Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church

Please Note: This Pastoral Staff Letter covers events and news for the next three weeks and includes fall program announcements. The next issue of the Pastoral Staff Letter will be on September 9.
 

A Look at this Week’s Events

Thursday, August 19 – Psalm 80; John 6:16-27
Mothers of Young Children, 9:30 am, Philips Lounge
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space
Shelter Dinner, 6:30 pm, Parish Hall
Recovery Group, 6:30 pm, Library

Friday, August 20 – Psalm 32; John 6:27-40
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space

Saturday, August 21 – Psalm 118; John 6:41-51
CHURCH HOUSE CLOSED

This Sunday

Lectionary Bible Study Continues through the Summer

Adult Christian Education continues through the summer on Sunday mornings at 9:15 am with Lectionary Bible study. Come engage with the day’s texts with the preacher for the day.

Singing at MAPC

You are invited to sing with the Summer Choir for the final few Sundays of our summer worship schedule which ends on Sunday, September 5. Information about the Summer Choir may be found on our web site.

We also welcome those who are interested in singing with the Saint Andrew Chorale and the Church Choir this season! Rehearsals begin on Thursday, September 9. If you are interested, find out more about one of our choirs, or to schedule an interview, please contact Andrew Henderson by e-mail at aeh@mapc.com, or by phone at 212-288-8920. The 2010-2011 Liturgical Choral Music brochure is now available! View the online schedule of choral music that will be sung during our worship services, or pick up a copy of the brochure in the Narthex or Church House Lobby.

MAPC Softball Team – One More Regular Game...and the Championship!

This Sunday we play First Chinese Presbyterian Church at 5:30 pm (call time: 5 pm) on Field #1 in the North Meadow of Central Park. You can reach the North Meadow by entering the park at 97th Street. If you can play on the team, please arrive by 5 pm to warm up and get organized. If it’s a rainy day, don’t assume the game is cancelled unless you get an e-mail from the managers. For more information, or if you are interested in signing up, please contact us.

MAPC’s softball team’s Championship game is Sunday, August 29, at 4 pm (call time: 3:30) on Field #1 of the North Meadow of Central Park (closest to the West 97th Street entrance). The Madness has played hard and had fun all season and has made it to the Championship game! We would love to have a big cheering section for this game! If you are able, please plan to head out to the ball field and cheer for the MAPC Madness as they take on the Broadway Presbyterian Team for the third year in a row!

Welcome to the World

We extend our congratulations and warm wishes to Marcus and Kirianne Weaver Riehl and proud grandparents John and Marianne Weaver on the birth of Liam B. Riehl on August 7. Early pictures show a beautiful boy and beaming parents.

Future Events and Other News

Global Ministry Update: Molly and Ryan Dowell Baum To Depart for Zambia

MAPC’s 2010-2012 Global Ministry Fellow, the Rev. Molly Dowell Baum, and her husband, the Rev. Ryan Dowell Baum, will depart for a year of ministry in Zambia on August 31. We will commission them to this ministry during worship on Sunday, August 29.

Since graduating from seminary in May, Molly and Ryan have been on the go virtually constantly. They moved to New York from the west coast, and as Molly put it, “Moving to the Upper East Side from seminary in California has been an experience of culture shock in itself!” After appearing before their respective governing bodies, they were each ordained. Molly and Ryan have participated in MAPC congregational life and helped lead worship, including preaching.

The Dowell Baums completed an intensive three-week mission service orientation in Chicago and Louisville. There they participated in lectures, discussions, workshop, and worship with an eclectic group of Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Reformed (Church in America) Christians preparing to embark for distant lands as mission co-workers. According to Ryan, “A valuable element of this training was the opportunity to begin developing relationships with fellow Christians who are preparing to live and serve around the world. These relationships will be important in enabling us to provide one another mutual support and help process our respective experiences. Our colleagues may go through similar adjustments and understand certain aspects of our experience that members of our family or church may not.” In addition to this training, Molly and Ryan have been devouring a stack of books to orient them further–historically, personally, theologically, and culturally–for life in south central Africa.

Like it or not, Molly and Ryan have also seen and felt their fair share of needles–the shots they’ve needed for a variety of immunizations! All of this is so that as August rolls into September, they can soar over the Atlantic and land within 35 minutes of their new home in Kitwe, Zambia. After several days of orientation to life in Zambia with the 2009-2011 Global Ministry Fellows, Brent and Erin Raska, Molly and Ryan will promptly venture out on their first road trip with MAPC partner Theological Education by Extension in Zambia (TEEZ). The Dowell Baums will be involved with teaching lay people, clergy, and prison inmates, and preaching across Zambia. They are excited about experiencing worship, fellowship, and the life of the Church in Zambia. Molly also adds, “I’m really looking forward to the relational aspect of teaching and preaching: getting to know people, hearing their stories, and building relationships–with the women and men we will encounter teaching the Tutor courses, as well as our colleagues at TEEZ, and others we meet along the way. I also can’t wait to dive into and be immersed in a new culture, to experience a different way of life.”

