Advent Messenger 2017

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Advent

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1 MESSENGER | Advent/Christmas 2017 Photo by Andy Sagcal

Letter from the Pastor For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 During the time that Jesus was born, Israel had lost much of its identity as a nation of God’s people. Roman troops patrolled the land as foreign occupiers of an oppressive regime headquartered far away. People who were observant Jews, like Jesus’ family, clung fiercely to their unique monotheistic faith. The rhythms of work and worship offered them a sense of unity and purpose amid the political tension and social upheaval that the military occupation caused.

During the long years of oppression, a strong and hopeful image of what they needed grew in their religious consciousness: a Messiah… a Savior… would appear as promised in their ancient scriptures. The natural expectation was that this liberation would take political, and possibly even military, form. A great new ruler, a new King David perhaps, might be sent by God to save the people. It was the kind of idea that kept hope alive during a difficult time.

Isaiah was the nation’s most lyrical prophet, and the words with which he described the coming Messiah were what the people longed for and most wanted to hear: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Then a baby was born, and a man called Jesus appeared in Israel. With great authority he proclaimed that the long-awaited Kingdom of God was at hand. His power was such that he could heal people and perform amazing miracles and bring people together and closer to God. Many who followed him believed he was the promised Messiah the prophets had foretold.

This year during Advent worship we will explore how Jesus personifies these ancient names the prophet Isaiah used to give the people hope and courage during times of uncertainty and change. May we find that they strengthen our faith and deepen the meaning of God’s incarnation among us in the person of Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace,

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Singing in Sanctuary Choir Offers Noteworthy and Enriching Experiences

By Elena Perri

Music has been a mainstay in Sandi Stouffer’s life since she was a child. She began singing in church and school choirs and then majored in music education at Lebanon Valley College, where she played the clarinet and bassoon and pursued advanced vocal training.

She met her husband John at the college where he also majored in music education.

The couple, who received their master’s degrees in music from the University of Michigan, have been married 55 years.

Sandi’s musical talents led to a career as a vocal teacher and choir director. While raising her children, Steven and Sheri, Sandi taught music at a church preschool program in Newtown Square. She also taught vocal methods at West Chester University for two years.

Before moving to the Philadelphia area, Sandi taught music in elementary and high schools in the Cumberland Valley School District in Mechanicsburg, Pa. She later became a vocal teacher at Merion Elementary School where she worked until retirement. John also worked in Lower Merion School District elementary schools, teaching students to play brass instruments and directing a large elementary band. In addition, he founded and directed an elementary jazz ensemble with students from several Lower Merion elementary schools.

Upon moving from Harrisburg to the Philadelphia area in 1970, Sandi and John embarked on a search for a new church home. Not surprisingly, music played a role in their decision to join Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.

“Of course, with both of us being musicians, we just

found the music (at BMPC) to be very satisfying,” said Sandi, who also is a pianist. “It became obvious after a search that this was the place we really wanted to call our church home.”

With Sandi’s extensive musical background, joining the Sanctuary Choir was a natural way for her to share her talents with the church community.

“When I first joined the choir at Bryn Mawr, I was a soprano soloist,” she said. “I also directed several children’s choirs, and then I was Jeff Brillhart’s assistant for years.”

In that role, Sandi occasionally had the opportunity to direct the Sanctuary Choir, and she still serves as a guest conductor of the Summer Choir as needed.

A member of Sanctuary Choir for 47 years, Sandi acknowledges that while her involvement has required dedication to attending rehearsals and singing at worship services and special performances, it’s an experience she thoroughly enjoys.

“It's just a wonderful atmosphere to be a part of,” she said. “We care for each other. When someone is ill, we all rally around the person. It's really like a family.”

Sandi also noted Jeff’s leadership of the choir has made her participation even more gratifying.

“He’s always asking us to be better,” she said. “He isn't just satisfied with run of the mill, and he keeps challenging us with these wonderful special programs that we do, like the Bach Magnificat and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio concert coming up” on Sun., Dec. 10.

The Sanctuary Choir practices weekly, but more rehearsals are required to prepare for the Christmas concert or other special performances. (continued on next page) 3 MESSENGER | Advent/Christmas 2017

Member Spotlight

“It is a busy time with all the music that we do,” she said.

“When we get closer to major performances, we bump rehearsals up to twice a week.”

In addition to being in the choir, Sandi also is involved with Perspectives in Music, and volunteers occasionally as a front desk receptionist. She was ordained as an Elder several years ago and also served as president of Presbyterian Women.

