I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.'  John 14:25-26 Peter is struggling. His whole life he’s been taught the importance of maintaining certain traditions in order to be a faithful follower of God. As a result, he had a very hard time understanding the essential nature of Jesus’ mission to spread the love and forgiveness of God throughout the earth. Peter needed a thorough convincing and so God sends him a rather strange vision, a sheet descends from heaven with all kinds of creatures that are forbidden to be eaten. But a voice from heaven commands him to eat. Peter refuses three different times, finally declaring, “By no means Lord for I have never eaten anything unclean.” And the vision evaporates. But God would not give up on Peter. Right after the vision, visitors arrived asking Peter to come and share the good news with Cornelius, a Roman soldier well respected by the Jews. The Holy Spirit goads Peter into going and that is when his mind is opened, the moment which changes the world and the trajectory of Jesus’ message. Peter had been won over, so he begins preaching to Cornelius and the gentiles, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality. But in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” This is the greatest plot turn in the whole Bible. Until this point, the Bible tells the story of the Israelites and God’s relationship with them. From this point on it moves into the world. In some ways this single event begins what God promised through Abraham, “Through you all the nations will be blessed.” That is the rest of the story we have been exploring this past month. How Christians grow from a few dozen people to over 2 billion today. The spread of Christianity in East Asia demonstrates the critical importance of taking Peter’s insight to heart. When those sharing the gospel failed to grasp all the implications of this profound truth, they encountered significant barriers and limited success. But when they embraced the depths of this insight they made (or rather God) made tremendous inroads. There are three critical factors for spreading the good news we can draw from Peter’s encounter with Cornelius. First, evangelism must center on respect of local people. Second, it should focus more on the person of Jesus than the doctrines of the faith. Third, it should see people through the eyes of God’s love. RESPECT THE PEOPLE When Peter realized that God showed no partiality at the same time he suddenly had a genuine respect for Cornelius’ openness to the power and Spirit of God. And I believe he saw him more as a person rather than simply a potential convert. Sadly, at times Christians saw potential converts as ignorant hapless pagans. Listen to this quote to the introduction of a 1651 translation of the Bible into Malay, used by Dutch and British Protestant evangelizers, “…for the purpose of converting ‘miserable infidels from their gross idolatry’.” Evangelism failed to take hold in several Asian countries not only when the evangelizers showed such obvious disdain but also when they inserted their own culture into the requirements of the faith. When evangelizers in China forbade new believers from paying respect to their ancestors the emperor of China responded by banning them from the country. People can smell contempt from a mile away! However, during the Qing dynasty, the Pope had an arrangement with the emperor to allow the Chinese Christians to continue to observe ritual duties towards their ancestors. And gave them access which led to success over time. One successful missionary endeavor is that of James Hutton Taylor. In the 1800s he renewed the efforts to spread Christianity in China while bringing western medicine. He demonstrated a deep respect for the Chinese culture through his manner of dress and considerable facility with local languages. In fact, today James Hutton Taylor V is still alive and preaching in China. It turns out the local language is critical not only to demonstrating respect but to giving room for the Holy Spirit. This is seen in the tremendous success of the faith through local translations of the Bible. This was the fundamental insight of the Reformation – no longer will the Bible be the province only of the intellectual and religious elite but it would be accessible to all peoples. It is precisely what helped the gospel to spread so effectively in Scotland and it turns out to be the critical for its spread in Korea, the East Asian country with the widest Christian influence. One of our Brick members shared with me key insights for the spread of Christianity in Korea, that depended upon fully embracing the Korean language of Hangul. She observed that for 400 years until the 19th century this language was underutilized by missionaries which prevented its spread but: In 1882 Scottish missionaries published the Korean language Bible and [in ten years], 578,000 Bibles were distributed. The spread of the Bible helped the spread of Hangul. In addition, Methodist missionaries built the education system. The first women's university (Ehwa Women's University) was created by U.S. missionaries … the biggest women's university in the world…. By putting the Bible in the hands of the people no longer did it need to be filtered through the lens of the evangelizers. Instead as people read it for themselves the Holy Spirit was able to work on their hearts directly and the local people were able to become strong Christian leaders in their own right, not having to perpetually rely on the translations of other languages and cultures. THE LENS OF GOD’S LOVE As Peter explained the gospel to Cornelius, he told him, “…how [Jesus] went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.” In reflection, Peter realized the deep love and compassion that Jesus had for all people. He had seen Jesus reach beyond the structures of His religion to give love and respect to a Samaritan woman, to lepers, to tax collectors, to…everyone. And discovering that God shows no partiality Peter would have seen perhaps more clearly than he ever had before in his life the truth of the passage from Genesis chapter one that every single person is made in the image of God, therefore of infinite worth and value. Like with the Ethiopian servant from a few Sundays ago who was moved by the message of radical inclusivity of Christ so too did the Koreans find Jesus compelling. Listen to the insights of this Korean Christian: I believe that the efforts of missionaries who gave equal opportunities to all people and demonstrated and put into practice the value that each individual, regardless of social position, is a precious being of God, greatly helped in the growth of Christianity in Korea. In other words, when the missionaries sought not only to give them doctrine, but the love of God in Jesus Christ, and recognize the inherent dignity of all God’s children the message of Jesus swelled in Korea. FOCUS ON JESUS After Peter acknowledges that God shows no partiality