MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH
Summer
Update
One West 29th Street, New York, New York 10001-4596 www.MarbleChurch.org 212-686-2770 212-685-0706 fax
JULY & AUGUST 2015 SUNDAY WORSHIP, 11AM DR. MICHAEL B. BROWN Senior Minister preaching*
JULY 5
Not Good Enough vs. Good Enough I Samuel 16:1-13
Dr. R. Mark King, preaching
JULY 12 Susanah Wade, preaching
JULY 19
This Is My Fight Song Luke 10:29-37
Rev. Kirsty DePree, preaching
JULY 26
Not Letting the Left See the Right or Vice Versa Matthew 6:1-4
Dr. R. Mark King, preaching
August Sermon Series
AUGUST 2*
The Bread of Life John 6:24-35
AUGUST 9*
Do’s and Don’ts Ephesians 4:25-5:2
AUGUST 16*
I’ll Give You One Wish I Kings 3:3-14
AUGUST 23*
Where’s Home? Psalm 84
AUGUST 30
Looking Ahead to August
Since I will be away in July (and will leave you in the span, their preaching will lead their people all the way extraordinarily capable and caring hands of our staff), I through our Holy Book. I’ve never been a Lectionary want to let you in on what I’m planning preacher, though I do often use the suggested to do on Sunday mornings here at Marble lessons in Advent, Lent, or special Sundays when I return in August. like Pentecost. But this year, I am going to use the Lectionary passages for the first four Every August I preach a series of Sundays of August. It will be the same format sermons where I pick familiar and intriguas always – just walking through a lesson ing Bible passages and you and I simply and letting it take us where it will. The only walk through them together, letting the difference this year, as noted, is that I will let scripture lessons say to us what they the Christian Church pick the passages for me. wish to say. My intent is always to make Dr. Michael Brown Also, in each week’s bulletin I’ll print what the those sermons as much teaching as they suggested lessons are for the upcoming week, are preaching, allowing us to eavesdrop giving you an opportunity to read through them and be on Bible passages without my trying to inject my own familiar with the texts to be explored. issues along the way. That method is often called “exegetical” or “expository” preaching, and I love doing By this point, some of you have already had an it. So, this August, as usual, that’s what we’ll do. epiphany: “There are five Sundays in August this year. Michael must not have checked the calendar!” No, The new wrinkle is that this August I am not going instead Sister Carol will be the preacher on August 30. to choose lessons simply because I enjoy them. She usually preaches here on Labor Day Weekend, but (Remember one year the August series was entitled “My Four Faves.”) Instead, this year I am going to allow true to her gracious nature she agreed to exchange weekends with me so that I could accept an invitation The Christian Church to choose the lessons for me. to officiate at an out-of-state wedding for a young That’s what many preachers do every week anyway. woman I have known since she was a child and whose As most of you know, The Church (not “our” church family has long been dear to our own. Thank you, but the global Christian Church) provides something Sister Carol! called The Lectionary. Those are collections of scripture lessons that over a three-year period will walk a Be good to yourself this summer. Take some time for congregation through the entire Bible from Genesis R&R. Play. Pray. Meditate. Relax when you can. Make to Revelation. Every Sunday there are suggested pastime for those near and dear. Keep coming to church. sages from Hebrew Scripture, the Psalms, the Gospels, And we’ll continue focusing on God’s Word for us, addand the Epistles. Many preachers write every sermon ing a slightly new wrinkle to that come August. all year long from those suggested passages. Some pick one lesson per Sunday, others combine more than one. But their theory is that over a three year
Can You See Anything? Mark 8:22-26
Sr. Carol Perry, preaching
(Please note, Sr. Carol is preaching one week earlier this year.)
