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
This issue of UPDATE is being written as we move into the final two weeks of August. Some of us have remained in the city throughout the summer, grateful for air conditioners and the often overlooked gift of electricity. Some of us are back from vacations and wishing we had been gone just a little longer to avoid the lights going out in the recent blackout. Instead, we have another New York Story to tell, and are once again reminded of the gift of normalcy we all too often take for granted in this remarkable place. Others of us are still away, but counting the days until we are back to our “normal” schedules and old routines, whatever “normal” means for us here!
The Labor Day holiday weekend comes early this year, which means that on the first Sunday of September we will return to our fall schedule and programming. Sunday, September 7, we return to our schedule of two worship services, one at 9 am and the other at 11:15 am. Church School for people of all ages will also begin that Sunday at 10 am. For the children’s program, there will be an opening Sunday School Assembly, followed the next week by a return to individual classes. The Adult Education program moves from its Sunday morning lectionary Bible Study program to other class offerings. September 7, Professor Neil Gillman will be teaching “The Life of Abraham Heschel,” the first of a three-part series on this important 20th century theologian. The Adult Education brochure, announcing all of the adult educational programs for the fall is at the printer as this is being written and should be in your hands within a week to ten days. Please take time to consider the interesting and varied classes offered for adults at MAPC this fall.
A look at the calendar for the week of September 7 – 13 is included in this issue of UPDATE. Note that we will return to our services of Daily Prayer Monday, September 8. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, services will be offered in the sanctuary at noon. Tuesdays and Thursdays they will be in the sanctuary at 6 pm. These twenty-five minute services of scripture and prayer are lead by members of the pastoral staff and include daily intercessions for those included on MAPC’s prayer list. In addition, the Women’s Bible Study, Overnight Shelter, and Christian Education Committee will meet. On Tuesday, September 9, Session’s Worship, Evangelism, Outreach Ministries Committees will meet. On Wednesday, September 10, we return to our Healing and Wholeness Services in the sanctuary at 6 pm. Following the service, the Board of Deacons, Media and Publications and Stewardship committees will meet.
Thursday, September 11, the Adult Choir will have its annual fall season kick-off party at the manse beginning at 7 pm. Whether an active, long-term member of the choir, or someone who has sung off and on, either in the Adult Choir or the St. Andrew Chorale, you are welcome to be a part of this evening of food, fun and fellowship. If you are planning on attending all you need to do is call John Weaver or, Margaret Williamson to RSVP: (212) 288-8920, x271.
Saturday morning, September 13, the very popular Families with Young Children program will resume on the Church House Roof Garden at 10 am. This is a great opportunity for those with young children to come and meet other parents, share in a continental breakfast and conversation while your children enjoy one another and the playground equipment.
Sunday, September 14, is Homecoming Sunday. Dr. Anderson
will be preaching at both services. Following the 11:15 service there will
be a Church Ministry Fair (see an additional announcement below) featuring
a host of other opportunities for us to become more deeply involved in MAPC’s
ministry in and to New York City and beyond.
Enjoy your last few weeks of summer wherever you may be. Then join us in
September as we begin a new program year.
Peggy Pruett,
soprano soloist in our choir and the St. Andrew Chorale for many years,
died on July 30, 2003 after a battle with cancer. A memorial service
will be held at the church this Fall. |
Please plan to attend the Church Ministry Fair on Homecoming Sunday, September 14 following the 11:15 am worship service. In lieu of our regular hospitality time in the church lobby, we will have a light lunch and ministry fair in the Parish Hall. Come catch up with friends you haven’t seen all summer, make some new friends, and learn about the wide variety of ministries and programs MAPC offers–opportunities for fellowship, study, and service.
Our first Families with Young Children gathering for the Fall will be on Saturday, September 13 from 10 to noon on the Roof Garden. Families with children ages 5 and younger are encouraged to come and enjoy conversation, play, and a light breakfast. This is a great opportunity to get to know other MAPC families with young children. RSVP to Margaret Williamson at (212) 288-8920, ext 271, or e-mail her at mew@mapc.com.
In our first Seniors’ Ministries gathering this
fall, we will listen to a reading of Barbara Kingsolver’s essay
“Knowing Our Place” from her collection entitled Small Wonder.
We’ll have an opportunity to respond to her essay by sharing in
a discussion about the significance of certain places in our lives. Ms.
Kingsolver stresses the importance of “wild places”–what
is the role and importance of wild places for those of us who live in
the city?
Following our discussion there will be time for fellowship and refreshments.
Bring a friend and a memory of a special place to share. Please RSVP to
Margaret Williamson at (212) 288-8920, ext. 271 or e-mail her at mew@mapc.com
(*From the Beatles’ song)
For several years the Session, through the Congregational Nurture Committee
and pastoral staff, has been making plans for the initiation of small
group ministries at MAPC. This spring we initiated two pilot groups
who enthusiastically endorsed this as an important ministry for our
faith community, suggesting that a number of different time commitment
formats be offered, given the differing needs and time availabilities
of our members. Four small groups will begin in October–two that
will require a long-term commitment (28 weeks) and two that will meet
for seven weeks.
The long-term groups will engage in a spiritual formation program called
“Companions in Christ.” One group will meet on Monday mornings
from 10 - noon, and the other on Thursday evenings from 7 - 9 pm. Participants
in these groups will need to commit to the entire 28-week program, which
will begin in October and go through next May or June.
The short-term groups will be using The Workbook of Living Prayer by
Maxie Dunnam. One group will meet on Wednesday evenings 7 - 8:30 pm
and the other on Sunday evenings 6 - 7:30 pm for seven weeks during
the months of October and November.
Both small group offerings include weekly group meetings and a time
of daily prayer and reflection in between the meetings. Participants
in small groups have the opportunity to get to know other members of
the MAPC community, and explore and share their faith journey. We received
such positive feedback from the two small pilot groups in the spring,
that we are eagerly looking forward to the growth of this ministry.
Small groups will strengthen the community and ministry of our church
and provide an opportunity for individuals to grow in their faith.
Each group will consist of 8-10 people, plus leaders. If the groups
fill up, or none of the Fall groups fit your schedule, you will get
another chance! We will offer new groups in the spring and we trust
that this ministry will continue to grow.
If you would like further information about Small Group Ministries,
please contact Beverly Bartlett, Associate Pastor for Congregational
Life at the church when she returns from vacation in September.
Please join in this ministry! If you would like to participate in a
small group please contact Margaret Williamson at the church, and let
her know which group you would like to be a part of. You can call her
at (212) 288-8920 or e-mail her at mew@mapc.com.
Do you fall somewhere between the 20's-30's group and Seniors’ Ministries? Most MAPC folk do! The Mid-Timers’ ministry had a strong beginning last spring with a cocktail party at the manse, followed by a pot-luck dinner in June and a Yankees’ game outing in August. Upcoming Fall events include:
The dates for the brunches, museum tour, and concert will be announced in September–watch for sign-up sheets at the Homecoming Sunday Ministry Fair on September 14.
Also, see: