Sunday, Nov. 6: Rev. Christine Dyke will fill in for Rev. Terry Troia

Next Sunday, Nov. 6, the Rev. Christine Dyke will fill in for the Rev. Terry Troia and celebrate Communion with the congregation.

Brooklyn History Fair set for Nov. 5

The Brooklyn History Fair, sponsored by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Brooklyn Borough Historian Ron Schweiger, and hosted by the Friends of Historic New Utrecht, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM at the New Utrecht Reformed Church Parish House, located at 18th Ave. and 84th St. Exhibitors from historic sites and organizations, authors and historians, with displays of historic materials and memorabilia covering Brooklyn from Williamsburg to Canarsie, Weeksville to Bay Ridge. Admission is free.

As an added attraction, please visit the historic New Utrecht Reformed Church Cemetery (Entrance 85th Street, east of 16th Avenue) from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM; a guided tour will take place at 2:00 PM.

For information call: (718) 256-7173 or e-mail: mail@historicnewutrecht.org

Flyer for Brooklyn History Fair

Readings: Nov. 6 - Proper 27A

Readings for Proper 27 (32), Year A from the Revised Common Lectionary at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library

Halloween Harvestfest spooks kids

Shelia of the Brooklyn Public Library reads a scary story to children. (Photo by Vincent La Marca)
















The Rev. Terry Troia, minister of New Utrecht Reformed Church and executive director of Project Hospitality, paints the face of a child. (Photo by Vincent La Marca)

The Halloween Harvestfest took place Saturday afternoon, Oct. 22 at the New Utrecht Reformed Church Parish House and was a fun and spooky time for all the kids in the community. Two ladies from the New Utrecht branch of the Brooklyn Public Library told scary stories to children and registered kids for library cards. Both City Councilmember Vincent Gentile and State Senator Diane Savino made an appearance and greeted the children.

For more information on New Utrecht Church's many activities, please visit www.newutrechtchurch.org.

Readings: Oct. 30 - Proper 26A

Readings for Proper 26 (31), Year A from the Revised Common Lectionary at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library

Mayor Bloomberg raises flag at the Liberty Pole

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg raises the American flag atop the New Utrecht Liberty Pole at the end of the Brooklyn Columbus Parade, Oct. 8, 2005

Friends of Historic New Utrecht

Eds: Additional photos available from Robert Buonvino at (718) 234-9268.

BROOKLYN - George Washington got there first. But now Mayor Bloomberg has become the first New York City mayor to hoist a flag at the place where the early settlers of Brooklyn celebrated their freedom by raising a "Liberty Pole" in 1783.

At the end of this year's Brooklyn Columbus Parade, the mayor pulled on the ropes to send a Betsy Ross flag up the 106-foot pole on the front lawn of the New Utrecht Reformed Church at 84th St. and 18th Ave. in Bensonhurst. After the national anthem was played, Bloomberg, an Eagle Scout himself, joined members of Troop 20, the country's oldest Boy Scout troop, in raising the first foreign flag to be put on the pole, the flag of Italy. This was followed by Italy's national anthem.

This is the fourth year the parade has ended with a ceremony at the flagpole, the sixth of its kind to have been erected there since the British left the shores of what was to become the United States of America. When he was president, George Washington visited the "Liberty Pole" site to see students at an academy, a portion of which was uncovered recently by college students making an archeological dig on the grounds where the church stands now.

The church building dates from 1828. The New Utrecht Reformed Church was established in 1677.

The ceremony was arranged by the Friends of Historic New Utrecht, which currently is raising funds so the church's sanctuary, closed since December 2003, can be repaired and restored. The cost has been estimated at nearly $2 million.

Over the years, thousands of New York City school children had participated in cultural-educational programs in the building with a focus on the history of the town of New Utrecht, Brooklyn and the nation. "We find that to immigrants from many countries our programs have special meaning, especially to the children," Friends president Robert Buonvino said. "This is a special place in Brooklyn where we are reminded of how precious our freedom is." The "Liberty Pole" is topped by a "Liberty Eagle."

Among others in attendance were New York State Sen. Marty Golden and City Council member Vincent Gentile. Golden commented on the historic significance of the area during the Revolutionary War and of the need to save the church for the community and citizens of New York City.

More information is available at (718) 256-7173 and (718) 234-9268. The Friends Web site is www.historicnewutrecht.org. Contribuitions toward restoring the church may be sent to Friends of Historic New Utrecht, 1831 84th St., Brooklyn, NY 11214. Tax deductible checks can be made out to the Friends of Historic New Utrecht Restoration Fund.

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Public relations services donated by bhprEspeciallyForChurches October 2005

Readings: Oct. 23 - Proper 25A

Readings for Proper 25 (30), Year A from the Revised Common Lectionary at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library

Mayor Bloomberg makes appearance at the Liberty Pole

Appearing with Mayor Mike Bloomberg at the Liberty Pole are City Council candidate Pat Russo (left), Friends President Robert M. Buonvino (3rd from left) and the Grand Marshal, State Senator Marty Golden. (Photo by Vincent La Marca)

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg made an appearance on Saturday, Oct. 8 at the New Utrecht Liberty Pole after marching at the Brooklyn Columbus Parade. The mayor made the appearance to witness the raising of both the American and Italian flags at the Liberty Pole.

