From the Pastor
Since its earliest days, the Christian church has encompassed some diversity in its theology, worship, and practice. In many periods, Christians have tolerated, even celebrated, fairly different ways of being faithful. Other times have been characterized by insistence on one precise understanding of Christian faith. Our present age is experiencing both impulses, a reality that leads to more than a little conflict! To couch it in a pair of popular clichés, there are those in the modern Christian church who tend toward “anything goes,” and there are those who say “my way or the highway.”

To navigate between such a theological Scylla and Charybdis, the church has occasionally articulated what are named “marks of the church”– centrally important attributes that “mark” when the church is being faithful and when it may have wandered from its true identity. For Presbyterians, three periods in history have offered such marks of the church. The first was in the 4th Century when the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds were worked out; the second was in the 16th Century Reformation; the most recent has been in the “modern” period of the last 3-plus centuries.

The Fourth Century Nicene Creed, which we used at Brick Church on Easter Sunday, offers four marks of the church in its last paragraph: “We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.” One means unified rather than divided; holy means close to God rather than merely human; catholic means global rather than provincial; apostolic means in continuity in the teaching of the apostles.

The Protestant Reformation focused on worship when it said that the true church is “wherever the word is rightly preached and the sacraments are rightly celebrated.” Some Protestants, including many Presbyterians, added “right discipline” or “discipleship,” meaning the church is also marked by individual and corporate lives lived faithfully.
Protestants, especially in America in the last several centuries, have tended to describe the faithful church in an instrumental way – the true church is marked by its mission, by what it does, by its activity in the world. More conservative Protestants have interpreted this to mean winning souls for Christ; more liberal Protestants have understood it to mean serving the poor and vulnerable, working for peace, and creating a more just society.

My point in offering this thumbnail history is simple enough. These marks are not mutually exclusive, and we must remember that as conflicts around issues of theology, worship and sexuality challenge the modern church, we have trustworthy marks to guide us as we struggle to make faithful discernment. Our fathers and mothers in the faith have passed this way before us, and they marked a path that will help us find our way.
—Michael L. Lindvall

Strawberry Festival and All Church Picnic:
Together For the First Time!
On Sunday June 3, directly following worship, the Strawberry Festival and the All Church Picnic will take place on 92nd Street between Madison and Park Avenues. Both events are Brick favorites so it is sure to be double the fun and good food. Wear your shorts and bring a picnic to church. There will be no coffee hour, so come out after the service and enjoy strawberry shortcake with ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream; live music; and conversation with friends and neighbors. Tables will be set up so no need to bring your blanket. We will have hot dogs and drinks too. Tickets for the Strawberry Festival desserts are $5 at the door or $4 if purchased in advance. Tickets will be available on the two Sundays preceding June 3. The Strawberry Festival needs volunteers to hull strawberries on Friday, June 1, from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.; to bake cakes on Saturday, June 2; and to be waiters at the event on Sunday. For more information about the Strawberry Festival, contact Don Spongberg at DSpongberg@Spencertrask.com. For information about the Picnic, contact Preston Davis at Preston.Davis@mac.com. We hope that everyone will be able to attend these favorite fellowship events rolled into one memorable Sunday. Come one, come all and invite family and friends to celebrate the joy of spring and strawberries!

Congregational Dinner and Annual Meetings:
An Evening of Celebration
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. First Corinthians 12:4-7

On Wednesday, May 2, join us at the Congregational Dinner and Annual Meetings of The Brick Church. We will celebrate the depth and breadth of our ministry together as we look back on the past year and look forward to the year ahead.

We will have the opportunity to thank our outgoing officers (Deacons, Elders, and Trustees) for their faithful service to the church and elect new officers to lead us in the days ahead. Our Nominating Committee has worked diligently to create a slate of nominated officers who will serve this congregation with faithfulness and distinction. The congregation will vote on this slate following dinner.

The evening will begin with a reception on the Youth Floor at 6:30 p.m., followed by a buffet dinner created by our own in-house member-chefs. The Annual Meetings will begin at 8:00 p.m. and last one hour.

We ask members to pay $25/person at the door for a wonderful evening of fellowship and church business. Please R.S.V.P. to RSVP@brickchurch.org, or call Caitlin at The Brick Church, 212-289-4400.

Lift High the Cross
It’s Not too Late to Pledge for 2007!
The Brick Church needs your support. In a year of increased budgetary pressures the church has been faced with the stark choice of operating at unsustainable deficits, or making unacceptable cuts to its ministries. In the spirit of the hymn, Lift High the Cross, we ask you to help the Brick Church continue its role as a vital and vibrant institution in our community by making your pledge commitment today. Our congregation has responded to this call. We have reached 93% of our pledge goal of $2.3 million, which is needed to achieve a balanced budget in 2007. As of this printing 502 pledges have been received, nearly all meeting or exceeding the challenge of a 15% increase. We urge everyone to pledge. No amount is too small or too large. If you have not yet submitted your 2007 pledge, please do so at your earliest convenience. If you need a pledge card or additional information, please contact Tanisha Carrell at 212-289-4400, ex. 230. or tcarrell@brickchurch.org.

