Lent/Easter Messenger 2020

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Lent / Easter | 2020

Photo by Dave Tavani

Letter from the Pastor

The Church Gathered We often think of the season of Lent into Easter as an individual, inward journey of reflection and contemplation. The lengthening of days from winter into spring, from which the word Lent is derived, is indeed a time to ponder God’s sacrificial love for us in the person of Jesus Christ and to focus on spiritual renewal. The church equips this aspect of our Christian nurture through Lenten Devotionals written

by BMPC members and staff for use at home, as well as by offering additional midweek contemplative services in the Taizé tradition and special Holy Week worship.

The Christian experience, however, is never solely an individual endeavor. We may be personally strengthened by prayer, contemplation, repentance and reflection, but to what end? Our primary calling, as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, is to live our faith in community, in service to others, and in loving God by loving neighbor.

“Our primary calling, as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, is to live our faith in community, in service to others, and in loving God by loving neighbor.”

I am ever mindful that Jesus never called one disciple at a time. He began by calling a pair of brothers and then adding to their number by calling women, calling men and making room for little children. The first baptisms recorded in the Acts of the Apostles are communal – throngs of people and whole families submitting to a life of discipleship together. Even as we seek to nurture our own inward spiritual life, we are still always part of a much larger communion.

The cover of this edition of The Messenger says it all. We stand side by side singing praises. We gather together for worship in order to be sent into the world in service. We are old and young, varied in color and circumstance, diverse in perception and outlook, preoccupied by different things and yearning for a multitude of needs to be met by God’s intervention. Yet, according to our faith tradition, we are one. Each is made in the image and likeness of God, and our diversity is actually an essential expression of our oneness as the Body of Christ. We need each other in order to be faithful to our calling.

In this time of deep dissention in our political arena, as we struggle with the country’s long history of racial oppression and division, while we seek to understand the apparent urban and rural discord, and as we try to be faithful in our daily lives, can the “church gathered” represent some manner of civility that helps us to be more Christ-like? Our recent Theologian-in-Residence, Serene Jones, reminded us that our democratic way of life has its basis in Calvinist ideals. To discern what is right, what is true, and what is morally good, can never be done in isolation, but is always a corporate endeavor. What better expression of our individual lives of faith than the “church gathered?”

Grace and Peace, 2 Lent Easter Messenger 2020

New Members

Barbara (Babs) & Robert Bickhart Villanova

Elizabeth & Richard (Dick) Griffith Haverford Want to know more about BMPC? We invite you to get to know our community better by becoming a part of our Discover BMPC classes on Mondays, March 2 and 16. Childcare is available for this opportunity to 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, March 22, contact JaneWilber@bmpc.org.

Denise Jones & Jonathan Jones Exton

Rise Against Hunger

Not Pictured: Terry Charlton, Bryn Mawr, and Anne Graf, Strafford

Saturday, April 4 12:45-3:00 p.m.

Gymnasium During this family-friendly event, sponsored by our Hunger Committee and the Church of the Redeemer, we pack over 20,000 nutritious meals for people in need. To sign up, visit www. bmpc.org > Calendar > Open Registrations or in person after the 10:00 a.m. worship services in March.

CarolSchmidt@bmpc.org.

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Advent Gift Market Recap

The Advent Gift Market Committee thanks everyone who supported the 2019 AGM. We are very grateful for the tremendous outpouring of generosity shown by children, youth and adults. Heartfelt thanks are extended to the BMPC volunteers, councils and committees, pastors and staff.

As a result of the charitable gift giving made in honor of loved ones and friends, $28,334 has been distributed to the projects listed below. This amount represents an increase of nearly $3,000 over the 2018 AGM. Your donations enable BMPC to continue to aid those in need locally, nationally and throughout the world.

