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Advent | 2020
Rendering by Voith & Mactavish Architects LLP
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Letter from the Pastor
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henever our young adult sons, James and Winston, come home to Bryn Mawr, I often have a stack of things for them to sort through. “Isn’t it time to give this away?... Surely someone else might make good use of that jacket, or college textbook or toy.” I’m often surprised by the things they are willing to let go of and the things they are not ready to part with. Then sometimes one of them might make a suggestion of something he is willing to donate, and I will be the one to refuse to consider it! I can’t part with gifts they received from grandparents now gone, handmade clothes from my mother, special gifts from family friends, or artwork they had a hand in crafting. And of course, I never want to part with books I remember reading to them while I held their little bodies on my lap. The most sentimental ones for me now are the wide array of Christmas books. From the familiar ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas to the more unconventional Wombat Divine, that shelf full of children’s Christmas books brings back wonderful memories of our much younger family at this time of the year. One of my favorites is The Nativity illustrated by Julie Vivas. The text is pure scripture, while the characters are beautifully drawn with exaggerated humanity. Mary is so pregnant she barely can balance on the back of a donkey; the shepherds have this startled guffaw look on their faces as they peer over the manger to see the baby. But it’s Vivas’ depiction of angels that seems most “real”!?! Their wings are a bit frayed but shimmering with translucent color, and their feet are weighed down by big muddy boots. The Christian doctrine of the Incarnation insists that God is revealed to us in full humanity, real humanity, scruffy, down to earth and unwashed humanity for our sake and for our salvation. This year Christmas will not be like any other we have experienced. We won’t be gathered shoulder to shoulder in the Sanctuary on Christmas Eve; we cannot be together singing carols; we will have to skip a year of parties and crowded good cheer. In a manner quieter than before, we’ll be reminded that God’s persistent love and grace touch the earth in our isolation, fear, and longing for healing with good news of great joy. No pandemic, no earthly chaos, no upended cherished traditions can hold that truth at bay. While this year’s Advent observances and Christmas celebrations will likely be unusually quiet and contemplative, just remember at that first Christmas there were no throngs of worshippers, no pipe organ, no Sanctuary, no poinsettias, no candles flickering as the chandelier light was dimmed, but rather, but rather, a mother, a father, a baby and, I like to imagine, an angel in muddy boots with a heavenly word that landed on earth for real. Grace and Peace,
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This summer two additional video cameras were installed in the Sanctuary to provide the capacity for capturing a fuller and more dynamic worship service, reflective of an actual Sunday morning. In addition, new equipment has been installed in the video production room which is located above the choir loft in the Sanctuary. In the near future BMPC will begin livestreaming worship services. This new technology will make it possible for us to experience worship together even while we are apart, and will serve as an invitation to online visitors to come and experience worship one day soon, in person!
Livestreaming Update
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hile BMPC has been offering audio and video recordings of sermons in recent years, the pandemic has highlighted the need for our church to invest in livestreaming technology which will allow us to broadcast our worship services in real time. This also creates the opportunity for synchronous worship.
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Support the BMPC Advent Gift Market
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his year marks the 28th anniversary of the BMPC Advent Gift Market. The AGM presents an opportunity for persons to participate in a creative and meaningful gift-giving program. Donors may choose unique holiday gifts to honor family members, friends, co-workers, teachers and babysitters, while assisting those in need locally, nationally, and globally.
