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Member LoginWEEKLY ENEWS
January 2023
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FPC Weekly eNews - January 27, 2023
Posted Jan 27, 2023This season brings a great deal of excitement in our church family. The beginning of 2023 highlights great mission and ministry locally and abroad. I know our team of members preparing to make the journey to the Dominican Republic is excited for the ways God will be at work among them in a couple of weeks. We have five youth going on the trip this year! Please pray for these youth and the other members. We will have a liturgy of dedication for their missional work this Sunday during the 11:00am Traditional Worship Service.
Youth ministry at FPC is back and in full swing. Last weekend we had our confirmation retreat to Asbury Hills Camp in Cleveland, SC. This retreat was a time spent away growing together as a community and beginning the process of coming to understand and own one’s faith for themselves. We have twenty-eight ninth graders who are going through the confirmation process. Twenty-eight! I am grateful for the faithful efforts of Rev. Craig Foster, Rev. Leslie Lang, and Carrie Coleman. These individuals have and will continue to play a pivotal role in confirmation for our youth. Again, I ask that you continue to pray for all our 9th graders in confirmation. A special thank you is deserving to Josh Jones (elder), Rev. Eliza DeBevoise, and Jackie Bielevicz for serving as volunteer chaperones on our retreat. This year our confirmands have each selected a mentor who will journey alongside them in their questioning, discernment, and learning. Gratitude abounds for the call from God that has been placed on these mentors.
February is going to be a wonderful time in the lives of our youth. In two weeks, a group of forty-ish youth and adults will be taking a ski trip to West Virginia. A week later on Sunday, February 19th, the youth will be leading our morning worship services for Youth Sunday. Please come and support these incredible middle and high schoolers as they have been putting in intentional time to make these services meaningful. Pray for our two preachers – Abby Edwards (8th Grade) and Sallie Barre (12th Grade). Every day I am reawakened to the truth that our youth have a great amount to teach us. One of the beautiful things about the church is that we exist as an intergenerational body of Christ. When we lean into the unique perspective of each person, the creative lens they view the world through, we get to witness a piece of who God is in the world. What a blessed and beloved community this is! I look forward to the continued kingdom work of God alongside each of you this season and beyond.
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FPC Weekly eNews - January 20, 2023
Posted Jan 20, 2023There is a lot happening in the life and faith of First Presbyterian. This congregation’s heart for worship, mission, fellowship, and learning continues to amaze and inspire me! Truly, each week brings with it new opportunities for growing closer to God and nurturing our call to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ for the world around us. As always, I encourage you to take a moment to peruse this week’s eNews. You will find below a whole host of opportunities to get engaged both inside and outside the walls of the church.
Blessings to you all. See you Sunday. Invite a friend.
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FPC Weekly eNews - January 13, 2023
Posted Jan 13, 2023This Monday, our nation will remember and celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was a prophetic voice who committed his life to witnessing to that basic truth of the Christian faith: that in Jesus Christ, God’s love and mercy is extended to all of God’s children. I pray that this weekend will be for each of us a reminder of our own call to recognize the image of God in all our neighbors regardless of race, age, gender, creed, or any other dividing line we might draw. I am especially excited for our worship and learning opportunities that will build on those themes this Sunday including a joint Sunday school class at 10am in Fogartie Hall led by former state representative and community leader, Brenda Lee Pryce – information below.
Changing gears slightly… it was a great joy to get back in the swing of Wednesdays at First (WAF) this past Wednesday. The FLC was overflowing with good food, fellowship, and fun this week. Truly, all you have to do is look around the room on a Wednesday night to know that God’s presence is alive and on the move at First Presbyterian! Throughout the month of January, the after-dinner WAF programming is focusing on mental health among children and teens. Sponsored by the Health Committee, this three-part series covers a variety of topics and is being led by medical experts from our congregation and community. You can learn more and see recordings of each presentation by clicking here.
Finally, I am thrilled to share some exciting news regarding our congregation’s financial health, which is that we ended 2022 with a $175,000 giving surplus. Not only does this surplus give us added confidence in our ability to plan and do ministry for the year ahead, but it also serves as a reflection of the incredible generosity of this congregation. Our gifts of time, talent, and treasure translate into tangible ministry that impacts the lives of countless people both within and outside the walls of the church. Because of your generosity – both past and present – FPC can continue growing in its call to share the love and grace of Jesus Christ with neighbors near and far. Thank you!
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FPC Weekly eNews - January 6, 2023
Posted Jan 06, 2023Happy new year, FPC! Tell me, did you make a resolution for 2023? Maybe to exercise more, snack less, reconnect with old friends? Personally, I have never been much of a “resolution guy” – nothing against them, it’s just never been my thing. Instead, what I enjoy doing at the start of each new year is writing down three to four goals I have for the twelve months ahead. These goals are not so much things I am resolving to do as they are big picture dreams I am aiming myself towards. Anyways, earlier this week I wrote down a few of my personal goals for our ministry together this year at FPC and thought you might like to know them as well. So here it goes…