| | | A Womans Weeps for Palestine |
Dear First Church Brooklyn Family, My heart is joined with everyone grieving the unspeakable losses we've witnessed in that sacred strip of land between the river and the sea. The question of Palestine has been one of the core issues of my life, and I could write reams about my thoughts on recent events, but all that may be a story for another time. I'm feeling a lot these days, and I'm sure you are too. Let's be present to one another this Sunday. Let's hold one another in care and in deep regard for our respective stories and emotional locations. Jenny Gage will be preaching, the choir will be singing, and the Spirit will be healing. Come as you are! Minister Conor Foley |
| Please be advised, the DOT has announced they are closing lanes of the BQE (Brooklyn Queens Expressway) this weekend for repairs. The Queens-bound BQE will be fully closed from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street from Saturday, Oct. 14 at 2 a.m. to Monday, Oct. 16 at 4 a.m. The NYC DOT says during the same timeframe, the Staten Island-bound BQE will be reduced to one lane of traffic between Sands Street and Atlantic Avenue. We are encouraging all congregants to use alternative routes to atttend Sunday Service. |
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| | | NOTE: You can find the Bulletin for Sunday's worship online here. 9:00 AM Choir Warm-Up and Rehearsal in the Sanctuary 9:30 - 10:30 AM Power Hour Adult Christian Education and Discussion via Zoom 11:00 AM Worship Service Elder Jenny Gage, preaching Sermon Title: Whose Do You Think You Are? Text: Psalm 8: 1-4; Matthew 25: 14-30 Queerly Beloved Fellowship Front of the Sanctuary immediately after service Wednesday, October 18th 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Men's Fellowship for more information contact Dave Ehlke 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Needlework Group for more information contact the church office
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Homeless Street Ministry Peace Garden 7:00 PM Night Prayer Sanctuary 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Queerly Beloved Bible Study in the Gym or via Zoom Thursday, October 19th 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Food Pantry For information on how to volunteer contact
the church office. Friday, October 20th 6:30 PM Women's Potluck Elliot Room Bring something to eat or drink to share with the group |
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| | First Meeting will be Friday, October 20th 
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| Identify. Understand. Respond. 
Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches
participants about mental health and substance-use issues. 
Join us Saturday, November 18th, from 9:00 Am to 5:00 PM at First Church Brooklyn. We will be meeting in the Elliot Room. Light breakfast and lunch will be provided for all those that attend. This training is open to all congregants of First Church Brooklyn and it's partners. To register, please scan or click the QR code. For more information or if you have any questions, please email the church office. |
| Hearing Help We have a wireless headphone listening system available for anyone who is hearing impaired. For more information please see any tech operator for assistance. |
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Come be a part of the inspiring Sunday Worship and Fellowship by volunteering to be a greeter, usher, reader, host of fellowship hour!!! We need people to share the richness and grace of this community each week and demonstrate the radical love that is First Church Brooklyn. Please join us by following the QR, link or signing up on bulletin board in narthex of the church. |
| The next meeting of the Finance Committee will be on Tuesday October 10 from 6:30-7:30 PM via Zoom |
| Join Queerly Beloved in this screening and discussion about the documentary, The Stroll. It examines the history of New York's Meatpacking District told from the point of view of transgender sex workers who lived and worked there. They recount the violence, policing, and gentrification that lead to a movement for transgender rights. It will be on Friday, October 27th at 7pm in the Sanctuary. All are welcome!! |
| Last Week At First Church Brooklyn |
| Session Digests 2023 Dear Friends, We invite you to check out a summary of the most recent Session meetings for your reference and information. Please let us know if you have any questions, we are grateful for your interest and support. Thank you for being a part of the First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn community. Current Ruling Elders: Jon Abernethy Diana Lee Patrick Tirino Christina Adorno Dimitri Moise Joyce Waller Nate Dudley Zayn Silva Jenny Gage Terrance Stroud Diane Greene Sarah Wyss David Jones Emily Thomas Dr. Clive Neil - Moderator Elder Barbara Cummings - Clerk |
| Listening Sessions Report |
| To The General Cabinet and Presbytery: Managing Transitions is a book by William Bridges that addresses change in organizations and ways to manage during times of transition. Congregations and presbyteries use this book and many others to determine how and when to address the needs of an organization or system. The Presbytery of New York City is in transition following staff reduction, retirement of a former Executive Presbyter, calling a Transitional Presbyter, who is in consultation with committees, leaders, pastors, and others about the future of the Presbytery. The denomination as a whole is in transition, including congregations, presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly. One can generalize even further to say that all of life is a transition—that is, moving from one stage in life and ministry to another. Transitions allow for deep self-examination, systemic practices that may need change, structural dynamics that require adjustment, and strategies that will result in a stronger, more vital system that empowers everyone. The Presbytery of New York City contracted with In Belonging to conduct listening sessions. PNYC Listens accepted the task to distribute and recruit participants into listening sessions. One purpose was to determine with honest transparency who we are and how we feel about ourselves, i.e., to assess current feelings and meaningful histories perceived by the PBYNYC membership. Another purpose of the listening sessions was to discover our commonalities and differences, including how we determine the width and depth of who we are in the phase of life in our Presbytery. Two hundred people throughout the Presbytery were contacted to participate in the two-step process for the Listening Sessions. 