Recent News

Jacqui Lewis and Middle Church in the News

Rev. Jacqui Lewis has spoken out to a number of news outlets and written for the Huffington Post on marriage equality and social & economic justice. See all of her clips and news articles here:

THE NEW YORK TIMES:
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Religious Groups Offer Help to Evicted Protesters

Sunday, July 24, 2011
I Now Pronounce You... (video)

VANITY FAIR: 
Tuesday, January 10, 201
2
An Oral History of Occupy Wall Street

THE HUFFINGTON POST:

Friday, November 18, 2011
In God's Economy, Everyone Has Enough

Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Churches Open Doors to Occupy Wall Street Protesters

Tuesday, October 18, 2011
God's Economy

Sunday, September 11, 2011
Prayers for 9/11

Friday, August 5, 2011
Protect the Children

Saturday, July 30, 2011
Coming Out Christian

Saturday, June 25, 2011
A Change Has Come: A Clergy's Response to the New York Vote for Gay Marriage

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 
Love Will Make A Way: The Intersections of Interracial and Same Sex Marriage

 

LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS:

Wednesday, November 16, 2011
NY1: OWS Protesters Remain in Zuccotti Park, But Without Tents and Sleeping Bags
CBS2: OWS Protesters Back in Tent-Free Zuccotti Park

Tuesday, November 15, 2011
NBC4: Occupy Wall Street Protesters Return to Park, Judge Says No Tents, Camping Items Allowed
DNA info: Open Doors to Occupy Wall

Wednesday, October 5, 2011
ABC7: Unions join Wall Street protests

Sunday, July 31, 2011
Village Voice Blogs: Gay Marriage Goes to Church! 

Sunday, June 26, 2011
CBS2: Legalization Of Same-Sex Marriage Dividing Governors, Clergy In Tri-State

Saturday, June 25, 2011
CBS2: Proposals Follow Passage Of Marriage Equality Act

Sunday, June 19, 2011
CBS2: Supporters Of Same-Sex Marriage Bill Hold Rallies Across NYC

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 
ABC: NY House passes gay marriage bill

Tuesday, June 14, 2011
NY1: Republican Senator Throws Support Behind Gay Marriage Bill
NBC: Gay Marriage is Gaining Support in the NY Senate


OTHER NEWS OUTLETS:
Loop 21: Pastor Jacqui Lewis Explains Why She Supports Gays in the Church
Associated Press: NYers ask how gay marriage will affect benefits (featuring Middle Members)

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Follow all Jacqui's posts on The Huffington Post here: 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-rev-dr-jacqueline-j-lewis

Stay Connected with Jacqui on her facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/Rev.Jacqui.Lewis

 

 

Collegiate Churches Help Bronx Food Pantry Open

As you may know, the Collegiate Church of New York is really one church on five campuses: Fort Washington Church, Marble Church, Middle Church, Intersections International, and West End Church. Together, we fund our ministries, and we also support many causes in New York, in the United States, and around the world. Our outreach work has focused in particular on economic justice and on alleviating hunger. A recent Collegiate Church grant of $100,000 addressed hunger in Somalia. And this week a Collegiate grant of $100,000 kept the doors open at the only Halal feeding pantry in all of New York. See the story in the Daily News and the ABC New York. Our ministries also sent this open letter to the leaders of our nation, our state, and our city.

Collegiate Churches Call for Economic Justice

This week, the Collegiate Churches of New York proudly released an open letter to President Obama, Member of Congress, Governor Cuomo, Members of the New York Legislature, Mayor Bloomberg, and Members of the New York City Council asking them to help us live in to God's Economy. Click here to read that letter.

You can join the call to our leaders by downloading an unsigned copy of the letter here. Simply sign the bottom and mail it to your representative.

:: How to contact President Obama 
:: Contacting your representative in Congress
:: Writing to Governor Cuomo
:: Finding your NY State Assembly Member
:: How to contact Mayor Bloomberg
:: Contacting your City Councilperson

Room For All Fall Newsletter

The Room For All Fall newsletter is out. Click here to check it out!  

NEW: Literary Magazine at Middle Church!

Middle Church is now accepting submissions for an exciting new project: a literary magazine! As we continue to work for God's Economy, the theme will be "Giving and Getting." What has been your experience being a Giver: of your time, to a charity, a gift to a friend? Or have you been a Getter, on the receiving end of these things? We would also like artwork, music, short video--not just written stuff --for our electronic magazine. Adults and kids of all ages welcome! Send your submissions to Carol Wierzbicki, the editor, at litmag@middlechurch.org by March 1, 2012.

