A NEW SEASON
BROWNCROFT COMMUNITY CHURCH
CONTENTS 2 3
Letter From Pastor Rob
Worship & Communications Update - Jason Harris
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Kids
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Students
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Family Ministry Update - Mike Pitts
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Groups & Classes
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Missions
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Support Groups
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A NEW SEASON It’s been an amazing time in the life of our church. As we enter into year three of The Reach Initiative all of our phase one projects are complete. Both our adult and student spaces have been increased and enhanced. I believe this prepares us for a new season of growth and opportunity within our church and our community. This magazine includes key information about the programs and service opportunities for the first half of the new year. I encourage you to take a next step or steps in your faith by engaging further. Whether a student or a parent, a young couple or a single, there are a number of opportunities to Begin, Belong and Serve in the life of our church. Spiritual growth is about making choices and commitments. I challenge you to make your relationship with God your top priority. Putting God first in all things is the secret to the life we want and need. In January, I will be starting a new series covering Jesus’s most well-known teaching—the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew Chapters 5-7. It represents the highest aspiration of Christian living: life as God designed it. It’s not given as some pie in the sky ideal, but as a life we can experience. It’s the life you’ve always wanted and believed somewhere was true but never able to achieve. I invite you to start praying over this section of Scripture and to join others in our Bible reading plan as a church. We are also experiencing a time of great challenge in our culture. At a time of increased wealth and opportunity there is also great confusion and a loss of hope. The questions many thought had been answered by our society are being asked again by a new and skeptical generation. What is the meaning of life? Does this life have purpose and if so what is it? I believe this is an opportunity for the church, our church, to reengage the world that God loves. My hope and prayer is that each of us will see this year as an opportunity to go further with God. To go deeper in our personal commitment to know Jesus and further in our commitment to make Him known to the spiritually hungry around us. Praying for you and God’s power in the life of our church.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” MATTHEW 5:6
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It has been an incredible last couple of months. It’s hard to remember that just a little over two months ago many of us were worshipping under a tent outside. As I reflect, and as we still are finishing a few final loose ends, I am so thankful to God for leading and protecting us through this season of construction and ministry change. Since reopening, church life for some Browncrofters is similar, but for many of the ministries that I lead we have truly stepped into a very new world. This is a brand new and exciting season. Through the joys and hiccups of learning new methods and systems, we pray that God would do greater things through the ministry of Browncroft and increase our number. Browncroft has experienced some of the largest attendance ever in both Family Ministry and in Sunday services over the past couple months. Our prayer is that this would continue. I meet at least one family each week that never stepped foot on our property before our recent renovation. Praise God. Over the past few weeks our production team launched our first beta test in our ability to stream online. In the next few short months we will be building several teams to help manage, develop, and pastor “Browncroft Online”. Our plan is to launch our Sunday service-streaming platform early this upcoming year. We are also creating new online teaching content, podcasts, and blogs throughout the year to strengthen how we teach, engage, and help people take next steps in their journey with Christ. The blog is currently live on our website, and additional trainings will begin to increase early in 2019. Our primary social media platforms also continue to grow with over 2,200 Facebook page likes and over 900 Instagram followers. This is important because it allows all of us to engage with each other throughout the week digitally. It also becomes a place for first-time engagement. Though a family/friend invite (60%) and our website (30%) remain the top two places people initially
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engage with Browncroft, we are seeing more people come to our church whose initial engagement with us is through our social media channels. 2019 is an important year for us digitally as a church. We continue to retool our Welcome and Next Step processes, increasing and digitizing the methods in which we receive information, increasing the personal contact with our guests after their first visit, and building processes to continue connection through the first several weeks at Browncroft. The Coffee Bar is now fully operational on Sunday Mornings – serving locally roasted, freshly ground coffee beverages while simultaneously raising funds for mission’s initiatives and providing skills training to many of our students. Even with initial start up overhead through the last several months, we hope to donate over $2,000 to the Women’s Training Center in Senegal at the close of December. Not too shabby for drinking great coffee! It has been awesome to see God continue to strengthen our Sunday morning services and our hundreds of volunteers that make Sunday a great community experience. Please pray for (and join) these teams as we continue to learn and do new and exciting things in the name of Christ.
