Shared during Sunday Worship on December 8, 2024. Almighty and gracious God, as we continue our journey through Advent, we are grateful for all the good things you provide us: For beautiful music that lifts our spirits up to you; for festivities and times of fellowship; and most importantly, for the coming of Jesus and his kingdom. We thank you for being Immanuel—God with us—through Christ our Lord. For your unending goodness to us, we silently give you thanks.  God of all compassion, during this Advent season, we remember the suffering of those close to Jesus, and we pray for those who suffer similarly today: For those who, like Mary, experience the struggles of being an unwed mother; for those who, like the holy family, are pressed down by poverty; for those who, like John the Baptist, are victims of political repression and injustice. For all who are vulnerable, needy or unjustly marginalized, we silently pray.  God of all joy and comfort, during this Advent season, we pray for your church. We pray that the Advent festivities of our congregation—and of congregations around the world—would bear witness to your light and spread your joy. But we also pray for your comfort for all who are hurting: For those who are sick, for those who are grieving, for those who are lonely, for those who are depressed. We pray especially for those for whom the holidays are a difficult or painful time. For your church and your people, we silently pray.  We pray these things, Father God, in the name of your Son and through the power of your Spirit. Amen.

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. - Luke 1:46b-47 This Advent invites us all to reframe the way we look at the world. Rather than looking through an earthly lens of the daily tasks we have to execute, we will view the world through the sacred story of scripture, especially the Christmas story.   In some ways, we're tempted to think that Scripture is outdated because its science is inaccurate. Some of the social norms are confusing, and some of the stories are confounding. But like Dr. Seuss's stories, they're meant to break our brain and shake us out of a stupor, enabling us to see the world from a new vantage point.   The lens of God's activity in the world manifests most clearly through the birth of Jesus Christ and His presence. And so suddenly, time itself transforms.   With a worldly lens, when things are going poorly, we get distressed. We get weighed down with anxiety. We get confused, and we sometimes get frozen in place. But in fact, what Scripture tells us is when the world is going bad, that's when we should lift up our heads.   As Christians, instead of those moments weighing us down, the call from Jesus is to look to the heavens because God is right around the corner and is about to arrive. And that doesn't make us sit in a waiting mode; it's supposed to energize us into action.   Advent Hope   For Advent, part of it is waiting and expectation, but the waiting requires preparation. In times of challenge, hardship, and busy schedules, we look to the heavens. We remember that God is right on the horizon, so we have hope.   Advent Praise   John the Baptist calls us to repent. But this doesn’t mean feeling sorry, it means turning our life in a new direction. This happens most powerfully through worship and prayer. Because Christ is coming into the world, that leads us, like the angels, to praise God. And then, through that act of praise, we become aware of all God's blessings we have received which empower us to transform through God’s presence.   Advent Blessings   Thus, Mary pours out her soul that is filled with joy. Even though she spoke of hardship in her song—her heart for the poor, her heart for the downtrodden weighed her down—yet her song is not one of despondency. It is one of exultant hope.   That's how she begins her song because she knows that God shall deliver. This is the act of faith. It's not only about a feeling inside your gut but a bold proclamation in the midst of apparent facts to the contrary that God has won the victory.   Advent Awe   These blessings then lead us to awe—an awe at the preciousness of life. In fact, oftentimes, it's only in those hard moments that we're fully aware of the wonder of God's love, the gift of the Christ child. Like the shepherds, we stand in awe—that this is the length that God is willing to go.   Then, we discover something more powerful and deep about the nature of God than we possibly could have imagined or conceived on our own. The story of Scripture is not one that we could predict, or even the most creative minds could invent on their own. It's too improbable.    But we know for a fact that it has changed the lives of millions and billions.  The evidence of its truth is found in the lives of the believers, the martyrs who sacrificed, the servants in churches, and the prisoners who are set free.   Prayer of Confession: Lord, the Christmas story is filled with fond memories and offers us deep comfort each and every year. But we confess that sometimes we fail to see its challenges. Your servants in the midst of the greatest story ever told made hard journeys, faced hunger, faced the oppression of rulers, and the neglect of friends. Through Your spirit’s power may we never forget the deep sacrifices made for our sake so that we might be willing to see the faces of the people for whom the Christ Child came – the poor, the tired, the hungry, and the forgotten. Amen.

