photos from our church for my
blog books.
Our Pastor Charlie and Worship leader Harvey Unger
with his wife June. They are just the dearest folks.
Since the early 1970s, “Rockin’ for Jesus” has been the main emphasis of Maranatha’s worship style. This was established during the Jesus Freak era when Maranatha proved to be one of the earliest rock ‘n’ roll churches in the NY metro area. Since then our tradition of using quality contemporary worship music blended with the great hymns of the church, done in a modern style, has continued. Every time we gather it is the Maranatha Worship Team’s goal to usher the body of believers before the throne of God by joyfully glorifying the Lord while preparing our hearts and unifying His body by worshiping in spirit and in truth.
Our Associate Pastor Jan
Upon graduating from Nazarene Bible College in May 1983, Pastor Jan has served as Associate Pastor for Maranatha Church of the Nazarene in Paramus, NJ. Sensing a unique calling as support ministry to the Senior Pastor her responsibilities vary from administrative, preaching, teaching, counseling, as well as assisting body-life within the Church.
Pastor Jan’s particular joy is working with women. She relates on a personal level to every woman the Lord brings into her life. Her ministry has been a continuous journey of gratefulness and blessings as she serves the One who has captured her heart .
Baptism time - this is Angelina.
Hubby taught her when she was in 1st & 2nd
grade. Then he switched to 3rd & 4th so he
has her again. She loves him. She is a sweet
little girl.
How we decorate the sanctuary for Christmas
I look forward to it each year.
We are going to get a special ornament to
add to the tree this year. From The Azarian's.
When we have the children's program, it is so
fun as Pastor Charlie interviews each child.
Oh the things they say
Out of the mouths of babes . . .
I'm sure the parents are on the edge of their
seats in "fear" hah
Our Pastor is a great guitarist and rocker.
He writes beautiful worship songs and we sing
them on special occasions.
Charlie Rizzo was born in the Bronx but moved to New Milford, New Jersey in the sixties. Looking for a way to reach the youth of his town, the Pastor of the Maranatha Church in New Milford at that time started a Coffee House on Friday nights and asked the High School to send some bands. Charlie Rizzo’s was one of them.
Though the Coffee House did not survive, seeds were planted. In 1970 when Charlie was saved, he went back to that same Church and publicly testified of his faith in Jesus.
In 1974 he became the Pastor of Maranatha Church and in 1984 the Church moved to Paramus, NJ where he still brings both his guitar and Bible each Sunday. Many Pastors and servants have come out of Maranatha and are part of the Church of the Nazarene to this day. Let it Grow, a weekly call-in radio program has been a part of his ministry for over 30 years.
Pastor Charlie’s love for the Jewish people extended all the way to Israel. From 1990 – 2001 his band Emmaus Road played from Dan to Beer Sheva on military bases, theaters and public venues bringing the love of Jesus to God’s people in their land. His guitar is never far from his Bible. His statement of faith has been the same all these years:
Jesus Never Fails.
Our church at Easter
Here's my hubby at his teachers desk.
Here I am, my turn as Sunday School Principal.
Thanks for the walk down memory lane! My husband and I visited Charlie’s church and we accepted Christ together and went back to Charlie’s church, the only church we knew that preached the truth. We wanted to publicly announce our faith but Charlie was away and there was no altar call! I was tickled to hear Charlie’s story paralleled ours in that he went to the same church to testify of HIS decision of faith - but he succeeded! We just went after the service and told of our faith decision to Carlton Fastoff and he said it was just as good as testifying at an altar call, haha! We started attending and Jim soon started playing guitar at the pm service every week. A few years later Jim became a pastor and several years later we moved to CA and started a church with a pastor there, playing every week, and I became the church admin. We served there until health problems required us to move back and here we are back in NJ. Just looked up Charlie and found your blog. Thank you so much! Many fond memories.
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