In Brooklyn Archives • New Beginnings Church

Many Things: A Play by Josh Gerard

November 18, 2024 Josh Gerard In Brooklyn

Our pastor, Josh Gerard, is also a playwright who has made several of his plays come to life at the Brooklyn Opera House. This Christmas is no different, as he brings his comedy called Many Things to our community.

The concept of the play is from the story of sisters Mary and Martha in the Bible, with the title coming from this verse:

"Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one..."
Luke 10:42-42

It’s the perfect play to get you in the holiday spirit with plenty of Christmas music, decor, and, ermmm, some less-than-expected seasonal moments. With a refreshing reminder on what this season is really about, this play has something for all ages. Bring your family, your small group, your bestie, or your coworkers.

Tickets can be bought at a discount online now, and we highly encourage you to reserve your seats while you can! Please visit the Brooklyn Opera House to grab yours.

SHOWTIMES

Josh Gerard, Playwright

December 15, 2023 Admin In Brooklyn christmas play

I’d venture a guess that roughly everyone in Brooklyn, Iowa not only knows Josh Gerard, but they also know he’s a man of the theater. This year, our pastor put on a second Christmas play that he wrote, and it was another smashing success. Between the laughs, the audience was reminded of the gospel and the real reason for the season.

Sharing his faith and entertaining at the same time is a passion Pastor Josh has had for a long time. With this year’s play, It’s a Wonderful Christmas Story, he told the tale of a dad who is visited by an angel after showing some confusion about the meaning of Christmas. A mashup of several classic holiday movies ensues. Josh was happy to direct a fantastic group, many of which included those from our church family.

An article about Josh and his many roles in life was published in The Poweshiek County CR. We’d love for you to read this article, which includes a powerful testimony of God’s guidance. You can see Josh’s response in the photos below.

We believe he’s going through the three stages of fame: shock, joy, and finally, acceptance.

If you missed the play, watch the New Beginnings Facebook page over the Christmas holiday for a recording that will be available for three days only. In the future, we hope to offer Josh’s faith-based plays as downloadable PDFs in a shop on the website, so stay tuned! It’s our hope that many other churches and theaters can put on his productions and share a fun, inspirational time for their community.

New Beginnings Church: Our Story

November 20, 2023 Admin In Brooklyn

We thought we should introduce ourselves on the blog! New Beginnings Church is a small place with a big heart, and all are welcome and invited to join us! New Beginnings Church is located in Brooklyn, Iowa. We love our small town and our location in central Iowa, surrounded by cornfields.

Did You Hear Pastor Josh on KSKB?

October 8, 2023 Josh Gerard In Brooklyn

Last week, our pastor had a chance to speak on KSKB Brooklyn about our church and help the radio station out with their share-a-thon at the same time. For anyone searching for New Beginnings Church or Pastor Josh on KSKB, we wanted to have a page for you to land on. So, welcome! Glad you found us!

This is a great place to begin to learn more about our church.

Find sermons here.

And general info for newcomers here.

You may have heard Josh talk about our Sunday services that begin with testimonies. He said, “We don’t have a traditional service. We actually start with times of testimony of what God is doing in each other’s lives. I believe God is constantly making himself known to his children. He’s constantly reminding us of his goodness and his mercies, and we spend a good 10-20 minutes just doing that.”

He also mentioned our prayer time before the service, which all are welcome to come to, half an hour before the service starts. We meet in the church kitchen (look for the door with the sign about prayer), and we want you to know you can pop in that room and join in any time.

Check out our events page for details.

No, we are not in the Big Apple, we’re in the sweet and small rural town of Brooklyn, Iowa. We hope to see you soon!

Face Painting at Brooklyn’s Flag Festival

June 15, 2023 Admin In Brooklyn

We had a great time painting faces during Brooklyn’s Flag Festival on June 10! It was a gorgeous day, there were tons of wonderful activities for families and kids, and the whole community seemed to have a wonderful time. We had five painters who decorated 119 faces.

Other activities at Brooklyn Flag Festival included the parade, a classic car show downtown, entertainment at the Michael J Manatt Community Center, and tons of things to do at the park, like bounce houses, foam dart target shooting, and more! There was plenty of tasty food around, too.

We were in a great location in the small shelter at Landes Park. There was a constant flow of kids getting their faces painted!

Face painters included Karissa Heishman, Addi Day, Lorelai Gerard, Ryan Emerson, and Laura Emerson. Tracey Gerard coordinated the event and counted each person coming in. We were happy to bring extra cheer to this already fun local event!