Shared during Sunday Worship on September 20, 2026. God of love and abounding grace, we give you thanks for the many ways you remind us that we belong to one another and to you. We give you thanks for this community of faith. For the children who fill our halls with energy and backpacks and questions, for confirmands and parents preparing for a year of growth, for teachers and volunteers who offer their time and wisdom, for families and friends who encourage one another, and for all who make this church a place where people can learn, grow, worship, and find their way home. Thank you for the gift of new beginnings. In a time when many are in the midst of transition, give us patience for what is difficult and joy in the moments of discovery. May we all know that our worth is not measured by achievement, but by the love with which you have created us. God of peace, we pray for a world where so many are longing for home, safety, and the possibility of a future. Hold close those whose lives have been disrupted by war, violence, displacement, hunger, and poverty. We pray for people caught in conflicts we hear about every day and for those whose suffering receives little attention. Give wisdom to those who carry the burden of leadership, and turn human hearts toward the work of peace, justice, and reconciliation. We pray also for those who have wandered far from what once gave them life. For those estranged from family or community, those burdened by shame or regret, those searching for a place to belong, and those who do not yet believe there is a way home. Make us a people who leave the door open, who resist judgment, who practice forgiveness, and who welcome one another with the extravagant love you have shown us. And, gracious God, we bring before you the concerns closest to our own hearts: those who are sick, those who are grieving, those facing uncertainty or financial hardship, those beginning something new, and those carrying burdens known only to you. God of love, teach us to trust your abundant grace. Meet us on whatever road we are on, and be within us as we welcome others home. We offer these prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, who shows us the depth of your love and calls us to share it with one another. Amen.

Luke 15:11-13; Genesis 25:21-26 Last week, we embarked upon a four-part series on the stages of faith, and we began with childhood, in which we learned that trust is the central characteristic of a childlike faith (which Jesus told us is needed to enter the kingdom of heaven). But of course, none of us remain in that phase, especially when we enter our teenage years. Perhaps you all remember your time in middle school. Your voice changes, you grow taller, and that awkwardness goes much deeper than the acne. You try on different personalities in the same way you try on different clothes. It's a time in which we become our own person, which requires a certain amount of experimentation and, because of that, inevitable stumbles. Scripture is filled with such instances. Moses killed; Joseph strutted; Jacob stole; Sarah doubted; and Peter ran. Jesus shared a parable that exemplified this awkward time of life: the parable of the prodigal son. It's an unease with your own existence which creates an allure to venture into the far-off country — that other school, that other job, those other friends who we all believe will be more fun and more free. Jesus meant it to describe our willful desire for a life without God's rule. The prototypical example of this in Scripture is Jacob. Known as the trickster, he cons Esau out of his birthright and later dresses himself like Esau to fool his blind father into giving him the blessing that belonged to Esau. Esau will not take this younger brat's shenanigans lying down. So Jacob winds up fleeing for his life. And when he is in the wilderness, using a rock for a pillow, God comes to him in a dream. And rather than a stern scolding, Jacob receives a promise. The land on which he rests his head will belong to him and his descendants, and they will be as numerous as the dust of the earth. Inexplicably, God prefers Jacob to Esau. There is one reason I can see: it has to do with the life of my father. Robert Maxwell Evans did the stages of faith in reverse. When he was a young man, he lived a responsible life. He was a clean-shaven, all-American, preppy type, who, upon graduating from Stanford magna cum laude, enrolled in seminary rather than playing professional ball. Upon completing his Master of Divinity, he answered the call to the mission field in the jungles of Brazil — a very adult-focused, responsible set of decisions. As with Jacob, and as with the prodigal son, the far-off country changed him — radically, and all you need to do is look at the photos: when he left for Brazil, his outfits were suits and ties and a crew cut. Over a decade later, when he returned in the 1970s to be a professor at Union Seminary, he wore cut-off jeans, tank tops, sunglasses, and a full beard. Police did not like the look of his van, especially when he drove into "proper" towns like Princeton. And so, not a few times, my teetotaling, drug-free father wound up in jail for 24 hours. There is something powerful about this phase of life: the faith of a teenager has gumption! Gumption to stand up to autocracy, banality, superficiality, triviality, venality, and brutality! But it would be a long time before Jacob's temerity could be used for God's purpose. God was going to find a way to break Jacob's cycle of selfishness. Perhaps this is why God wanted Jacob