While music has been Sandi’s primary way of participating in the life of the church, she added that BMPC has programs and activities for everyone.

“You have to judge what and how much involvement is right for you,” she said. “Participate in as many of the programs as time will allow, then become active in one or more of the groups. In this way you will receive nourishment for the soul and know that you are a contributing member of our beloved BMPC community."

Welcome to Our New Members Lauren F. Bujaky Conshohocken

Tait Lamb Villanova

Sarah Gunther Haverford

Harrison & Annie Lee Wayne

James Alex & Lauren High Wayne

Jane Malloy Haverford

Stephen & Julie Kalis Radnor

Steve Sanders King of Prussia

Tina Soumahoro Lydia Frenzel Bryn Mawr Sulyok Philadelphia

Want to know more about BMPC? We invite you to get to know our community better by becoming a part of one of our Discover BMPC classes. Childcare is available for this opportunity to meet our pastors and learn about our denomination, our Reformed tradition, and our sense of Christian ministry. For more information, to register, or to inquire about joining our church on our next New Member Sunday, Dec. 10, contact JaneWilber@bmpc.org.

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Visual Art Exhibits Feature

Music of J.S. Bach and Works of New York Artist

By Jean K. Wolf and Bonnie Atwood

Prelude in C-sharp Major (red-orange), No. 3, 2013, watercolor on paper, 14” x 11” by Melinda Steffy based on music by J.S. Bach.

Four Tomatoes, oil on canvas, 30" x 39.75,"

by Ray Sternbergh

During Advent, Visual Arts of the Music and Fine Arts Council will celebrate the 500th year of the Reformation with a colorful art exhibit of Protestant composer Johann Sebastian Bach’s music by local artist Melinda Steffy.

Her show, Graphic Notation: Visualizing the Music of J.S. Bach, reinterprets Bach’s music as color patterns, blending music theory, color theory, mathematical structures, and meticulous handiwork to create colorful and vibrant art works.

The Well-Tempered Clavier, a cello suite, and four BMPC-commissioned works based on musical material from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio will be rendered visually in this exhibit. Graphic Notation runs from Nov. 12 to Dec. 31, and all works are available for purchase.

A reception to meet Melinda follows BMPC’s annual Christmas concert on Sun., Dec. 10 at 4:00 p.m. The concert features the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia and our Sanctuary Choir performing Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and Magnificat.

On Jan. 7 through Feb. 25, 2018, the Solo Show of Ray Sternbergh (1931-2001), loaned by his daughter and BMPC member Jennifer Huth, displays the diversity of a talented artist who trained at Pratt Institute. Sternbergh worked as an illustrator and industrial designer in New York, but he also was an avid painter, both as a realist and in contemporary styles. In addition, he sculpted and designed in wood for personal pleasure. His large portfolio represents his passion for artistic expression.

A reception in the Ministries Center Court recognizes the work of Sternbergh and follows the 2:00 p.m. Two-Piano Recital by Jeff Brillhart and Laura Ward on Sun., Jan. 28. This reception also opens an exhibit for Black History Month to recognize four historic black churches in Ardmore and two churches in Bryn Mawr for their ongoing religious and societal missions in our community.

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Breaking New Ground in Youth Ministry

by David B. Smith, Interim Director of Youth Ministry The Youth Ministry at BMPC has entered a new stage in its life during the past several months. We have partnered with Ministry Architects, a well-known church consulting firm, to step boldly into the new work God is doing in our midst. Our goal is to build upon the wonderful things already happening in our ministry area by defining anew what it means to be a church for people of all ages.

Many of you already have witnessed some of the ways we’ve been trying to live into the possibilities for growth and rebirth that already exist in our church.

In the coming months, you will see the development of a new mission statement, core values and tangible goals for the Youth Ministry that will reflect our congregation’s passion for inspiring young disciples.

The act of setting a vision, bringing our values into focus, and establishing realistic goals is a deeply spiritual effort. There is no easy or foolproof way to develop Youth Ministry. Some of the new things we try may fail.

Things we’ve been doing forever might suddenly find new life. The possibilities for what our Youth Ministry can do and be in the world are truly endless.

The most important thing that members of our congregation can do to support the youth of our church is pray that the Spirit continues to move us toward the fulfillment of God’s dreams for our ministry area. Adult members also can find new ways of connecting with youth. Many of our new opportunities for youth also provide a chance for adult participation. If you find yourself open to the possibility of exploring an intergenerational service project, volunteering to serve as a retreat, camp or special event leader, contact AmyBauer@bmpc.org.

