John 13:34–35 ​Near the end of the Last Supper, after Jesus has washed the disciples’ feet, he tells them, “ Love one another as I have loved you .” The Greek word here,  allelon , means “one-anothering.” This word appears over a hundred times in the New Testament. Jesus tells us to: Wash one another’s feet. Greet one another with a holy kiss. Do not judge one another. Be at peace with one another. Build up one another. Be devoted to one another. All this is to be done in the same manner that Jesus has done for us. “One-anothering” is the quintessence of our stewardship theme  Faith in Action , and it is our mission here at Brick Church. It gives biblical meaning to our two primary initiatives as a congregation: To be a  spiritual home for all people , and To be a  beacon of hope. These are not simply something that we dispense as if we’re handing out goodies at Halloween. No, this fuses our community with other communities. It creates a bond bythe power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives us an impossible task: “ Love one another as I have loved you .” We know we can’t do it, but because of the gift of Kamauru Johnson and Ruben Nuño, we can make a more faithful attempt. I met Kamauru last year, and when he unfolded his vision for Summer Steps, I was in awe because, perhaps without even realizing it, he articulated exactly Jesus’ call. Summer Steps has been an incredible program whose mission is to help equip children to attend some of the greatest schools in the world that are found here in New York City. But largely, this has been a mission to these children and their families. But his vision—the goal is to create community through this program, to forge relationships between Brick and these families, to help make them a part of us, and so we have expanded the table of love and fellowship. No longer will this be a program to a group of children; rather, we will forge deeper community across cultures—in other words, “one-anothering.” Ruben Nuño has been a colleague and friend ever since I came to New York City, and his incredible creativity and passion for communities of deepest need have inspired me and inspired our church members. He has inspired us to put our faith in action because that small congregation, Church of the Living Hope, has been a beacon of hope for decades and decades in the manner that we aspire to. If we want to do as Jesus has done for other people, then we want to listen and learn from Ruben and Church of the Living Hope. This is the essence of the gospel. It is not simply about doing good. It is about growing our spirits to more reflect the Spirit of Christ. And so, when we turn our mission work into relationship work—the work of growing our friendships—we not only help put food in someone’s stomach, we help put Jesus in our souls. The very nature of God is multifaceted. God cannot be understood or known from just one perspective. In the Christian faith, we say that God is Trinitarian: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And when we say that God is love, we mean that this loving relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has existed from all eternity. You and I and our culture have one amazing and profound picture of this loving God, but it is only a piece—it is only a part. And when we forge connections with Church of the Living Hope, with the community of Summer Steps, we see and encounter more of God. We become immeasurably enriched by the character, the wisdom, the intelligence, and the uniqueness of the children and the parents of Summer Steps and the congregation of Church of the Living Hope. By putting our faith into action, we discover more and more what it is to love one another as Jesus has loved us. Amen.

Audition for Disney's Mary Poppins! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO AUDITION Join us for a SUPER (califragilisticexpialidocious) show at the Brick Church Community Theater. Calling adults, children, caregivers, and families to perform in this beloved classic musical.   Auditions for Mary Poppins are being held on Saturday, December 6th from 12-5pm.  Don't miss this unique opportunity to take part in a cross generational experience and play a role in our community's story. Step (back) in time with us to early Edwardian London for a jolly holiday with Mary!   *Stay tuned for special cameos from our Church and Day School community!   Please note that a Performance Fee is required at the time of casting. The fee covers cost of costume(s) and all show week meals. Scholarships available.   $250: Adults and Youth Ensemble $150: Ages 4-6, Penguins   If you have any questions or are unable to attend the audition date, please email our Director, Courtney Edwards at courtneymatsonedwards@gmail.com and Assistant Director, Molly Revenson at mollyrevenson@gmail.com .   All rehearsals will be held at Brick Presbyterian Church located at 62 E 92nd Street.    Audition Dates:  Saturday, December 6th: 12-1:30pm - Ages 4-13 Saturday, December 6th: 2-5pm - Adults and Age 14+ Friday, December 12th: 5:30-8:30pm: Callbacks for Principal Roles   Performance Dates:  Thursday, April 30th at 6pm (Preview) Friday, May 1st at 6pm  Saturday, May 2nd at 2pm Saturday, May 2nd at 6pm  Sunday, May 3rd at 2pm

John 13:1-9 ​Jesus is facing the most difficult time of His life. The religious authorities have not only rejected His interpretation of the Scriptures but have viewed Him as a fundamental threat to their power. The people have seen His miracles, but John tells us they did not believe Him, and even the ones that did refused to profess it openly for fear of retribution.  