| | | Greetings First Church Brooklyn community, Our Nominating Committee is on their annual journey of inviting members to serve as ruling elders. What is a ruling elder? +A ruling elder is called and ordained to be attentive to the spiritual life of our church and the lives of our members. Because they also take on the tasks of deacons, they are further called and ordained to a ministry of compassion and outreach to our community and to the world. +Ruling elders are called to offer servant leadership to the congregation and pastor. To pray for the church, its members, and its leadership. To lead in church governance and oversight. To provide mutual nurture and care of the congregation and fellow elders. To connect with the people of the church. To grow in their ability to lead in worship and prayer. To serve communion. To count the offering. To preach as called and able. To tend to the spiritual welfare of the community. +The ruling elders of session collaborate with the teaching elder or pastor in visioning and implementing expanded directions for the church. What are the requirements for being a ruling elder? +If you are at least 18 years old and have been a member of the church for at least one year, you are eligible to serve as a ruling elder. How can I prepare to serve faithfully as a ruling elder? +It is not required, but it is helpful to serve on a committee to understand church governance. +Continue to deepen your relationship with God through daily bible study and prayer. Ruling elders are spiritual leaders. The PC(USA) puts out these resources to support ruling elders. Contact the church office to express an interest in serving. You are loved, |
| 
|
| Welcome Team Update The FPC Welcome Team has protocols in place to help keep any visitors and members who choose to worship with us in person safe. We hope that understanding these will help even more people feel comfortable making that decision, and will be providing these little updates weekly: - About 85 people attended worship in person this past Sunday, October 17.
- According to the CDC, a person infected with COVID-19 may be contagious up to three days before onset of symptoms and/or a positive test. Since everyone who attends church in person must attest to feeling well and having no known exposures to the disease, if we don't hear of any infections by the Wednesday following a Sunday service, we can feel comfortable that no transmission has taken place.
- Zero infections were reported this week (or any of the previous weeks) by anyone attending worship in person. Thanks be to God!
- This coming Sunday, October 24, the Welcome Team would like to resume offering Fellowship Hour in the Peace Garden following the service so that those comfortable doing so can hang out and enjoy a cup of coffee or a light snack together.
- Please contact Elder Jenny Gage (jennifer.gage@gmail.com) if you would be willing to help usher, register, or greet visitors and members as part of the Welcome Team, or if you would be willing to help with an upcoming Fellowship Hour. We really could use some more help!
|
|
| | | | Sunday, October 24th NOTE: You can find the Bulletin for Sunday's worship online here. 10:00 AM Power Hour Bible Study and Discussion Children's Choir In the Thurman and Elliott Rooms 10:30 AM Kid's Time in the Peace Garden 11:00 AM Worship Pastor Adriene preaching Men's Fellowship Book Discussion Discussion of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. Join us in person at Park Plaza Diner 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Parent Introduction Meeting For info contact Rebecca Stevens-Walter, Minister for Intergenerational Culture and Children, Youth & Families: rstevenswalter@firstchurchbrooklyn.org 7:00 PM Fall Bible Study With Hebrew Scholar Conor Foley Contact the church office for the Zoom link Thursday, October 28th 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Food Pantry For information on how to volunteer contact
the church office |
|
|
| | In-Person Worship Attendance |
| 
Due to the ongoing Covid concerns, we are encouraging all those who wish to worship in person in the sanctuary to please register here.
Pre-registration will help the Welcome Team with logistics and contact tracing If you are unable to pre-register, no worries! There will be greeters at the front door who will take your contact information for contact tracing purposes. If you are feeling under the weather, we ask that you stay home and worship online with us on our website or Facebook page. |
| 
Regardless of vaccination status, everyone entering the church building is required to wear a mask. Masks must completely cover the nose and mouth, and must remain in place throughout the worship service and/or while in the building. |
| Children Youth and Families |
| CYF Calendar Magnets still available Contact the church office to get yours today 
|
| Congregation and Community News |
|  |
|  Clark Street Station Elevator Work to begin Nov. 1
Subway service will bypass the station in both directions from Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021 until spring 2022 in order to replace all three existing elevators. Please use nearby stations, including the High Street  station located north three blocks and through a walkway to Cadman Plaza, or the Borough Hall-Court Street  subway complex, located two to three blocks south and one to two blocks east, on Montague Street between Clinton and Court Streets. From the Clark Street station, these alternative stations can be reached via the B25 bus. |
| 
2022 MISSION TRIP TO CUBA:
First Church's White Rose Ministry is in the early stages of planning a mission trip to Cuba during May of 2022. Needless to say, a number of conditions…both health-related and political…must be met before such a trip can take place. However, we are adamant and excited about extending support to our our brothers and sisters in Cuba through our presence.
Members of First Church who are interested in becoming part of the mission group should contact Rich Greene for additional information.
White Rose looks forward to hearing from you. |
| Food Pantry  Serving Thursday, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM On Thursday, October 21st, our pantry served 152 clients with the help of 8 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 |
| 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:
Zealot by Reza Aslan
Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher walked across the Galilee, gathering followers to establish what he called the "Kingdom of God." The revolutionary movement he launched was so threatening to the established order that he was executed as a state criminal. Within decades after his death, his followers would call him God. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth yields a fresh perspective on one of the greatest stories ever told even as it affirms the radical and transformative nature of Jesus' life and mission.
|
| 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. Please pray for Keiko DeLille and her family as they go through her mother Olive Lanthe DeLille's transition. Let us pray that her mother has a peaceful transition and that the family receives God's grace and support. |
| 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. |
| 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 full calendar of church events can be found on the church website. |
| This week's eNewsletter was edited by Ben Cosgrove. |
| Pre-Registration: Due to Covid concerns, the Welcome Team as asking congregants to pre-register their attendance for Sunday services. To register, click here. 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. |
|
| |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment