Flag to Iraq

The hand made flag wall hanging will be taken to Iraq by Lt. Bob Forrester and the reading of Psalm 91. more on our Any Soldier ministry.

Do you know how to knit? Would you be willing to teach others? We have found a real interest in the residents at Brookside who want to learn. If you would be willing to help, please or email Jan Pontzer .

Worship Service. We are conducting worship services at Brookside Terrace on the 1st and 4th Thursdays. Meet at the church at 6:15, or just meet at Brookside Terrace. This is a major missions outreach for FPC. Come on out and support the effort. Directions to Brookside Terrace.

The new Lending Library is open - check out the photos BROOKSIDE TERRACE NEEDS SCIENCE BOOKS (HIGH SCHOOL AGE OR BELOW) AND BOOKS THAT BOYS (TEENAGE OR YOUNGER) WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SUCH AS CARS, SPORTS ETC. If you have any to donate, please drop them off in the main office of the church.

We also meet at the Brookside Terrace every 3nd Thursday at 7 p.m. to help with "Game Night" for the youth. This is great fun, come out an get involved. Call or email Pastor Tom for more information.

A recent article in the Star Ledger: June, 2008
Raising two teenagers as a single mother can be difficult at times for Tammy Hubert of Newton.  The 36-year-old woman eases her mind by participating in arts-and-crafts sessions with other residents where she lives, at the Brookside Terrace low-income apartment building in Newton.  "It takes some of the stress off," said Hubert, a mother of a 13-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son. "I always have to keep my hands busy. It just keeps me occupied and not stressed out." 
Hubert and the others who participate in the craft sessions have been helped along by The First Presbyterian Church of Sparta. The church donates materials and supplies and has parishioners attend the regular craft sessions to provide some handy know-how, said Virginia Shamlian, Brookside Terrace's Director of Social Services.  The craft nights have resulted in a circle of giving in recent years. The residents -- though they themselves are not financially well-off --have used the craft supplies to knit or crochet clothing, such as hats, blankets, gloves, and socks, for local homeless folks.  "A feeling of empowerment, a feeling of doing for others -- that's really what fills people up," Shamlian said. 
Three years ago, the church also donated six computers to Brookside Terrace for residents to use. The computer room has become quite "intergenerational," with youngsters and older folks interacting and learning from each other, Shamlian said. The church is one of several that assist Brookside Terrace residents.
About 2 1/2 years ago, the church (FPC Sparta) also funded the creation of a new position, Director of Spiritual Development and Activities Coordinator, at the 10-story apartment building that has 450 residents. That post has been filled by Janell Carr, a former employee of the Pass-It-Along volunteer-coordination charity in Sussex County.
First Presbyterian Church Pastor Thomas Litteer said his parishioners also conduct regular worship services and Bible study sessions at Brookside Terrace. "Our people really enjoy it," Litteer said. "It started with a game night. We were going over there every third Thursday to play table games with children. I asked Virginia 'What else could we do to help?' She said, 'We need computers.'" So the church raised the money to buy six computers. "It helps kids do their homework, and it helps adults who are not computer literate," Litteer said of the computer room. "What we wanted to do over there was change the environment to more of a sense of hope. Janell plays a big role in it," Litteer said. "Virginia's job is like the job of three people -- it's just overwhelming. You've got to have someone like her there. Janell helps her coordinate things."
The church's role is an example of faith-based organizations providing much-needed assistance to a public-housing building, and has enriched residents' lives, Shamlian said. "We have a community here, we absolutely do," Shamlian said. Hubert's latest handiwork is a patriotic latch-hook wall hanging of an American flag with the inscription "God Bless America." She wanted to do something for members of the military who are away from home and family. Working dexterously for two weeks straight, she crafted a colorful, plush decoration that was sent Tuesday to troops in Iraq. Beaming with pride, she said of the wall hanging, "It's going overseas, for the boys."

Lewis Kelly of the New York Giants shares his testimony

George McGovern introduces Lewis

The new Lending Library at the Brookside Terrace is open!
Ribbon cutting ceremony, 5/20/06.

The crowd gathers to witness the grand opeing of the library.

Children enjoying thier new resource.

The new computer learning ceter at the Brookside Terrace is open!

The ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration took place on May 20, 2005.

Virginia Cuts the Ribbon

Tom and Virginia look over the "Top of the Line" equipment

The Lifelong Learning Center at Brookside Terrace 33 Mill Street , Newton New Jersey 07860 973-300-0887 - Social Service Office – voice mail 973-300-5398 - Learning Center Phone In partnership with the Brookside Terrace Social Services Office, The First Presbyterian Church of Sparta is offering opportunities for Brookside residents and church members to contribute to the Brookside Terrace community. Several child-care paid and volunteer openings are available during the adult worship service at Brookside on Thursday evenings beginning at 7:00 pm on September 29, 2005 . Candidates age 16 and over must have patience and experience with infants, toddlers, pre-school or young elementary school age children. Duties include reading, game-playing and guiding age-appropriate activities with the children. In addition, there are several openings to assist pre-school age children and kindergarten through 3 rd grade children with educational computer software programs. If you are interested or know someone who may be interested, please contact Diane at The First Presbyterian Church of Sparta (973-729-6197) or Virginia at the Brookside Terrace Social Service Office (973-300-0887).