Luke 21:25-36 There is something about the modern world that at times feels inextricably trapped in a doom loop. Each day carries the same stresses, each year we get older and more frail, each election cycle rehashes the same arguments, and each war repeats the same intractable problems. Finally, to top it off, physics tells us that eventually entropy will rob the universe of anything interesting. Known as heat death or the big chill, there will be no galaxies, no stars, no planets, and nothing interesting. It can be enough to lead one to agree with Macbeth: Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle. Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.  (Macbeth, Act V, Scene V) Without ignoring the real problems of despair, the Bible gives us a different lens. In our text this morning, Jesus addresses a time of cataclysm: distressed nations, roaring seas, a sense of foreboding that leads people to collapse, and the powers of heaven being shaken. There is considerable scholarly debate as to what Jesus is referring to. Some believe it’s the fall of Jerusalem that came about 40 years after Jesus’ death, others that it refers to the Second Coming, and finally there’s a group of people that believe it’s His ascension into heaven after the resurrection. It is impossible for us to truly recover the precise events to which Jesus refers, but it is clear that it’s a time of apocalyptic dread for the world. This is the point at which the detractors of the Bible and faith in general observe that Jesus was wrong (the world did not end) ,  the Bible is overly superstitious, and it is filled with outdated values and strange stories. Admittedly, there are some confounding texts. Take, for example, this set of observations about the time of Noah: A logical mind can find itself in a bog. … If Noah sacrificed two of all the animals, and had taken on two of each (Genesis 6:19), how were there any left? But in the very next chapter, God specifies that Noah take with him seven pairs, male and female, of the clean animals, with the unclean ones (non-cud-chewers) still two. So Mr. and Mrs. Pig were on board but escaped the holocaust on Mount Ararat. Still, how do you slaughter and burn two elephants? Two Tyrannosaurus rex? It is precisely through such analyses of these biblical stories that we realize the Bible has a different way of embedding truth into our hearts and minds than that of the modern world, and  it  gives us a means to reinterpret the apparent doom loop of existence. Rather than plainly stated prose filled with facts and dry history, like a master author,scripture uses story, metaphor, and symbolism to drive fundamental truths not accessible by mere intellectual prowess. It is something like Dr. Seuss: I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities. Perhaps nonsense is not the word I would use for the Bible, but the way Dr. Seuss is using it, it’s not too far off. Sometimes the Bible is meant to break our brain! Take, for example,God’s action of hardening Pharaoh’s heart so that he won’t let Israel go. How can that possibly be Pharaoh’s fault!? Or take the command to Ezekiel:  "‘See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.’" And then, in today’s passage, Jesus tells us that moments of distress, collapsing, and the world shaking  are  not a sign of doom but hope. These are times, as Jesus tells us, to lift our heads, for that is when God will appear. Strife and enmity for the Christian are not signs of despair but rather a sign that God is right around the corner, and it is time to get busy! In this way, like Dr. Seuss, Christians weave a layer of mystery, wonder, and story over a flat reality to discover something deeper. So that we can discover there is more to this world than sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell reveal, and the endless cycle we feel trapped in. Gary Eberle, in  Sacred Time and the Search for Meaning  wrote,  ( he wrote this before iPhones!): People treat their daily planners the way monks and nuns used to treat their prayer books. They keep them close at all times. They clasp them with missionary zeal as they head from meeting to meeting. …Like medieval displays of conspicuous piety, the planner announces to the world that you are one whose life and time are worth something. When life is run by iPhones and calendars, we can easily spiral in the midst of what feels like the proverbial gerbil wheel, peddling fast, going nowhere, and then suddenly tragedies are thrown into the midst of it; even the wheel comes to a screeching halt. To counter the sense of meaninglessness and despair, people of faith have used imagination and art to help us look through the wrong end of the telescope. Eberle continues,offering insight by explaining an alternative path  to  setting your clock by your calendar: …the intricate Celtic knots of the Book of Kells invited us to contemplate the interrelationship between the world of time and the world of eternity. The Bible is no mere history book, it explains the meaning of life, and ancient monks illuminated scripture with symbolism of eternity to help our minds and our souls feel the rhythm of the divine. Listen to this explanation of the Celtic Knot, ubiquitous in this book: The knot is composed of a single strand in a closed loop, an endless knot. These knots are studied not just by mathematicians but also  by  illusionist artists like Escher. The strand of the endless knot interlaces a path to pass above and below itself until it returns to the starting point. Irish people saw the constant interlacing as the physical and the spiritual crossing of paths, expressing permanence, and the endurance of life, love and faith. This is the gift of faith and scripture. Like those Celtic knots, the Bible ushers us back into Kairos time, time filled with meaning, especially the stories of Christmas, whereas iPhones add structure without underlying meaning, just tasks to complete. The time does not add up to fulfillment or purpose, just endless tasks from one to the next, and it may lead us to feel as if Shakespeare was right! Jesus’ command to lift our heads and look to the heavens is a gift, for it reminds us there is a purpose and plan, and if we keep our eyes peeled, we will echo Elizabeth Barrett Browning: Earth’s crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God, But only he who sees, takes off his shoes, The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries, And daub their natural faces unaware. Each December, we reweave the Christmas story to remind us that earth is crammed with heaven, and life is a fire with God. But we must be prepared. Jesus tells us people will faint from fear. Fainting is Jesus’ way of telling us that if we just look at this world through its horizontal lens, we could be overwhelmed by what is broken—in our own lives and in the world. But if we look at it through the wrong end of the telescope, we can find meaning in every corner. This is not a facile optimism but a bold-faced resolve, and rather than weakening our spirit, such times redouble our tenacity, reminding us of where our hope lies. When God became human in a time of great persecution, the vision of the infant child  is the hope that one life can be enough to fix all of us. Lift your heads! See the star and follow it all the way to the manger. Amen.