to flee his homeland: twenty years with his uncle Laban would cure him. Jacob fell in love with one of Laban's daughters, who required him to work seven years to gain her hand, only to trick him at the end and give him a different daughter, making him work another seven years… Eventually Jacob truly fell in love. …And then God commands him to return to the land of his father. This meant facing the wrath of his brother Esau. Only now, Jacob had much to lose. Paralyzed by fear that Esau would slaughter not only him but his entire family, he comes to the river of Jabbok, and in the dead of night, he sends his wives, his eleven sons, and all of his possessions to cross the river. He intentionally stays behind alone, exhausted and vulnerable, and finally at rock bottom, stripped of all of his schemes. In this moment of utter exhaustion and complete isolation, he is ready to meet God face to face. And he prays, perhaps his first heartfelt prayer of his life: I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. … Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau. In the deep of night, he finds himself wrestling with a mysterious figure. We're not sure if it's a demon of his own making — a realization that his life of tricks and deception has put those he loves in real danger. And here is where we discover Jacob's unique character is not only about deception, but about tenacity — a desire to have the best possible life. And so, in the middle of the night, in this wrestling match, this shadowy figure — who cannot overpower Jacob — uses a special wrestling move that dislocates Jacob's hip. But he still does not relent. Dawn is approaching, and he still has a powerful grip on this being. And so Jacob makes one more deal: I will not let you go unless you bless me. And in that moment, Jacob is given a new name: Israel — because he struggled with God and with humans, and has overcome. He calls the place Peniel, because he saw God face to face, and yet his life was spared. Once again, God has been generous and gracious, far beyond what Jacob could have deserved. Brazil radically changed my father, because it was there that he clearly saw this incredible divide that was true in the society of Brazil, and just as true in the churches. The poor and the uneducated were sometimes treated as disposable members of society — treated as if they were children. And when he returned from the far-off country of Brazil and came back to the States, like Jacob he came back with children and a wife and open eyes. And he saw that though he trusted his family would be well fed and safe, he knew that so many were not so fortunate, and so he made a deliberate decision. He made his life simple, because it was important to him to reflect the life of Jesus, in a way that showed respect and solidarity as Jesus showed for the poor, the dispossessed, the forgotten, and the unseen. And so we spent the summers with our father working at a soup kitchen and day camp in downtown Trenton, building adobe houses, and fighting for water rights in rural Colorado. Jacob has finally moved past his impetuous, self-centered life, because he has been humbled — not only by God's grace, but by the fact that God would still use him for good and for glory. When he finally sees Esau off in the distance, he bows down to the ground seven times as he's approaching his brother. He has found humility, and he knows that what he deserves is his brother's wrath. But the twenty years have changed Esau as well. And rather than strike him down, Esau runs and throws his arms around his neck and kisses him. And they both weep. God can use the doubt. God can use the temper. God can use the frustration. God can use the exasperation. Because, as adults, we are sometimes so exasperated that we give up too soon. A few years ago, the deacons were debating whether or not to let the meal ministry for homeless folks dissolve. It was hard to get volunteers. But it was a teenager who stood up and challenged them. She wasn't willing to let such an important ministry to the poor slip through our fingers. She knew that she — and that Brick Church — had so much to give, and wasn't going to let inconvenience stop us from doing what is right. That is why, I believe, God wanted Jacob — not the polished version of himself, but the wrestler. God knew that underneath the schemes and the stolen blessings was a man who would not let go. And God was patient enough to let the far country do its slow work, turning Jacob's grasping into grip, his selfishness into surrender, so that the very stubbornness that once stole a birthright could one day contend with heaven and hold on until morning. That is the gift of teenage faith. It does not sit quietly at the back of the room while an important ministry quietly dissolves. It does not let banality or superficiality or inequality or venality pass by unchallenged because everyone else has made their peace with it. It wrestles. It says, "I will not let you go unless you bless me" — and it says this not only to God, but to every closed door, every comfortable excuse this church or this world has settled for. Some of you are in that far country right now, covered in dust, carrying a limp you didn't ask for, wondering whether the wrestling was worth it. Hear this: it was. Jacob walked away from the Jabbok broken and blessed in the same breath, and by morning, the brother he feared most ran to embrace him. God is not looking for your compliance. God is looking for your grip. So hold on — don't let go until you are blessed. Amen