Boy Scout Troop 20 was one of the organizations participating at the parade.

Also at the parade were a number of community leaders, including Grand Marshal Marty Golden, State Senator, State Senator Diane Savino, Member of Congress Vito Fossela, City Councilmembers Vincent Gentile and Dominic Recchia, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Friends of Historic New Utrecht President Robert M. Buonvino and activist Carmine Santa Maria.

Details to come.

Saturday, Oct. 22: Halloween Harvestfest

Halloween Harvestfest!

Saturday, October 22, 2005
2:30 - 4:30 PM

New Utrecht Reformed Church
18th Avenue between 83rd and 84th Streets

-pumpkins decorating
-face painting
-ghoulish games
-Boo-licious treats
-arts and crafts
-Spooky tales shared by the Brooklyn Public Library
-come in costume and bring a friend or two
-a ghastly good time for everyone

Free for kids up to age 12.

Come for the fun! Come to find out about New Utrecht Church! Just come! All are invited!

Donations will be accepted for both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita relief and also for the continued New Utrecht Church restoration effort.

For more information or to volunteer, please call (718) 236-0678 or e-mail mail@newutrechtchurch.org.

Flyer for Halloween Harvestfest

Project Hospitality, Reformed Church World Service helped victims of Hurricane Katrina

This is a collage of newspaper articles about Hurricane Katrina made by Suzanne Carrion, at the gate of the New Utrecht Reformed Church in a photo taken on Sept. 4. (Photo by Vincent La Marca)

Both Project Hospitality and Reformed Church World Service sent aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Project Hospitality, in association with the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, sent $5,000 worth of goods to "Tuscaloosa...and then possibly continue toward Gulfport, Miss., a city on the Gulf of Mexico that [Sheriff Ted] Sexton [of Prichard, Ala. just outside Mobile] described as 'devastated' by the hurricane," according to the Staten Island Advance. "A $100-a-plate Cajun-themed dinner fund-raiser on Sept. 22" at the Hilton Garden Inn on Staten Island is also planned by the fund, according to the Advance.

More on the relief efforts and to contribute to the victims of Hurricane Katrina:

• 10 good years, a reason to rejoice (Staten Island Advance, Oct. 10, 2005)
• Islanders keep on giving to storm victims (Staten Island Advance, Oct. 5, 2005)
• Businesses needed for relief effort (Staten Island Advance, Oct. 4, 2005)
• A LITTLE HELP WILL GO A LONG WAY (Staten Island Advance, Oct. 2, 2005)
• Islanders, despite new storm, head South to aid victims (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 24, 2005)
• Hurricane benefit captures spirit of New Orleans (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 23, 2005)
• Island relief effort striving to reach benefit goal (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 20, 2005)
• Here's how to help (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 16, 2005)
• silive.com (Staten Island Advance articles on the relief effort)
  
• Project Hospitality
  
• Reformed Church World Service
  
• Church World Service
• American Red Cross

Staten Island Advance articles on the relief effort

Staten Island Advance articles on the relief effort:

• 10 good years, a reason to rejoice (Staten Island Advance, Oct. 10, 2005)
• Islanders keep on giving to storm victims (Staten Island Advance, Oct. 5, 2005)
• Businesses needed for relief effort (Staten Island Advance, Oct. 4, 2005)
• A LITTLE HELP WILL GO A LONG WAY (Staten Island Advance, Oct. 2, 2005)
• Islanders, despite new storm, head South to aid victims (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 24, 2005)
• Hurricane benefit captures spirit of New Orleans (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 23, 2005)
• Island relief effort striving to reach benefit goal (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 20, 2005)
• Here's how to help (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 16, 2005)
• Island relief effort focuses on fund-raising dinner (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 14, 2005)
• Think big for Katrina victims (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 11, 2005)
• Danny goes door-to-door collecting money for Katrina (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 11, 2005)
• City schools will send aid to victims (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 9, 2005)
• Island's relief effort providing steady stream of aid (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 9, 2005)
• Be charitable this Sunday, Sept. 11 (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 8, 2005)
• Second relief truck leaves for Gulf region (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 8, 2005)
• Island relief efforts gain steam; 9/11 families join in (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 7, 2005)
• Relief truck from Island gets warm reception (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 6, 2005)
• Island relief crew reaches Tuscaloosa (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 4, 2005)
• Nothing will stop Island relief team (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 2, 2005)
• Island sending first truckload of aid (Staten Island Advance, Sept. 1, 2005)
• Another hour of need, another generous impulse (Staten Island Advance, Aug. 31, 2005)

Readings: Oct. 16 - Proper 24A

Readings for Proper 24 (29), Year A from the Revised Common Lectionary at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library

Saturday, Oct. 8 - Brooklyn Columbus Parade

The Brooklyn Columbus Parade, sponsored by the Federation of Italian-American Organizations, will take place Saturday, Oct. 8 between 1 and 3 PM. The parade will march with State Sen. Marty Golden as Grand Marshal on 18th Ave. between 60th and 84th Sts., ending with the raising of the American and Italian flags at the New Utrecht Liberty Pole.

Readings: Oct. 9 - Proper 23A

Readings for Proper 23 (28), Year A from the Revised Common Lectionary at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library