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The Way We Intend to Finish
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Greetings First Church Family and Friends,
My grandma, when referring to married life, famously said, "Start the way you intend to finish." In other words, do what you can sustain for a lifetime. I find grandma's advice enormously helpful as we stand at the threshold of a new year. How will we at First Church Brooklyn start 2017? Well, that depends on how we would like to finish. More peace? A deeper spiritual practice? Less mindless consumerism and greater generosity? Social media as a tool for healing rather than escapism?
I have found retreats, time away from life as we know it, enormously helpful for recalibrating intentions. Retreats help us listen for God, align our plan with God's plan, and live with confidence in the promise that nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. For the past eight years, I have led January retreats for communities of faith – opportunities to start the year the way we intend to finish. At these retreats, we get to know one another. We study scripture. We sing. We dream. We eat. We pray. We practice living the life we believe God wants for us in the New Year.
On Saturday, January 7th, Adult Christian Education Director, Eric Thomas, and I will co-lead Inseparable: An All-Church Retreat to start our new year. It will be a half day creative, communal experience appropriate for those age 12 and up. We will meet from 10 am – 2 pm at First Church Brooklyn. The retreat is FREE to attend, but we ask that you bring food or drink for the communal potluck lunch and a magazine for the vision board exercise. This retreat will set your spiritual compass for the year to come. It will make you more aware of God's grace and blessings. It will connect us as a community. I hope you will sign up at Eventbrite to attend.
This Sunday, we celebrate the New Year with the difficult story of Jesus and family on the run – refugees. Fortunately, the holy family escaped to Egypt, however, not all refugees today find open doors and welcoming community. We will gather this Sunday at 11 am to give thanks for a new year, to pray for refugees, and to consider how to open our doors and hearts wider in 2017. Looking forward to being with you in person or via the livestream. Blessed New Year to you all!
You are loved,
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Sunday, January 1st
Protein Sunday: This Sunday, please bring in protein-rich and canned goods for the food pantry. Items can be left in the Narthex.
Nursery is open on the second floor.
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary.
11:00 AM New Years' Day
Worship in the Sanctuary
Sermon Title: "Jesus Christ, Refugee"
12:15 PM
Coffee Hour follows worship in the Elliott Room.
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Park Plaza Diner, Cadman Plaza West
Thursday, January 5th
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Congregation and Community News
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Update on 2017 Pledge Drive
We have received 87 Pledge Cards for a total amount of $274,301.
Our Goal this year is 110 pledges and a total commitment of $343,000.
Please help us meet our goal and submit a pledge today!
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Sunday School Volunteers Needed!
It takes a Brooklyn Village to raise our children in the faith. Contact James and Elizabeth to express your interest.
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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)
Wednesday Adult Education
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM, Elliott Room
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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.
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It is estimated that up to half a million children may currently be homeless in the United States
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On Thursday, January 5, our Food Pantry served 75 guests with the help of 17 wonderful volunteers.
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Men's Fellowship Breakfast
Meets Wednesday morning at the Park Plaza Diner, 220 Cadman Plaza West, 7:00-8:30AM. Join the men as they discuss Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance.
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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 an audio podcast of our Sermons. Click the "Sermon Podcast" icon below to subscribe to audio versions of all the sermons since July, 2016.
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Like us. Follow us. See us. Hear us.
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Reminders and Looking Ahead
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INSEPARABLE: An All-Church Half Day Retreat
Join us for Inseparable: an All-Church Half Day Retreat, Saturday, January 7 from 10:00 am-2:00 pm. Romans 8:38-39 reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. You are invited to bring your anxiousness, lament, hopes, and confidence into prayerful reflection and creative expression to gather strength for whatever 2017 may bring. We will engage in large and smaller group activities to share both our concerns and our resolve to represent God's peace, love, and justice into the New Year.
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Call For Artists
Many people experience the Holy in the beauty of our Sanctuary, the sound of our musicians and choirs, and the poetry of our prayers. If you are interested in helping the First Church Brooklyn community to experience God with movement, puppetry, dramatic presentation, fabric, flowers, writing, set design, and more, please share your interest with Pastor Adriene or call the church office. A meeting will be organized this fall to plan art for the coming year. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.
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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.with the following activities:
- Monthly group letter to over 200 Project Connect members incarcerated in NYS Prisons
- Monthly Prison Visits to Project Connect members in Women's prisons in Bedford Hills
- Monthly lunch preparation and serving after worship
- Support for family members having incarcerated members pilot project.
- Administrative support
- Project connect Peer Group participation with formerly incarcerated Project Connect members
- Donation of clothes for formerly incarcerated members
- Re-entry support
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Children, Youth and Families
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:
A new mac like this (we don't need a monitor), or any type of mac computer (all in one, pro tower, mini etc) made any year 2012 or later. We're looking for a fast, modern computer to do video editing, music production etc...)
PROJECTOR:
A new projector like this, or any type of projector with at least one HDMI input made 2012 or later.
PROJECTOR MOUNT:
WII CONSOLE:
Preferably an ORIGINAL (not WII U) WII console. WII remotes, accessories etc.
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This week's eNewsletter was edited by Dianne Hutchinson, and photographs provided by Jim Johnson.
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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