Time and Talent Request
Church of Gethsemane helps congregation members and program participants seek jobs. They need men’s clothing suitable for job interviews and Metrocards for transportation to job-seeking activities and other programs such as church meetings, counseling sessions and reentry programs, visiting prisoners and emergency transportation needs. For more information, contact Sara Jenoure.

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.

Final ADULT ED SERIES of the year
Christians Who Write,
Writers Who Believe:
20th Century Christian Writers
April 15-May 20
10:00 a.m., Living Room of the Parish House

Sunday, May 6
Lois Lowry, presented by Rev. Michael Lindvall
Rev. Michael Lindvall will speak about this author of books for children and adults. Lowry is author of the Anastasia series, the Sam series, the Giver trilogy, and many other novels.

Sunday, May 13
Dorothy Sayers, presented by Crystal Downing & Valerie Smith
Crystal Downing, from the Pennsylvania Dorothy Sayers Society, and actress Valerie Smith will present on this novelist, translator, and playwright. Sayers was a friend of J.R.R. Tolkein and C.S. Lewis. She wrote the Lord Peter Wimsey series and other works.

Sunday, May 20
Paul Tournier, presented by Dr. David Robb
Dr. David Robb, Minister of Adult Education and resident scholar at All Souls’ Church, will speak about this Swiss Christian psychiatrist. Tournier integrated psychology and Christianity. Tournier’s books include The Whole Person in a Broken World, A Doctor’s Casebook in the Light of the Bible, and Guilt and Grace.

Spring Musical and Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Potluck
Sunday, May 20, 4:00-6:45 p.m.
This year’s Spring Musical is Rescue in the Night, the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den. The story is told with humor, great singing, and beautiful acting by the children and youth of Brick Church. Please join us for this special event, beginning at 4:00 p.m. in Watson Hall. No tickets are needed. After the musical ends, children will receive beads that represent ways they have participated in choir and shown commitment to the music programs of The Brick Church. Sunday School teachers will also be honored.

At 5:00, following the musical, all Brick Church families are invited to attend the Sunday School Teacher appreciation dinner in the Garden. The dinner is potluck style. Families with last names beginning A - M, please bring a salad or entree; families with last names beginning N-Z, please bring a dessert. If your dish or dessert needs to be refrigerated or frozen when you arrive, please place it in the Watson Hall Kitchen refrigerator or freezer and then bring it upstairs to the dinner in the Garden at the appropriate time. Sandwiches and drinks will be provided. See you there!

Questions about the musical? Contact Amanda Smith. Questions about the Teacher Appreciation Dinner? Contact Georgia Meeter.

Friday Night Dinner Program: May 4 and 18
The Brick Church hosts a meal every Friday evening for residents of the 81st St. Coalition for Shelter community. Brick Church youth in 8th-12th grades have opportunities to cook together, meet these friends of Brick Church, and to receive community service credit. Pastor Christy Lang and other adults help the youth to prepare the meal in Watson Hall Kitchen. This month’s youth nights for FNDP are Friday, May 4 and 18. Please arrive at 5:00 p.m. in Watson Hall. We are finished by 7:45 p.m.

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.

Confirmation Sunday is May 6
8th Grade Confirmation Classes finished their regular meetings in March and led in worship on Youth Sunday. On April 17, they were presented to the Session of the Brick Church. On May 6, the students will be confirmed in their Christian faith in the 11:00 a.m. worship service and will celebrate with their family and friends afterward on the Third Floor of the Parish House. Congratulations to all 15 of this year’s Confirmands: Jackie Morgan Brune, Eleanor Graham Chapman, Charles Van Alst Danner, Elodie Elizabeth de Bethmann, Anke Katarina Ehlert, Taylor Elizabeth Fisch, Neil Hamamoto, William L. Hendrickson, Edward Woodham Matthew Kramer, Jennifer Liebowitz, Alannah Nisbet, Constantin F.R. Nuernberger, James Renfield-Miller, Hadley Sachs, Whitney Wilson.

5th-6th Grade Pioneers
Treasure Hunt and Party: May 6
If you are a 5th or 6th grade student, come join the Brick Church Pioneers on Sunday, May 6, when they will gather from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at The Brick Church for an end-of-year pizza party and treasure hunt. Friends are always invited. The charge is $15 per student. If your 5th or 6th grade student brings a friend who is not from Brick Church, the cost for the friend is only $10. You should have received a registration form in the mail. If you still need a form, please contact Caitlin Sparks. You may drop registrations off at the church or bring them to an event. Your friends need forms, too. We hope to see you there! Questions? Contact Preston Davis or Christy Lang.