Adult Education Continues Online You are welcome to join a variety of adult education classes online via Zoom this winter. Go to www.bmpc.org/adulteducation to find details about classes, connections, and ways to learn more about faith and life together. As a bonus, for some of our classes you can find recordings of class sessions that you might have missed; links to these recordings are on individual class pages. For more help navigating our online classes, send a message to RebeccaKirkpatrick@bmpc.org. 4 Advent | 2020
Over the years our Mission Partners have been supported by the generous AGM donations made by persons like you. 2020 has been a year like no other, and due to the pandemic, our Mission Partners need us more than ever. Although there will be no in-person Opening Day Market this year, you still can take part in this program. Tax-deductible donations may be made, and with each donation (ranging from $1 to $30), you will receive an insert card for informing your family and friends that a gift has been given in his/her/their honor, along with a description of the charitable project(s) you have chosen. This insert may be included in your own greeting card, or you may purchase holiday cards specially produced for the AGM. This year’s greeting cards include images from BMPC artist Bob Overhiser’s Children’s Chapel Window, and artist Rick Leonardi’s Journey to Bethlehem, which first was introduced at the 2006 AGM. Orders for inserts and greeting cards may be placed using the online secure www.BrynMawrAGM.com - or by mailing/dropping off the order form enclosed in this year’s catalog. A bin labeled “Advent Gift Market” will be outside the BMPC Chapel for dropping off and picking up orders. Donors will be notified when orders are ready, usually 1-2 days after receipt of the order; insert cards may be downloaded and printed from one’s home computer. Our BMPC councils, committees and Pastor Rebecca have carefully and thoughtfully selected the beneficiaries of the 2020 Advent Gift Market proceeds. We have many worthy projects from which to choose, all highlighting the work that some of our current Mission Partners are doing. Please take a moment to review the catalog to learn about our partnerships and how your gifts will impact the work that they do. Catalogs are available on the BMPC website, and through the mail. Little things can change our world for the better, and each project supported by your generosity will help our neighbors in need around the corner and across the globe. Let us celebrate God’s gift of His Son to us through these offerings of hope and new life. Wishing you peace and joy this Advent Season. Marian Chitester
Susan Bravo
Laurie Koziol
610-649-7735
610-578-0224
610-658-2496
mmcthistle@verizon.net
b41793@aol.com
lauriekoziol@verizon.net
Facebook Live Concert Series Concludes with Temple University Harpsichordists
When the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the country this past spring and BMPC was forced to shut its doors, we had no choice but to cancel the remainder of our concert season. In its place, we ran a three-week pilot program of small recitals broadcast via Facebook’s livestream feature, and we were thrilled that nearly 5,000 people viewed these concerts. Realizing this was a wonderful opportunity to broaden and expand the reach of the Music and Fine Arts program, we have embarked upon another virtual concert series this fall. Held on Tuesdays at noon, the concerts have included our own Jeffrey Brillhart and Edward Landin Senn, along with professional musicians from throughout the Philadelphia region. Our series will conclude in December with four weeks of featured harpsichordists from Temple University. Be sure to follow BMPC on Facebook to tune in! December 1 Benjamin Katz, harpsichord, and Kate Goddard, baroque violin December 8 Silvanio Reis, solo harpsichord December 15 Irene Moretto, solo harpsichord December 22 Anna Kislitsyna, harpsichord, and Alexandr Kislitsyn, violin
BMPC Director of Music & Fine Arts Recognized with Diversity Award
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he Brazeal Wayne Dennard Award honors the life and achievements of educator, conductor, and arranger Brazeal Dennard by recognizing individuals or organizations whose work builds upon his commitment to diversity, inclusiveness, and furthering African American and other diverse choral traditions through performance, research, or the creation of new compositions of significance.
and social justice work. Bringing together people of diverse backgrounds to make music has always been central to the mission of the organization. Singing City’s long history of outreach across the United States and through international touring has connected the chorus to parts of the world that have experienced strife, including the Middle East, the Soviet Union, Cuba, and South Africa. Closer to home, the ensemble has forged The Brazeal Wayne Dennard Award was partnerships across Philadelphia’s diverse given to Singing City, under the artistic arts community, aiding Singing City’s direction of Jeffrey Brillhart, BMPC’s efforts in commissioning socially relevant director of music and fine arts. works from local composers and providing Singing City, founded in Philadelphia as free choral programs for underprivileged an integrated chorus in 1948, and since the youth in grades 3-12. 1950s has engaged in civil rights movements 5
Christmas Firsts
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very Advent season is unique. Woven into the familiar rhythms of carols, gifts, decorations and celebrations are specific memories that distinguish one particular Advent from another. This year’s Advent celebration will be unique in numerous ways. Some of the particular traditions we know and love will be celebrated differently, but this is not the first time many of us have encountered something new at Christmas. As we prepare for the Advent season, we asked six senior adult members to reflect on Christmas firsts: first Christmas of memory, first Christmas away from home, first Christmas with a child, first Christmas after losing a loved one. Each story is a special reminder that even as things change, God continues to be Immanuel, God with us, no matter the time, place, or circumstance.
