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Greetings First Church Family and Friends,
Today is my birthday, but you are getting the gift! One of my favorite preachers on the planet will be in the pulpit this Sunday thanks to a generous donation from a member of our community. You are in for a treat! Bring your notebook and get ready to be blown away when Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems proclaims the word this Sunday morning at 10:00 AM.
You are loved,
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Pastor Adriene begins her rest and renewal leave on August 23rd and will be back in the pulpit September 19th. Please contact the church office with any URGENT needs.
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Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems, PhD
Reverend Dr. Renita J. Weems is a distinguished biblical scholar, author, academic administrator, public intellectual, and ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (1984). Her esteemed and insightful publications, commentaries, and articles on modern faith, race and religion, and womanism and faith make her a widely sought-after inspirational speaker and academic lecturer. Reverend Weems was the first African American woman to give Yale University’s prestigious Beecher Lectures (2008).
She is the author of several critically acclaimed books. Among these are: “Just A Sister Away” (1987 & 2005), “I Asked for Intimacy” (1993), “Showing Mary: How Women Can Share Prayers, Wisdom, and the Blessings of God” (2003), and “What Matters Most: Ten Passionate Lessons from the Song of Solomon” (2004). “Listening for God: A Minister’s Journey Through Silence and Doubt” (Simon & Schuster) won the Religious Communicators’ Council’s prestigious 1999 Wilbur Award for “excellence in communicating spiritual values to the secular media”. Her beautifully crafted and compelling words invite and strengthen audiences to explore their hopes and fears, call upon women to support and empower one another, and show them pathways to do so.
Reverend Dr. Renita J. Weems received her Ph.D. from Princeton Seminary in 1989 and was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate in Old Testament Studies. Dr. Weems has taught at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Spelman College, and has served as Academic Dean at American Baptist College in Nashville, TN. She received her M.Div. from Princeton Seminary and her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College. Born and reared in Atlanta, GA and ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. Dr. Weems currently resides in Nashville, TN serving in ministry alongside her husband, Rev. Martin Espinosa, at Ray of Hope Community Church.
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On August 14th, 2021 the people of Ayiti/Haiti experienced another devastating earthquake that has left more than 1,200 dead and hundreds of thousands injured. The people of Ayiti deserve not only our prayers and love, but our solidarity. Instead, we are witnessing what we have seen many times before, disaster capitalists and proponents of US imperialism swarming, prioritizing the consolidation of profit and power over the needs of the people. The lack of action to defend Black Lives in Ayiti/Haiti is yet another reminder of why we say Black Lives Matter.
The solution? Solidarity in practice. Solidarity rooted in an understanding that now more than ever, Black people everywhere must show up for our relatives in Ayiti/Haiti. We have learned from survivors of man-made climate disasters here in the United States, that we must not only support the immediate needs of the Haitian people, we must also commit to their long term needs and their right to be self-determined.
Below is a list of trusted comrades and organizations either based in Ayiti or connected with Ayiti with deep roots and integrity. Please prioritize supporting these organizations instead of giving to organizations with a track record of harm (ex: Red Cross, Clinton Foundation, etc).
Give deeply and spread the word to support and amplify the lifesaving work of these organizations.
Donate DIRECTLY to Haitian Led Organizations:
U.S. Black Led Orgs in Solidarity Providing Support:
Other Orgs helping to move resources to local Haitian orgs:
Local Ayiti Orgs to Know, Follow, Support and Build with:
● Tet Kole Ti Peyizan Ayisyen / Head Together Small Producers of Haiti (Tet Kole)(donations via Grassroots International)
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Congregation and Community News
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Presbyterian Week of Action: August 23-29
This year’s theme is Shades of Oppression, Resistance, & Liberation.
The week's events and theme are crafted to bring attention and action to the plight of those suffering from differing forms of oppressive situations. The foci for the week will be:
Monday - International
Tuesday – Plight of Poverty
Wednesday- LGBTQIA Resilience
Thursday - Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women
Friday – AAPI Hate
Saturday – Black Lives Matter (in conjunction with Giving 828)
Sunday - Gun Violence/Mass Shootings
The goal this year is to be even more inclusive of the wider denomination in the planning process as well as the implementation. Events will be both virtual and potentially in person. The Week of Action has at its core the idea of being a visible arm of justice in our communities around the denomination as we stand on the foundations of both Matthew 25 and the Hands & Feet Initiative.
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Interfaith 9-11 Observance on the Promenade
The Brooklyn Heights Interfaith Clergy Association (BHICA) needs volunteers to staff a table on the Promenade, at the end of Montague St. We will offer supplies (pens, card stock paper, tie ribbons) to allow walkers to stop by during the day (8:30 AM - 7 PM) and leave a written prayer or message tied to the fence. This has been a popular offering in recent years.
We need two volunteers per 30-minute shifts who can hand out supplies. Please sign up here if you can take a shift during the day on Saturday, September 11. The Interfaith Service will be at 7:15 PM.
Questions? Please contact the Rev. Erika Meyer at emeyer@gracebrooklyn.org.
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Free Summer Meals
This summer, any New Yorker can get free "grab & go" meals across the city Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- No registration, documentation, or ID is required to receive a free breakfast or lunch.
- Vegetarian meals are available at all locations.
- Kosher and Halal meals are available at select locations
- All meals are Grab and Go, which means they cannot be consumed on site.
- To find locations, dates, and times near you, visit schools.nyc.gov/summermeals. You can also get information on summer meals by calling 311 or texting “NYCMEALS” to 877-877 (text messaging and data rates may apply).
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Food Pantry
Serving Thursday, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
On Thursday, August 26th, our pantry served 148 clients with the help of 11 volunteers.
We are maintaining food bins and a community fridge at the church to provide round the clock support to the food insecure and unhoused. If you need food, please help yourself. If you have food to share, thank you for dropping off.
Volunteers are welcome to arrive on Thursdays between 9:00-11:00 am to serve in the pantry. No advanced notice required. Please contact the church office to inquire about volunteering. We look forward to serving with you.
Jane Woland
Pantry Coordinator
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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 10:00 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.
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To view the survey, please click the photo above or click here.
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Reminders and Looking Ahead
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Men's Fellowship Book Discussion
First Church's Men's Group meet in person every Wednesday morning from 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM. They gather at Park Plaza Diner, 220 Cadman Plaza West where they will discuss what they are reading and, if time allows, solve as many of the world's problems as possible. We are currently discussing:
Comedy Sex God by Pete Holmes
Part autobiography, part philosophical inquiry, and part spiritual quest, Comedy Sex God is a hilarious, profound, and enlightening romp around the fertile mind of stand-up stand-out, podcast king, and HBO superstar Pete Holmes.
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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.
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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.
A history of the devotionals can be found here, Twitter and Facebook.
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A full calendar of church events can be found on the church website.
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This week's eNewsletter was edited by Ben Cosgrove.
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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 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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