Friday, April 14, 2023 Newsletter
SUNDAY SERVICES
9:00 a.m. ‘Holy Ground’ Contemporary Worship in Fellowship Hall
(in person)
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary – Sunday
(in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)
|
|
AN ACTIVE FAITH
We recently introduced this new series of occasional features about ongoing ministries of FPCB. It will highlight some of the projects and partnerships that our church and its members are nurturing beyond our walls.
Supporting Lafayette College Students
Spring break for college students conjures up images of suntanning in Florida and beach volleyball. That’s not how a group of students at Lafayette College spent their alternative spring break last month.
Supported by an $8,900 grant from the church’s McKnight Memorial Scholarship Fund, eight students, accompanied by Professor Hannah Stewart-Gambino, traveled to the Washington, D.C., area to learn more about refugee resettlement.
|
|
For six days, these students partnered with Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA), a resettlement agency that welcomes refugees into the D.C. area by helping them resettle and by guiding them to self-sufficiency by connecting them to the necessary resources.
This trip incorporated educational, service, and reflection components.
|
|
|
Students helped clients fill out paperwork at a legal clinic, held a paint night for the clients, and helped organize donations. They were also exposed to other services that LSSNCA provides, including mental health support, ESL classes, and employment services.
Trip leaders organized education events such as reading and discussing articles, watching films, and attending a presentation given by Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), the world’s oldest refugee agency. This trip allowed students to learn deeply about refugee resettlement, while also being able to engage in hands-on volunteer work surrounding the topic.
Established to honor the memory of James and Minnie McKnight, the parents of Sally Gillispie, the McKnight Fund assists individuals to participate in inspirational, educational or service opportunities which enlarge their personal sense of the cause of national/world mission service.
The students will share some of their experiences in Sunday’s Traditional service, during the Minute for Mission segment. Everyone is invited to hear some remarks from our student ambassadors at a light lunch immediately following Traditional worship this Sunday, April 16.
- Linda Robertson
|
|
|
|
-
This week’s sermon will be a dialogue, Today’s Thomases between The Rev. Lindsey Altvater Clifton and The Rev. Dr. Steve Simmons
-
We post the video of each week’s services and sermon text on our website: fpc-bethlehem.org
|
|
TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper for Sunday
|
|
FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:
-
Child care will be available from 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.
-
Your children are a joy in our worship services, and should the need arise, “kid bags” are available for their use. They are in the Narthex and in the blanket-sitting area (to the left of the communion table in Fellowship Hall).
-
We offer nametags for folks to wear – these are for everyone! You can pick up as you enter the worship space; please clearly PRINT your first name.
|
|
HEARTS N MINDS ADULT ED CLASS: ALL ARE WELCOME
The Hearts N Minds adult ed class will meet this Sunday from 9:45 – 10:40 a.m. in the Parlor (upstairs above the main church office). Please feel free to come even if you have not done the reading.
The group is studying the book, Elusive Grace: Loving Your Enemies While Striving for God’s Justice by Pastor Scott Black Johnson, senior pastor at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian in Manhattan. The reading for this week includes the chapters, “Learning to Love Truth” and “Learning to Love your Neighbor” (ends on page 92).
|
|
CELEBRATING EASTER!
Last weekend we celebrated Easter with an exciting Easter Egg Hunt & Spring Festival, held on Saturday. We welcomed about 200 neighbors from the community to enjoy an egg hunt, facepainting, crafts, bubbles and our fun photo booth (which was also available on Sunday). Thanks to Elder Kari Keyock for the photos (and crafting the photo booth).
|
|
HI NEIGHBORS: BACK ON MONDAY
Special Guest: Local musician/author Dave Fry
|
|
Our popular speakers program, Hi Neighbors, is back for this Monday, April 17, when we welcome beloved local folksinger Dave Fry.
Dave will talk about his life in Bethlehem, read excerpts from his new book, Welcome to Godfrey Daniels, and play some music for us.
|
|
|
Each program will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall with a hospitality time. The presentations will begin at 10 a.m. All are welcome - there is no fee and no pre-registration.
This spring we're partnering with the folks at Meals on Wheels, who are assisting us with the scheduling of presenters, and to promote our program. We thank them for their support.
|
|
CONCERT AT FIRST PRES BY CONCORD CHAMBER SINGERS
From the early music of the Moravians and Stephen Foster, to the works of Barber and beyond, there is a rich history of new music from Penn's Woods.
|
|
The Concord Chamber Singers, directed by David Macbeth, will present "Music of Penn's Woods", a selection of songs by Pennsylvania composers from the 1680s all the way to now.
It will be offered at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 30 here at First Pres. Featuring the multi-generational Concord Chamber Singers as well as multiple musicians, enjoy this journey through history to enjoy the music the state of Pennsylvania has helped produce.
|
|
|
Tickets are available for purchase online; they will also be available at the door. Adult tickets are $25, and students are $10; under five are free.
|
|
CARE CONCERNS AND HOSPITAL VISITS
If you are hospitalized, please tell the hospital our church code is 724. Also, please call the church office at 610-867-5865 to let us know as the hospitals do not always collect this information. After hours, leave a message or call our answering service at 610-778-7003.
PRAYER REQUESTS...
|
|
Send us your news and photos to share:
**Deadline for the next week's newsletter:
WEDNESDAY at noon**
* * *
Your likes / comments / shares help us spread the word about First Pres!
|
|
TO JOIN OUR LIVESTREAM WORSHIP SERVICE
-
Visit our Facebook page and look for the post with our live feed
-
If you don’t have a Facebook account, go to our website to view the service - click on the "Watch the Service" button
- Please check in with a comment so we know you’ve joined us!
- Captions will now be available on our livestream, for those who would like to use that feature
To watch a video – available after the services have aired: Visit our website archives
|
|
THIS SUNDAY
- 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
-
9:00 a.m.: “Holy Ground” Contemporary service, Fellowship Hall followed by Coffee & Conversation in Fellowship Hall
- 9:45-10:40 a.m.: Hearts N Minds adult ed class, Parlor - all are welcome
- 11:00 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service, in-person in the Sanctuary AND livestream on Facebook Live and our website
- Noon: Lafayette College Student Luncheon, Fellowship Hall - all are welcome (lunch provided)
WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom (Meeting # 380 435 9056 / Password: overcomer)
CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO:
Regular office hours are Monday - Thursday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Many of the office staff are working remotely for some of the time, so please make an appointment if you need to see someone specific. The answering service (610-778-7003) can take your urgent pastoral concerns, 24 hours a day.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Look for updates on our website (fpc-bethlehem.org), Facebook page, and WFMZ (channel 69 and wfmz.com). We will also put the info on our church phone message, 610-867-5865.
CARE CONCERNS AND HOSPITAL VISITS: If members of the FPCB congregation are hospitalized and would welcome pastoral and hospital ministrant visitors and/or prayers, please contact: Phil Fair, Prayer Ministrant (prayer@fpc-bethlehem.org).
|
|
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BETHLEHEM |
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18017 610-867-5865 | info@fpc-bethlehem.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
