March 2025 Congregational Catch-Up

Dear Members and Friends of Brick Church,

As we continue to strengthen our community and deepen our shared mission to be a Beacon of Light in the community, I am pleased to share some updates on the life of our church and school.

In the midst of our vital growth and the mission that we have launched, Session has approved the formation of an Associate Pastor Nominating Committee (APNC). This is a critical process for the future of our ministry, and we will need your nominations to help us discern the best leadership for this role. More details on how to participate in the nomination process will be shared soon.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Kamauru Johnson as the new Director of Summer Steps! We are grateful to Lydia Spinelli for founding this program and serving many years as the director. We hope to integrate the children and families of Summer Steps more fully into the life of the church, and we look forward to the ways in which Dr. Johnson’s leadership will enrich both the program and our community.

In our Day School, we celebrate that approximately 33% of our students come from Brick member families – this number has almost doubled from where it was three years ago! This marks an encouraging trend of greater engagement between the church and school, strengthening the connection between faith and education within our community. 

On Sunday evening, March 2nd, we enjoyed a transcendent musical service between Brick Church and Trinity Princeton. It was a meaningful and memorable experience, fostering fellowship and shared worship.

The annual Day of Discipleship was another great success, with many volunteers coming together to serve and make a tangible impact. Thank you to Rev. Gorman and our Deacons for organizing the day, and to each of the volunteers who made breakfast, managed logistics, worked and served, and to each of you who donated toiletry contributions.  

The Women’s Association’s spring fundraiser, Cocktails, Community, and Culinary Delights, was a joyful occasion, bringing our community together in celebration and raising significant funds to support our ten outreach partners. A heartfelt thank you to all who participated and contributed!

Lastly, we are thrilled to announce that Liz Turner, current Music Teacher at the Day School, will start as Director of Children's Music Ministries at the Church in September of 2025! In this role, she will lead our Youth Choirs in worship on Sunday mornings as well as work with our Sunday School program in addition to her Day School Music Teacher role. We will miss Julianna Grabowski, current Director of Children’s Music Ministries, who will be leaving us in May to pursue her doctorate in choral conducting. We wish Julianna all the best as she goes on to do great things!

I invite you to join us in a conversation after worship on Sunday, March 23rd, in the Session Room immediately following 11:00 a.m. worship. You are welcome to come and hear about the topics above and ask any questions.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our church’s mission and ministries. I look forward to continuing this journey together.

Peace,

Rev. Tom Evans

Senior Minister 

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DECEMBER | The Session of the Brick Church held its annual Joint Officers’ Advent Meeting on December 10, 2024. 

A Joint Meeting of the Session, Trustees, and Deacons was held as part of a Vesper Service in early December.  Advent Scriptures were read, and Advent Hymns were sung.  A meeting of Session took place afterwards.  Since long-serving Director of Summer Steps, Lydia Spinelli, will retire in July 2025, Session approved an amendment to the bylaws to lay out a process to select a new Director.  As part of Brick’s Transformative Ministries Program, two grants were approved.  One was for Grassroots Grocery and the other for Church of the Living Hope.  The Stewardship campaign is ahead of last year’s effort with 71% of the $2.0 million goal in hand.  Increases were recorded in 45%, and decreases were seen in 11% of the 224 households pledging thus far.  The 2025 Budget was approved after a thorough effort by JFC to reduce expenses.  Session discussed charts of the operating income and expenses for the last ten years, the sources of income, the nominal and inflation-adjusted donations and gifts for the last 20 years, and the expenses by category and percentage of total over the past ten years.  Plans were set in motion for several Elders to visit an upcoming Confirmands’ class.  Nominations for Officers were requested by the ACNC.  Finally, it was announced that the BCCT (Brick Church Community Theater) had selected The Wizard of Oz as the Spring Musical.

JANUARY | The Session of the Brick Church held its monthly meeting on January 21, 2025.  

