Vigils for CT Families Set by Heartworks, St. Mark's Church

Updated: Heartworks vigil moved to Wednesday, St. Mark's Mon. afternoon, vigil at Liberty Corner was held in morning.

Heartworks, a Somerset Hills-based philanthropic group, and two Bernards Township churches, have scheduled prayer vigils for the victims, both children and adults, killed in last Friday's shooting in Newtown, Ct. Heartworks, a non-profit "Acts of Kindness" group that is based in Basking Ridge and Bernardsville, has moved its vigil to Wednesday night so as not to interfere with Monday's vigil at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Basking Ridge. Heartworks invites the public to a Family Candle Light Vigil for Newtown scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Heartworks Lawn, 19 Route 202, in Basking Ridge.   The ceremony will be brief and there will be an opportunity  to sign a poster that will be hung up near Sandy Hook School next week, said …

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Advent Extravaganza Spreads Seasonal Joy

Volunteers at Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church wrap about 900 gifts for those in need and also make Christmas crafts for themselves.

The Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church's annual Advent Extravaganza always is an event where participants wrap hundreds of gifts for needy families, sample treats prepared by local families and make Christmas crafts that they can bring home to decorate their own homes. All that was going on this Sunday at this year's Advent Extravaganza. But along with the usual festivities, Pastor Anne Havrilla said the event has a little extra meaning this December. "This year our focus at Liberty Corner is on hope. We feel that after the storm and all we came through, hope is the most important gift of all," Havrilla said as she stood near a neat line of totes filled with gifts that will go to the Good News Home for Women in Flemington. About 900 gifts …

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YMCA Offering Mental Health 'First Aid' Classes

More classes to be offered through YMCA's mental health training and support programs recently honored by NJ Mental Health Assoc.

The Somerset Hills YMCA will in late July and this fall again offer its mental health "first aid" training, part of a program for addressing the community's mental health needs that recently earned the organization recognition from the Mental Health Association in New Jersey. The first classes will begin on July 31 at the Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church in the Liberty Corner section of the township, and will run for four weeks. The second offering of the 12-hour certification program, costing $75 and offering continuing education credits, will be held during two full days in October at the YMCA's main facility at 140 Mount Airy Road in Basking Ridge. For professionals and general public both "This workshop is appropriate for both …

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'Real Men Cookout' Invites All Local Men

Invitation to event also is opportunity to showcase new group for men who believe in meeting responsibilities.

“Real Men, Real Early,” a recently formed men’s group meeting at Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church, invites all men of the community to a cookout on Thursday, May 17, from 6 to 9 p.m at Harry Dunham Park, for an evening that will offer food for thought as well as grilling. The cookout is an opportunity for men to relax, have fun and support each other in the joys and struggles of work life and fatherhood, said Andy Stewart, an organizer of the event and the group. A savory barbeque dinner will be provided. Following the meal, the group will view and discuss the movie “Courageous,” which Stewart said discusses the themes of men taking responsibilities for their families, their wives and children and their roles in life. The group, started …

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UPDATED: Liberty Corner Presbyterian Invites You to 'Dance Socks Off' For Vets

Practice starts next Friday for informal event to be staged April 1.

Practice sessions start next Friday for volunteers who want to participate in "Dance Your Socks Off," an "easy, uplifiting dance to communicate God's love for and their support of those who have served our nation," is being hosted by the Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church to raise awareness of the needs for local veterans. The final celebratory presentation is scheduled to be held at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 1, during a worship service at the church at 45 Church St. in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards. Another special presentation of "Dance Your Socks Off" will be held at the Lyons campus of the Veterans Adminstration New Jersey Health Care System, according to the church. Practice sessions will be held at 7 p.m. on Fridays, …

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Moms Talk Q&A

Moms Talk: What Happens If Your Holiday Isn't Happy?

How does your family — including your children — cope if your holiday isn't a cheerful one?

  With many people planning New Year's events after already celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, the week holds many happy occasions that will leave a warm glow as we head into January. But maybe not totally. Perhaps the holidays aren't what we expect them to be. Or, this holiday season may for some families include death, divorce or illness, which always seem to cut more sharply at this time of the year. So what do you do, if you and yours are struggling with such issues this week? What do you tell your children? Do you keep a happy face, or do you try to discuss openly what may be making your family sad? Do you take refuge with a larger group of loved ones? Or try to spend quiet time just with your family? It's a certainty to say that many…

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Ellen Oxild

3:22 pm on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Thank you, Linda, for this thought-provoking column. My own family experienced loss this past year. I lost my father and my brother, and a very close friend. The holidays are a reminder of the good times we used to share, and it's not easy. Although we don't spend much time talking about it, we do seem to be looking toward the new year to help us heal and move forward, knowing the hardest part is…   more ›

Selections from Handel's 'Messiah' at Liberty Corner Church

Music to be presented by Christmas Choir during two services on Sunday.

The Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church Christmas Choir will present selections from Handel's "Messiah" during the 9:15 and 11 a.m. worship services this Sunday, December 18. Directed by Amy Dilts, the 30-member choir ranges has members ranging in age from 14 to 74. The choir will be accompanied by piano and an eight-person orchestra. The Christmastime tradition will feature vocal solos as well as familiar choral sections and will conclude with the well-known “Hallelujah Chorus.” Liberty Corner Church is at 45 Church Street in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards Township. Further information about the church is available online or by calling 908-647-0340.

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Advent Extravaganza Sparks Christmas Spirit

Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church rings in the holiday season with gift wrapping, craft projects, donations and refreshments.

Twenty years on, the Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church still is issuing an open invitation to the public to gather at the church on the first Sunday each December to wrap gifts for the needy and enjoy other Christmas activities to kick off the holiday season. "I think we have more people wrapping than in previous years," said the church's pastor, Anne Havrilla. "It's a lot of work but it's a work of joy," she added. There were many familiar faces at the church auditorium and in rooms filled with activities and Christmas crafts for families to enjoy. But she noted, "I see people here I don't recognize." Participants — whether regular church members or those who just decided to come by for the first time — enjoyed delicious refreshments, …

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Public Invited to 'Advent Extravaganza' at Liberty Corner Church

Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church tradition still continuing after about 20 years.

Once again, the Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church is inviting the public to usher in the holidays at Advent Extravaganza, an opportunity for members of the community to help those less fortunate while spending time together with family. Liberty Corner Church, located at 45 Church Street, has hosted the annual Christmas event for more than 20 years, according to information from the church. On Sunday, Dec. 4, from 2 to 4 p.m., the church in inviting all to help wrap more than 250 donated presents that later will be among those to be distributed in time for Christmas to various charities. The day also presents an opportunity for kids and adults to enjoy making craft projects. Those projects include homemade plaques with the family’s name, …

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GriefShare Reaches Out To Those Facing Holidays While Grieving

Free seminar at Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church is for those who must face holidays while grieving a loss.

The Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church again is offering “GriefShare: Surviving the Holidays,” a helpful, encouraging seminar for people facing the holidays after a loved one’s death or a loss. The seminar is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 14 from at the church on Church Street in the Liberty Corner section of the township. The event is open to anyone in the community who has lost a loved one. There is no charge for this event. The seminar features practical suggestions and reassurance through video interviews with counselors, grief experts and other people who have experienced the holidays following their loved one’s death. Topics to be discussed include “Why the Holidays Are Tough,” “What to Expect,” “How to Manage …

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