IN THIS ISSUE . . .

Pastoral Letter

Joys / Concerns

Worship

Summer Faith Formation

Fellowship Events

Service and Mission Opportunities

LINKS and SIGN-UPS

Online Giving

Online Calendar

Phishing & Spoofing



Ways to Give

Sign up to deliver worship flowers

Office volunteers - open dates

Letter from Pastor/Head of Staff



Dear friends, 

We are in a season of new beginnings – the first days of school, a new semester in college, an empty nest, a new job, retirement, a new relationship, a new freedom from something weighing you down, a new hobby, a new baby or grandbaby, a new journey. New beginnings can be hard. They can also be exciting. They can help us move from a hard place to a good place, if we let them.

New beginnings are empty books, blank pages waiting to be filled. What new beginning are you experiencing as we move from August to September and new rhythms start up in our lives? How might you invite God to be a part of this new beginning? To guide and direct you? To give you courage and strength? To open your heart and mind and spirit to experience hope and joy in the newness? 

Poet John O’Donahue has a beautiful poem to help us think about the new beginnings in our lives. I share it with you here and invite you to consider it in light of the God of new beginnings.

For A New Beginning ~ John O’Donahue 

In out of the way places of the heart 

Where your thoughts never think to wander 

This beginning has been quietly forming 

Waiting until you were ready to emerge. 

For a long time it has watched your desire 

Feeling the emptiness grow inside you 

Noticing how you willed yourself on 

Still unable to leave what you had outgrown. 

It watched you play with the seduction of safety 

And the grey promises that sameness whispered 

Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent 

Wondered would you always live like this. 

Then the delight, when your courage kindled, 

And out you stepped onto new ground, 

Your eyes young again with energy and dream 

A path of plenitude opening before you. 

Though your destination is not clear 

You can trust the promise of this opening; 

Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning 

That is one with your life’s desire. 

Awaken your spirit to adventure 

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk 

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm 

For your soul senses the world that awaits you. 



Embrace the new beginning God has in store for you. 

With love, 

Mindy       

CONDOLENCES: The love and concern of the congregation are extended to the following:

• Carolyn Ragans on the death of her son-in-law in Florida;
• Carlisle and Joe Harvard on the death of Carlisle's brother, Wright Caughman, in Atlanta on August 22. Wright was also the uncle of Rebecca Harvard and great uncle of Jenna and Maryn Leonard. Article on Wright Caughman.

CONCERNS:

• Fred Callaway has returned to his apartment community following a fall.
• Sam Crabtree, five-year-old son of Meredith and Taylor Crabtree

Click HERE to see more concerns.

The churchlife app can be used to locate address information for sending cards to individuals and families. You may also contact the church office if you do not have access to the app.

Dear Church family,

Thank you so much for the flowers, your kind words and the cards of sympathy following the death of my dear brother Ray. It was comforting to know you cared and I am so grateful to be a part of this community of believers.



In Christian love, 

Shirley Frederick

********************

We are grateful to the following for organizing, coordinating volunteers, and hosting events in their home during the months of July and August:

• Jane and Bill Brown for hosting First Friends at their home in July.
• Barbara Buckley for organizing landscaping and grounds workdays in July and August at the church.
• Julie Whiddon - organizing the August 1 Red Cross Blood Drive at FPC.
• Tyler & Deborah Momsen-Hudson - hosting the all-church Summer Sizzle on August 11 and a First Friends Potluck on August 17 at their home in Hillsborough.
• Mickey Velkey who organized another Daytimers' Luncheon at Bullocks BBQ today, August 27.
• Jancy Johnstone has agreed to serve as FPC's Urban Ministries of Durham volunteers coordinator.
• We thank Jen McGonigle for her many years of faithful service as coordinator of FPC volunteers with Urban Ministries of Durham.

Thank you to all who donated school supplies for this year's Crayons2Calculators drive. We received more than four boxes of donations for Durham Public Schools teachers.

Housing Needed

Our Care Team partner, Lakisha Graham, is in need of housing which could consist of a room, small apartment, or ADU. Lakisha has been approved by the Session as the next resident in our church’s apartment, but there have been major delays in completion of Omar Guess’ Habitat home. Lakisha has served in the Air Force and she is presently employed at a local car wash. She is pursuing a business degree online and hopes to go to Durham Tech. She has just completed a year long Restorative Transition program in Durham. If you have any potential housing or know someone who might have housing, please contact Jane Williams at 336-577-8240.  