Our hope is that we will come out on the other side of this visioning process with a renewed sense of identity. We pray the work we do with young people will continue to be seen as an integral part of the mission that every member of our congregation has pledged to support.

Whether they’re serving as liturgists on Worship Together Sunday, playing in the youth band, leading intergenerational service projects, serving as Youth Elders and Deacons, preaching on Youth Sunday and Good Friday, or reporting about their mission trips and camp experiences, you will continue to see young people hustling around our campus. They may not always show it, but they are as glad to see you as you are to see them. I encourage people of all ages to find new ways of connecting across age groups as we continue to discern what it means to worship, serve and learn together as the body of Christ.

Bring the whole family to our annual

Thanksgiving Breakfast Thursday, November 23, 8:30-11:30 a.m. in Congregational Hall

All prep and clean-up of “Pancakes for a Purpose” is done by Youth Ministry volunteers. Proceeds ($5 per person) support our youth mission projects and trips.

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Advent Evening Services

Wednesdays, Nov. 29, Dec. 6 & 13, 7:00 p.m., Chapel Candlelight and carols, readings, Taizé music, peace and quiet

The Christmas Joy Offering Leadership: Past, Present and Future Envelopes will be available on Sundays, Dec. 10 and 17 The Christmas Joy Offering, one of four special offerings designated by the Presbyterian Church (USA), has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions, which provides critical financial support to church workers and their families, and to Presbyterianrelated racial ethnic schools and colleges. These schools and colleges offer education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment for nearly 140 years.

You may contribute by using the designated envelopes available in the pew racks during December, or you may donate online: http://specialofferings.pcusa.org.

Longest Night Service By the Rev. Mary Steege

Outside it’s dark. Already. Early, and getting darker.

On December 21, the sun will set at 4:39 p.m. In October, the early dark holds some appeal: the body’s deep desire to turn inward, to put on the comfy sweater and curl up over hot mugs of tea or better, to withdraw, to rest, to hibernate. But by December and heading into January, the dark is no longer delicious.

Dark nights become oppressive, burdensome. We long for light and renewal, to spill out into the streets and parks again, to greet our neighbor and rejoice over green blades rising. Resurrection, redemption, renewal.

From time immemorial, humankind has marked the winter solstice, the turning of tide, the shift in balance from deepening dark to dawning light. For Christians, this is the Christ pattern reenacted each year in

the Northern Hemisphere: death to resurrection, darkness to light, despair to hope. The soul’s dark night transfigured by the Christ who came and comes again.

On Thurs., Dec. 21, the Longest Night Service begins at 7:00 p.m. We will acknowledge the experience of darkness within our lives and within our hearts. But we will cradle those experiences in the context of God’s love, illumine them with the promise of Christ’s coming. We will sing songs, spark candles, pray prayers. Light will shine in the dark.

This year the BMPC rope labyrinth will be illuminated on the front lawn for those who might want to walk before or after the service. Whether we walk or not, the labyrinth reminds us that all paths can bring us to the Center, into the very heart of God. 7 MESSENGER | Advent/Christmas 2017

Advent Gift Market:

25 Years of Helping Others Through Alternative Holiday Gifts

By Marian Chitester

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Advent Gift Market. Throughout the years, the BMPC AGM has provided an opportunity for you to do your Christmas and holiday shopping in a very special way. By participating in this creative giving program, you may choose unique holiday gifts for family members, friends, co-workers, teachers, babysitters, and anyone else you wish to honor, while aiding persons in need locally, nationally and globally.

BMPC Councils and Committees have chosen many worthy projects that highlight the work some of our current mission partners are doing. With each donation ranging from $1 to $30, you will receive an acknowledgement card informing your family and friends that a gift has been given in his/her honor, along with a description of the charitable project you have chosen. This insert may be included in your own greeting card, or you may purchase cards especially produced for the AGM by our Visual Arts Committee of the Music and Fine Arts Council. This year’s cards include images of artist Valerie Craig’s "Twilight" and Dennis McNeil’s "Freedom."

Join us at our opening Market Festival in Congregational Hall in the BMPC Ministries Center on Sun., Nov. 19, between 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., where representatives from the various committees and councils will be present to answer questions about the chosen mission projects. Come prepared to browse and shop for items you can take home.