We raised

$28,334

West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC) Sponsored by Adult Education Council

$3,480

Sponsored by Peacemaking Committee

Middleton Counseling Center $1,075 Sponsored by Board of Deacons

Chasefu Theological College $611 Sponsored by Children & Family Ministries Council

Presbyterian Church of Zambia

Providence Center $580

$1,750

Sponsored by Children & Family Ministries Council

Philadelphia Orchard Project $1,470 Sponsored by Environmental Justice Committee

Heeding God’s Call $650 Sponsored by Peacemaking Committee

theVillage $3,580 Sponsored by Presbyterian Women

Refugee Support $1,770 Sponsored by Refugee Support Committee

Main Line Adult Day Center $893 Sponsored by Senior Adult Council

Urban Tree Connection $1,200

National Evangelical Synod of Syria & Lebanon

BMPC Hunger Ministries

Haiti Partners $1,030

Sponsored by Environmental Justice Committee

Sponsored by the Hunger Committee

$3,460

TAP Program at theVillage $1,460 Sponsored by Music and Fine Arts BMPC Tutoring Program $940 Sponsored by Outreach Committee

Bethel Academy $1,500 Sponsored by Outreach Committee

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$2,525

Sponsored by Worldwide Ministries Committee

Sponsored by Worldwide Ministries Committee

Youth Scholarship $360 for Urban Mosaic Mission Trip Sponsored by BMPC Youth Ministries

Renovations Update The

construction and renovation activities at BMPC are gaining momentum, with notable progress as we pass the six-month mark. Here are some highlights from the Renovation Team.

Much work is progressing in the Education Building, with strong indications that the building will be ready for occupancy at the beginning of the 2020-2021 program year.

The foundation is now in place for the new elevator which will serve all floors, and the Fishers Road side of the building has been excavated to create space for the new ground level entrance. Decisions on internal finishes (flooring, light fixtures, furniture, etc.) have been made as well as beginning the process of restoring the windows in the building. Insulation also will be added to the attic space, which is an environmentally-friendly step with cost and comfort advantages.

Another important facet of the work on our church campus is identifying areas of our buildings that need restoration work, especially external masonry, stained glass and other windows as well as portions of the roofing. The Renovations Team recently commissioned work to completely restore the Resurrection

By Paul Bergsteinsson

Window in the East Transept of the Sanctuary, as well as repair and re-putty the stained glass windows in the Chancel and other locations.

Additionally, the external masonry of all church buildings has been reviewed, with bids obtained for restoration work, especially significant for parts of the Sanctuary, Converse House and the Education Building.

The third facet includes plans for the renovation and remodeling of the Ministries Center and its connection to the Sanctuary. The design development phase of this work is complete, and church members will learn about these plans when detailed final designs and specifications are completed by Voith & Mactavish Associates, our architecture firm.

A campus renovation presentation is scheduled for Sunday, March 1 at 11:15 a.m. in Congregational Hall.

An especially exciting aspect of this phase is the addition of an atrium that will join the Sanctuary and the Ministries Center to allow one to quickly move from the Sanctuary into all parts of the Ministries Center — the Gymnasium, Converse House space, Congregational Hall — without going up or down stairs.

One level down (accessible through a new elevator and new stairs) are

For future updates, look for items in the BMPC weekly eNews or visit the renovations blog on the church website www.bmpc.org/welcome/ renovation-updates.

Submit questions to the Renovations Team: renovations@bmpc.org. improved meeting rooms and church offices. Just as important, the new atrium will be an attractive gathering space for fellowship and events, and will serve as an intentional welcome to our campus. New accessible restrooms will be on both levels.

The renovation and restoration work is multi-faceted and will continue through 2021 and into 2022. The process for updating our campus for the 21st century has been carefully planned, with diligent oversight and coordination involving the church’s Renovations Team, our pastoral staff and property committee, the project management firm Watchdog, and support from W.S. Cumby, our general contractor.

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“Concerts with a Cause” Series Wraps Up Its First Year

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ast fall, we embarked on a new format for our concert series – a format that included an important philanthropic element.