he proceeds to share with Cornelius the person of Jesus – His love and His sacrifice. Rather than sharing all the doctrines of his religion which were manifold, he focused Christ. The same is true for the spread of Christianity in East Asia. There is a touching story of a Chinese Christian author Watchman Nee and his wife. He wrote many books and died in 1972 as a result of being in prison for his faith. He was in jail for two decades and his extreme passion eventually swayed his wife into following Jesus’ message. Listen to his passion: Realizing the effectiveness of Christ's blood in cleansing my sins and being overwhelmed by such love, I accepted him there. Previously I had laughed at people who had accepted Jesus, but that evening the experience became real for me …As I made my first prayer, I knew joy and peace such as I had never known before. Light seemed to flood the room and I said to the Lord, "Oh, Lord, you have indeed been gracious to me." — Watchman Nee, Watchman Nee's Testimony. Mr. Nee saw his particular calling was not to pass on a full religious tradition but to share the message of Jesus. After my illness, God made it known to me that the primary purpose of His imparting messages to me was not for explaining the Scripture, … All that I have written has one aim, which is that the reader will, in the new creation, give himself wholly to God and become a useful person in His hands. It is that kind of Jesus-like self-sacrifice that Watchman Nee demonstrated that has moved people in Japan. In some ways, Japan has been the most unreceptive to Christianity, but surprisingly eight of the Japanese prime ministers have been Christian! In his novel Silence, Japanese Christian author, Shusaku Endo offers a powerful insight into very heart of Christian love and sacrifice. He writes a fictional account of the persecution of Christians in seventeenth-century Japan. In order to prove they are not Christians, those who are suspected are required to trample on a fume, a carved likeness of Christ. If they do not trample the image, they will be brutally killed. Those who do trample it in order to save their lives live with deep shame. As the story climaxes, a young Jesuit missionary has been betrayed to the officials, and he is staring at a fumie. The face he sees in the carving is filled with exhaustion and sorrow. As the young missionary continues to stare at the fumie, the voice of Christ speaks to him. With astonishing grace, Christ tells him to trample the image, because to be trampled on is why Christ is there… — Patrick W. T. Johnson As Christians in today’s world in New York City we can learn a tremendous amount from the story of Christianity in East Asia. It begins with a fundamental truth Peter realized, “God shows no partiality.” This means respecting each person. But at times that has led us in this country to deemphasize Jesus. That instinct grows from our desire to not replicate disdain shown by some Christians throughout history and even in our time. But the witness of the growth of Christianity in places like China and Korea show us that that is fundamentally wrong. What makes Christianity unique and strong is not our doctrine, it’s not our organizational capacity, but it is Jesus Himself.  Amen.

Dear Brick Church Community, In an effort to provide updates to the Congregation on Brick Church matters, we will begin sending monthly informative congregational emails and hosting quarterly gatherings, which we’ll refer to as “Congregational Catch Ups.” The gatherings will take place on selected Sundays after Worship. These will be conversations with myself and Session members about our work on current activities, stewardship progress, and outreach ministries. This will also be a time for you to offer your thoughts and ask questions. We will promote the gatherings in the Sunday bulletin and through the weekly emails. The first Congregational Catch Up will take place on Sunday, May 5th in the Session Room. Hoping you will come and personally participate in your Church’s life and future! You may review the first email updates by scrolling below my signature. In addition to the notes below, I would like to share that both the Trustees and the Session are aware of the sound system issues in the sanctuary. Thank you to everyone who brought this to our attention. The Trustees are going to take the lead on this project while also seeking to upgrade our hearing-assistive hardware. For those of you who attended the spring musical, Cinderella, you know that it was not only an amazing production but great fun with a wonderful sense of community. Four sold-out shows show us the strong interest in continuing this program going forward. It was a wonderful blend of Brick Church members, the school community, and friends of The Brick Church. We are also very grateful for the generous donors who made this a financial success growing our ability to share God’s love in the world. Peace, Rev. Tom Evans Senior Minister MARCH | The Session of the Brick Church held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 12th. Director Fabian reported on the excellent admission and exmission results for the School. Three new initiatives were introduced. 1.) Consideration of a wall plaque for 20-year employees, 2.) A 2024 evaluation of the sanctuary sound system, and 3.) Consideration of a communication platform for Brick members in the form of an online newsletter or magazine to stay informed of important matters and events at Brick. Rev. Evans, most importantly, invited the Session to consider creating a Ten-Year Vision for the church. He talked in terms of a process for Brick to become a beacon of Christ (The Light of the World) situated on the Upper East Side. This means envisioning Brick’s role as a spiritual thought leader and a spiritual home by creating new connections with community institutions and organizations in the neighborhood. The Ten-Year Vision also includes leveraging Brick’s members’ gifts to make a difference in the lives of others. Additional discussions will take place during the upcoming months. APRIL | The Session of the Brick Church held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 16th. On April 16 the Session convened to examine the confirmands. It was heartening to read the Statements of Faith from the confirmands and to share discussions around the table about the challenges of maintaining the Christian faith in an increasingly plural world. The Session enthusiastically approved all students and we look forward to the formal reception on Confirmation Sunday (May 5th). Session approved new guidelines for officers and members working with Brick Church staff to ensure smooth operations and mutual support. We look forward to sharing these guidelines with committees and others moving forward. Session began exploring the timeline for forming a new APNC to elect an associate pastor. At this point, the hope would be to call the new pastor sometime in early 2025.