You may shop the Advent Gift Market on opening Sunday or in the BMPC Ministries Center Court any of the following Sundays of Advent after the 10:00 a.m. service, through Dec. 24. Additionally, order forms may be mailed or dropped off at the church during the week for pickup in the Ministries Center the following Sunday. Orders for pickup can also be placed online at www.bmpc.org.

We hope you will share in choosing among these gift offerings for your holiday giving. Little things can change our world for the better, and each project supported by you will help our neighbors in need around the corner and across the globe. Let us celebrate God’s gift of His Son to us through these gifts of hope and new life.

For more information, contact Marian Chitester, 610-6497735, mmcthistle@verizon.net.

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Prayer for Christmas Holy child of Bethlehem, you are the hope of the world, the song of the angels, the treasure of our hearts, and the glory of God among us.

Call us to worship you in the places where your love is born anew: wherever kindness prevails, justice flourishes, and peace reigns.

Christmas Angels Over the years, many children and families served by theVillage have received a bountiful Christmas in part through the generosity of BMPC members. Last year, church members helped many children and families including: • Martina, an eight-year-old girl whose family recently lost everything in a fire.

• Calvin a two-year-old boy who is being raised by his father in a single parent household after losing his mother to addiction.

• Sierra, a 16-year-old girl whose father abandoned her and her family.

• Karim, a seven-year-old boy sexually abused by his father.

• Kimberly, a young mother who said, “All I want for Christmas is to see my kids’ happy faces on Christmas morning.”

Share the spirit of Christmas by adopting a family or sponsoring a child (five to eight gifts per child). Contact Betty Wu, 610-449-8059, bmpcangels@gmail.com, by Dec. 10; sign up online at http://bit.ly/2017XmasAngels; or stop by the Angel Trees in the Ministries Center and Education Building.

Send us out to serve you, sharing good news of great joy, and praising God through you n the unity of the Holy Spirit.

Glory to you, God most high— you have given us a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord— good news of great joy for all.

Make us messengers of the gospel and shepherds of your people; guide us always in paths of peace; through Jesus Christ we pray.

Luke 2:1-14 Office of Theology and Worship, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

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Advent Harpsichord Recitals

By Jeffrey Brillhart

Falling on the heels of our popular Lenten Tuesday noon organ recitals, this Advent we will offer noontime recitals showcasing our Robert Hauptfuhrer Memorial Harpsichord. Beginning on Tues., Nov. 28 and continuing through Tues., Dec. 19, we will present harpsichord students from Temple University; the final recital will feature Jeffrey Brillhart and Edward Landin. These recitals are free and open to the community.

Our harpsichord is a French “double” (two keyboards) instrument built

by William Dowd in 1967. It is modeled after a 1770 French Taskin harpsichord from the Yale University Musical Instrument Collection.

Taskin’s harpsichords were among the most revered harpsichords of their day, renowned for their refined sound. Our harpsichord has an especially beautiful sound that carries delightfully through the Sanctuary.

Bach Christmas Concert

By Jeffrey Brillhart

It seems fitting that as we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach be presented as both a rousing tribute and rousing celebration of the Christmas season. On Sun., Dec. 10 at 4:00 p.m., the Sanctuary Choir, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and outstanding soloists from the choir will present “Part One” of The Christmas Oratorio and the celebrated Magnificat in D (last presented at BMPC in 1995).

Bach composed The Christmas Oratorio around 1734. By this time he had already composed nearly all of the more than 200 cantatas that are known today. “Part One” was written specifically for Christmas Day and is simply marvelous in its spirit of enthusiastic joy.

Bach composed his setting of the Magnificat for the evening of his first Christmas Day as Leipzig cantor in 1723. The text, from the first chapter of Luke's Gospel, is Mary's reaction to an angel's telling her that she would bear a son who “will be called the Son of the Most High.” It became part of Vespers, the Catholic evening

service, and was retained for the Lutheran evening service, when it was sung in Latin rather than German on major feast days.

The grace and festive grandeur of the Magnificat’s choral and orchestral movements set off the colorful miniatures of its arias, while imaginative orchestration and vivid word painting highlight

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the emotional and descriptive nuances of the text throughout.

Tickets for this concert are $15 for adults and $5 for students, and can be purchased in advance on our website, www.bmpc.org. A reception will follow, showcasing an exhibit by artist Melinda Steffy called “Graphic Notation: Visualizing the Music of J.S. Bach.”

