Saturday 19 October at 20h

The Brilliance will perform in concert at the American Church in Paris on Saturday, 19 October at 20h.

Purchase Tickets

David Gungor and John Arndt, the band The Brilliance, will play live at the American Church in Paris on Saturday, 19 October at 20h joining an expanded string quartet and choir from our ACP community. Their eclectic songs combine symphonic, classical, pop and electronic elements to explore issues of social justice and inspire reflection and connection with others. They will perform songs from their latest album, Suite No. 1 Oh Dreamer which was inspired by the stories of immigrants known as “dreamers” in the U.S., pieces from their yet un- released album Suite no. 2 The World Keeps on Spinning and well-loved favorites such as their peace-making opus Brother. A champagne and cake reception will follow in the Theatre. Our very own Devon Graves will open for The Brilliance. Don’t miss this very special evening!

Acclaimed across the U.S. for their thoughtful, relevant, eclectic spiritual protest music, David Gungor and John Arndt cross the genres of classical and pop, electronic and acoustic, exploring the creative imagination and the power of beauty to evoke empathy that leads to Christ-like action in the world.

David Gungor is a singer, songwriter and guitarist based in New York City where he also serves as a pastor at Trinity Grace Tribeca. He is married with four children. John Arndt is a classical pianist, producer and composer, and has performed all over the world in a wide variety of venues and musical styles. They created The Brilliance in 2010, crafting music that gives listeners “time and space to fully soak in the beauty that lies in every lyric and sonic nuance.”

Purchase Tickets

The American Church in Paris 65, quai d’Orsay 75007 Paris www.acparis.org/thebrilliance

Friday 18 October at 19h30-21h30 in the Catacombs
Saturday 19 October at 10h-14h in the Sanctuary

The Brilliance will be in concert at ACP on Saturday, 19 October joined by an expanded string quartet with our very own Tarani Woodson, Lara Caister, Lisa Prevett, Carole Mundiger, the Ensemble Lumina and Devon Graves will open for them!

Saturday morning, David Gungor will lead a workshop on Creative Imagination in Worship and Friday night we will gather to share our reflections in preparation for that time. Please register for the Friday and Saturday events separately below.

Saturday, 19 October 10h-14h in the Sanctuary:
Creative Imagination in Worship workshop with David Gungor.
10 euros (includes catered lunch). Registration is limited to 30 slots. Register for Saturday Workshop here.

Friday, 18 October 19h30-21h30 in the Catacombs:
Reflections on Worship. Who are we, who do we want to be, and what we are we seeking in worship? -- as a starting place for our time with David on Saturday. We'll be in the candlelit, newly renovated Catacombs and a light dinner will be provided free of charge. Event is free, but space is limited to 30 slots.

Register for Friday Reflections on Worship event

Run Away: The Gospel According to Jonah
25-27 October 2019

Retreat is full; registration is closed

Why are you running? Jonah was a prophet of God (good guy). Nineveh was the hated enemy (bad guys). Isn't it nice when the world is divided up and ordered so neatly? In this great divide between good and evil, the answer to all our problems is so simple. It's THEIR fault. THEY should be punished. THEY need to change.

But what happens when the prophet of God starts to misbehave and run from God? And what happens when the bad guys do something good? Uh oh, maybe its time to move onto a different story.

Honestly, sometimes these messy stories about complex people and situations can hit a little too close to home. In fact, the Biblical prophets are quite skilled at hitting close to home. So much so that even if you don't like to run, going for a jog (far away from these irritating stories) might start to sound like a good idea.

So if we're going to run, a retreat (which literally means to run away) might be a good place for all of us.

Join us for our All-Church Fall Retreat (25-27 October 2019) led by Pastor Tim Vance. This will be a good time to get away from the city, connect with God and with one another, relax, play, eat and maybe even allow the story of Jonah to inspire deeper reflections and conversations about all our experiences of running.

ALL ARE WELCOME. Programs are being developed for children and adults.

SPACE IS LIMITED SO REGISTER EARLY!

Cost
The retreat will cost €125 for adults, €100 for Young Adults, €140 for an adult and child, €250 for a family (2 adults and up to 2 children) and €40 for an additional child. There is an additional €25 charge if you would like a single room. The price includes all meals, 2 nights’ accommodation, sheets, and shuttle from the St. Prix station. Please do not let money keep you from joining us for this retreat. Half-Scholarships are available.

When
Friday Evening (25 October) – Sunday Afternoon (27 October)

Where
Massabielle Retreat Center, 1 Rue Auguste Rey, 95390 Saint Prix

Who
Everyone! This is an All Church Fall Retreat with programs for children and adults.

Retreat is full; registration is closed

Got questions about life? Try the Alpha Course

Course (10 weeks): Thursdays, beginning 26 September at 19h00 in the Thurber Room

Ever wanted to explore the meaning of life or ask challenging questions about the Christian faith? Do you have a family member, friend, neighbor or colleague who is asking questions about life? If you've answered "yes" then the Alpha Course is for you!

Alpha is an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed, informal and friendly way. It welcomes all those big questions – and it's free!

The course will run every Thursday from 26 September for 10 weeks. Using the latest video talks by Nicky Gumbel (in English with French subtitles), each session starts with a meal at 19h followed by a short video looking at different aspects of the Christian faith, with topics such as How can I have faith? and Does God heal today? Afterwards there are small group discussions, where you can talk about what you have heard and ask any questions you might have.

No question is too simple or too hostile!! Whether you've never heard of God, you're someone who has recently come to faith or you have been a Christian all of your life, this course is for you! Even if you've been a Christian for many years, Alpha is a great way to remind yourself about the fundamental aspects of faith and it is also perfect to invite friends to who are seeking answers about life...so why not invite them to come along with you?

For more information, please feel free to contact the Alpha team here. Make sure that you keep up-to-date with details about the Launch Party and the course by checking the ACP website and social media channels.

Tuesday 12 November in the Thurber Room – Meal at 19h; Presentation 19h45-21h15

Over his eclectic journalistic career, Jeff Chu has interviewed presidents and paupers, corporate execs and preachers, Britney Spears and Ben Kingsley. His acclaimed book, Does Jesus Really Love Me?—which earned the cover of the New York Times Book Review—features his reporting on Christianity and sexuality across America.

Jeff grew up in California and Florida. He went to high school in Miami, at Westminster Christian, where he sat behind Alex Rodriguez (famous baseball player) in Mr. Warner’s world history class. He’s a graduate of Princeton and the London School of Economics and Princeton Seminary.

Jeff is the nephew and grandson of Baptist preachers, and currently serves as an elder at Old First Reformed Church in Brooklyn, New York. He loves the San Francisco 49ers, the Book of Ecclesiastes, and clementines.

You can find out more at www.byjeffchu.com.

Thurber Conversations are an adult community gathering and growth time that is open to all.

Stewardship plays an important role in enabling ACP to continue being an Embassy for the Kingdom of God and in furthering our individual paths of discipleship. We invite you to pray about the role of giving in your spiritual growth and to join us dedicating our pledges on Sunday. You can find our pledge forms for printing here or on-line version here.