ning Social Network site for NYC Presbytery Youth

I am happy to announce a new webpage that has been designed for Youth of the New York City Presbytery.

The webpage address is: http://www.presbyyouthnyc.ning.com/

On this webpage you can post blogs, notes, photos, videos, start a webpage for youth group, send the presbytery a message, join in forum discussion and Bible Study, and share events that are going on in the Youth Ministries around the Greater New York City area.

We are searching for a logo for our webpage.

The logos that are submitted will be posted on the website for two (2) weeks. During this time everyone can vote on which logo they like. The winning logo will be featured on the webpage. You may want to search the internet for some of the logos of Presbyterian churches in PCUSA or search the PCUSA websites for inspiration and ideas to create your own. HAVE FUN WITH IT!!!!

The Rules:

Your logo MUST BE INCLUSIVE of all our churches.

The theme is: “Joined Together Through Faith, Love, Unity, Hope…and Jesus Christ!”

Only one entry per church may be submitted.

THE DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008

Thank you all for your participation. As a “Connective Church” this network will aid in reaching out to everyone as a way of strengthening the bond.

God Bless,
Janet Pearson
NYC Presbytery Youth Coordinator

Liberty Outdoor Classic!

Since no one reads the words and jumps right to the photos, I'll just post them right up front. :-)

2008-07-19 Liberty Outdoor Classic

Sure, the weather was hot and the Liberty lost to the Indiana Fever, BUT we did see V FACTORY, and MENUDO! All in all it was a good time for the 15 of us that were able to make it out to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens last Saturday for the first-ever regular season outdoor game by a professional basketball team! (A portion of the proceeds from the game's ticket sales – as well as various fundraising activities throughout the evening – benefited the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), an independent not-for-profit organization whose mission is to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer.)

So we got hot, had fun, ate too many hot dogs (Mark!), felt the cool breezes of Queens, and we ALL agree that a great big THANK YOU goes out to Stephanie for bringing up the idea, and providing the tickets and the eats!

Check your email for an upcoming invitation to a Brooklyn Cyclones game in August!

Siyaya "Home" Videos

Here are a few videos from the Siyaya performance. This was the African Dance and Drum group that was at First Church back on June 22, part of the Global Arts program.

Thanks to Taylor for making these videos available!


Siyaya One 062208
Video Length 4:18
Click here to watch


Siyaya Two 062208
Video Length 1:40
Click here to watch


Siyaya Three 062208
Video Length 2:57
Click here to watch

Youth Visitors this past Sunday

I don't recall seeing (m)any of our Youth this past Sunday, but we had a special group of visitors. A group of 16 youth cyclists with 3 adult chaperones.

The group is the 10thGear Christian Youth Cyclists. We had the special honor of them staying in the Church Saturday night, so they could join us for worship Sunday morning.

Get this ... they are riding 600+ miles from Williamsburg, VA back "home" to central Massachusetts. Each carrying their own gear on their bike with no support vehicle. They stay in Churches along the way and ... DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO STAY THE DAY BEFORE on both Friday and Saturday night! This is truly a journey of faith! Rev. Cari was contacted about 7:00AM on Saturday, was happy to open our building to them (THAT NIGHT!); they did their ride / tourist thing for the day then found us that evening.

What can I say, living your life through faith, knowing that God will provide! Their "touch stone" scripture?

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

James' First Birthday!

Can you believe it? Rev. Beth's son James is now one year old!

James and his family were out of town for the big event, but Rev. Beth did "check-in" with photographic evidence of James' ability to mash birthday cake in his hands. I'm not quite sure what the story is behind that icing flower in the hair, maybe that is "the new look"?

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I'm still looking for people that want to go to the Liberty WNBA game outside at the USTA National Tennis Center on July 19. Also, anyone interested in going back to a Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball game some Saturday in August? Drop me a note or leave a comment here on the blog.