First Christmas in a New Home
I was suddenly alone. The house was too big so I moved back to find old friends. Now it was Christmas and we were in our new home. Santa always decorated the tree that awaited him, he always brought a very special gift for each child, and he always filled the stockings and laid them carefully at the bottom of each bed. He had asked us parents to do the rest because his sleigh just could not hold that many toys and gifts for his families around the world. So there I was at 4:30 a.m. Christmas morning sitting amidst heaps of wrapped and bare presents, admiring the colorful homemade tree trimmings, and hoping my plan would work. Besides love and giving, I wanted this year to emphasize sharing: a truck to my 4 ½ year-old daughter, a frilly unicorn to my 18 month-old boy, and a picture book of ballet to my 3 ½ year-old boy. Then it hit me, and I began to weep. There were no presents for me, the mother! So I found a pretty petticoat they had never seen, wrapped up a relatively new double boiler, put a new sign on the crayons which I would share with the children, and went up the wooden hill to say my prayers and thank the Lord for His many and never ending gifts to me. That was the beginning of my new life... a life where Jesus enveloped me in His spirit of Christmas and love, and helped me beyond sadness and loneliness to amazing joy. ~ Ms. Mimi Barclay Johnson
First Christmas after losing a loved one
First Christmas of memory
The first Christmas I remember as a child set the tone for most of the Christmases during my childhood. I was an only child, and I grew up in Minneapolis. My parents and I celebrated Christmas with a large tree and a dinner that was a feast. Each of us had two stockings that were hung over a doorknob with two large safety pins. On Christmas morning we would awaken to discover that the stockings were filled with oranges, apples and other small items. Having my first Christmas become a tradition was a comforting way to celebrate the holiday. These routine parts of the holiday – a tree, dinner, full stockings – became foundational pieces of how I would celebrate Christmas for the rest of my life. ~ Mrs. Virginia Mattison
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My beloved sister-in-law Ann died a few days before Christmas after a long battle with cancer. That year, at our annual family Christmas dinner, I feared it would be a question of “the elephant in the room” and that everyone would avoid talking about our loss because they didn’t want to dwell on such sadness on Christmas. Or that everyone would be so sad it would be hard to get through our traditional Christmas dinner. As the three families gathered around the tables, our son began by remembering his aunt and other members of our family who were no longer with us. He thanked God for all the years that Ann was with us and that we have been gathering together as an extended family. We truly have been blessed. After our son spoke, everyone joined in with their remembrances of Ann — some poignant, some funny — all celebrating her life. What I worried might be an awkward and sad Christmas was not. Yes, we mourned for our loss but with joy for having had Ann in our lives. Also, it helped us appreciate all the more what we have as a family — the love and support we feel for one another. ~ Mrs. Molly Hartzell
First Christmas away from home
In December 1966 our family was transferred from Japan to New Zealand. At the time we had two girls: a 4 year old and a 6 month old. Despite the move, we wanted to provide them with Christmas gifts, so we airfreighted a foot locker full of Christmas goodies to arrive before Christmas. The gifts, however, got lost in transit somewhere over the Pacific Ocean and did not arrive until after Christmas. Fortunately, my parents had shipped out a sturdy, put-it-together cardboard doll house for the girls that did arrive before Christmas. On Christmas Eve we were in the White Heron Lodge Motel in Auckland putting tab A into slot B with no tools, hoping to have the doll house ready for Santa to deliver it the next morning. Thankfully, he arrived and the church bells rang! ~ Mr. Bruce Gilbert
First Christmas with a child
My husband Walt loved trains. He built a miniature train – “little Joe” – from a kit, and every Christmas he set up a Lionel train around the Christmas tree. When our son Walt III was born, he spent his first Christmas absorbed in trains as well. After that first Christmas our son insisted we always have a train around the tree. As Walt grew up, he also became more interested in trains. During his childhood we took him to the train station to watch real trains pass by. As an adult he earned a college degree in transportation and then went into the transportation business. Trains became an integral part of his life, and it can be traced back to my son’s love of the train circling under the tree. A Christmas tradition became a lifelong interest and career! ~ Mrs. Marilyn Stringer
First Christmas after losing a loved one and gaining a companion John’s mother, Gabby, died several years ago, shortly before Christmas, her very favorite time of year. Following her passing, her longtime, loving companion, a pug dog named Cricket, moved in with us. Cricket helped remind the Frazier clan on that first Christmas without Gabby, and on each one since, of Gabby’s great love for each of us and of all the wonderful Christmases we shared with her, for which we are most grateful. ~ John and Judy Frazier
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ven during a pandemic, the Youth Ministry of BMPC has been busy! We’ve created (mostly virtual) spaces where folks can engage in thoughtful discussions of faith, learn about Christ’s call to love, and learn how to be faithful Christians amid difficult times.
Youth Ministry Updates & Youth Columns
On Sundays, the Confirmation class meets virtually at 9:00 a.m. with Pastor Leigh and four incredible small group leaders. At 10:30 a.m. on Sundays, Middle Schoolers meet with their leaders via Zoom to study the New Testament together. High schoolers simultaneously meet with their leaders to learn how to faithfully and intelligently read the Bible. Once a month, youth meet together at 10:30 a.m. for a virtual All Youth Gathering, learning how to have a healthy faith in an anxious world.
