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MAPC UPDATE

Vol. XXXIII, No. 4
April 2007

Holy Week Schedule

April 5 – Maundy Thursday 7 pm Service of Word & Sacrament “A New Point of View” The Rev. J.C. Austin preaching Order of Worship (PDF) April 6 – Good Friday 12 to 3 pm - The Passion According to Luke The Pastoral Staff preaching Order of Worship (PDF) 7:30 pm Service of Tenebrae Order of Worship (PDF) April 8 – Easter Day 9 am, 11:15 am & 7:30 pm Festival Services of Word and Sacrament “More than a Miracle” Dr. Anderson preaching Music for Organ and Brass by Bach, Handel and Molter and choral music by Rachmaninoff and Handel. Order of Worship (PDF)

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Session Approves Global Ministry Fellowship as
First 921 Fund Benevolence Ministry

On Tuesday, March 27, Session established the first benevolence component of the 921 Fund by unanimously approving the establishment of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church Global Ministry Fellowship with a $1 million endowment created by the 921 Fund.

The Global Ministry Fellowship is a two-year program to provide outstanding recent seminary graduates with an immersion experience in the dynamics of the Christian Church in the “Global South,” which is the center of activity and energy in 21st century Christianity. This experience will impact and shape the ministry of such pastors for the rest of their lives, and will thus help ensure that the emerging leaders of the Presbyterian Church (USA) understand the dynamics and opportunities for international ministry and partnership. Global Ministry Fellows (GMF) will be selected on the basis of their outstanding potential for pastoral leadership, evidenced by their personal character, their preaching, their pastoral experience, their academic work, and their vision for the mission of the church in the age of globalization.

Global Ministry Fellows will begin the program around June 1 with a three-month Pastoral Residency on MAPC’s staff to get to know the church, as well as to prepare for ordination and going abroad. He or she will then report to the Fellowship Site for a twelve-month internship beginning in September. For the 2007 Fellowship Year, that site will be the Theological Education by Extension of Zambia (TEEZ) program, which was visited and selected by our recent 921 Fund Africa Exploration Mission Trip and described more fully in last month’s UPDATE. At the end of the internship the following September, the Fellow has three months for independent travel which is divided between travel in the Global South and returning to the States to visit family and friends. The Fellow will then return to MAPC by December 1 to take up a second Pastoral Residency of at least three but no more than six months. Thus, the maximum length of the entire fellowship is exactly two years.

The Session is very excited about the extraordinary creativity and potential of this ministry, which has been described as “groundbreaking” by people serving in the Global Mission unit of the Presbyterian national offices. The application process has already begun that will result in our first Global Ministry Fellow; we expect to announce a name sometime in May. Stay tuned for more information!

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Congregational Nurture

Calendar of Events for April/May 2007:

April 10, 6:30–8pm, MAPC Knitters meet in the Hood Library.
April 11, 8:30–9 am Parents Prayer Group in the Phillips Lounge.
April 14, 10 am–noon, Families with Young Children in the Roof Garden, (5th Floor if it is too cold).
April 15, 1 pm, 20s/30s Group Bible Study/Discussion, 5th Floor of the Church House.

April 16, 3–4:30 pm, Seniors Unlimited, in the Parish Hall

MAPC member Mary Anne Schwalbe will present a program about her experiences working with refugees for the past seventeen years in this country and overseas and her life journey that helped her prepare for this work—including her first career in the world of theatre and her work at Harvard/Radcliffe and two independent schools in New York City. She will have slides to share with us, stories to tell, and much to teach us about the current situation of refugees: what the future holds for them and what we can do to reach out to those who have been forced from their homes and country. Later in April, Mary Anne will be leaving for Pakistan and Afghanistan, and she will also talk about her itinerary and plans for that trip. A time of fellowship and refreshments will follow. RSVP to Ana Mathieu at 212-288-8920 x245 or alm@mapc.com.

April 17, 10:30 am–noon, MAPC Knitters meet in the Hood Library.

April 25, 8:30–9 am, Parents Prayer Group for parents of teens and young adults meets in the Phillips Lounge.

May 2, 6 pm, Healing and Wholeness Service. This will be the final Healing and Wholeness Service before the summer months.

May 5, 9–11 am, Mid-Timers will enjoy a bird walk in Central Park led by Joe DiCostanzo, an ornithologist with the American Museum of Natural History. Watch for details on where to gather in future Pastors’ Emails and the Sunday morning bulletin. Come enjoy some fresh air, good fellowship, and an opportunity to see birds most of us have never noticed here in our own “back yard.” There will be an opportunity to sign up at coffee hour on the Sundays after Easter, or contact Beverly Bartlett at the church, 212-288-8920 x247. The bird walk will be limited to 25 people.

May 6, 1 pm, 20s/30s Group. This will be the last official 20s/30s gathering of the spring!

May 9, 8:30–9 am, Parents Prayer Group for parents of teens and young adults meets in the Phillips Lounge.

May 12, 10 am–noon, Families with Young Children in the Roof Garden.