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Shared during Sunday Worship on May 19, 2024. Lord, on this day of Pentecost, we remember the power of the Spirit’s presence amongst people of different nations and languages. Though they came from different experiences they were united as one. We pray now that our world might find that same unity through the gift of Your love seen most clearly in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us to be witnesses to His grace to those who find themselves in the midst of isolation, violence, loneliness, and estrangement. May this part of the body of Christ be Your presence to these people that they might know that Your love has the power to heal all that ails us. May we show them the kind of love You have for them. We pray now for those who are struggling… Even as our hearts are open for those who are difficult times we also turn to the world and we find many corners of it are mired in age-old conflicts for which there seems to be no end in sight. We ask for Your strong intervention that people might beat their swords into plowshares and their spears in a pruning hooks. It is only through the Prince of Peace that we can ultimately find peace in our hearts which in turn gives us the power to offer it to others. We asked that You bring peace and justice to the Sudan, Ukraine, the Middle East, Haiti, and Armenia. We pray know for war-torn parts of the world in which civilians suffer the most. Lord, You tell us not only to weep with those who weep but to rejoice with those who rejoice. We are grateful on this day for the birthday of Your church! We reap the blessings of this gift every Sunday when we come together as the people of God singing glorious hymns to the Hope You offer us. May this lead us to live lives filled with hope because we have the trust in Your power to overcome all things. We pray this in the name of Jesus the Christ the one who was, who is, and who is to come, amen..

Shared during Sunday Worship on May 12, 2024. "As we gather ourselves as a community in prayer, we also want you to have the opportunity to offer your personal prayers confidentially. Immediately following worship, a member of the Prayer Partners team will be available at the front of the sanctuary to pray with you." Let us pray. Sovereign Lord, creator of the universe, sustainer of all life, our rock and our redeemer, our light and truth and mercy and justice, our heavenly Father.  We praise you for your holiness, your truth and wisdom that guide our steps each day.  We give thanks for your presence in our lives through the life, death and resurrection of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in all of our hearts this day.  We are nothing without you. We yearn to hear your voice and call on our lives, to set our paths straight as we honor you with all that we are. We are so aware of the parts of this world living in darkness, in turmoil, fighting wars, facing hunger and poverty, and we pray for your holy light to shine in that darkness.  We know that your faithful loving power will never be overcome by chaos and disorder.  We ask for your peace, comfort and strength for those struggling with illness, broken relationships, failing health or lack of faith.  Bind up the broken hearted with your grace and love. Send us out this day Lord to be your light to others.  We ask for your courage to be the church Jesus called us to be and that we will love and serve our neighbors as He taught us.  Forgive us when we falter and chase the gold shiny objects that glitter so brightly, but have no power to transform us.  Let us allow the Holy Spirit to enter into our hearts to be the transforming power you have promised. In the strong and holy name of Jesus Christ we pray, AMEN.