Audition for The Wizard of Oz! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO AUDITION Take a trip over the rainbow with the Brick Church Community Theater. Calling adults, children, caregivers, and families for another magical musical. Auditions for The Wizard of Oz are being held on Saturday, December 7th from 12:30-5pm. Don't miss this unique opportunity to take part in a cross generational experience and play a role in our community's story. Join us for an unforgettable journey down the yellow BRICK road! Stay tuned for special cameos from our Church and Day School community! If you have any questions or are unable to attend the audition date please email our director, Courtney Edwards at courtneymatsonedwards@gmail.com .  *All rehearsals will be held at Brick Presbyterian Church located at 62 E 92nd Street.  Audition Dates:  Saturday, December 7th: 12:30-1:30pm - Ages 4-15 Saturday, December 7th: 2-5pm - Adults and Age 16+ Monday, December 9th 6-9pm: Callbacks for Principal Roles Performance Dates:  Thursday, April 3rd at 6pm (Preview) Friday, April 4th at 6pm  Saturday, April 5th at 2pm Saturday, April 5th at 6pm  Sunday, April 6th at 2pm

Help make Christmas merry & bright for families who could use a little lift this year! Select an angel ornament from the tree, shop from the wish list and tag an unwrapped gift with the ornament. Please return gifts to the Garden Room by December 15th . Alternatively, you can bring a wrapped gift tagged with the angel ornament to Brick Church's Christmas Eve service at 4:00 PM on December 24th . Otherwise, make an online donation via the link here , and we will do the heavy lifting!

Matthew 5:14-16 Here is a selected list from the apostle Paul of some of the things Christians get themselves trapped in: jealousy, covetousness, enmities, strife, quarrels, dissensions, factions, revilers, silly talk, malice, slander, haughtiness, envy, deceit, craftiness, heartlessness, ruthlessness. If I went to a doctor with a similarly long list of symptoms, because that is what these are,I might be surprised to discover there was a single cause, and in this case, I think it’s a similarly simple diagnosis. Listen to these quotes and see if you can identify the answer: “ If God declares that all is well, ten thousand devils may declare it to be ill, but we laugh them all to scorn. … It is not that you may be distressed, but that you may be delighted that he bids you believe in the crucified Savior and live. ”—Charles Haddon Spurgeon “ The brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the world. ” —Ann Voskamp “ Jesus is the greatest teacher of happiness the world ever knew. Take Him into your heart, into your mind, and you will sing a song of joy always .” —Dr. Norman Vincent Peale “ Joy is the serious business of heaven .” —C.S. Lewis These quotes all distill down to one simple requirement—trust in the Lord. For God has the victory; God has promised all things will be well; … that the world and everyone in it will be redeemed, reconciled, and restored; and we will have perfect peace through Him who loved us. We Christians can at times be overly serious, self-righteous, judgmental, argumentative—thus the apostle Paul’s incredibly long list! As the  Catholic Weekly  observed: “ Take, for instance, St. Teresa of Avila, the Doctor of the Church who, with all her profundity in reaching the depths of the spiritual life, was also renowned for her one-liners, the most famous of which was, ‘From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, Oh Lord, deliver us. ’” Silly devotions and sour-faced saints—sadly, sometimes that’s what we are! But Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time to rejoice and a time to weep, a time to laugh and a time to mourn. And I am afraid that Christians spend way too much time in one area and not enough in the other. I’ve recently enjoyed turning back to Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. He preached a faith that was positive because it believed in God’s power. I remember in seminary there was an attitude about Norman Vincent Peale that was paternalistic, (and I must admit that I was guilty of the same! ) , “ How quaint that he would preach about the power of positive thinking, if only he truly understood the hardship of life. His approach is overly simplistic, not accounting for the complexities and hardship of life.” Indeed, life is hard, but why do we Christians sometimes insist on making it harder! I’m not talking about those moments in life when true tragedy strikes; those indeed are times to mourn and to weep. But there are times like quicksand when we become stuck in that mindset, and suddenly we react to everything as if the sky is indeed falling. What does that say about our faith if we are so easily dismayed? Jesus has told us to shine our light, and that light is not dour or sour or despondent or cynical; that light is exuberant, energetic, and hopeful. Remember what Jesus told us: “ My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ” While we have serious work to do, we often forget that ultimately the most important work has already been accomplished. As Norman Vincent Peale remarked, “ Do your best and leave the results to God. ” To redirect our thoughts, to redirect our minds, to redirect our dispositions is something like a flower turning toward the sun. As visible light energizes the chloroplast in plant cells, the light of Christ brings us energy, hope, and even delight. And think about how much we have to delight in. We live