Town Hall on God's Economy at Middle Church

Join us on Sunday, Oct. 30 in person or online as we stream worship at 11:15 a.m. (EST) and then stay as we stream a town-hall conversation about God's Economy. You can add your questions and ideas to our Facebook page or tweet us @middlechurch with the hashtag #MCCEcon for a town-hall conversation about God's Economy. Let's change the conversation.

Prayers for Remembrance and Peace

On September 11, Middle Church commemorated the 10th anniversary with an Interfaith Worship celebration that featured dance, music, and reflections (you can watch the full service here). Below is the prayer shared by Jocelyn Lieu, an elder at Middle Church. Our church was a sanctuary for so many that day, including Jocelyn and her then infant daughter. Continue to follow the Ribbons of Hope Project this year.

Then and Now: A Prayer for Remembrance and Peace
by Jocelyn Lieu

Second Avenue is almost deserted

No traffic

The few people we see are wearing masks, as if the city has been swept

by plague

The doors to Middle Church stand open

Cool air surrounds us

The bitter smell that's everywhere hasn't penetrated the sanctuary

Beneath the altar a single candle burns

I close my eyes, then lay my head on folded arms

TV images replay in fast succession

Tiny blurs that are people fall past the gleaming façade

The North Tower folds in on itself

and the world is covered in ashes

I am sobbing

My shoulders heave, but even in the fullness of grief I know that crying

here isn't the same as crying at home

I have become a woman weeping in church, one of countless women

who have wept in churches through the ages

One of many, a single mote

Peace comes over me

then I feel them

The air is raked with the presence of the people who have died and are

dying

I know you're here, I want to tell them

* * *

I know you're here

We are here now

our voices raised

in our many tongues

Our voices raised

in song and prayer

We burn

with sorrow

We burn

with love

We burn

grateful for your peace, oh God

grateful for your forgiveness

grateful to you for keeping alive

for helping us to keep alive

the fierce continual flame

of peace

Notes: The first section of this prayer-poem appeared, in a different form, in my 9/11 memoir What Isn't There (Nation/Basic Books, 2007). The "fierce continual flame" of peace is gratefully borrowed from Muriel Rukeyser' poem "Easter Eve 1945."

Prayer by Hussein Rashid
In the Name of God, the Compassionate the Merciful,
Oh Lord, we know you will not burden our souls with more than we can bear.
O God, O our Lord, You are peace,
and from You is peace,
and to You returns the peace,
O our Lord, give us life of peace,
and usher us in the abode of peace.
Blessed are You, our Lord, the Most High,
O the Lord of Majesty and Reverence.
O Lord, Light of the Heaven and the Earth,
Guide us by your light,
Light upon Light.
Place light in my heart,
light in my tongue,
light in my hearing,
light in my sight,
light behind me,
light in front of me,
light on my right,
light on my left,
light above me and light below me;
place light in my sinew,
in my flesh, in my blood, in my hair and in my skin;
place light in my soul and make light abundant for me;
make me light and grant me light.
It is only through your light we will be guided out of darkness,
out of hopelessness, out of despair.
Your light will heal us.
Your light will lead us.
Your light will bring us together.
Let us compete in good works,
that we may please you,
and be worthy of Your Light.

HuffPost Prayers for 9/11

Jacqui's Prayer on the Anniversary of 9/11 has been included in the Huffington Post's collection of original prayers, reflections and blessings written in honor of the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. 

Jacqui Spoke at DeWitt Proctor Institute

Our Senior Minister, Jacqui Lewis, joined a distinguished list of congregational leaders at the 17th Annual Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund, July 18-22, 2011 at Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee.  Jacqui led two workshops on creating multicultural communities of faith that welcome children.

2011 Great Preachers Series:

The Rev. Kanyere Eaton, Pastor, Fellowship Covenant Church, Bronx, NY;

Bishop Kenneth Carder, Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry Duke Divinity School, Durham, N.C.;

The Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III, Pastor, Friendship West Missionary Baptist Church, Dallas, TX (invited);

The Rev. Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D., Senior Minister for Vision, Worship and Arts, Middle Collegiate Church, New York, N.Y.;

The Rev. Janet Wolf, Professor of Church and Society, American Baptist College, Nashville, Tenn.;

Stand Up For a Moral Budget

Friends, here is a letter that Jacqui co-signed with a number of other local clergy urging our Senators to stand up for children and the poor while making decisions about the National Budget. Please call the President’s Hotline and urge him to stand up for a moral budget. Programs like Head Start, education, and school food programs need to be protected.

