Stranded: Foreign Students Weather the Flood at Brick

Remember the heavy downpour of April 15 that cancelled countless flights? Among the travelers stranded at Newark Airport was a group of 15 foreign students from the American Field Service (AFS) who had traveled from the Midwest and whose ongoing flights were cancelled. Their damp plight even caught the attention of a New York Times photographer.

Their leader had called Christy Lang months earlier with a few questions about New York. She pulled Christy’s name from deep in her memory, called 411, and soon was on the phone with Christy in search of shelter at the church.

Returning to the church that evening in the pouring rain, I saw Christy, who was arriving ahead of the group with armloads of blankets gathered from her home and Carole and Griff Foxley’s. I suggested that the group sleep in the 6th floor rooms by my office, which is complete with a bathroom and kitchen. By 11:00 p.m., the student group had arrived, smiling and thankful, and very, very wet. We ordered pizzas and made hot tea for them. They asked for permission to dry out their clothing on the stairwell railings, which were soon filled.

I was glad they could sleep in a safe, dry place, and prayed that God’s love would grow in their hearts from finding shelter and hospitality at The Brick Church. Their thank-you letters show that they have not forgotten their unplanned evening in New York.

—Georgia Meeter, Coordinator for Children’s and Youth Ministries

CCOC Grant Recipient:
Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter Serves the Homeless
The Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter (NCS) was founded 25 years ago by religious and community leaders on Manhattan’s Upper East Side to provide men and women with housing. The founders (which included The Brick Church) believed that homelessness is the responsibility of the entire community. NCS serves people who are chronically homeless, formerly homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. Twenty-five years ago, the homeless population consisted primarily of elderly single women; today, most clients are men who suffer from mental illness and/or addiction disorders. NCS has provided more than 25,000 people with food and clothing, counseling and treatment, shelter and employment, and in many cases, homes to call their own.

The Friday Night Dinner Program, hosted by both Brick Church youth and adults, is probably the most visible link between Brick Church and NCS. We have also had representatives on the Board of Directors for many years.

Last year the Capital Campaign Outreach Committee awarded NCS a $100,000 grant for its vocational program, OPTIONS. In the past year, 101 men and women participated in vocational assessments and counseling, computer classes, job-seekers workshops, internships at NCS and in the community to gain valuable work experience and job placement. Forty people secured employment.

Our grant is to provide staff to expand Emporium Online, a project within the OPTIONS program, beyond its pilot phase. Emporium Online Job Training is a 16-week structured job-training program focused on building skills in technology, administrative services and customer service fulfillment. Participants spend half of each day in computer instruction and employment workshops and the balance in on-the-job training, operating an Amazon zShop that sells donated new and gently used CDs, DVDs, books and videotapes. Emporium Online has a 94% completion rate with 81% vocational placement.

Busy Year at Stanley Isaacs For Brick Volunteers
Honored by the Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center in May, Brick Church volunteers spent an active year at the Center, from the cafeteria to discussion groups to the dance floor.

In late October, two days of volunteering in the cafeteria proved so successful that Stanley Isaacs Senior Center (SICS) asked us to provide helpers five days a week. We managed to do so despite early season viruses, The Brick Church Fair, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The goal was to have one- on-one conversations with SICS members, help carry and empty trays, get Brick Church members involved while getting to know each other better, and aid assigned staff members.

This work led to the Brick Church Enrichment Hour (2nd, 3rd, and sometimes 4th Wednesdays of every month). Highlights included:

• Elder Kent McKamy reading from A.J.Liebling
  Senior Pastor Michael Lindvall discussing The DaVinci Code
• Actor Tony Roberts bringing alive characters from Michael Lindvall’s Leaving North Haven and discussing his career
• Laila Al-Askari presenting on life under the sea
• Robert McCrie discussing “Crime in New York City, Yesterday and Today”
• Kent McKamy instructing Brick Church members on techniques for interviewing the seniors to create their “life stories”
• Margaret Batiuchok, ballroom dance instructor and national Swing Dance Champion, giving complimentary lessons

Additionally, youth from The Fireside Club made a Valentine’s Day banner and party favors as well as a festive banner for St. Patrick’s Day. Brick Church performers presented the children’s musical Daniel and the Lions’ Den on May 19.

