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| Isaiah 2 Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war. Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." When I think back to the days of the first disciples and apostles of Jesus, I wonder what it was like to be among the first to believe in Jesus and to face a world that did not. How did they keep going, keep believing, keep hoping? How did they "run with perseverance the race that is set before us?" (Hebrews 12.1) They knew the scriptures well, and no doubt, remembered passages like the one from Isaiah above- passages that pointed to a day when God's kingdom would come. It is a central Hebrew Bible theme that God is at work, working toward a time when all will be as it should be. Peace, mercy, grace, hope and love will abound. God's ways will be our ways. Those first disciples did not expect to find that day coming in their lifetime. Only when Jesus had come and gone did they realize the "kingdom of heaven was at hand." With Jesus, their hope was being realized. Their God, our God, was indeed at work in the world, coming to live among them and inaugurating a new reality. The greens shoots of a new world were beginning to show and they were emboldened to share and live the good news. Those pioneers of faith changed the world and paved the way for us to believe in our day, to share and live the good news in our own world. All of Jesus' disciples have faced a contrary world, yet we persevere, because God continues to lead the way. We ourselves can say, "the kingdom is at hand." God has lived among us and has sent God's Spirit to continue the journey. Do not be afraid, the scriptures say over and over again. Do not be afraid. Persevere! |
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Support for LGBT+ There are good reasons to be angry and afraid now as executive orders have been directed at you, and especially at transgender and gender non-conforming friends. I support you-- and I am available to talk by phone or in person. Don't agonize alone. We will do better together. Interim Pastor Danila Noble danila.noble@firstchurchbrooklyn.org |
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Stewardship 2025 The Stewardship Committee extends its heartfelt gratitude to all who pledged to support the church in 2025. We are pleased to announce that we have reached our Goal thanks to you. Peace and blessings, Stewardship Committee |
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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 10:00 AM Power Hour Adult Christian Education and Discussion on Zoom and in person at First Church 11:00 AM Sunday Worship Pastor Noble, preaching Title: "In Between" Scripture: Psalm 138; Luke 5.1-11 After Worship Fellowship Potluck/ Valentine Making
hosted by the Youth
Bring a dish to share! Tamale Sale and Pick Up during Fellowship Hour in the Elliott Room 12:45 PM Who is Howard Thurman? Discussion and two videos in the Thurman Room 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM Super Bowl Party! in the FPC Gym for more information email kmlucid@gmail.com Worship with us in person, our website, or on our Facebook Page. Wednesday, February 12th 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 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM Becoming Peacemakers on Zoom Thursday, February 13th 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM |
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| Black History Month February Event February 9 following Worship Who is Howard Thurman? 
He was a preacher and professor of great impact in the world at large and in our very own church as well. Since his life has been so interwoven in our church's mission of diversity and inclusion, you are invited to learn about him and his background and his faith on the next few Sundays. Next Sunday, February 9, at 12:45 p.m. in the Thurman Room, we will watch two ten-minute videos of and about Howard Thurman. Then we will have some time to discuss what we've heard and how his thoughts and beliefs relate to us and our ministry. |
| This Sunday! Hosted by our Youth 
Bring your favorite dish to share with the community every 2nd Sunday of the month. This week's Fellowship Hour will be hosted by our Youth. There will also be a valentine making craft event. Supplies will be provided and all are welcome to participate! |
| Superbowl 2025 Party! Sunday Feb 9th, 6-10pm. 
Join us in the FPC gym for fellowship, food, and football! FOOD: Chinese cuisine will be served to honor "Year of the Snake" DONATION: Attendees are asked to drop some bucks in the hat (optional) to offset the cost of food and refreshments. Email Katy Lucid at kmlucid@gmail.com with any questions. |
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The Power Hour are currently reading and discussing Howard Thurman's Jesus and the Disinherited, at 10:00 AM on Zoom and in person in one of the ground floor classrooms at First Church. |
| 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. |
| Super Bowl Sunday Tamale Sale Benefiting the Eastern Farm Workers Association's Winter Survival Campaign 
YOU CAN GET YOUR FRIENDS, RELATIVES, NEIGHBORS AND CO-WORKERS TO JOIN OUR WINNING TEAM!!! EASTERN FARM WORKERS ASSOCIATION (EFWA) is an all-volunteer unincorporated membership association of farm workers and other low-income workers in Suffolk County. Every winter our members face an untenable "choice" of whether to heat their homes or feed their children. For others it's a "choice" between paying the rent or seeing a doctor. EFWA members help each other meet some of our daily survival needs through EFWA's year-round membership benefit program while we fight to end government policies that have led to job losses, poverty wages, home foreclosures, utility shutoffs and denial of health care. Join us in organizing our annual Winter Survival Campaign distributions of supplemental food, blankets, heaters, warm winter clothing and our "Operation Winter Watch" program to reach elderly and shut-in members and help stop the winter death toll. To place an order, please click the link here. Print out the form and bring to First Church Brooklyn. The last day to place an order for tamale's will be Monday, February 3rd. To maintain the health of our volunteers and safe preparation of the food, volunteers will wear masks and will test before participating. Test kits will be available onsite as needed. EASTERN FARM WORKERS ASSOCIATION 58 Beaver Dam Road, Bellport, NY 11713 (631) 286-8004 By choice and necessity your financial gifts to EFWA are not and never have been tax deductible. For that reason, your donations are doubly appreciated! |
| Looking for Food and Fellowship Volunteers First Church Brooklyn serves a Sunday fellowship lunch once each 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 February and March, 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, February 6, our pantry served 77 clients with the help of 13 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. |
| Coming Sunday, February 16 
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| Congregation and Community News |
| Men's Fellowship
The Men's fellowship group meets weekly for breakfast and discussion at the Park Plaza diner (220 Cadman Plaza West, Brooklyn Heights) - Wednesday at 8:00 AM. The Men's fellowship is reading "The Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler. Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Octavia E. Butler paints a stunning portrait of an all-too-believable near future. As with Kindred and her other critically-acclaimed novels, Parable of the Sower skillfully combines startling visionary and socially realistic concepts. 
God is change. That is the central truth of the Earthseed movement, whose unlikely prophet is 18-year-old Lauren Olamina. The young woman's diary entries tell the story of her life amid a violent 21st-century hell of walled neighborhoods and drug-crazed pyromaniacs - and reveal her evolving Earthseed philosophy. Against a backdrop of horror emerges a message of hope: if we are willing to embrace divine change, we will survive to fulfill our destiny among the stars. For her elegant, literate works of science fiction, Octavia E. Butler has been compared to Toni Morrison and Ursula K. LeGuin. All men in the church are welcome, even if you have not read or viewed the selection we discuss each week. Contact Dave Ehlke at dave.ehlke@gmail.com if you have any questions. |
| Sunday, February 16 
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. |
| Next meeting, February 20th! 
20s and 30s Group Young adults gather for community-building through food, fellowship, and fun activities. Email conor.foley@firstchurchbrooklyn.org for more details! |
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The Needlework Group The Needlework Group is meeting the first Wednesday and third Friday of each month in the Elliott Room. Our monthly potluck is on the third Friday after the meeting at 6:30PM. Next Potluck is on Friday, February 21 |
| 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. 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.    
  
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| Wednesday "Minute Message" video! 
Signup for our Wednesday morning devotional and receive a link to a short video message from our staff or an inspirational bible verse or quote to meditate on. Give yourself 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 Chi Ling Moy. |
| 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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