Matthew 18:1-5 A few weeks ago, Wendy and I were having the most amazing time in Costa Rica, getting ready to go snorkeling. Along with several other couples we were in our bathing suits and life vests, anxiously listening to our guide’s instructions. We went into the water, and soon it got very stormy and scary! As we were trying to make our way toward the guide, we noticed there was a couple right on our heels--the one standing next to us during the orientation. The woman told Wendy, "Oh yes, we're following you." We thought: okay, they're following us because we're the cool people. Then she said, "Your husband reminds me of my father. They have the same bathing suit." Though I knew it in my bones, clearly we were not the young, cool couple in this group. And it made me consider how we are “maturing”, as we enter into our next phase of life. There are clearly physical elements to this. But there is another aspect I want to bring to you this morning, and in the next few weeks: how our faith changes as we move through the stages of life. We begin with a childlike faith, in which the stories of the Bible — wise men from the East, a ladder to heaven, armies of angels, the parting of the Red Sea — are so powerfully real to us. Our imaginations are absolutely captured. Then we become teenagers. We push back on what our parents told us, and we ask the obvious questions: How was the earth created in six days, if there was no such thing as a day before the earth was made? How could an infinite God become a finite man? Of course, there are no easy answers to these questions. And so, along with our generally obstreperous nature as teenagers, we enter a similar phase in our faith. Then, at some point — hopefully sooner rather than later (men are slower than women in this regard!) — we become responsible. We have careers, maybe children, and our faith reflects that same responsibility. We realize that for the church to work, we have to do some of the work: serve on a committee, give to the cause. Our faith takes on a practical edge. We want it to help us become better people, to do better in our careers, to rear our children more effectively — and we want our church to make a difference in the world, to make it a better place. And then, at some point — and I think this is where my own faith is taking me now — we return to that childlike wonder, that childlike joy. But this time we don't do so naively. We do so with a deepened respect for the questions that are real, and a deeper realization that the power of faith, the power of hope, the power of beauty, is even more immense than we ever dreamed it could be when we were a child. Over these next several weeks we're going to look at these phases of faith — the faith of a child, the faith of a teenager, the faith of an adult, and the faith of an elder. Hopefully through this journey you can better understand where your faith is now and perhaps you can move forward. Today we begin our series with the faith of a child. Jesus tells us a childlike faith is mandatory for knowing what the kingdom of heaven is truly like. The disciples are trying to determine from Jesus what will make their lives as important as they could possibly be — what they can do to be great, explicitly, great in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus' answer confounds traditional wisdom. "Unless you become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Imagine Elon Musk telling his chief lieutenants or the President of the United States that to be great in this world, you must become like a little child. It just would not happen. To be understand Jesus admonition we will examine the characteristics of this faith. a childlike faith is filled with trust Children have several critical traits that dissolve as we age— and preeminent among them is trust. The child trusts the parent and so feels invincible. I remember when Liz and Matthew were little, and I was holding them — they would literally try to dive headfirst out of my hands, with such gusto and enthusiasm that I had to hold on tightly to keep them from breaking their heads open on the pavement. But they so trusted the safety and security of mom and dad that it wasn't even in their worldview that they could be hurt…as long as they were in their parents' arms. So yes, young children struggle, and they fight back, they argue — but ultimately, they trust. The faith of a child is the faith of one who believes that God has the power to do all that God says. And trust leads to the next trait. A childlike faith has a willing spirit Children will try most anything! When our daughter Liz was in second grade, she wrote a poem called "The Perfect Church": A church can only be perfect with God. God is peace, glory, and strength. He is the Holy Spirit. He is God. Singing, dancing, praising God. He loves you and all you do. A church is a family. And if you are looking for a church to be a family with, North Church is the place for you. She wrote this when I was a pastor in Buffalo at North Church and she truly did sing and dance and praise God at that church with the enthusiasm only a child can muster. It is the same type of endearing love that I see from your children. They run through the halls as if they own the place. They come down to the children's sermon with eager eyes and expectations. They stand up in front of the church in their robes and sing — eager, even hungry, to be a part of this worship. Now think about your own singing for a moment, and how it might compare to theirs. I imagine your self-consciousness gets in the way of pure praise. So if