He knows not only will one of His disciples betray Him, but the others will scatter, and His most trusted disciple, Peter, will deny Him. Yet, He feels the need to be close to His disciples. So, He gathers them for a meal to share some final instructions, but also something much more. There are hard truths for the disciples to hear, but there is a deep tenderness in Jesus’ words. Despite everything Jesus faces, in this moment He demonstrates the core of the heart of God. And it is not something anyone expected. “ I no longer call you servants, but friends… no one has more love than this than to lay his life down for his friends. ” But he does not stop there. He becomes the servant. Jesus rises from the table, takes off His outer garment, and puts on a towel. This is the manner of dress for a servant of the time, a slave even. And then He proceeds to wash their feet, each of them one by one. He wants to be close to them. He’s literally kneeling at their feet, scrubbing the dirt, the grime, and the feces off. And at the same time He’s trying to teach them something—that doing the small things with care makes a difference. When I was a lad I served a term As office boy to an attorney's firm. I cleaned the windows And I swept the floor And I polished up the handle Of the big front door [CHORUS] He polished up The handle of the big front door. I polished up the handle so carefully, That now I am the ruler Of the Queen's Navy. Gilbert and Sullivan, like Jesus, knew that humble service done with excellence can produce far, outsized results. Servanthood is the call for all who follow Jesus. But it is a particular kind of servanthood, that of a steward. A steward is a servant who has been given a responsibility; historically, over another’s household. For example, Eliezer was the steward, the one in charge, of all the wealth of Abraham’s household. And Abraham was very wealthy. But Eliezer’s effectiveness did not only impact Abraham. Abraham was the father of a nation; he was responsible for an extended family that depended upon his household running well. Abraham’s reputation, the people Abraham loved, and the prospering of his descendants were all placed in the hands of his steward. To do this effectively, Eliezer would need to know Abraham’s priorities and personality. It’s not only being an effective manager of assets, though it is that, but a representative of Abraham himself. The nature of his interactions with the community reflects on Abraham, not only by dealing with them honestly and fairly, but by treating them with dignity and respect. You are God’s steward, and the responsibility goes far beyond the offering plate. It requires putting our faith into action. Especially in the times in which we find ourselves now.  Russell Moore, the editor in chief of  Christianity Today , was a prominent leader in evangelical circles but moved away from leadership because he believes Christianity is in a crisis. He describes a series of conversations he had with pastors who quoted Jesus’ call to humble service in the  Sermon on the Mount . “ What was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say,  ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,’  the response would not be,  ‘I apologize.’  The response would be,  ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak,’” Moore said. “ When we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we’re in a crisis. ” Faith requires action. But not just any action—action that follows the way of Jesus; action that is a good steward of Jesus’ reputation. This necessitates, with no exceptions, humble service to those in greatest need. James’ epistle gives us pointed instruction, What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “ Go in peace; stay warm and well fed ,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? This year’s stewardship theme, “ Faith in Action ,” is meant to actualize washing each other’s feet—namely, the willingness to kneel before others in loving service. I want you to know I am very proud of the staff here at Brick Presbyterian Church. They truly exhibit this humble servanthood. Without exaggeration, I can honestly say each and every day I come into this building I see one or more staff putting their own ego on the back burner. This can take the form of willingly staying longer to do work outside of their job description to help an event succeed. I have seen staff take time from their busy jobs to offer a compassionate listening ear to someone off the street just as much as a prominent church member. I have seen staff work diligently on a project only to have instructions changed at the last moment, needing to redo that work. But they do so graciously because they want this church to reflect God’s love and welcome. It is humbling to see this type of devotion. Not all of them, by any means, are Christians. But know this, they represent Jesus’ love as much as anyone. We know that God is love. But it’s rather shocking, the kind of love that is in God’s heart—that of a humble servant, who seeks no credit, who counts no favors. No task is too menial or debasing for God. Jesus offers a counterpoint to the entire way we believe the world works. And this is exceedingly good news for me and you and all those who desperately want to emulate our Lord. The path of humility is the path to true happiness. The world gives us the impression that accruing greater power and wealth is desirable because there is something alluring and wonderful about being waited on. And I must admit I do enjoy eating at fine restaurants with attentive waiters wanting to make the exquisite dish fit my tastes perfectly. But Jesus shows us that it is even more wonderful to be the one waiting on the table, or to be washing the feet. He declares that there is a different path to happiness than success. After he washes the disciples’ feet he tells them, “ For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you… you are blessed if you do them .” That word translated as “blessed” simply means “happy.” You will be happy if you serve others as Jesus did. All Saints’ Sunday is a powerful day, when we remember those we love in the last year that have passed on from this life to the next. We also have this chance at funeral services. But sometimes one of our saints passes away and we never have a chance to truly remember their contribution. And we need to remember the saints not because they’re perfect but because they are family, and they have shown us how to put our faith into action by serving those whom society would just as well ignore. These are precisely the people Jesus calls us to love with action. I have asked your fellow church member, Paul Mercurio, to help us remember one of these saints. Amen.