in New York City! New York City! Just a few weeks ago, the New York City Marathon brought people from all over the world together simply to cheer with reckless abandon. The Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Brooklyn Bridge, Broadway, the Metropolitan Opera, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park…according to Wikipedia (and everybody knows Wikipedia is infallible) ,  New York City has 800 languages spoken—the most diverse city in the world. And how grateful we are that as so many other churches are shrinking, we are full of energy! Brick Church is a fun place to be, whether it’s in the social gatherings in the garden, reconnecting with old friends, and discovering brand new ones, Bible studies, Tuesday Night Dinner Parties, the list goes on. And what about the gift of music? How can we not take delight in that? A couple dozen people who have devoted themselves to the craft of making exquisitely beautiful music, and we get to hear it every Sunday! We can delight in Brick’s long history, 250 years and more, because it was a light of hope. It brought George Washington sufficient joy after the Revolutionary War to write our first pastor a letter of thanksgiving. You can delight in Brick because we are a place where you can use your gifts, and you make a real difference; whether it’s setting up communion, reading scripture, or balancing the budget, the time that you spend here brings abundant life to yourself and others. It truly does! We take delight in the children—whether it’s in musical theater classes, their art from Sunday School, racing around on scooters in Watson Hall, or their adorable and irascible nature during baptisms! Jesus challenges us to receive the kingdom like little children because they are more unabashed in being themselves and speaking the truth. A few years ago, when I gave the children five dollars in the children’s sermon to go and do something with it, here’s what one young man wrote back: “ … I have decided to give my $5 to the Covid-19 Research Fund at Mt. Sinai Hospital. I chose this organization because I like research funds, and I got my Covid-19 vaccine there. My prayer is that God helps Covid end soon because Covid is really annoying and dangerous. ” In Chapel last week with the children, we talked about the widow from our scripture, the one who put in a mere two copper coins in the midst of everyone else giving much. I told them that Jesus said she gave more than everyone else combined, and I asked the children why He might’ve said that, and one child said, “ Because she had no money. " At four years old, this child understood the message of Jesus and the power of generosity. Brick Church exists to do its very best to live the true message of Jesus. In an age in which extreme voices try to pull us to and fro, we seek to be centered on Christ and model ourselves after His life: centered on the worship of God, centered on the community of loving fellowship, centered on compassionate care for those who struggle the most, centered on trying our best to help make this world on earth as it is in heaven. To be as powerful a beacon as we possibly can…think right now of our church as a lighthouse, and the amount of wattage that it can put out is dependent upon how many coins you put into it. Those are your pledges, and the more you give, the more we can give hope, life, and light to others, which in the end helps all of us not to be people trapped in the mud—set free ourselves to know the peace of God that passes all understanding. Amen.

Shared during Sunday Worship on November 10, 2024. Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are the origin of all being and the giver of all gifts. You create the universe to show forth your majesty: the galaxies in their vastness, the mountains in their grandeur, and biological kingdoms in their plenitude. You provide humanity with copious goods to show forth your magnanimity: from the simple pleasure of delicious meals to the profound goods of loving relationships and meaningful work. And you redeem your people to show forth your mercy: freeing us from sin, reconciling us to God and neighbor. For the abundance of your goodness, O Lord, we silently give you thanks.     Sovereign God, you are the king of kings and the ruler of history. We thank you for preserving peace during our nation’s election, and we pray for a smooth transfer of power over the coming months. Heal the anger and ill-will that have characterized too much of our public discourse. Give us wisdom to discern how to go forward together. Guide our leaders, so that they may advance the common good. We pray, too, for all the peoples of the world. We pray especially for all those affected by war, political repression, social marginalization, and poverty. Bring your peace, O Lord, and establish your justice. For our nation and the world, we silently pray.   Healing God, you acted in Christ to reconcile the world to yourself, drawing us into fellowship with you and with one another, and giving us the ministry of reconciliation. Empower the church, through your Holy Spirit, to be a force for healing and flourishing in the world. Help us spread your love to all people. And be with each of us, as we seek to live meaningful lives in service to you. We pray especially for those in our congregation who need your healing presence: for all who are sick, anxious, downtrodden, or grieving. In your mercy, O Lord, comfort all who are afflicted. For the church and our congregation, we silently pray.

