Please Welcome our Guest Preacher for Sunday, November 19: Rev. Rachel Vankirk Mathews,

Assistant Director of Living River

Rachel grew up in Athens, AL. Following in the family tradition, she majored in Electrical Engineering at The University of Alabama while her college sweetheart, Wesley, studied engineering at Auburn University. They moved to Georgia where she earned her Masters in Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary in 2018. Rachel's first call was to serve as an Associate Pastor in Lexington, KY for three years. She and her husband have two children, Benny, age three, and Maria, age one June. They recently moved to Birmingham where Rachel began work as the Assistant Director for Development at Living River. Their family enjoys being outside as much as possible and exploring the places they live.

We are very grateful to have Rev. Mathews leading us in worship this Sunday.

*****DATE CHANGE for November Community Market Volunteering!*****

Because the Community Market will be closed on Saturday, November 11, our monthly volunteer date will now take place on Saturday, November 18. All ages are welcome to join us at the market from 9am-12pm or just part of that shift to stock, clean, greet clients, and help in any way we can! Sign up here to participate.

It is hard to believe the Advent season is almost upon us! This year's theme, "How Does a Weary Word Rejoice?" comes to us from the Sanctified Art ministry.

Below you will find a schedule of opportunities for worship, study, fellowship, and service. More details on each event will be shared in the weeks to come. We hope you will join us and invite others as we use this season to reflect upon what it means to seek the hope and joy of Jesus Christ in a conflicted and weary world.

Printed copies of our Adult/Youth and Children's/Families devotionals will be available beginning November 26, but if you would like to download a copy now, PDF files are available here:

• Adult/Youth Devotionals
• Children/Families Devotionals

Join us in the chapel on Sunday, November 26 at 9:45am for the final presentation of Rev. Dr. Kathy Reed's doctoral project. For any who weren't able to make the previous presentations, this session will include a recap of the project and time for questions and discussion.

Calling all Cookie Bakers and Cookie Monsters

Join us for the 28th Annual Christmas Cookie Walk fundraiser Saturday, December 2.

There are many ways to participate. All money benefits Habitat for Humanity and builds houses. All details are available on www.auburnopelikahabitat.org

Everyone is invited to attend Saturday and buy and enjoy Christmas cookies which supports the local work of Habitat for Humanity. The Cookie Walk helps build homes, and we recently dedicated home #73 and we are building homes #74, 75, 76, and 77 this Fall.

Ways you can help:

•     Dec 1, Friday 2-7pm Bake and deliver cookies and/or help receive and set up cookies and decorate at True Deliverance Holiness Church

•     Dec 2, Saturday 7am-12 pm Help with the Cookie Walk filling tables and cookies.

•     Dec 2, Saturday 11am – 12pm help with clean up.

•     Dec 2, Saturday 8am - 12pm come enjoy and buy Christmas cookies. 

Please share this information with others and invite them to Cookie Walk. Like and share this information on Facebook at Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity

Time to Order Advent Poinsettias!

If you would like to place a poinsettia in our sanctuary/chapel for Advent (until Christmas Eve), please fill out this ORDER FORM and submit it along with $20/plant by Wednesday, November 29. Additional paper forms will be available in the narthex. The plants will be in the sanctuary beginning December 3.

PCM Assists 118 Families During Third Quarter

The Presbyterian Community Ministry (PCM) provided financial and home repair and renovation assistance to 118 Lee County families during the third quarter of this year.

Total income for the quarter was $35,462; expenses were $58,595. Income included $8,954 from membership dues; $12,085 in donations; and $13,000 from our church’s Outreach Committee. Expenses included about $26,000 for utilities and about $21,000 for renovations. 

Office administrator Mary Turnbull reported this event, which emphasizes the impact that PCM can make on someone’s life: “Last week I was doing my daily walk in the neighborhood. I passed a group of men working together to take down a tree, and I greeted them. Imagine my surprise when one of them answered, ‘Good morning, Miss Mary!’ I walked up to him and saw that he was a former client of PCM. When Tony walked into my office last year, he had hit rock bottom. He was on the verge of being evicted. He owed a large power bill. Ill health had prevented him from working for two months, and his health was just starting to improve. The help that PCM gave him was a much-needed boost. He got back to work and was able to get a small used car, which he proudly showed me parked on the side of the road. THAT is what your dollars are doing, changing people’s futures, from destitute to active and productive members of society.”

Also during the third quarter, PCM used some remaining funds from solicitations after the Beauregard tornado to assist victims of the heavy hailstorm in Camp Hill. One family had received an offer of a mobile home to replace theirs, which was heavily damaged in the storm, but they could not afford to have it moved to their site. PCM paid for moving it. Wrote Mary, “When our contact person, Warren Tidwell, was telling me about the event when the mobile home was set into place, he wept as he described how the family wept in relief and gratitude….Again, THAT is what your dollars are doing! Whether you send $25 or $25,000, it makes a difference in someone’s life.”

Donations of any amount from our church members are always welcome. Those who wish to make a gift to PCM should send their checks to PCM, 143 East Thach Avenue, Auburn, AL 36830. Those wishing to become individual annual members ($250) or family members ($300) should send their checks to the same address.

