Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16b
The Bible tells us that Jesus is the reflection of God's glory, which translates to the "radiant light of God." This is what Jesus represents for God. It's Jesus' very essence to be this light, and each one of us has a unique ability to radiate this light within us.
When you're in a crowd, you're warmer together. The gathering of the people of God radiates the presence and the Spirit of God, whether we know it or not. Our mission as a congregation is to gather ourselves in such a way that we stoke that light that radiates out into the world - the presence of God - and we trust this brings hope.
When we look at Jesus' life, He radiated majesty, holiness, power, justice, the peace of God. It's what made Christ's presence so magnetic. The Bible tells us the Church is the body of Christ. It is a fact and a challenge. Christ has commissioned this group of people not unto Himself, but unto the world. We cannot be a church that is only gathered inward. The Church can radiate the power of God into the world, like a lamp on a stand. As The Brick Church, we want to do everything we can to shine that light more brightly.
How do we feel the glow of Jesus' presence? As the radiant light of God, there are several aspects that Jesus represented:
Holiness - We seek to radiate holiness not to be more perfect than others, but by being open to the Spirit within us to a holy worship. Brick Church excels in music that expands our minds past what we can see with our eyes. Simply put, the massive, huge, grand mystery of God. God is holy and that means God is mysterious. God is beyond our imagining and beyond our knowing. The way we worship at Brick Church is meant to take us past the impedance of our everyday experiences.
Righteousness - Christ is righteous. God will not withstand or sit idly by while injustice reigns. Everyone is of infinite value in the eyes of God. If we are going to radiate the light of God, we seek to be a righteousness world where there is health in body, mind, and spirit for all.
Peace - In reference to Jesus’ birth, the Bible explains that when the child comes, there will be endless peace. The call to bring peace brings harmony. Jesus pulled people together from distinct communities who were at odds with one another. Jesus created a banquet, The Lord’s Table, that was irenic creating connections across communities of conflict. The Hebrew Bible calls this "Shalom," which means wholeness and restoration of relationships. "The lion will lie down with the lamb and a little child shall lead them."
Below are five areas of ministry at Brick Church where we hope to be a Beacon of Hope in our community:
1. Worship & Music
The ethereal nature of certain aspects of music opens our souls. There is a spiritual realm that compels us to look to the heavens; If we give ourselves permission to pause, to "Be still and know that I'm God." (Psalm 46:10) One of the goals of our Chancel Choir is not to hear singular voices voice, but one unified sound that is complex, harmonic, and beautiful. If we give ourselves permission to pause, our heads will turn to the heavens and to something grander than what is at hand. This is what Christ did here on earth.
2. Adult Christian Education
At Brick Church we don't pretend to have all the answers. But one hope we do have is to be a theological thought leader on the Upper East Side. We recognize there are important issues the world needs to wrestle with, and we believe, as Presbyterians, many voices can help us gain wisdom. For instance, addressing issues about the needs of children in this city means we gather theological voices from Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and other religious traditions, as well as governmental voices from non-profits, public, and private schools. We would gather people with direct knowledge and come together to share. Iron sharpens iron so these voices will sharpen each other in their mission to help all children thrive. Being a Beacon of Hope requires the understanding that it takes many different people and perspectives to tackle problems.
3. Children & Youth
When I speak with parents preparing for their child's baptism, I often ask what they remember about their own. Most, having been baptized as infants, remember very little. I challenge them to create lasting memories and an annual celebration of their child’s baptism. Share with your children what was in your heart on that day, your beliefs, and how much they mean as a child of God. Early on, children adopt their parents’ beliefs, but as they grow, their own convictions will form. It’s essential to show them the light of Christ. Brick Church plays a part in nurturing this faith, helping Christ’s love shine into the hearts of all our children.
4. Inreach & Outreach
The ministries of The Brick Church such as Prayer Shawl, the prayer teams, meal ministries, phone calls, and pastors’ visits mean a tremendous amount to our congregation and neighborhood. When I have a chance to hear from someone what a prayer shawl meant, what the flowers from Sunday morning meant, what the phone call meant - the simplest of gestures - cannot be overstated. The office of Deacon is about compassion, witness, service and how we represent ourselves as an authentic and true part of the body of Christ. We know how much it means to our community by supporting organizations like Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, New York Common Pantry, Stanley Isaacs Neighborhood Center, Search and Care, Urban Outreach Center, and East Harlem Tutorial Program. The Bible tells us in the book of Hebrews, "We might be entertaining angels unaware." Each person with whom we interact with could be an angel sent by God, and how we treat them is directly relevant to our living out our discipleship.
5. Fellowship
We talk about the trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - as creator, redeemer, and sustainer. This means that God's very essence is community, triune, or three in one. At Brick Church, when we have fellowship events, it's not just chatting about the weather or what's happening in your family’s life. There is something holy about those gatherings because we are reflecting the communal nature of God. It heartens us to see our brothers and sisters in Christ when we come back for the Fall Fling after not seeing each other during the summer. Sunday Suppers, the Fall Fling, the Park Avenue Tree Lighting, the Dinner Dance, the Strawberry Festival are all ways to experience the light of Christ through our warmth, joy, and love. The most sacred moment of fellowship happens monthly during Holy Communion. In all of these gatherings, there is something sacred beyond reason and comprehension, that exudes the mystery of God.
Prayer of Confession: Lord, You are the light of the world and You have given each of us a spark to spread Your grace. Too often we hold our gifts for our own benefit and we fail to let Your light within us shine before others. We remain cloistered from the hardships of the world, failing to share Your abundant love. Send us out so that people might see hope through our loving actions. Amen.
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