First Estate: February 22, 2012

February 22, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff
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As Lent Begins, St. Ann’s Church Adds Sunday Morning Service

“Early Church” at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church begins on the First Sunday in Lent, this weekend.

In addition to its 11 a.m. Eucharist, the parish is adding a new 9:45 a.m. service, called Early Church, geared for families and individuals “on-the-go.” The 9:45 a.m. liturgy is a redesign of the parish’s Children’s Church service that began last summer. The half-hour service, in the sanctuary, will retain the kid-friendly atmosphere.  St. Ann & the Holy Trinity’s Sunday schedule will continue after Easter.

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Lenten Programs Include Series On Anglicanism, Quiet Days

St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church also offers several programs during Lent: a series on the history, traditions and spiritual practices of Anglicanism and the Episcopal Church; Quiet Day focusing on the Franciscan roots of the Stations of the Cross devotion; and an Organ Meditation and Choral Compline.

A three-week program titled “Exploring Our Faith/Knowing Our Church” is designed to acquaint or reacquaint members of the faith community with the history, traditions and spiritual practices of Anglicanism and the Episcopal Church. The series will offer a forum on each of three consecutive Sundays following the 11 a.m. service, focusing on The Roots of Anglicanism (February 26), Anglican Worship (March 4), and The Sacraments (March 11). All are welcome to attend any and all of the sessions and join us for further discussion of these topics after the 6 p.m. Eucharist on subsequent Thursdays. Leading the presentations are the Revs. John Denaro and Nell Archer, Music Director Gregory Eaton and Seminarian Melinda Hall.

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Brother Robert Hugh of the Society of St. Francis leads a two-part introduction to the time-honored Stationsof the Cross devotion.The first session, Friday, March 16, at 6 p.m., will introduce the Stations of the Cross with insights into theFranciscan origins of the devotion. Br. Robert Hugh will then lead participants through this prayerful practice inthe sanctuary. He will lead a Day of Reflection (often called Quiet Day) with the theme, “Making Room.” TheQuiet Day runs from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., on Saturday, March 17. Br. Robert Hugh will also be guest preacher at the 11 a.m. Eucharist on the 4th Sunday in Lent, March 18.

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Compline, in the monastic tradition, is the final service of the Daily Office (at bedtime) in the. St. Ann’s will offer an entirely choir-led service of Compline on Sunday, March 25 at 8 p.m., following an organ meditation by Music Director Gregory Eaton.

Editor’s Note: Compline will be sung on this one occasion, a change from the previously announced series of Compline services throughout Lent.)

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Organists’ Guild Recital Celebrates Music of Scott Joplin

The music of Scott Joplin — immortalized for his ragtime style — will be featured at a lecture demonstration organ recital.

The American Guild of Organists-Brooklyn Chapter sponsors the lecture demonstration, at which Gregory Eaton, director of music at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, will play Joplin’s music on the parish’s 1925 E.M. Skinner organ. A reception follows.

The Joplin presentation is free to members of the Brooklyn Chapter; $5 for students, and $10 regular admission.  St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church is on Clinton and Montague streets.

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‘Israel at the Movies’ Program Next Presents 3 Award-Winning Shorts

The Brooklyn Heights Synagogue’s third annual “Israel at the Movies” presents films and discussions about daily life in Israel.

Moderating the series is Isaac Zablocki, Director of Film Programs and Director of The Israel Film Center at the JCC in Manhattan.

The first viewing took place in early February, before this announcement was received.

This Sunday’s program features three conversation-starting, award-winning gems. Oranges unfolds the story of a man whose tree is so inviting to the neighbor that he picks oranges. The man owning the tree seeks revenge, yet the film is described as a “sweet” story of friendship and neighbors. Bus Station opens as two women — one Arab, one Jew — meet at a bus stop in Jerusalem after a trip to the market. When their bags of tomatoes get confused the women begin to understand the similarities and differences of their worlds. SHNAIM deals with the conflicts surrounding war and love. In the midst of the war in Gaza, a mixed Arab and Jewish Israeli couple debates the question of military service. These three films are shown as a set, along with conversation, starting at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 26.

The next program in the series, on Thursday, March 8, features the film 77 Steps. This movie follows the personal journey of the director, Ibtisam Mara’ana, who leaves her Arab-Muslim village and moves to Tel-Aviv. She finally finds an apartment, and meets her neighbor —  Jonathan, a Jewish-Canadian man who immigrated to Israel. A love story evolves as they both search for a sense of belonging and home, on the background of social and political turbulence. This viewing starts at 7:30 p.m.

The final film shown in the series, Bridge Over the Wadi, captures the struggles and tenacity of the teachers, students and parents during the first year of a bicultural, bilingual Jewish/Arab school located in an Arab village. Parents and students face the hurdles and daily struggles of coexisting. Bridge Over the Wadi will be shown on Sunday, March 25, at 10:30 a.m.

Moderator Isaac Zablocki is the Director of the Israel Film Center at the JCC in Manhattan. A New York native, he grew up in Israel and served in the IDF’s leading film unit as an educational film producer. He attended film school at Columbia University and went on to work at Miramax films. He produced and directed a feature film titled Reality Lost and developed film educational programs for the Board of Education. Since 2004 he has been the Director of Film Programs at the JCC in Manhattan.