On or about September 5, the Raskas will begin traveling independently on an itinerary that is slated to feature points in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa, Madagascar, and Egypt.

Keep yourself plugged into both the Raskas’ and Dowell Baums’ journeys by following their blogs on MAPC’s website (Raskas' blog: "To Zambia and Beyond" and Dowell Baums' blog: "Scatterlings of Africa").

Join us on Sunday, August 29, to commission Molly and Ryan in worship, and be sure to share a word of encouragement with them before they depart on the exciting next phase of their call to serve Christ’s church in the Global South.

Return to the Fall Worship Schedule on September 12

Please note that we will return to our regular worship schedule on Sunday, September 12. Morning worship services will be held at 9 am and 11:15 am, with Christian Education classes for Kindergarteners through Adults at 10 am. The 7:30 pm service will also resume on this date.

Attention MAPC Theatergoers! Reserve Your Tickets Now for “The Screwtape Letters” on Friday, October 22!

The Congregational Nurture Committee has booked a limited number of seats on Friday evening, October 22, for the stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ work, “The Screwtape Letters.” In the words of the production notes, the play is “a smart, provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view.” The group ticket price of $49 each is a significant discount over individual ticket prices. The play begins at 8 pm, and those who are able will meet earlier at a Times Square restaurant for dinner.

Other MAPC members and staff who have seen this production have praised the show and encouraged us to get an MAPC group together to see it. Please contact Soraida Maldonado at the church office, 212-288-8920 x271, or via e-mail to sam@mapc.com if you would like to reserve a seat. We will need to have your check for $49 per ticket in as soon as possible. You may mail it to the church to Soraida’s attention, or look for Beverly Bartlett or a member of the Congregational Nurture Committee at coffee hour on Sunday mornings to reserve your seat and leave payment for your ticket. When responding, please let us know if you are interested in joining a group for pre-theater dinner.

Families with Young Children, Saturday, September 11,
10 am to noon on the Roof Garden

Our monthly Saturday morning Families with Young Children gatherings will resume on September 11. This event is held on the second Saturday of the month–unless that falls on a holiday weekend. Families with children ages 5 and under are encouraged to join in this Saturday morning play date for both children and parents. We meet on the Roof Garden when weather permits and either on the 5th Floor or in the Parish Hall when it is too cold or stormy. This is a great way to get to know other families in the church. We always have bagels, toppings, fruit, coffee, tea and juice. We appreciate knowing if your family is coming so we can be sure to order enough bagels. RSVP to Soraida Maldonado at the church office, 212-288-8920 x271, or via e-mail to sam@mapc.com. If you do not receive the Families with Young Children e-mail notices, and would like to, please let Soraida know that! The remaining fall dates are: October 16, November 13, and December 11.

Mothers of Young Children Group, Monday Mornings at 9:30, Beginning September 13

All mothers of young children are invited to join in this discussion, fellowship and support group that will be meeting every Monday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 in the Phillips Lounge. Please note that this is a change from the Thursday morning time of last year. We’ll have coffee and tea, a brief time of guided, silent prayer (which most moms find very welcome!), and lots of conversation. You do not need to commit to being there every week–please come as you are able.

Parents Prayer Group

The Parents Prayer Group will resume meeting on Wednesday, September 15, from 8 to 8:30 am in the Phillips Lounge. This group is for parents of teens and young adults and provides a valuable source of support for those who are parenting children through the challenges of becoming adults and making their way in the world. The group focuses on a brief passage of scripture that they have chosen at the previous meeting, shares prayer concerns and a time of prayer. Since most participants are going on to jobs, they are faithful to the half-hour time-frame. The dates for the fall are: September 15 and 29, and thereafter on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month: October 13 and 27, November 10 and 24, and December 8 and 22.

Saint Andrew Music Society 2010-2011 Season

The Saint Andrew Music Society brochure announcing our 2010-2011 Season has gone to print! If you’re on the SAMS or MAPC mailing lists, you will be receiving it in the mail soon; however, if you’d like to get a sneak peak, view the schedule on our website or download a high-resolution version of the brochure outlining our 46th season of concerts. Our Music on Madison series will feature three concerts by the Saint Andrew Chorale and Orchestra, our 6th Annual Carol Sing, and fifteen additional concerts of choral, vocal, and instrumental music on Sunday afternoons from October through May!

