| | Joy Is Subversive Mary said of Jesus' birth," My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Paul said of his imprisonment, "Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my salvation." And Jesus said, when instructing the disciples to keep his commandments, "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Each of these people spoke about joy while they were under government domination. Their joy was a powerful force to resist the expectation to submit. We have joy because God's promise of love and mercy cannot be taken away, a love and mercy that entered the world as a baby. This season is a season of joy. We light the candle this Sunday to remind us of that. And it seems right to find as many opportunities as possible to be joyful, despite the world's brokenness, and share that joy with those who struggle for dignity and hope. Let's make joy to the world our motto and resist evil that cannot win. |
Please consider praying for the people who left these concerns on our church's front fence earlier this year: - 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. 10:00 AM Power Hour In the first floor classroom behind the gym and on Zoom, join here
11:00 AM Sunday Worship Rev. Danila Noble, preaching Men's Fellowship Grand Canyon restaurant located on Montague between Henry and Clinton For more information contact Dave Ehlke 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Homeless Street Ministry Peace Garden 7:30 PM Advent at Luke's House
Thurman Room and online. Thursday, December 18th 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Food Pantry For information, contact the church office Saturday, December 20th 11:00 AM Kundalini Yoga Clas |
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| Giving Always We give for joy and hope and thanks. Giving Sunday is this Sunday December 14. Annual gifts and pledges will be gathered and celebrated at 11:00 worship. Please join in the celebration! (info at - https://www.firstchurchbrooklyn.org/give/) |
Advent at Luke's House Amy Neuner & Interim Pastor Noble Leading Wednesday, December 10, 7:30 PM Thurman Room & online Join us in Luke's fully decorated home for the "gospel before the gospel," Luke's unique take on the Christmas story. Refreshments provided. Bring a photo of your home Christmas decorations. us02web.zoom.us/j/87262426375?pwd=xbHgAXakwzmL94ZUn2UeV903E9vKCc.1 |
The Power Hour (Sunday morning adult book & bible study) Sundays 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 |
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, December 7th, 2025  
 
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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: Jonathan Abernethy, Kevin Bentley, Erik Brogger, Jenny Gage, Richard Greene, Diana Lee, Gladys McNish, Dimitri Moise, Lynn Schnarr, Zayn Silva, Terrance Stroud, Emily Thomas, Patrick Tirino, Joyce Waller, Sarah Wyss Interim Pastor Danila Noble - Moderator Elder Barbara Cummings - Clerk |
Board of Deacon (BOD) 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 Board of Deacon (BOD) update.
The board of deacons will be comprised of 9 deacons nominated, elected, ordained,
and installed according to the Book of Order. The board of deacons will offer pastoral care to church members and the attendees which reflects the ministry of deacons as set forth in scripture as a ministry of compassion, witness, service, and sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for those in need or distress. We ask that nominees bemembers of the church that are able to make the time commitment that comes with being a deacon. The deacons would be assigned to 3 classes, two in each, and distributed over a three-year period so a class would be elected each year.
There are three ways to be considered for nomination to the BOD:
1. A church member may suggest another's name to the Committee and the reasons
for consideration.
2. Self-nomination
3. The nomination committee may identify candidates for the board of deacons.
First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn
1. Your Name:
2. The Name of the Person you are suggesting be nominated:
3. An essay of this person's involvement in the life of First Presbyterian Church.
4. Why should they be considered and what could they contribute to the committee? The submission deadline is December 21st. Please email your essay and or nomination to CWNC@firstchurchbrooklyn.org |
Cuba's Malpaso Dance Company Returns to New York! 
First Church's White Rose Ministry is reserving a block of tickets for this world-famous dance ensemble. They will appear at the Joyce Theatre in Manhattan and our tickets are for the Friday, February 13th performance. Proceeds will be utilized to support programs in Cuba that provide food and farming expertise to our brothers and sisters on the island. SAVE THE DATE…More Information to follow - what a wonderful Christmas gift! 
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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 December and January, 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, December 4th, our pantry served 110 clients with the help of 20 volunteers, including AHRC and 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 (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) 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. |
NYC Presbytery Social Action News Gothamist Article here: NYC Presbytery says let us raze UWS church, we'll invest about $30M in social justice |
Congregation and Community News |
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 reading "Giving Up is Unforgivable- A manual for keeping democracy" by Joyce Vance. For the past several years, Joyce Vance has signed off posts on her chart-topping Substack, "Civil Discourse", with these four words. In that time, she has guided readers through a continued erosion of democratic norms, the unprecedented felony conviction of an ex-president, and the constitutionally calamitous beginning to the second Trump administration. Here, Vance offers a blueprint for avoiding burnout and despair, and for strengthening our democratic muscle.
 Giving Up Is Unforgivable is a clarion call to action, putting our current crisis in historical context and sketching out a vision for where we go next. Vance's message is hopeful at its heart, even as it acknowledges the daunting challenges that lie ahead. She is the constitutional law professor you never knew you needed, explaining the legal context and the political history— and why the rule of the law still matters. At the same time, she empowers the reader to do something, both as individuals and collectively. Consider this the birth of a countermovement to Project 2025, a rallying cry for citizen engagement to combat the second Trump administration and save American democracy. |
YOGA every second Saturday December 13 11:00 AM By donation -- All proceeds benefit First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn Open to all -- No experience needed Register on Eventbrite HERE 
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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. |
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 Zayn Silva; photos provided by Amy Neuner and the Tech Team via YouTube. |
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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