I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.'  John 14:25-26 After the stoning of Stephen recounted in Acts, things got dicey for Christians in Palestine. They were forced to scatter to different cities throughout the Roman Empire. Philip wound, up as fate would have it, or more likely as God willed it, in Samaria. Philip must have been hesitant for, as we know, the Samaritans and Jews had a volatile and sometimes violent history. He had been charged to spread the word that a Jewish man, named Jesus, was God and the savior of the world. The Spirit must have been burning inside Philip because somewhere he got the courage to preach. Not only did they not run him out of town but, to his amazement, "they listened eagerly to what he said." Encouraged by their responsiveness, Philip built up a head of steam and he exorcized demons and cured the lame. By the time he was done he had transformed the town and because of his work there the passage tells us, "There was great joy in that city." From there God asked Philip to make his way to Gaza and on the road, he encountered the queen of Ethiopia and the servant in charge of her treasury. It almost seems like a chance encounter, but the servant is reading a passage from Isaiah and the Spirit prompts Phillip to approach him. In a moment the Ethiopian shares the passage that had caught his attention, “like a sheep he was led to the slaughter…in his humiliation justice was denied him.” And then perhaps the Spirit also prompts this Ethiopian for he asked a question about whom is Isaiah speaking? The perfect opening for Philip to share the good news of Jesus Christ about whom we believe Isaiah was speaking. Right then and there the Ethiopian embraces this profound and amazing and hopeful message. He doesn’t waste a moment, “Look here is water what’s to prevent me from being baptized!” The Ethiopian receives this amazing gift but right as he comes out of the water Philip is snatched away! This is the end of this Ethiopian’s Biblical story. Just a mere handful of verses. But this inconspicuous, innocent, brief, and simple encounter leads to another story, an incredible story, the rest of the story, from which the ancient intellectual center of Christianity grows, and the modern locus of Christianity emerges. While Christianity wanes in Europe and North America it's been growing in Africa at unprecedented rates in all of history. And it is the precise nature of the heart of the Christian message that has captured the hopes of so many people throughout history but especially at this time in Africa. And it all goes back to the original moment when this Ethiopian was captivated by those few verses in Isaiah which spoke about a suffering servant, which spoke about a servant of God who was willing to die in an unjust manner to save others. It was the same message that has brought hope of liberation to all peoples that have embraced this gospel from the very first followers of Jesus; he offered a unique path. Throughout history leaders have sought to bring hope to oppressed peoples but many of them also did this through the path that that relied on their own versions of death and mayhem. But the only death that was central to Jesus' plan to bring freedom was His own. And I believe it was this that moved the Ethiopian. Working in the royal court he was used to those with power wielding it over others, whereas Jesus humbled and humiliated himself. He was eager to be bound up with a Lord who would not meet violence with violence but was willing to take it upon Himself. And somehow through this brief encounter we believe that this Ethiopian was the first to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the continent of Africa. This message of freedom and hope has been the genesis of the church in many countries in Africa. Our friend and founder of the African Dream Academy, Rev. Sam Enders, told me that Christianity came to Liberia (as a reminder Liberia was created as a place for enslaved people from America to find a free home). It was the 1800’s when the frees slaves arrived. The Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Episcopalians were the first. Natives thought about the heavens and the importance of going to a better place. The contrast of a land where there will be no suffering, no slavery, and no dying. Slavery was at its peak, death and suffering were a way of life.Natives quickly adapted and started national churches. Aladura was the fastest growing. They believed is miracle. They fasted for 40 days once a year. Sierra Leone has a similar story as do several other countries in Africa like the Congo and more. Now it is true that in some parts of Africa Christianity virtually disappeared sometime in the 7th century when Islamic influence swept through this part of the world; for the next 1,300 years Christians would be a small percentage of the population on this continent. And it is also true that the efforts to spread Christianity in Africa in the last few centuries have a problematic and mixed history. Colonial powers that brought the Christian religion to Africa all too often tragically brought more colonialism than they did Jesus, even when filled with good intentions. It has even led some to claim that Christianity is a white European religion that doesn't belong in Africa. But the situation is more complex. Daniel Justice Eshun, (Dean of Chapel, Whitelands College, University of Roehampton, London, UK) Anglican pastor from Ghana makes this startling observation, “…[Christianity] went from the periphery under European missionary leadership to Ghana’s primary religion post-independence.” (Speaking for Ourselves: The Ghanaian Encounter with European Missionaries – Sixteenth–Twenty- first Centuries, Daniel Eshun). In fact, he observes that for the entire 400 years of missionary endeavors, Christianity remained on the margins not only in Ghana but throughout Africa. It was due to attitudes such as that of 18th century missionary Rev. Thomas Thompson whose aim was, “to strike at their false worship and endeavor... to convince them of their false notions and to expose the folly of their idolatrous and superstitious rites.”  (Speaking for Ourselves: The Ghanaian Encounter with European Missionaries – Sixteenth–Twenty- first Centuries, Daniel Eshun). Mind you, this was for wanting to worship on Tuesday instead of Sunday. The withdrawal of colonialism enabled the Ghanaians to shape Christianity in the same way the Apostle Paul shaped it for those in Asia Minor, in other words based on local culture and customs. Not only is Christianity not primarily a European religion, it has a more ancient and lauded history in Africa than it does in not only North America (of course) but Europe as well. This is the rest of the story that the Bible does not tell us – about what happened after Philip and the Ethiopian’s encounter. What we do know for a fact is not the “how” but the “what”. And the “what” is that Christianity in the early centuries found its intellectual center, it's theological center, and its heart, not in its place of birth (that is Palestine) but in Africa, particularly northern Africa. One book called the Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs written in 180 AD tells some of the early hardships Christians faced in Tripoli, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.  