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Each Tuesday at 5:00 p.m., Middle Schoolers also are invited to Middle School Mid-Week MeetUp, a weekly virtual time of fellowship, fun and faith. Student Serve, our high school leadership small group, continues to meet weekly on Wednesdays at 5:00 p.m., socially distanced, and masked up in Pastor Leigh’s backyard. And in conjunction with the Children’s Ministry, the youth are participating in mission activities each month! For September, children and youth accepted donations outside the Chapel in an All-Church Food Drive. In October, youth and children collected personal hygiene products for individuals struggling with homelessness. For November, families will be working with Christmas Angels. In December, we will focus on how we can support refugees. If you’re interested in helping with any of these mission opportunities, contact Pastor Leigh at ldevries@bmpc.org. While we are saddened that we are unable to host our annual Thanksgiving Pancake Breakfast because of the pandemic, we still are profoundly grateful for BMPC’s commitment to supporting youth. We’re thankful for the volunteer support from the BMPC congregation – from Sunday morning high school volunteers to prayer partners. We know we have been deeply blessed. As we make our way together, may we seek and know Jesus more deeply even amid difficult and trying times.
Furry Family Members Arrive in Time for Christmas By Katherine Hattersley The first Christmas without my childhood pet was joyful, but also emptier. No longer was there a burly feline prowling around in the leftover wrapping paper or resting by the fireplace. The trash bag of ribbons and remnants remained unexplored and uncharted by a curious nose. Laps were empty, and there was no stocking hanging from the mantle jokingly labeled “Oscar.” It was Christmas, so it was cheery, but there was a noticeable absence. It took a while for that space to be filled again, especially when my mother wasn’t ready to replace her “buddy” who’d stuck by her side from her early 20s until her oldest child was in fourth grade. Oscar had left some large shoes to fill. Perhaps this is why it was a job for two. The year I entered high school, there was a new stocking hanging from the mantle labeled “Luke and Jesse.” Two kittens, impossibly small and looking a little homely, had joined the family. The adoption agency insisted they were “brothers,” although their drastically different appearances and personalities suggested otherwise. Luke, like Oscar had done before,
bravely mapped the living room, stealing tissue paper and running away with it before we could stop him. The trash bag was once again thoroughly explored, ribbons and stickers dragged from the bag and scattered across the room. Jesse sat under the tree, moving every few minutes when needles fell on him. My grandmother delighted in their presence, trying to coax them into sitting next to her and showering them with cat toys and gifts that they didn’t take much interest in. Of course, the cats didn’t replace Oscar, but they filled a hole. Life and parts of it aren’t long for all of us, but maybe that’s the way God wanted it. Each new chapter in our lives may bring new people, experiences and lessons, and while change can be hard sometimes, it is important to remember there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how long the road may seem. The most important thing is that we hold onto our memories and allow ourselves to make new ones.
My Most Memorable Christmas By Vivian Hattersley One Christmas memory that stands out is the Christmas of 2017. Because many of my family members live far away from one another, we usually have Christmas with our immediate family and those who live closest to us. My family hosts Christmas with my mom, dad, sister, and grandmother who travels down from New York. The Christmas of 2017, however, we spent with our cousins who live in Nebraska. They arrived three days before Christmas and stayed until my birthday, January 1. My parents kept it a surprise because they knew how excited my sister and I would be. On the last day of school before Christmas break, I got off the bus
and walked home. I immediately noticed that one of the cars was gone. Thinking nothing of it, I went inside and started my homework. About 30 minutes later, my dad pulled into the driveway with my aunt and uncle and their daughter Katie. Katie and I (as well as my other cousin Charlotte) are the same age, while all our other cousins are a lot older than us, so we always stuck together and were super excited to be spending Christmas together. We had a sleepover on Christmas Eve and woke up to open presents and eat pancakes together on Christmas morning. We haven’t been able to do so since, but I won’t ever forget that year.
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Second Phase of Renovations Underway By Eric Swanson
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ll of us are anxious to be in actual community with one another, and we are looking forward to returning to some semblance of normalcy at BMPC and elsewhere in our lives. We also know that life will never return exactly to the way it was; in some instances there will be welcome and much-needed change. I think this will be especially true at BMPC!