you want the faith of a child don't pull back your worship. Don't hold back your singing. Sing as if you believe God is actually listening, as if God actually cares whether you sing not. And don’t hold back your prayers either. A child not only voices their joy but their frustrations with equal fervor! Like “Why is this sermon so long mom! Why are we having broccoli for the third time this week!” Be blunt “God why haven’t you fixed the middle east!” “God why do you allow that flood in Nepal.” “God why don’t you help us more.” A child like faith is authentic and transparent. A childlike faith is about receiving not achieving The disciples wanted to know what they had to do to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. In Mark, Jesus tells them it's not about achieving, but receiving: "Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall never enter it." Later in Matthew, Jesus offers a prayer in which he discloses that folks like you and me are at a disadvantage. Jesus does tell us we are wise and understanding — but he goes on to say, "You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children." We can ask questions of insight and wisdom: Did God actually part the Red Sea? How old is the earth? Did God create the world in the manner Genesis describes? These are questions of real intellectual curiosity, and they do have an impact on the nature of our faith. But they are also distractions, because the answers do not tell us what we think they do. Renowned chaplain of Harvard Peter Gomes once said “I don’t do explanations I want it not to make sense! This is not anti-intellectualism but it is an acknowledgment of the nature of God ultimately surpasses our capacity to understand. God is infinite and we are finite just as no human being could ever possibly grasp the vast scale of the universe so too even more we could never possibly grasp the vast grandeur of God. A child does not confuse facts with truth. The child doesn't understand the facts, but knows the truth. The adult knows the facts, but misses the truth. And Jesus tells us it's not the facts, but the truth, that will set you free. A childlike faith remains open Though a childlike faith is essential it is not a rule God has invoked. There is no guardian at the gate of the kingdom who says, "No, you can't go in here." Remember, Jesus told us the kingdom of heaven is right here, right at our fingertips — we don't have to go looking for it. But as long as we let cynicism and doubt dominate our worldview, we will never see it. That child, though — they're right in that kingdom already. They can still experience the miracle and joy and thrill of this world! It happens when the ice cream truck rings that bell as it drives through the neighborhood It happens when you wake up on Christmas morning and believe that Santa has arrived It happens when you go to Disneyland and see that Snow White and the Lion King are walking around! As adults our tastes have changed but they are no less miraculous perhaps even more so because they’re 100% real. The kingdom of God is looking in your neighbor’s eyes and seeing the divine beauty of their soul. The kingdom of heaven is being able to listen to a piece of music and hear more than the notes — to hear the spirit that is singing them, to feel the complexity of the composer who put those notes together. The kingdom of heaven is being able to stop whatever you're doing, wherever you are —getting ready for bed, walking down Fifth Avenue, taking out the garbage — and to be awake while you're doing it. To see beyond the flat reality into the beauty of existence. It is to be able to say: wow — I live in an era of human history unlike any other. We've put people on the moon. We've gone to the bottom of the ocean. We've divided atoms. We can put our eye to a telescope and literally, factually, see a billion years into the past. We live in an era with airplanes, so we can see the Egyptian pyramids, which are five thousand years old. We can climb the Matterhorn and ski down it. We can float on the Snake River. We can visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia and walk on the Great Wall of China. Never in all of human history could so many people see so many parts of this planet. A childlike faith is one that never takes this for granted — that sees this incredible world, and these incredible people, through eyes of wonder, of mystery, of excitement. It is time of reflection like these that I realize being a pastor is an incredible privilege. I get to walk with families in their hardest moments, and I get to be with them in many of their most joyous ones as well. I get to pray and preach and cook and visit, and I have to pinch myself to realize that I get to do this, in New York City, at Brick Church, and with you all. A childlike faith always wants more The Bible tells us to hunger for this. First Peter tells us: like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk. That pure spiritual milk is not a rare treat — it's available to any one of us, at any time. So perhaps it's fitting that it took a stranger in Costa Rica, to wake me up, to remind me of what my soul already knew: that growing up, in every sense God intends, is not about leaving childhood behind. It's about carrying its trust forward, deepened, into every stage that follows. Wendy and I may not be the cool young couple in the group anymore. But that's alright — because Jesus isn't asking us to be cool. He's asking us to be small enough, and trusting enough, and awake enough, to receive a kingdom we could never earn. Amen.

