| SPECIAL UPDATE | 25 January 2012
Dear Church,
On Sunday, we asked you to pray over some possibilities for our Sunday morning worship gathering space, as we have preparing for our last day at MS 51 on February 12th. One specific thing we have been praying together is that there would be a "Red Sea" type of miracle that would "part the waters" and allow churches to continue meeting in schools.
Last night we saw a bit of movement on that front. State Senator Golden has sponsored a bill (S6087A-2011) which is an act to amend the education law in relation to authorizing religious meetings and worship in school buildings and school sites. It unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee last night, and now
must be approved by both Chambers, the Senate and the Assembly, and then sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo to become law.
What can you do?
Please send a message that this bill matters! Without our voices, or government representatives do not know this issue is important to us. There are many State Senators for different areas of Brooklyn. We've shared the info for a few key districts below. These Senators are key because their districts encompass Park Slope, as well as many of the neighborhoods we live and serve in. Velmanette Montgomery: District 18 (includes North Slope, Gowanus, Red Hook, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Downtown Brooklyn) montgome@senate.state.ny.us or (718) 643-6140. Eric Adams: District 20 (includes South Slope, Greenwood, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights) eadams@senate.state.ny.us or (718) 284-4700. If you live outside these districts and would like to contact additional senators, find your senator here. Here is a sample script you can use when you call or write:
My name is _______ and I am a member of Trinity Grace Church in Park Slope. We meet at William Alexander Middle School (on 5th Avenue at 4th Street) on Sunday mornings at 10:30AM.
You may be aware of a bill that was introduced yesterday in the Senate Education Committee, S6087A-2011, by Senator Martin Goldman that would allow religious organizations to continue meeting in schools. According to current law, all religious organizations must leave schools by February 12th, 2012, unless this new bill is signed into law by the Senate and Governor Cuomo.
Senator Montgomery, please help us (and many other churches across the city) continue to meet for public worship! Without the school, we will be without a place to meet. Many other venues are either cost-prohibitive to a newer congregation like ours, or do not have the space necessary to accommodate both our worship gathering and growing children's ministry. Moreover, we have come to love our relationship with both the school, and the farmer's market outside its doors. We feel very much a part of the community at MS 51.
Thank you for your consideration.
There is also a planned march across the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday, January 29th, at 3:00 p.m. led by Rev. Salvador Sabino and Councilmember Rev. Fernando Cabrera in support of Senator Golden's law. If you cannot attend, please lift this effort in your prayers.
As it has been since the beginning of our church's life, our prayer is the prayer of Moses in Exodus 33: "If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here." We know that wherever we go, His presence is with us.
We will send a separate email with out regular weekly news and announcements later today, and we look forward to seeing you at Citywide Worship this Friday.
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