Seniors Unlimited, Wednesday, September 15
3 pm in the Parish Hall: “Eternal Egypt”

On Wednesday, September 15, in the Parish Hall a docent from the Metropolitan Museum of Art will present a lecture on the art of “Eternal Egypt” through the Museum’s Community and Workplace Education program. For those who attend the program on Sept. 15, there will be a follow-up tour in the galleries at the museum on Tuesday, September 21, at 11 am. Again, the tour is open solely to those who attended the program in the Parish Hall on the 15th and participants will need to make reservations with us rather than the museum. There is a maximum number of 35 for the tour. If more than that wish to go, we will keep a waitlist on a “first come, first served” basis.

Please let us know if you are coming, so we can be sure to make enough cookies! RSVP to Arabel Bello at 212-288-8920 x245, or via e-mail to aeb@mapc.com. Please let Arabel know if you plan to attend both the lecture and the tour, or the lecture only. At the September 15 meeting, we will give instructions on where and when to meet for the tour on the 21st.

Church Family Night, Friday, September 17
6 to 9 pm in the Parish Hall

The first Church Family Night of the fall will be Friday, September 17. This is a fun evening of fellowship for all within the church family–those without children at home are welcome to these events, but be prepared for lots of merry chaos! Chef Ray always prepares a delicious meal for us with food and beverages to appeal to both adult and young palates. We will show a movie or shorter shows suitable for young children. Grownups are welcome to enjoy conversation while the children watch. We also have board games for older children who may not want to watch the movie. The cost for the evening is $15 for adults, and free for children under the age of 12. We need to be able to tell Ray how many to cook for, so please let us know you are coming by calling Soraida Maldonado at 212-288-8920 x271, or send her an e-mail at sam@mapc.com. The other Church Family nights scheduled this fall are October 29 for our annual Halloween party and November 19.

Zimbabwe Trip Set for October 21-30

Save the dates! MAPC will be sending a delegation to visit our partners in Harare Synod in Zimbabwe this fall. The team will depart from JFK on Thursday morning, October 21, and will return Saturday morning, October 30. Please note: RSVP as soon as possible as space is limited!

Whether you’ve been to Zimbabwe before, or have never been, you won’t want to miss this trip, for several reasons. First, we are expecting to celebrate the ratification of our partnership agreement, the principles of which were agreed upon earlier this year when our Zimbabwean friends visited us here in New York. Second, in addition to visiting congregations in Harare Presbytery, we will be traveling to Gweru Presbytery to visit congregations there. We will end the trip with a visit to Victoria Falls, staying our last night at a Safari Lodge, which overlooks a watering hole where game can be seen. Please contact Allison MacEachron (amaceachron@aol.com) or Don Wahlig (dbw@mapc.com) for more information and to reserve a spot. We hope you can join us!

From the Hood Library Committee

Members of the Hood Library Committee will begin staffing the Library again on Sunday, September 12. If you borrowed books over the summer, you may return them to the Library at any time, but please be sure they are back by the 12th! For those of you who haven’t discovered the library, this is a wonderful, unique resource we have at MAPC–a full lending library, with a collection that includes fiction, biography, current affairs, periodicals, religious and spiritual writings and more. You may browse the library shelves on Sunday mornings, or whenever you are in the building. Books may be checked out on the honor system at any time by signing them out using the notebook on the desk. The Library Committee is continually working to keep the collection current and welcomes your suggestions for new titles.

Sign Up Now to be a Host in MAPC’s Shelter

A big “Thank you!” to all who have volunteered to be overnight hosts in the MAPC overnight shelter. You already know what a blessing it is to provide hospitality for the 12 homeless men who call our shelter home 6 nights a week. Due to your faithfulness, we have not been forced to close the shelter for even a single night so far this year–great job! Please contact Terry Grace at terrygrace@juno.com to schedule shifts.

Have You Read the Raskas’ Latest Blog from Zambia?

There’s a new entry about their recent travels and teachings in Shang’ombo, a district in the far western part of Zambia. There are also recent posts that contain some great stories and pictures from their experiences in Luapula, their time teaching at Justo Mwale Theological College, their experience of being in Africa during the World Cup matches, as well as a wonderful photo log of a safari they took while their parents visited. There are some remarkable photos of African wildlife. The Raskas are nearing the last two months of their work at TEEZ and beginning to make plans for the travel portion of the fellowship prior to returning to us December 1, 2010.

