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We Who Believe in Freedom
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Greetings First Church Family and Friends,
No doubt we each have our favorite Martin Luther King, Jr. quote and no doubt, we will be showered with excerpts from Dr. King's speeches and sermons this weekend. We may play the song Stevie Wonder wrote in his creative attempt to garner support for Monday's federal holiday. We may join others across America in acts of service to honor King's legacy. We may attend the always amazing event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). These are all nice ways to honor the man who was killed by an assassin's bullet while working with striking
garbage workers in Memphis, Tennessee, however, I'd like to push us to reach a bit further this King Weekend.
Dr. King co-labored with an interfaith coalition of religious leaders. First Church Brooklyn has the wonderful gift of celebrating Dr. King this weekend with our friends at the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue. Our choirs will combine to offer two heartfelt worships – the first, a Shabbat service, on Friday evening at 6:30 pm at the synagogue with Rabbi Serge Lippe. The second, Sunday morning worship at 11:00 am at First Church Brooklyn. I invite you to attend both and connect across lines of faith with God's people.
Radio and television stations often play King's I Have a Dream Speech, leaving us to think of him not as a revolutionary but as a dreamer. King had much more than a dream and he wrote more letters than the one from that jail in Birmingham. Read or listen to some of King's lesser known but powerful works. Read and add to your repertoire, a few of his moving prayers. Look for images you've never seen before – I discovered the one of him as a child while doing research in seminary. Explore King's relationship with Gandhi and Howard Thurman. Discover that King, like the Jesus he followed, was a revolutionary who died because he challenged the status quo.
Finally, consider attending one of the upcoming justice events below:
- A Faith Call to End Mass Incarceration – this Saturday from 10-2 at the Mott Haven Reformed Church in the Bronx.
- Women's March on NYC – Saturday, January 21 st . Meet at First Church Brooklyn at 10 am for prayer. We will depart at 10:15 for the march at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, which goes from 11 am – 4 pm.
This weekend we will sing and pray and hug and break bread. We will think on justice and act on love. Our empty places will be filled. We will laugh. We will be inspired. Our plea to God will be to let our days be significant as we join the masses of God's people in the good work of justice for all. See you at some point this weekend.
You are loved,
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Sunday, January 15th
Nursery is open on the second floor.
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary.
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Youth Band
11:00 AM
Worship in the Sanctuary
Sermon Title: "What Do You Need"
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Sunday School in the Gymnasium
12:15 PM
Coffee Hour follows worship in the Elliott Room.
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Park Plaza Diner, Cadman Plaza West
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (potluck dinner at 6:30 PM)
Adult Ed - read and discuss Martin Luther King's sermon "Paul's Letter to American Christians."
Thursday, January 19th
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Choir rehearsal at the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue (131 Remsen St.)
Friday January 20th
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Youthful Fellowship
Thurman Room
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Congregation and Community News
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Update on the 2017 Pledge Drive
Thus far we have received 87 pledge cards for a
total of $274,301.
Our goal this year is 110 pledges and a total commitment of $343,000.
Please help us meet our goal. 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)
Sundays in January
- Epistle to the Ephesians bible study and discussion at 10 am in the Thurman Room
- Parables Project (13-18 year olds) meets in the Elliot Room during worship
Wednesday Adult Education
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM, Elliott Room (light meal (pot luck) is shared at 6:30 pm)
On January 19, Adult Ed will read and discuss Martin Luther King's sermon "Paul's Letter to American Christians." Although it was delievered at Dexter Ave. Baptist Church in 1956, its message is startlingly relevant today.
Wednesdays in January
- 11 -Jan - Reading and discussion of the PC (USA) Confession of 1967, a statement of faith responding to the Civil Rights Movement
- 18-Jan - MLK's "Strength to Love" – a reading and discussion of sermons by Rev. Dr. King
- 25-Jan - Coretta Scott King: "We May Yet Not Only Survive, We May Triumph" and "10 Commandments of Vietnam" speeches
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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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According to Feeding America's 2010 hunger study, more than 37 million Americans are now being served by food pantries and soup kitchens.
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On Thursday, January 12th, our Food Pantry served guests with the help of
XX wonderful volunteers.
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Men's Fellowship Breakfast
Meets Wednesday morning at the Park Plaza Diner, 220 Cadman Plaza West, 7:30-8:30AM. Join the men as they discuss The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World. This is a weeklong interview with the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
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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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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. 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
Current Needs: Volunteers to prepare and serve lunch for any Sunday between Jan 22- Feb February 26. Call Jane Ehlke 781-572-6201.
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 Ben Cosgrove; 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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