JASON HARRIS
Sr. Director of Worship & Communications
KIDS
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B R O W N C R O F T. O R G / K I D S
EXPLORE PJ DAY Sunday Morning | January 6 | 9am & 10:30am We invite our Explore staff and children to welcome in 2019 by wearing your PJs to church. SUPER SUNDAY Sunday Morning | February 3 | 9am & 10:30am Explore Families! Come to church wearing your favorite team’s jersey or shirt. EMBRACE FX (FAMILY EXPERIENCE) March 17 | 9am & 10:30am Embrace FX is designed to invite families with young children and their friends to a lively production followed by activities and treats! Fun for the whole family!
BABYD: BABY DEDICATION CELEBRATION May 11 | 11am BabyD is more than a dedication event. It is an opportunity for you to take some time at the beginning of your journey as a parent to really think about what will matter the most in the life of your child; to really talk together and decide what you will value and what you can do today that will have the greatest impact on your child’s future. It is our hope that we can partner with you from the very beginning to be your biggest fans, your strongest supporters, and your trusted guides as you raise your child to know what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Register at: Browncroft.org/babyd 5TH GRADE CELEBRATION June 16 | 9am & 10:30am We want to celebrate with our 5th Graders and their families, as they are moving up in the fall to Emerge. Parents and guardians plan to join your child on the Sunday morning as we celebrate the time they have spent in Explore.
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DISCOVERY PRESCHOOL
Monday - Friday Our mission is to partner with parents to develop the hearts, minds, and muscles of growing children. This partnership develops positive relationships, a sense of security and the knowledge that our students are respected, loved and well cared for. We accomplish this through engaging play-based learning and socialization in a warm Christian environment. We balance age appropriate academics with plenty of hands on activities to prepare children for school and for life. Spiritual development is nurtured through Bible lessons, modeling Christian values and prayer.
OPEN HOUSE FAMILY BAPTISM CELEBRATION February 10 | 6pm | Sign-Up By January 27 The day a child makes the decision to trust Jesus as their Savior is a huge milestone. If your child has put his or her trust in Jesus Christ, and believes in Him as the One who forgives their sins, we are so proud of them. There is no greater single decision that they could make. We believe that baptism is an important next step for them. Baptism is their way of telling their friends and family, “Hey, I’m a follower of Jesus!” Our baptisms for kids and students take place at an event we call Family Baptism Celebration. It’s a party, and their baptism is the main event! Register at: Browncroft.org/familybaptism
COME VISIT US! January 27 | 10:30am – 1:30pm | Rooms B23 & B25 Registration begins in January for 2019-2020 Classes for 3’s, 4’s, & Pre-K Email: DiscoveryPreschool@Browncroft.org Visit: Browncroft.org/DiscoveryPreschool Contact: Andrea Peterson 585.586.0930 x154
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STUDENTS EMERGE / ELEVATE SNOW CAMP January 18-20 | Mission Meadows Camp Dewittville, NY Snow Camp is a great weekend together as we launch into the winter and spring semesters. This is a focused time of teaching, worship, and relationship building for our students. By spending time with others and spending time with God, we seek to grow closer to Jesus individually and as a group. This can be a life-changing weekend for your student. Register at: Browncroft.org/studentevents DOUBLE DOG DARE March 16-17 | At Host Homes In Rochester Families volunteer to be a host family, which means they will host a sleep over of students who will compete through the night in a dare competition. The sleepovers are meant to encourage our students who attend youth group to invite friends from their school or communities who don’t already attend a church. We finish the event with a huge party on Sunday morning where our first time guests have the opportunity to hear and respond to the life changing Gospel! Register at: Browncroft.org/studentevents
FAMILY BAPTISM CELEBRATION February 10 | 6pm | Sign-Up by January 27 The day a student makes the decision to trust Jesus as their Savior is a huge milestone. If your student put their trust in Jesus Christ and believe in Him as the One who forgives their sins, we are so proud of them. There is no greater single decision that they could make. We believe that baptism is an important next step for them. Baptism is their way of telling their friends and family, “Hey, I’m a follower of Jesus!” Our baptisms for students take place at an event we call Family Baptism Celebration. It’s a party, and their baptism is the main event! Register at: Browncroft.org/familybaptism NEVER THE SAME CAMP July 7-11 | Houghton College NTS Camp is an environment that creates space for students to connect to God, to a network of support from their local church, and to a caring adult small group leader from their youth ministry. For the past two years this camp has been the highlight for many students in our ministry. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity. Cost of camp is $332 before May 5th, then rises up $20 following the deadline.