Listen to Rev. Dr. Thomas Evans discuss The Brick Church Strategic Vision as a preview of his 2024-2025 sermon series for Sunday worship. Our Purpose: To be a beacon of hope that shares God’s love in Jesus Christ. Our Mission: To lead, inspire and enable the public worship of God in the Presbyterian tradition. Our Vision: To be a church that is a ‘spiritual home’ reflecting the fabric of our City. Our Values: Traditional with an innovative heart united as one known for a generous orthodoxy. Our Commitments: To create a welcoming environment that holds respect for diverse perspectives nurturing spiritual development at every age. The Session of The Brick Presbyterian Church in the City of New York recently approved a strategic vision encompassing: Our Purpose: To be a beacon of hope that shares God’s love in Jesus Christ. Our Mission*: To lead, inspire and enable the public worship of God in the Presbyterian tradition. Our Vision: To be a church that is a ‘spiritual home’ reflecting the fabric of our City. *Partial; Full mission statement linked here . The Session also defined: Our Values: Traditional with an innovative heart united as one known for a generous orthodoxy. Our Commitments: To create a welcoming environment that holds respect for diverse perspectives nurturing spiritual development at every age. Our Behavior: Empathy, support, belonging living our faith through community service, engagement, and collaboration. View the Brick Church Strategic Vision here:

Rev. Beth Putney joins Brick Church as Interim Associate Minister, supporting Youth, General Pastoral, and Deacon Ministries. She comes to us from Pasadena, California, where she served as the inaugural Jeff & Lynn O’Grady Pastoral Resident for Theology and Culture at San Marino Community Church. The interdisciplinary nature of that residency deepened her understanding of ministry as an intergenerational calling. Rev. Putney is eager to journey with our congregation and to come alongside youth, young adults, and deacons in this season of ministry. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, Rev. Beth earned her Master of Divinity, Master of Christian Education and Formation (Ministry with Young People track), and Certificate in Theology, Women, and Gender from Princeton Theological Seminary in May 2023. While at Princeton, she participated in several grant initiatives focused on innovation in the church, including Teaching Spiritual Entrepreneurship (funded by Trinity Wall Street) and the Ministry Collaboratory for Young Adult Ministry (funded by the Lilly Endowment). She also served as research assistant to Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean and authored the companion workbook to Dr. Dean’s latest book, Innovating for Love: Joining God’s Expedition through Christian Social Innovation. Rev. Beth received the 2022 Covin Award in Youth Ministry and the 2023 Robert Boyd Munger Award in Youth Ministry. She is also a member of the inaugural cohort of the Polaris Young Adult Leadership Network, a grant initiative at Princeton Theological Seminary designed to connect and equip young adults innovating in the church. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Rev. Beth loves books, the outdoors, and good coffee. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends, exploring new places, visiting art museums, running, and listening to Taylor Swift on repeat.

