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De Nile is a River in Egypt
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Greetings First Church Family and Friends,
What would make you deny Jesus? Be honest.
I attended a conference this week that looked at truth telling with love. One speaker said, "The very spirit in whom we have our life calls us to honesty – honesty about who we are and honesty about who we claim to be." The speaker concluded by saying, "We call this type of honesty confession."
Jesus confesses throughout the gospel of John who he is, "I am." And this Sunday, Peter confesses who he is, "I am not." I am not this man's disciple, I am not this man's follower, I am not his friend. Three times Peter denies his relationship with Jesus and in so doing, reveals who he is – a limited and flawed human being. We would all like to be faithful followers of Christ, but the reality is that we get scared. Just like Peter, we hide out in crowds where no one would ever suspect that we know the man, Jesus, who is on trial for his life.
Ours will be a very slow walk to the cross this Lenten season, pulling apart the texts that are typically crammed into Holy Week. We will chew on them, savor them, and digest them together, trusting that in our collective holding of these difficult texts, we will come to Easter Sunday with greater joy and appreciation for the God in Jesus Christ who, "Said nothing in secret," but honestly confessed, "I am."
Looking forward to seeing you Sunday for some truth telling with love.
You are loved,
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Friday, March 2nd - Saturday March 3rd
Sunday, March 4th
Protein Sunday
Please leave non perishable protein in the narthex.
Nursery is open, 2nd floor at top of stairs
10:00 AM - 10:55 AM
Lenten Bible Study in the Thurman Library
11:00 AM
Worship in the Sanctuary
Sermon: "I am Not" - Rev Adriene Thorne, preaching
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sunday School
Following Worship
Fellowship Hour in the Elliott Room (2nd Floor)
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Men's Fellowship Breakfast
Park Plaza Diner, Cadman Plaza West
6:30 PM
Eat, Pray, Lent: Fireside Chat
Thurman Library
Thursday, March 8th
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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Congregation and Community News
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Sunday Morning, Lenten Bible Study - 10:00 AM in the Thurman Library
February 18th - March 25th
(A series of meetings centered around Lent will continue for the next four Sundays).
Erik Brogger will lead the conversation this Sunday:
I'm interested in discussing the unique relationship that Jesus forges with us when he says, "This is my body." The phrase has always haunted me, and I believe that it haunts our culture. How have writers spoken of our bodies? How has the human body become such a repository for false perceptions of self and self-worth? How does my body define me? (or does it?)
Please stay tuned as the list of weekly topics are updated. We welcome topics and discussion leaders. Contact wpnorton@gmail.com. for information.
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The Men's group meet at 7:30AM in the Park Plaza Restaurant on Cadman Plaza West. Currently they are reading "How Democracies Die " by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.
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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 Church 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 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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The vast majority of the world's hungry people live in developing countries, where 12.9 percent of the population is undernourished.
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On Thursday, March 1st, our Food Pantry served 99 guests
with the help of 12 amazing 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 of Sermon audio (and video, when available). Click the "Sermon Podcast" icon below to subscribe.
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Like us. Follow us. See us. Hear us.
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Christina Adorno, David Jones, and Diane Greene were installed as elders.
FPCB' Gethsemane prison visit volunteers were honoured at the Church of Gethsemane's Criminal Justice Sunday. February 25, 2018
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Reminders and Looking Ahead
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Men's Prison Visit Activity
We will be scheduling our next visit with Project Connect members at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, NY soon.
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REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR WINTER BLANKET
AND OUTERWEAR DONATIONS
The Social Action Committee is coordinating our church's annual drive to collect winter blankets, coats, hats, scarves, gloves, mittens, socks, and boots to be distributed to people of need in our extended community. Outerwear can be for male and female, children and adult sizes. New and used items - in good condition and clean.
Please bring your donation items during open church office times, or Sunday morning, and leave them in the back, right hand pews.
This donation drive will continue throughout our cold weather weeks.
Please contact Jane Ehlke if you can help to sort and/or transport donated items, or if you have questions or suggestions - jane.ehlke@gmail.com
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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)
Sunday School is in full swing, with additional programs available for younger members of our community. Those with school-aged children are encouraged to register for the separate CYF Weekly Updates newsletter at http://tinyletter.com/cyfdirector
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Ecumenical Advocacy Days
April 20-23, Washington DC
The 2018 Advocacy Training Weekend focuses on the theme A World Uprooted: Responding to Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People. We are well acquainted with these issues in New York.
The weekend (flyer) begins on the morning of April 20 with the Compassion Peace and Justice Training Day at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. Presbyterians will look at how our church and our partners are confronting white supremacy and nativism while supporting refugee and migrant populations in our country and abroad. Plenaries and workshops will help participants analyze the global and local needs of displaced communities and offer concrete tools to address the issues people face.
After Compassion Peace and Justice Training Day, the ecumenical community gathers for Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) on April 20-23 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Crystal City, VA. EAD begins with an opening plenary on April 20. Through prayer, worship, advocacy training, and networking, EAD will focus on the uprootedness so many people experience in our world. Participants will be helped to understand current policies and identify policy changes that advance hope and overcome the devastating impacts of conflict, climate change and corruption on God's people.
The weekend culminates in "Lobby Day" on April 23, when participants visit members of Congress using the information and training gathered over the weekend.
There are a limited number of scholarships available through the Presbytery of New York City. Ecumenical Advocacy Days offers some scholarships for young adults (age 18-35). Contact Mark Koenig, Advocate for Justice Ministries in the Presbytery of New York City, at mkoenig@presbyny.org or 917-322-1221 for information about scholarships.
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This week's eNewsletter was edited by Dianne Hutchinson.
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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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