choir.

September 7, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know... Rev. Delmer Cooper lost his sight at age 14 when a blast of cannon powder struck him in the face, yet his "vision" for our church left us a full heritage of inspiration. Under his guidance, the Sunday School session was changed to the same hour as church as a war time gas rationing expedient. This was well received and became a prime factor in attracting newcomers to our congregation.

August 31, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... The Rev. A. C. Dykeman served as our pastor from 1937 to 1940 but from 1940 to 1943 our church was served by a succession of supply ministers, the last of which was the Reverend Delmer Cooper, who was subsequently installed as our minister on April 24, 1944.

August 24, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know.... In 1936 (during the Great Depression), the Rev. Chester McCahan wrote: "At the present time, many see nothing but futility. Activity seems to have been reduced almost to the level of self preservation in behalf of the struggling country church...."

August 17, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know... On May 1, 1888 a "special circular" was distributed to the congregation which states: "That our Church shall be in good working condition, it is very necessary that the finances should be so managed as to have everyone contribute something, thereby relieving the pastor and his co-workers from the anxiety always attending an empty treasury"...

August 10, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know... The only reference to the building of the church edifice that was constructed in 1834 (and was taken down after our present sanctuary was completed) is the Consistorial Minutes of February 10, 1834 as follows: "The object of the meeting being stated, was that the elders go through their several beats of the congregation and know the minds of the pew-holders and congregation respecting the erection of a new and more commodious house of worship and report accordingly"....

August 3, 2008 Historic Moment

Did you know... Prior to 1888 the income of our church was derived mainly from pew rentals, free-will offerings and pledges towards the minister's salary that were only made by parishioners at the time of calling a new minister. Co-incident with the beginning of Rev. Dumont's pastorate (1888-1911) was the establishment of the envelope collection system.