7th Grade Fireside Club Final Event on May 6
7th grade students are invited to join the Brick Church 7th grade youth group at their final Fireside Club meeting on Sunday, May 6. They gather on designated Sundays from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in Michael Lindvall’s study for 2 hours of fun, fellowship, dinner, and a service project. Friends from school and the neighborhood are always invited. The charge is $15 per student. If your 7th grade student brings a friend who is not from Brick Church, the cost for the friend is only $10. Registration forms went out in the fall. If you need one, please contact Caitlin Sparks. You may drop registrations off at the church or bring them to an event. We hope to see your 7th grade student there! Questions? Contact Tom Winmill or Christy Lang.

Sunday School May & June Schedule

Membership
Membership Meetings in May
Five times a year, The Brick Church hosts a series of Membership Meetings where neighbors, visitors and members can learn about The Christian Faith, The Presbyterian Tradition and the history of Brick Church. We welcome all who are interested to join one or all of these meetings. By participating in this series, you are by no means expected to seek membership at The Brick Church. We encourage members to join these sessions as well, to demonstrate to visitors that we are a faith community, constantly seeking educational, spiritual and social nourishment.

The next series of classes will take place in May. To accommodate busy schedules, meetings on The Christian Faith and The Presbyterian Tradition are held on both Thursday evenings and weekends.

Sessions on The Christian Faith and The Presbyterian Tradition provide excellent grounding in our basic beliefs, traditions and differences. The Pastors lead these discussions in an informal environment. A Saturday orientation, The Meaning of Membership, led by the Senior Pastor and members of the congregation, focuses on The Brick Church and provides an overview of our many activities, events, and programs. Attendance at all three classes is required for membership.

Please contact Tanisha Carrell (212-289-4400, ext. 230) if you plan to attend, or simply for more information. Childcare is available for all the Sunday meetings and upon request for the Saturday orientation.

Schedule of Meetings
The Christian Faith
Thursday, May 10 at 6:45 p.m. or Sunday, May 13 at 9:50 a.m.

The Presbyterian Tradition
Thursday, May 17 at 6:45 p.m. or Saturday, May 19 at 12:00 p.m.

The Meaning of Membership
Saturday, May 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Received into Membership
Sunday, May 20 at 11:00 a.m.

PrimeTimers
Tour the Brooklyn Botanical Garden
On Saturday morning, May 12, 2007 PrimeTimers and their guests will enjoy the glorious beauty of spring flowers during a special, 90-minute private tour of the magnificent Brooklyn Botanical Gardens (www.bbg.org). Trained Garden Guides (one guide for every 10-11 participants) will lead a tour of the Garden’s “Seasonal Highlights” beginning promptly at 10:30 a.m.

After the tour, group members may choose to have lunch together in the Garden Café, and consider continuing their Brooklyn adventure by visiting the Brooklyn Museum or the Brooklyn Public Library located next to the Garden.

Reservations cost $13 per person for the tour. See the PrimeTimer flyer in the Parish House for additional details, travel directions and reservation form. You may also contact Gracey Stoddard at 212-427-1102 with questions and to check on reservation availability.

Book Club
May Selection
The Brick Church Book Club will read Suite Francaise, by Irene Nemirovsky, for May. Sandy Gooder will host the discussion at her home at 8:00 p.m., Monday, May 7. Please RSVP to Sandy at 212-410-9690.

Women’s Association
Annual Meeting & Luncheon
The Women’s Association will have its annual Spring luncheon on Wednesday, May 16, in the Parish House. Senior Pastor Michael Lindvall will install the new officers and board members and President Anne Schack will give the annual report for the last year. The annual luncheon is intergenerational and features a fabulous pot luck lunch and lively conversation with new and old friends alike. All women members are invited so watch for your invitation and RSVP soon as space is limited, or contact the Women’s Association office.

Stationery to celebrate life’s every occasion!
Did you know that the Women’s Association has a highly personalized stationery service, with all sales benefiting the Women’s Association Outreach programs? Knowledgeable Brick members form the Fair’s Personal Papers team – they know your style and taste more than the busy store down the street, and can offer you personalized service and attention any time that works with your schedule all year round.
They will meet with you in the WA’s office, at your convenience, and assist you with your personalized stationery needs. From birth announcements to birthday parties, hostess gifts to holiday cards, the Personal Papers Committee has you covered. Styles and prices span the spectrum, and it’s going to a good cause. So if you’re planning to order personalized cards and stationery, remember us. To learn more about this program of purchasing and giving back at the same time, contact the Women’s Association office or co-chairs Alison Cihra, Leslie Heaney, Jayne Napier, Elizabeth Sevener or Stephanie Vartughian.

Women’s Association Scholarship –
Deadline to Apply is May 1
The Brick Church Women’s Association’s Helen Buckner Watson Scholarship Program assists Brick Church members and staff with financial aid for education. The Scholarships are for assistance mostly for college and graduate level tuitions; however, some are available for high school.

Every applicant is considered and all information is kept confidential. Deadline for completed applications to be returned to the Women’s Association Office is May 1, and you must reapply if you have been receiving a grant.

Application forms are available from the Women’s Association office. Call 289-4400, ex 244, or camercer@brickchurch.org. For more information, please contact Becca Davies or Helen Pennoyer.