Fall 2023 Messenger

From The Pastor

We have an exciting fall season planned to celebrate the church’s 150th Anniversary. In September and October Adult Education offerings will celebrate our church’s legacy in various venues of congregational life: local outreach, global mission, music and fine arts, Christian education, and the like. Celebratory anthems have been commissioned for worship. The exhibit in the Gallery will feature historic highlights and treasured church photographs. The Anniversary Celebration weekend, October 14-15, will include a family-friendly birthday party and mission project; a special reception for former pastors, staff and out-of-town members who have received save-the-date invitations; and Saturday evening dinner, anniversary video and organ concert. Sunday’s morning worship will culminate in prayers of thanksgiving for the past and dedication to a bright and hopeful future of ministry together.

As I prepare for this season of celebration by digging around in the archives, I am struck by two things, which may seem obvious but worthy of noting nonetheless: how much is the same and how much is changed.

BMPC’s calling to be faithful to the Gospel in word and deed is foundational. The core values of meaningful worship, soaring music, Christian formation for all ages, and the good stewardship of extraordinary financial and human resources to realize God’s vision of abundant life for all people was and is central to this congregation’s identity.

But how the congregation has lived out that vision has changed with each generation and, according to the folks who study church and culture, ecclesiastical mores are changing at an accelerated pace. I love the old pictures of Baldwin’s boarding students filling our Sanctuary pews, but now our own youth have sports competing with services on Sunday morning. I read about former mission initiatives that were beautifully generous in their day, but the old language used to describe the church’s outreach mission sounds paternalistic and condescending in today’s hearing. Looking back helps us celebrate highlights of our history and also recognize how cultural changes present fresh opportunities to be bold disciples now as we lean into the future.

To that end, I am especially looking forward to the completion of the 150th Vision report, a churchwide conversation in which so many of you have participated. That project will carry forward the core values woven into BMPC’s remarkable history for 150 years, and also mark this moment as a launching pad for new and renewed commitments to the Gospel going forward. A celebration indeed! Grace and Peace,

Welcome to New BMPC Staff Members

Kirby Lawrence Hill

Interim Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care and Senior Adults

We are thrilled to welcome Kirby Lawrence Hill as Interim Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care and Senior Adults. He began this pastoral role on August 15 and will be working 30 hours a week to coordinate congregational care with the BMPC pastors, Care Team, and Deacons, as well as support the work of the Senior Adult Council.

Kirby comes to BMPC with over 39 years of experience in pastoral ministry, having served churches in Memphis, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and most recently, Abington Presbyterian Church in the Presbytery of Philadelphia. Each call included caring ministries within and beyond the congregation, and while he recently retired from full-time ministry at Abington, he is delighted to join our pastoral staff in this interim capacity. Kirby views it as a great blessing when people have allowed him to journey with them as they face a variety of joys and challenges.

Kirby was born into a family that moved frequently early in his life. In each new location, his family, in search of a sense of community and a place to grow in the faith, quickly connected with a Presbyterian congregation, and he considers that church experience foundational to his life and ministry.

He is a graduate of Baylor University and Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, where he obtained a four-year doctor of ministry degree. He is married to Nancy Lawrence Hill, and they are blessed with a daughter, Grace, who is a first-grade teacher in San Francisco, and a son, Jordan, who does television production work in Philadelphia. Kirby enjoys spending time with family at the beach or enjoying nature while walking their dog, Sophie. He is enriched by a variety of music and live stage productions, enjoys reading history and following Philly sports.

He is grateful for the caring community experiences within the church, and joyfully anticipates such expressions of God’s grace going forward through his work at BMPC.

Erika Henry Sunday School Supervisor/Child Care Coordinator

Erika Henry, who has been a BMPC child care staff member for five years, became the Sunday supervisor/child care coordinator in June. Before joining the child care staff at BMPC, she was a medical assistant at a pediatric subspecialty clinic at Maimonides Hospital and Medcare in Brooklyn, New York. Erika, who lives in Drexel Hill, is the mother of four children and is actively involved with volunteering at her children’s school. Erika says she enjoys working with children because “they are all unique, and each one has their own personality. I like to see how they use their imagination and how straightforward they can be.” Her favorite children’s book is If You Give a Dog a Donut.

BMPC at 150 Faithful Engagement in a Changing World

Beginning Sunday, September 10 through Sunday, October 29, the BMPC Gallery will feature an exhibit celebrating our 150th anniversary by highlighting seasons of faithfulness and change in our church’s history.

Though not meant to be an exhaustive history of the church, this display offers glimpses of the church’s story through the changing realities of society and culture. From our humble beginnings when 13 women and three men gathered to charter our congregation, through times of growth and expanding ministries, to the navigation of turbulent years in the struggle for civil rights and equality, the church has continued to lean into what it means to be faithful to God’s call in Jesus Christ.

