The 2011 Day of Discipleship is March 5, 2011

On April 19, 2008, The Brick Presbyterian Church held its first Day of Discipleship. More than 150 church members turned out for a day of community service and fellowship. Participants met at the Church in the morning for a quick breakfast and brief service and then fanned out into the community to spend the morning working on service projects. We partnered with seven organizations with whom we have a long term relationship to give church members an opportunity to both see these organizations first hand as well as spend a few hours to make a tangible difference.

Some of the organizations served in the past were: Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, Yorkville Common Pantry, East Harlem Tutorial Program, Jan Hus Presbyterian Church, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Second Presbyterian Church, Church of Gethsemane, Terence Cardinal Cooke Nursing Home, and Church of the Good Neighbor. The service opportunities ranged from gardening at Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, to sorting food donations at Yorkville Common Pantry to reorganizing the library at the East Harlem Tutorial Program, to painting Sunday School classrooms at Church of the Good Neighbor. Following the service projects, all the participants reconvened in Watson Hall for lunch, followed by a brief closing service.

The Day of Discipleship is now an annual event that provides a rewarding service and fellowship opportunity to church members and their families.

Volunteer Opportunities
The 2011 Day of Discipleship will be held on March 5.  For more information, please contact Caitlin Sparks.

2010 SITE OPTIONS

Come to the Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center to do arts and crafts and play games with the residents or take them for a stroll in the Conservatory Gardens. TCCHCC is a multi-faceted health care facility that serves the elderly, people with developmental disabilities and chronic illnesses. TCCHCC is “committed to the belief that life is sacred and worthy of appropriate medical support and rehabilitative services.” Located at 1249 Fifth Avenue at 106th Street, this is a wonderful opportunity for families. Ages 6 and older.

Come participate in the Carter Burden Center’s Meals-on-Heels program where we will deliver meals on foot to clients living between 69th and 79th Streets. Volunteers will deliver in pairs or groups and visit 4 or so clients. We will divide up zones to ease foot travel and volunteers should be able to carry 5-10 pounds and walk up flights of stairs comfortably, since some clients live in walk-up buildings. This will be a great way to serve our community, get some exercise, and meet some new friends. Ages 6 and older.

There will be two projects at The Children’s Storefront, located at 70 East 129th Street the first is painting a basement floor and the second is helping the librarian clean and better organize the school library. The Children’s Storefront is an independent, tuition-free school serving pre-school through eighth grade. Women’s Association volunteers assist in classrooms every Thursday morning. It has received funding from the Capital Campaign, the Women’s Association, and the Grants Committee for many years. Adults only for painting, Ages 10 & older for the library.

Put on your work clothes and head over to Jan Hus to help organize donated clothing and make sandwiches for distribution to their homeless clients. Jan Hus Presbyterian Church has a long history in NYC as an advocate for disenfranchised members of the community. Its Homeless Outreach and Advocacy Program provides a variety of direct services to those in need— from a weekly dinner program and pantry services, to counseling, referrals and emergency grants. Brick Church has a dedicated and growing relationship with Jan Hus located at 351 East 74th Street. Ages 6 and older.

For the residents of the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, we will be planting the rooftop garden and completing other tasks to brighten up the facility. NCS has helped more than 25,000 people receive food, clothing, counseling, shelter, employment and, in many cases, homes. The Brick Church hosts NCS residents for dinner each week through the Friday Night Dinner Program. Brick Church members volunteer their time and serve on the Board, and it receives funds from the Grants Committee and the Women’s Association. Adults only.

Come to the Yorkville Common Pantry to help pack grocery bags of food and prepare sandwiches for brown bag meals for families and individuals in need. The Yorkville Common Pantry, located at 8 East 109th Street, provides food to families and individuals in need in the East Harlem/Yorkville area. YCP has long received funding from the Grants Committee and the Women’s Association, and is a Deacons’ ministry. Ages 6 & older.

Stay here at The Brick Church to work on a variety of crafts projects to brighten others’ lives. For members who find it difficult to travel to another destination, or those with young children, craft projects will be held in the Youth Floor. The projects will include making a banner for Jan Hus, painting decorative rocks for the garden at Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, and arranging Care Packages of toiletries and underwear/shirts for Jan Hus Presbyterian Church and The Church of Gethsemane. All ages!