The Bereavement Group provides a safe and caring space for those who have experienced a loss - whether a family member, friend, or another meaningful person in their life. Over the course of 10 weeks, group members will work together with a psychologist facilitator to share stories and learn from each other's experiences. The group will begin October 20 and meet through December 8 from 6:30-7:30 PM. The cost is $160 for the full program, and enrollment is limited to 8 persons. Financial assistance is available if needed. Meeting Dates: 10/20 10/29 at 5 PM 11/3 11/10 11/17 11/24 12/1 12/8

I Peter 2:1-10 ​We are a holy priesthood, Peter tells us. An extremely lofty honorific which we are sure does not fit us. In fact, I imagine we simply dismiss this statement out of hand. Peter is wrong. There is nothing especially holy about any of us compared to anyone else in this world, and certainly you and I are not performing priestly, cultic duties.  Mesopotamian ancient priests would sacrifice a sheep and take a close look at its liver to reveal God’s will. The oracle of Delphi would inhale volcanic fumes, enter into an ecstatic state to induce prophecies. Over the millennia, the priestly acts evolved, and in ancient Jewish times the priest would burn parts of the harvest on the people’s behalf as an offering of thanks to God, and once a year they would slaughter one goat, and the second goat—the scapegoat—would symbolically take on the sins of the people by being sent into the wilderness. It was understood in all of these traditions that the priest was a holy person appointed by God to divine truth and take away the sins of the people. As Christianity developed, the priestly role included consecrating the communion elements through which the bread and the wine literally became the crucified Christ’s body and blood. In this instance, Jesus is understood as the sacrificial lamb and the scapegoat to take away our sins. During the time of the Reformation, amongst its theological leaders—John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and Martin Luther—there was a recognition that the role of the priest had become distorted and did not reflect biblical principles seen through the lens of Christ. The book of Hebrews is definitive on this point: Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the holy place year after year with blood that is not his own, for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself.  — Hebrews 9:25–28 Once and for all. If this is done once and for all, then the priestly role of sacrifice no longer is relevant. And since the point of the sacrifice was to forgive the sins of the people, the people no longer needed the priest in order to receive forgiveness. This is a critical point, an inflection of power asserted through the divine truth of Scripture. And for the people of the Reformation, this meant the church no longer held sway over our souls. On this Kirkin’ of the Tartans Sunday, we give thanks for our history traced through Scotland and the entire Reformation that set us free from the tyranny of the church and the tyranny of the king. At the time, the king had a vested interest in high church authority. In fact, James I (aka James VI of Scotland!) was adamantly against a Presbyterian church order because he felt it would undermine his kingly authority. As he said at the Hampton Conference in 1604,“ No bishop, no king! ” He did his best to quash this movement. This brings us back to First Peter. In light of this history and biblical understanding, what does this mean—that we are a holy priesthood? First, our holiness is not derived from any inner quality. We are not holy because we are morally pure. Rather, we are holy because God has given us a holy calling, which Peter tells us, “ in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ” And the central place we are called to this proclamation? —Worship. And so, our Presbyterian Book of Order, W-2.0201, declares: In Jesus Christ, the Church is called to be a royal priesthood, giving glory to God in worship and devoting itself to God’s service in the world...The order of worship should provide for and encourage the participation of all; no one is to be excluded. The sacrifice of Jesus leveled the playing field of faith, which means that I and Rev. Unzaga don’t perform any cultic rites on your behalf. We are all holy; we all have this calling. Furthermore, Presbyterian worship is not made authentic or more faithful by designated priests but is an act of the whole people of God, which informs our liturgy every Sunday. Liturgy is all the different parts of the service—the prayer of confession, the assurance of pardon, the affirmation of faith, the offering, and so on. Liturgy literally means “the work of the people.” And we understand that all worship is the work of the people. And so, the whole congregation, no matter the quality of their voice or their age, sings to God. Church members offer prayers and collect the offering. Even the sacraments are not solely the province of the pastors. In fact, we cannot perform the sacraments without the participation of elders or deacons. During the baptism, an elder introduces the family. During communion, they uncover the elements and, along with the pastors, distribute the bread and wine to the