132 completed the first part of the form for participation, and 85 completed the first and second parts, which provided for their participation. 85 participants provided feedback for the composition of the report. The original intent was to conduct listening sessions that would provide ways to see our commonalities, uncover differences, and to prepare for future planning. In addition, we wanted the report to only be shared with the senior leadership of the Presbytery (General Cabinet, staff, and commission/committee chairs & co-chairs). However, the Executive Team for the Listening Sessions determined that transparency for all of the Presbytery is important. We believe that the Presbytery membership deserves transparency, honesty, and integrity. The Presbytery will participate in an upcoming "Feedback" Session. This session will allow participants to share feedback with the Rev. Dr. Molly Casteel, any of her partner consultants, and all who can be available. Please read the report, and we ask that moderators and clerks of sessions share it with members of your congregations. Lastly, we ask that you be prepared to provide feedback, and prayerfully reflect upon the way forward for the Presbytery of New York City as we transition into the future God has planned for all of us. In Christ's Service, Rev. Mary Newbern-Williams Rev. Molly Casteel Rev. Dr. Eric A. Thomas Elder Warren McNeill Elder Yzette Swavy-Lipton Elder James Tse Click Here to Read the Listening Sessions Report Visit Our Website |
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Greetings Clerk of Sessions and Presbytery of New York City Congregations, The Committee on Nominations hopes this correspondence finds you in the best of God's health and grace. It is the time of year when the Committee on Nominations reaches out to identify new presbyters to serve on the many committees and commissions of the Presbytery of New York City. In an effort to identify individuals interested in serving, we ask that you share this correspondence with your congregations announcing our recruitment effort. Members of our local congregations are invited to self nominate or nominate someone else from your church. Most committees and commissions require the member to be an ordained Teaching or Ruling Elder, whether currently serving on Session or not. However, not all of the committees or commissions require the nominee to be a ruling elder, therefore Deacons and Lay members are also encouraged to self nominate or be nominated to serve. Below are links to the nomination form and to the contact information forms for a Teaching Elder and a Ruling Elder to be completed and submitted to the Committee on Nominations via email to etoodles@aol.com. Listed below are the Committees and Commissions members may be interested to serve on. - Commission on Ministry
- Commission on Preparation for Ministry
- Committee on Preparation for Lay Ministry
- Committee on Congregational Ministry & Nurture
- General Cabinet/At-Large
- Justice Ministries Committee
- Permanent Judicial Commission
- Committee on Session Records Review
- Committee on Standing Rules and Overtures
- Commission on Mission, Budget & Corporate Responsibility [Board of Trustees]
- Holmes Camp Board
- Synod Commissioners
We thank you for your assistance and look forward to hearing from you; and welcoming new presbyters to join as we work to build God's Kingdom through service of the Presbytery of New York City. "God Is Able" Elder Renee Stout Rev. Eric C Toodles Co-Chairs, Committee on Nominations (CON) Nomination form Teaching Elder Contact Information Form Ruling Elder Contact Information Form 475 Riverside Drive Suite 1270 New York, NY 10115 (212) 870-2221 info@nycpresbytery.org |
| Looking for Food and Fellowship Volunteers First Church Brooklyn serves a Sunday fellowship lunch once a month at the Church of the Gethsemane, our sister Presbyterian church in Park Slope, Brooklyn, whose members are mostly formerly incarcerated. First Church volunteers prepare a meal, either at home or at the church's kitchen, attend worship at 11:00AM, and serve lunch after service to approximately 15-20 congregants. It's a wonderful opportunity to make good food and even better friends. We are looking for volunteers for October and November, on whatever Sunday works for you. Please contact Marta Nelson if you have questions or would like to volunteer. |
| White Rose Ministry (Cuban partnership) Announcements 
The First Church Brooklyn White Rose Ministry (WRM) is beginning to plan an 8- to 10-day trip to Cuba during mid- to late-May 2024. We are expecting to fly from NYC into Santiago de Cuba, on the Eastern End of the island nation, where we will visit a couple community-based groups managing a range of initiatives we have helped to fund over the years, then travel to Havana for a few days to visit the congregation of La Fernanda Reformed Presbyterian Church, our Sister Church. Cost to participate will be roughly $3000, which will include airfare from NYC to Cuba, lodgings, in-country transport, and some meals.