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As a congregation, we are extremely grateful for and enormously proud of our generous donors, talented staff, and our design and construction team who have made it possible to utilize this window of time to update and improve the campus and facilities to which we eventually will return. With the completion of the Education Building renovation and the construction of the Meditation Garden this fall, our attention has turned to the Ministries Center. As in the first phase of renovations, this project is driven by the priorities that congregation members expressed in our master planning process: improved accessibility and hospitality, increased community space, safety and security, 21st century teaching and technology needs, and restoration and sustainability. The most visible and significant aspect of the project is the new atrium which will connect the Sanctuary directly to the Ministries Center and become the new front door of the campus. Its transparency and welcoming space enables accessible entries from both the new Montgomery Avenue drop-off and from the Sanctuary parking lot along Radnor Street; a new elevator and staircase within the footprint connects the two levels of this airy space. The atrium’s dimensions will provide a gathering space that is immediately adjacent to the Sanctuary - a place where we can congregate before and after worship, a place in which to linger and mingle as a community. The atrium’s upper level is on the same level as the Sanctuary and Converse House, and four new handicap accessible restrooms will serve all these spaces. A new ramp and a short flight of stairs leads to the Gymnasium and Congregational Hall, putting all of our major communal spaces on virtually the same floor. On the lower level, the new atrium entrance will provide direct access to the renovated Adult Education spaces of the Ministries Center, four additional new single-occupancy restrooms, and the staff office suite. Unused closet and pantry areas are being reclaimed to provide functional and ideally-sized meeting rooms that accommodate new and emerging teaching technologies. The former Conference Room will be transformed into a gallery space for Fine Arts, and the current Ministries Center
Court will serve as break-out space for the office, education and gallery functions; a new, safer staircase and our existing elevator will connect these functions to the floor above. This phase of construction also includes the replacement of all windows in the gymnasium and classrooms below, renovation of our current restrooms, new air conditioning in Converse House, and necessary masonry, stained glass and roof maintenance within the Sanctuary. All of this is scheduled to be completed by next fall! It is our hope that we will be back together before then, so there may be a short period of living with this construction. When finished, however, we believe we will have renewed the campus to serve us well for the next generation or more. Thank you all for your input and prayers along this journey. 11
Shaull and Bay Funds Allow Partners to do Transformational Work in an Uncertain Year In the early 2000s BMPC made a deep investment in mission funding for the long term by creating the Richard Shaull Grant for Mission and the Eugene C. Bay Fund for Urban Ministry. These funds are both managed within the BMPC Foundation, and they allow our congregation to distribute more than $150,000 a year to organizations locally and around the world that do
transformative work to build up and renew their communities.
Dick Shaull’s legacy as a missiologist at Princeton Theological Seminary and his deep commitment to the Here is information about this year’s mission work of BMPC is reflected Shaull and Bay recipients as well as in the many organizations that have links to learn more about their work. received this grant, and this year is no different. The Rev. Eugene Bay’s commitment to building relationships
Shaull Award Recipient: Rise Malawi Rise Malawi Ministries is a nonprofit Christian organization for vulnerable children and youth (orphans, singleparented children and children in poverty, children culturally declared adults, etc.). Their mission is to build a safe environment for Vulnerable Children and Youth in Malawi, providing them with adequate socio-economic, spiritual, physical and academic support so that they become reliable builders of their own communities. The goal of the new project is to build a classroom block with three rooms that will provide learning space for 240 more high school students. Rise Malawi currently has a high school with a capacity for 350 students. The demand for education is high in the local community, and the school turns away deserving marginalized youth every year because it does not have enough learning space. For more information about their work: risemalawiministries.org
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and strengthening urban communities also is reflected in the partners that have received the Bay grant, including this year’s recipients.