people. Not only is the Scripture translated into the language of the people, but the people read it in worship. The authority and holiness of Scripture does not rest in the ancientness of its language but the truth contained within it—the truth available to all. The truth of your priesthood and mine is the promise of the most wonderful thing in all of the universe—to fully ascend the ladder of love. Plato, in his work  Symposium , described this ladder. Love begins most often with a sense of physical attraction. This is the recognition of the physical beauty of another person. We then move to the love of the beauty of souls, the love of knowledge, and finally the love of beauty itself. Think about that flush of attraction which drew you to your life partner—an incredible feeling. You love being with them for how they make you feel, and you want to spend the rest of your life with them. They bring you a sense of security, and their embrace brings comfort. But whether this is a romantic partner or a dear friend, at some point this love hits a wall. You’re frustrated with their idiosyncratic behavior. And perhaps the love grows dim. They no longer meet your needs. You realize you’ve only loved them for the way they make you feel, for what they do for you. And this is where many become stuck—stuck in the lower forms of love, and so too it is with our love for God. If we suffer, if we go hungry, if we don’t get the job we want, we become frustrated, angry, and distant from God. And in so doing, we have disclosed something about the nature of our love—it is transactional; it has conditions. Our limited sight, our creaturely nature, makes it impossible for us to ascend higher on the ladder of love. But through Christ all things are possible, for through him we have all become priests. The priest can enter into the Holy of Holies. The priest can enter into the very presence of God. And to be in God’s presence is not simply to feel love, but it is to know love itself—the most beautiful thing in existence. To enter into this place requires courage—courage to leave behind the lower forms of love. Courage that the prophet Habakkuk showed in the most desperate of times: Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!  — Habakkuk 3:17–18 And when we are finally able to love God without any conditions or expectations, it is then that we can truly love each other, knowing that there is a seed of God planted in every one’s soul. Amen.

Join us in Watson Hall for fun and fellowship on the court! Sessions are offered for all levels: Beginner & Intermediate on Mondays (4:00–6:00 PM) and Saturdays (10:00 AM–12:00 PM), Advanced play on Mondays (6:00–8:00 PM), and a Church Members-only session with instruction for beginners on Thursdays (4:00–5:30 PM).

Revelation 4:1-11 ​During seminary, Wendy and I spent one summer in Tupper Lake, New York, where I served as an intern at a country church there. Liz was two at the time, and she would stand at the top of the steps welcoming people as black flies with their gruesome fangs attacked us! For entertainment when people came to visit, we would take them to the local trash dump at dusk. Like clockwork, half a dozen bears would appear, providing great entertainment. We’d go blueberry picking around the lake as loons mesmerized us with their ethereal call, which was much more beautiful than the music on Sunday morning there.  There was a faithful organist—I say faithful because she played for many decades—but had two hip replacements. Which already is a challenge for an organist, but it was doubly so because this was a pump organ, which required pumping those pedals to push the air through the organ pipes! The music was awful. The great 16th-century Reformers—John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and possibly even Martin Luther—would have been thankful for her, because of it, there was zero chance that anyone would be distracted by its beauty. The Reformers sought to change worship because it had become overly elaborate, with too many extra layers. They wanted to simplify worship so that nothing would pull us away from focusing solely on God. Like folks in the 1950s, they knew music had incredible power. " [Rock and Roll is] the martial music of every side-burned delinquent"  (Frank Sinatra), and Rock and Roll is where  "God and the devil shake hands " (Neil Young). And because of music’s power—like the people of the 1950s who were terrified of the Beatles’ long hair—the Reformers went to extremes: The organ was characterized as the “ Devil’s Bagpipe ” and a “ Seducer to Worship .” Organs in one city’s five churches were silenced, then destroyed. The organ in Zwingli’s Grossmünster, the Cathedral Church, was relatively new. Historian Sharp said eyewitness Gerold Edlibach described the instrument—it was massive, gorgeous, superb, and very expensive, with an imposing cluster of registers. Edlibach also described its destruction—it was “ ripped down and smashed ” while the cathedral’s organist, Pelagius Karlschmid, “ stood by, helpless and weeping. ” Sharp reported that in various cantons of Switzerland, pipes were melted and recast. In Schaffhausen, pipes became wine cans; in Winterthur, a new roof for the prison tower; and in Geneva, dinnerware for the city hospital by order of Reformer John Calvin.  (Source:  Beggars All Reformation Blog, 2012 ) Clearly, they took reform too far, but there is something important we can learn from them—and it’s reflected in our  Presbyterian Book of Order : W-2.0202  The singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs is a vital and ancient form of prayer. The Reformation sought to reclaim the role of music in worship. It is prayer—and as such, it must always turn us to God, in service to glorifying God and never mere entertainment. Granted, it is not always simple to separate the two. If at the end of a wonderful anthem our only thought is the beauty of the music or the incredible talent of the choir, then the music is distracting us. Certainly, these are normal responses—but the aim is to take us deeper. Music’s power is meant to connect a part of ourselves to the glory of God that mere words cannot touch. Scripture tells us,  “As you sing, make a melody to the Lord with your hearts.” Furthermore, the Book of Order tells us that all of us are the primary choir, not just the ones sitting in the chancel. Presbyterian worship by its very nature is participatory. It is not a spectator sport. Even when we are listening to the choir, we should be aware they are not singing to us—they are singing to God on our behalf. And like all elements of our worship, these understandings are drawn from Scripture. And in our text from Revelation, we find ourselves in the throne room of heaven itself! This fantastic scene is not a literal description of heaven. Heaven is beyond our earthly grasp—but it is evocative of divine glory speaking to us; these images seek to peel back the veil of eternity, “ And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,  ‘Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty.’” Music in worship is first and foremost an act of praise. This is our destiny—day and night without ceasing, the text tells us. Our Sunday morning worship is meant to be a rehearsal of this eternal throne-room scene. Consider the opening hymn. The procession of the choir, the Order of Saint Paul, the Beadle, the elders, and the pastors are all meant to give us the sense that we are being ushered into this throne room. In fact, Revelation tells us that everyone in heaven and everyone on earth will join together in praise. So, on Sunday morning, we are literally joining the heavenly choirs. The scene continues into the fifth chapter of Revelation, in which we discover the presence of the Lamb, so the focus of the heavenly praise turns to the Lamb of God—that is, Jesus: “ Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might, and honor and glory and blessing! ” “Blessing, honor, glory, and power be unto Him!”  I love Handel! But music in worship does not begin and end with hymns of praise—it extends throughout the service. I invite you to pull out your order of service and follow along. After our public confession we sing the Kyrie, “ Lord, have mercy upon us. ” These words are drawn from many places in Scripture, but most potently from Psalm 51. King David recognizes the immensity of his sin. He has murdered a man out of lustful desire. He knows that God does not want animal sacrifices but rather a truly contrite heart. When we sing “ Lord, have mercy ,” we should use the music to enable our desire for mercy to be more humble, more authentic, and more deeply felt. We also sing after the Affirmation of Faith. The affirmation follows the sermon. Once we have heard the Word of God, we stand up before the world and say, “ I believe. ” And upon realizing what it is that we believe—that God’s gracious love in Jesus Christ has saved us—we cannot help but sing with joy: “ Glory be to the Father, glory be to the Son, glory be to the Holy Ghost. Glory be! ” Next, we pull our gaze down from heaven and look out onto the world that God has created. Having heard Scripture, we have a clear picture of how far this world is from God’s will for it. So we pray. We pray for ourselves, we pray for our friends, we pray for those around the world. And when the spoken prayer is complete, the whole congregation finishes the prayer by singing: “ Not for this land alone, but be God’s mercies shown from shore to shore, and make the nations see that we must loving be, and form one family the wide world over. ” Then comes the offering. We may think this time is about putting money into the plate—and though that is part of it—it is not the primary intention. First and foremost, this is a time to remember Christ’s self-offering, his sacrifice, his death. He offered his life for our sake. That is what this moment commemorates. We happen to collect money at this time because, in light of the depth of his love for us, we can only respond with thanksgiving. Your offering is meant to be a reflection of the love and thankfulness in your heart. At this point the choir offers up a prayer for all of us—the anthem. They sing on our behalf to this incredible God, a God that is beyond our comprehension, that displays a mercy and a steadfast devotion outside of human capability—and God does it for us, a wayward, obdurate, and recalcitrant people. And as we listen to them sing, perhaps we’ve gone deeper into the presence of the Spirit of God than at any other moment in the service. For me, it’s like a spiritual