A Year of Music in Numbers

If you ever saw a copy of my school reports growing up, or asked my parents…, they might tell you that mathematics was never a…, strong suit, so to speak. That being said, I’ve always loved numbers and statistics. Statistics have the unique ability to tell a story objectively. As we approach the end of the Music & Fine Arts Calendar for this program year, I began to think, “Just how do you quantify a year like this?!” 

Well, here we go: Over 130 people have met weekly to rehearse from our newly formed Bells of Bryn Mawr to our vocal choirs from PreK to, well, more seasoned musicians, you might say. Within a week, five different ensembles meet for a combined seven hours of rehearsals (I’d guess over 240 collective hours of rehearsals in a year!). Over 120 different pieces of music have been sung or played in worship or at concerts, either here at BMPC or as musical outreach to local communities. Fifteen inspiring concerts have taken place around our campus. Five incredible Art Gallery Exhibitions have been on display in our Art Gallery. Countless hours of meetings have been held by our MFA Council, Visual Arts Committee, and Sanctuary Choir Leadership Team. And of course, one retirement has taken place within this department. 

As with all things at BMPC, we never fully stop! To that end, please consider joining us for Summer Choir, beginning on Sunday, June 21 (with a 9:00 a.m. rehearsal in the choir loft ahead of the 10:00 a.m. service), and lending your voice to worship. 

In a year marked by change and transition, I couldn’t be more thankful for the incredible people who show up week after week for rehearsals, meetings, events, and who continually push themselves to sing and play amazing music in this awe-inspiring hallowed place. This is just the beginning; I’m already excited for what the next year will bring, and to share amazing music and experiences with you all. 

The Miracles of Healing, Resurrection — and Ice Cream

This Sunday in worship, we will hear two fascinating miracle stories from the Gospel of Matthew — the healing of the woman who hemorrhaged for 12 years and the raising of a 12-year-old girl from her deathbed. In addition to the stories themselves, we’ll dive into the function of miracle stories in scripture, the meaning behind these stories, and what they may or may not mean for us today.

I wonder, what do you make of miracles? Have you experienced any in your own life? The life of someone you love? Maybe you are someone who balks at talk of miracles. Or perhaps you aren’t quite sure what to make of miracles — either in the Bible or today. We will explore all of this and more in worship on Sunday.

Then, at 11:15 a.m., we’ll gather to enjoy a modern-day miracle: the miracle of ice cream! Yes, this Sunday is Sundae Sunday! (And yes, in my book, ice cream is a miracle, especially if it’s cookies & cream.) Join us in Congregational Hall at 11:15 a.m. to celebrate the end of the school year and the start of summer Sunday school. We’ll enjoy God’s gifts of ice cream, refreshments, and fellowship with one another.

Having Your Say

A couple of weeks ago, you received a survey from our Mission Study Task Force. That tool was developed by six BMPC members who have been working faithfully since March. Appointed by Session, the MSTF’s charge is to prepare a written snapshot of this body of faith, known as a Mission Study; a required first step before seeking BMPC’s next SeniorPastor.

Much of the information to be found in that final document will summarize details easily available to the team:

  • A demographic study of the communities from which BMPC draws
  • A brief church history, including membership trends
  • An overview of the congregation’s financial health
  • BMPC’s 150th Anniversary Vision Statement
  • A description of the process used to create the study

Members of the MSTF are working on each of those components now. Yet there is one more critical part of the Mission Study–congregational input. On that front, we need you!

For those of you who have already completed the 14-question survey, we thank you. If you have not yet done so, please complete the survey to share your thoughts. You can also drop off or mail a completed paper copy of the survey to the church office. Lastly, members of the MSTF are staffing a table in the atrium after worship for the next few weeks, where you can complete the survey. Whatever method is most convenient, we need your input by June 15. Once the Mission Study is completed and approved by Session and Presbytery, we can begin to form the Pastor Nominating Committee.

It remains a deep honor for me to serve you in this time of transition. And like you, I’m eager to hear the collective voice of this congregation as we continue to prepare the landscape for your next installed Senior Pastor.

Thankful for Children and Youth Volunteers

When people ask what the typical volunteer in children and youth at BMPC is, that person is hard to describe. They range in age from 9 to 98. They’ve been connected to the church for their entire lives or for just a few months. Some have formal backgrounds as educators or pastors, and others are still looking in the table of contents to find books of the Bible.

There are the stalwart volunteers who commit to a particular role and lead every week, with rare exception, and the volunteers who fill in during an emergency.

There are the discipling volunteers who commit to a particular student or small group and walk with them through the year.

There are the behind-the-scenes volunteers who are prepping, tending, and putting things in action.

There are those who come early to set up spaces, and those who stay late to check in with a particular family or student.

There are the teachers who are comfortable at the front of the classroom and the ones who make sure everyone has the supplies they need, hanging out on the side or in the back of the room, making everything run smoothly.

There are the volunteers who are always ready for a game or a surprise, and those who have their lesson plans memorized before class begins.

We have volunteers who are up with the most recent slang, movies, and episodes of Bluey, and others who are happy to learn about the current culture from our students.

There are the volunteers who love a good art project and the ones who endure them.

There are volunteers who respond to a text a few minutes into the worship service to help in a classroom, and others who have their schedule worked out a year in advance.

We are grateful for these volunteers who show up every week and bring themselves, just as they are, for young people in the church; for these volunteers who are willing to teach what they know and share their wisdom, who are willing to learn something new alongside a young person, and who are willing to learn something new from a young person.

We are grateful for these volunteers who embody the variety of gifts that we all have to bring and that make up the body of Christ. Meaning, they teach the rest of us that if you feel a little too wiggly to sit in worship every Sunday, there’s still a lot you can contribute to the life of the church.

We are grateful for these volunteers who don’t try to fix the intensity, candor, or curiosity that young people bring, who are able to hold the tough questions they’re asked, who, in so doing, are in real community with young people.

Our programs would not be possible without these incredible people sharing their time, energy, love, and faith with our children and youth. You create the foundation and the framework that allow our students to continue building the church Christ calls us to be.

Thank you. And if you want to be part of this team next year, let us know!

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Summer Vacation

Each year, our Hunger Committee gathers representatives from the 18 different pantries and feeding programs supported by the Hunger Fund for roundtable conversations about their work, their concerns, and how, by connecting and collaborating, we can support the thousands of families locally and regionally who struggle with food insecurity.

Table conversations focus on volunteer management, food access, relationships with organizations such as Philabundance and SHARE, grant writing, anxieties around immigration enforcement, and the growing number of guests who are in need.

One of the most frustrating topics for all is the changes to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, which are increasing pressure on both recipients and local food pantries.

Expanded federal work-reporting requirements now apply to more adults ages 18–64, requiring many recipients to document at least 80 hours per month of work, training, or approved activities in order to keep benefits. Hunger advocates warn that people with unstable work schedules, limited transportation, or caregiving responsibilities may lose assistance because of paperwork barriers rather than ineligibility.

One of our partners pointed out the reality that even as we lament these restrictions, the support given through SNAP provides nowhere near the support families need to feed their families. The average SNAP benefit in Pennsylvania is only about $170–$180 per person per month, roughly $6 per day, and many households already struggle to make benefits last through the month. All of our partners expect increased demand as more families experience gaps or reductions in assistance.

All of these shifts mean that our partners have never been more reliant on the financial assistance that is granted on a quarterly basis from the BMPC Hunger Fund. And so, the Hunger Committee, once again this summer, is reminding us that this need does not take the summer “off.”

Each week in the bulletin this summer, there will be reminders to give to the Hunger Fund with examples of how our Hunger ministry and our partners use financial donations. We hope that once again this summer, you will respond generously.

I also want to remind you that, just as you can set up a recurring online donation as part of your giving to BMPC Stewardship, you can also set up a recurring donation to the BMPC Hunger Fund. You can navigate to this link https://onrealm.org/bmpc/give/hunger and choose the recurring option, which lets you donate in a variety of recurring intervals.

The generosity of this congregation continues to overwhelm me with gratitude. It is our hope that as we all better understand the shifting needs of our neighbors, our generosity will only grow through our compassionate care for one another.

The Commitments We Make

This coming Sunday marks an important day in the life of our congregation. At the 10:00 a.m. worship service, we will ordain and install new officers as Elder and Deacon. These individuals have said yes to the call of God that has come by way of our Nominating Committee. (Individuals are also nominated as Trustees by way of this same process, although in the Presbyterian tradition, only Elders and Deacons are ordained and installed.)

Whereas the call of Elders is to exercise leadership in the governance of the church, as part of our primary governing body, the Session, the call of Deacons is to exercise leadership in the care of the congregation, as part of our primary caregiving body, the Board of Deacons. Both are essential to building up the body of Christ and the effective functioning of our community of faith.