By 250 A.D. over one hundred bishoprics existed centered in Carthage.  …God has a long history in Africa and so does Christianity… (Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church) Listen to a few of these names from the first four centuries of Christianity all from Africa, Tertullian, Perpetua, Felicity, Clement of Alexandria, Origen of Alexandria, Athanasius, and Augustine of Hippo. The two women Perpetua and Felicity were amongst the first Christian martyrs recorded by history outside of scripture. Tertullian, Clement, and Origen are on virtually everybody's list of profound thinkers who helped establish Christian thought in the early centuries. Athanasius is credited more than any other human being with the creation of the Bible as we have it today! And Augustine outside of scripture is the most revered and quoted Christian thinker in all of history whose influence is still incredibly strong today! Christianity not only took hold in the intellectual center of North Africa but perhaps because of this Ethiopian’s encounter with Philip a few centuries later in 330 AD…“King Ezana of Ethiopia declared Christianity its national religion… And though it's presence waned in certain parts of the continent as one writer observed... when the Portuguese landed in Ethiopia in 1493, they found—to their shock—that it was already full of churches!” * This is the amazing, incredible way that God uses people, even misguided people, to transform lives and bring the good news because, despite those colonial’s distorted understanding of scripture, the power of the message of Jesus couldn't be lost on the people of Africa in modern times who find His love, His sacrifice, and His hope irresistible. And because of it the numbers are staggering. According to the Pew Research: At the same time Christianity has shrunk in Europe and North America, it has grown enormously in sub-Saharan Africa … where there were relatively few Christians at the beginning of the 20th century. The share of the population that is Christian in sub-Saharan Africa climbed from 9% in 1910 to 63% in 2010, while in the Asia-Pacific region it rose from 3% to 7%. Christianity today – unlike a century ago – is truly a global faith. (Pew Research) Latin America surpassed Europe as the continent with the most Christians in 2014, and Africa passed Latin America in 2018. (Dr. Gina A. Zurlo). As of 2023 there is an estimated 718 million Christians on this continent. What does this mean for us today at Brick Presbyterian Church and in our country? First, it reminds me of my father’s admonition as I was growing up (much to my chagrin) that the world does not revolve around me! Sometimes in our American context we have the false impression of being the center of all things. Second, it shows us the irresistible story of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It is a story for all people, from all places, and from any time, for it is a story of hope, a story of love, a story of forgiveness and a story of reconciliation. Third, it is heartening to know that as we hear about the diminishing of the influence of Christianity here in North America and Europe that it is thriving and growing like it has never grown before and places like Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Finally, it offers us a challenge – how can we learn from the Christian witness of people in Ghana, in the Congo, in Liberia, in Sierra Leone, in South Africa and so many other places on that continent? How might you and I share this good news in the way that opens people up to God's loving promises? It shows us that should God prompt our spirit, the way God prompted Phillip’s spirit, don't hesitate to share…you never know however brief a conversation can change the planet forever. Amen. Further Reading: Introducing World Christianity Edited by Charles E, Farhadian, pages 38-50. Speaking for Ourselves: The Ghanaian Encounter with European Missionaries – Sixteenth–Twenty- first Centuries, Daniel Justice Eshun Black Imperialism: Americo-Liberian Rule over the African Peoples of Liberia, 1841-1964 Author(s): M. B. Akpan Source: Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue Canadienne des Études Africaines, Vol. 7, No. 2 (1973), pp. 217-236 *https://africa.thegospelcoalition.org/article/african-christianity-thrived-long-before-white-men-arrived/

Shared during Sunday Worship on April 21, 2024. God of peace, our hearts are gladdened that we can come before Your presence to worship You. Amid life’s trials, we thank You for hope through Your living and everlasting promises. But our hearts ache, God, that some drown in their efforts to save themselves and in the upheavals of today’s world. For them, we pray, remember Your promises, O God, and give rest on every side. ​God, our Restorer, internationally, nations war against one another and insurgents threaten the thriving of governments and populations. We ask for divine wisdom and self-control for all key players in wars and crises, especially in the Middle East, the Arab world, Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and Asia. For the bereaved, the displaced, the asylum-seeker, and the vulnerable, we pray, remember Your promises, O God, and give rest on every side. ​God, our Provider, in the US, may there also be profound peace and justice at all levels of government. In this year of elections, teach us to speak with civility, guide us to concentrate on issues of collective importance, and grace us with discretion to elect godly leaders. To our institutions (schools, churches, non-profits, and the like), may You multiply resources to meet increasing needs where they operate. For these also, we pray, remember Your promises, O God, and give rest on every side. ​God of love, in our sanctuary and virtual spaces are varying needs and circumstances. With joined hearts, we invite You into our individual and domestic situations, asking that You provide a way out and fill our homes with lasting love and joy. For our own sake, we pray, remember Your promises, O God, and give rest on every side. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Thank you to our 2023-2024 Seminarians for sharing their Faith Journey and experience at The Brick Church! Watch the presentation by clicking the video link below or clicking here.