B R O W N C R O F T. O R G / S T U D E N T S
Register at: Browncroft.org/studentevents
FLOWER CITY WORK CAMP APRIL 14-18
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Flower City Work Camp is a ministry of Flower City Outreach, an organization that unites Rochester-area churches to deliver a range of services into the City of Rochester. Flower City Work Camp began in 1985 with a group of local youth leaders who had a desire to see their students serve in a meaningful inner-city ministry and a desire to impact the Rochester-area with the life-changing message of Christ’s love. Using a national model, we developed a Rochester-based ministry that reaches the city with God’s love in very practical ways. Each year, students and adults from nearly 60 churches deliver over 36,000 hours of service by improving homes, mentoring youth at basketball and soccer camps, and connecting with younger children in neighborhood Sidewalk Clubs to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to some of the neediest areas of our city. FLOWER CITY WORK CAMP SERVES THROUGH: • Home repairs, including painting, flooring, simple construction, cleaning, yard work, and repairing or replacing ceilings, windows, and doors • Sidewalk Clubs, at which children play games, sing songs, make crafts, eat snacks and, most importantly, hear the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ • Sports camps where children and teens learn skills, Bible verses, and how much God loves them • Prayer walks, during which campers bring the needs of our city before God
Not only does FCWC provide students in Grades 7 through 12 with a tremendous opportunity to serve God, a lot of effort and planning is also put into challenging the students to grow in their faith. Morning devotions and evening programs filled with worship, prayer, testimonies and teaching are designed to bring students into the presence of God and send them home energized, changed, and strengthened. While students do much of the work, FCWC is truly a ministry of the entire local church. Youth leaders, parents, pastors and other adults from participating churches are vital and required to make the ministry work. And there are many different opportunities for adults to serve, including Site Leaders or Sidewalk Club Leaders, food prep and delivery, security, first aid, Home Base supervision and clean-up, or materials transportation. Register at: Browncroft.org/studentevents
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FAMILY MINISTRY UPDATE Recently I received the following note from the mother of a middle school boy and a high school girl involved in Family Ministry here at Browncroft. She had just received handwritten notes from both of her kids’ small group leaders in the mail. “I got home from work from a pretty busy day yesterday and opened these notes from the mail. I could not believe it for one second and then I totally could. We have found a home. When we came to Browncroft last July one of my objectives was to find a place where my kids were engaged in faith formation. I gave them time to experiment. This fall they asked to be all in. They ask now to do Browncroft activities! They did not ask that in our previous church. They would actually ask not to go. Thank you for your kind notes, taking the time with my children, and being role models for them and our family. It is impactful and meaningful.” The mission of Family Ministry at Browncroft is invite kids and students into a life-changing relationship with Jesus. It is our goal to give every child a champion and every parent a partner here at Browncroft. We present kids and students with the Gospel message to introduce them to Jesus and BEGIN exploring faith and discovering God. We believe the best way for someone to know Jesus is to know someone that knows Jesus. Therefore, we give every child a champion by connecting them with a caring adult that knows them and loves Jesus. A champion has the unique opportunity to be physically present to help them interpret life, support them in difficult times, carry them through transitions, and cheer them on, all while pointing them to Jesus.
