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Greetings First Church Family and Friends!
A special guest will join me this Sunday to preach a gospel message of freedom. We are working together to undo the shame and fear associated with mental health and substance use disorder. First Church Brooklyn is joining thousands of houses of worship all across New York City for Thrive NYC's Mental Health Weekend of Faith – an opportunity to think about mental health and the way it touches every family, in every neighborhood, in every borough. This is an Easter conversation about new life. Life lived free from shame and fear.
Our city is experiencing a mental health crisis that has over a half million New Yorkers bound with depression. We want to break the shell and talk about it. As an inclusive community of faith, we want also to resource members in need of support and to promote one another's wellness.
Minister of Music, Amy Neuner, has prepared music especially for the occasion – India.Arie's, Break the Shell. I hope you will join us Sunday for a little shell breaking on the way to all of us getting free. Sometimes freedom looks like telling the truth about our shadows and demons and dropping the weight of shame so we can fly. I hope to see you Sunday at 11 am, in person or via our livestream.
You are loved,
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Our NYPD/FDNY Appreciation Sunday will be postponed due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict. A huge thank you to all those who had planned to bring food this Sunday, May 21st. We will reschedule the celebration for a later date. More details when we have them.
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Sunday, May 21st
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Nursery is open on the second floor
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Adult Education in the Thurman Room
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Youth Band in Rose Room
11:00 AM
Worship in the Sanctuary
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Sunday School in the Gym
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Submerge in Rose Room
12:30 PM
Fellowship Hour
12:30 PM
Strategic Planning Committee Talkback
Fellowship Hour
4:00 PM
Youth Sunday Planning
The Manse
Wednesday, May 24th
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Park Plaza Diner, Cadman Plaza West
Thursday, May 25th
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Choir rehearsal in the Sanctuary
Friday, May 26th
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
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Congregation and Community News
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STRATEGIC PLANNING SEEKS YOUR INPUT
Please join members of the Strategic Planning committee after church this Sunday, May 21st, during coffee hour to give your input about your wishes for the church for the next 5 years!
Marcia Smith Nate Dudley Reeves Carter Joyce Abernethy
Christina Adorno Marc James Lukus Hasenstab
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E-WASTE RECYCLING DAYS
Saturday, May 20th: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday, May 21st: 10.00 AM – 4:00 PM
CHAPEL OF FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
PIERREPONT ST. BETWEEN CLINTON ST. AND MONROE PL.
Accepting residential waste only
Items accepted include: Laptops, TVs, copiers, TV remotes, CD players, fax machines, batteries, phones, and more.
Sponsored by Brooklyn Heights churches and synagogues and the Brooklyn Heights Association, in cooperation with the Lower East Side Ecology Center.
For more information, call (718) 624-5466
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YOUTH SUNDAY PLANNING
Youth! Join Rev. Adriene Thorne at the Manse this Sunday May 21st at 4pm to discuss plans for Youth Sunday, and what you would like your role to be. We invite all youth to attend, and will be providing refreshments!
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Sunday, May 21st - Red Nose Day/Comic Relief at First Church Brooklyn
Come and have a good time and learn about the way Children's Health Fund (a recipient of Red Nose funds) helps children in poverty in the US by providing free, high quality medical care. The red nose yoga pose will be taught and red noses available for $1. All are invited to join us after worship in the sanctuary for a short talk and a super selfie. The mobile medical unit, an economic and medical wonder, will be available for tours after worship on Youth Sunday, June 4th.
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Update on the 2017 Pledge Drive
As of May 4th, 2017, we have received 119 Pledge Cards for a total of $337,166.
Our goal this year is a commitment of $343,000.
We are less than $10,000 away from that target. Please help us reach or exceed our goal. Pledge today!
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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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Somewhere in the world someone starves to death every 3.6 seconds, and 75 percent of those are children under the age of five.
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On Thursday, May 18th, our Food Pantry served 126 guests with the
help of 19 volunteers.
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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 a podcast of our Sermons. Click the "Sermon Podcast" icon below to subscribe.
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Like us. Follow us. See us. Hear us.
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Reminders and Looking Ahead
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Saturday May 27 - Know Your Rights: What to Do If You're Stopped by the Police/Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Customs and Border Patrol
This training, offered by our partners at Faith in New York, informs immigrant New Yorkers, both documented and undocumented, of their rights when interacting with both immigration officers and police. All are welcome. 5-7 pm in the gym. Food will be served.