We partnered with seven different charitable organizations and paired each of them with a concert in our series. Free-will offerings were collected, and 50 percent of each collection went to a designated partner organization. The Music and Fine Arts Council was excited to bring this new series to the BMPC community, and we invite you to join 6 Lent Easter Messenger 2020

us for the final three concerts of the inaugural season.

presented for the first time with an orchestra in Philadelphia. A special highlight will be yet another On Sunday, March 8 at 4:00 p.m., we Philadelphia premiere, The Passion will observe the season of Lent with of St. John by Patrick Dunnevant, a a concert presented by our Sanctuary stunning work for bass soloist and Choir, Bryn Mawr Chamber Singers, piano. Concert attendees are invited and soloists, accompanied by the to come early for a pre-concert Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. talk led by Carl Schmidt, a Poulenc This program includes works by expert.

French composers Francis Poulenc, Arthur Honegger, Lili Boulanger, Our partner organization for this Gabriel Fauré and Maurice Duruflé’s concert is 12Plus, a non-profit Messe Cum Jubilo, which will be working to increase educational

equity by building school cultures that inspire academic achievement and empower students to succeed in education beyond 12th grade.

They do this by partnering with schools in underserved communities to build Plus centers and provide individualized academic and postsecondary counseling for all students to ensure that they graduate with a dedicated post-secondary path.

Visit the website, www.12plus.org, to learn more about the important work this organization is doing in Philadelphia.

Dubois to our Sanctuary on Sunday, March 22 at 2:00 p.m. The newest of the three Notre Dame organists, Dubois’ playing has been described as “technically and structurally brilliant… an astonishing tour de force” by Nashville Scene. Fifty percent of the free-will offering collected during this recital will go toward supporting the 70 employees of Notre Dame Cathedral who are without work after last April’s catastrophic fire.

Lastly, on Sunday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m., we wrap up our season with a Also during the season of Lent, concert presented by Peace Drums, we are pleased to welcome Notre an interfaith initiative made up Dame Cathedral organist Vincent of Israeli and Palestinian youth promoting peace 1 & 2 - 12Plus is an organization working to increase educational among young equity by building school cultures that inspire academic people of Jewish, achievement and empower students to succeed in education Muslim and beyond 12th grade.

Christian faiths.

3 - Vincent Dubois, Notre Dame Cathedral organist.

The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian 4 - Our last concert of the season is presented by Peace Drums, newspaper an interfaith initiative made up of Israeli and Palestinian youth promoting peace among young people of Jewish, Muslim and called this group Christian faiths. “simply magical to

witness.” We are honored to welcome them to BMPC. The partner organization for this final concert of the program year is Child Guidance Resource Centers (CGRC). Child Guidance (www.cgrc.org) is a non-profit organization that has been providing life-changing behavioral health services for children and families since 1956.

CGRC treats children on the autism spectrum, children who are struggling with depression, anxiety, ADHD, children who have experienced trauma in their lives and various mental health disorders.

Over the past year, Child Guidance Resource Centers provided services for over 9,600 youth and families in Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties.

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2020 Lenten Devotional

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ur traditional Ash Wednesday liturgy calls us to observe a holy Lent, through prayer and fasting, and also through studying scripture.

Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church has a long tradition of practicing these Lenten disciplines as a community, through worship and prayer, and especially through the creation and use of our Lenten Devotional which contains reflections and scripture chosen and written by members of our congregation.

While for many years our devotional had led us through the stories and teachings of the New Testament, this year we return to an even more ancient tradition of meditation on the Psalms. The Psalms often are referred to as a collection of prayers or even hymns covering expressions of faith from joy and praise to lamentations and outright despair.

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Each week our writers have reflected on a single Psalm, bringing their own expressions of faith, life experiences and hopes for the church and the world. In the Psalms and in the personal reflections, we will hear stories of gratitude for an unwavering faith as well as seasons when faith has faltered. We will read of people’s confidence in the companionship of God as well as the companionship of one another.

We will, most importantly, come to better realize we do not walk the journey of faith in isolation during Lent.

This year our devotional also includes striking photography by BMPC member Bill Kemmerer. Bill

has spent years documenting his travels to some of the most beautiful places in God’s creation, and each photo selected helps to illuminate a piece of our weekly Psalms.

You are invited to pick up your 2020 Lenten Devotional in late February in the Narthex or Ministries Center.

