MADISON AVENUE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
921 Madison Ave.
(At E. 73rd St.)
NY, NY 10021
T: (212) 288 8920
F: (212) 249 1466
(At E. 73rd St.)
NY, NY 10021
T: (212) 288 8920
F: (212) 249 1466
In the early months of 2005 the Music Director Search Committee spent many hours not only reviewing applications and interviewing candidates, but also contemplating the breadth of MAPC’s music program and the prospective duties of the incoming Director of Music. Hence, the Search Committee made a recommendation to Session that creating a second music staff position – one that would 
be designed to share some of the Director’s duties as well as enabling an expansion of program opportunities – would be a necessity. This led to further discussion, prospective job descriptions and much thought, ultimately ending with the appointment of Mary Wannamaker Huff (who also happens to be my wife!) as Associate Director of Music, effective January 1, 2006. Mary’s part-time position will encompass spearheading an expansion of the youth music program, playing the organ, and assisting in the direction of the Church Choir and Saint Andrew Chorale, as well as lending a hand in the considerable administration that is a necessary part of any large church music program.
Mary is an excellent organist and a committed educator and choral conductor, with a particularly strong background in directing children’s choirs. A native of Greenville, South Carolina, she holds degrees in music from Furman University and Yale University, where she studied on a full scholarship through the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. Mary will continue in her position as Director of Children’s Choirs at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, where she directs and administers a program involving four choirs and over 100 children in grades 1 through 8. I am delighted that we have been so warmly welcomed at MAPC and look forward to many years of music making in this place.
Andrew Henderson,
Director of Music & Organist
At the annual meeting of the congregation, Sunday, January 29, the Session’s Building Renovation Steering Committee made a report on its work and findings in the last year as well as plans for continuing renovation of the Church House. Elder-elect John Heilshorn, chair of the committee, reported that when the committee had initially presented its plans to the Trustees and Session in December of 2004, it conceived the work in three phases of approximately $6 million each. As work progressed this year, and the committee became aware of the rapid increase in construction costs in New York City (approximately 15% per year), it concluded that significant cost reductions could be achieved by “bundling” phase one and two into one project, as well as including some new work not included in the original three-phased plan. The current project includes renovation of all of the floors of the Church House and includes a new heating system, an expanded lobby with an atrium that will capture the alley between the Sanctuary and Church House, as well as a centralized Church House entrance with a more accessible disabled entrance to the building, and a new and more accessible entrance to the Parish Hall, replacing the handicapped elevator with a ramp. The work is estimated to cost $16.5 million over the next three years, calculated at 2006 costs.
Heilshorn reported on the work accomplished beginning in June of 2005: the swimming pool was removed from the sub-basement, creating space for a mechanical room to house the new heating system as well as space for a workshop and rodent-secure trash room; and construction of the suite of three staff apartments on the tenth floor began and remains on schedule for completion by September of 2006.
Committee member Dick Iverson reported on the extensive testing that was administered to the Church House building's infrastructure, especially its water and soil plumbing systems, revealing disturbing news that the entire system of pipes was near collapse and must be replaced as soon as possible. Cutout cross sections of the various pipes were, and remain, on display in the Church House Lobby. Iverson reported that the life-span on the plumbing ranges from a potential of 17 years for soil pipes to zero years for some hot water risers, though, as Iverson reported, the soil pipes would probably begin to crack and leak long before the 17 years targeted remaining life-span.
Testing results led the committee to intensive planning of both a new infrastructure design (new risers must be installed throughout the building), as well as a new heating system, which can be zoned not only floor by floor but also room by room. With the current system, we must heat the entire building to heat just one room! In addition, new building codes require that all buildings of more than four floors have sprinkler fire suppression systems by 2017. The new infrastructure design will include such a system throughout the Church House, as well as a security system that will enable residents on the 10th floor to communicate with people at the door after the receptionist is gone for the day and the building is closed. The “spine” of the infrastructure system is scheduled for installation June 1 of this year, as soon as the Day School and Playgroup are out of session, and should be complete before school opens in the fall, with the plumbing and heating systems on 10, 9 and 8 connected to the new “spine.” The plan calls for running parallel steam and circulating hot water systems until the additional floors can be connected to the new heating system in the remaining two years.