Shaull Award Recipient: Hagar’s Community Church, a ministry of Olympia Presbytery
Hagar’s Community Church is a congregation planted within the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW). The mission of Hagar’s Community Church is to serve as a sanctuary for God’s beloved exiles at the WCCW and to give incarcerated individuals a Christian community through which they can explore their spirituality and encounter the proclamation and experience of God’s love. The mission further engages congregations outside the corrections center to enter into a relationship with this new worshipping community at WCCW. This ministry walks alongside incarcerated women so they may actively seek their own spiritual connection with God, be empowered in their journey of healing, experience fellowship in a community of faith, and learn a new sense of belonging, both to God and among the people of God, in and out of the corrections center. To learn more about their work: www.hagarscommunitychurch.com Bay Fund Recipient: The Common Place
The Common Place (TCP) is in its sixth year of operation in Southwest Philadelphia and serves children and families through educational programs, social service, collaboration and faith formation. In 2019, The Common Place launched a pilot program called the Southwest Arts and Technology Camp, now known as SWAT. This pilot was well received, and the community has expressed interest in expanding the SWAT program. Their two-year grant from the Bay Fund allowed them to run the SWAT program this past summer with a significantly adapted arts and technology curriculum, moving the bulk of the learning online, providing Chromebooks for students in their homes, and helping to coordinate and fund Internet access for families in their homes. The goal is for the 2021 grant to be put toward a more traditional in-person version of their SWAT curriculum. To learn more: www.thecommonplacephilly.org
Bay Fund Recipient: Lutheran Settlement House: Jane Addams Place
The Jane Addams Place is an emergency shelter for families, including up to 70 children at one time. Families stay at the Jane Addams Place an average of five and a half months and receive case management and other support services. More than 475 individuals live at the shelter each year. Through a grant from the Bay Fund the shelter will develop an age-appropriate trauma-informed program for youth that continues throughout the entire school year and summer, helping teenagers strengthen their emotional skills and resiliency, manage stress, and achieve success in school. To learn more: www.lutheransettlement.org
Bay Fund Recipient: Chester Children’s Chorus
The Chester Children’s Chorus (CCC) is a comprehensive youth development program organized around choral music instruction and performance, with additional supports designed to enrich participants’ educational experiences, strengthen their academic skills, and nurture their social-emotional growth. CCC serves children from the economically and socially distressed city of Chester, from third grade through graduation from high school. This summer the Bay Grant funding allowed them to create virtual summer programming to replace their longstanding summer camp. Programs included vocal ensemble rehearsals as well as classes in math, foreign language, piano and music theory. To learn more: www.chesterchildrenschorus.org
Bay Fund Recipient: Urban Tree Connection
Urban Tree Connection (UTC) is an organization that neighborhood residents founded long before urban farming became popular, and they continue to evolve their programming to meet the needs of community residents. The current food and agricultural systems focus on profit over people and are harmful to our environment and bodies; they also alienate us from our capacity to live healthy and whole lives. Further, Black working class communities are among the most significantly impacted; these inequities are evidenced in a history of inequality and in numerous public health issues and statistics. Bay Funding allowed UTC to support its longstanding summer internship and youth programs that teach urban gardening, business management, and community organizing skills. That work was done primarily online this past summer. A future portion of their grant will focus on UTC’s building of partnerships between its food share programs and Early Childhood Centers in the Haddington neighborhood. For more information: www.urbantreeconnection.org
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Volunteers Share
Worship Center Experiences
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ur PreK and Kindergarten students participate in a two-year looped classroom called “The Worship Center.” Leading its unique curriculum are volunteers and leaders from all generations. This past year, our teaching team included four different generations of volunteers, including a high school student and a college student. We reached out to Benjamin Schmid and Evelyn Bravo, our young adult volunteers, to ask about their experiences in the Worship Center:
Evelyn Bravo, Worship Center Volunteer My favorite part about the Worship Center is how it offers a calm and warm space to reflect on our personal faith. Even though the Worship Center is meant to teach younger students, it serves as a separation from the rest of the world for all of us to take some time to learn about God. My favorite song is definitely Be Still. It’s such a simple song but has such a powerful meaning. I volunteer with this age group because I love working with younger children! I have always enjoyed their pure energy and joy. It is fascinating and fulfilling to see their creativity and creations.
I hope students experience the Worship Center because Benjamin Schmid, Worship Center Volunteer it is such a unique way to learn stories about God. It is I like to think that four and five year olds essentially have interactive, thoughtful and reflective. There are plenty of no filter. They never cease to amaze me with the things opportunities for students to grow their own faith and they say. There are times when they remember the littlest leave them with more to wonder about as they grow up. detail and simply wow us all. They have made connections I have best been able to connect with the students through beyond the capacity of my imagination. Some of the being a Worship Center leader and leading the stories children even know the stories better than I do! as well as having one-on-one time with each student to I miss the space. It has an atmosphere that cannot be replicated. The room is a judgment-free haven where each and every person (child and adult) can have their own relationship with God. It is the space that guides the children, not us. My generation is much less religious than those that have preceded us. Most of this is due to a lack of enthusiasm for religious institutions. I love the Worship Center because it is not a church, but rather a space where everyone is free to see religion how they want, with a little guidance. We don’t make the children memorize Bible verses, but rather share stories with them that have the symbolism of how God wants us to live. Not only are these principles being shown to the children, but also to me. I would be lying if I said the stories did not make me think about my own life.