A regular meeting of the Session was held on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.  Director of the Day School Fabian reported that admissions were going well and that full enrollment was expected for September.  Regular exmission notifications start on 6 for 40 of the 58 children applying out.  The other 18 were already accepted via early notification.  The routine 5-year renewal for Summer Steps was addressed; the vote will take place at the next meeting.  Most significantly, the search for Lydia Spinelli’s replacement has already started. Grants to Trinity Place Shelter, Church of the Gethsemane, Next Step Ministries, NYC Presbytery/YAV Program, and Columbia Harlem Homeless Medical Partnership were approved.  All grants for 2024 amount to $235,497 and equal the budget for the year.  Stewardship pledges are more than $100K ahead of last year.  A slightly different approach has generated an earlier response.  Moderator Evans reminded Session that there was a commitment to decide on a search for a second Associate Pastor at the next Session Meeting.  In his Minister’s Report, Rev. Evans highlighted all the responses he has seen at Brick to the “2033 Vision.”  He considers all the events, projects, and programs fit into five categories: Spiritual Home for All, Beacon in the Community, United as One, Nurturing Spiritual Development at Every Age, and Traditional with an Innovative Heart.  A full list was sent to Session and is available for those who might be interested. 

FEBRUARY | The Session of the Brick Church held its monthly meeting on February 11, 2025.  

The Session of The Brick Church met on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Moderator Evans spoke about Brick’s Mission and 2033 Vision in light of the story of “The Samaritan Woman at the Well.” He suggested Brick could be a beacon of hope and a spiritual home for all by reflecting Jesus’ way of engagement with the Samaritan woman. Director Fabian reported that 21 of 24 boys were accepted at their first-choice school and 25 of 30 girls were accepted at their first-choice school, capping off an excellent Admissions and Exmissions cycle. Based on the signs of renewed strength and enthusiasm, the Personnel Committee recommended that Brick begin the process of calling a third pastor. The JFC reported on an approach to funding. The Session voted to move ahead provided the Trustees provide a backstop for a possible Stewardship shortfall. Grants totaling $42,000 were approved for Search and Care and the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center. The search for a new Director of Summer Steps has almost reached completion. Rev. Evans announced that the Trinity Church Princeton Choir will be visiting for a special joint service on Sunday, March 2nd.  Rehearsals have started for the BCCT’s performances of The Wizard of Oz. Rev. Gorman reported on the success of the recent Souper Bowl party.  He talked about plans for the Day of Discipleship, the upcoming Interfaith Mission Meeting, and the Brick Mission Trip in June. Rev. Evans described a new pastor-led initiative: a consideration of what our neighborhood cares about and a pathway forward, informed by the story of “The Samaritan Woman at the Well.” Lastly, Rev. Evans also reported that he would be starting a series in Lent every Sunday evening.

Brick’s Vision Progress

March 2025

Spiritual Home for All

• Fall sermon series

• Silent Night Service

• Sunday PM Service

• Communicated through print and digital materials inside the church fall 2024 and winter 2025 - Communications

• Hosted weekly Sunday Supper with church members, school families, neighborhood families

• Hosted weekly "Kids on Wheels" in Watson Hall for church members, school families, neighborhood families (40+) - New Members & Evangelism 

• Implemented spring Musical The Wizard of Oz with a cast and crew of approximately 70+ including church members, school families, neighborhood volunteers and diversity of background and faiths - Stewardship.

• On October 27, ACE welcomed Lo van der Valk as a guest speaker. Mr van der Valk is the President of Carnegie Hill Neighbors, a local organization dedicated to preserving the heritage and character of the Carnegie Hill community. He explained the architectural significance of various houses of worship in Carnegie Hill, and, in so doing, he helped congregants understand Brick’s place within the cultural and spiritual fabric of our community. This advanced Brick’s purpose by encouraging congregants to reflect on how Brick can better become a “spiritual home” that reflects the fabric of our city.

• Lenten series on the nature of faith, which welcomes people with varying beliefs to explore together the greatest questions of faith – such as faith and evil faith and society and faith and other religions.