Flowers for the Sanctuary

Is there someone you would like to honor or remember through a gift of flowers for Sunday worship? If so, please contact the Office Manager, Arabel Bello, at aeb@mapc.com, or 212-288-8920 x245. The cost for the Sunday flowers is $75.

Please Donate Food & Toiletries to the Yorkville Common Pantry Grocery Carts: Yorkie says “Thanks for feeding me!”

“No one is ever turned away.” That is the promise that the Yorkville Common Pantry makes to any and all who come to their doorstep seeking food or other assistance. With donations of food, money, talent and time from MAPC members, YCP has been able to keep that promise to the hungry and homeless even in the midst of such devastating economic times as these, when YCP continues to see record numbers of hungry families and individuals seeking help each month.

YCP is now asking for shelf-stable milk, canned vegetables, 100% juice, peanut butter, jelly and toiletry packages (e.g. disposable razors, shaving cream, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes and shampoo). You can drop items off with “Yorkie” in the grocery carts in the Church House Lobby or the Sanctuary Narthex, or you can order groceries to be delivered to YCP through one of your grocers. (8 East 109th Street, New York, NY, 10029, Phone: 917-720-9700).

Volunteering: YCP offers opportunities for volunteers to help pack food for distribution on Saturday mornings and at certain other times each week. For details, please call YCP at 917-720-9710 and speak with Gladys at x110. Thank you for taking literally and seriously Christ’s command to “feed my sheep!”

Homeless Clothing Donations Needed

Since our Neighborhood Center for Homeless People was closed, the Homeless Outreach Program at Jan Hus Presbyterian Church has seen a dramatic increase of homeless persons seeking assistance. Casual men’s clothing and new men’s undergarments are the most urgent needs. If you have clothing items in appropriate condition, we encourage you to take them to the Jan Hus Clothes Pantry at 74th Street and 1st Avenue, or leave them in the MAPC coatroom off of the Church House Lobby. (Please inform the receptionist that you have left a clothing donation.) Please note that this is NOT an opportunity to simply “clean closets” of unwanted rummage, but appropriate clothing donations are quite welcomed.

Daily Prayer

Daily Prayer is in recess for the summer, though the Pastors will continue to pray daily for those on the prayer list. Daily Prayer services will resume, Monday, September 13, and are held at noon in the Dana Chapel on weekdays.

Program Calendar Through September 9

Monday, August 23 – Psalm 85; John 6:52-59
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space
MAPC Women’s Bible Study, 6 pm, Library

Tuesday, August 24 – Psalm 28; John 6:60-71
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space

Wednesday, August 25 – Psalm 125; John 7:1-13
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space
Cocaine Anonymous, 6 pm, 5th Floor

Thursday, August 26 – Psalm 81; John 7:14-36
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space
Shelter Dinner, 6:30 pm, Parish Hall
Recovery Group, 6:30 pm, Library

Friday, August 27 – Psalm 6; John 7:37-52
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space

Saturday, August 28 – Psalm 100; John 8:12-20
CHURCH HOUSE CLOSED

Monday, August 30 – Psalm 73; John 8:21-32
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space

Tuesday, August 31 – Psalm 36; John 8:33-47
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space

Wednesday, September 1 – Psalm 132; John 8:47-59
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space
Cocaine Anonymous, 6 pm, 5th Floor

Thursday, September 2 – Psalm 26; John 9:1-17
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space
Shelter Dinner, 6:30 pm, Parish Hall
Recovery Group, 6:30 pm, Library

Friday, September 3 – Psalm 25; John 9:18-41
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space

Saturday, September 4 – Psalm 125; John 10:1-18
CHURCH HOUSE CLOSED

Monday, September 6 – Psalm 82; John 10:19-30
Church House Closed for Labor Day
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space

Tuesday, September 7 – Psalm 102; John 10:31-42
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space

Wednesday, September 8 – Psalm 33; John 11:1-16
Zimbabwe Partnership Exploration Committee, 7:30 am, Rm 503
Bible Study Fellowship, 9:30 am, Sanctuary, PH, Library, PL, DC, 5th Floor
Cocaine Anonymous, 6 pm, 5th Floor
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space
Shelter Committee, 6 pm, Library
Deacons, 7 pm, Parish Hall
Outreach Ministries Committee, 7 pm, Library

Thursday, September 9 – Psalm 16; John 11:17-29
Overnight Shelter, 6 pm, Shelter Space
Shelter Dinner, 6:30 pm, Parish Hall
Saint Andrew Chorale, 7 pm, Sanctuary
Choir, 8:30 pm, Choir Room

See you in Church!