WEDNESDAY WORSHIP 6:15PM Every Wednesday
JAZZ REVELATION
On hiatus for July & August
Summer Spirituality Series
friends is always wiser than making enemies. Our Summer Sundays, July 12 – August 23 | 10:00am Spirituality Series will explore We live in a city, a nation and a world of diverse our differences and similarities religious beliefs. We have churches of many denomi- within the world’s religions nations, temples, shrines and mosques tucked into amid open dialogue. As with every corner of our city. But do we know what each of our annual “Trialogue”, we these faiths believes and practices? By opening our want to focus on understanding minds and exploring the differences and similarities the uniqueness of the major in our beliefs, could we begin to live with less fear, religions, to build bridges and anger, recrimination, violence and misunderstanding establish ties that bind. Over the in our lives and hearts? Jesus understood that making continued on page 3
2
Re / M A R K /s
Dr. R. Mark King Executive Minister
Logs, Dogs, and Hogs By Dr. R. Mark King Recently, I preached for one of our Jazz Revelation services a message entitled “Logs, Dogs, and Hogs.” It came from a unique section of St. Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 7:1-6) when Jesus talked about judging and criticism. We find such statements as, Before you remove the speck from your brother’s eye, take out the log from your own, and Do not throw what is holy to dogs, and then, Cast not your pearl before the swine (hogs). I find it so fascinating that in English translation, these three elements rhyme. In these verses, Jesus had something very specific to say about how people criticize others. It’s human nature to want to be better than someone else. People can be a critical lot. In this era of social media, if we think it, we post it. Why do people criticize? It usually comes down to one of three reasons. First, people do not act like we think they should or they make choices we think they should not. Second, when we think someone else is a better person than we are or more skilled in something we admire, feelings of inferiority overwhelm us. Finally, we may have a prejudicial, biased dislike of an individual. How can we attack someone’s personhood or situation or character when we have faults of our own? Everyone has some faults! Everyone makes bad decisions. Always, someone somewhere is better at that skill or talent we do best.
The truth is only God is fit to judge humanity. We cannot take God’s place. Honestly, there is just so much to do and so little time to do it. Why must we become critical and judgmental of others when there is enough to worry about elsewhere? Jesus was simply saying that human beings, you and I, are sacred and precious in the eyes of God. Let’s leave it that way; not diminish it with petty words, false accusations, condescending gossip and half-truths of one another. After all, positive thinking has to include positive speaking, right? I was reminded of this poem not long ago: I stood on the streets of a busy town; Watching some tearing a building down With a “Ho heave, ho,” & a lusty yell, They swung a beam & a sidewall fell. I ask the foreman of the crew, “Are these as skilled as those you’d hire if you wanted to build?” “Ah no,” he said, “No indeed. Just hard muscle is all I need.” “I can tear down as much in a day or two, as would take some others a year to do.” And then I thought as I went on my way, Just which of these two roles do I play? Have I walked life’s road with care, Measuring each deed with rule and square? Or am I one of those who roam the town, Content with the labor of tearing down? I hope I’m counted among those who uplift and not tear down. What about you?
Summertime Photos: Karla R. Fritsch
MarbleUpdate Newsletter Mailing Changes
Beginning with the September 2015 newsletter, we will no longer be mailing printed copies. We are taking this step as part of our commitment to be good stewards of Marble’s financial resources and the planet. The newsletter will continue to be sent via email and will be available on the website (www.MarbleChurch.org/Connect/Library/ Newsletters). To subscribe to the email list, click on Newsletter Sign-Up at the bottom of any page on our site and select MarbleUpdate newsletter. This is also where you may sign up to receive the weekly e-news-
letter and a variety of other e-newsletters. (Please note, we cannot subscribe to any of the email lists on your behalf, this is a feature in the software designed to protect you from spam.) Keep in mind, a benefit of the digital version is you can be reading it earlier than the print version! However, for those who still prefer a printed newsletter, copies will be available at the Welcome Table or you may call the church to have one mailed.
3
Summer Spirituality Series...continued from page one
course of ten Sundays we will host guest speakers who represent various faiths alongside our own ministers. We hope you will join us for all of these timely conversations. July 12 Discussion on Islam July 19 A Look at Judaism July 26 Building from Broken: Exploring Judaism’s Annual Journey to the Sacred with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie
August 2 A Look at Korean/Eastern Religions August 9 Korean/Eastern Religion Discussion August 16 A Look at Buddhism with Chad Tanaka Pack August 23 Christianity and World Religions with Rev. Kirsty DePree
(Note, no session July 5. Visit www.MarbleChurch.org to live stream or watch the June 21 & 28 sessions.)
Summer Photos: Karla R. Fritsch
Prayer Circle
Sundays | 10:00am This informal gathering centers on singing and prayer for individual and communal concerns. All are welcome! Meets every Sunday. Led by Rev. Gregory Johnson. (Greg is away in July, but Prayer Circle will still meet.) Holy Communion celebrated weekly (unless scheduled for 11:00am Worship).
Entrepreneurs
Peale Parlor Soul Salon Thursday, July 23 | 6:00-8:00pm All welcome to join us as we continue our series An Entrepreneur for All Seasons with Summer – Living Water. Nina Frost will be our special guest speaker followed by seven Minute Talks by seven Entrepreneurs. $10 suggested donation.
