First Presbyterian Church Bi-Weekly Newsletter April 4, 2023 Issue 7

IN THIS ISSUE . . .


Pastoral Letter

Joys / Concerns

Thank You Notes

Elder & Deacons

Stewardship


CONGREGATIONAL LIFE

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

Easter Worship

Weekly Book Study


SERVICE & MISSION

Urban Ministries of Durham


LINKS

Online Calendar

April Birthdays

Phishing & Spoofing

Ways to Give

Pastoral Letter


Dear friends,

   If you joined us for worship on Sunday, you know that we did something a little different this time around. There were two, short sermons – meditations, really – instead of the usual one, robust proclamation. In preaching them, I was trying to answer the challenge of the last Sunday of Lent, the Sunday before Easter. When I was growing up, it was always Palm Sunday, complete with palm waving in the aisles and the inevitable palm origami (palm-igami? ori-palm-i?) in the pews. At FPC, we usually mark the day as both Palm and Passion Sunday, but so often that has really been Passion Sunday, resigning the palms to the downtown procession through very beginning of the service – right up until the confession of sin, when things turn toward the cross. Read the rest of John's letter HERE.


Siblings in Christ, may your Holy Week be holy this year and may it end in resurrection joy – at FPC or among some other gathering of the faithful. Happy Easter!


John Weicher              

In observance of Easter, the church office will be closed on Monday, April 10. Have a safe and happy Easter weekend.

Flower Donation Opportunities 

Easter lilies will grace our sanctuary on Easter Sunday, April 9. Remember/honor someone on Easter Sunday by donating toward the lilies’ cost. Missed the deadline? Contact Valerie in the church office ASAP if you still wish to participate in this lily project.


Flower the Cross:  You are invited to bring fresh greenery and flowers from your garden to flower the cross at the church on Easter Sunday morning.  

 

Worship Flowers: There are open dates for worship flower donors in April. To learn more and to sign up, click on the flowers link in the bi-weekly newsletter, or on the FLOWERS link on the homepage of the FPC web site (https://www.firstpres-durham.org). 

 

April 6, 2023

7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary

Worship with Communion and Stripping of the Chancel

Susan Dunlap, preaching

April 7, 2023

12 Noon

Stations of the Cross

Begins at St. Philip's Episcopal Church and ends at First Presbyterian Church. All ages welcome.

Faith Formation

Sunday, April 9

The Lectionary Class will meet on Easter Sunday morning from 9:45-10:45 in the Daye Meeting Room.


All adult classes will resume on Sunday, April 16.

   Journey's Class

Wilson Parlor

April 9 - Easter - no class

April 16, 23 and 30 - We will dscuss Jimmie Hawkins' book “Unbroken and Unbowed - A History of Black Protest in America” in preparation for his visit to FPC on 4/30 ad 5/1.

WEEKLY BOOK STUDY

You can order this book

from one of these links:

www.amazon.com www.abebooks.com www.christianbook.com

 

Discussion Schedule

 April 18/19 -

Part I - Christianity as Love

 April 25/26 -

Part II – Creation

(need volunteer teachers

 this week)

 May 2/3 -

Part III - Fall

 May 9/10 -

Part IV - Redemption

 May 16/17 -

Part V - Hope


 Join Zoom Meeting

 ZOOM LINK

First Friends Potluck

Hosted by Jane Wettach and Paul Baldasare

Saturday, April 15

2710 Old Sugar Road

Click here to RSVP


Family Popsicle Fellowship

Sunday, April 23 -

3:00 p.m.

Forest Hills Park


Spring Pop-Up:

Forest Bathing

Saturday, April 29

11:00 a.m.

Location: F Shelter in Duke

EASTER WORSHIP

11:00 a.m.

Worship with Communion

Mindy Douglas, preaching

Following worship, the congregation is invited to Watts-Hill Hall for light refreshments.


The PCUSA One Great Hour of Sharing Offering will be received on Easter Sunday. This offering provides relief to the hungry, poor and oppressed, and those affected by natural disasters and war. Online giving is available via the church's website. Specially marked envelopes will be available on Sunday morning to receive the offering. Thank you for your generous giving.

SERVICE & MISSION

  Spring is here! We've been a little short on volunteers as of late, so if you've got friends you'd like to bring or perhaps a college student home for the summer, be sure to invite them to join you and make an outing of volunteering!

 

APRIL DATES (FPC Commitments)

  • Monday, April 17th prepare lunch bags, 9:30-10:30am (3 volunteers needed)
  • Friday, April 21st, prepare breakfast and fill take-out boxes, 7 - 9am (4 volunteers needed)
  • Thursday, April 27th prepare lunch bags, 9:30-10:30am (3 volunteers needed)

 ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

  • Thursday, April 6th flexible hours to assist with donation sorting (1-3hour block)
  • Saturday, April 15th 8:30-10:30am, prepare breakfast and fill take-out boxes (2 volunteers needed) OR 11-1:30 to prepare breakfast and fill take-out boxes (3 volunteers needed)

 

Link here for other UMD opportunities:  

https://umdurham.org/volunteer/

 

Contact Jen McGonigle at 202-421-5870 for more information.