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Faith In Brooklyn for Feb. 11

February 11, 2016 By Francesca Norsen Tate, Religion Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Eric Wyatt. Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Baptist Church
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Jazz Vespers at Emmanuel Celebrates Valentine’s with Saxophonist Eric Wyatt

Emmanuel Baptist Church’s Jazz Vespers takes on a Valentine’s Day edition, as the next in this popular series takes place on Feb. 14. The church is at 279 Lafayette Ave., near St. James Place in Clinton Hill.

The headlining performer will be Eric Wyatt.

A Brooklyn native, Wyatt learned the saxophone from his father, Charlie Wyatt. They hung out with many of the jazz greats. Young Eric had the opportunity to meet Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, according to Wyatt’s website, www.ericwyatt-music.com. It was Rollins (his godfather) who helped Wyatt produce his first CD album, titled “God Son.” The album also featured jazz greats Al Foster on drums, Rufus Reid on bass and Mark Soskin on piano.

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Wyatt has traveled and performed extensively in Japan, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, as well as in the Middle East and Mediterranean region, Lebanon, Athens and Thessaloniki in Greece, and Paris and Nice. Of course, he always returns home to play as well. His latest album, “From the Borough of Kings” (Positone Records), was released in 2014.

Performing at Jazz Vespers on March 13 will be Charisa the ViolinDiva and Roswitha.

Charisa Rouse, popularly known as the ViolinDiva, is a progressive jazz artist, according to her website. She has collaborated with several greats along musical genres — Wynton Marsalis, Savion Glover, Quincy Jones, Diana Krall and Musiq Soulchild among them. She has won the grand prize in the 2011 McDonald’s Gospelfest Competition and the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival. The Baltimore native has also performed in Brooklyn’s Soul of Brooklyn festival, the JVC Jazz Festival and the Fall for Dance Festival in collaboration with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Austrian-born Roswitha, whose former stage name was Queen Rose, is trained in classical and jazz styles. As a child, she quickly learned several instruments, from recorder to guitar. Soon, the violin became her preferred instrument.  Now based New York City, she has released the album “World Soul Destiny.”

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Black History Month: Brooklyn Episcopal Parish Hosts Diocesan Absalom Jones Service

Every year, the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island commemorates the life of Absalom Jones, the lay minister who walked out on a congregation that suddenly began segregating its growing black membership, and who later became the Episcopal Church’s first African-American priest.

This year, St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church will host the Diocesan Absalom Jones Celebration on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 11 a.m. The Rt. Rev. Lawrence Provenzano will preside at the Eucharist and Canon Glenworth Miles will preach. St. Gabriel’s Church is at 331 Hawthorne St. in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens.

Jones (1746-1818) was the first African-American priest in the Episcopal Church. Born into slavery in Delaware at a time when slave ownership was being debated as immoral, Jones was sold to a shopkeeper, attended a Quaker-run night school for black people and was eventually able to purchase his own freedom, according to a commemorative page on the Episcopal Church’s website.

Jones and Richard Allen, who were to become lifelong friends, became active evangelists and succeeded in greatly increasing the black membership at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church, where Jones served as a lay minister.

However, the church vestry, fearing the rise in black attendance, suddenly decided to segregate the blacks and relegated them to an upstairs gallery. The church leadership gave no notice. Jones, Allen and his friends refused to submit and walked out of the church during the service. This prompted Jones and Allen in 1787 to form their own charitable organization, the Free African Society, with the mission of emancipating slaves and offering sustenance and spiritual support to widows, orphans and the poor.

Jones and Allen, with help from local Quakers and Episcopalians, established the “First African Church” in 1794 in Philadelphia. Not long afterward, the African church applied to join the Protestant Episcopal Church, setting forth terms and conditions that their autonomy be recognized and honored. Another requirement was that Jones be licensed as a lay minister because he was already serving as such, and that he be ordained if found to be qualified.

The church was accepted into the Diocese of Pennsylvania and was renamed the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. Jones was ordained as deacon, but then it took another nine years for him to receive ordination as a priest — at age 58. During his priestly ministry, he also continued working for justice, founding a day school for black people, the Female Benevolent Society and an African Friendly Society. In 1800, Jones called on Congress to abolish the slave trade and provide for the emancipation of slaves.

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Lenten Programs Offer Times for Spiritual Growth

The Christian penitential season of Lent began this week — on Ash Wednesday (Feb.10 this year) for Catholics of Latin Rite (Roman), Catholics and Protestants, and on Ash Mon-day (Feb. 8 this year) for Maronite and other Eastern Rite Catholics.

In the early Christian church, Lent was the period of time for catechumens (candidates for baptism) to prepare for their full initiation and inclusion into Christianity. After experiencing the re-enactments of the Passion (the Last Supper, Jesus’ crucifixion and burial), the catechumens would then be baptized at the Easter Vigil, the nocturnal service that ushers in the Feast of the Resurrection.

The observance of Lent has expanded to all Christians, including converts to the church. It is a time of penitence and reconciliation with God and one another. Lent also provides an opportunity for spiritual growth. Several Brooklyn churches are offering programs for spiritual development.

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Vespers at the Brooklyn Oratory at St. Boniface Church: The Brooklyn Oratory begins its 2016 Lenten Vespers every Sunday. This year’s Scriptural theme, based on 2 Cor 5:17-20, calls on all Christians to remember that they are a new creation, to be ambassadors for Christ and be reconciled to God.

Clergy and lay leaders will be the guest speakers for each of the Vespers services, beginning at 4 p.m.

Jane Di Leo, member of Oratory Church of St. Boniface, will be the speaker on the first Sunday in Lent, Feb. 14.

The Feb. 21 program is a choir concert.

The Rev. Dr. Jane Huber, interim assistant minister of Plymouth Church, Brooklyn Heights, speaks on III Lent, Feb. 28.

Janice Oh, oratorian member, speaks on IV Lent, March 6.

Dr. Clayton Shoppa, also an oratorian, will speak on V Lent, March 13.

The Brooklyn Oratory will announce the Palm Sunday Vespers at a later date.

The Brooklyn Oratory is on Duffield Street, just north of Willoughby Street in Metro-Tech.

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This year, two Park Slope Episcopal parishes are joining forces for their Lenten Bible Study.

They will explore the theme “Touching God’s Light Through Darkness.” The Rev. Shelley McDade will lead the series, which begins on Tuesday, Feb. 16 and is hosted at All Saints Church. The Bible study will convene on Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Undercroft of All Saints Church. A light supper is served and all are welcome.

All Saints Church will also offer a contemplative Eucharist (quiet/low Mass) during Lent. This will be at the same time as the parish’s year-round 5 p.m. Eucharist, through Palm Sun-day on March 20.

All Saints Church is at Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street, across from New York Methodist Hospital.

 


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