Lenten Evening Prayers Wednesdays, March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1 Gather in the Chapel at 7:00 p.m. for a simple service of music, prayer, scripture and silence led by the pastors.

One Great Hour of Sharing

D Labyrinth Beginning on Ash Wednesday, the small Story Path labyrinth will be available for walking and quiet reflection in the Chapel weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

During Holy Week, the Story Path labyrinth may be walked in the Children’s Chapel on Monday, April 6, Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 8, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The Chartres labyrinth will be available in the gymnasium on Maundy Thursday, April 9, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and on Good Friday, April 10, from 8:00 a.m. to noon with the option to walk the Stations of the Cross.

Printed prayers and meditations will be available at all times noted.

uring the season of Lent, Presbyterians worldwide join in sharing God’s love with our neighbors in need around the world by providing relief from natural disasters, food for the hungry, and support for the poor and oppressed. This Lenten season, please give generously to One Great Hour of Sharing. Envelopes will be in the pew racks on Palm Sunday and Easter.

PRESBYTERIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (Restorers of Streets to Live In) Works alongside communities as they recover and find hope after the devastation of natural or human-caused disasters.

PRESBYTERIAN HUNGER PROGRAM (Share your Bread with the Hungry) Takes action to alleviate hunger and the systemic causes of poverty so all may be fed.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE (Loose the Bonds of Injustice ) Invests in communities responding to their experiences of racism, oppression, poverty and injustice, and educates Presbyterians about the impact of these societal ills.

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Well

LIVING...

PLANNING...

DYING...

By the Caring Ministries Team

The symposium takes place on Saturday, March 14 from 9:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

It is a gift to be alive. Each day in the cycle of life is God-given, and during our time on earth, we inevitably consider what comes next. Regardless of our age or stage of life, questions about heaven and the afterlife are ample sources of conversation and wonder. Crossing over the threshold called death is a great mystery, and a discovery we all will make someday. As we consider that mystery, it is important that we do so in the company of those we love, including our larger church community.

To die well is to plan well. It means asking some difficult, elusive questions, and asking some more logistical ones. Part of the work of the Church is to shepherd people through life, including conversations about death and what’s next.

That’s why the Caring Ministries Team is hosting some upcoming events to address these questions.

These events are for all people, no matter your age or station in life. All the events will be presented under the title, “Living Well, Planning Well, Dying Well.” Our hope for these events is to help you plan for the unexpected, whether you are a young family, have a family member with special needs, are ready for retirement, or facing long-term care.

The event also will be helpful for children or grandchildren who are attempting to guide their loved ones through these important issues.

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The first event, a symposium, takes place on Saturday, March 14 from 9:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. It’s a one-time event that will address the details of planning well for death. The event will feature five panelists who will discuss a range of issues:

Following the panel presentation, participants will have the opportunity to speak to each panelist in a small-group setting. The event is free, but registration is requested.

Please register with KikiMcKendrick@bmpc.org.

• The Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet will discuss the spirituality of aging and aspects to consider for honoring life/funeral planning.

While the symposium will cover details related to planning well and dying well, we are offering a series of classes this spring to address these issues in greater depth. For many people, it is immensely difficult to plan for death because it brings to the surface tense questions and fears.

• Rodger McKinney, funeral director at Chadwick & McKinney Funeral Home, will cover what decisions should be made for the care of your body after death.

• Albert Davey, executive director of Narberth Ambulance, will talk about the community medical perspective and decisions you should make regarding do-notresuscitate orders and advanced directives.

• Aimee Gustitis will address what caregivers should know about supporting their loved ones and themselves through this process.

• Erin Saulino, Esq., an elder law expert, will discuss the legal aspects you should consider throughout your planning process.

These components of planning well will be presented over the course of four Sundays: April 19, 26, May 3 and 10. These classes will be held at 8:45 a.m. in the Main Line Adult Day Center, and the Caring Ministries Team will lead them. All are invited to these classes even if you are unable to attend the symposium.

Planning for your own death, or the death of a loved one, is challenging.