I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.'  John 14:25-26 At 76 Anna Robertson had very little left since her husband had died seven years prior. She fought the emptiness with farm chores but soon life demanded a slower pace. Her daughter suggested she take on embroidery which turned out to be a great suggestion, but arthritis grew worse. Her hands were wrapped with bandages, and she even tried a home remedy of 3 cups of milk with 3-5 drops of turpentine! Of course it didn’t help; at night the aches kept her awake and could no longer embroider. But she would not set herself out to pasture. While reminiscing with her sister they recalled as a little girl she liked drawing using anything she could find to add color, from berry juice to colored chalk, even the paint used to mark the livestock. Now Anna marched up the attic to retrieve an old canvas used to patch a threshing machine cover and some old house paint. She never had an art lesson or even heard of Picasso or Van Gogh but for the next 25 years she produced 1,500 paintings, capturing the admiration of art lovers around the world. And now you know the rest of the story of Anna Robertson better known around the world as …..Grandma Moses. (adapted from Paul Harvey jr. the rest of the story) Mary Magdalene and Grandma Moses both had the first phase of their lives pass rather unremarkably and with thoughts that their impact would never been known beyond a handful of people. But the rest of the story for Mary turns out to be far more fascinating than even that of the amazing, gifted, and bold Grandma Moses. I imagine this surprises you since what we know about Mary Magdalene from scripture only amounts to a few verses. While those verses are captivating, they hardly convey that of a world-mover. But our knowledge and our impression of Mary Magdalene is sparse in today's world.Not because of what Mary did but rather what preachers, historians, and others have done through the ages. Sadly, the stories of many critical figures in history have been relegated to footnotes or, even worse, were twisted in order to fit societal expectations and prejudices, because of their gender, race, or class. Overall recent modern scholarship has sought to remedy these. For example, history has taught us that explorer Robert Peary was the first person to reach the North Pole! At least that was what I learned growing up. However deeper examination of the historical facts seemed to indicate that an African American man, Matthew Henson, and four Inuit men Ootah, Seeglo, Egingwah, and Ookqueah were the first. But history can be even worse by not only sidelining people but actively distorting their role in order to control the narrative. While it is true that throughout the history of the Christian Church women were often relegated to inferior roles, it was not a uniform occurrence. There is a particularly unfortunate twist to the story of Mary Magdalene which becomes more powerful upon reading texts outside of the Bible. Perhaps you do remember one fact about Mary, the same one I learned growing up. She was a prostitute. Only there is absolutely no reason to believe this. Nothing in the Bible. Nothing in the other ancient literature either. But in 591, Pope Gregory the Great sealed this myth by identifying her with an unnamed woman in the Gospels. This unsupported reading enabled the early church to downplay her role and pave the way to exclude women from key roles in the Church, despite Jesus’ own use of women as key leaders in the faith. It was critical for the Church to seek to diminish her role for one reason—to exclude women from the formal ministry. Not only in the ancient church, but all the way up to only a few decades ago. And it was fabrications like those committed by Gregory the Great that enabled the power structures to maintain their dominance. For in fact, women and Mary Magdalene were critical to the growth of the early church. It is true Jesus’ disciples were 12 men. But even the writing of this list and the extensive recording of those encounters, as opposed to His conversations with women, disclose cultural bias in the authors. As the texts tell the life of Jesus, without even realizing it, they cannot help but disclose something about Jesus’ discipling of women as well as men. …There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. (Mark 15:40-41) or …The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources. (Luke 8:1-3) These two texts teach us several things. First, Jesus traveled with women as well as men and was teaching both groups together at times. Women were not only relegated to household duties and random encounters with Jesus. The texts tell us there were many women and named several to indicate their prominence. Not only were they with Jesus in his teaching ministry they were the ones who endured when things became dangerous. Whereas the men scattered at the crucifixion, the women remained. Mary Magdalene was one of them. Secondly, the church depended upon the women financially! At a time in history when men controlled even more of the wealth than they do today, it was women who gave the financial backing to Jesus’ enterprise! In fact, in the whole New Testament, against multiple examples of women there may be only one example of a man financially supporting the early church! The early church clearly heavily depended upon the financial generosity of women. And Mary Magdalene was among them. Furthermore, Mary Magdalene has a unique role in the history of the Church. Upon Jesus’ resurrection, he gave the privilege of his first appearance not to Peter or John but to Mary Magdalene and he gave her a task, …Go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. This means, upon Jesus’ command, Mary taught men about the Resurrection. She wasn’t keeping silent! In this case Mary wasn’t just one of them. She was pre-eminent among them! She was an apostle to the apostles as she came to be known in the next centuries!  Her impact and fame, like that of Doubting Thomas who went to India (whom we learned of last week) grew far beyond a few verses in scripture. In writings dating to the second and third century, such as the Dialogue of the Savior, Sophia of Jesus Christ, Gospel of Phillip, Pistis Mary, and the Gospel of Mary, she was a key figure alongside the male disciples, often besting them in faithfulness and understanding. There are dozens of examples in which she is a teacher to men and given special tasks by Jesus. In one work, Jesus says to her and a few others, "I have given you authority over all things as children of light," and finally Jesus tells Mary directly, "Your heart is directed to the Kingdom of Heaven more than all your brothers." Though these are not Biblical writings, the sheer weight of these ancient texts about Mary Magdalene indicates a very high likelihood that she indeed played a critical role both before and after Jesus’ death – just as the 12 disciples did. Perhaps most importantly, her role as Apostle to the Apostles appears again and again, being developed more fully in these works – showing she was a leader of men, a teacher to all, and a preacher of the gospel. I believe Mary Magdalene belongs right alongside the 12, not only because of her ministry with Jesus but her work afterwards. The next time you think about the role of women throughout the history of the Church you'll remember that there was never a time when women weren't critical leaders in spreadingthe gospel. The next time you think about the early Church you'll remember to be thankful for critical financial support of women, for the courage of women who suffered martyrdom, for the courage of women who stood up to the powers and principalities of their time, for the courage of women who stood by the cross. And now you know the rest of the story of the Apostle to the Apostles appointed by the Jesus Himself, Mary Magdalene. Amen.