Dear Members and Friends of Brick Church, We are off to an amazing start this fall. Our traditions remain vital and strong. The Fall Fling welcomed us back from summer with joyful friendships and delicious food. World Communion Sunday, the Festival of Hymnody, and Kirkin’ of the Tartan services were all a tremendous witness to the glory of God and joyful times to be together. We were especially grateful for Rev. Fiona Smith’s presence, the Principal Clerk of The Church of Scotland, who shared greetings and read scripture at that service. Our brand new Sunday night service has offered long-standing members, young families, and people off the street a sacred time of holy rest, a gift to get their hearts, souls, and minds ready for the week to come. Take a look at this video that shows the energy and excitement among Brick members!   We are creating a new Mission Sunday which will take place during stewardship season every year. This service will feature several of our mission partners so that we might enable more of our congregation to fully appreciate and support this vital work. As we live into the guiding principles adopted by the Session ( linked here ) last spring we are not only reaching out in mission but in partnership and fellowship with sister congregations. We are reforging connections with Park Avenue Synagogue, and Heavenly Rest as well as rededicating ourselves to connect to other Presbyterian churches within New York City. Hopefully, next fall, we will gather together with a joint Thanksgiving service.    The children's ministry is flourishing. The Children’s Committee’s hard work over the summer has made a tremendous impact on our children’s faith development. After exhaustive research, they settled on a new curriculum but that was only the beginning of their work. They have spent considerable time looking over each week to leverage the greatest strengths of this curriculum so that our teachers might be fully equipped to make Sunday School fun, faithful, and formative. We are adding mission components to Sunday School four times a year, as well as developing year-by-year goals to ensure that over time our children’s faith is growing strongly. The children’s choir and new musical theater classes are both thriving within our own congregation while adding children from the school and the community! The Brick Church School has more new applicants from the congregation than in the past seven years. And we have just welcomed a class of 29 new members with three adult baptisms!    Our calling to be a spiritual home for all people is a critical challenge from our Lord to help spread His light to the world. People are desperately in need of comfort and hope but many do not have a well-formed or traditional faith. They are searching and they are hungry. Rather than dictate to them what they should believe we simply offer them the love and peace of Christ, trusting that the Holy Spirit will work within them and through them. This is a critical mission in our world at a time when so many want to divide, separate, and exclude. Instead, we are praying that God will use us to be a source of unifying hope. We are seeking to reclaim what being Christian means. At its root, it means treating others as Jesus did and therefore is never an excuse for condemnation, worldly division, judgment, or sectarianism. Following Him always means loving and respecting others.   But we do face a challenge. Over the last four years, our utilities, maintenance and insurance costs have grown by over $200,000, more than thirty percent,  while our giving has remained flat. We need you to prayerfully consider what God is calling you to give. We do hope that many of you can increase your pledge but because this vision is so powerful–and I truly believe placed upon us by God–we will pursue it with fervency, zeal, joy, and hope. I trust that whatever resources God grants us will be sufficient for the task at hand. We find ourselves at an incredible time of challenge and worldly strife, and yet God is blessing our ministry, bringing hope to so many.   I invite you to join us in a conversation after worship on Sunday, November 17 in the Session Room immediately following 11:00 a.m. worship.  Peace, Rev. Tom Evans Senior Minister    SEPTEMBER | The Session of the Brick Church held its annual Joint Officers’ Meeting on September 24, 2024.  Brick’s 2024 Joint Officers Meeting took place this year on September 24th.  All Deacons, Elders, and Trustees participated in the meeting with all newly-elected Officers.  After a Meditation by Theologian in Residence Rev. Charles Guth regarding the theological aspects of Brick’s 2033 Vision, a Beacon of Hope and a Spiritual Home, the Examination of Incoming Officers was conducted based on each new Officer’s Statement of Faith.  Each Officer-elect then explained, in a few sentences to the entire group why they had agreed to serve.  The Session, as a final step, voted and approved all the elected Officers for Ordination the following Sunday.  Each outgoing Officer spoke to the entire group about their time as an Officer and gave a personal reflection about their time of service. The regular monthly Session meeting followed with an update on the Sunday School’s summer work on the search for a better curriculum for Grades IV and below, plus a new element this year called Service Sundays.  During four Sundays this year, children will experience working on a project in community with others.   Personnel reported on initial plans regarding a third pastor and a Christian Educator.  Each position, and the many aspects of any decision, will be carefully considered in the upcoming weeks.  