Every week we create fun and engaging environments for kids and students to BELONG in community with others and provide meaningful interactions to strengthen their relationships with Jesus and others. We believe every child needs a place to be known and belong to develop authentic faith and pursue a life-changing relationship with Jesus. We want to give every child a place to belong at Browncroft. We mobilize students to share their faith and SERVE others. Through service opportunities demonstrating the love of Jesus, students can discover who God created them to be and the purpose He has for their lives. It is through serving others that students discover the bigger story God is inviting them into and develop authentic faith of their own. Students will not feel the significance of the purpose God has for their lives until we give them something significant to do for Him. We understand no one has more potential to influence a child than a parent, but recognize a parent is not the only influence a child will need. We believe a parent’s influence is best realized in partnership with the Church. We partner with parents to connect them with a faith community and equip them to be more intentional at home. We want parents to have positive influence in the faith formation of their own children. It is our hope that every student grow in a life-changing relationship with Jesus, pursuing deeper faith, and living on mission for God. Through the foundation built in Family Ministry at Browncroft, we desire to see the next generation spending time with God, engaging in a faith community, serving others, and sharing their faith for the rest of their lives. It is an exciting time to be involved in Family Ministry here at Browncroft. Many kids and students, like those from the note above, have a champion and parents have a partner that is providing an “impactful and meaningful” relationship. We won’t stop until every child has a champion and every parent has a partner. This will require us to grow and reach further into our community. On December 2nd we celebrated the grand opening of the new Explore Theater. The completion of the theater is a significant milestone for our church that marks the end of the construction for this phase of The Reach Initiative. However, it is just the beginning of reaching the next generation for Jesus. The new Explore Theater doubles our capacity for elementary large group space on Sunday mornings and provides a new opportunity to grow and reach more families. We are already beginning to see that growth. Since the start of the program year in September, we have seen the highest attendance in Family Ministry ever at Browncroft. It is truly an exciting time in Family Ministry!
MIKE PITTS
Sr. Director of Family Ministry & Administration
BAPTISM AT BROWNCROFT At Browncroft, baptism is a big deal. We believe that baptism is part of every follower’s faith journey. As a church, we value this celebration because it reminds us of how Jesus changes lives. If you have not been baptized, we hope you get baptized this year! Prior to each baptism, we will host informational meetings to help take this next step in your faith journey. Sunday Baptism Dates: • February 10 • May 19 Info Meetings (After Each Service): • January 6 & 13 • April 7 & 14 We will hold Adult Baptisms on Sunday mornings and Family Baptism on the Sunday night of Baptism Sunday. Visit: Browncroft.org/baptism
MEMBERSHIP CLASS | ROOM A12 Membership signifies a deeper commitment to the church. At Browncroft, going through the membership process offers a mutual responsibility of the church in supporting you in your spiritual growth and you investing to the overall mission of the church - inviting people into a life-change in Jesus. The membership class happens on the first Sunday of each month at 12 pm. Childcare and a light lunch is provided. Here are the dates for the membership class: • January 6 • February 3 • March 3 • April 7 • May 5 Visit: Browncroft.org/membership
B R O W N C R O F T. O R G / B A P T I S M
GROUPS & CLASSES
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B R O W N C R O F T. O R G / G R O U P S
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YOUNG ADULTS The Young Adult Ministry at Browncroft is a group of 18 to 30 year olds connecting in a Christ-centered community. Come engage in Scripture through small group bible studies and meet together for social gatherings around Rochester. Visit: Browncroft.org/youngadults
”I’M ENOUGH” SUNDAY MORNING CLASS FOR WOMEN Starting January 6 | 9am | Room A8 Women of all ages are invited to learn from and encourage each other toward taking their place in God’s creation plan for their lives. Connect with a community of Browncroft women while reading and learning from Scripture.
SMALL GROUPS FOR WOMEN Join 6-12 Browncroft women for Scripture-based discussion and dialogue. Groups meet both on- and off-campus on weekdays, and during the morning and evening hours. Share ideas about the Bible, pray for each other, and find ways to encourage each other in their spiritual journey. Go to Browncroft.org/women and complete an Interest Form to let us know more about yourself.