Just as important as the commitments that these individuals will make as they are ordained and/or installed are the commitments that we will make together as a congregation. On Sunday, we will be asked the following questions:

Do we, the members of the church, accept these men and women as Deacons and Elders, chosen by God through the voice of this congregation to lead us in the way of Jesus Christ?

Do we agree to pray for them, encourage them, to respect their decisions, and to follow as they guide us, serving Jesus Christ who alone is Head of the Church?

I invite you to join me in raising your voice in a resounding “We do!” as we affirm these leaders on Sunday. And in all the days ahead, let us be faithful to our call: “to pray for them, encourage them, respect their decisions, and follow as they guide us.”

The following individuals are our new Elders and Deacons. Thanks be to God for these faithful servants and the work they will do in service to Christ!

Elders Class of 2029
Beverly Fleuter
Sarah Gunther
Linda Himmelberger
Whitney Hoffman
Carl Reynolds
Steve Udicious
Kent Walker

Elder Class of 2027
Corinne Brown

Deacons Class of 2029
Tony Brown
John Decker
Jennie Jacobson
Morris Kay
Kay Kerr
Matthew Peterson
Jane Wilber

Deacon Class of 2027
Cameron Liggett

A Big Day for Young People in the Church

This Sunday, May 3, is a celebratory day for young people in the church at three different pivotal ages, and I hope you can be there to support them.

During 10:00 a.m. worship, 5th graders will receive their own hymnals and then “step up” into the youth program. They’ll attend their last-ever children’s moment, then walk out with the youth who will welcome them to the gym and to the next step in their lives as young people walking in faith. I’ve loved getting to know the 5th-grade class this year, and I’m looking forward to them being in my care in the years ahead. I cannot wait to see the future that God is preparing for them.

For our confirmands, this Sunday’s Confirmation Expo is the chance for them to show off their capstone discipleship projects. They have spent the last year wrestling with the big questions of the faith, connecting with each other, and developing relationships with caring adults like their mentors and teachers (special shoutouts to Kathy Fisher, Michael Giampetroni, and Ariel Gonzalez!). The session will examine them this Sunday and then, should the way be clear, vote to extend membership to the class. Before and after 10:00 a.m. worship, you will have the chance to review their discipleship projects and ask them questions. They’re an engaging group, and I hope you take the time to get to know them and show them the sort of caring, supportive, and inquisitive church community they’re joining.

Finally, during the children’s moment, Pastor Rachel and I will pray for all the seniors by name as they move on to the next phase of their lives. As you saw on Youth Sunday, our seniors are impressive, and I cannot wait to see where they will go next and what they will do.

In each of these cases – 5th-grade hymnals and Step-Up, the Confirmation Expo, and senior recognition – there is a chance for us to fulfill the vows made to these young people at their baptism. In various ways, we have a chance this Sunday to raise these young people in the nurture and teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and to be the community that gathers around them. I hope you can join us!

Heading to Babylon

A few weeks ago, I was enthusiastically sharing information about our upcoming VBC (June 22-26).  I was deep into the daily reflection questions, plans for decorating, and the eternal question about snacks, when my friend interrupted me.

“Wait, did I hear you correctly? You’re taking the students to Babylon? Isn’t Babylon supposed to be bad!?!”

Indeed, from their rise as a neighboring empire to their eventual conquest of the land to their New Testament role as a stand-in for everything bad and ominous, Babylon was often shown as counter to what God wanted.  Babylon was the anti-Jerusalem; it was not a place you wanted to go, and going there was dangerous.  And yet, God’s people spent a generation in Babylon.  It was there that the prophet Jeremiah told them to plant gardens and pray for the peace of the city.  It was there that Isaiah had his visions of a desert and a people restored.  It was in Babylon that young people taken into exile found a place to practice their faith.

This year, we are going to Babylon.  Not because it is easy, or because it will be fun to build some replica Ishtar Gates, but because we want every child to know that God is with them. Through the story of Daniel and his friends, we will help children understand that God is with them when they go to new places (willingly or not). God stands with them when they face dangers like Shadrach, Misrach, and Abednego. God stays through the night when you are alone and surrounded by lions like Daniel.  And God is there when you step up to lead in new ways.

We are ready to welcome 150 children into our church to explore and experience God’s close and loving presence.  If you would like to join us, we are looking for volunteers who can help the week of (June 22-26), but also in the weeks leading up to prepping projects, praying for students, and helping to transform the church into an ancient city.

