First Presbyterian Church Auburn would like to introduce our new UKIRK Program Director, Brittany Branyon!

Brittany is an Auburn University graduate with a degree in Political Science. She achieved her master’s in international relations from the University of Oklahoma and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy at Auburn.

Brittany is a graduate assistant with Auburn University. Here she oversees a team of graduate assistants and interns, recruiting undergraduate students and guiding and managing their work on various projects and assignments. She has broad experience in written communications as well as marketing, public relations, and other program-related objectives. 

Below are answers to a few questions we asked Brittany so we could get to know her better! 

I was born in Montgomery but grew up mostly in Conyers, GA. In high school I moved to Wetumpka, went to Auburn in 2005. I graduated in 2009 and then moved to Germany for three years followed by Richmond, VA, Watertown, NY, Phoenix, AZ, Pittsburgh, PA, and Ft. Lauderdale, FL before moving back to Auburn in 2017.

Community involvement? I used to be more involved than I am now thanks to graduate school, ha! I’ve served on as an associate board member at Storybook Farm, homebound ministry through AUMC, Alabama Prison Birth Project, city of Auburn task forces on equity and inclusion and sustainability, co-advisor for the Student Philanthropy Board at AU, local political campaigns, and I’m currently the political science department’s graduate student council senator.  

Hobbies & Interest? I LOVE getting my hands dirty in the garden. It’s my favorite thing in the entire world. I am currently trying to keep my David Austin roses alive, which is tricky in this climate. In addition to gardening, I love cooking and baking (bonus points if it’s from the garden!), teaching my kids to help in the kitchen, hiking, and enjoying live music. The best possible Saturday would be a bike ride to the local farmers’ market followed by an iced coffee and trip to a plant nursery. Traveling is another thing that I can’t get enough of, and it helps that my research often leads me to Africa. However, the top travel destination currently on my bucket list is Scotland (my ancestors are from the Highlands). That’s a lot of information, ha!

Your family? I have a 10-year-old named Jude and 3-year-old named Magnolia Ruth. We have a hyper 2-year-old boxer named Winston and 7-year-old kitty named Oona. My husband, Rick Bradshaw, is the controller at Ecological Insulation. We enjoy traveling together and most recently spent Winter Break in a tiny home in the middle of the wooded mountains in Vermont. 

Fun fact about me? That’s a tricky one. I was an international election observer for the recent presidential election in Liberia in October 2023 and missed seeing Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (first woman head of state on the continent) by 5 minutes. That’s certainly different and was one of the best experiences of my life.

Brittany and her family live in Auburn and attend Holy Trinity church.

Join us for food and fellowship on Wednesday, May 15 before our congregational meals team takes a break for the summer! We will be having a cookout (meal served in Baird Hall) and you do not need to bring anything except your appetite. Food will be served until 6pm for any who are coming straight from work.

Join us Saturday, May 11 from 9am-12pm (or anytime in between!) to serve at the Community Market of East Alabama. If you have never come before, this is a fun way to contribute to a very important ministry in our community. Children of all ages may participate as well (kids under 12 - bring a grown up with you!) Sign up here to participate

VBS registration is now open!!!

This summer we are doing VBS a little differently. We will still be offering four amazing days of VBS but instead of all in one week, we are offering two days in June and two days in July! We are hoping this will allow more of our kiddos to participate.

The dates are Sundays, June 16, June 30, July 14, and July 28 from 4-7pm.

Click the link below and register ASAP!

https://firstpresbyterianchurchauburn.mycokesburyvbs.com/register-child

Leith Lectures 2024

For this year's Leith Lecture Series we look forward to welcoming author Rev. Mary Ann McKibben Dana (August 17-18 - more details to come.) In anticipation of this event, we will be offering a summer book club to explore her book, Hope: A User's Manual. 

We will meet several times in June and July. (Exact meeting dates and times will be determined by the availability of those interested in participating.) 

If you'd like to join us, please fill out this form and you will be contacted with more information. Questions? Contact Kathy Reed at kreed@fpcauburn.org

Did you know that you can donate directly to the church from your IRA?

A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) allows individuals who are 70½ years old or older to donate up to $105,000 total in 2024 to one or more charities directly from a taxable IRA, without having to pay tax on the withdrawal. QCDs can be counted toward satisfying your required minimum distributions (RMDs) for the year, as long as certain rules are met.

Contact your IRA trustee or Accountant for more information.

This Week at FPC

May 5-11, 2024

Sunday

9:00 a.m. - Worship Service with Weekly Communion (Chapel)

9:30 a.m. - Coffee & Fellowship (Baird Hall)

9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for all ages

11:00 a.m. - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for May 5 worship

Sunday Parking Map

5:00 p.m. - End of Year Youth & Children Cookout Celebration

Monday

10:00 a.m. - Sowers (3rd Floor Project Room)

Saturday

9:00 a.m. - Community Market

Children and Youth News

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.
• 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.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Jr./Sr. High Sunday school meets this Sunday from 10-10:45 upstairs in the youth lounge.

Summer Mission Trip and Conference Dates for Jr. and Sr. High Youth

Charleston Youth Mission (Registration is closed) - June 2-7, 2024

Montreat Youth Conference - July 7-13, 2024

Montreat Middle School Conference - July 17-21, 2024 

Birthdays 

May 5 - Terry Ley

May 6 - Scott Bagwell

May 9 - Katie Cooper

May 10 - Tom Webb

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Prayers of comfort for all of the Spencer family as they grieve the death of Ruth Spencer. Ruth was a longtime member of this church and steadfast presence in our community. Prayers of comfort for Spence, Steve, Sandra, and all the family as they grieve Ruth's death and celebrate her gift of life. 

• Prayers of healing and rest for Nancy Sanker as she continues to navigate health issues. 

• 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 Kay Recknor’s brother Don Decker as he navigates health issues.

• Continued prayers of healing for Henry Helmke as he navigates health issues at home. Prayers for Shirley and all of the caring for Henry.

• Prayers of healing for Terry Ley as he navigates health issues at home. Prayers for Mari and all those who are caring for Terry.

• Prayers of healing for Don Ball’s son Kelly Ball, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for recurrence of cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Daniel and Amanda Johnson’s nephew James Ivey as he receives critical care. Prayers for the doctors and caregivers who are caring for him, especially his parents and family.

• Prayers of healing for Dibba Spear’s friend Sam Franklin as he recovers from knee replacement surgery.

• Prayers for former Ukirk student Shannon Smith as she recovers at home after having a stroke.

• Prayers of healing and wholeness for Becky Buchanan’s family friend Hughes Allen who has been diagnosed with cancer.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner (daughter-in-law of Dorothy Moran) as she recovers from a kidney transplant.

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

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

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Ned 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 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. 

• 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.