Originally published in September 2011, in observance of the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001. In recognition of the tenth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, The Brick Presbyterian Church in the City of New York will display an artifact from the World Trade Center site in the church’s narthex during the month of September. Ten years ago the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, owner of the World Trade Center, collected the vestiges of September 11, 2001, in a hangar at JFK Airport. After their curator photographed and numbered each piece of steel, aluminum, crushed fire truck or signpost, insurance agents evaluated the “evidence” of the disaster. Most of these “artifacts” entered the collections of the New York State Museum and the future National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The Port Authority then offered reminders of 9/11 to fire houses, community centers and other not-for-profit organizations that agreed to preserve them. The India House Foundation applied for and received Steel “M23,” a section of I-beam whose form reflects the violence of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. A rescue worker, while putting his own life at risk, had spray-painted it with the instruction “SAVE.” Entering the fiery “Ground Zero” to rescue survivors, retrieve victims and extinguish fires, one of these private citizens saw something in a piece of twisted steel worth saving. M23 and a Dutch flag that once hung in the lobby of Tower Two (but had been taken down prior to September 11th and was stored in a cardboard tube in the sub basement) were featured in a public exhibit, Ships, Explorers and the World Trade Center, in February 2010 at India House (adjacent to the British Garden at Hanover Square) and curated by Margaret Stocker. The exhibit also included the keel of a ship discovered in 1916 beneath the future World Trade Center during excavation for the IRT subway. Some historians believe the burnt timbers to be the ship TIJGER, which had sailed from Amsterdam in 1611, financed by a group of Lutheran investors to purchase beaver pelts from Native Americans in the wake of Henry Hudson’s exploration. Captain Adriaen Block’s ship burned, but he built another, christened ONRUST, the first decked vessel known to have been launched on the Hudson River. Block and his crew are the first known Europeans to build dwelling places on or nearby the present World Trade Center. This steel once held up a skyscraper where thousands of people from many countries conducted business, served lunch and mopped floors. M23 reminds us of the tremendous loss of life as well as the new steel now rising into new buildings in Lower Manhattan. A few blocks from the current World Trade Center, on Nassau and Beekman Streets, the first Brick Church steeple rose above New York City in 1767. Its sanctuary has been open to all for worship since 1938 at Park Avenue and 91st Street. The Brick Church will hold a Service of Remembrance and Hope on Sunday morning, September 11, 2011, at the 11 a.m. morning worship service. The service, falling on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, will include a sermon, prayers and commemoration remembering those whose lives were taken from us and looking forward in hope. Margaret StockerTrustee, India House Foundation

We are delighted to share that Brick Church member Chris Randall will be serving as a seminarian at The Brick Church. Chris has been an active part of our church community for many years, having been ordained as a Deacon in 2002 and an Elder in 2009 and serving through the Men’s Association, as an Usher, and on the Prayer Partners team. His commitment to service, leadership, and the life of the church has long been evident at Brick Church, and we are grateful to accompany Chris in this new chapter of his faith journey and ministry formation. My current spiritual practices and disciplines are rooted in long-term service, leadership, and active participation in the life of the church and the broader community. I have served as an usher for twenty-seven years, a role that reflects my commitment to hospitality, reverence, and stewardship within worship. In addition, I have been called to serve in church leadership as a Deacon on three occasions and as an Elder twice, experiences that strengthened my sense of responsibility for spiritual guidance, accountability, and servant leadership. Beyond formal church roles, I practice my faith through hands-on service. I have volunteered my time to cook and provide dinners for a neighborhood coalition, viewing this ministry as a practical expression of Christ’s call to care for others and meet both spiritual and physical needs. I continue to seek opportunities to serve God in meaningful ways, within the church, throughout the local community, and on a broader scale, by responding to needs as they arise and remaining open to where God leads. These disciplines reflect a faith that is lived out through consistency, humility, and service. Rather than being limited to personal devotion alone, my spiritual practice emphasizes action, leadership, and community engagement as integral parts of my walk with God.