With regard to operations, Session 1) ensured arrangements were complete for the upcoming Meeting of the NYC Presbytery at Brick on 5 October; 2) reminded Chairs about the budget presentations planned by JFC on 8 October; and 3) approved Elder Liz Boehmler as Brick’s liaison to Brick’s sister Presbyterian Congregations and to Presbytery.   OCTOBER | The Session of the Brick Church held its monthly meeting on October 22, 2024.   The Session of the Brick Church held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 22nd.  This was the first regular meeting for the newly installed Elders in the Class of 2027. Day School Director Fabian, now in her third year, said the School has received 191 applications to date (compared to 123 at this time last year). There are 32 spots for 2-year-olds and 68 spots for 3-year-olds, the majority of which will go to Church Members. Joint Finance reported on the ongoing challenges and efforts relating to the 2025 Budget. These include making realistic estimates during the process, as well as how to increase revenue and decrease expenses. Youth Ministries reported that Sunday School numbers have been improving over the past couple of years (now 175 registrations, an average attendance of 55, and 27 volunteers). These numbers remain below those of the pre-Covid years. However, enthusiasm is strong, and the new curriculum seems to be a success. Grants to the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, New York Common Pantry, and West Side Campaign Against Hunger were approved, bringing the Grants Subcommittee’s commitments to $149,000, totaling 63% of the 2024 budget.  A report on the new Sunday Evening Worship Service was favorable. The difference in time and tone versus the 11 a.m. Service is creating the appeal. The final report summarized the logistics and key topics related to the meeting of the NYC Presbytery at Brick on October 5. Other routine administrative matters, as always, were addressed and acted on. Of note, Rev. Evans spoke about how the Guiding Principles of the Vision of 2033 were shaping many meeting discussions and long-term planning. For example, he explained how the Sunday Evening Services and the tighter Church-School relationship fit with the idea of a “spiritual home for all.” And how the budget, a recent birthday party, and the multiple ministries of the Church fit with the idea of Brick being a “beacon in the community.”

Mark 12:28-34 We are officially in stewardship season. Our theme this year, to be a beacon of hope, challenges our congregation to share the love of Christ beyond our walls, while nurturing a community of welcome and hope for everyone.  We have seen incredibly powerful ways this has been happening this fall. Our Sunday evening services welcome new people from the community into our worship, while giving our own church members who can’t make it on Sunday morning a chance to worship with us. Next week in worship, we will hear about people we have touched through our grants and mission work; the incredibly powerful witness of God’s love through these grants and the energies of our deacons has been one of our brightest lights shining through this community. Our children are being nurtured through music and acting, learning the Bible, and having fun together on Sunday evenings, but it’s not only for children of our members; it is for the children of school families, the children of people out in the community who are coming into our doors, experiencing the gifts of this place. We are shining our light by making stronger connections with our neighboring communities of faith, like Park Ave. Synagogue. I’ve connected with the rabbi there, and Adam, through his work, has engaged our youth with their youth and youth from other congregations as well. We are also reforging and strengthening our connections with Church of the Heavenly Rest. I had lunch with the new rector last week, and she was as excited as I was to think about a community Thanksgiving service and exploring mission work in partnership with one another. We are strengthening our ties to our sister Presbyterian congregations. We are going to learn how we can pray for them, how they can pray for us, and how together we can multiply our efforts to forge God’s Kingdom of equality and abundance for all in New York City. This is just the merest retelling of all that is being done to be a beacon of Christ’s light. But the strongest, most powerful light that we have is not institutional, it is you. God has grafted a divine light inside of you. It’s all too often we forget how important it is to stoke the fire within us, to treasure that fire, and to give thanks for it. We are to be stewards of that light, so for the next several weeks we will explore how we can: shine our light, join our light to others, and stoke our light. Before we can have sufficient BTUs to warm the world with Christ’s love, we have to ourselves be ignited. And that means being a steward of the blessing that is you. There is so much, sadly, in our religion and in our society that leads us to have a negative self-image; that leads us to believe we are inferior, and that feeds us the toxic message that there is something fundamentally wrong at the core of our being. Tragically and horrifically, the church was complicit in telling whole categories of people that there was something broken,disturbing, and inferior about them, whether it was because of the color of their skin, their gender, or their sexual orientation. Thankfully, the church is finding ways to move past this condemnation of classes of people. But the