First Reformed Church of Hawthorne

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Visitors who come to First Reformed Church of Hawthorne for the first time notice immediately how friendly and personable everyone is. We have people representing every age group and people who come from many different denominational backgrounds. The congregation is very much involved with serving the community of Hawthorne. Despite being a local church, we have church members who travel from other communities such as Clifton, Ringwood, Ho-Ho-Kus, and Weehawken to worship with us. Our mission as a congregation is to develop a better understanding of God and to develop a closer relationship with Him. We feel called to promote the joy of the Christian life and to share the Good News with those whose lives we touch through worship, prayer, service, study, and fellowship. Many people often ask what Reformed means. When we talk about Reformed Church or the Reformed tradition what we are actually referring to is The Church of Jesus Christ Reformed according to the Word of God. First Reformed Church of Hawthorne recognizes that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church and that the Bible is our ultimate authority for our lives. The word Reformed also recognizes a part of the Church's history. During the 1500's, the Church was struggling and had many problems. The Church was holding worship services in a language that the people could not understand, doctrines were declared in which there was no Scriptural authority for, and some of the leaders of the church were abusing the authority they had been given. Then some individuals such as Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli began a Reformation. They sought to reform the Church from their misguided practices. A second-generation reformer was John Calvin who contributed to most of the Reformed beliefs and practices. John Calvin placed a large amount of emphasis on the Holy Spirit. It is by the work of the Holy Spirit that men and women can come to believe in Christ and follow him. The Holy Spirit begins to work in our lives immediately, which is why infants are baptized in the Reformed tradition. The Holy Spirit is also at work in Communion allowing us to commune with our Lord and all the saints. Last of all, the Holy Spirit is the one who inspires God's Word. It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that we are able to hear and listen to God's Word. One other unique belief that the Reformed tradition holds to is the idea of wholeness. We do not see people just as souls to be saved but we see their bodies, their minds, and their hearts as something that also needs to be restored with God's love and God's power. The Reformed tradition believes that God is at work bringing His kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. We must participate with God and His work.