The Rev. Adriene Thorne, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn Heights, told the Lafayette Avenue congregation, “Pray.” Using as her analogy the running of a marathon, Thorne emphasized the importance of active prayer, to support the pastor and to allow God to work in new ways.

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Prelates’ Visits to U.N. and Brooklyn Emphasize World’s Response to Crisis in Middle East

Two patriarchal leaders from Antioch in the Middle East visited Brooklyn Cathedrals recently as part of an U.N. summit and episcopal visitation to congregations in their dioceses.

Antioch, which sits near the Orontes River in what is now Turkey, is the city in which followers of Jesus and believers in his divinity and resurrection were first called Christians. Antiochian (Eastern Orthodox) and Maronite (Eastern Rite Catholic) Christians share Syrian and Lebanese heritage.

Both have cathedrals in Brownstone Brooklyn. The St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral is on State Street in Boerum Hill. Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral is at Henry and Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights.

The purpose of the patriarchs’ visit was to meet with the leadership of the United Nations and members of the current administration of the U.S. They promoted a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis, highlighted the current humanitarian crisis, and discussed the future of Christians in Syria and the Middle East.

Patriarch John X was also an honored guest at the In Defense of Christians Summit, titled “American Leadership and Securing the Future of Christians in the Middle East,” in Washington, D.C.

At Our Lady of Lebanon, Cardinal Rai preached on the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25, in which Jesus offers a parable on how people will be judged based on their compassion — feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, visiting the ill and imprisoned. He then provided a synopsis of the summit on In Defense of Christians.

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Beloved Holiday UniFair Marks 40th Birthday

UniFair, a beloved Brooklyn Heights tradition, marks its 40th birthday in December.

This holiday bazaar, which takes place on Dec. 2, has been a labor of love for First Unitarian Church, under the leadership of Connie Newsom, since 1977.

“For the past 40 years, my reason for continuing with UniFair is that it’s a great community builder,” Newsom told the Brooklyn Eagle. Mentioning Bishop Fulton Sheen, who said, “The family who prays together, stays together,” Newsom said, “I know that the congregation that works together stays together. But I also felt it was good for the Heights, in its relationship to the neighbors. UniFair is also a great way to promote recycling and re-purposing.”

UniFair, which runs on Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature crafts tables and a Christmas table, among other features.

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Milestones in Faith

Merger Creates Cadman Memorial Church

The merger of two historic Brooklyn congregations created the Cadman Memorial Church in a document signed on Nov. 20, 1942.

Central Congregational Church and Clinton Avenue Community Church agreed to unite, the first by unanimous vote, and the latter by near-unanimous vote.

The Clinton Avenue Community Church was founded 170 years ago, with historic Plymouth Church’s Henry Ward Beecher as the preacher on that occasion. Along the way, Clinton Community had become federated (an ecclesiastical term) with the Simpson Methodist Church. The merger plan between the Central and Clinton Avenue churches provided for the members of Simpson to keep their denominational status.

The newly merged congregation was named for the Rev. S. Parkes Cadman, a renowned pulpit orator and radio preacher. Cadman Plaza Park was also later named for him.

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Fine Arts Forum Installation Explores Migration and Refugees

The Forum @ St. Ann’s presents Scherezade Garcia’s “Landscape of Paradise: Golden Floating Path,” a dramatic installation in the sanctuary of this landmark church on Clinton and Montague streets in Brooklyn Heights. “Landscape of Paradise” explores the theme of migration and invokes the suffering of migration journeys that are made under duress. The exhibition is on view through Friday, Dec. 1, with a break for the Thanksgiving holiday. It is next available on Sunday, Nov. 26 from 9 a.m. to 1p.m., on Tuesday through Thursday, Nov. 28-30 from noon to 3 p.m., and by appointment at [email protected].

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Painters’ Union Donates Food and Funds To CHiPS Shelter and Soup Kitchen

District Council 9, a chapter of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, raised $3,000 for holiday food drive at the CHiPS soup kitchen. CHiPS, which stands for Community Help in Park Slope, is an interfaith 501(c)(3) organization that has an historical connection with the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor and St. Francis Xavier parish in Park Slope. CHiPS has fed the community, regardless of faith or background, since 1971 and established its Frances Residency, a shelter for young mothers and their infants, in the 1990s.

DC9 plans to visit CHiPS at its Fourth Avenue location in Park Slope next Tuesday to deliver food and other in-demand supplies for the shelter and soup kitchen. The soup kitchen typically serves about 350 meals daily. This visit is an annual food drive for Giving Tuesday.

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