church still has not sufficiently spread the message that there is something incredible about you, something unique in the whole of history that will never be repeated in another person, ever, and this something didn’t happen by chance; it happened purposefully from the master Potter who shaped you and molded you. Furthermore, the Bible tells us that because of who you are and to whom you belong, you are worth being loved. Jesus explained that the very heart of our religion is love, love of God, love of neighbor,and love of self. And the truth of the matter is, if we don’t love ourselves, we will have a terrible time loving others. In the church, we talk much about loving others but rarely about the importance of loving ourselves as Jesus instructed. A few provisos before we dive into the blessing of self-love: Self-love is not self-obsession. Self-love is not self-importance. Self-love is not about pampering yourself to the extent that you fail to be generous with your time for others. Self-love is not avoiding tough choices that are morally complex. This is not self-help; this is self-awareness. Some religions focus on how miserable people are. And yes, we are, each of us, broken,but there is a greater, more powerful truth about you and about me. You have a destiny, to be a citizen and saint in the household of God; through Jesus, you are a part of the divine family. The Bible has much to say about why you should love yourself. First and most importantly: you are the handiwork of God. “ For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made ;” (Psalm 139) The Psalmist describes not a mass production of the human race but the attentiveness of an artist who treasures what they have created. The Psalmist realizes there is something amazing about the nature of their soul that leads them to awe and praise of God. Next, the Bible tells us that God did not just make us and forget us; but that we are the apple of God’s eye (Psalm 17:8), and because of this, Isaiah tells us that we are God’s beloved children. Jesus himself tells us of the incredible, tender care with which God watches over all of us: " Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. " (Luke 12:7) And finally, of course, as God’s creation we have gone astray, but God so loved us and wanted to restore us to the amazing creation that we are that God sent His only son because God so loved the world. So, God created you with the utmost care; you are the apple of God’s eye; you are God’s beloved; God went to every possible length so that you might have abundant life. If God knows best and God knows all, then clearly, you are worth loving. Let your light shine so that others see the authentic you and see your good works, they will give glory to God in heaven. But without loving ourselves, our light will not shine. Think of a masterfully crafted lamp. When it came out of the fires of the furnace, and its shaping was complete, it was beautiful, resplendent, and glorious. But over time some dents and dings tarnished it, its ability to shine light decreased. That lamp was made for this purpose: to bring light so that others may see. You are that lamp, and you must burnish that which has tarnished it; hammer out the dings and dents that life has set up on you because God believes you are worth it. If you do, the light you bring to others will be brighter than you ever thought possible. There are days in our lives when we should be hard on ourselves, but I suspect most of us entertain way too many of them, and we don’t spend enough time, as the Psalmist did, considering how fearfully and wonderfully we are made. One of the key parts of loving yourself is not only accepting who you are but embracing it. At least that is how it was for one young teacher I knew. She grew up in a home where it was important that young ladies should be respectful, modest, and meek. And she never felt comfortable in that role; it wasn’t who God made her to be. She was in her late twenties and taught in a very challenging environment. As you might imagine, a meek, mild, and modest approach was wholly ineffective. But eventually, frustrated, she allowed her true self to emerge; she embraced the person God made her to be. And she got angry. She said: There were moments as a first-year teacher...“I have students with drugs, in gangs, who have their only meal at school; they try you and try you each day. I should feel for them, but you are angry, but then the anger reminds you...THAT IS THE REASON YOU ARE THERE.” She realized God had placed her in this school with the challenges of drugs and preteen pregnancies, and the stark reality of broken lives, not because she was meek or modest and gentle, but because she was a feisty, sometimes angry, hardheaded, determined person with a fierce sense of justice and love who wouldn’t cave in, who wouldn’t give up, who would love these students with the fierce passion of God. She embraced the self that God made her to be, and suddenly, this light she had been hiding under a bushel became a conflagration—burning hot flames of passion to be present, to be persistent, to be tenacious.  She shared with me her sense of her love of who God made her to be. Not that she would’ve expressed it this way, but in our conversation, she concluded that that’s why God has her there. Because if it was easy anybody could do it. Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves. This presumes that we love the person God made us to be in order to effectively love others. Let us all be a beacon, stoking the fire within so that all may feel and see the blinding glow of the light of the world. Amen.