We hope these events will be a helpful resource as you navigate these meaningful, important discussions. The entire Caring Ministries Team is here to support you along the way.

ONE BOOK ONE CHURCH: Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor

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ach year the Adult Education Committee recommends a book for our entire congregation to read together, allowing us to be in conversation on contemporary topics as a whole community. This year’s book has been chosen as a part of our classes on Israel and Palestine and in conjunction with the Community Forum programs.

Lyrical and evocative, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor is one Israeli’s powerful attempt to reach beyond the wall that separates Israelis and Palestinians. In a series of letters, Yossi Klein Halevi endeavors to untangle the ideological and emotional knot that has defined

the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for nearly a century. Using history and personal experience as his guides, Halevi unravels the complex strands of faith, pride, anger and anguish he feels as a Jew living in Israel.

Speaking to all concerned global citizens, this provocative collection of letters from each side of the conflict models the kind of passionate, respectful discourse that is sorely missing in the world today, and helps us understand the painful choices confronting Israelis and Palestinians that will ultimately determine the fate of the region.

Join us on Sunday, May 3 for a conversation led by the Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick and Rabbi David Straus of Main Line Reform Temple about Halevi’s book. The discussion will be held at 11:15 a.m. in Congregational Hall. Books are available from the BMPC Book Center for $5.00.

Community Forum Distinguished Speaker Series

BMPC Welcomes Author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor Yossi Klein Halevi, a New York Times bestselling author and a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, will be our guest speaker on Mon., April 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary for the Community Forum Distinguished Speakers Series.

Halevi will discuss his recent book, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, and the project that has grown up around it. A question and answer session follows his presentation.

Together with Imam Abdullah Antepli of Duke University, he co-directs the Institute’s Muslim Leadership Initiative, which teaches emerging young Muslim American leaders about Judaism, Jewish identity and Israel.

Dreamers, won the Jewish Book Council’s Everett Book of the Year Award. His latest book, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor, is a New York Times bestseller. He writes for leading op-ed pages in the United States, including The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, and is a former contributing editor to the New Republic.

A book signing will follow in the Ministries Center Court.

The Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Community Forum Distinguished Speaker Series began in 1997. The forums are made possible by the Anna and Herbert H. Middleton, Sr. Fund of the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Foundation and are offered as a service to the community at large.

Halevi’s 2013 book, Like 11

Upcoming Adult Education Classes Speaker: The Rev. Deanna Hollas Sunday, March 8 11:15 a.m., Chapel

In 2010 the Presbyterian Church (USA) published a policy statement on gun violence reflecting both a 30-year history on the topic and a recommitment for the Church to be engaged on the issue. Here is just a taste of that opening statement: There are too many places in America where it is difficult to hear the gospel over the persistent retort of gunfire. We continue to be convinced that God calls us to protect the lives of all within the human community, as each is loved by our Creator. In order to be faithful to our vocation to seek God’s shalom, we need to seek new and active ways of effectively bringing lifesaving change. We can no longer tolerate such a preventable exile from God’s peaceable kingdom or reign. It is time to discuss these deadly social outcomes in our congregations. We believe there is much common ground within society for both responsible gun ownership and real reduction of gun violence. Yet we also know the way the dangers of accidents, the prevalence of suicide by gun, and the high rates of homicide in the U.S., are in direct relationship to the accessibility to and possession of guns. We need to be willing to ask ourselves whether we should voluntarily limit our ownership of guns so that we may become more faithful stewards of the gospel.

Presbyterians are called to be agents of change in the world, to be reconcilers because we ourselves have been reconciled.

Although 10 years have passed since this call to action

by Presbyterians, we know the crisis of gun violence has not decreased. Unfortunately, in many ways it feels like it has only grown worse.

In this particular moment, Presbyterians, and especially the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship (PPF), a parachurch organization within our denomination that educates and advocates on this issue, is calling the Church to recommit itself to this incredibly important work.

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Our Peacemaking Committee has invited the Rev. Deanna Hollas, Coordinator of Gun Violence Prevention for PPF, to speak on Sunday, March 8 at 11:15 a.m. in the Chapel. She is the first pastor in the United States specifically ordained to work on this issue.

