Friday, February 12, 2021

First Presbyterian Church eNewsletter - February 12, 2021

 

February 12, 2021

 

 

Lit Up Like the Vegas Strip

 

 

Greetings First Church Brooklyn Family and Friends,

 

This Sunday we close one door on our liturgical life and open another. It's Transfiguration Sunday – the moment where Jesus tries to get the attention of his followers before he heads to Jerusalem and the cross and ultimately home to God. Not surprisingly, the disciples miss the point…despite Jesus lit up like the Vegas strip.

 

As we begin our Lenten journey next week, let's do our best this season to not miss Jesus and the point.

 

You are loved,

 

 

 

PREPARE: Next Sunday is Valentine's Day and Linda and Willy Norton have invited us to share in their rededication of vows ceremony! 50 years of married life! If you are in a committed relationship and would like to rededicate yourself to your partner, please plan to participate in the ceremony next week. No special preparation required.

 

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Listen to our Sunday Livestream

 

Join Zoom events by computer @ https://zoom.us/j/ 
or phone @ 929.205.6099 and enter the Meeting ID specified.

 

The Coming Week

 

 

Sunday, February 14th

 

Happy Valentine's Day 

 

NOTE: You can find the Bulletin for Sunday's worship online here.

 

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Power Hour

Power hour participants are sharing scripture to focus their thoughts and efforts in 2021. All are welcome! 

Zoom Meeting ID: 608 557 2880

 
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Children's Choir

For info email Victoria Goff

 

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Kid's Church

For info email Rev April

 

11:00 AM 

Worship

Rev. Adriene Thorne preaching: "When I'm Losing, I'm Winning" (based on Matthew 16:24-17:8)

Scripture: Psalm 36:5-10 and Luke 9:18-51

 

Worship with us at FirstChurchBrooklyn.org or Facebook

 

 

Monday, February 15th

 

12:00PM - 12:30 PM

Monday Meet-Up with Elder Simon Bogigian

Zoom Meeting ID: 863 9710 5794

 

 

Tuesday, February 16th

A Conversation with Sam Murumba

Join Jim Johnson as he speaks with Sam Murumba

Register by RSPVing here

 

 

Wednesday, February 17th

 

Ash Wednesday

 

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

Men's Fellowship Book Discussion

Discussion of Rutger Bregman's Humankind: A Hopeful History

For invite info contact Adam Wright

(See information below regarding a churchwide book discussion in March)

 

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Out of the Ashes

Church Steps

Join us for live distribution of  ashes by Rev. Thorne and live music

Social distancing guidlines will be followed

 

7:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Bible Study - The Bible & Race

with Conor Foley

Zoom Meeting ID: 842 1213 6172

 

 

Thursday, February 18th

 

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Food Pantry

For information on how to volunteer contact the church office

 

Calls to the church office and e-mails are being forwarded to the staff during regular office hours. Please reach us at 718.624.3770 or email info@firstchurchbrooklyn.org

 

Congregation and Community News

 

Valentine's Day / Renewal of Vows

 

 

Please share a wedding picture for the "Renewal of vows" segment of worship on February 14, 2021.  Pictures must be uploaded by midnight, February 9th.  
 

Dropbox - Submit files

 

 

Join Jim Johnson for a conversation with Sam Murumba that will take us from Uganda to Australia and then Brooklyn as we trace the path of the Murumba family from a repressive regime in Uganda through a journey as refugees in Australia to life in Brooklyn New York as legal scholar, human rights activist and wise church elder.  We are about to enter our second year as a church beyond the walls.  In An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor wisely counsels that a meaningful spiritual practice includes the practice of encountering others.  Another is living with purpose.  In this discussion, we will explore how Sam does both as he leads a spirit-filled life combining work, leadership and a vibrant family life he has built with Keren Murumba, his wife of 45 years.

 

Dr. Samuel Murumba has taught at Brooklyn Law School since 1992 after teaching at Monash University Law School in Melbourne, Australia for many years. He teaches, writes, and serves on professional and policy bodies in the fields of intellectual property and human rights.  Sam has been actively involved in the mission of several organizations committed to human rights. In 2009 the Human Rights Watch Board of Directors honored him by electing him Emeritus Director, after serving as a member of the Board of Directors for twelve years. He has also served as a member of the New York City Bar's Committee on Human Rights and he is an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda.

 

Please join us for a ZOOM webinar on February 16 at 7 PM.  Register by RSVP'ing here.  You will receive a zoom email link closer to the date.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Parents,

"The primary goal of Positive Discipline is to enable both adults and children to experience more joy, harmony, cooperation, shared responsibility, mutual respect, and love in their life and relationships. We often act as though we have forgotten that love and joy are the whole point of living and working with children, and find ourselves acting out of fear, judgment, expectations, blame, disappointment, and anger. Then we wonder why we feel so miserable."  - Jane Nelsen, author of Positive Discipline

 

Cooperation. Shared responsibility. Mutual respect. Come learn Positive Discipline parenting and get more of what you've been looking for.