Hull strawberries on May 17th, bake shortcakes on May 18th, and help with hot dogs, setup, serving, and kids' activities on May 19th for the All-Church Picnic and Strawberry Festival on 92nd Street! Join us for music, food, and community fun after worship. Save the date and join the excitement! Click here to volunteer and email Amy McDonald (mcdonald.amy.k@gmail.com) with any questions!

I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.  John 14:25-26 On October 11th a barkeep faced a judgement to pay the debts of his former partner or face liquidation of all the rest of his personal property. The barkeep unfamiliar with the law reluctantly agreed. He vowed never to get involved in such a business deal again. The next January this former partner passed away and this barkeep was saddled with even more debt! The amount was equivalent to $100,000! He argued that he was only a partner a few weeks before he sold his shares and that numerous lawsuits had depleted the business’ finances. The judge was unimpressed and said he should never have been involved in such a risky adventure and furthermore he should know more about the law. And that is just what the barkeep did. (As told by Paul Harvey.) As Paul Harvey tells it: And two years later he passed the bar and entered into politics. “And now the next time you contemplate the war between the states; the next time, you reflect on the freeing on the slaves, the next time you hear the words four score and seven years ago I want you to remember a bumbling bartender in hoc up to his stove pipe hat, a barkeep named Abraham Lincoln! Now you know the rest of the story.”  (Paul Harvey, The Rest of the Story) Renowned broadcaster Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story aired for over 30 years sharing the untold stories which revealed fascinating details unknown to history. We are used to tales through history that build to a climax and end with the storybook wedding or a fantastic heroic battle but in truth there is always more. Long ago the story had ended in death, and it seemed to be an unfitting conclusion for the miracle worker who meant so much to the people. But it was not the end. Inexplicably the story continued. He rose again and started a whole new chapter, the original surprise sequel that would reverberate down in history. But apparently the Bible only captures the merest fraction of Jesus’ story. At the end of John’s gospel, we discover one of the most intriguing verses in all of scripture, “But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25) Imagine the rest of the stories we know nothing about. The number of people uplifted, the miracles that blessed the sick, the teachings that brought hope. But the spread of Christianity is not only about Jesus. Upon His resurrection He sent the Holy Spirit to His disciples and commands them literally to go into the world teaching and baptizing. Up until now they had no real inkling of Jesus’ ultimate mission but at that moment, they realized the rest of the story would be told through them which eventually creates a movement much wider than the disciples ever conceived. So far, they had experienced healings, sermons, miracles, internal religious strife, foolish arguments about place in the kingdom, a short sword fight, fear and a terrible death, but it was all contained in a small region of the world; and the message had a narrow application to them and theirs. But upon His resurrection Jesus gives the final instructions that this is not only for us but everyone! The whole world. And then ‘poof’ He disappears, leaving it in their hands. From reading the rest of the Bible, such as the Acts of the Apostles and the various letters to churches,we are left with the impression of a fairly successful movement but not one that you would have expected to become the worldwide force and presence it is today. In those letters in the Acts of the Apostles we see so many internal squabbles we see some vibrant communities, but ones that are a few dozen or perhaps a few 100 at most. Scripture gives us no hints of how the rest of this story is going to unfold as it does today with 1 billion Catholics, hundreds of millions of orthodox Christians, hundreds of millions of Protestants, countless number of lives transformed, of hope found. How we go from this provincial movement to something that changes an entire planet, largely it is due to the untold story, the rest of the story of the disciples lives after Jesus gives them this Commission at the end of Matthew. The disciples were not convinced at the outset that this was their mandate. Peter fights against a vision of a sheet coming down from heaven with live animals on it meant to teach him that God's will and Jesus’ love is meant for all people. And it takes Cornelius, a Roman soldier, who's enlightened by the Spirit of God and the truth found in Scriptures to finally convince Peter that Jesus means for him to help this movement grow. It takes Paul, being struck on the road to Damascus, stricken blind but not stricken down, to turn away from his murderous ways into the greatest evangelist the world has ever known. The disciples realize it is up to them to spread the good news to the four corners of the earth. Imagine for a moment you are one of these disciples. This miracle working Nazarene,who’s teaching about love and servanthood and humility and God and ourselves, dies, is resurrected, gives you a task, and then disappears from the face of the planet. And you know that your fellow disciples are perhaps no more capable, courageous, or equipped to take on the WORLD! So how do you and your friends react? Well, their path sounds like that of a bunch of fraternity boys that can't think of anything better; they essentially rolled