We will hear more about the work that she and others around the country are doing to address this issue and how we also are called to renew our commitment to gun violence prevention as people of faith. Rev. Hollas has recently said, “With all the gun violence in our country, it is easy to lose hope and ask, ‘Where is God?’ But I am hopeful. I see God raising up so many people and churches to study and speak out and work toward ending the violence that is plaguing our nation. Change is coming.”

If you want more information about the work that BMPC is already doing through our Peacemaking Committee, contact Phoebe Sheftel at pasheftel@gmail.com.

Learning Together About Israel and Palestine

This summer, our Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Choir and friends will travel to Israel, Palestine and Jordan to participate in choral workshops, performances and an exploration of both ancient and modern sites that are significant to people of faith today. For several weeks this spring, our entire congregation is invited to learn more about the region, the history of the conflicts there and how Presbyterians have engaged in mission, ministry and advocacy in the larger Middle East.

The following adult education classes will be offered at 11:15 a.m. in the Chapel.

Sunday, March 22 History of Modern Israel Dr. Ofer AshkenaziI, faculty member in the History Department and the School of Arts and director of the Richard Koebner Center for German History at Hebrew University, will provide a basic introduction to the history of modern Israel, beginning as early as the growth of the first Zionist movement in 1897 in Switzerland through the conflicts of the 20th century and beyond.

Sunday, April 19 The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: It’s Complicated! Framing an Intractable Debate Adam Kessler, former staff of the Jewish Community Relations Council in Philadelphia, will walk us through numerous narratives that contribute to the intractability of the conflicts in the Middle East.

Adam has worked extensively with interfaith groups in the United States and Israel.

Sunday, April 26 A History of Presbyterians in the Middle East Presbyterians have been actively engaged in mission in the Middle East for over 150 years. The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick will take us through the stories of how American Christian denominations divided up the Holy Lands for mission work, and she also will give a brief summary of the most recent statements the Presbyterian Church USA has made on the IsraelPalestinian Conflict.

Vacation Bible Camp Neighbors Near and Far: Living the Golden Rule

June 22-26 BMPC Campus VBC begins with a kickoff on Sunday, June 21 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Ministries Center.

Registration is open now through June 1.

Register online at www.bmpc. org > Calendar > Open Registrations.

If you’re interested in volunteering, contact MaryRichards@bmpc.org.

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How Do We Invest in Mission, Ministry and Outreach?

hen it comes to giving, people often ask, “Where does my money go?” It matters how money is spent, even in churches; especially in churches! Unlike other nonprofits that have a specific and somewhat limited purpose for existing, the Church exists to fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus gave to his followers: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).

That’s a fairly wide objective!

So what do we do at BMPC when a person entrusts a dollar to our care? How is that dollar invested?

This graphic attempts to explain just that! Based on our annual budget of around $4.2 million, this illuminates how your generosity is lived out in our mission, ministry and outreach. We continue to be grateful for all the ways that your financial gifts help us live into our call as Figures based on 2019 annual budget. Staff and expenses are allocated across the ministries on a pro-rata basis. disciples of Jesus Christ.

How Do We Invest in Mission, Ministry and Outreach?

For more in depth detail, please read our 2018 Annual Report.

12%

25%

Care for Congregation

Education & Congregational Life

Hospital visitations, care team initiatives, wellness seminars, and pastoral counseling help the congregation seek wholeness as we discover our gifts and work toward healing.

As disciples we are committed to nurturing our own faith and spiritual development while creating opportunities to be in fellowship with one another. Together we explore the lively voices of Scripture and the world where faith and life intersect, engaging in opportunities for active faithfulness.

17%

Worship & Fine Arts

We bring our gratitude and our concerns to our worship services. Our leadership there, from the Chancel and the choir loft alike, helps guide our hearts and minds toward hearing God’s call in our lives. From gorgeous sacred music and art exhibits to faithful preaching, we welcome all to experience the Good News.