A deposit will be required by December, with full payment by February as the paperwork process to complete Visa applications takes roughly 3 months. For more information, please contact either Patrick Dail (mobile: 347-880-1530, email: LPatrickDail@gmail.com) or Rich Greene (mobile: 917-488-2391, email: rtgreene2@gmail.com). Please consider joining us for the adventure!! Vamos a divertirnos mucho y aprender mucho!! |
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The First Church Brooklyn White Rose Ministry (WRM) our relationship with our Sister Church in Havana, Cuba, the La Fernanda Reformed Presbyterian Church, as well as a couple non-profit organizations involved in sustainable agriculture and a weekly hot meal program for senior citizens. the group will conduct it's Oct monthly planning mtg on Wed, Oct 11, starting at 7pm via Zoom. If you would like to join us to discuss WRM programming, please reach out to Patrick Dail (mobile: 347-880-1530, email: LPatrickDail@gmail.com) for the Zoom link or more details about the group. |
| Food Pantry  Serving Thursday, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM On Thursday, October 12th, our pantry served 160 clients with the help of 15 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 8:00 and 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 |
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A new Bible study every Wednesday Starting Oct. 4th -Nov. 15th from 8:00 - 9:00 PM What does the Bible really say about gender and sexuality? We'll read the so-called 'clobber passages' together, towards an historically and theologically critical understanding of their meanings, alongside biblical texts that open up space for queer and trans resistance and existence. The study will be hybrid, meeting in the gym and on Zoom. |
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Join us in the Peace Garden to team up and launch out into the streets for community building with our homeless neighbors! We'll invite those we meet to dinner, hand out hygiene supplies, and build relationships of mutual support. |
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Youthful Fellowship Last Session will be Oct. 26 from 7:00-9:00 PM at the Manse 20s and 30s are invited to gather food and fellowship, engaging in discussion, playing games, watching films, going on outings, building community around kindness and care. Come on over! |
|  Men's Fellowship Book Discussion
The Men's group normally meets for breakfast and book discussion Wednesdays at 8:00 AM. Please contact Dave Ehlke if you have any questions. We are currently reading and discussing: King: A Life by Jonathan Eig 
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A Washington Post and National Indie Bestseller An Obama Summer Reading List Pick Hailed by the New York Times as "the new definitive biography," King mixes revelatory new research with accessible storytelling to offer an MLK for our times. Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig's King: A Life is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.—and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family's origins as well as MLK's complex relationships with his wife, father, and fellow activists. King reveals a minister wrestling with his own human frailties and dark moods, a citizen hunted by his own government, and a man determined to fight for justice even if it proved to be a fight to the death. As he follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father—as well as the nation's most mourned martyr. In this landmark biography, Eig gives us an MLK for our times: a deep thinker, a brilliant strategist, and a committed radical who led one of history's greatest movements, and whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime. |
| Queerly Beloved Fellowship Whether to identify on queer spectrum or an ally…all are welcome to build a community of radical inclusion and love every 3rd Sunday of the month. Please gather at the front of the sanctuary right after service. |
| Church Wide Potluck Fellowship Hour Bring your favorite dish to share with the community every second Sunday of the month. Not only can we share delicious and loving crafted delights but create heart-warming memories with each other. Please bring the recipe so we can create a First Church Cookbook in the near future. |
| STAY CONNECTED TO THE PRESBYTERY OF NEW YORK CITY First Church Brooklyn Community: Stay connected with the latest news and opportunities in and around the presbytery by subscribing to Happenings In & Around the Presbytery, the Presbytery's electronic newsletter. Stay updated and apprised of Presbyterian events, resources, grants, and opportunities. Church members can fill out the contact information form so that their email addresses can be added to the subscribers list. Click here for the Contact Information Form. Once completed return the form to the presbytery office or email it to Yzette Swavy-Lipton. |
| 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. |
| 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, 10:00 AM from July 4th through Labor Day weekend. If you have access to a screen of any size, try our Video LIVE Stream on our website and our Facebook page. |
| We're Social: Like us. Follow us. See us. Hear us. Watch us.    
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| Wednesday "Flash" Text Devotionals 
Sometimes the weeks are long, right? Our Wednesday morning "flash" text devotional is a piece of inspiration or scripture meant to help give you a boost in the middle of the week. The ministry is about to enter its 5th year since being founded by a past Associate Pastor. To sign up, simply scan the QR code at the right or text the word DEVOTIONAL to 718-689-6171 to sign up. This number is private to First Church for this ministry and your information will not be sold or distributed in any way. |
| A full calendar of church events can be found on the church website. |
| This week's eNewsletter was edited and photos provided 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. Flower Donations: We welcome flower donations of $75 or more in memory or in honor of friends and loved ones. Please contact Annie Solages in the Church office via email. Appointments with Ministry: Staff may be arranged by calling the Church at 718-624-3770, or via email. |
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