The new heating system was initially conceived of as an oil-fired hot water system, which removal of the pool would make possible as it would require both the sub-basement and the basement to accommodate the system. Further explorations revealed an alternative that was more sound both economically and structurally and would leave room for the creation of new program space: conversion of existing steam to circulating hot water, zoned floor by floor and room by room. The steam-to-hot water system would require space only in the sub-basement, leaving the space above it on the basement level available to be converted into new program space, an ideal place for our men’s overnight shelter. Consequently, the new plan provides for the installation of a new floor over the mechanical room, which will become a home for the men's overnight shelter, currently in operation five nights a week in the Parish Hall, enabling us to free up that space for other program use while at the same time expanding the shelter to seven nights a week.
Architect Theo Prudon presented a series of PowerPoint slides depicting the footprints of each floor of the Church House, including the three 10th floor staff apartments, the major renovations of the 9th floor of the Day School, the new entrance to the Parish Hall, and conceptual drawings of an expanded Church House Lobby, as well as plans for its new entrance. In addition, since replacement of the risers will require creating holes in the walls of the bathrooms in the eastern stairwell of the building, the committee has added to its scope of work renovation of each of these bathrooms. One question from the congregation asked about phase threeBthe work in the Phillips Building. The committee has concluded that given the scope of cost for the current work, plans for the Phillips building will need to be delayed until another time, remembering that much of the infrastructure in the basement was replaced with the Fund for Renewal, and that the vertical infrastructure is not nearly as extensive or complex and in emergencies can be addressed as part of annual capital budgets until a comprehensive renovation of that building is possible sometime in the next decade. Following additional questions from the congregation about various aspects of the plans, the committee concluded its report.
Dr. Anderson introduced Capital Campaign Director Emily Dupree, who spoke briefly about her relationship with the building as a prior Day School parent, her admiration for how the church has used the building over the years in service to the community, and her pride and pleasure at having been invited to be a part of the staff and the opportunity to help direct the campaign to finance this new challenge. Dr. Anderson concluded by expressing gratitude for Mrs. Dupree’s gifts and expertise. He reported that plans were moving forward: campaign committee leadership is being recruited, and with that in place the committee can move forward to a comprehensive plan that will be announced to the congregation later this spring. In the meantime, the session has secured an $8 million line of credit to help finance the work currently in process.
While waiting for our daughter Lauren’s birth 3½ years ago, my husband and I thought we were prepared to receive a child into our home and to start the journey of parenthood. We soon learned that no amount of work can prepare you for your first child. As I sat in church with Lauren in my arms, I realized that there was a large part of our congregation (and in fact one of the fastest growing segments of our congregation) that I had not met or come to know well - the children of MAPC. Sooner than I might expect, Lauren would be one of these talking, curious children, with questions about all sorts of things. This was exciting and intimidating to anticipate, especially when I considered her questions about our faith and about God. I felt called to become involved with MAPC’s children’s programs, specifically the Children’s Worship Program.
MAPC offers two Children’s Worship classes for children every Sunday, at both the 9 and 11:15 am services. The class for older children is held in Philips Lounge and is designed for children in kindergarten through second grade, while the class for younger children is held in the Youth Library and is designed for children ages three through five. Children are led to their respective classes by their teachers at the conclusion of the Children’s Lesson here at the baptismal font. The classes for each group are designed to mirror our worship service and include music, scripture reading, and an opportunity for discussion and thought, as well as a time for thanksgiving and prayer. Equally important, these classes provide our children (as well as their teachers) with an opportunity for faith and fellowship. Teachers are provided with a printed curriculum, which outlines the lesson and the class format.
As a children’s worship teacher, I have come to know many of the wonderful children who are part of our congregation. I have worked hard to try to be a faithful teacher to them, but in truth, they have truly been the teachers for me. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that these children have thought a lot about God and faith, and they are eager to express their thoughts to me and to their fellow students. Listening to them explain their own faith and beliefs helped me explore my own faith with them and feel more comfortable talking to my children about my faith. The Children’s Worship program is looking for volunteers, both as teachers and as assistants, to help with this important ministry. The young children of MAPC are enthusiastic about this program and love to share their thoughts. Please consider whether this could be an opportunity for you to experience God’s grace and love. If you are interested in being a part of this exciting way of sharing faith with our children, please contact Sarah Lien Finnerty, our Director of Christian Education.
The Mid-Timers will enjoy an evening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art February 24 when we gather for a guided tour of the Santiago Calatrava exhibit “Sculpture into Architecture.” After the tour, we will have dinner at one of the museum’s restaurants. Plan to meet at 5:45 pm inside the main entrance so that we can begin the tour at 6 pm. The cost is $19 per person and includes admission and the guided tour. The cost of dinner is additional. Spaces are limited (25 maximum per tour) for this exciting exhibit, so RSVP now to Margaret Williamson at 212-288-8920 x271 or mew@mapc.com.