We are delighted to welcome Fiona Beattie to Brick Church as a seminarian from Princeton Theological Seminary! Fiona brings a creative and thoughtful approach to ministry, drawing on her background in theatre and her interests in theology, ethics, and philosophy. During her time at Brick Church, Fiona will have opportunities to participate in worship, learn alongside our clergy and congregation, and explore how her gifts can help foster meaningful connection and community. We look forward to getting to know Fiona and accompanying her during this important season of ministry formation. Fiona Beattie grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where she was raised in the PC(USA) tradition. She escaped the cold weather by going to Washington for her bachelor’s degree. There she studied Theatre, as well as English and Psychology at Whitworth University. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary. Having developed an interest in ethics and philosophy during her college years, she hopes to continue to explore these topics during her time at PTS. Fiona hopes to use her background in theatre in conjunction with her current theological studies to find ways to better foster community amongst churches and the current generations.

Exodus 12:1-14, Romans 3:21-26 What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8b This year we have been exploring the fundamental human need of freedom. We have celebrated and examined America’s quest for freedom 250 years ago and our hope to live into our founding values, such as the equality of all people, more fully. But we have much to learn from history at 250 years though it seems long to us is mere blink of an eye compared to history’s most paradigmatic story of freedom over 3,000 years ago. The Passover marked a great day in the history of the Hebrew people. Passover is the time when each Jew embarks on a personal journey from slavery to freedom. According to one Jewish interpreter, "Passover is the freedom holiday. Of our myriad drives and desires, yearnings and inclinations, few are as passionate and compelling as the drive for freedom. Freedom is a state of mind. Even more, it is a state of being so essential to human existence that without it the fabric of our lives is bereft of quality, color, and texture." The event remains the central defining act of God's steadfast love toward the Israelite people. On that day God's angel reached down with the fiery sword of justice to smite the Egyptian taskmasters, thus initiating the release of the Hebrews from the house of bondage, from the house of slavery. In fact, the faithful today recite the liturgy of the Passover as if it happened to them. They say, "God struck down the Egyptians but spared our houses... God delivered us!" And from that day onward they lived happily ever after... Well, not exactly. It soon became apparent that the Hebrews had more problems than simply Pharaoh. In fact, their entire history is a recounting of one crisis to the next. After they left Pharaoh, lack of faith proved to be a problem, as they came to prefer the Egyptian whip — because of the food that went along with it — rather than the manna and pigeons God fed them in the wilderness. Once they entered the Promised Land, their tendency to worship other gods proved deadly many times. Also, because Israel was located in a key geographic position, surrounding empires perpetually sought to annex their land and deport their peoples. In the midst of these empires, they sought to gain strength, so they replaced their divine ruler with a human king. Very quickly the Israelite kings became almost as large a problem as Pharaoh! Evidently, ridding themselves of Pharaoh was no panacea. That truth rings true today for our country. Twenty-five years after 9/11, we can look back, as the Israelites did to Egypt, and realize a great evil was done to us. Yet, as we look back, we see other self-inflicted problems plague this nation. Much of this country's ills stem not from terrorists but our own indifference to our neighbor, failure to worship God and rampant immorality, Twenty-five years ago, Harper's Magazine commented on the insidious problem the Enron's of this world: "Bound by law to no purpose other than its own profit, untroubled by the nuisance of a conscience, and its sphere of moral reference reduced to that of a flatworm or a fern, the corporation — feels not the sting of envy, the pang of hunger, the fear of death." Harper's suggested that our nation had lost its way, and sadly we haven’t come very far along since then. Just as the Hebrews, who upon receiving freedom and the Promised Land soon entered into the worship of other gods, so too have we worshipped gods of our own making. William Greider, in his book One World Ready or Not, believes the root of our financial problems are spiritual: "The utopian vision of the marketplace offers, after all, an enthralling religion... Many intelligent people have come to worship these market principles, like a spiritual code that will resolve all the larger questions for us, social and moral and otherwise... Many who think of themselves as rational and urbane have put their faith in this idea … as piously as others put their trust in God." Greider recognizes what Presbyterians have always understood to be the root problem of humanity — idolatry, replacing the one true God. However, through the grace of God, adversity always gives us the chance to make our way back. Just as each political crisis that Israel suffered became an opportunity to return to God and a life based on love of neighbor, so too do our nations challenges offer us the chance to return to a life more deeply rooted in God. The