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Greetings First Church Family and Friends!
Sunday is Homecoming Sunday, and I can't think of a better place to be at 11 AM than our church! Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said that 11 o'clock on Sunday is the most segregated hour in Christian America, but that is not the case at First Church Brooklyn where we welcome all God's people home every Sunday.
Thank you for making our community feel like home for all those who come through our doors. This week, our White Rose Cuban ministry team came home. Under their leadership, we are working to eliminate food insecurity in underserved parts of Cuba. Our adult education ministry came home. This group feasts weekly on timely topics like police-community relations, and they lay their conversations alongside their faith and attempt to find meaning for their daily life. Feel free to join them every Wednesday evening in the Elliott Room. Our stunning gospel choir came home. The choir welcomes all people who want to sing to their Thursday evening rehearsals. Their inspirational voices feed our community every Sunday.
There is a home for every child of God at First Church Brooklyn. I hope you are making plans to come home this Sunday. We are worshipping again at 11 AM, and you are invited to stroll through The Festival of Ministries immediately following worship and find the ministry that feels like home to you. Come to the Elliott Room to meet our elders and learn more about connecting, volunteering, and membership. It is my hope that each of you will find your sweet spot in at least one ministry this year. Sweetness helps a place feel like home.
Sunday school begins this Sunday for all children in Kindergarten through 7th grade. We have a brand new curriculum that will engage your child in the stories of our faith and offer a take away each week to help families keep the conversation going at home. Children 4 and under are always welcome to spend time in our lovely nursery with our professional care givers.
Last week, we enjoyed the presence of many guests including U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Many visitors mentioned to me how much they appreciated our welcome, our warmth, our love, and our justice work. When I think of home, I think of First Church Brooklyn and every single person in our community who makes the welcome, warmth, love, and justice of God known to the world. Come home this Sunday, First Church, and help us to tell God's love story one more time. If you can't be with us in Brooklyn, stream the worship via our livestream, connect with us via Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.
You are loved,
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Sunday, September 18th
Sunday worship, 11:00 AM
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Nursery is open on the second floor
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Sanctuary
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Rose Room - Youth Band begins
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Gymnasium - Sunday School begins
Sermon preached by Rev. Adriene Thorne: "Can We Talk About Money at Church?"
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
The Parables Project with Eric Thomas (See "Reminders" below)
Thurman Library
12:15 PM
Peace Garden
Wednesday, September 21st
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Park Plaza Diner, Cadman Plaza West
Thursday, September 22nd
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
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Congregation and Community News
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The Pastoral Care Committee Needs You!
This Sunday is Ministry Sunday, and it is a great opportunity to find a place within the church where your particular gifts will make a difference. We invite you to use your gifts towards the important and needed role of care within our church community.
What exactly is Pastoral Care? Our website's offering is a good place to start: the "Pastoral Care Team works alongside the staff to identify and respond to the needs of congregants, including visiting the sick and providing opportunities to strengthen our bonds with one another." Our Mission Statement offers another: "Be a fountain of spiritual and emotional comfort for all people" and "provide for the physical needs of those within our church, community and world."
Under that broad umbrella, Pastoral Care is seeking to find better ways to manifest care in more coordinated and meaningful ways. Individually, members of this committee have provided outreach to those suffering with an illness or loss. We have also lent an ear or given support to those experiencing a crisis. Pastoral Care is a collective way of providing care that is grounded in our faith and our understanding of who God is.
We will have a table at the ministry fair on Sunday, and we prayerfully ask that you consider stopping by. We also have an email available for thoughts and suggestions on how we can improve care within our church community: pastoralcare@firstchurchbrooklyn.org. Hope to see you at the table on Sunday, where we look forward to hearing your questions and thoughts.
Peace and joy,
Dianne Hutchinson, Diana Lee, Keren Murumba, June Chisholm
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Children, Youth and Families
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
- | 10:00-10:45 am | Rose Room – Youth Band Begins!
In this new offering, 5th-12th Graders are welcome to join the Youth Band, which will meet every Sunday before worship and will be led by Andrew Leonard. Come sing, play an instrument, learn how to run sound, or all of the above.
- | 11:15 – 12:15 pm | Gymnasium – Sunday School Begins!
We welcome children grades K-7th every Sunday following passing of the peace. Children's Choir music will find its home in our Sunday School hour. This year our weekly adventures through the Bible will use the Deep Blue Kids curriculum. To read more about our new study tool, click here. (7th graders are encouraged to try out bothSunday School and The Parables Project to choose the program that fits them best.)