Beacon in the Community

• Howard Teich - UES Community Unity Initiative - Clergy and faith communities

• Joint caroling with Heavenly Rest

• Upcoming Wizard of Oz

• Recommitment to the East Harlem project

• Trinity / Princeton exchange

• Mission-focused Sunday with TNDP and Grassroots Grocery

• Partner with Princeton Theological Seminary on the Theologian in Residence

• Adam / Youth went to Park Ave Synagogue

• Released 2025 Stewardship Campaign theme is to be a "Beacon of Hope." - Stewardship

• Created an inspirational video sharing how Brick Church is a Beacon. - Stewardship

• Created and distributed print and digital materials with a visual story of how Brick Church is a Beacon of Hope. – Stewardship

• In late November, the Brick Church Community Theater partnered with the Daniel's Music Foundation, a non-profit that provides free music programs for people with disabilities, to put on a benefit concert for both organizations. It was a wonderful showcase that displayed the talents of a wide range of artists of all ages and abilities, proving that Brick Church truly can be a spiritual home to all.

• Recorded and distributed podcast of Rev. Evans sharing how Brick Church is a Beacon of Hope – Communications

• Hosted weekly "Kids on Wheels" in Watson Hall for church members, school families, neighborhood families (40+) - New Members & Evangelism 

• Rev. Evans led an ACE lesson on October 20 that explained Brick’s new Guiding Principles to the congregation. Rev. Evans’ talk focused on helping the congregation creatively imagine how we can become a “Beacon of Hope” in our community and city. 

• Summer Steps is a Brick Church summer program offered to children of diverse economic backgrounds that ensures they can succeed at the best schools in the city. Brick is beginning an intentional initiative to more closely integrate Summer Steps children and families into the life of the church. 

• Hosting 

United as One

• Day School involved in theater classes

• Day School involved in the play 

• Joint Blood Drive 

• Continuing staff birthday celebrations with all Brick staff

• Staff Christmas party

• Increased engagement by school families in Church programs, events, and even worship opportunities, which has led to a stronger, more integrated Brick community and to more families choosing both the school for their children and to be members of the Church.

• During the Sundays preceding and following the 2024 Presidential election, Dr. Guth co-taught a series of ACE lessons on the theme of love and toleration across significant differences with Dr. John R. Bowlin, Professor of Philosophy and Christian Ethics at Princeton Seminary. These lessons were well-attended and advanced Brick’s value of being “united as one” community, as well as Brick’s commitment to “create a welcoming environment that holds respect for diverse perspectives.”

Nurturing Spiritual Development at Every Age

• Emphasis on children

• Redeveloped the Sunday School curriculum, which has increased parents’ involvement and enthusiasm, which translates into a better experience for the children 

• In September, Rev. Gorman taught a two-part series of lessons on “Faith Outside of Sunday: At Home and In the World.” This series offered practical wisdom about how to grow in one’s faith and nurture the faith of children through family practices and when enjoying nature. The series thereby advanced Brick’s commitment to “nurture spiritual development at every age.”

• Bringing our Day School Music Teacher into a full-time role to serve both school and church, reaching for spiritual development through music across a broader audience. 

Traditional with an Innovative Heart

• Producing spring musical The Wizard of Oz with a message of love, hope, and home that is accessible for non-members and non-Christians to engage with on their faith journey at Brick Church - Stewardship, New Members, Communications 

• Provided After School Musical Theater classes for church members, school families, neighborhood families (40+) for community engagement and touch point with Director of Children's Ministries - New Members & Evangelism 

• Dr. Charles Guth taught a two-part series of lessons on the theme of “covenant and community.” This series explored the biblical and theological roots of Brick’s purpose to “share God’s love in Jesus Christ” and advanced Brick’s value of being known for a “Generous Orthodoxy.” Dr. Guth’s series also laid the groundwork for two adult education series he will teach in the spring. These series will help congregants reflect on Christian worship and the spiritual goal of sharing communion with God and will therefore advance Brick’s mission of “enabl[ing] the public worship of God in the Presbyterian tradition.”

• In November and December, Rob D’Alessandro, one of Brick Church’s Student Ministers, taught a three-part series exploring the biblical roots of the Advent theme that Jesus is God-with-us. These lessons advanced Brick’s value of being known for “Generous Orthodoxy.”