Advent Christmas Workshop:

An Opportunity to Prepare for the Christ Child In the December rush, we schedule time for concerts, parties, shopping trips and decorating sessions, but sometimes we forget to include time to prepare for the Christ Child. Our Advent Workshop gives families space and time to create Christmas traditions together, to serve others, and to be in Christian community. This year’s workshop will be held Sun., Dec. 3 at 11:15 a.m. in Congregational Hall.

The Advent Workshop can help children reframe the season of our faith. Rather than rushing, we slow down and consider the work of our hands. Rather than acquiring, we spend time creating things to help others.

Rather than dividing along age groups, we spend time together. We know that Advent is a season of preparation, and this workshop gives children a concrete experience of “getting ready” to welcome the Christ Child.

During this workshop, families may choose from a variety of projects to prepare for Christmas in new ways. You may make Advent candles, stockings for children at theVillage, unique ornaments, cards for college students and/or Advent calendar garlands. Some of these projects will go home with participants, and others will be used to share with our neighbors and our church family.

This year, we are excited to welcome Mazhar Adbulsalam, a master calligrapher and Syrian refugee, who will lead a calligraphy station at the workshop.

We welcome all members of our church to join in this special morning as we prepare to celebrate Christmas.

Recreating the Christmas Story When did you learn the Christmas Story? Do you remember a particular book or image? Do you remember which part of the story piqued your imagination? Was it the Magi and their long journey? Was it the shepherds’ surprise in the field?

On Tues., Dec. 19 at 4:00 p.m., our youngest children are invited to re-create the Christmas Story together as part of Wee Christmas, a special worship service.

Children have the opportunity to choose which character (or characters) they would like to be. Some years, we have multiple Marys and other years only one Magi; what is most important is that everyone has a place in the story. In this service, the story comes alive for young children as they act it out.

For them, this beloved pageant makes the story more concrete when they can stand next to the manger and welcome Baby Jesus. Please remember this service is informal and usually brief in duration.

Afterward all are welcome to enjoy a time of fellowship in the Ministries Center.

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Adult Education Opportunities

It’s the End of the World as We Know it:

Studying Apocalyptic Literature in the Old and New Testaments Sundays, November 26 - December 17 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor

During the Advent Season, we look forward in anticipation of the coming of Christ, not just as a child, but to come again in a future yet to be known. Dr. Joshua Yoder leads us through a four-week study of the biblical roots of what theologians have imagined the new heaven and new earth might be like.

An Altar in the World Sundays, January 7 - 28, 2018 11:15 a.m., Witherspoon Parlor

In her book, An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor, an Episcopal priest, professor, author and theologian, describes spirituality as “the name for a longing – for more meaning, more feeling, more connection, more life.”

Her answer to this longing is to seek to become “more fully human, trusting that there is no way to God apart from real life in the real world.” In each chapter of this book, Taylor talks about a simple practice or exercise in being human, that requires a body as well as a soul, and helps her live with longing for more.

This class, led by Patricia Danzon, Spiritual Director of the Middleton Center, discusses these simple practices which include paying attention, encountering others, living with purpose, saying no, feeling pain, being present to God. In this class, we will discuss the book and these practices, and see how they fit in the altars of our own lives.

Environmental Justice Book Discussion Wednesday, January 17, 2018 7:00 p.m., Witherspoon Parlor

The BMPC Environmental Justice committee invites all those interested in exploring the connection between our civic responsibilities and the environment, to read and discuss Michael Bloomberg and Carl Pope’s new book, Climate of Hope: How Cities, Businesses, and Citizens Can Save the Planet. Books are available in the Book Center for $14.

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By Jeffrey Brillhart

Two Piano Recital

On Sun., Jan. 28 at 2:00 p.m., Laura Ward and Jeffrey Brillhart will bring light into the dark days of winter with a two-piano concert in the Sanctuary. This is their third appearance together at BMPC, and it promises to be a delightful hour of music making.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of Claude Debussy’s death, they will present his monumental work for two pianos, En Blanc et Noir. The composer wrote that the movements “derive their color and feeling merely from the sonority of the piano.”

While Debussy insisted the work was not a commentary on World War I, virtually all his correspondence from this period indicates a near obsession with the subject; it is hard to imagine the music is just about the piano. The central movement bears a dedication to the memory of a

French army officer who was killed in action, and there is no mistaking the music's suggestions of distant bugle calls and quiet military drum rhythms. Regardless of the work’s intent, it is one of the most compelling works in the piano repertoire. In addition to Debussy, Laura and Jeff will present works of Mozart and J.S. Bach.