- | 11:15-12:15 pm | Thurman Library – The Parables Project
We welcome youth grades 7-12 every Sunday following passing of the peace. 7th graders are encouraged to try out both Sunday School and The Parables Project to choose the program that fits them best. After the first few weeks of programming, we will ask 7th graders to decide betweenSunday School and The Parables Project and stick with it to make the most out of the program they choose.
Donations Sought
Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) have compiled a wish list of items that could help maximize our programming capabilities. If you have any of the below items lying around in storage, or would like to gift the CYF program by making a purchase, your donations would be greatly appreciated!
COMPUTER:
PROJECTOR:
PROJECTOR MOUNT:
WII CONSOLE: Preferably an ORIGINAL (not WII U) WII console
WII remotes, accessories etc.
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Adult Education
Wednesday evenings, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM, Elliott Room
September 21: Meditations for Peace: The United Nations declared September 21 World Peace Day. Harriet Mandeville will lead a meditation followed by a discussion of world issues and our hopes for international peace.
September 28: Dying to Live / Theologies of the Body and Embodiment: An introduction to a series of conversations about embodiment, words made flesh, and the body in theological expressions.
Watch for announcements in coming weeks
on more Fall/Winter Adult Education.
Sunday Adult Education
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM, Thurman Room
Traditional bible study in relation to issues and questions of our times
September 18 - October 3o
Is faith without works dead? These and other questions of Christian responsibility will be explored through weekly readings from the Epistle of James.
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Focus on Hunger
The Mission and Social Action Committee has a goal to educate the entire congregation on the issues around food and hunger in our country and around the world, and why First Presbyterian is involved in alleviating the suffering associated with a lack of food.
On Thursday, September 15th, the Food Pantry served 88 clients with 17 volunteers.
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Approximately 28 percent of all children in developing countries are considered to be underweight or have had their growth stunted as a result of malnutrition.
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Worship services are streamed live over the Internet. We provide the worship bulletin on the website so that you can follow along. Tune in to worship at 11:00 AM Eastern time.
We have recently added an audio podcast of our Sermons. Click the "Sermon Podcast" icon below to subscribe to audio versions of all the sermons since Rev. Thorne's arrival.
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Like us. Follow us. See us. Listen to us.
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Rev. Adriene Thorne, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and NYPD officers at First Church Brooklyn, Sunday, September 11, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
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Reminders and Looking Ahead
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FUNDRAISER: MURDER MYSTERY DINNER PARTY
The annual First Church Brooklyn fundraiser will be held Saturday, October 22, 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
This year, join us for a Murder Mystery Dinner Party.
Save the date.
See the play.
Solve the mystery!
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Men's Breakfast Meeting, Wednesdays at 7:30 AM
Join us at the Park Plaza Restaurant, 220 Cadman Plaza West in Brooklyn Heights, for a good breakfast and great fellowship.
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Save The Date: Installation Worship Service
Sunday, November 13th at 4:00 PM: Installation Worship Service for Rev. Adriene Thorne at First Church Brooklyn. More details to follow.
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Worship Leaders
Interested in taking part as a reader during Sunday service? We welcome volunteers from the congregation to sign up as Worship Leaders. Please contact Annie Solages in the church office at 718.624.3770 or speak to Worship Committee Co-Chairs Edna Asknes or Barbara Cummings.
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First Presbyterian Church Social Action Committee
Criminal Justice Activities in Concert With the Church of Gethsemane
First Church continues to be active with the Church of Gethsemane.
Prison Visits:
We are looking for more men to make prison visits during weekdays. See Dave Ehlke if you are interested.
Lunch after Worship:
Contact Jane Ehlke if you are interested in providing lunch in October.
Potential Family Social Work Project:
Gloria Sellers, Jane & Dave Ehlke have been meeting with Gethsemane staff on plans for a potential Family social work project in conjunction with the School of Social Work at NYU.
On Sunday, September 18th, stop by the Social Action table after worship to express interest in any of our programs for this year.
Letter writing to Project Connect members: We will be writing our next group letter after worship on Sunday, September 25th.
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This week's eNewsletter was edited by Ben Cosgrove; photos were provided by Christina Adorn0, Jim Johnson and Colin St. Rose.
There is an opening for eNewsletter editor! If interested in this one-week-a-month ministry, please contact Mark Elsenheimer.
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Online Donations: Set up a recurring gift to the church through a secure online account. To set up an account or to edit an existing gift, go to First Presbyterian Church's website.
Flower Donations. We welcome flower donations of $30 or more in memory or in honor of friends and loved ones. Call Annie Solages in the Church office at 718-624-3770 or see Barbara Cummings during fellowship hour on Sundays.
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