Families with Young Children will meet on Saturday morning, March 11, beginning at 10 am on the Fifth Floor. If we continue to have unseasonably warm weather, we will meet on the Roof Garden. Families with children ages 5 and under are invited to join in this time of play, crafts, stories, and conversation. Older siblings are welcome! A light breakfast of bagels, fruit, snacks, coffee, tea, and juice will be available. This is a wonderful way to get to know other families in the church. RSVP to Margaret Williamson, 212-288-8920 x271 or mew@mapc.com.
The 20s/30s group will meet for Bible Study on Sundays, February 26 and March 5 and 19 on the fifth floor at 1 pm. A light lunch will be available. Mark your calendars for the special lecture on March 5 (see separate announcement) and a March 11 trip to the American Museum of Natural History at 2 pm. If you have further questions about 20s/30s events, please contact Beverly Bartlett at the church, 212-288-8920 x247, or bab@mapc.com.
Seniors Unlimited will host a bus trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show on March 6. The bus will leave at 8:30am and, traffic permitting, return to the church by 5:30 pm. The theme for this year’s show is “Enchanted Spring” and includes a Floratopia Tree “teeming with flowers, birds and butterflies” and Mother Nature’s Garden featuring water, wind and fire; the star attraction will be “the world’s largest and most colorful plant sculpture, Natura, Goddess of Nature.” If you are an MAPC member who does not fit into the “seniors” age range but would like to join us for this trip, please let Margaret know as we may have extra seats on the bus. RSVP to Margaret Williamson, 212-288-8920 or mew@mapc.com.
The MAPC knitters meet on the third Tuesday morning of the month, 10:30 - noon, in the Hood Library. All knitters and crocheters are welcome, from novices to experts. Come work on a project of your own, scarves and hats for the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, or baby items for the residents of Inwood House. If you need help gathering supplies, call Margaret Williamson at the church, and she will put you in touch with the group’s facilitator.
On March 5 the 20's/30's group invites the congregation to join them in the Parish Hall for a special guest lecture by Professor Jeremy M. Hutton on the subject of peace and war within the prophetic literature. Professor Hutton’s lecture is entitled, “Words to the People on the Wall: The Prophetic Response to the Assyrian Empire.” A time for discussion will follow the lecture. Prof. Hutton is an Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Princeton Seminary. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in June 2005 in the field of Hebrew Bible. Lunch will be served, so RSVP to Margaret Williamson at the church office, 212-288-8920 x271, or email her at mew@mapc.com. Please join us for what promises to be a stimulating talk and discussion.
It’s the best kept secret. You do not need a secret phrase like hocus-pocus. All it takes is a little curiosity.
In the Hood Library is a closed cabinet filled with currently hidden treasures. All you need to do is open the cabinet door to discover shelves of like-new books, any of which you can have at $3 each. So now you know the secret. Why not step inside the library and see for yourself.
So you are a Presbyterian or plan to be. Whether a new or long time MAPC member, do you sometimes wonder what is happening to Presbyterians across the country or the world? To answer that question and to offer spiritual enrichment and reflections on spiritual issues, the Hood Library now has subscriptions for several magazines and journals. You will find them in a new literature rack on the window sill inside the library. All can be borrowed without formally checking them out. Just write the name of the journal you wish and sign your name. There is no deadline for return, but please do return them so others may read them.
You might want to start with Presbyterians Today, the official magazine of the Presbyterian Church, USA. The Jan-Feb issue features an editorial piece on “A Vision For the Future” and another on video games, which suggests “Some parents might be shocked to know what kinds of video games their kids are playing.”
The next Inquirers Seminar will meet over these two Sundays in room 503 on the Fifth floor of the Church House, starting around 12:45 pm (after the 11:15 am worship service), and concluding around 4:30 pm both weeks. Lunch will be provided. It is a unified seminar broken out over two weeks, so plan to attend both sessions. Child care is available, but needs to be arranged in advance by calling Bill Philip at the church office (212-288-8920 x241). If you have questions or concerns in general, please speak to J.C. Austin after the service or call him at the church office (212-288-8920 x242). He will be pleased to speak with you about the seminars or other questions you might have about membership or the church. (e-mail: jca@mapc.com)
Worship Services Ash Wednesday – March 1 Thereafter, there will be a Taizé prayer service each Wednesday evening in Lent, 6:30 - 7:15 pm in the Sanctuary. |
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