Presidential Hotline: (888) 828-4170

Make 3 Phone Calls Today to Protect TEFAP & SNAP!

The USDA’s discretionary spending on emergency food (TEFAP) is on track to be reduced by nearly half this year – meaning 7 million fewer meals for New Yorkers in need. This could result in food shortages as we enter summer and head into the holidays this fall and winter. Sign-on letters are circulating in the House and Senate asking the USDA to use existing funding to purchase food for TEFAP this year, and the deadline to sign on is Monday, June 27.

Click here for instructions on reaching out to your representatives about this.

Room For All Spring Newsletter

Check out Room for All's Spring Newsletter, available here. For more information about the organization, please check out their website: www.roomforall.com.

Middle Project Salon

The Middle Project releases the report, "Doing Church and Doing Justice: A Portrait of Millennials at Middle Church" conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, on the faith of young adults (ages 20-29). To read a copy of the report, “Doing Church and Doing Justice: A Portrait of Millennials at Middle Church” head over to the Middle Project website.


Jacqui to speak at City of God conference!

 Jacqui is joining Dr. Marcus Borg at the Center for Urban Ministry's City of God Conference, being held June 3 - 8, 2011. Check out their website for more information! 

Jacqui to Speak at the UUA General Assembly!

 Jacqui has been invited to speak at the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations' General Assembly in June! 

An Easter Prayer

Holy Week at Middle ended with three Easter celebrations, the first at 7:00 AM. Led by laity with Chad Tanaka Pack preaching, it was a wonderful experience for all who came. Danita Branam's prayer captures the spirit and the Spirit:

2011 EASTER SUNRISE - DEDICATION PRAYER
Ever loving God we thank you for the blessings of your presence through those gathered this morning in our garden of diversity.
We thank you for their desire to share beginning anew.
As Mary, we seek your surprises in the warmth of the sun, the brilliance of flowers, the refreshment of rain, the exhilaration of stirring winds and the inspiration of word and song.
Dear Jesus, as you surprised Mary and changed her tears of sorrow to tears of rededication, guide us as we:
Reframe our goals to be your witness;
Redefine our actions to be the change we seek;
Rekindle relationships that have lost their spark;
Reignite our attraction to Your mystery;
Reassess our burdens in the context of those borne by others;
Represent your message of Love against the brokenness within our family, amongst our friends, in our neighborhood, throughout our workspace, and between groups of people in every way they identify as similar and separate.
Rejuvenate our ability to create phenomenal transformations in ourselves and with others.
Thank you for the financial gifts and the willing hearts offered this early morning.
Surprise us in how you use them all to bring your Reign to this Earth.
Amen.

Jacqui Lewis Goes Back to South Africa

Our Senior Minister, Jacqui Lewis, is back in South Africa to work on racial reconciliation with the Uniting Reformed Church and the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa. According to Jacqui, "This second trip is significant in that they asked Johna and I to come back. Our colleagues there, clergy and lay leaders, have work to do, like we do here, on healing old wounds and creating a new more just church culture that can inspire more peace in the country. We are excited to teach and learn and bring those learnings back to Middle."

Jacqui will be back in the pulpit on April 10th.

Jacqui on GRITtv with Laura Flanders

If you can't see the above, head to the website.

Forgiveness Is Not Easy

Check out Father Michael Lapsley's sermon from his last visit to Middle on March 27th!

Forgiveness is Not Easy - Middle Church Sermon from Middle Collegiate Church on Vimeo.

 

Want To Do Justice? We're hiring!

Dynamic, artistic, progressive fully welcoming and inclusive, multi-ethnic/multicultural congregation in New York's East Village seeks justice-working, community organizing clergy to join a team that is diverse in ethnicity, theology and gender/sexual orientation. The ordained clergy who applies has 5-7 years experience, must love collaboration, teaching, developing leaders, connecting with partners. Will lead national and global social justice program.

For a full description, click hereEmail your cover letter and resume to Jacqui if you’re interested in the position.

RCA Daily Prayer Calendar

Greetings Friends, 

We recently received an email from the RCA, our denomination, asking whether one day could make a difference. They think it can, and we agree. That's why we're passing on the link to the Daily Prayer Calendar. From there you can download a PDF copy of the monthly calendar, or sign up to receive the daily prayer in your email. 

We hope you'll join us. 