Anniversary Christmas Ornament

An anniversary Christmas ornament has been created to help us celebrate this season in the life of our congregation. Designed and crafted by Wendell August Forge, the ornament highlights the beauty of our historic buildings as well as our newly-renovated facilities. For 100 years Wendell August has been creating unique handwrought pieces using an eight-step process with roots in ancient metalworking techniques.

The ornaments will be sold for $20 each during our Rally Day celebration on Sunday, September 10 and during our anniversary celebrations on October 14 and 15.

150th Anniversary Ornament

150 Anniversary Celebration Events

Join Us For Our Weekend Celebration!

All are invited to join us in commemorating our sesquicentennial the weekend of October 14-15. Details about our 150th anniversary events are listed below. We look forward to seeing you as we celebrate our legacy and look toward the future!

Church Birthday Party

Saturday, October 14, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Ed. Bldg. Lawn. Celebrate the church’s birthday with cake, fun mission project, games for children and families, and fellowship!

Celebration of Former Pastors

Saturday, October 14, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., Ministries Center Court. This informal open house will honor former BMPC clergy and their families.

Save The Dates!

150th Anniversary Dinner

Saturday, October 14, 6:00 p.m., Congregational Hall. This dinner will be RSVP only. Featuring the premiere of the BMPC anniversary video.

Organ Concert

Saturday, October 14, 7:30 p.m., Sanctuary. Philippe Lefebvre, Titular Organist of Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, will perform.

Sunday Worship Service

Sunday, October 15, 10:00 a.m., Sanctuary. This service will feature music by the Sanctuary Choir, who will be singing a newly-commissioned anthem by Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen in celebration of BMPC’s 150th anniversary, with a sermon by the Rev. Dr. Agnes W. Norfleet.

Celebrating BMPC’s 150th Through New Music

One of the many ways the church will celebrate its 150th Anniversary this coming program year is through an exciting commission project that has brought together two of the choral world’s leading poets with one of the world’s leading composers. Charles Anthony Silvestri (USA) and Euan Tait (Wales) worked separately and collaboratively to create texts that focus on different liturgical seasons of the church year. Kim André Arnesen (Norway) has taken these texts and created a series of anthems that the Sanctuary Choir will premiere throughout the 2023-24 season, beginning with the Anniversary Weekend in October and continuing through All Saints, Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Easter and Pentecost.

A project this large has taken time and effort – and much patience. Conversations at committee meetings began years ago (pre-pandemic!) and took different twists and turns before settling on what the project would look like. And here we are, about to embark on a year of highlighting these choral masterpieces.

Music leaves a lasting impression on choir members and congregants alike, and these new anthems will continue to tell the story of BMPC and its legacy for many years to come.

Charles Anthony Silvestri

Kim André Arnesen

Euan Tait

150th Anniversary Mission Grants

As part of the mission commitment made through the This Time, This Place Capital Campaign, BMPC has awarded grants totaling $250,000 to five historic and visionary partners that celebrate our history in mission and point us to new ways to be in partnership in the world.

New River Presbyterian Church ($50,000) A newlymerged PC(USA) congregation located in the East Parkside neighborhood of Philadelphia, this church seeks to spread the love of Christ through worship, community outreach, and compassionate service. This grant celebrates our 25year commitment to West Philadelphia, and it will support a renewed Presbyterian presence in the community.

The Common Place ($50,000) This community center in Southwest Philadelphia fosters connection, empowerment, and positive social change through educational programs, artistic expression, and neighborhood engagement. The grant celebrates our history of urban/suburban partnerships and supporting early childhood education and youth engagement in mission.

West Kensington Ministry ($50,000) WKM is a PC(USA) congregation that provides holistic support, resources, and advocacy for individuals and families facing poverty, while promoting community revitalization and empowerment. This grant shows our continued commitment to seeding creative new church communities and supporting active work with asylum seekers, anti-gun violence and food insecurity.

Photo: The Rev. Eustacia Marshall and New River members celebrating the merger of three historic congregations.

Photo: Students at the Common Place working in their new urban gardens as they seek to address food insecurity during and post pandemic.

Photo: Community members at West Kensington Ministry responding to the needs of newly-arrived immigrants to Philadelphia.

Presbyterian Historical Society ($25,000) PHS is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history and heritage of the Presbyterian Church (USA) through its vast archival collections, educational programs, and research opportunities. In particular, PHS is where the stories of generations of mission worker’s lives and ministry are being preserved and where scholars are able to critically examine the larger church’s legacy in mission. This grant celebrates BMPC’s ongoing commitment to sending and supporting mission workers around the world.

