"Jen, how do I get across 4th avenue?"

"I'm running late. I can't figure out how to get to church!"

"I won't be at church. I'm still stuck in the Atlantic Ave Subway station because I can't figure out how to get past the Marathon."

"I want to cry because I'm missing out on a life-giving opportunity to share the beauty of baptism with my faith family!"

These are just some of the texts the FFBK staff received during church last year on NYC Marathon Sunday. (Ok, that's a lie. I made up that last one just for dramatic effect. But you get the point!)

So this year, we got proactive and made a handy-dandy guide for you. Whether you're coming to the Roulette via bus, car or public transportation (the wisest choice), you WILL need to prepare an alternative route from the usual. Roads will be blocked, and exiting the subway from the wrong side will prevent you from getting across 4th avenue, thus forcing you to send us a text like the ones above. Just trust us, and read this guide ahead of time!

And if that isn't enough for you to remember this weekend, also note that this Sunday we are having only ONE service starting at 10 AM (and it's daylight savings day!). It's going to be a really great morning. We're celebrating the baptism of two people in our community. We'll pray together, we'll sing together, we'll hug each other, and we'll eat cake. Then we'll head out to see if we can watch those impressive people running the NYC Marathon and cheer them on to the finish line. 

Don't miss out on an opportunity to celebrate the amazing things God is doing in our community this Sunday. It's going to be a beautiful day, and we want to share it with you! (So read the guide, set your clock to "fall back," and join us at 10 AM!) 

Now for the boring stuff...Here's a list of all the road closures this Sunday due to the Marathon. 

Citywide

NYC Marathon Route Sunday November 2, 2014

The following streets will be closed Sunday from 7 am to 6 pm for the NYC Marathon as permitted by the Mayor’s Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO).

Staten Island

• Bay Street between Richmond Terrace and School Road
• School Road between Bay Street and Staten Island Expressway

Brooklyn Route

• Dahlgren Place between Verrazano Bridge and 92nd Street (North Bound)
• 92nd Street between Dahlgren Place and 4th Avenue
• 4th Avenue between 92nd Street and Flatbush Avenue
• Flatbush Avenue between 4th Avenue and Lafayette Avenue
• Brooklyn Queens Expressway (South-bound) between Verrazano Bridge and 79th Street
• 7th Avenue between 79th Street and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway
• 7th Avenue between 74th and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway
• 74th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue
• 6th Avenue between 74th Street and 75th Street/Bay Ridge Parkway
• Bay Ridge Parkway between 7th Avenue and 4th Avenue
• 92nd Street between Gatling Place and Fort Hamilton Parkway
• Fort Hamilton Parkway between 92nd Street and 94th Street
• 94th Street between Fort Hamilton Parkway and 4th Avenue (North-bound)
• 4th Avenue between 94th Street and Flatbush Avenue (South-bound)
• Bedford Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Nassau Avenue
• Nassau Avenue between Bedford Avenue/Lorimer Street and Manhattan Avenue
• Manhattan Avenue between Nassau Avenue and Greenpoint Avenue
• Greenpoint Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and McGuiness Boulevard
• McGuiness Boulevard between Greenpoint Avenue and 48th Avenue
• Pulaski Bridge (South-bound)

Queens Route

• Pulaski Bridge (Southbound)
• 48th Avenue between 11th Street and Vernon Boulevard
• Vernon Boulevard between 48th Avenue and 10th Street
• 10th Street between Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive
• 44th Drive between 10th Street and Hunter Street
• Hunter Street between 44th Drive and Crescent Street
• Crescent Street between Hunter Street and Queens Plaza South
• Queens Plaza South between Crescent Street and 23rd Street
• 23rd Street between Queens Plaza South and Queens Plaza North
• Queensboro Bridge (East-bound)

Manhattan Route

• Queensboro Bridge (Vehicle Entrance Ramp East-bound)
• East 59th Street between 59th Queensboro Bridge Ramp and 1st Avenue
• 1st Avenue between East 59th Street and Willis Avenue Bridge
• Madison Avenue Bridge

Bronx Route

• Willis Avenue Bridge/Willis Avenue
• East 135th Street between Willis Avenue and Alexander Avenue
• Alexander Avenue between East 135th Street and East 138th Street
• East 138th Street between Alexander Avenue and Morris Avenue
• Morris Avenue between East 138th Street and East 140th Street
• East 140th Street between Morris Avenue and Rider Avenue
• Rider Avenue between East 140th Street and East 138th Street
• East 138th Street between Rider Avenue and Madison Avenue Bridge
• Madison Avenue Bridge

Manhattan Route (Continued)

• 5th Avenue between 138th Street and 124th Street
• 124th Street between Madison Avenue and Mount Morris Park West
• Mount Morris Park West between 124th Street between 120th Street
• 120th Street between Mount Morris Park West and 5th Avenue
• 5th Avenue between 120th Street and 90th Street
• 90th Street between 5th Avenue and East Drive (Central Park South-bound)
• East Drive between 90th Street and Grand Army Plaza
• Grand Army Plaza between East Drive and Central Park South
• Central Park South between 5th Avenue and Columbus Circle/8th Avenue/Central Park West
• Central Park Driveway/8th Avenue Approach to West Drive
• West Drive between 8th Avenue Approach and 96th Street Approach to West Drive
• 96th Street Approach to West Drive
• 67th Street Approach to West Drive