Worship

Worship is at 11 AM every Sunday.

Communion is served on the first Sunday of each month.

There is also a Communion Service on the third Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 7:00PM followed by Bible Study.

Special services include Homecoming on the first Sunday after Labor Day, The Annual International Interfaith Peace Day Service, Thanksgiving Service and Dinner the Sunday before Thanksgiving, The Children’s Christmas Service and Party (for children of incarcerated parents), a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, Martin Luther King Jr. Service on the Sunday before Martin Luther King Day, Criminal Justice Sunday on the 2nd Sunday in February, Ash Wednesday Service, Palm Sunday, Good Friday Service of Reflection, Easter Service and Brunch, The Mother’s in Prison Children in Crisis Mother’s Day Service, A Service to Celebrate the Day of Pentecost, and The Blessing of The Bicycles.

International Interfaith Peace Day is celebrated each year in the fall (November 8, 2009).This annual interfaith service is a time of prayer, meditation, music, and reflection. Men, women and children from at least five different faith traditions gather each year to share songs, prayers, children’s art, and readings. Leaders who had roles in the service last year included: Rev. Liz Alexander and Kai and Davian Reynolds of The Church of Gethsemane, Lisa Segal of Kolot Chayeinu, Debbie Almontaser, founding principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy, Rev. Herb Miller, Pastor of The Park Slope United Methodist Church, Audrey Kindred, Director of Children’s And Family Programming at The Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, Mary Myers and Dennis Bohn from Rock Blossom Sanga- Community of Mindfulness, and Rev. Nettie Paisley, Interfaith Minister.

Children and families from Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture carry peace signs from their building on Prospect Park West to The Church of Gethsemane before the service, as a witness for peace.

Several years ago money was collected for the purchase of a Peace Pole which stands in the foyer of our church building today. To learn more about the world peace poles go to www.worldpeace/peacepole.org

The Thanksgiving Service is on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

It is a service that celebrates gratitude and “abundant giving.” We remember our blessings and share time, talents and food, as we thank God for the gifts of our lives.

A Thanksgiving Dinner follows the service.

The Children’s Christmas Service is usually on the 2nd Sunday in December.

This is a service for children of incarcerated children and their families who come to our annual Christmas Party.

The service is child centered and includes music and drama.

A Candlelight Service of Scripture and carols will be held on Christmas Eve at 7 PM followed by light refreshments. Visitors, including families with young children, are welcome.

Criminal Justice Sunday is on the 2nd Sunday of February. The service is led by formerly incarcerated persons who are members of our congregation. The Presbyterian Church (USA) set aside this Sunday to lift up issues and concerns regarding Criminal Justice. Click here to learn more about this service and event.

We begin our celebration of Lent on Ash Wednesday with a brief service and ritual of blessing with ashes. Palm Sunday includes a children’s dramatization.

A special service of music, scripture, and reflection is held on Good Friday from 6-6:45 PM with a light supper following the service.

Our Easter Resurrection Service is followed by Brunch, and Easter Eggs and candy for the children. These are all important services in the life of the church.

The Mothers in Prison Children in Crisis Mother’s Day Service is a “healing service” for women in our congregation who have been incarcerated and their families. Mothers and children reflect upon their experiences, and following the sermon there is a short ritual of healing as all of us share stories about our mothers. After the service, members of the congregation hand out colorful origami flowers and brochures from JusticeWorks Community to neighbors who pass by the church. Tags on the flowers say "Mothers In Prison/Children in Crisis", and the brochures give information about the Mothers In Prison Children in Crisis Campaign and the issues and concerns related to incarceration of women and the effect this has on thousands of children in our country.

Pentecost falls 50 days after Easter, and is the celebration of the birth of the Church. At The Church of Gethsemane we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit with a special worship service and luncheon. It is a time to celebrate our connections to other Christians and the beginnings of the Church, as we celebrate the work of the Spirit here at The Church of Gethsemane.

May is Bicycle Month in New York City. In early May, the Church of Gethsemane invites members and people from our Brooklyn neighborhood to join together in a short ritual to bless the riders of bicycles and scooters in order to bring awareness about bicycle safety and to make all of us more mindful about our responsibilities as bicycle riders.

A prayer for safe riding and a blessing is given to each rider with a green ribbon to remind others that bicycle riding is good for us and the environment.