MARRIEDLIFE Starting January 6 | 9am & 10:30 | Room A12 MarriedLife exists to enrich the couples from dating to married at Browncroft. We will be tackling important topics to help you and your significant other navigate and thrive in your relationship. Check out the series we will offer starting in January of 2019:
TOGETHER WOMEN’S MENTORING Together Mentoring is about doing life together through authentic, intergenerational mentoring relationships for women at Browncroft. Our vision for these Christ-centered mentoring relationships is for women to influence and encourage one another to wholeheartedly seek God and fully grow in Him. SUNDAY EVENING FELLOWSHIP Sundays | 5pm | Room A12 All ages are welcome to join this traditional service. Sing hymns, spend time in corporate prayer, and hear a meditation based on Scripture. See the Sunday bulletin for weekly details on speakers and topics.
• Tech Wise Family (01/06 & 1/13) • Financial Peace Crash Course (01/20 & 01/27) • Relationship TuneUp (February) • Boundaries in Marriage (March - April) • Watch Your Mouth (May - June) CHRISTIANITY AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES Starting January 6 | 10:30am | Room A8 What does the Gospel have to do with the “Me Too” movement? What does the Bible have to say about gender and sexuality? Do science and Scripture stand in irreconcilable conflict? We’ll explore a handful of hot-button issues such as these, where it’s sometimes difficult to determine how believers might intersect with broader culture in ways that remain faithful to Scripture and that honor the lordship and the example of Jesus.
MONDAY NIGHT WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY Starting January 6 | 7pm Each Monday, women of all ages and life stages gather for an inspiring devotional and then separate into small groups for discussion and prayer. This winter, we will be following the sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew, learning from Scripture and applying it to daily life while building Christ-centered relationships. MEN’S CLASS WITH PASTOR ROB Starting January 10 | 6:30am | Room A12 Join Pastor Rob as he goes more in depth on the Book of Matthew from our Sunday series. Each Thursday morning you will recap the message on Matthew from Sunday while getting greater insight into the passage to apply it to your life. This is a great way to get connected to other men at Browncroft while having a quality study of Scripture. FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY Starting February 7 | 6:30pm | Room A12 No matter where you are with your money, this local nine-week class will teach you to create a budget, pay off debt, spend and save wisely, and so much more! Learn from financial expert, radio show host, and best-selling author Dave Ramsey. Cost is $129, includes resource packs for class. Visit: Browncroft.org/financialpeace
ALPHA Starting March 1 What is Alpha? Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that freely explore the basics of the Christian faith. Alpha is for anyone who’s curious. The talks are designed to encourage conversation and explore the basics of the Christian faith in a friendly, open and informal environment. No question is out of bounds and you are free to discuss as much or as little as you wish. How does it work? Alpha is ten sessions with the option of a day or weekend retreat in the middle. Each session includes food, a short talk and a discussion at the end where you can share your thoughts. At any point, if you think Alpha isn’t for you, that’s not a problem. There’s no pressure, no follow-up and no charge. Visit: Browncroft.org/alpha RENEW CLASS Starting June 2 | 10:30am | Room A8 Do you want to go deeper in your faith journey? We know the potential that practices such as prayer, studying Scripture, silence, and solitude can have on our lives. Many of us struggle to engage in these practices. If you have this struggle, then Renew is for you. Based off of the Spiritual Formation Workbook by James Bryan Smith and Lynda Graybeal, you will gain the experience in these practices during each session along with practical wisdom from historical influencers from Christianity. We hope this class renews your soul by engaging in these remarkable spiritual practices.
