Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:21
Invest with us in the future of our community church located in the heart of Brookside.
What’s happening?
The roof is crumbling and we need at least $130,000 committed by July 1st to replace it. Since February, we have had four plastic buckets sitting in the hallway between the sanctuary and the choir room collecting freely flowing water. We have started to remove the damaged ceiling, insulation, sheetrock and are trying to mitigate further interior damage.
Can we just fix the part that’s leaking?
An inspection by a roofing contractor revealed that the slate shingles along the flashing where two rooflines meet have disintegrated into a fine powder. We can’t glue it or cover it adequately. The slate is too fragile at this point to do a spot replacement – once we start in one spot, the whole roof will crumble in a domino effect. We need to replace the whole roof.
Why is there a July 1st deadline?
Construction materials are at an all-time high – not an ideal time to complete this project. However, our contractor, Hugo Fonseca (the same roofer who fixed the leak in the connector roof 10 years ago who is locally well-known, well-trusted, and well-respected) has extended the contract price he quoted on May 13th past the original June 13th deadline to give us time to make this appeal. As prices for building materials continue to climb and we face an urgent need to protect our building, we find ourselves needing to get this project started quickly.
What is the scope of the project?
After removing the crumbling slate (and we are looking for environmentally conscious ways to reuse what is stripped) and rotting wood, we will replace the Sanctuary roof with Vermont slate, which typically has a 70-year lifespan and is more durable than the softer slate brought in from Pennsylvania. This is why we call this a once in a generation project. In addition, the roofer will remove and repair the copper gutters and snow guards, which together with the slate give our building its historic character. While slate is more durable, asphalt is more economical, and so the Trustees have chosen to replace the roof over Scialla Hall with asphalt shingles (which only have a 30 year lifespan) that will match the Anderson Wing. It would be a complete job, including repairing the interior and exterior damage related to the failing roof, with a 10-year guarantee on workmanship.
Any money raised in excess of what is needed for the roof will go to other health, safety, and hospitality projects that the Trustees have deemed as necessary but are not as urgent as the roof.
How can I help?
We’ll need to work together. Leadership gifts of $10k+ (we have already secured two) will go a long way in helping us complete this project, however any amount is helpful as we faithfully plan. Your Trustees and Council intend to have a 100% participation rate in this fundraiser, and we’ll announce the total amount of our gifts and intentions soon.
Whether you’re ready to give now, or whether you need more time to make a plan, it would be helpful to hear from you (click on one of the buttons below) before June 30th.
Thank you for your continued support!
The Brookside Community Church Trustees & Council
What do the stories of Genesis have to do with dirt in the garden? How can our garden help us understand God appearing to Moses in a thorny bush? Can weeding our garden be a spiritual practice as we consider Jesus’ parables?
We meet again this Wednesday, June 23rd, from 5:30 to 6:30. We’re excited to see how our garden is growing and learning about what it takes to keep our soil and plants happy so we have a bountiful harvest to donate to our local food bank. This ministry is open to all, any week throughout the summer. We hope you’ll join us! For more information, please contact Betsy Broome, Brookside’s pastoral intern, at ebroomemid@gmail.com.
Outdoor Family Yoga Class
Wednesday, June 30th at 6pm
All are invited to this donation based, outdoor family yoga class that will focus on our younger participants while giving the whole family an opportunity to stretch, center and relax. We will sing songs, play yoga and breathing games, and wind down with a bedtime yoga sequence. Experience is not required.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/integrated-spirituality-family-yoga-tickets-158774373425
Things to Bring:
- Mat/Towel, a picnic blanket is great to keep mats clean on the bottom
- Wear comfortable clothes
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen/bug spray, if desired
Amy Swanson is a certified children’s yoga teacher, mother, and fitness enthusiast. Her goal this past year has been to create a safe space for kids to experience yoga during these challenging times. Amy's classes allow for social interaction while promoting strength, flexibility, balance, and focus. For more info on Amy, visit www.PranaLlamaYogaPlay.com.
Integrated Spirituality classes are sponsored by Brookside Church. They explore different spiritual practices that can help you center, relax, and enrich your day-to-day life. As someone who strives for justice and seeks to live a faith that is active, these practices can help you be more balanced in the health and well-being of your body, mind, and spirit.
9:30 am Outdoor Worship Service - Sunday, June 27th
The Choir will be singing most of the summer and masks are no longer required for outdoor worship. Meet in the Anderson Wing courtyard or online via Zoom at 9:30am. If it’s sunny, bring a hat or umbrella for shade.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/254441229
Or call in:
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 254 441 229
Prior services can be found here:
brooksidechurch.org/sermons
NOTE: When you join, you will be put in an online ‘waiting room.’
Following last summer's movie discussion nights, you are invited this summer to a community-wide book read and conversation on "The New Jim Crow," facilitated by local Mendham faith leaders.
"In this incisive critique, former litigator-turned-legal-scholar Michelle Alexander provocatively argues that we have not ended racial caste in America: we have simply redesigned it. Alexander shows that, by targeting black men and decimating communities of color, the U.S. criminal justice system functions as a contemporary system of racial control, even as it formally adheres to the principle of color blindness. The New Jim Crow challenges the civil rights community--and all of us--to place mass incarceration at the forefront of a new movement for racial justice in America."
Register ahead of time, and a link will be sent to you: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAlc-2rpz4rE91UWZg4SN5IFZGnhV9FFD2_
In our Hearts, In our Prayers:
For Elaine I.
For family and friends of Gary D’A, including his wife Jeanne and sons Brian and Geoffrey.
For all who grieve Rene D. (friends of Pat & Marc B.)
For all who grieve Tim (family of Linda H.)
For educators, students, and parents who are heading into the summer months.
For our emerging world, our leaders, and all who continue to be impacted by Covid.
For Pride Month and for justice and equality for all God’s children
For the lonely, the isolated, the anxious, the fearful, the sick.
Prayer Joys and Concerns will be listed weekly. Requests received by Tuesday of each week will be included in the following Sunday’s bulletin and @ Brookside and will remain there for a month unless otherwise requested. Please forward your requests during the week to: office@brooksidechurch.org