resolution to the Hebrews' ills will prove to be our cure as well. Over time the prophets of old came to see a recurring pattern in the Hebrews' problems. They went through a continual cycle recognized by some theologians through the acronym S.A.I.D.R.R. (Success, Apostasy, Invasion, Defeat, Repentance, Reinstatement). Every time God freed them and life became better, they returned to their former ways. This brutal roller coaster made it clear that as long as the fate of humanity rested in our ways of dealing with need, we are fated to an eternal cycle of disaster as the entire history of humankind has clearly demonstrated. Because of this vicious, inextricable cycle, a new hope sprung into the minds of the prophets. Jeremiah called it a new law. Isaiah called it the suffering servant and Immanuel. Ezekiel called it a New Jerusalem. This new vision was a fundamental shift from the old way. In the Passover, God used slaughtered lambs and slaughtered firstborns to redeem a people, but it didn't last. The old ways of money, military, and morality have never been able to bring lasting life. So God ordained a new freedom based on an indestructible force that could not be earned in a bank account; it could not be swindled through greed; it could not be destroyed through war or hate. This freedom would not come to one peopleand not another. No innocents would be sacrificed for it. As Paul wrote, "Since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, they are now justified by his grace as a gift." God gave all of us life as a gift, though we did not deserve it. God forgave and gave all to us. This gift of freedom comes at a price. We must share this life with others as it has been given to us — freely and generously. We must forgive as we have been forgiven. We pray that every week. In our country, our knee-jerk response is to redeem ourselves through boosting economic indicators, stronger defense, and eliminating our enemies. In Christ, God began a new way of dealing with evil. In Christ, God redeemed not through destroying enemies but in dying to revenge. Christ's power rested in a new way of defeating enemies — love. To love our enemies is to recognize that Christ came for us all. History has taught us there is nothing we can create that cannot be destroyed, either through enemies beyond our shores or through the enemies of our own moral weakness. In Christ we have a chance to be part of a new kingdom. God challenges all Christian peoples in this country to forgo the fearful ways of the world and to embrace the courageous, loving ways of Christ. Christ's kingdom thrives through the boundless economy of community and generosity. Christ's power rested not in self-preservation but in self-giving. Freedom has come in Jesus Christ and given us everlasting life. Let us resolve, all of us, to live this life in those permanent values of love, forgiveness, grace — the grace that has been given to us all. Amen.

We are delighted to welcome the Rev. Sarah Logemann as Brick Church’s new Associate Pastor for Children and Youth! Sarah brings a deep commitment to nurturing the faith of children and young people and to supporting families as they grow together in faith. This is also a joyful homecoming: Sarah previously served at Brick Church as a student minister while attending Princeton Theological Seminary. We are grateful to welcome her back to Brick Church in this new role and look forward to the many ways her creativity, warmth, and leadership will enrich the life and ministry of our church. Sarah’s ministry centers on cultivating wonder, encouraging meaningful engagement, and making learning joyful as we seek to be the church together. She is especially passionate about helping children and young people discover that faith is something to explore, question, imagine, and live, and about creating spaces where they can grow in relationship with God and one another. She also loves supporting parents and caregivers and developing creative, thoughtful curricula that helps faith take root in everyday life. Sarah brings more than a decade of experience in children, youth, family, and congregational ministry, most recently serving as Co-Pastor and Head of Staff at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit. Her ministry has also included pastoral leadership, curriculum development for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and consulting and coaching with Ministry Architects and Princeton Theological Seminary’s Youth Ministry Certificate Program. Sarah holds an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary with a focus in Christian Education, and is delighted to return to Brick Presbyterian Church where she previously served as a student minister. Outside of church, Sarah loves reading historical fiction, running (slow) marathons, and playing board games with her husband, Garrett, and daughter, Naima. Meet Sarah Logemann Members and friends of Brick Church are warmly invited to an informal reception to meet Sarah, get to know her, and look ahead to the upcoming year of Children and Youth ministry at Brick Church. These gatherings may be of particular interest to parents and caregivers of children and youth participating in church programming, but all are welcome to attend. Choose the date and time that works best for you: Tuesday, September 15 | 5:00–6:30 PM Thursday, September 17 | 9:00–10:30 AM Wednesday, September 23 | 7:00–8:30 PM Tuesday, September 29 | 7:00–8:30 PM The receptions will be held at the home of Brick Church members Sarah and Dave Johnson. Please RSVP to Sarah Johnson at sarah.bates.johnson@gmail.com and indicate which reception you plan to attend. The address will be provided upon RSVP.