The suggested offering for this program is $10 per person. Following this concert, a reception will honor the performers and provide viewers the opportunity to enjoy a solo show of the works of Ray Sternbergh, father of BMPC member Jennifer Huth. The reception also opens an exhibit for Black History Month to recognize four historic black churches in Ardmore and two churches in Bryn Mawr for their ongoing religious and societal missions in our community.

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First of Five Broad Street Ministry Immersions Declared a Success By the Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick

An unspoken fear when we have gathered members of the church together to be engaged in a mission project or event is the feedback that “this was a waste of my time.” Time, it seems, even more than money, is our most precious resource these days. People want to be of service, but they also want their time to be used well.

If we are going to “help” people, let’s make the most of our time and effort to be as helpful as possible in the time we are able to give.

This year, as the Mission Council leads our mission committees and church leadership through five service and conversation days in partnership with Broad Street Ministry, we are asking people to think a little differently about how they understand the intersection between our time and the work we do in mission.

On Oct. 24, our first group of BMPC members spent six hours at BSM helping serve the lunch meal for men and women in Center City Philadelphia experiencing homelessness, and talking about what it means to serve and to focus in mission as a congregation.

The unique part about this immersive day of service is that not all of the 15 participants had assigned duties for the meal service. This is the "kiss of death" when it comes to a successful mission project. But no! This actually meant that instead of using the time to be “helpful” in a traditional way, many of us were freed up to sit down and have relatively long conversations with guests at Broad Street. (continuted on next page)

Participants in the October Immersion Day (from left to right in back row): Bill McKee, Session; Judy Sherry, Refugee Committee; Bobbie Adair, Refugee Committee; Ruth Brader, Hunger Committee; Dan Sherry, Refugee Committee; Joel Griska and Courtenay Wilcox, Environmental Justice Committee; Joan LaLike, Outreach Committee and Mission Council; and Brad Baturka, Mission Council. In the front row from left to right: Maria Wolf, Environmental Justice Committee; Devin Johns, Broad Street Ministry, Althea Crabtree, Senior Adult Council; Eve Bogel, Environmental Justice Committee; and Michele Ward, Broad Street Ministry.

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The consensus among our group in our debriefing and discussion afterward, was that instead of thinking of the volunteers' time as being well used and productive, this time was actually a gift shared between our volunteers and the guests at BSM. It was a gift given to guests who know when they enter the doors of Broad Street that they always will be welcomed and respected by those who serve them. But that time was also a gift for our volunteers who had the chance to rethink their assumptions about the circumstances and experiences that might lead someone to be living on the street, and also to rethink what it means to connect through real conversations and relationships with those we serve.

There are four more opportunities for folks to participate in these Broad Street immersion days, with the hope that by next spring almost 100 BMPC members will gain an understanding of how their time is a gift to be shared with others and also lead us to new language and a new perspective on how we do mission as a congregation.

The Rev. Michele Ward and Devin Johns, from Broad Street Ministry’s Social Engagement Initiative, spoke with our members who participated in the first immersion day at Broad Street.

BMPC members discuss their immersion day experience during a debriefing session.

Upcoming Casserole Blitzes

The Hunger Committee invites you to participate in this familyfriendly event (children over the age of 4) to prepare 1,300 meals for Philadelphia food cupboards. Please bring your own apron and wear clothes appropriate for kitchen work. Register: Sandie Nicholson, SandieKev@verizon.net.

December 16 • January 20 • February 10 March 10 • April 14 • May 19 • June 16 15 MESSENGER | Advent/Christmas 2017

The Messenger Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church 625 Montgomery Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 610-525-2821 The Messenger (USPS #341840) Volume #120, Issue #1, is published quarterly by the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church.

Periodical postage paid at Southeastern, Pennsylvania and additional offices.

Postmaster: Send Address Changes To The Messenger Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church 625 Montgomery Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

Inclement Weather Policy If the church closes due to inclement weather and unsafe travel conditions, notice will be provided on our website, www.bmpc.org, and with a recorded message at the main church phone number: 610-525-2821.

Decisions to cancel scheduled BMPC programs will be made by the person in charge of the ministry area. These decisions are distinct from decisions to close the BMPC offices. For information, contact the respective person in charge.

Christmas Eve Schedule 4:30 p.m. Family Service with Nativity Tableau 8:30 p.m. Candlelight Service with Communion and Meditation 11:00 p.m. Candlelight Service of Lessons & Carols with Meditation The Annual Youth Alumni Reunion will be held at 9:30 p.m. in Witherspoon Parlor.

Joy to the world. The Lord is Come!

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