exhale of my stress, my anxiety, and my worries. Which brings us to a moment of exceeding joy and anticipation. Have you ever noticed after the anthem there is a subtle but critical moment? Melissa or Ray play a transition with the theme of the anthem transposed, modulated. There is an immense amount of the gospel in those few notes they play—it builds and builds and builds. It is my most anticipated moment in the service until they play a chord—an exceedingly powerful, triumphant, and joyful chord—that one chord that makes me stand up ready to sing like no other point in the service: Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise God, all creatures here below! Praise God above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Presbyterian worship has sought to be simple so that everything turns us to God. We are wary of emotions that might become sentimentality. We don’t simply want a pretty sanctuary or an exquisite piece of music that doesn’t point us above.We don’t want an impressively intellectual sermon that simply proves how smart the pastor is.We are afraid of our own feelings—I’m afraid, lest I shed a tear and show that I am human. But most of all we are afraid of… clapping! Some months ago, the chancel choir, along with a percussion group, offered up a gift to God on our behalf—the composition known as  The Cry of Jeremiah  by Rosephanye Powell. In many ways it tells the story not only of Jeremiah’s anguish but humanity’s journey of sin, brokenness, and fear. There are somber, deep, and painful moments in the piece. You can feel Jeremiah’s soul-crushing sorrow when they sing,  “Cursed be the day I was born!”  It is heavy, hard, and heart-rending. But like the Bible itself, there is a turn. It doesn’t come all at once—the choir starts a rhythmic chanting,  “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,”  and then a single, incredibly powerful voice… and it’s not simply a strong or beautiful voice but a voice that conveys a life that has lived in the depths and the heights of human experience.  “I’ve gotta rejoice!”  she sings as the choir’s  Alleluias  grow more hopeful. The organ plays a funky beat; the solo voice ascends higher and higher as she carries us with her up into the stratospheric heights. And then her voice melds with the choir’s as the organ rumbles with joy and the percussion beats out divine power, as it comes to a rapturous conclusion! Music has a special power to usher us into the holy presence of God. Dare I say it was the perfect moment in worship—except for one thing. As the last note played, there was an awkward silence. We looked around at each other, and we Presbyterians all wanted to do something very un-Presbyterian—applaud—but we were too afraid. All of us. Though generally I am against it, in that moment I truly believe it was the Holy Spirit offering an authentic way for us to give thanks not simply for the music, but for what the music gave us—the joy of God’s amazing love. Alleluia! Amen!

With God’s helping hands, our Prayer Shawl Ministry has lovingly created more than 700 shawls since its inception — over 50 just this year — for members of our congregation and their families. We’re grateful for every stitch! Whether someone is facing a health challenge, experiencing loss, or beginning a new chapter in life, each shawl is prayed over and presented as a tangible wrapping of God’s love. Please join us in this meaningful ministry. We are currently seeking experienced knitters to help continue this good work. Can’t make a meeting? No problem — one of us will gladly meet with you individually to coordinate patterns, yarn, and drop-offs. Reach out to: Jaqueline Worth —  jaqworth@gmail.com ; Linda Simpson —  linda.simpson@davispolk.com Karen Fang —  karencfm@yahoo.com   Deborah Kramm —  dkramm@att.net All are welcome. Join us in wrapping our community in prayer and care.

The Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC) is eager to hear more from Brick members as we review Brick's current ministry and seek to discern our future needs and what we are looking for in new associate pastors. The APNC is hosting three opportunities for Brick members to speak with the APNC and share your thoughts and hopes. We hope that you will be able to attend one of these meetings. You are welcome to attend the full hour or just to drop by for a few minutes. We value your input!  Sunday, October 19 | 12:15 PM | Living Room Monday, October 27 | 6:00 PM | Carnegie Room Wednesday, October 29 | 6:00 PM | Zoom Only  Zoom Meeting Information https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81111095194?pwd=A27LcSXKxdyUbN73cKJjI0Pwa4Un9s.1   Meeting ID: 811 1109 5194 Passcode: Feedback

Children 3-years-old through 7th grade are invited to celebrate Advent and Christmas by participating in the Brick Church Christmas Pageant! The pageant is an opportunity for children to offer worship leadership and be our Christmas storytellers. All rehearsals will take place in the Watson Hall unless otherwise indicated.  Please note: Jr Speaking Roles are now available to enthusiastic K-1st Graders. Other K-1st Graders are invited to be in non-speaking roles. To participate in one of the many roles offered, please register below.  We also welcome older youth to help with lighting and staging.