| | Wilderness Hope Our Christian heritage includes many stories about the wilderness- where the Israelites wandered for 40 years, where Jesus was tempted by Satan, where Paul was traveling when Jesus appeared to him, and where Philip was traveling when encountering the eunuch, and many more. Living in today's world feels a bit like wandering in the wilderness- not knowing where we are exactly, not sure what might be around the next corner, feeling a bit anxious and maybe scared, and feeling alone. None of that brings any sense of security or future. So let's remember the Biblical wilderness events and how they so often were moments and places of new life and direction and hope because God used them. God fed the Israelites and gave them the ten commandments in their wilderness wandering. God sent angels to serve Jesus when he was tempted in the wilderness. Jesus appeared to Paul in the wilderness who became an evangelist for the first churches, and Philip baptized the eunuch alongside the wilderness road. Wilderness is often the most fertile territory where God is at work. Let's invite the Holy Spirit to meet us here and show us the way- a way that will lead to the new world God is creating. Prayer- God of Hope, come alongside us in these strange times. Be at work in the surprising ways you have been in the past. Give us hope and give us a vision for what you are creating that will bring us closer to you and your kingdom. Amen. |
Please consider praying for the people who left these concerns on our church's front fence in August: - I worry I won't lead a life I'm proud of and am letting down my younger self.
- I worry I will never be able to have a family with my husband.
- I worry that I'm broken and can never be fixed.
- I have severe OCD and I feel like it sabotages my ability to be happy.
- I am worried that I will never be truly at peace with myself.
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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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| | | NOTE: You can find the Bulletin for Sunday's worship online here. 9:45 AM New Member Class In the Narthex 10:00 AM Power Hour In the first floor Classroom behind the gym as well as on Zoom 11:00 AM Sunday Worship Pastor Danila Noble, preaching Wednesday, October 8th Men's Fellowship New location: Vineapple at 17 Pineapple St. For more information contact Dave Ehlke 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Homeless Street Ministry Peace Garden Thursday, October 9th 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM |
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| New Member Classes Curious about what it means to be a member of this church? What it means to be Presbyterian? If these are some of the questions to have and want to explore our spiritual journey with us, join Rev. Noble on 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, and 10/19. Please RSVP to info@firstchurchbrooklyn.org so we know to expect you. If you have any questions, please see Patrick Tirino and remember ALL are always welcome!! 
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The Power Hour September 28th 10:00 AM The Power Hour (Sunday morning adult book & bible study) has resumed on on Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM. 
Over the span of several weeks, our Bible Study will explore Dr. Elaine Pagels's new book "Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus." We will investigate how the mystery of Jesus' life is represented through the varying lenses of the Gospels and how a nascent movement managed to survive the confounding events of two thousand years ago. What resonances do we see in our own time? How were the miraculous events of the New Testament explained or rationalized by the ancient authors? How do we respond to certain uncomfortable assertions that hover over the miracles of the Virgin Birth of Jesus and His eventual death and resurrection? The stories of a time when the natural world spun into the supernatural (and then back again) were mediated by flawed men who became the original Gospel authors and were ascribed the names Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Their narratives are filled with visions and revisions and have been told and retold from the early church to the present. How do we, the "Gospel tellers" of First Church, see these stories, and how are we challenged to retell them today? We will be meeting in the little classroom behind the gym. Zoom: Meeting ID: 881 8197 2079 Passcode: 658878 |
| Pastor Nominating Committee Update Greetings First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn, My name is Terrance Blackman Stroud, and I have the honor and privilege of serving as the Chair of the Church-wide Nominating Committee. Our committee is pleased to provide you with the following Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) update. The goal of PNC is to work together to seek God's guidance in nominating a new Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn. Serving on this Committee is an opportunity to help shape the future and make history in this great Church. The PNC will be made up of nine members of our Church who will be elected by the Congregation at a meeting this Fall. This will include a maximum of two current members of Session. The PNC slate should also reflect the rich diversity of our Congregation. Members of PNC will operate in a confidential manner and exercise the utmost "due diligence" by, fact-checking the profiles, gathering information about prior employment, confirming the employment, educational, and other details of the resume—including, temperament, candor, discretion, energy, resilience, ability to manage across differences and manage through conflict. From a time commitment standpoint, it is anticipated that work on the PNC will involve a significant commitment of time, including frequent meetings and individual follow up work outside of meetings. There are two ways to be considered for nomination to the PNC. - A church member may suggest another's name to the Committee and the reasons for consideration.