dice to see who is going to go where! But the rest of the story is the story we don’t find in Scripture, is that of the apostles obeying Jesus’ command with absolutely mind-blowing determination, faith, courage, and devotion. You and I have a hard enough time setting across a trip to the Atlantic, hopping on a plane to get to London in a few hours. Imagine the drive that it took that disciples to go into new places well beyond their homes to share this good news of the gospel. In the Acts of the Apostles, the Bible only captures merest fractions of their travels to spread the good news throughout the earth. So, this Eastertide we will explore the rest of the story for several of Jesus’ disciples and friends. And today we begin with everyone’s favorite disciple, Thomas! Like Abraham Lincoln, the so-called bumbling bartender, Thomas’s final path could not have been seen from his beginnings. He questioned Jesus’ promise that Jesus would take them to the heavenly kingdom, and he famously refused to believe his eyes upon seeing the risen Christ; he insists on putting his hand in Jesus’ wounds. But there is an ancient text dating back somewhere in the early two hundreds of an account of Thomas’ missionary endeavors. Thomas drew the India lot and even received instructions from Jesus in a dream to go there. Thomas objected, claiming ill health and the impossible language and cultural barriers. But Jesus appears to a merchant named Abban and sells Thomas to him, upon which Thomas goes willingly. Two thousand years later in India there are 26 million Christians, and they are seeking to shape their country into one welcoming for all people. India, like all vast countries, has much to be proud of and also much that challenges it to be a just society. Tragically, India today is arguably the country with the most child slaves in the world. There are Indian Christian organizations working tirelessly with support from around the world to stop child slavery. And as our country still grapples with the effects of slavery, India still struggles with the ancient discrimination of Dalit’s, the people previously known as outcastes or untouchables, the names which in themselves convey a world of oppression. I knew a Dalit Catholic priest, Benjamin Chinnapin, who shared with me some of the challenges Christians and especially Dalit Christians face in India. They are not allowed to have funeral parades on the same street as other Indians. This is no minor squabble. Dalit mourners were slaughtered on the street, so Benjamin and others like him fight for equal protection under the law for all Dalits. Within India there are mixed feelings about Christians, but it is a source of pride for many. The former Indian president, Rajendra Prasud, said in a speech on St. Thomas’s Day in New Delhi: St Thomas came to India when many countries in Europe had not yet become Christian; and so those Indians that trace their Christianity back to him have a longer history and a higher ancestry than the Christians of many European countries do; and it is really a matter of pride to us that it so happened. Discovering precisely how Thomas shared the good news is inspiring. The merchant Abban whom Jesus appeared to was looking for a carpenter to work for an Indian king, Gondophares. Once [Thomas] arrives in the city, Gondophares assigns Thomas to build him a palace outside the city gates. Thomas agrees, but instead of using the money to build the palace, he gives it away to the poor and afflicted. Gondophares, furious when he heard how Thomas used the money, casts him in prison, contemplating how he would kill him. That very night the king’s brother Gad died and was taken by an angel to see the palace Thomas had built in heaven. Gad was allowed to return to life the next day and tell his brother all he had seen. As a result, both Gondophares and Gad sought the forgiveness of Thomas, and decide also to follow the Lord. Thomas travels to another land, and after preaching, casting out demons, and performing miracles, he is eventually thrown in prison by king Misdaeus (Mizdai) [for converting his multiple wives). Thomas prays as he is escorted to his death by four guards who kill him with spears.* Though the historic nature of Thomas’ journeys is clouded by time, the ancient venerable history of the Church in India is indisputable. So next time you contemplate the presence of Christianity around the globe, the next time you think about 2 billion Christians around the globe, I want you to remember a fumbling disciple reluctant to leave his home for a land called India. I want you to remember the world's most famous doubter who became a martyr of the faith, which eventually created one of the most ancient and venerable churches on all the planet, which today continues to fight for justice and God's love for all. And now you know the rest of the story! Amen. * https://seanmcdowell.org/blog/did-the-apostle-thomas-die-as-a-martyr#google_vignette

The Brick Church Women’s Association funds a scholarship program to assist Church members and Church staff, with financial help for an accredited degree granting program. The grants are “quality of life” scholarships, given to help with the cost of items such as books, fees and transportation. All applications will be considered and information is confidential. Grants are not automatically renewed. If you have received a scholarship in the past, you must reapply by the deadline in order to be considered for the 2024-25 year.  The deadline for completed applications is May 7th.  To request an application from the Women’s Association office, and to submit the form (no later than May 7th), please email  WAScholarship@brickchurch.org or complete the confidential form here . Artwork by Joni McKown Art.