Teen Challenge Brooklyn 50th Anniversary Community Festival

An invitation to attend the 50th Anniversary of a Brooklyn-started substance abuse program for teens. More below, and check the links for specific information on the Festivities this Saturday.

Philosophy of Teen Challenge
In 1958 David Wilkerson went to New York City to work with young people involved in gangs and drug addiction. Teen Challenge was birthed out of Rev. Wilkerson’s efforts to provide lasting solutions to those who were deeply affected by life-controlling problems. To read more about the keys to the successful approach used by Teen Challenge, click here.

Dear First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn,

As a church in our local neighborhood, it would be an honor if you would attend the Teen Challenge Brooklyn 50th Anniversary Community Festival on Saturday June 28th. Please click the link provided to see what the day is all about - including the schedule for the day.

The event is meant for young and old, as there is a lot of activity going on. It is also a chance for you as a church to see what we do in this neighborhood, helping people overcome addictions and other life-controlling problems through the powerful work of Jesus Christ.

Many Christians know our organization through the book The Cross and the Switchblade, written by our founder David Wilkerson: What started out as a step into the unknown to help seven troubled teens in New York, is now an organization of over 170 centers in the US. Outside the US, there are now more than 260 treatment centers and over 140 evangelistic outreaches.

God Bless,

Bart van Sluijs
Marketing
& Communications Coordinator
Teen Challenge Brooklyn

BLTN: Global Arts 2008

That's Better Late Than Never...

The Global Arts Festival 2008 was held last Sunday in the scorching heat. I didn't do a very good job of getting all the photos I should have (completely missed several musical groups and just about all the vendors, including Brooklyn and Haley selling home baked goods and refreshments!). I'll try to remember my REAL camera next year, and to take a better variety of pictures.


(click on the picture to see the facebook album)

Despite the heat, the turnout was great; there were always a number of people filtering by on the sidewalk, and at least a "couple people deep" for most of the musicians / performers. This, after Pastor Emeritus Rev. Dr. Paul Smith brought in the faithful on his return to our pulpit!

"The Laramie Project" - with our own Emma!

You can't tell it from the pictures (camera phone again, sorry), but one of those white blobs - usually one near the center of the picture - is last year's confirmand, Emma.

2008-05-30 Emma's Play

Jill and Mark went to an AMAZING performance of The Laramie Project at her school last night. It is "verbatim theater", all the words come from transcripts or interviews surrounding the violent death of Matthew Shepard in 1998. Each of the actors played a number of roles; Emma ranged from "the best bartender in town", to a loveable redneck, a Baptist Minister, a newsperson, and even the violence-speaking, anti-gay Fred Phelps (ask Jill about her run-in with Mr. Phelps' followers in Graduate School).

Matthew was a young, gay man who came to Laramie to go to college and was beaten to death when he was 21 years old. From the director's notes:

"The Laramie Project begs us to look at not only who we are and what we believe, but also at what we say and the words we use. This play asks us to think about the terms we throw around as a slur or a joke, and it pleads with us to reconsider how those terms are heard, how they are received, and what they truly mean to the people who hear them."

Powerful, moving stuff; extremely well performed for what turned out was only 5 weeks rehearsal!

There was a "talk-back" after the performance that added another level to the whole experience, and gave us a chance to hear some eloquent, thoughtful words from Emma.

If ANY of you are involved in plays, musicals, sports, concerts, graduations or anything else that the general public can attend, let Mark know and we'll do our best to have a contingent from First Church there to support you. Really. I mean it!

(Future Rev.) Paul - Enrolled as a Candidate!

JUST TONIGHT!! Our very own Confirmation Class teacher, Paul, met with the Presbytery of New York City and was "Enrolled as a Candidate" for Minister of the Word and Sacrament.

2008-05-20 Paul Mowry Candidacy

Congratulations, Paul!

God was Singing (a note from Rev. Cari)

I regret that I was not able to be with you this past Youth Sunday. I heard about how awesome the service was. I am so grateful to God for the amazing youth of our church. As this scripture tells us,

The LORD your God is with you...,
God takes great delight in you,
God calms you with his love,
and rejoices over you with singing."
(Zephaniah 3:17)

I believe that God was singing this past Sunday with delight in seeing and hearing you sing, clap, read, preach, play instruments, dance, and just be yourselves. Thanks for worshiping God in just being you.

Much love, Rev. Cari