- Self-nomination
Nomination Form for Pastor Nominating Committee 2025 First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn - Your Name:
- The Name of the Person you are suggesting be nominated:
- An essay of this person's involvement in the life of First Presbyterian Church.
- Why should they be considered and what could they contribute to the committee?
The submission deadline is October 5th. Please email your essay and or nomination to CWNC@firstchurchbrooklyn.org | |
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. |
Sunday, September 28, 2025 
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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 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, October 2, our pantry served 115 clients with the help of 13 volunteers and the YAI. 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 is required. Please contact the church office to inquire about volunteering. We look forward to serving with you. |
Congregation and Community News |
First Church Softball! 
Hey there! Are you interested in getting outside, connecting with community members, and maybe learning some new skills? You should join us for softball practice starting through the end of the month. We'll meet at Commodore Barry Park from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM on Sunday nights for fun, social, and energizing practices that might just turn us into a formidable team for a fall league! We will be continuing through October. If you'd like to know more, please fill out this form and we'll loop you in :) |
All Church Bible Study In person and online 7:30 p.m. Thurman Room and on zoom Tuesdays, October 14 and 28 Tuesdays, November 4, 11, and 18 "From Judgment to Hope" We will explore the writings of prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Zechariah and others in order to free our imaginations to consider alternatives to the stilted and lifeless thinking of our current society. How do these words of old come alive today and offer hope in these strange times? Zoom Info: Meeting ID: 869 1401 0464 Passcode: 853337 or click here |
First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn is a Matthew 25 Church The Communication and Marketing committee is proud to share our new "Ask me about Matthew 25" video. |
Men's Fellowship 
The men's group is now meeting at Vineapple restaurant at 71 Pineapple at 8:00 AM on Wednesday mornings. All men are welcome, whether you read the book or not. Our new book is Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism--and What Comes Next "A clear-eyed, compelling study of the road to Jan. 6 and the possible future of the politics-versus-religion battle in the U.S." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review Watching the eerie footage of the January 6 insurrection, Bradley Onishi wondered: If I hadn't left evangelicalism, would I have been there? The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, was not a blip or an aberration. It was the logical outcome of years of a White evangelical subculture's preparation for war. Religion scholar and former insider Bradley Onishi maps the origins of White Christian nationalism and traces its offshoots in Preparing for War. - Combining his own experiences in the youth groups and prayer meetings of the 1990s with an immersive look at the steady blending of White grievance politics with evangelicalism, Onishi crafts an engrossing account of the years-long campaign of White Christian nationalism that led to January 6.
- How did the rise of what Onishi calls the New Religious Right, between 1960 and 2015, give birth to violent White Christian nationalism during the Trump presidency and beyond?
- What propelled some of the most conservative religious communities in the country--communities of which Onishi was once a part--to ignite a cold civil war?
Through chapters on White supremacy and segregationist theologies, conspiracy theories, the Christian-school movement, purity culture, and the right-wing media ecosystem, Onishi pulls back the curtain on a subculture that birthed a movement and has taken a dangerous turn. In taut and unsparing prose, Onishi traces the migration of many White Christians to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in what is known as the American Redoubt. Learning the troubling history of the New Religious Right and the longings and logic of White Christian nationalism is deeply alarming. It is also critical for preserving the shape of our democracy for years to come. |
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 or our Facebook page. |
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Wednesday Morning Devotional message 
Signup for our Wednesday morning devotional and receive a verse of scripture, a song from worship, a short video message from our staff or an inspirational 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 Sarah Wyss; Photos provided by the tech team. |
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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