We are delighted to welcome Lawrence Feltz to The Brick Church as our new Executive Director of Administration and Finance. Lawrence brings a wealth of experience in nonprofit finance, operations, and human resources, and we are grateful for the leadership and expertise he will bring to this important role. Please join us in welcoming Lawrence to our church community. Lawrence brings more than a decade of finance, operations, and human resources leadership across the nonprofit and education sectors. He most recently served as Chief Financial and Operating Officer at The Children's Academy, a private K–12 school in Manhattan, and has held finance and operations roles spanning education, live events, and the arts. A dual graduate of Rutgers University, Lawrence holds an MBA and a Master of Accountancy and is a CPA candidate, along with SHRM-SCP and PMP credentials. He lives in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, and is an active member of New York Road Runners.

We are delighted to welcome Admir Shaqiri to The Brick Church as our new Facilities Manager. Admir brings decades of experience overseeing complex facilities and leading maintenance and housekeeping teams, and we are grateful for the expertise and dedication he brings to this role. Please join us in welcoming Admir to our church community. Admir has over 20 years of extensive facilities and maintenance experience, predominantly in the hospital sector, where adhering to protocols is paramount. Admir is skilled in improving operational efficiency, exhibits strong leadership skills and has an acute attention to detail. Admir spent the past 6 years as the Facilities Manager at Surgicare of Brooklyn where he has been responsible for logging detailed and thorough records of all maintenance performed, works closely with equipment engineers and technicians and supervises all housekeeping staff. Prior to Surgicare, Admir spent 5 years working as the Building Superintendent for Peter J. Striano Catholic Charities supervising an extensive staff of custodial and maintenance staff and coordinated with external vendors & contractors for major renovations and specialized repairs. Before this, Admir was Assistant Director of Facilities at the New York Center For Specialty Surgery for almost 10 years. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tirana in Tirana, AL. Admir lives in Brooklyn with his wife and 4 children.

We are delighted to welcome Jeremy Farley as Brick Church’s new Children’s Ministry Coordinator! Jeremy brings a lifelong love of storytelling, creativity, and faith, along with a passion for helping children discover meaningful and joyful ways to connect with God. Jeremy may already be a familiar face to many at Brick Church after playing Bert in this year’s production of Mary Poppins. We are excited to welcome him back to Brick Church in this new role and look forward to the energy, imagination, and enthusiasm he will bring to our children’s ministry. Jeremy Farley first connected with Brick Church when he played Bert in this years production of Mary Poppins—and he’s excited that his next role is serving as the Children’s Ministry Coordinator! Jeremy grew up traveling the world with his parents’ ministry and theater company, Mimeistry International, using mime and physical theater to share Bible stories. His parents were students of legendary mime artist Marcel Marceau, so storytelling has been part of Jeremy’s life from the very beginning! He earned his BFA in Acting from Wright State University and has directed theater and film and taught creative workshops to kids of all ages. Jeremy loves finding fun, creative ways to help kids connect with God, grow in their faith, and have a great time along the way!

The Brick Church Children's Ministry offers engaging Sunday programming designed for children from ages 2 through 7th grade. Our dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer staff will guide your children through inspiring Bible stories, nurturing their spiritual curiosity along the way. Our inclusive programs feature a variety of activities, including family meals and worship, Sacraments Class, Advent Crafts, the joyous Christmas Pageant, as well as special services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for families to celebrate together. Parents with children aged 0-1 years are invited to register for our Sunday childcare services at The Brick Church. Our top priority in the childcare program is to provide exceptional care, ensuring that each child receives dedicated attention and support. The nursery is staffed by highly skilled professionals from The Baby Sitters' Guild, guaranteeing a safe and nurturing environment for your little ones.