Medical Benevolence Foundation ($50,000) MBF transforms historic models of medical mission with an emphasis on strengthening the local leaders who oversee mission hospitals, clinics and nursing schools in the 21st century. This grant highlights our long history of international medical mission work which dates back to 1889 when BMPC sent Dr. Wanless to engage in medical mission in India and supporting new models of international development.

Presbyterian Publishing Corporation ($25,000) PPC creates resources that advance faith and study, foster vision and imagination, and inspire action and justice with a belief in the transformative power of conversations from differing perspectives. Supporting PPC’s work demonstrates the deep connection between Presbyterian scholarship and BMPC’s engaged conversations around justice and our historic priority for children’s literacy. This grant will support the nonprofit’s mission to increase publishing among scholars of color and create opportunities to diversify the field of publishing and well as their new children’s book imprint (Flyaway Books) fostering the social and emotional well-being of children and families.

Photo: Doctors with the Lifesavers Clinics in Malawi, Africa, recipient of the Richard Shaull Award for Mission.

Photo: Groundbreaking exhibit by PHS in 2021 celebrating the history of Black Presbyterians in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Photo: Recent titles from PPC exploring historic and contemporary issues of faith, scripture and justice.

Fall Events at BMPC

Rally Day

September 10

Sunday, September 10, 11:00 a.m., Front Lawn. Join us as we kick off a new season in ministry! All are welcome; bring a friend!

Sunday, October 1, 5:00 p.m.

The service will include songs, scripture, and individual blessings for companion animals. It also will feature Tookany Creek, a Bluegrass band.

Peace and Global Witness Offering

Collected on Sundays, September 24 and October 1

A gift to the Peace & Global Witness Offering enables the church to promote the peace of Christ by addressing systems of conflict and injustice across the world. Twenty-five percent of all gifts given to the Peace and Global Witness Offering are used here in our church by our Peacemaking Committee to support women who have lost children to gun violence and to advocate for a reduction in gun violence in our area and state. The remaining 75 percent is used by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness.

You may give to this offering by using the envelopes provided in the pew racks Sundays this fall. You also may donate online: https://onrealm.org/bmpc/give/peace

Help Make Casseroles This Fall

Saturdays, September 16, October 21, November 18 and December 16

Join us to make casseroles and friends at the Hunger Committee’s Casserole Blitz! Enjoy this family activity (children over age 5) as you get to know BMPC folks you haven’t met before and support a good cause while working with others to prepare casseroles for area shelters.

Sign up: https://bit.ly/Blitz-RSVP

Community Forum: Amanda Tyler

Addresses Threat of Christian Nationalism

Monday, October 9,

7:00

p.m., BMPC Sanctuary

We are pleased to welcome Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, lead organizer of Christians Against Christian Nationalism, and co-host of the Respecting Religion podcast. She will speak about the rise of Christian Nationalism in the United States and how it threatens democracy and Christianity.

Ms. Tyler testified before Congress in 2022 about the ways in which Christian Nationalism covers for white supremacy. Her constitutional law analysis and advocacy for religious freedom have been featured by major news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS News, ABC News, CNN and MSNBC.

A member of the Texas and U.S. Supreme Court Bar, she has experience working in Congress, in a private legal practice and serving as a law clerk for a federal judge. Tyler is a graduate of Georgetown University and The University of Texas School of Law.

The Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Community Forum Distinguished Speaker Series began in 1997. The forums are made possible by the Anna E. and Herbert H. Middleton Sr. Fund of the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Foundation and are offered as a service to the community at large.

What Kind of Christianity:

A History of Slavery and Anti-Black Racism in the Presbyterian Church

Monday, Oct. 23, 30, & Nov. 6, 7:00 p.m., Witherspoon

Parlor, Ministries Center

As our church celebrates its 150th Anniversary, we will learn about and reflect upon the elements of our shared Presbyterian legacy that impact our work toward justice and reconciliation as a church today. In What Kind of Christianity, William Yoo, associate professor of American Religious and Cultural History at Columbia Theological Seminary, paints an accurate picture of the complicity of the majority of Presbyterians in promoting, supporting, or willfully ignoring the enslavement of other human beings. In this important book, Yoo demonstrates that to understand how Presbyterian Christians can promote racial justice today, they must first understand and acknowledge how deeply racial injustice is embedded in their history and identity as a denomination. The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick will lead this class. Contact AliciaFranklin@bmpc.org to sign up for the class and reserve a copy of the book.

Advent Gift Market Season of Alternative Giving Begins November 12

by: Marian Chitester

This year marks the 31st anniversary of the BMPC Advent Gift Market. Over the years, close to $1 million has been raised through the generosity of our church members. Throughout this tradition of charitable giving, BMPC donors continue to remain strong in their support.