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discover how they are comprehending the stories. Some students really grasp the stories and reflect in such a creative way. I miss going into the Worship Center and seeing all the young people. Although we can learn together online, there is no replacing in-person learning and growing. Volunteering has helped me grow in my own faith because, during this time, I have been able to take those wondering questions and think about them from the perspective of a child as well as an adult. I love the simplicity the stories can bring, and we can learn in an easier way without losing the meaning. Our church is thankful for all of our teachers who help our students grow in faith.
Prayer Partners Span Generations This September more than 67 members of our congregation, ranging in age from 18 to 98, signed up to be “prayer partners.” These volunteers committed to pray for a small group of students throughout the fall. Sally, one of our prayer partners, and Lindsay, one of our fifth graders, have connected and wanted to share what they have learned from each other:
Sally decided to be a Prayer Partner because of her background teaching upper elementary students. She loves praying for people and the opportunity to write cards, so she was excited to sign up. Lindsay first heard about prayer partners from her mom, and she was surprised to receive a card from Sally at the beginning of the school year. Sally and Lindsay had met a few years before during Vacation Bible Camp, and both have appreciated the opportunity to re-connect. Lindsay shared, “I was excited to learn that Mrs. Nelson had been a teacher. I can tell she has a lot of energy and cares about students, even over e-mail!” Sally knew she had met a kindred soul in Lindsay after reading Lindsay’s notes. “I’ve worked with Lindsay’s mom at church, but it has been so wonderful to get to know Lindsay,” Sally said. “She and I appreciate the art of connecting with others.” Both miss being at church but hope in the next year to be able to share a meal and conversation on Wednesday night and invite each other to their Sunday School classes to see what they are learning. When asked about the importance of being connected with each other, especially through prayer, they shared these reflections: Lindsay: This is an important way to stay connected when we can’t see each other and talk through things like we usually would. It’s a way to ask God to help us through these hard times. I hope other students reach out to their prayer partners; it’s been really nice getting to know an older member of the church. Sally: I am constantly praying for everyone to stay safe and healthy. This project has added an important dimension to the fall season. It has been a way to both share and receive love. Lindsay offers new insight and care, and I love the way she sees things. These intergenerational connections are so important! Caring for others gives me joy! If you would like to join the Prayer Partner ministry, contact Rachel Pedersen: rachelpedersen@bmpc.org. We are beginning another round of prayer partners in January. 15
Christmas Angels:
Making Christmas Special for Children and Youth bring joy and hope to Gemma’s children and youth this Christmas? Christmas is about joy and hope. “This is the best Christmas ever!” and “I got just what I wanted!” are common refrains heard during Gemma’s holiday celebrations or home visits. These expressions of joy are made possible because of friends like YOU who help ensure that our children and teens feel special and loved. The holiday season may look a bit different this year, but Christmas will come to the children served by Gemma Services (formed by the merger of theVillage and Silver Springs – Martin Luther School). BMPC members have provided gifts for more than 100 children every Christmas. With your help, this year will be no different. Will you help
Due to the pandemic, Gemma would prefer gift cards for the children rather than presents. The most useful gift cards include: Target, Walmart, Amazon, Visa, Giant, Marshalls/TJ Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory, Foot Locker, Five Below, and Best Buy. Increments of $25 are ideal. You also may buy a gift for a child (Legos, toiletry gift sets, Rubik’s Cubes, makeup, cards and card games, board games, squishies, basketball or football, remote controlled cars) or from Gemma’s Amazon Wish List: https://bit.ly/GemmaNeeds.
mailbox at the entrance facing the Radnor Street parking lot, or by appointment. Please note: Access to Gemma’s Rosemont Campus is restricted. Delivery to Gemma’s campus is by appointment only. All gifts are due by Fri., Dec. 11. Thank you for making this Christmas special! For more information, contact Betty Wu at BMPCAngels@gmail.com.
Gift cards and unwrapped gifts may be delivered during the Drive-thru Drop Off between the Sanctuary and Chapel on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 1:00-3:00 p.m., in the church’s secure
Hunger Committee Provides Holiday Meal Assistance For years the Hunger Committee has collected frozen turkeys and hams distributed by our local partners who support families in need, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Because of the pandemic, the most helpful way we can support our partners and families is through financial contributions. BMPC will not be collecting frozen turkeys and hams this year, but the 16 Advent | 2020
Hunger Committee already has committed more than $10,000 from the Hunger Fund to our partners to ensure that they can help families celebrate in this difficult season. To donate online to the Hunger Fund: https://onrealm.org/bmpc/-/give/online
The Longest Night Worship Service Sunday, December 20, 4:00 p.m., Livestream www.bmpc.org/livestream Outdoor Labyrinth, Front Lawn: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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he holiday season can be a difficult time of year for some people; the lights, decorations and family gatherings are anything but celebratory and joyful for them. For many, grief, anxiety and despair have been amplified because of the prolonged pandemic and political divisiveness. While we are assured of the birth of the Prince of Peace, we also experience the realities of hatred and suffering. While we proclaim the beauty of the holy family, many of us miss a family member no longer with us or ponder a difficult relationship we have within our own family.