Pictorial Directory Sign Ups

In the upcoming weeks there will be more opportunities to have your picture taken for the new Pictorial Directory Picture. It takes just a few minutes for our team of volunteers to take your picture for the upcoming directory so please consider signing up. We will be taking pictures on Sunday, November 19 and Sunday, December 17. There will be sign up sheets in the narthex. Please contact Nick Reed if you have any questions. 

This Week at FPC

November 19-25, 2023

Sunday

9:00 AM - Worship Service with Weekly Communion (Chapel)

9:30 AM - Coffee and Fellowship (Baird Hall)

9:45 AM - Sunday School for All Ages

11:00 AM - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for November 19 worship

Sunday Parking Map

4:00 PM - Children's Choir Rehearsal

5:00 PM - Jr. & Sr. High Youth Dinner and Fellowship

5:30 PM - Stated Session Meeting

Monday

10:00 AM - Memorial Service for Joan Duffett (Sanctuary)

Children and Youth News

Game Day Parking: Our parking lot will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday, November 18, and our youth will be collecting $40/per car on a first-come, first-served basis. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. versus New Mexico State.

Christmas Parade Lunch and Fellowship: Join us in the courtyard for a lunch cookout Sunday, December 3 at 1pm and then stay and watch the parade beginning at 2pm.

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Children’s choir rehearsal this Sunday at 4pm. The children will have a short time of recreation in Baird Hall from 4-4:15 and then head down to Conway Hall for choir from 4:15 – 5. Then they will make their way back to Baird Hall for dinner. Please bring $3 for dinner.
• Godly Play: After the Word to Grow By (at 11 a.m. worship), children ages 4 to 2nd grade will go to the Godly Play room to worship together for the remainder of the worship service.
• Acolytes! 3rd – 5th grade parents, click the link to sign your child up!
• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Jr. and Sr. High Youth will meet this Sunday for dinner in Baird Hall at 5 and Youth Group in the Youth Lounge from 5:30-6:30.

Birthdays 

Nov. 22 - David Matchen

Nov. 23 - Elizabeth Garrett, Spence Spencer

Nov. 25 - Carson Herndon

Nov. 28 - Allen Patterson

Dec. 1 - Bobbie Thurlow

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Prayers of comfort for Debbie Duin and all the family and friends of Joan Duffett as they grieve Joan’s death. There will be a memorial service on November 20 at 10am in the church sanctuary.

• Please continue to pray for many members of our church who are dealing with illness, significant health issues, grief, and difficult circumstances but at this time do not wish to be mentioned by name. Prayers of healing, wholeness, and comfort for many in our congregation.

• Prayers of healing for Donine Cooper as she continues to recover from surgery, but is now dealing with some complications. Prayers for Doug as he cares for her.

• Prayers for Jim Foil and his family as they continue to manage Jim’s health.

• Prayers of healing for Charlie Johnson as he navigates health issues. Prayers for Peggy as she cares for Charlie.

• Prayers of comfort for Mike Williams and the Williams family, especially Mike’s sister Jeanine Morrow as they grieve the death of Jeanine’s husband, Kelley Morrow. Prayers for Mike as he cares for his sister.

• Prayers of healing for Todd Jolly’s brother Robby Jolly as he awaits test for a cancer diagnosis. Prayers for Todd as he cares for his brother from afar.

• Prayers of healing and rest for Graves Lovell’s mother as she recovers hip replacement surgery. Prayers for Graves as he cares for his mother.

• Prayers for traveling mercies for Anne Leader and Rich Guether. Anne travels to Italy for four weeks of research. Prayers of healing for Rich’s father Dick as he navigates health issues.

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Ned found out he has a recurrence of cancer and will be undergoing treatment over the next few months. Prayers for Catherine as she cares for her father.

• Prayers of healing for Elizabeth White’s brother Joe, who has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and is seeking other ways of treatment. Prayers for Elizabeth as she cares for her brother from afar.

• Prayers of healing for Donna Yeager as she navigates significant back pain.

• Prayers of healing for Doug Klinkenborg as he recovers from successful surgery.

• Prayers of healing for Daniel Johnson and his mother as they recover at home after successful kidney donation. 

• Prayers of healing and rest for Donna Yeager’s mother, Patsy Yeager, as she navigates health issues.

• Prayers healing and comfort for Sarah Wolak’s mother, Susan French. Prayers of comfort and strength for Sarah and all her family as they care for her mother.

• Continued prayers of healing for Chris Greer. We especially pray for good healing and rest as Chris recovers from successful treatments. We continue to rejoice with Chris because the latest scans show no sign of cancer. We are so grateful the chemotherapy treatments have been successful. Chris will continue a plan of treatment for the upcoming months. 

• Continued prayers for Jesse Joiner’s mother, Ann Joiner, after her hip surgery. 

• Continued prayers of healing for Susan Stanley’s sister Ginger Hester. Ginger has been receiving treatments for health issues. Prayers for healing for Ginger and prayers of thanksgiving for all those who are caring for her. Prayers for Susan as she cares for her sister.

• Prayers for Brooke Myers as she cares for her father, Charlie Myers. Charlie is recovering from a fall and has moved to Morningside.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin’s friend, Ann Suttles, who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Carolyn William’s sister Beverly Huey as she navigates health issues. Prayers for Carolyn as she cares for her sister.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner and her family (daughter in law of Dorothy Moran). Amy is in need of a kidney transplant and is currently looking for a donor.