Native New Yorkers: Through ancestors, two men explore 400-year old rift

Coverage from New York Daily News about the "real native New Yorkers" and The Collegiate Churches of New York's work with the Lenape since last November. Click here to read the article.

Remembering Those Lost To AIDS

 Did you see the piece in the New York Times' East Village blog about our World AIDS Day worship? Click here to read it!

Turning the World Upside Down...Modeling Jesus' Example

Come see Jacqui speak at Princeton Theological Seminary's Institute for Faith & Public Life March 10-12, 2011. 

The Institute for Faith and Public Life is ideal for people with a passion for social change. Through engaging workshops and discussions built around the theme of Faith and Social Transformation, you will explore transformational opportunities that support faith in the public sphere.

Participants will hear from leaders in the field, share ideas with other like-minded individuals, explore ways to preach about social issues, learn to build social and advocacy organizations, and discuss how to challenge hunger around the world.

The Reformed Church in America: Working to Make Room For All

The Reformed Church in America: working to make Room For All, including LGBTI persons. Check it out here.

Jacqui to Speak at Princeton Seminary's "Institute for Multicultural Ministry"

Jacqui will be a featured speaker at Princeton Theological Seminary's three-day institute, featuring lectures, discussion, Bible study, and worship. A discount for early registration is available until December 17. This institute is co-sponsored by the School of Christian Vocation and Mission and the Office of Multicultural Relations at Princeton Theological Seminary.

For more information, click here

Has your contact information changed?

Please let us know if you've moved, changed your name, or if your information's changed in any way: email Kate Tull at ktull@middlechurch.org, and we'll make sure you're up-to-date in our system!

Soul Food

Beginning October 13, Middle family and friends can find mid-week programming to encourage us for the week. Starting on the second Wednesday in October, with A Love Meal and Communion with the Consistory, you can be sure that almost every Wednesday evening you can find programs to uplift your mind and spirit. Programming will include ministry team and small group meetings, adult education, World AIDS Day special programming, a Volunteer Dinner, and a weekly worship celebration called Soul Food, coordinated by our Intern, Nichelle Jenkins, and our new Community Musician, Dionne McClain-Freeney. Mark your calendars for Wednesdays. 

To RSVP for dinner or any of the other events, check out our Events Calendar

Register now for the Leading Edge 2011!

The Middle Project has updated the information for this year's conference! Click here for information on who'll be speaking and what the topics will be at The Leading Edge 2011: A National Conference for Leaders on Faith, Justice & the Economy.

The Villager

Check out Kate Walter's latest item in the Villager, which has a little mention of Jacqui & Middle! 

"Local Faith Communities" documentary now available online!

The documentary "Local Faith Communities" is now available to view online at www.localfaithcommunities.org. We encourage to take a look and see what your friends and neighbors are doing to encourage faith diversity and tolerance. 

Check out the latest edition of Middle Notes!

Check out the latest issue of Middle Notes, and sign up to receive it via email monthly! Just click here.

Angel Food Ministries

Deadlines: Ordering at Middle- Sunday, August 15, 2:00 PM
Distribution: Saturday, August 28, 10:00 AM - 11:30 PM

In these economic times, who couldn't use high-quality groceries at low, low prices? Go to angelfoodministries.com for more information or to place an online order.

Please help your Angel Food angels by making note of deadlines. With the holidays approaching, deadlines are coming a bit earlier in the month, so please order early.  We will stop taking orders at Middle on Sunday, November 8 at 2 PM, however, online orders can be placed until 5 PM on Thursday, November 12. If you are unable to pick up your groceries, please send a friend. We cannot hold groceries beyond the pick-up time due to storage limitations. Groceries left after the pick-up time will be given away - no exceptions.

To volunteer on Distribution Day, contact Adriene Thorne at athorne@middlechurch.org or 212-477-0666.

Jacqui Lewis featured on 30 Good Minutes!

Check out Jacqui's clip on 30 Good Minutes, a collection of inspirational videos and text featuring  America’s finest religious thinkers, stories of personal faith, and reflections on spiritual topics, gathered from television broadcasts of 30 Good Minutes, a weekly ecumenical and interfaith program on WTTW 11 (PBS) in Chicago.

RCA Adopts the Belhar Confession

After 24 years of considering the Belhar Confession, the RCA's General Synod voted to adopt it as a Standard of Unity. Read more.

Middle is one of Time Out's "25 Thing To Do In New York City On A Sunday"

Indeed, on any given day there’s a sea of Afros, cowboy hats and mullets dotting the pews below backlit Tiffany windows." Read the whole blurb on their website.