14 Confirmands Join Church

On Sunday, May 6, 2007, fourteen eighth grade students were confirmed in their Christian faith in the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Rev. Christy Lang preached a sermon on Acts 11 entitled “Who’s In?” about confirmation and commissioning, and then a Service of Confirmation followed. This service reaffirms the baptismal covenant and therefore takes place next to the baptismal font and includes the baptismal prayer.

As each Confirmand knelt and was prayed for by one of the ministers, the clergy and sponsors laid hands on them as a sign of commissioning to service in the church. Those laying on hands were Elder David Wagener, Elder Helen Pennoyer, seminary student ministers Rick Bold, Emily Krause, and Rachel Pedersen, and the three clergy. After being prayed for, each Confirmand received an NRSV Study Bible from David Wagener and a Certificate of Confirmation from Helen Pennoyer.

The Confirmands celebrated with their family and friends afterward at a reception in their honor, where they received booklets that included their homework from the year and their statements on faith and membership. Below is a list of this year’s Confirmands, as well as the verses they were given by the church. They are now considered active members of The Brick Presbyterian Church, and we welcome their contributions and leadership in this community. Congratulations to all of this year’s Confirmands!

1st Person View: Confirmation
Confirmation classes were a great experience for me. At first, I worried whether I could do the homework. I also worried whether I would get the right answer if the teacher called on me. Even though I had been to Sunday school classes in the past, I did not know a whole lot about the Bible. What if I said something stupid? As it turned out, the teachers made me feel really comfortable. They taught us a lot of interesting things about our religion and the Bible that I didn’t know. The homework was sometimes hard, but soon I realized that there wasn’t always just one correct answer to a question.

My favorite activity was community service work. I enjoyed participating in the Friday Night Dinner Program. It made me feel good that I was helping people.

At the end, the teachers had us write a Faith Statement about our experience. When I was writing it, I realized that I not only learned a lot about my religion, but about myself, too. Being confirmed is giving me a great sense of accomplishment!
—Eleanor Chapman

Len Carrell: From Actor to Ministry Inquirer

Len Carrell, well-known to the Brick Church community through his service as liturgist, Moderator of the Board of Deacons, Sunday School teacher, member of the Order of St. Paul, husband of Tanisha and father of Caitlin, and enthusiastic captain of the Brick Bombers softball team, recently became an Inquirer. This is the first step toward the ministry, as he explained to the Record.

How did you know that God was calling you to the ministry?
It took me two years to decide, not overnight. I initially felt like an unlikely candidate for ministry but did a lot of reading and praying. As you can imagine, the pastors here were extremely helpful. This very important congregation and current pastoral staff at the Brick Presbyterian Church are an essential part of my life at this time. I’m learning and growing every day in my understanding of my faith and theology. I am being encouraged to further that understanding and answer a calling. It was also comforting to realize that throughout the Bible, God calls on the least likely people!

Do you see a connection between your acting career and your new role as an Inquirer?
I’ve always been a communicator, from early days in Methodist Youth Fellowship in Texas through my careers in acting and sales. You could say that I’ve always studied the human condition, first through plays and now through theology. I have a wide variety of individuals I call friends and in large groups I find it very easy to integrate and engage in great conversation. I like a challenge. I consider myself a risk taker and instinctive. Now I am learning how to see all of this through the lenses of Love. Intertwining what I affirm to be true in worship and how I affirm it out in the streets of the world are probably a little different, but when it’s done with love then a relationship through the Spirit can happen.

Tell us more about your reading.
Along with the Bible, the books of Anne Lamott centered on her Thoughts on Faith (Traveling Mercies, Plan B, Grace Eventually) influenced me, as well as the Confessions of St. Augustine. I must say the Confessions were heavier reading than Anne Lamott! I found comfort and encouragement that prayer can be as simple as Anne Lamott’s prayer “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Help me, help me, help me.” I have recently been reading the C. S. Lewis series of writings on Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and A Grief Observed.