 

New class series for parents of preschoolers and school-aged children begin next month.

 

Here's the schedule:

Tuesdays:

Series C: March 2 to April 13

for parents of kids 6 to 12 years old

 

Mondays:

Series D: March 8 to April 19

for parents of kids 3 to 5 year old

 

Time: 8 pm to 9:30 pm

Location: online

Cost: Pay-What-You-Can (a special price for extraordinary times)

 

To register: go to https://pd-parents.com/schedule/, then click on "Register now".

 

What parents have said:

"I am always amazed that I signed up for an 8-hour childbirth class but not one single parenting class until my oldest son was 6 years old." - M

 

"My fellow parents in class felt like life boat companions and the trust and openness we all brought to every session was pretty awesome." - C

 

"My relationship to my daughter immediately felt healthier than it had after a stressful time; parenting became fun again." - K

 

"If you are looking for ideas on getting kids to engage more, for you to yell less, to feel less like you don't know what to do in certain situations and for everyone to be happier, go." - C

 

"We have a happier home life because we can all understand each other better and figure out how to solve our problems." - M

 

Mary Lynn was always encouraging, allowing us to celebrate better communication while recognizing that we won't be perfect every time. - J

 

I get a great group of people in PD class, and we have a lot of fun.

 

Come join us,

Mary Lynn Fiske

Positive Discipline Parent Educator

 

Food Pantry 

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

 

On Thursday, February 11th, our pantry served 89 clients with the help of 7 volunteers.

 

We will maintain the bins on the church steps to support the food insecure and the homeless population who have benefitted from the offering. If you need food, please help yourself. If you have food to share, thank you for dropping off. Please contact the church office to inquire about volunteering. PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE UNSCHEDULED as we must manage the number of personel on site.

 

 

Can't make it to the First Church Brooklyn? Text FOOD to 877-877. No questions asked, food for kids. Use your zip code to see if there is food available in your area.

 

 

Worship service video is 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.

 

If you have access to a screen of any size, try our Video LIVE Stream on firstchurchbrooklyn.org/watch-listen/ and our Facebook page.

 

Want to hear a Sermon again? We have a podcast of Sermon audio! Click the "Sermon Podcast" icon, below, to subscribe.

 

We're Social: Like us. Follow us. See us. Hear us. Watch us.

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Sermon Podcast      

 

Covid 19 Resources

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

 


NY City: vaccinefinder.nyc.gov
Mt. Sinai: www.mountsinai.org/about/covid19/vaccine-information/schedule
NY State: am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/

 

NJ: Vaccine Website: covidvaccine.nj.gov
NJ Hackensack: www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19/hmh-covid-vaccine-first-responders/

 

PA: For those in the Lehigh Valley area there are currently two options: one through Lehigh Valley Health Network at LVHN.org/MyLVHN or by calling the St. Luke's Hospital central scheduling system at 484-526-1009. For those in Bucks County, PA we don't have info yet.
 

CT: portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccinations

 

Reminders and Looking Ahead

 

 

 

On Hiatus until February 21st

 

 

 

 

Men's Fellowship Book Discussion

 

FPC Men's Group enjoying a recent discussion via Zoom

 

First Church's Men's Group meets virtually each Wednesday morning from 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM to discuss what they are reading and, if time allows, solve as many of the world's problems as possible. We are currently discussing:

 

Humankind: A Hopeful History

by Rutger BregmanErica MooreElizabeth Manton

 

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Utopia for Realists comes "the riveting pick-me-up we all need right now" (People) which offers an "extraordinary" (Susan Cain) argument that humans thrive in a crisis and that our innate kindness and cooperation have been the greatest factors in our long-term success on the planet.

When we think the worst of people, it brings out the worst in our politics and economics. But if we believe in the reality of humanity's kindness and altruism, it will form the foundation for achieving true change in society, a case that Rutger Bregman makes convincingly with his signature wit, refreshing frankness, and memorable storytelling.

 

Contact Adam Wright if you would like to join our Wednesday morning discussion.

 

Prayer Requests

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (1 John 5:14 NIV)

Our world is changing daily, and yet we still believe in the power of prayer. We still desire to pray with and for our community. If you have a prayer request – a joy or a concern, please send your prayers to us at info@firstchurchbrooklyn.org. We will add prayers to our worship bulletin each week and keep your prayers in our hearts and on our lips for the week to come.

 

Wednesday "Flash" Text Devotionals

 

Sometimes the weeks are long, right? Our Wednesday morning "flash" text devotional is meant to help give you a boost in the middle of the week. Simply Text the word DEVOTIONAL to 66599 to sign up. Every Wednesday, a super-short, thought-provoking piece will be texted to you - written by a different First Church member each week!

 

A history of the devotionals can be found here, Twitter and Facebook.

A full calendar of church events can be found on the church website.

 

This week's eNewsletter was edited by Christina Adorno.

 

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 Church Brooklyn's website.

 

Appointments with Ministry Staff may be arranged by calling the Church at 718-624-3770, or via email.

 

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