B R O W N C R O F T. O R G / C L A S S E S
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B R O W N C R O F T. O R G / M I S S I O N S
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MISSIONS LOCAL OUTREACH PARTNER OF THE MONTH Starting January 6 Each month we will feature information and service opportunities with one of our local partners. Projects will vary and will present service opportunities for individuals, families and small groups. On occasion representatives from the partner ministry will be on site. Email: jack@browncroft.org MISSIONS CONNECTION LUNCH January 27 | February 24 | March 24 | April 28 12pm | Room A12 Reports from our global and local missionary partners will awaken us to the world, lead us to praise and teach us to pray. A different missionary partner each Sunday. Lunch included. Families welcome! PERSPECTIVES CLASS Mondays, Starting January 21 | New Hope Free Methodist Church 62 N. Union St, Rochester, NY 14607 Perspectives is a fifteen-week course designed around four vantage points or “perspectives” - Biblical, Historical, Cultural and Strategic. Each one highlights different aspects of God’s global purpose. The Biblical and Historical sections reveal why our confidence is based on the historic fact of God’s relentless work from the dawn of history until this day. The Cultural and Strategic sections underscore that we are in the midst of a costly, but very “do-able” task, confirming the Biblical and Historical hope. Find out why dozens of Browncrofters have loved this course at www.perspectives.org/rochester19. Financial help is available for Browncrofters. Email: missions@browncroft.org DRESS A GIRL SEWING DAYS January 1 & May 21 | 10:30am-2:30pm | Room C35 Drop in to work on dresses that our missionaries and short-term teams will deliver to girls around the world. A great time to learn to sew if you don’t know how! DRESS A GIRL SEWING EVENT February 2 & April 27 | 9:30am-2:30pm | Gym Meet us in the gym to make simple dresses for girls and shorts for boys around the world, used by our missionary partners and short-term teams to show Jesus’ love and build relationships. Jobs for those who sew and those who don’t! Open to women and men of all ages. Come and go as you like. Lunch available.
FLOWER CITY WORK CAMP April 14-18 Flower City Work Camp is a ministry of Flower City Outreach, an organization that unites Rochester-area churches to deliver a range of services into the City of Rochester. There are many different opportunities for adults to serve, including Site Leaders or Sidewalk Club Leaders, food prep and delivery, security, first aid, Home Base supervision and clean-up, or materials transportation. Register at: Browncroft.org/studentevents
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MISSIONS ROUNDTABLE Sundays | March 17 - May 19 | 10:30am | Room A8 Sundays | June 2 - August 4 | 9am | Room A8 Missions is one of the most exciting thing that we as believers do and also one of the areas that requires the most careful thinking. Do missionaries destroy cultures? Do child sponsorships really work? Where’s the balance between safety and the gospel? Does the western church still have a role in global missions? And what about our response to refugees? All of these questions and more will be topics at our Missions Roundtable. Join us at the table!
WOLOF DEAF TEAM MISSION TRIP REPORT May 19 | 12pm | Room A12 Hear from our very first Deaf team about their trip to Senegal, reaching out at a school for the Deaf in the capital of Dakar. Includes a light lunch. Visit: Browncroft.org/events
SUPPORT GROUPS CELEBRATE RECOVERY Starting January 8 | 7pm | On Campus Celebrate Recovery gathers every Tuesday evening with others recovering from adverse life circumstances and celebrate God’s healing power in our lives through the 12 Steps and 8 Recovery Principles. Celebrate Recovery offers everyone a safe place and the opportunity to participate in a group setting where they have an opportunity to share their experiences, strengths and hopes with others that are also going through a Christ-centered recovery. Anyone with hurts, habits, or hang-ups and who wants to experience the freedom possible through the power of God are welcomed.
DEMENTIA CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP Starting January 8 | 6pm | Room B30 Provides the opportunity on the second Tuesday of every month to discuss care-giving and important issues pertaining to the care of a loved one with dementia. Included is a Bible study, using Scripture related to the giving of care to others as well as sharing personal experiences of their loved ones confidentially.
B R O W N C R O F T. O R G / S U P P O R T
Visit: Browncroft.org/classes
BROWNCROFT COMMUNITY CHURCH 2530 Browncroft Blvd, Rochester, NY 14625 www.browncroft.org