In keeping with the spirit of giving during the Advent season, the AGM offers everyone the opportunity to make specific contributions ranging from $1 to $25 from a list of charitable organizations. Anyone wishing to donate in honor of family members, friends, teachers, business associates, etc. can be given special insert cards informing those recipients that a gift has been given in his/her honor, along with a description of the chosen charitable projects. (Please see example on this page.) These inserts can be included in your own holiday card, or you may purchase greeting cards especially designed for the AGM by BMPC artists Patricia Danzon and Mimi Johnson.

We are very excited about the 2023 charities chosen by our BMPC councils and committees. Beginning November 12, you can make online tax-deductible donations to any of the selected groups in the AGM catalog or make in-person contributions beginning November 19.

Join us for the Opening Market Festival on Sunday, November 19 in Congregational Hall following the 10:00 a.m. worship service, where representatives from the various church councils and charitable organizations will be available to answer questions. You may visit the AGM that day in person and on any of the following Sundays in Advent. For added convenience, credit card orders can also be placed online at

www.BrynMawrAGM.com

Whether you are an annual faithful supporter of the AGM, or a first-time donor, our charity partners need your help this year. Won’t you join us in supporting the lives of those in need around the corner and across the globe. Let us celebrate God’s gift of His Son to us through these gifts of hope and new life.

Misty Dawn greeting card by: Patricia Danzon

Theologian in Residence

The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston

pastor, author and professor, the Rev. Dr. Scott Back Johnston is a leading voice in our denomination and the country on issues of leadership and the role of the church in this particular moment in history. He currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. His most recent book, Elusive Grace: Loving Your Enemies While Striving for God’s Justice, was published by Westminster John Knox Press in 2022. Before coming to Fifth Avenue, Scott also served as pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and on the faculty of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Texas.

Fight Like Jesus:

How Faith Can Inform Conflict

Saturday, October 28 & Sunday, October 29

Fight like Jesus!? Is that a thing? Most people training for an upcoming boxing match probably wouldn’t turn to the “Prince of Peace” for tips. Jesus excels at many things. Mixed Martial Arts is not one of them. On the other hand, Jesus does talk a lot about conflict.

Jesus tells story after story about family members who are at odds with one another. He acknowledges that forgiveness is hard for us. He reminds his followers that anger can eat holes in a person’s heart. When preaching, Jesus regularly challenges people to treat their neighbors with respect, and, yes, he goes way out on a limb and commands that we love and pray for our enemies.

What do you say? Got conflict in your life? Need a few pointers or a new strategy? Feeling uncertain about whether you even want to walk down a path that could lead to reconciliation? Join Dr. Scott Black Johnston for a weekend of events that will explore faith’s resources for healthy conflict.

Saturday, October 28

Congregational Hall

9:30 a.m. Light Brunch

10:00 a.m. Presentation: “The Root of all Conflict”

Sunday, October 29 10:00 a.m. Worship in the Sanctuary: “Friend or Foe”

11:15 a.m. Lecture in Congregational Hall: “Faith, Conflict and the Great Awokening”

Pastors’ Book Group

Elusive Grace: Loving Your Enemies While Striving for God’s Justice

Wednesday, November 8, 7:00 p.m., Fullerton Room, Ministries Center

The Rev. Dr. Franklyn C. Pottorff will lead this conversation on Scott Black Johnston’s new book, Elusive Grace, a collection of sermons on topics related to public life and dialogue in a conflicted world. For more information and to purchase a book, contact AliciaFranklin@bmpc.org

Johnston has a pastoral, prophetic voice that is marked by courage, agility, wisdom, and winsome good humor. In this book he takes on the tough dilemma so many serious believers face, namely, how to be a sturdy advocate for social justice while at the same time being a reconciling presence with one’s adversaries. Johnston is a master at showing how the truth of the gospel emerges from and turns up in our daily life.

~ Walter Brueggemann

Celebrating our Legacy of Mission & Ministry

Join

September 24 – The Legacy of Local Mission featuring the Rev. Eustacia Moffett Marshall, Pastor of New River Presbyterian Church in West Philadelphia

October 1 – The Legacy of Presbyterian Women

October 8 – The Legacy of Music and Fine Arts featuring Jeffrey Brillhart, Director of Music and Fine Arts

October 22 – The Legacy of Global Mission featuring the Rev. Jed Koball Mission Co-Worker with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Joining Hands Peru

The Messenger

Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church

625 Montgomery Avenue

Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

610-525-2821

The Messenger (USPS #341840) Volume #125, Issue #3, is published quarterly by the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Periodical postage paid at Southeastern, Pennsylvania and additional offices.

Postmaster: Send Address Changes To The Messenger

Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church 625 Montgomery Avenue

Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

and Organ Recital with Philippe Lefebvre