What happens next?
Many hurdles happen next! I’m in the earliest stages. In fact, I still have to finish my undergraduate degree. This summer I’ll start working on the last 50 credits at The New School. Then comes seminary. It is a long journey. But my family and friends are behind me, and I now feel much less anxiety and more confidence in this true leap of faith. Ultimately, believing in God is truly the journey, but believing in God with a community is a voyage.

Sunday Church School Consider Teaching Next Year
The Brick Church has a thriving Sunday School Program that serves children and youth, and in turn helps those children and youth serve their church and community. Please support this essential ministry by teaching Sunday School. If you love children and would be willing to lead a lesson at least once per month while working with a group of committed volunteers in your class, consider being a Sunday Church School teacher next year. Please contact Committee Chairs Carol Quinn and Helen Lynch, or staff members Georgia Meeter or Rev. Christy Lang to volunteer yourself or your friends for this ministry.

What is Sunday Church School?
Sunday Church School at The Brick Church is a Sunday-morning time of learning, playing, singing, and praying designed for children and youth. Children aged 2 through 7th grade have Sunday morning classes in separate groups, where they participate in activities that help them engage Bible stories and Christian themes in age-appropriate ways. The classes are also designed to help the children grow in compassion, empathy, faith, fairness, understanding of people, and spiritual awareness.

Who May Teach?
Church members may teach, including high school students who have become active members of the church. You do not have to be a parent to teach, but all parents whose children participate in the program are asked to consider teaching or substituting.

How Does the Teaching Work?
Each Sunday School class is taught over the course of the year by a team of teachers who serve in pairs on a rotating schedule. Teachers lead class with their teaching partner about once per month, assist once per month, and attend worship on other Sundays. This schedule allows teachers to be consistent members of the class while also attending worship and taking time off from teaching. It further permits teachers on the team to easily find substitutes for days they cannot teach. All classes age 3 and up follow a curriculum that provides lessons and activities for each Sunday. Resources and supplies are provided by the Brick Church.

When is the Teacher Training Meeting?
Teacher Training will be on Saturday, September 8 from 9:30 a.m.-noon. At the beginning of each school year, we meet to discuss the year and to provide training in how to use the curriculum and teach effectively. Teaching teams meet and plan ahead together with their calendars.

When is the first day of Sunday School?
Sunday School begins on September 16, 2007, which is the third Sunday of September.

Are you interested in working with youth and teens at The Brick Church?
Adults who enjoy working with older youth are a treasure in any church community. If you think that preadolescents and teenagers are hilarious, wonderful, and amazing, if you know how to listen and ask questions, and if you remember how hard that time of life can sometimes be, you may be called to work with this age group.
You can get connected to this group in several ways: teaching Sunday School, helping with 5th-6th Grade Pioneers or 7th Grade Fireside Club, serving as a Confirmation sponsor, facilitating at the Friday Night Dinner Program youth nights, attending the Youth Mission Trip, or helping with other youth events. If you are interested in learning more, please email Georgia Meeter, our Coordinator for Children’s and Youth Ministries or Rev. Christy Lang. We are eager to hear from you.

Friday Night Dinner Program End-of-year BBQ on June 1
On Friday, June 1 at 6:00 p.m., we will hold our end-of-year Friday Night Dinner Program BBQ in the Brick Church Garden. All who have helped this year in serving dinner to residents of the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter 81st St. Residence are invited to come celebrate the summer and enjoy some grilling in the sun. You don’t need to bring anything except yourself. We will cook and prepare for 45 minutes, when our guests will arrive. If you care to join, please RSVP to Georgia Meeter and arrive in the Garden at 6:00 p.m. to help set up. See you there!

The Youth Mission Trip is June 17-21
Please keep our Brick Church youth and leaders in your prayers as they depart for Starks, Maine to do service work together and go white water rafting. Pray for traveling mercies, joy in community, safety in work and play, and that they would come to know each other and God better through their trip.