RSVP to each viewing or the series is required. Cost to BHS members is: $5 each film, $15 for series. Cost for non-members $10 each film, $30 for series. RSVP to [email protected]

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Brooklyn Joins with ‘Shabbat Across America’

Progressive Temple Beth Ahavath Sholom in Borough Park invites the community to celebrate Shabbat Across America.

A national outreach program, Shabbat Across America is customarily held on the first weekend of March each year. The goal of Shabbat Across America is bringing Jewish individuals and families to faith communities, and deepening their ties with synagogues, temples and Jewish community centers. Progressive Temple Beth Ahavath Sholom begins its celebration with dinner on Friday, March 3 at 6:30, and a Kabbalat Shabbat service (welcoming Shabbat, in the mystical Kabbalah tradition, as one welcomes a bride). On Saturday morning, March 3, the Temple holds Shabbat services, then a light lunch and song.

Reservations are required by February 24. Contact the Temple office for details and reservations and directions: [email protected], (718) 436-5082, www.ptbas.org.

Other synagogues and temples around Brooklyn that, as of press time, will celebrate Shabbat Across America: Congregation Mount Sinai in Brooklyn Heights; Union Temple, near Grand Army Plaza; Chabad of Clinton Hill at The Rohr Jewish Center; Flatbush & Shaare Torah Jewish Center; and Temple Beth Emeth V’Ohr on Marlborough Rd.

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Infamous ‘How to Succeed … Without Trying’ Is Purimspiel Theme in Borough Park

Purim, a celebration of survival and overturned evil schemes, falls this year at sundown on March 7. The Book of Esther (the Megillah of Esther), that is chanted aloud on Erev Purim narrates the story of the beautiful Queen Esther, who must withhold her Jewish identity from the Persian king and still save her people. The overturning of Haman’s scheme and Jewish lives saved becomes an occasion for great merrymaking and parody. Synagogues around Brooklyn each have their own creative approach to Purim.

“How to Succeed In Shushan Without Really Trying” is the theme of Progressive Temple Beth Ahavath Sholom’s Megillah Reading and Purimspiel. Participants are encouraged to be in costume. The Purimspiel begins at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7, in the Temple’s Social Hall, 1515  46th Street in Borough Park. For further information, contact the Temple at via phone: 718-436-5082 or email: [email protected].

Annual Dinner Dance Blends Irish & Italian Culture

Assumption Church honors parishioner Kathleen Reynolds at this year’s popular St. Patrick – St. Joseph Dinner Dance.

The annual dinner honors both the Irish and Italian saints whose feast days fall two days apart. St. Patrick, considered the patron saint of Ireland, is honored on March 17. St. Joseph, husband of Mary, Mother of Jesus, is honored on March 19. The benefit event features a Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner, Music & Dancing, 50/50 raffle, and other attractions.  Tickets, at $55/person,  are still available for purchase. Assumption Parish is also “Going Green” for St. Patrick’s Day with an e-journal on its website: www.assumptionparishbrooklyn.org.

To place an ad, buy tickets or get more for event information call the Parish Office at 718-625-1161.

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Walkathon Aims to Combat Teen Dating Violence Through Awareness

The Healing Center, a Brooklyn domestic violence counseling and resource center, hosted its first annual Teen Dating Violence Awareness Walk-a-Thon from Sunset Park to Bay Ridge to call attention to the growing problem of teen dating violence. Nearly 250 took part, walking from 47th St. and 4th Avenue to Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 4th & Ovington avenues, where they gathered in the Fellowship Room.

“According to the U. S. Department of Justice, one in four teens will be a victim of dating violence and 40% of girls ages 14-17 say they personally know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend,” said Antonia Clemente, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Healing Center. “It has become all too commonplace and no community, neighborhood or household is immune from it.”

February has been declared national Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Month. Walk-A-Thon sponsors include CONNECT, Health First, Center for Anti-Violence Education, Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church, Arab American Family Support Center, Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Community Planning Board 7. More information can be found at www.thehealingcenterny.org.

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New Scholarship Fund Honors Memory of Active Churchman

After losing an active and dedicated member to multiple myeloma last September, the Bay Ridge United Church voted to establish the Jim Gillies Scholarship Fund in his memory.

The Bay Ridge United Church will add memorial donations received to the scholarship fund, which the Sunday School will manage. The Sunday School recently held an art auction to raise money for the capital fund.

Jim Gillies, who had been battling multiple myeloma died on the morning of September 25, 2011 at Lutheran Hospital where he succumbed to an infection. Baptized at Bay Ridge United Church, Gillies was a dedicated elder who provided hospitality in the Narthex every Sunday with his buddy Frank; they counted the offering and participated in worship and at all church functions. Last October, the church held a memorial service honoring Gillies’ Scottish heritage. Plaid ribbons were tied everywhere around the church where his influence was felt. Anyone wishing to contribute to the scholarship fund can send a donation to the church.

Bay Ridge United Church, at 636 Bay Ridge Parkway, is a joint congregation ofthe Reformed Church of America (RCA) and the Presbyterian Church of the USA. The Pastor is Rev.Jane Donnelly. Worship is Sunday at 11 a.m.with Bible Study at 10 a.m.

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