Ruthie Blumenstein, a regular attender of our morning service, is putting together a church choir. Anyone who loves to sing is welcome to learn more and join in.
If you’re interested in being added to the mailing list to be notified of upcoming meetings, or have questions, join the SingBrooklyn google group or email singbrooklyn@googlegroups.com. More information from Ruthie, below.
This group provides an opportunity to sing praise to our Father in a choir-like atmosphere. Before knowing what ‘kind’ and size of choir this will be, we need to find those who are interested! There will be an initial meeting to get to know our voice types, and then discuss if simply gathering to sing as a group is the ministry and/or if preparing something would also be a goal (eg, a song for Easter Sunday).
Naturally schedules will be a conflict – but we’ll work with those the best we can. There is no expectation for perfection; this group is intended to give an outlet to those who want to sing for Him. If, say, we were to sing on Easter, there would be no expectation for all members to perform; you can still sing in the group but opt not to sing in public.
Are you engaged and looking for an opportunity to go through pre-marital counseling with your husband or wife-to-be? Our first premarital counseling workshop of 2012 will take place February 10-11. Over the course of two days you’ll cover topics like communication, commitment, conflict resolution, keeping love alive, and building shared goals and values.
You must contact your parish pastor, Caleb Clardy, for registration information.
What: Court hearing that could potentially allow churches to stay in the schools. The hearing is concerning the request for a new court order to allow churches to meet in the public schools after February 12. All are encouraged to come watch.
When: February 14, 2012 9:45AM – 12:00PM. Please arrive early to allow time to go through security.
Where: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Courtroom 12A (take the elevators at the courthouse to the 12th Floor) 500 Pearl St. New York City 10007 (this is in lower Manhattan, a few blocks from City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge).
Judge: Chief Judge Loretta Preska (the judge who originally issued the order in August 2002 allowing Bronx Household of Faith and the other religious groups to meet for services in the NYC public schools)
This is a continuation of the Bronx Household of Faith lawsuit. Jordan Lorence, attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, will be arguing in favor of the preliminary injunction to allow the churches to continue meeting for worship services in the NYC public schools.
According to Senator Golden’s office, there is no vote currently scheduled (read: they can’t tell us exactly when this will happen.)
What can you do?
Please send a message that this bill matters! Without our voices, or government representatives do not know this issue is important to us. There are many State Senators for different areas of Brooklyn. We’ve shared the info for a few key districts below. These Senators are key because their districts encompass Park Slope, as well as many of the neighborhoods we live and serve in.
If you live outside these districts and would like to contact additional senators, find your senator here.
Velmanette Montgomery: District 18 (includes North Slope, Gowanus, Red Hook, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Downtown Brooklyn) montgome@senate.state.ny.us or (718) 643-6140.
Eric Adams: District 20 (includes South Slope, Greenwood, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights) eadams@senate.state.ny.us or (718) 284-4700.
Here is a sample script you can use when you call or write:
My name is _______ and I am a member of Trinity Grace Church in Park Slope. We meet at William Alexander Middle School (on 5th Avenue at 4th Street) on Sunday mornings at 10:30AM.
You may be aware of a bill that was introduced yesterday in the Senate Education Committee, S6087A-2011, by Senator Martin Golden that would allow religious organizations to continue meeting in schools. According to current law, all religious organizations must leave schools by February 12th, 2012, unless this new bill is signed into law by the Senate and Governor Cuomo.
Senator Montgomery, please help us (and many other churches across the city) continue to meet for public worship! Without the school, we will be without a place to meet. Many other venues are either cost-prohibitive to a newer congregation like ours, or do not have the space necessary to accommodate both our worship gathering and growing children’s ministry. Moreover, we have come to love our relationship with both the school, and the farmer’s market outside its doors. We feel very much a part of the community at MS 51.
Thank you for your consideration.
There is also a planned march across the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday, January 29th, at 3:00 p.m. led by Rev. Salvador Sabino and Councilmember Rev. Fernando Cabrera in support of Senator Golden’s law. If you cannot attend, please lift this effort in your prayers.
As it has been since the beginning of our church’s life, our prayer is the prayer of Moses in Exodus 33: “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” We know that wherever we go, His presence is with us.
Join members of all Trinity Grace neighborhood parishes as well as our friends from other New York City churches on Friday, April 20th at 7PM as we tell the story of God’s grace in our city.
Our vision for worship is to gather with believers from all across the city as we come together to seek God and pray for the renewal of our city. Come for a night of praise, worship, storytelling and encouragement. Please invite your friends from other church communities.
Location TBD.
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