| | | Greetings First Church Brooklyn Community! How are you doing? This season brings a mix of so many emotions, so many highs and lows, so many happy and hard memories. How are you doing…really? We are busy planning a feast of worship for you to end this year and start the new one. Grab a big bucket because we have some delicious treats for you: - December 19th – Christmas pageant in worship at 11:00 am with carols on the steps afterwards
- December 24th – Christmas Eve worship at 7:00 pm
- December 26th – This Christmastide the Synod of the Northeast will provide a special Sunday after Christmas prerecorded worship service including our award-winning choir singing the Hallelujah Chorus! Join worship via our website or Facebook page at 11:00 am. The sanctuary will not open.
- January 2nd – This Christmastide we will gather in the multi access worship space to enjoy special music and other visual surprises to welcome in 2022 at 11:00 am. The sanctuary will not open.
- January 9th – Parish Associate, Rev. Sarah McCaslin is tentatively scheduled to preach and celebrate communion live from the sanctuary at 11:00 am.
- January 16th – I Dream a World - our sixth year celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr in partnership with our friends from the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue at 11:00 am.
May God bless each of us this season with time to refresh our souls as we recount the birth of the Christ child. We pray for everyone's sustenance and well-being during the Christmas season, and look forward to seeing you throughout the remainder of this year and into 2022. You are loved, |
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| Welcome Team Update The FPC Welcome Team has protocols in place to help keep anyone who chooses to worship with us in person safe. - Zero COVID infections have been reported by anyone following their in-person worship attendance this past week or any previous week dating back to the earliest stages of reopening in September. Thanks be to God!
- Save time this Sunday morning by registering in advance to attend in-person worship via the link on the church website or at register.fpc.org.
- Our valiant Welcome Team is dedicated not just to executing on public health protocols but to extending hospitality and (re)building community, both at the door and around the fellowship table. But we need help!! We have a daunting number of roles to fill between now and the end of the year. If you can help, please sign up here and a member of the team will be in touch with you about the specifics.
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| | | | Sunday, December 12th NOTE: You can find the Bulletin for Sunday's worship online here. 9:30 AM Power Hour Bible Study and Discussion 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Youth Choir On Zoom Email Victoria for log-in information vgoff@firstchurchbrooklyn.org 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Kid's Time In the Peace Garden Worship 11:00 AM Worship Rev. Thorne 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 Thursday, December 16th 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Food Pantry For information on how to volunteer contact
the church office 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM Youthful Fellowship Meeting ID: 859 7048 1392 |
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We are glad to report that 44 individuals and households have submitted an estimate of giving card bringing our total to $176,860. We thank you for your support. Help us reach our goal of $350,000 for our 2022 Budget. If you haven't submitted your 2022 Estimate of Giving. Please do so today! Pick up your green estimate of giving card from a pew pocket or in the Narthex, drop it in the offering lockboxes or mail it to the church office. You can also submit your card by going to www.firstchurchbrooklyn.org GIVE page. Email to info@firstchurchbrooklyn.org. Your gifts allow us to do the work of First Church. |
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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. |
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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 
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| White Rose Cuba Mission News - IFCO/Pastors for Peace just returned from taking 75 people, and almost 3 tons of medicine, to Cuba with their 31st Friendshipment Caravan. But, while they were there, the US government designated Cuba as a "Concern for lack of Religious Freedom", another way of tightening the Blockade. Because of the threat of economic sanctions on international banks, FPC (and the rest of the US religious community) have not been able to get mission funds to our sister churches in Cuba. Our Senior Meals program with La Fernanda is in jeopardy. Stay tuned for actions you can do to respond to these lies.
- A letter to President Biden about these punitive measures has been signed on by 101 members of the House of Representatives, including 10 from New York. Contact your own Rep to ask them to support this effort or thank them for signing. (Congressional switchboard 202-224-3121.) Contact Emily Thomas 347-262-6466 or Thomas@igc.org for more information and details, and a copy of the letter.
- Our own mission trip is being planned for May, 2022. Contact Richard and Diane Greene for more details: Rtgreene2@aol.com. And put May 7 on your calendar for the big fundraising party for our sister church projects in Cuba.
- At 11:00 on Saturday, Dec 11, there will be a zoom conversation about Liberation Theology in Cuba and in the US. Click this link to register or email for a link to the recording later.
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| "Christmas at LaFernanda" White Rose mission in Cuba 
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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 condition, 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, December 9th, our pantry served 105 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 |
| Congregation and Community News |
Christmas Poinsettias 
If you wish to provide a poinsettia to remember or honor your loved ones, please fill out the Christmas poinsettia form found in the bulletin and the narthex or email: info@firstchurchbrooklyn.org. Put your name, the amount you wish to give and the name of the person or persons you wish to remember or honor. Return to the church office
No Later Than Sunday December 19. |
| 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. |
|  Clark Street Station Elevator Work
Subway service will bypass the station in both directions 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. |
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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. We ask for prayer for our brethren who are incarcerated and their families. We ask for prayer for our partner, GETHESEMANE CHURCH ministers and congregants. Prayers for Jacob Ross who is presently incarcerated in North Carolina. |
| 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 Chistina Adorno. Photos provided by Keiko Dellile. |
| 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. |
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