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Welcome home, First Church Family and Friends!
I'm excited to be back at church, and I hope you are too. Homecoming Sunday brims with limitless possibility - a new year and the opportunity to be good stewards of our gifts and talents. In what area will you serve this year? A list of possibilities is below, and we are also wide open to you serving in ways that we have yet to imagine.
Join the First Church community in the Elliott Room following worship this Sunday for refreshments and conversations about service. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Everyone can be great because everyone can serve." Thank you for prayerfully considering how you will make this your great year of service.
You are loved,
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First Church Ministries / Opportunities to Serve
Adult Education and Spiritual Life
Chair: Willy Norton
Purpose: To guide the programs for Adult Education and the growth of the congregation's spiritual life in keeping with our desire to know God, to love God, and to serve God.
The Green Team
Chair: Uda Bradford
Purpose: To maintain the Peace Garden and the other plantings around the church building.
Children and Youth Ministries
Chair: Reeves Carter and Deborah Rennie-Walker
Purpose: To guide programs and spiritual development for children, youth, and their families in keeping with our desire to know God, to love God, and to serve God.
Choir
Minister of Music: Amy Neuner
Purpose: To make a joyful noise to God and support the community in living transformed lives.
Church-Wide Nominating
Chair: Odette Perriel and Susan Schultz
Purpose: To develop gifts of leadership in the church community for the purpose of assisting all members in answering their particular call to serve.
Communications
Chair: Mark Elsenheimer
Purpose: To coordinate, edit, and publish the church's online, print, and public communication.
Fellowship
Chair: Mario Adorno
Purpose: To extend with greetings, food, and drink, the warmth and hospitality we proclaim in worship.
Finance
Chair: Ken Andrichik
Purpose: To act in the best long term financial interests of the church while seeking the welfare of creation.
Food Pantry
Chair: Jane Woland
Purpose: To ensure weekly that our neighbors near and far are loved and fed.
Worship and the Arts
Chair: Barbara Cummings
Purpose: To support the Pastor and Minister of Music in telling the story of our faith in creative and life changing ways.
Pastoral Care and Visitation
Chair: Aluko Hope and Dianne Hutchinson
Purpose: To tend to the spiritual, physical, and material support of members of the church community.
Social Action
Chair: Denise Alexander and Jane Ehlke
Purpose: To help the church community live our faith out loud in the public sphere addressing areas of social concern.
Stewardship
Chair: Jim Cummings and David Jones
Purpose: To assist the church community in the guidance and management of all gifts both spiritual and financial
Sunday School Teachers and Special Youth Project Volunteers
Director: James Allison-Booth
Purpose: To support our children and youth in coming to know God, love God, and serve God
Membership
Chair: Diana Lee and Patrick Tirino
Purpose: To invite members of the community into ever deepening relationship with God and one another.
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Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary
9:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Nursery is open, 2nd Floor at Top of Stairs
Youth Band in the Rose Room (2nd Floor)
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Children's Choir in the Rose Room (2nd Floor)
11:00 AM
Worship in the Sanctuary
Sermon to be preached by Rev. Adriene Thorne, "God Just Doesn't Make Sense"
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Sunday School, meet in the Gym
Following Worship
Discussion and Opportunities to Serve, a.k.a. the Ministry Fair, in the Elliott Room (2nd Floor)
Monday, September 18th
6:45 PM - 8:15 PM
Session Meeting in the Pastor's Study
Wednesday, September 20th
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Park Plaza Diner, Cadman Plaza West
6:30 PM
A Place at the Table, Education for all Ages in the Elliot Room
Thursday, September 21st
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary
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Congregation and Community News
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Back this Sunday – Youth Band and Children's Choir in the Rose Room!
Band at 10:00 AM
Choir at 10:30 AM
Andrew can't wait to see you!
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A Place at the Table, begins this Wednesday
Join us Wednesday, September 20th at 6:30 PM when we kick off A Place at the Table, our dining and learning space for all ages. We begin with a potluck supper at 6:30 PM and programming for youths and adults at 7:00 PM.
This month we celebrate and discuss creation and our role in it. Rev. Thia Reggio, from the Center for Earth Ethics, will lead the grown-up conversation, while our young people enjoy Earth stories, games, conversations and creative projects appropriate for their age. We hope you will join us and bring food or drink to share. All ages welcome.
P.S. Sunday morning faith-based discussion at 10:00 AM will resume October 1st.
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Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
Give today to help Presbyterian Disaster Assistance bring hope & healing to Texas families impacted by Hurricane Harvey and/or Florida families impacted by Hurricane Irma.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is in touch with presbyteries in the affected areas of Texas and Florida to offer assistance. We are standing by with resources and National Response Team members ready to deploy upon invitation and when it is safe to do so.
For those who wish to support PDA's emergency response and recovery efforts, gifts can be designated to DR000169-Harvey or DR000194-Irma via the form here. We need your help. Please give generously.
If you prefer to mail a check, you may send it to:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
PO Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA, 15264-3700
You may also call Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST), at 1-800-872-3283 to donate by phone. For updates, please go to pda.pcusa.org.
Please join us in praying for courage for those who are suffering; wisdom and diligence among agencies and individuals assessing damage and directing relief efforts; and for generosity to flow as powerfully as rivers and streams, as we respond to the deep human needs left in the wake of these storms.
Rev. Dr. Laurie Ann Kraus
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
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Below are two additional resources for those interested in making donations for specific needs or populations affected by the Hurricanes.
For those interested in sending non-monetary donations, First Church is monitoring the situation to assess various needs, and will determine if a collection effort will be organized. Please contact Elder Jane Ehlke with any questions.
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Pastoral Care Ministry partners with Thrive NYC
On November 18th, 2017, members of Pastoral Care will be participating in an all day (9am-5pm) Mental Health Training workshop sponsored by Thrive NYC. Thrive NYC is a citywide initiative devoted to expanding awareness of mental health issues to the public, and Pastoral Care is committed to being part of that conversation.
The workshop "teaches the skills needed to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges and crises", and also will address the misconceptions and stigmas attached to mental health. We are excited to have this opportunity to shine light on this important subject, and excited to be able to bring it to First Church. We have limited availability for members of the congregation to join us, and hope that you will consider taking advantage of this opportunity.
The workshop will be held in the Elliot Room, and lunch and a light breakfast will be provided. We encourage and hope that you will join us to begin these frank discussions on mental health.
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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.
Volunteers are needed Wednesday evenings from 7:15 PM - 8:00 PM to receive fresh fruits and vegetables for our food pantry. If you are available to come to First Church Brooklyn and receive donations from our partners at Brooklyn Bridge CSA and Sweet Pea CSA, please call the church office to be connected to pantry coordinator, Jane Woland.
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As of 2015, 42.2 million Americans live in food-insecure households, including 29.1 million adults and 13.1 million children.
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On Thursday, September 14th, our Food Pantry served 120 guests with the
help of 7 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.
Missed a week, or want to hear a Sermon again? We have a podcast with over 1 year of our Sermon audio. Click the "Sermon Podcast" icon below to subscribe.
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Like us. Follow us. See us. Hear us.
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Sunday September 10th
Monday September 11th
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Reminders and Looking Ahead
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Clark Street Subway Station Closure
The Clark Street (2 and 3 trains) subway station will be closed on weekends until Spring 2018. People who normally take the subway to First Church need to walk from Borough Hall or take the B25, B26, B38, B41, B52 or B103 bus.
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CHILDREN, YOUTH, and FAMILIES (CYF)
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Brooklyn Rock and Roll Half Marathon Training
(Race date is October 14)
Brooklyn Samaritans group runs are Mondays at 7:00 PM and Saturdays at 8:00 AM.
Ask Rev Adriene to add you to the Facebook group with details of each training workout. Walkers are also encouraged to join; all are welcome to train.
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Men's Monthly Potluck Dinner at First Church
First Friday each month, 7:00 PM, Elliott Room
This has been a popular event with many of our First Church sisters for years, and we hope it will be for the men as well. Questions? Contact Willy Norton by phone or email.
If you can attend, please email Willy so that he has an idea of numbers.
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Men's Fellowship Breakfast
Join us as we discuss the book, "A Cloud of Witnesses," edited by Joyce Hollyday and Jim Wallis. A collection of 35 short stories of exceptional people grouped by the 8 Beatitudes.
Come join us even if you are not reading the book.
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Worship Leaders
Interested in taking part as a reader during Sunday worship? 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 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 Lunch after Worship. We are looking for volunteers
- Administrative Support: Ongoing administrative support has been provided by Jane and Dave Ehlke. The Project Connect database has been expanded to 225 members in 30 different prisons.
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This week's eNewsletter was edited by Mark Elsenheimer. Photos provided by Dave Ehlke and 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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