24%

Administration & Property

22%

Outreach & Mission Placing high value on our call to love and serve, we engage with partners locally, regionally, and around the world.

We support ministries of compassion and transformation, focusing on children and education, community development, food insecurity, evangelism, medical mission, social justice, and environmental advocacy.

Members, guests, neighbors and visitors all encounter our campus in a variety of ways.

The maintenance of our facilities and support for operations allow us to offer our spaces as an invitation for worship, outreach, mission, and meetings for our wider community’s various initiatives.

2019 Annual Budget: $4,260,165

Figures based on 2019 annual budget. Staff and expenses are allocated across the ministries on a pro-rata basis. For more in-depth detail, please read our 2018 Annual Report.

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Youth Summer Programming KIRKWOOD PLUNGE

Friday, June 12 - Sunday, June 14 For rising fifth to seventh graders and their parents This summer we are offering for the first time ever a Kirkwood Plunge event for our rising fifth to seventh graders, where middle schoolers are invited, along with their parents, to experience Camp Kirkwood and a weekend of worship, play and service! It’ll be a great opportunity for parents and middle schoolers to get a feel for our fantastic summer camp! Reach out to Pastor Leigh for more information.

Cost: $150 per participant; $250 maximum per family. Scholarships available!

URBAN MOSAIC MEXICO IMMERSION Sunday, July 12 - Saturday, July 18 For high school students

High school youth are invited to participate in an immersion trip to Mexico! We will be working with BMPC ministry partner Urban Mosaic in different parts of Mexico City while staying in Urban Mosaic’s retreat center in Papalotla. While there, we will seek to immerse ourselves in the lives of others, learning about global mission, fragile cities, and how we can take part in God’s action in the world.

Contact Pastor Leigh if teenagers in your life are interested in going on the trip. Sign up no later than April 13. * Tiered pricing: $999 | $1,250 | $1,500, with ample scholarships available.

CAMP KIRKWOOD

Sunday, August 2 - Saturday, August 8 For all rising sixth to 12th graders Our annual weeklong summer camp is a sleep-away experience in the Poconos at the wonderful Camp Kirkwood. Our vibrant camp tradition is spearheaded by a team of BMPC staff and volunteer leaders. Camp provides a fabulous opportunity for youth at all levels of church involvement to build lifelong relationships, experience the joy of the outdoors, and ask bold questions about life and faith in a safe and supportive environment. Reach out to Pastor Leigh for more information. Sign up before May 30. * Tiered pricing: $350 | $400 | $550, with ample scholarships available.

* Tiered pricing is offered so that everyone knows he or she is welcome to participate, and attendees pay what they can afford at that time. And, if the lowest price is still out of your price range, BMPC is more than happy to help you with a scholarship. Talk to Pastor Leigh about scholarships and any other questions you have about these trips.

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Holy Week Services

Palm Sunday, April 5

Maundy Thursday, April 9

• 8:00 a.m. Worship with Communion, Chapel • 9:45 a.m. Children ages 2 - Kindergarten meet in classrooms and children grades 1 - 5 meet in Chapel for Palm Sunday Procession • 10:00 a.m. Worship with Children’s Palm Procession, Sanctuary.

• 11:00 a.m. Churchwide Brunch, Congregational Hall • No Wednesday Night Dinner this week (April 8).

• 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Labyrinth Walk, Gymnasium • 5:30 p.m. Family Service with Communion, Chapel • 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Simple Supper in Congregational Hall.

Free-will offering.

• 7:30 p.m. Worship with Communion, Sanctuary. The Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet preaching.

Good Friday, April 10 • 8:00 a.m. - noon.

Labyrinth Walk, Gymnasium • 12:00 noon. Worship led by BMPC Youth, Sanctuary • 7:30 p.m. Tenebrae Service: The Sanctuary Choir presents Dale Wood’s “Service of Darkness,” Sanctuary.

The Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet preaching.

Easter Sunday, April 12 • 6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service on the front lawn. The Rev. Rachel Pedersen preaching.

• 7:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast • 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m.

Worship with Choir and Easter Brass in the Sanctuary. The Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet preaching.

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