MADISON AVENUE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
921 Madison Avenue
(at East 73rd Street)
New York, NY 10021
Tel: 212- 288-8920
Fax: 212-249-1466
(at East 73rd Street)
New York, NY 10021
Tel: 212- 288-8920
Fax: 212-249-1466
The Building Steering Committee, under the leadership of John Heilshorn, has been hard at work this year making plans for our summer construction projects, work that is more easily accomplished when we do not have school children in the buildings.
As you probably have noticed, there is a “bridge” scaffolding erected in front of the Church House Building to protect passers by. This is necessary because we are required by Local Law 11 to repair bricks, mortar and other aspects of the exterior of the Church House Building. The construction people will be on scaffolding hung from the parapet, inspecting the brick work, digging out old mortar and re-pointing, all the way around the building. The project will be completed by late August. So far, the work has produced less dust than expected because the workers are using cutting tools with small vacuums attached.
The second major piece of work is the installation of a new fire alarm system for the Church House that will be integrated into the new system we installed in the sanctuary and Parish Hall during the remodeling of those facilities. At the same time we are also replacing a very old system in the Phillips Building. If the Local Law 11 project will be dusty on the outside, the fire alarm system will create its share of dust inside the buildings. Please bear with us as our custodial staff tries to keep up with the endless mess.
A third project has to do with problems with the floor in the west room of the ninth floor in the Day School. This will not be a complete fix of the problem, but one designed to hold us safely in good stead through next year. At that time, the 9th floor is scheduled for some major renovation, which will include solving the flooring problem as well as several improvements to each of the classrooms. The Day School classroom on the 8th Floor is receiving new cabinets.
Other projects include replacing the floor in the 4th Floor nursery and renovating some office space on the 7th Floor and a bathroom on the 8th Floor. The custodial staff is also involved in renovations this summer, primarily by painting classrooms and offices, and clearing areas before contractors arrive and cleaning them and refilling them after the projects are finished.
Finally, the Columbarium Committee has been at work, under
the diligent leadership of Dick Iverson. The committee’s work has
included studying plans and policies used by other religious institutions
with columbaria, and through consultation with Session they have developed
site plans and policies that they believe will serve our congregation well.
If you have walked through the alcove between the Church House elevator
lobby and Dana Chapel, you have seen the architect’s drawings of what
is planned as the first stage of this important project. Installation and
related construction are scheduled to take place in August, with the hope
that the facility will be ready for its dedication on Sunday, November 2,
the day after All Saints Day. If all goes as planned, Pat Read, widow of
David H. C. Read for whom the columbarium is being name, will be with us
for the dedication. We are confident that the columbarium will be a beneficial
addition to our church. In addition to providing a place where members and
friends of MAPC can be interred, the columbarium will allow MAPC to provide
memorial services and placement of remains at a cost significantly lower
than that connected with a standard funeral and burial. The Columbarium
Committee is developing a brochure describing the Columbarium, the policies
which will guide its use and the procedures by which niches for inurnment
can be purchased.
Though we think of summer as a time when things slow down a bit, you can
see that this is not the case for our custodial, building and administrative
staff. A word of thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to help these
projects come to fruition.
The Seniors’ Ministries Tai Chi class this past May was received so enthusiastically that Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church will be offering a weekly Tai Chi class for seniors this fall. The class will meet in the Parish Hall on Wednesdays from 11 am - 12:15 pm for 14 sessions beginning September 10 and ending December 10. Because learning Tai Chi is a progressive process, we are asking people to commit to the entire course. While we understand that you may have to miss a session or two, you cannot learn Tai Chi by dropping in now and then! Tai Chi is a gentle form of movement meditation–a graceful series of movements performed in slow motion. Easy on the joints, it is a powerful stress reliever. Even the simple forms for beginners incorporate all the Tai Chi principles - relaxation, grounding, energy flow and alignment. Tai Chi is especially beneficial to Seniors because it improves balance. For those with limited mobility, Tai Chi can also be done sitting down. Sharon Smith, who led the May class, will be teaching this course. Sharon has been practicing Qigong, Tai Chi, & other Taoist arts for 24 years and teaching them for 19. She teaches seminars internationally and teaches classes regularly at several venues in New York City. Sharon is a recipient of a Balm Foundation grant for her work with senior citizens.
The minimum donation for each class is $5.00, and we ask that participants pay for four classes at a time ($20.00). Checks may be made out to MAPC. Because the church is subsidizing this class, if you are able to pay more, please consider doing so–it will enable us to offer this class and additional programs for seniors in the future.
Please wear comfortable, loose clothing and shoes you can easily move in. To register for this class, please call Margaret Williamson at (212) 288-8920, ext. 271 or e-mail her at mew@mapc.com.
We are embarking on a new program for the MAPC nursery. Beginning in the fall, we will follow in the path of many other Presbyterian Churches and have a parent volunteer or other church member in the nursery on Sunday mornings. This volunteer will be assisted by two other caregivers. In addition, there will be a story/craft time that will center on the reading of a Bible story, and singing. We feel this will enhance the quality of our nursery program.
In order for this program to function, we will be asking for volunteers to fill two separate slots: from 8:50 until 10:10 am, and from 11 am until approximately 12:45 pm. Our goal is to have enough volunteers so that any one person will not have to serve too frequently.
The MAPC nursery is a wonderful ministry in the life of MAPC and it is often the first glimpse a family has of the strong church community that extends beyond the sanctuary. Please join us in making this a vibrant part of each family’s life and a warm and welcoming place for infants and young children.
We will begin organizing a congregation-wide volunteer effort in the fall. Please call Margaret Williamson at (212) 288-8920, ext. 271 or e-mail her at mew@mapc.com if you would like to volunteer or if you have any ideas about the new program. Please note that this volunteer opportunity is not limited to parents of young children! Anyone who would like to serve our children and families in this way is encouraged to volunteer.
Yorkville Common Pantry (“YCP”), a food pantry service supported by MAPC, needs many hands to assist in packing food for the 600+ families they serve each week. They would welcome helpers on either Thursday or Saturday mornings, beginning at 10 am. To get involved, call YCP at (212) 410-2264, ext. 110.
Parish RegisterInfant BaptismsHunter Avery Hoogkamp son of Gregory Hoogkamp and *Carolyn Pratt Hoogkamp Tommaso Laird de Donato son of Donato Alberto de Donato and *Sarah Palmer de Donato Ariana Bree Biondi-Copeland daughter of *John Copeland and *Gianna Francesca Biondi Owen Harper Tindall son of *Timothy John Tindall and *Erica Harper Adult Baptisms Carl Case New Members Brian Michael Case Deaths *Dorothy H. Hupper (Mrs. Roscoe) WeddingsMichael Edward Bongart and Susan Elaine Wright Paul Raymond Haas and Suzette Young Won Timothy John Tobin and Sara Stuart Sharpe Richard Alan Hughes and Kristen Marie Dunn Jonathan E. Demay and Lisa Santacroce Clifford Anderson and Rosanna Marie Piper Michael Winslow Van Nimwegen
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August Issue: Deadline is Wednesday, August 13
September 14 Issue: Deadline - Wednesday, September 3
September 28 Issue: Deadline - Wednesday, September 17
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