Friday, September 13, 2024

First Church Brooklyn eNewsletter - September 13th, 2024

 

September 6, 2024

 

 

 

Fruit of the Spirit - Generosity

 

 

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You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity,

which will produce thanksgiving to God through us. (2 Corinthians 9.11)

 

The Apostle Paul was traveling among his many churches, making appeals for an offering to help the very poor churches in Jerusalem who had been persecuted by the Romans. Generosity is one of those qualities of personality that not only makes a difference for others but redounds to those who are being generous. The giver is as enriched as the receiver.

 

Such is true for many fruits of the spirit- the one who loves is loved; the one who practices kindness receives the same; and the one who grants peace lives with the same. And the result of all this, in the church at least, is thanksgiving to God, who is and has been the model of generosity for us. 

 

When we give, we can do so with thanks that we are able to give, that we want to give, that we care to give, that we can look beyond ourselves and see the needs around us. And with God, we see that giving is not dutiful nor how little God can give, but God's giving is beyond what is expected, it is sacrificial, and it is joyful.  

 

We all need to give. We all need to give something if we are to understand what has been given to us, if we are to be thankful to God. And then we are challenged to be generous in our giving, a blessing to both us and to the receiver, and a path to growing thankfulness for who God has been, is being, and will be forever. 

 

 

Interim Pastor,

  

 

 

Watch the Sunday Livestream

Join us on Social Media

The Coming Week

 

Sunday, September 15th 

 

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 AM - 10:30 AM

Power Hour

Adult Christian Education and Discussion
via Zoom and in-Person in the Elliot Room.

 

REGULAR WORSHIP HOURS BEGIN

 

11:00 AM

Worship Service

Rev. Sarah McCaslin, preaching

Title: The Power of a Word
Text: Isaiah 50:4-9; James 3: 1-12

 

 

 

Worship with us in person, our website, or on our Facebook Page.

 

After Service

Fellowship Potluck

Bring a dish to share!

 

 

Wednesday, September 18th
 

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Men's Fellowship

for more information contact Dave Ehlke


6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Homeless Street Ministry

Peace Garden

 

 

Thursday, September 19th

 

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Food Pantry

For information on how to volunteer contact
the church office.

 

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Youthful Fellowship

In the Manse

For more information please contact the church office

 

Know Before You Go

 

 

 

 

Power Hour returns this Sunday at 9:45 am. The group will be studying the book of Philippians.

 

Join them at 9:45 am in person in the Thurman Room and/or on Zoom.

 

 

 
10th History Video
 
Our 10th and final history video is seeking the participation of anyone in our congregation who wishes to share in our church's journey of faith.  If you'd like to participate by doing a 10 minute interview, please email Erik Brogger and Mary Robinson to set up a weeknight time for a remote interview or a Sunday afternoon after the service time for an in-person interview.  Please put "FPC interview" as the subject heading, give us a few dates and times that would work for you, and we'll get back to you to set it up. 
 
Please note that we are holding in-person interviews after church on several Sundays in September. 
 
Here are the questions to consider––please select any two of them:
 
1. What drew you to First Church Brooklyn and what keeps you here?
 
2. What specific incident during your time at First Church Brooklyn would you like to share?
 
3. Was there a specific event or time in New York, the U.S., or the world during which First Church Brooklyn made a personal impact on you?
 
4. What do you think is the most important challenge that First Church Brooklyn faces now?
 
5. If you could speak to the people at First Church Brooklyn 100 years from now, what would you say? 
 
We look forward to hearing your thoughts!

 

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.

 

Session Updates

Session Digests 2024

 

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

Dimitri Moise            Joyce Waller               Emily Thomas

Nate Dudley               Zayn Silva                   Sarah Wyss 

Jenny Gage                Terrance Stroud          Gladys McNish

Lynn Schnarr                Richard Greene          Kevin Bentley  

 

 

Interim Pastor Danila Noble - Moderator

Elder Barbara Cummings - Clerk

Social Action Committee

 

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 September and October, on whatever Sunday works for you.

 

Please contact Marta Nelson if you have questions or would like to volunteer.

 

Food Pantry 

Serving Thursday, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

 

 

On Thursday, September 12th, our pantry served

148 clients with the help of 9 wonderful volunteers.

 

 

According to the 2023 edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, representing an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019.

 

 

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.

 

Congregation and Community News

 

 

 

20s and 30s are invited to gather for 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


 

 

The Men's group will restart their Breakfast schedule at the Park Plaza diner this next Wednesday, Sept 11 at 8AM.

 

At this meeting we will be discussing and selecting the next book we will be reading.. All men in the church are welcome, even if you do not read the book, we discuss each week.

Contact Dave Ehlke at dave.ehlke@gmail.com if you have any questions.

 

 

 
Whether you identify on the queer spectrum or as 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.

 


 

Bring your favorite dish to share with the community every 2nd 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 Brooklyn 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 connected 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.

 

      

 

    

Wednesday "Flash" Devotionals, now in video format!

 

Signup for our Wednesday morning devotional and receive a link to a short video message from our staff to give you a boost in the middle of the week.

 

To sign up, simply scan the QR code at the right or text the word DEVOTIONAL to 718-689-6171. 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 by Zayn Silva.

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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