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16b The Bible tells us that Jesus is the reflection of God's glory, which translates to the "radiant light of God." This is what Jesus represents for God. It's Jesus' very essence to be this light, and each one of us has a unique ability to radiate this light within us.   When you're in a crowd, you're warmer together. The gathering of the people of God radiates the presence and the Spirit of God, whether we know it or not. Our mission as a congregation is to gather ourselves in such a way that we stoke that light that radiates out into the world - the presence of God - and we trust this brings hope.   When we look at Jesus' life, He radiated majesty, holiness, power, justice, the peace of God. It's what made Christ's presence so magnetic. The Bible tells us the Church is the body of Christ. It is a fact and a challenge. Christ has commissioned this group of people not unto Himself, but unto the world. We cannot be a church that is only gathered inward. The Church can radiate the power of God into the world, like a lamp on a stand. As The Brick Church, we want to do everything we can to shine that light more brightly.    How do we feel the glow of Jesus' presence?  As the radiant light of God, there are several aspects that Jesus represented:   Holiness  - We seek to radiate holiness not to be more perfect than others, but by being open to the Spirit within us to a holy worship. Brick Church excels in music that expands our minds past what we can see with our eyes. Simply put, the massive, huge, grand mystery of God. God is holy and that means God is mysterious. God is beyond our imagining and beyond our knowing. The way we worship at Brick Church is meant to take us past the impedance of our everyday experiences.    Righteousness  - Christ is righteous. God will not withstand or sit idly by while injustice reigns. Everyone is of infinite value in the eyes of God. If we are going to radiate the light of God, we seek to be a righteousness world where there is health in body, mind, and spirit for all.   Peace  - In reference to Jesus’ birth, the Bible explains that when the child comes, there will be endless peace. The call to bring peace brings harmony. Jesus pulled people together from distinct communities who were at odds with one another. Jesus created a banquet, The Lord’s Table, that was irenic creating connections across communities of conflict.   The Hebrew Bible calls this "Shalom," which means wholeness and restoration of relationships. "The lion will lie down with the lamb and a little child shall lead them."   Below are five areas of ministry at Brick Church where we hope to be a Beacon of Hope in our community:   1.       Worship & Music   The ethereal nature of certain aspects of music opens our souls.  There is a spiritual realm that compels us to look to the heavens; If we give ourselves permission to pause, to "Be still and know that I'm God." (Psalm 46:10) One of the goals of our Chancel Choir is not to hear singular voices voice, but one unified sound that is complex, harmonic, and beautiful. If we give ourselves permission to pause, our heads will turn to the heavens and to something grander than what is at hand. This is what Christ did here on earth.    2.       Adult Christian Education   At Brick Church we don't pretend to have all the answers. But one hope we do have is to be a theological thought leader on the Upper East Side. We recognize there are important issues the world needs to wrestle with, and we believe, as Presbyterians, many voices can help us gain wisdom. For instance, addressing issues about the needs of children in this city means we gather theological voices from Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and other religious traditions, as well as governmental voices from non-profits, public, and private schools. We would gather people with direct knowledge and come together to share. Iron sharpens iron so these voices will sharpen each other in their mission to help all children thrive. Being a Beacon of Hope requires the understanding that it takes many different people and perspectives to tackle problems.   3.       Children & Youth   When I speak with parents preparing for their child's baptism, I often ask what they remember about their own. Most, having been baptized as infants, remember very little. I challenge them to create lasting memories and an annual celebration of their child’s baptism. Share with your children what was in your heart on that day, your beliefs, and how much they mean as a child of God. Early on, children adopt their parents’ beliefs, but as they grow, their own convictions will form. It’s essential to show them the light of Christ. Brick Church plays a part in nurturing this faith, helping Christ’s love shine into the hearts of all our children.   4.       Inreach & Outreach   The ministries of The Brick Church such as Prayer Shawl, the prayer teams, meal ministries, phone calls, and pastors’ visits mean a tremendous amount to our congregation and neighborhood. When I have a chance to hear from someone what a prayer shawl meant, what the flowers from Sunday morning meant, what the phone call meant - the simplest of gestures - cannot be overstated. The office of Deacon is about compassion, witness, service and how we represent ourselves as an authentic and true part of the body of Christ. We know how much it means to our community by supporting organizations like Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, New York Common Pantry,  Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Search and Care, Urban Outreach Center, and East Harlem Tutorial Program. The Bible tells us in the book of Hebrews, "We might be entertaining angels unaware." Each person with whom we interact with could be an angel sent by God, and how we treat them is directly relevant to our living out our discipleship.   5.       Fellowship   We talk about the trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - as creator, redeemer, and sustainer. This means that God's very essence is community, triune, or three in one. At Brick Church, when we have fellowship events, it's not just chatting about the weather or what's happening in your family’s life. There is something holy about those gatherings because we are reflecting the communal nature of God. It heartens us to see our brothers and sisters in Christ when we come back for the Fall Fling after not seeing each other during the summer. Sunday Suppers, the Fall Fling, the Park Avenue Tree Lighting, the Dinner Dance, the Strawberry Festival are all ways to experience the light of Christ through our warmth, joy, and love. The most sacred moment of fellowship happens monthly during Holy Communion. In all of these gatherings, there is something sacred beyond reason and comprehension, that exudes the mystery of God.    Prayer of Confession: Lord, You are the light of the world and You have given each of us a spark to spread Your grace. Too often we hold our gifts for our own benefit and we fail to let Your light within us shine before others. We remain cloistered from the hardships of the world, failing to share Your abundant love. Send us out so that people might see hope through our loving actions. Amen.

Brick Church and Church of the Living Hope (COLH) are moving toward our goals for mentoring and transformational ministry, thanks to your support! COLH is in need of donations (produce and/or non-perishables) for their upcoming “Pre-Thanksgiving Community Celebration” on Wednesday, November 27th. Your help is greatly appreciated, if possible. Thank you!

Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 3rd! Remember to set your clocks back and be on time for church! It's time to fall back into shorter days and embrace longer evenings for the cozy season ahead.