You can sign up here to volunteer.

P.S. You don’t even need to read cuneiform!

For the Beauty of the Earth, Sing, Oh Sing Today.

On April 22, 1970, Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin and youth activist Dennis Hayes held the first ‘Earth Day,’ inspiring over 20 million Americans to educate themselves on the harms of pollution and the need to protect the environment. From these grassroots(!) efforts, Earth Day has spread globally, as we continue to learn the best ways to protect the planet entrusted to our care. We might also think of the Earth as a living being, one in constant conversation with its inhabitants; we might even call her Mother Earth, or “Gaia.” 

In the 1980s, the Dean of The Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC, held a series of talks on ecology, faith, and the environment – often with a call to action or finding collective efforts to ease the crisis of climate change. Through a series of “Artists-in-Residence” programs, Paul Winter, a saxophonist, and his band were given a platform for creating sacred and secular events in the Cathedral. Partnering with the Organist of the Cathedral, Paul Halley, a fruitful friendship and future collaboration was born, and, at the request of the Dean, the work “Missa Gaia” came into being. For the Church (with a capital C), Masses have formed part of the worship of Christianity for centuries, and throughout that time, the musical material on which a Mass is based has changed; from plainchant to popular songs of the time, to… whale and wolf noises (in this case!). “Missa Gaia” is an incredible work; it pays homage to Mother Earth and all creatures who inhabit it through the blurring of sacred and secular lines. 

I invite you to attend various events this Sunday, April 19, as we honor and celebrate the Earth: 

8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. Worship Services will focus on Earth Day.

11:15 a.m. Adult Ed Class in Fullerton Room (led by me) will explore the spiritual and thematic threads found in this seminal musical work.

3:00 p.m. Meet and Greet in the Court with creatures and animals from our watershed, in partnership with Riverbend.

4:00 p.m. Concert in the Sanctuary featuring this work, and others with jazz orchestra and video projections.

5:30 p.m. Reception in the Court, where you can enjoy the current incredible Gallery Exhibit, “Gaia: In Reverence to Earth,” including inspiring works of five local artists. 

I hope you’ll consider joining us this weekend and leave inspired to further our shared work of caring for this planet, so generations upon generations can enjoy the riches contained within. 

Bring Your Questions!

There is much that I admire about life at BMPC: its vibrant worship and mission efforts, stellar educational opportunities for all ages, and a willingness to tackle the most challenging issues of the day, special times of fellowship, faithful officers, a beautiful campus, and an incredible staff. Each of those aspects of our shared life is visible and a source of pride for you and a cause of joy for me as your Interim Senior Pastor.  

Behind all of those realities is another dynamic that isn’t as obvious, but essential even so: the financial health of this church. The Bryn Mawr church is blessed by the generosity of believers from the present and past, along with the faithful stewardship of those gifts by BMPC members and staff. As a team, they work diligently year-round to manage and draw from those resources in well-considered ways that undergird our diverse ministries. It is a complex system that, even with my full-time presence on campus and undergraduate degree in Economics, has taken time to understand. I suspect the same is true for many of you as well.    

As part of the class I led in February to learn about this church, the suggestion was made for a time when the congregation could come together and ask their questions about the financial life of BMPC. Sunday, April 12, at 11:15 is an opportunity to do just that. 

Gathering in Congregational Hall, I will facilitate a time where you can inquire about anything regarding the financial life of BMPC. What is our church’s total operating budget, and how is it allocated? How is the budget set and funded? What are the latest stewardship numbers for 2026 and trends of giving in this congregation? What is the current value of the BMPC Foundation, and what amount from it is used to support the church budget? Given such deep resources, are the gifts of current members to fund the ministries here really needed?

At the meeting, such questions and more will be fielded by individuals who are directly involved with the finances of our church. If there are any questions that stump that team, such queries will be researched afterward with our Director of Finance, Sarah Miciek, and an answer will be provided soon thereafter. On that morning, we will also have paper copies of the 2025 Annual Report available for you. In addition to summaries of the church’s finances, its pages include accounts of our diverse ministries, membership statistics, and much more.

I hope you can join us for this informative and transparent look at the finances of our church. If you are unable to be present that morning, pass on your questions to me, and I will have someone who knows the answer get in touch with you.

 In the meantime, and beyond, know of my ongoing gratitude to God for the privilege of serving you in this time of preparing the landscape for your next Senior Pastor. May the joy of Easter continue to shape your heart and home and this body of believers.