May 14, 3 pm, Seniors Unlimited. For our May Seniors Unlimited gathering we will welcome back young chamber music students from the Third Street Music School Settlement. This will be the fourth year we have enjoyed the music of these hard-working, talented young people. Please come and bring a friend! A time of refreshments and fellowship will follow the program. RSVP to Ana Mathieu at 212-288-8920 x245, or alm@mapc.com.

May 16, 6 pm. Come enjoy the annual Library Evening with dinner and a program of readings and music, sponsored by the Hood Library Committee. This year’s theme is New York, New York! and features readings about our city from works by Harpo Marx, E. B. White, Truman Capote, Paul Auster and more. Sarah Pillow, member of the MAPC octet (who sings jazz as well as classical music), will sing some favorite songs about NYC. The evening will begin with a reception at 6 pm in the Church House Lobby, followed by dinner in the Parish Hall at 6:45, and the program will start at 7:30. The cost of dinner is $30. Reservations may be made by contacting Ana Mathieu by May 10, at the church office, 212-288-8920 x245, or alm@mapc.com. If you can’t come for dinner, please feel free to come for the program.

May 20, Congregational Brunch: Come enjoy brunch and a time of fellowship in the Parish Hall after the 11:15 am worship service. This will be our final brunch of the program year, followed by the final St. Andrew Chorale concert of the year at 3 pm—so make a day of it and feed both body and soul with food, fellowship and music. The cost for brunch is $10, $8 for seniors; children under 12 eat for free.

May 23, 8:30–9 am, Parents Prayer Group for parents of teens and young adults meets in the Phillips Lounge.

For more information on any of the above events or groups, please contact Beverly Bartlett at the church, 212-288-8920 x247, or bab@mapc.com.

Memorial Service There will be a memorial service for former MAPC member Elizabeth T. Schack on Sunday, May 6 at 1 pm in the Dana Chapel. Bettye died on July 4, 2006.

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You are invited to join us as we Journey to Jerusalem! Vacation Bible School 2007 Wednesdays in June;  3:45 – 6 pm June 6, 13, 20 & 27 Open to children age 4 to children entering 6th grade in the fall Space is limited to 40 children. Registration begins April 1 and is open first to children who have participated in church activities this past year. Registration forms will be mailed soon. You may mail in your forms or drop them off at the church. There will be a registration table at coffee hour after both morning worship services on April 8 & 15. Registration opens up to friends and neighbors on April 16.

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Wills Emphasis Sunday - April 29

Creating a Personal Legacy
by Heather Stang-Rooney

How do you describe yourself to friends, colleagues or even to strangers? Our professional career and plans, family life, charitable and spiritual life and possibly hobbies all come to mind when asked to describe ourselves as individuals. Often this self-narrative comes naturally and its significance is overlooked. Have you considered what will happen to your narrative when you are unable to testify to your life and your goals? Who will understand the priorities of your life and their significance to you? What tools will you leave behind to ensure that your personal narrative will become your personal legacy? On April 29, our second annual Wills Emphasis Sunday will provide multiple opportunities and resources for you to consider how you can define such a legacy for yourself.

Creating your own Will and Testament is a critical step to ensure that your personal legacy continues after you. The importance of executing a personal Will and Testament should be obvious to everyone. Having a thoughtful and properly drafted legal document gives you peace of mind and provides guidance to your loved ones about your financial and personal intentions for your estate. A Will can ensure that the people and organizations you cared about supporting during your life are remembered and supported after your death. Failure to have a valid Will often results in confusion, difficulties, and delays for a person’s legal heirs and frequently results in an adverse tax consequence to the estate.

If you have already executed a Will, when was the last time you took the time to thoughtfully review that document? Does it still properly address your plans and feelings as when it was first drafted? Many people who have executed all the proper documents overlook the importance to review earlier decisions and to keep this “testimony” up to date with their current life situation. Have children who were once minors become legal adults with different needs? Have your parental concerns changed over time? Have your parents or other relatives faced challenges with their health? Has your involvement in philanthropic and/or religious organizations remained the same or have new relationships been formed? Therefore it is important for people to begin to think (or review) what they need to do to ensure their personal narrative is not lost to their loved ones and will continue on as their legacy.

There is one final question that we urge every member of MAPC to spend time considering: do you have a “Christian Will?” This is a very special question. What makes a Will a “Christian” Will? It is not simply a well conceived and well-structured legal document that ensures your wishes are carried out at the time of your death. A Christian Will is a testimony, a message to loved ones expressing who you are as a person: your values, your commitments, your relationships, your hopes and especially your faith. Do you have a Will that conveys that kind of message? This is the question that we hope you will prayerfully consider.

A Will and Testament can speak after death and paint a portrait of a person and what mattered to them most in their lifetime. We believe that a Will and Testament also paints a portrait of our lives as Christians and our faith in a powerful way. We hope that you will consider how you would like your own life portrayed, and that you will make a special effort to attend and participate actively in Wills Emphasis Sunday on April 29.

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To see earlier issues of UPDATE:  

 

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Additional Information

Also, see:

• MAPC Home Page
• Worship Services
• Christian Education Programs
• MAPC Calendar
• St. Andrew Music Society Concerts

 

 

 

 

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