Glossary
20s/30s – young adult fellowship for people between 20 and 40 years of age; includes both married and single people
921 Fund – 2006-2009 Capital Campaign to raise funds to renovate the Church House Building
Book of Confession – Part I of the constitution containing nine historic confessions of the church that form the framework of the church’s theology: the Nicene and Apostles’ Creed, the Scots’ and Second Helvetic Confession, the Heidelburg Catechism, the Westminster Confession (and its Shorter and Longer Catechism), the Theological Declaration of Barmen, the Confession of 1967 and the Brief Statement of Faith
Book of Order – Part II of the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) containing the Form of Government, the Directory for Worship, and the Rules of Discipline
Chancel – the raised area at the front of the sanctuary containing the pulpit, Communion table, organ and choir
Church House – the eleven story brick building adjacent to the Sanctuary that houses the church’s administrative and program space
Columbarium – a side chapel with niches to hold cremation ashes
Communion – The Lord’s Supper, also called Holy Communion and The Eucharist. A remembrance of the meals Jesus had with his disciples not only on the night of his arrest but also after his resurrection and one of the ways the Risen Christ continues to give himself to his followers in order to strengthen and mature their lives of faith
Confessions – the word is used in two contexts: 1) a theological statement, i.e., the Scots’ Confession; or, 2) as a statement, either personal or corporate, acknowledging our sin and seeking forgiveness from God and one another
Dana Chapel – a worship space located behind the Sanctuary, used primarily for personal prayer, but also for small weddings and funerals, Healing and Wholeness services, as well as adult education on Sunday mornings
Deacons – those ordained in the Presbyterian Church to the ministries of “sympathy and service” who assist the pastors in the care of special needs people and very senior members of the congregation
Elders – those ordained in the Presbyterian Church who are vested with governance in the congregation and looked to as the spiritual leaders of the congregation
Minister of Word and Sacrament/Pastor – those ordained in the Presbyterian Church to the function of preaching and celebrating the sacraments
Elements – a theological way of speaking about the bread and the wine used in Communion
Font – the large, green, marble chalice-shaped bowl in the center aisle that is used for baptism. Fonts may be of any size or shape, and may be placed at the entrance of the sanctuary, in the narthex, or on or near the chancel
GMF/TEEZ – Global Ministry Fellow, a newly graduated and ordained Presbyterian minister who serves on the staff of Theological Education by Extension in Zambia (TEEZ), a program that takes Christian education to people in their village churches. The Global Ministry Fellow serves on MAPC’s staff from June through August, then on the TEEZ staff from September through August, and then must travel in the Global South for at least six weeks before returning to the United States. Thereupon, after two weeks vacation, they rejoin the MAPC pastoral staff in New York for the next six months
Kids’ Club – a Wednesday afternoon Christian education program, for children from the ages of 4 through grade six, that meets from 4 pm to 6 pm, September through May, and included recreation, study with one of the pastors, children’s choir and dinner with their families and the pastoral staff
Lectionary – a schedule of scripture readings that includes passages from the Old Testament, the Epistles and the Gospels, as well as psalms to use as prayer. There is a two-year Daily Lectionary for personal use, and a three-year Sunday Lectionary that helps in the selection of lessons to be read in worship
Legacy Society – those in the congregation who have included MAPC in their wills
Liturgy – a compound of two Greek words: laos, which means people, and ergon which means work, ie, “work of the people.” The liturgy is the order and content of a worship service and is the work of the people that we offer to God
Mid-Timers – a fellowship group of people too old to be part of the20s/30s fellowship, but not yet comfortable with the idea of being senior citizens. This group meets bi-monthly for various cultural and social activities, which often involve dinner in a local restaurant or in a member’s apartment
Narthex – the glass enclosed space between the front steps of the church and the entrance to the Sanctuary where we greet one another before and after the services. Serving a dual purpose, the acoustical design allows parents with noisy or active children to take them to the Narthex and oversee them while still being able to see and hear the worship service
Nave – the technical name of the space in the sanctuary, between the narthex and the chancel, where worshippers sit
Phillips Lounge – a gathering space behind the Sanctuary, and adjacent to the Dana Chapel, where committee meetings are held. This space is also where the children go for the ongoing education program that follows the pastor’s Lesson for Young Christians on Sunday mornings
Sacristy – a space in a church where Communion elements are prepared
SAMS – Saint Andrew Music Society is the organization that administers and presents various music recitals and concerts throughout the course of the year
Seniors Unlimited – a fellowship and educational program for senior citizens. Programs include lectures and activities useful to people in their senior years, as well as several excursions that often take the group out of New York City for the day
Session – the governing body of a Presbyterian church. MAPC’s Session is comprised of eighteen elders and the three pastors, who together make the decisions that govern the life of the congregation
Taize – a Protestant monastery in France that developed a unique form of congregational song/chant, which we often use as congregational song during the distribution of Communion
Trustees – a group of men and women who report to the Session and to whom the Session has delegated the monitoring of the business affairs of the congregation. The board also makes recommendations concerning the church’s property