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Friday, June 2nd - Church Wide Nominating Committee
Panel Discussion for those curious about leadership at First Church Brooklyn. 6:00-7:30 pm. Contact Elder Odette Perriel for more information at cwnc@firstchurchbrooklyn.org
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June 4th, June 18th, June 25th - New Member Classes
The next set of new member classes and installation is coming up. The dates of the classes are Sunday, June 4th and June 18th at 9:45am in the Gym with the installation on June 25th during worship. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact membership@firstchurchbrooklyn.org
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RESERVE YOUR SPOT - CYF FAMILY RETREAT
We have Holmes camp reserved for our 2017 Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) Family Retreat Friday June 9th - Sunday June 11th. Pricing will be $135 per adult and $65 per child. Scholarships may be available. We have already gotten a great turnout so if you're interested in attending please RSVP to cyfdirector@firstchurchbrooklyn.org to reserve your spot while there's still room! We hope to see you there!
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Adult Education
The Afterlife – continuing through May
Our 10:00 AM discussions will center around our perceptions of the afterlife and how these beliefs are formulated and shaped through our exposure to Scripture, the world of art, literature, and personal witness. Perhaps our interior sense of the afterlife stands at odds with everything to which we have been exposed. Perhaps we are deeply conflicted about accepted perceptions of "heaven" or "paradise." Our conversations will grow out of Easter and the many "Holy Ghost stories" that attended this singular event, including the story of the Road to Emmaus, along with the many other manifestations of Jesus, following the Crucifixion. Is it therefore inappropriate to suggest that the Resurrection is also a story about grief, trauma, and a pathway to acceptance? What are our personal experiences with the afterlife? And what does that word mean to us? Join Elder Erik Brogger (who is just as confused about all this as you may be) in the Thurman Library on Sunday mornings for this lay discussion of text and self.
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Men's Fellowship Breakfast
Join as we discuss the new book by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, "This Fight Is Our Fight," about the disappearing American Middle Class and what can be done about it.
Come join us even if you are not reading the book.
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Would you like to define more clearly the skills you love to use? Would you like to better define the skills you have or create a plan to develop new ones in preparation for a career transition? Join leadership coach/strategist and First Church member, Emily Neustadt, for a workshop. On Monday, May 22nd, 6:30-8:30 pm, in the Elliott Room. Bring a healthy snack or drink to share.
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Elder Jim Johnson Running for Governor of New Jersey
Our beloved Elder Jim Johnson has been called into public service and is running for Governor of New Jersey. The campaign is in full swing. If you are interested in joining Elder Jim Johnson and others to improve our schools, give all families a leg up and rebuild an economy that has crumbled along with its roads, bridges, water system and mass transit, please contact Amanda Clarke at amanda@jimjohnson4governor.com to find out about helping with the campaign.
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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 Chair, Barbara Cummings.
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First Church Cares
First Church's Pastoral Care Team is focused on exploring opportunities to strengthen our individual bonds with one another within our congregation. During Sunday worship, members of First Church's Pastoral Care Team ("Care Ambassadors") will be wearing a white flower boutonniere pin, and will be available to chat with you before or after worship, about how we can improve the care within our church community.
As a community, we are called to accompany each other in our joys and in our sorrow. If you are experiencing a loss, an illness, struggling with grief and questions of faith, or simply want to share a joy or request a companion in prayer, please reach out to our Care Ambassadors directly or send an email to: pastoralcare@firstchurchbrooklyn.org
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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 in concert with the Church of Gethsemane.
- Sunday Luncheon: Thanks to Tyler Abernathy and Tobias Wyss of the Holy Mackerals, who prepared or served lunch this past Sunday.
- Prison Visits: Next week, three members of FPC -- Steve deFluiter, Erik Brogger and Dave Ehlke -- will accompany Minister Chibueze Okorie to visit Project Connect members at Green Haven prison on Thursday, May 11th. On Saturday, May 13th, Rev Adriene, along with other members of the FPC team, will be accompanying Rev Diane Lacey to visit Project Connect members at Bedford Hills Women's Prison.
- Administrative Support: Ongoing administrative support has been provided by Jane and Dave Ehlke.
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This week's eNewsletter was edited by Mark Elsenheimer. Photos from Christina Adorno.
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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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