The Longest Night Worship Service is for all those who are deeply aware of the darkness during the Christmas season. The name of the service — Longest Night — comes from its proximity to the longest night of the year. Yet the name also serves as a testimony for all those experiencing their own darkness in the forms of grief, despair, depression and the struggle to make sense of our world and their lives. It’s also for friends, neighbors, loved ones and all those journeying alongside someone who finds this season cold and lonely.
This year the Longest Night service will be offered via livestream, broadcasted live from the Sanctuary. You are invited to tune into the service to experience the hopeful word of God, contemplative music, prayer and illumination of the darkness with the light of Christ, reminding us that we are not alone, that Christ is with us, and we are here for one another.
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New Members Advent 2020: A Contemplative Invitation As we embark on the journey of Advent, we recognize that this year things will be different: fewer gatherings, less crowded schedules, fewer items on the to-do list, more opportunity to go within and contemplate what’s most important. In this holy time of waiting for the Christ child, we offer two prayers that have been meaningful to the Caring Ministries team. We hope they bring joy, hope, love and peace to you.
Kimberly Burdick (with member husband, Steve Burdick) Newtown Square, PA
Adam and Laura Knox (with daughter, Ilsa) Bryn Mawr, PA
Joseph O’Connor (with husband, Jimmy, on the left) Wynnewood, PA
Faith Phipps Philadelphia, PA
The Work of Christmas By Howard Thurman When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among others, To make music in the heart. I Am Silent… and Expectant A prayer from Guerillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle by Ted Loder How silently, How silently, The wondrous gift is given. I would be silent now, Lord, And expectant… That I may receive The gift I need, So I may become The gifts others need. 18 Advent | 2020
Caitlyn Pickens (with husband, Andy, and daughter, Willa Jean) Devon, PA
Want to know more about BMPC? We invite you to get to know our community better by becoming a part of our Discover BMPC classes on Mondays, December 7 and 14. These classes will give you the opportunity to learn about our denomination, our Reformed tradition, and our sense of Christian Ministry. For more information or to register, contact FrankPottorff@bmpc.org.
We are the Church. Together.
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he past year has certainly presented us with enormous challenges, but we also have imagined new ways of doing ministry and envisioned exciting possibilities for the future. From the realities of the pandemic to a newly renovated Education Building, we have encountered great change as a community. We have relied on the grace and flexibility of congregants and construction workers alike to continue our work and mission as disciples of Jesus Christ. Even in our separation, we give thanks for the energy, imagination and love that has continued to shine in the ministry we do both locally and across the globe. Your faithful generosity equips us to be the church! In this uncertain time, Stewardship promises in the form of pledges provide the funding for our annual expenses and programs. We invite you to make your pledge by returning your pledge card by mail or by pledging online at www.bmpc.org/ pledge. With deep gratitude, we are invited to remember that we are still the church, together. Come join us in this work!
Christmas Flower Donations
Contributions may be given in three categories for listing in the Christmas Eve bulletin: “In memory of,” “In honor of,” or “In celebration of (marriage, retirement, birth, baptism).” Forms are available online at https://bmpc.org/flower-donations. The deadline is Sunday, December 6. Monies received this year will decorate the Sanctuary Chancel area and be used year-round for the Deacons’ Flower Ministry for our ill or homebound members.
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The Messenger Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church 625 Montgomery Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 610-525-2821
The Messenger (USPS #341840) Volume #122, 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
RE-GATHERING TASKFORCE UPDATE The BMPC Re-gathering Taskforce continues to meet regularly to monitor COVID viral activity in our area and to make recommendations to the Session about future programming. Following safety protocols of wearing masks and physical distancing, the church campus is open for: - Outdoor gatherings - Indoor gatherings of up to 20 persons in larger spaces - Open Chapel hours for prayer and contemplation on Tuesday and Thursday - Pastoral care or meetings with staff by appointment As the outdoor Children and Family Ministry worship services draw to a close this fall, during Advent we are planning to offer Sunday Evening Vespers Services at 4:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. We will livestream those services for members of the congregation and community. Look for updated information in the weekly eNews and Sunday announcements.
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