WORSHIP

Sunday, September 1

15th Sunday after Pentecost

11:00 a.m. Worship

Esther Hethcox, preaching

Sunday, September 8

16th Sunday after Pentecost

Faith Formation Fall Kickoff 9:45 a.m. in Watts-Hill Hall

11:00 a.m.

Worship and Communion

Mindy Douglas, preaching

FAITH FORMATION

FOR CHILDREN AND SUNDAY MORNING CHILDCARE

Upcoming Calendar Dates

• No children's Faith Formation on Sunday, September 1 (Labor Day weekend)
• Program Year kick off is Sunday, September 8

Childcare is available on the second floor of the Christian education building for very young children beginning at 9:45. and for children younger than 5 during worship.

If your child is interested in taking part in Worship leadership, please let Lenore know! (l.champion@firstpres-durham.org)

LECTIONARY CLASS

Join us each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in the Robert Daye Meeting Room for discussion of the lectionary readings.

September 1: What variety we find in our Bibles! There is praise, confrontation, advice and even love poetry... and that's just in the readings for one Sunday!

September 8: Rich people: have they been justly rewarded for a righteous life? or are they blasphemous oppressors? You can find both attitudes in our readings this week (and possibly in our political discourse). 

JOURNEY'S CLASS

9:45 a.m. - Wilson Parlor

* September 8 will be the church kickoff for Faith Formation. We will meet briefly after the festivities with the other children, youth and adult classes.* September 15 will start a discussion of Genesis by Marilynne Robinson led by Eric Wiebe with help from a few other members. We will use about 6 Sundays to complete the discussion.

* In mid-October, we expect to begin a discussion of important sections of the Book of Acts. We are still compiling and discussing books and resources to guide this study.

* We hope to read and discuss Saving Jesus from the Church by Robin Meyers, and hope some members will help take a lead in this study, which will be later in the faith formation year.

* There are several topics that will only need a single Sunday. Examples include: Conversion of the Jews by Phillip Roth; The Forgotten Radicalism of Jesus (NYT article, which includes a separate rebuttal); and, I was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me (podcast).

For more information on this adult class, contact Andy Henry, Eric Wiebe, or Paul Baldasare.

The Church office will be closed Monday, September 2 in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Chancel Choir rehearsals

begin again on Wednesday, September 4 at 7:00 p.m.

We always welcome new members.   If you are interested in singing, please contact Kathy Parkins. She would love to talk to you about joining the choir. She can be reached at k.parkins@firstpres-durham.org or feel free to come up to the organ after the postlude on Sunday mornings and talk to her. 

FPC's Men of Faith will gather at Mad Hatter's restaurant on Friday, September 6 at 8:00 a.m. for breakfast and conversation.

Circle and Bible Study

Monday, September 9

10:30 a.m.

Robert Daye Meeting Room

Susan Dunlap leads the Bible Study.

Study books have arrive and can be picked up from the church.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS SEPTEMBER

Monday, September 9

6:00 p.m. Christian Education

6:00 p.m. Personnel

6:00 p.m. Property

6:30 p.m. Service & Mission

7:00 p.m. Worship & the Arts

Wednesday, September 11

6:00 p.m. Stewardship

Tuesday, September 17

6:00 p.m. Finance

The THINGS THAT MATTER BOOK GROUP will meet on Tuesday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Marsha Butler. Hendrika Vande Kemp will lead us in a discussion of Reading Van Gogh by Elizabeth Barks Cox. Let Marsha know if you will join the discussion.

FIRST FRIENDS

SAVE THE DATE!

First Friends & Families

BEACH WEEKEND

Friday, September 20 -

Sunday, September 22

New families and first-timers welcome to join us. Click to make a reservation.

Emanuel Food Pantry

Volunteer opportunities all year long!

Service, helping others, building community — all part of our commitment at FPC to be a Matthew 25 church. We have an easy and wonderful way for you to give 2 hours of your time, right here in Durham. No need to pack your bags and travel, just come be part of the incredibly impactful ministry at the Emanuel Food Pantry! We love welcoming new volunteers, and are always grateful for donations of food, rice, beans, and financial support.

To volunteer, simply click here and come join the fun! For more information, contact Margaret Rubiera. 

COMMUNITY INVITATION

Pauli Murray Center

906 Carroll St, Durham

September 7, 2024 - 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

COMMUNITY INVITATION

The Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship will be showing the documentary Bad Faith: Ch ristian Nationalism's Unholy War on Democracy on Saturday, September 7 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 8 at 1:30 p.m. More information and the link to register is here (and to reserve child care as well). The showing is free and will be followed by a discussion with Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson on Saturday and Dr. Nancy MacLean on Sunday. ERUUF is located at 4907 Garrett Road, Durham.