Rev. Gregory Johnson Prayer Circle
Bible Study with Sr. Carol
Resumes: Sunday, September 13 at 10:00am; Tuesday, September 15 at Noon and 6:30pm; Thursday, September 17 at Noon at St. Bart’s. For video encores of Sr. Carol’s 10:00am Bible Study, visit www.MarbleChurch.org. Also remember to read Sr. Carol’s blogs this summer! They are posted on Tuesdays.
Membership at Marble
Faith is a journey and we warmly invite you to join with us as you travel along. For more information about our upcoming New Member Orientations, after Sunday Worship please come to the Deacons’ Pew (to right of Chancel) where the Membership team will help you (they will be wearing red carnations), visit the Welcome Table after WeWo, or contact Kim Sebastian-Ryan (KRyan@MarbleChurch.org). We’d love to have you join us!
July 26 – September 13 Be part of the Marble tradition as we collect school supplies for “at risk” and homeless children. The agencies we support have over 600 children who need our help! Although the drive runs through September 13, please help us get most supplies delivered before schools open. TUTORIAL & CULTURAL ARTS ENRICHMENT PROGRAM TRAINING Saturday, September 12 | 9:00am-12:00pm Marble has partnered with P.S.30M Hernandez/ Hughes Community Learning School in Harlem on this program to benefit 2nd and 3rd graders. Visit www.MarbleChurch.org/Give/PS30 for more information. Volunteer applications are due by August 15 and are available online, at the Action Table on Sundays, or call Susanah Wade or Tom Schneider, or email: Volunteer@MarbleChurch.org.
Nina Frost Entrepreneurs
Staff for this Issue: EDITORS:
Karla Fritsch Catherine Ortiz PHOTOS:
Dave Cross Jay Johnson Karla Fritsch GRAPHIC DESIGN:
Beth Player-DiCicco
Marble Collegiate Church Summer Update: JULY & AUGUST 2015
DR. BROWN’S AUGUST SERMON SERIES Please read Dr. Brown’s article on page 1 about this year’s series. Suggested Bible lessons to read before each Sunday will be listed on the website as well as in the August Sunday bulletins. (Please note, Sr. Carol preaches August 30, not September 6.)
MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH
Update
Summer
PRE-SORT FIRST-CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM ZIP CODE 10001 PERMIT NO. 269
LIVE WEBCAST SCHEDULE If you can’t be here in person, visit www.MarbleChurch.org. Sundays
10am – S ummer Spirituality Series (Bible Study with Sr. Carol Perry returns September 13) 11am – Worship Service 12:15pm – Talk Back with Dr. Brown (returns in August)
Wednesdays 6:15pm – Wednesday Worship TV – Fridays @ 4:30pm, MNN Time Warner Ch. 57 (Manhattan) Sermon Podcasts: Subscribe at www.MarbleChurch.org.
MARBLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
SING WITH THE SUMMER CHOIR To participate, please e-mail Korland Simmons (KSimmons@MarbleChurch.org). Music-reading ability required. Those not currently or formerly in Marble Choirs may be asked to audition. Singers encouraged to sign up in advance; sing on your available Sundays through September 6. Rehearsals: Sundays, 9:00am. For the most up-to-date information, please check www.MarbleChurch.org, the Sunday bulletins or stop by the Welcome Table after Worship.
JULY & AUGUST ‘15
One West 29th Street, New York, New York 10001-4596
SUMMER SPIRITUALITY SERIES Sundays, July 12 – August 23 | 10:00am We explore our differences and similarities within the world’s religions amid open dialogue. See page 1 for more details. (No session July 5.)
WEWO: WEDNESDAY WORSHIP Every Wednesday | 6:15pm Your Worship, Your Way Have you tried WeWo lately? WeWo blends traditional and contemporary worship styles, taking the best of both, creating a mixture that is informal and reverent, often humorous and always Spirit-filled. Our ministers offer thoughtful preaching with joyful music by a praise ensemble, all in the relaxed atmosphere of the Marble Loft. Bring a friend!
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
ONLINE SUMMER BIBLE STUDY WITH DR. MICHAEL BROWN Dr. Brown will lead us through some key teachings of The Sermon on the Mount, particularly focusing on The Beatitudes, and talk about their meanings in our daily lives. Stories and passages you thought you knew will be illuminated, and thought-provoking questions will be posed. A new, 5-10 minute episode will be posted each Thursday at www. MarbleChurch.org. Access it any time. And plan to join us beginning September 17 for Dr. Brown’s online series Soul Purpose.