Ministry Snapshot

Arts Ministry

The Arts Ministry has been a part of Marble for over 41 years, and 2022 was one of the best yet! We offered a combination of online and in-person programming including art exhibits every month except July. Some highlighted events were The Asian Experience, the first-ever art exhibit at Marble celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, My Journey: a Conversation with Alexandra Foucard co-sponsored with GIFTS to celebrate Women’s Month in March, and the 6th Annual Marble Summer Arts Festival in June.

GIFTS: LGBTQ+

Our GIFTS Coffee Hours throughout the year welcomed an average of 30 LGBTQ+ people and allies for fellowship. During Pride Month, we had a special Worship showcasing a section of the AIDS quilt honoring those lost from the epidemic 50 years ago and watched the film version of the musical RENT with the CYF Youth. On Pride Weekend, we again hosted a Water Table on 5th Ave for the Dyke March and were excited for the return of our Pride Breakfast on June 26 with guest speaker Emil Wilbekin, human rights activist and founder of NATIVE SON. In the Fall, Rev. Rashad McPherson became our Pastoral Advisor, we bid farewell to longtime coordinator Don Piper upon his retirement, and we were pleased to co-host events including Roe v. Wade: Where Do We Go from Here? and the Racial Justice event, I Am What I Am: Queer, Questioning & Christian.

PrimeTime (55+)

Our first hybrid events, lunch with Sr. Carol Perry with 80 participants and Thanksgiving Lunch with Dr. Michael Bos with 55 participants, went well and were much appreciated by everyone. A November trip to The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City on one of the rainiest days of the year with all 26 ticket holders showing up was a testament to our PrimeTime troopers. Capping off the year with over 100 people joining in the Christmas spirit, was our annual Merry, Merry Marble festive favorite. Participants decorated tabletop trees which we donated to those in need and to some of our Marble shut-ins. There was even a special visit from Santa and Buddy the Elf.

Women’s Ministry

Inspired by their theme, Together We Rise: Stepping Out in Faith to Action, Marble Women’s Ministry (MWM) launched a full year of in-person and online programming with its beloved journaling mini-retreat with Nina H. Frost; the Lenten Blog followed and Spa Day explored Building Resilience Through Playing and Praying. May’s film night, featuring Eating You Alive, spawned a popular and continuing small group about the health and environmental benefits of plant-based eating. June saw the first of two outdoor events on Governors Island and the workshop, Find Joy in Each Day, with spiritual and creative colorist, Betsy Karp. September’s Coffee Hour welcomed everyone back, and a Harvest Outing to Central Park followed. In November, MWM partnered with GIFTS to host America After Roe v. Wade: Where Do We Go From Here? featuring long-time Marble member Faye Wattleton, along with Gloria Steinem and Kathryn Kolbert, drawing 685 participants. The Advent Blog invited sharings by the Arts Ministry, and the year ended in joyful community at the Christmas party.

Small Groups

Being part of a Small Group is a wonderful opportunity to grow spiritually and connect in a deeper way with others at Marble. Many groups that began in 2021 continued into 2022, notably among them: The Empowered Woman, weekly on Mondays and Thursdays led by Deedee Headings; Grace-Filled Gratitude, a four-week group led by Dr. Elise Brown in April 2021 with 60 participants and has continued to meet monthly, now led by Deacon Dr. Jeannette Aycock. Sacred Friends, a discipleship group started by Rev. Kirsty DePree in 2016, continues to meet weekly on Wednesdays currently led by Susan Philips with 15 regular participants. Dr. Elise Brown and Sister Carol Perry led On the Road to Jerusalem with Jesus for the Last Time during Lent for three weeks in March with 183 participants. Dr. Michael Bos led three weekly groups, including Time to Recalibrate, with 21 participants. In December, 30 people participated in reading former Senior Minister Dr. Michael B. Brown’s Advent Book, A LongAgo Birth in a Right-Now World, and joined him on Zoom for a Q&A session.