TOUCHPOINT The Marble Magazine One West 29th Street, New York, NY 10001-4596 212-686-2770 MarbleChurch.org
OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2016
Positive Faith, Practical Living
Every new Church Program Year, the Ministry enthusiastically embrace Leadership Team comes up with a new theme for that the promise of scripture particular season (September-May). Last year, as you which Paul made to the know, our theme was “Love Is ….” Throughout all that church people in Philippi: we did and taught and preached and sang about and “I can do all things through tried to enact programmatically, we intentionally kept Christ who strengthens that theme at the center of it all. In fact, even though a me.” (Philippians 4:13) new program year has come, we will still leave a “Love is That text from Paul, Wall” in the Loft. We will continue to minister in the bibli- when closely examined, is Dr. Michael Brown cal and theological awareness that if two-pronged. There is the undeniable positive we are followers of Christ, sooner or statement that we believe all things are poslater it all comes down to love. “God endows sible through the power of Christ. There is also,
This is, however, a new program us with the however, the implicit message that the good year, and as you have no doubt potential to things we desire are not just magically dropped discerned by now we have a new into our laps. “I can do all things ….” That is become voices theme specific to the Septemberan action phrase which requires the believer to of reason, be active, to become a participant with Christ May season we’ve just entered. examples of in achieving the goals that are desired. So, that Our new theme is Positive Faith, Practical Living. One of the meskindness, and verse demands a practical application of our sages historically associated with thus agents of positive faith. That is at the heart of this year’s our church is that we are positive Church Program theme. much-needed thinkers and positive believers. We believe that hungry people can be fed, change in the that homeless people can be housed, that atWhereas we do not bury our heads in the sand, denying the critical world.” risk children can be educated and equipped for and sometimes alarming realities meaningful futures, that people in dire situain the world around us, neither are tions (whether at home or far away) can have their lives we people who give up. We do not give up on God, demonstrably improved, that trafficking can be verbally we do not give up on the church, we do not give up opposed and, in time, visibly deposed, that the hopeless on the presence of goodness in our world (despite the can find hope, that the despondent can find courage, consistent presence of badness in the press), we do that the lonely can find love, and that we can all find not give up on people, and we do not give up on life. senses of meaning and purpose that make life not mereWe believe that God endows us with the potential to ly livable but, in fact, exhilarating. We are positive about become voices of reason, examples of kindness, and all that, but we are just as certain that it will require thus agents of much-needed change in the world. We investments and efforts on our part. Continued on page 2
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2016 SUNDAY WORSHIP, 11AM
OCTOBER 2
Dr. Michael B. Brown Senior Minister preaching
World Communion Sunday
A Loaf, A Cup, A Question
OCTOBER 16
Why Bother with Church? Luke 18:1-8
I Corinthians 11:23-26
Chad Tanaka Pack
OCTOBER 9
OCTOBER 23
Perspective
A Sally Field Moment
Matthew 13:24-30; Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) II Corinthians 9:6-8
OCTOBER 30 Dr. Luke Powery preaching Dean of the Duke Chapel
WEDNESDAY WORSHIP 6:15PM Every Week