Newsletter October 2025 - First Presbyterian Ridgewood, NJ
- Pastor Bruce
- Sep 30
- 2 min read
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some
have entertained angels without knowing it.
– Hebrews 13:2
Be inventive in hospitality. – Romans 12:13b (The Message)
A few years ago, during a retreat, someone asked me what First Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood does best. And while it’s difficult to single out just one thing among so many things the congregation does well, what I came up with in that moment was hospitality.
We provide space for two other worshiping communities: Trinity Presbyterian Church and Church of Christ (formerly Living Water Church). We open our doors to numerous community groups throughout the week. And on Sunday mornings during our worship service, we warmly welcome visitors.
In fact, most of our new members have said that, following their initial visit, one reason they continued to worship with us and eventually joined First Pres was that they were made to feel welcome, and they sensed that people’s friendliness was sincere. It isn’t just the sermon or the children’s message or the music or the prayers, as important as those ingredients are to anyone who visits us on a Sunday morning. But what motivates people to return is the warmth and welcome of the congregation.
In order that we might continue to warmly welcome the stranger and do so with even greater intentionality, I invite you to consider serving on our Growth and Hospitality Team. Our plan is to minimize the number of meetings while maximizing our efforts to extend hospitality to each person who comes through our doors.
If you sense God is calling you to participate in this rewarding ministry, please reach out to me at pastorbruce@firstpresridgewood.org.
Grace and peace,
Bruce