At a called session meeting on Monday, July 26, the session voted to require masks for all participants for worship and indoor gatherings. They also voted to reinstate six feet of social distancing between family units in the sanctuary. These changes came as a recommendation from the COVID Taskforce in light of the high positive infection rate for Lee County, advice from EAMC health officials, and a growing concern over the Delta variant.

These changes were not made lightly but are being put into effect based upon the high infection rate for our county, advice from EAMC health officials, and a growing concern over the spread of the Delta variant. With these practices in place, we hope the church campus can continue to serve our congregation safely.

This Sunday, August 1, we welcome the Rev. Nancy J. Benson-Nicol, the last of our guest preachers as part of our Co-Pastors’, Nick and Kathy Reed, sabbatical funded by a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment.

The Reverend Benson-Nicol is a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Nancy currently lives in Austin, Texas, where she serves as director of philanthropic engagement for Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She has served the national agencies in her former ministries on behalf of Presbyterian seminaries as associate director, Theological Education Funds Development (Presbyterian Foundation), and on behalf of the marginalized as associate for Gender and Racial Justice (Presbyterian Mission Agency). She is the author of the 2012-2013 Horizons Bible Study Dispatches to God’s Household: The General Epistles. From 2006-2013, she served as university chaplain of the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas. Prior to that, Nancy served as associate pastor of First United Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and as a Lilly Resident in Parish Ministry at First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

A native of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Nancy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors from Swarthmore College in Sociology & Anthropology and Religion. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School. While at Harvard, Nancy served as seminarian in The Memorial Church, Harvard University, under the direction of the late Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes.

Each of us has had to make difficult decisions during the last 17 months of this pandemic weighing what is best for our families; your church and Session has had to do the same. This week, our dedicated Session members approved the Covid-19 taskforce recommendations to require masks for all people (vaccinated and unvaccinated) inside our buildings at FPC.

I can assure each of you that this is not a recommendation that we made lightly. Our local health officials at East Alabama Health have strongly urged all people to wear masks indoors until the spread of Covid-19, and specifically the Delta variant, is under control. The Delta variant has proven to be more contagious and breakthrough cases are occurring in vaccinated folks. I urge you to read the latest post from Dr. Maldonado, Infectious Disease Specialist at EAMC, that can be found at www.eamc.org.

As your faith community nurse and someone who loves each of you, I encourage you to mask in public indoor spaces and to get vaccinated. We have some among our congregation who are unable to be vaccinated at this time, including all of our children under the age of 12.

Peace & grace, Erin Brown, RN

After a year of social distancing, many of our routines and habits have changed. And now, with the hope of reconnecting in the fall, we have the opportunity to change them again.

In order to provide opportunities for connection— especially through intergenerational fellowship— the Congregational Care and Children and Youth committees invite you to take this short survey about how you would like to reconnect with others in the church.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us; your response will help guide us as we plan new opportunities for congregational connection.

As a part of the church’s new re-opening guidelines, Punch on the Lawn is returning! If you would like to volunteer to host a Sunday Punch on the Lawn, you may sign up here. For more information about volunteering, please contact Kirstin Yost at at kmyost97@gmail.com or 910-309-1625.

In worship this Sunday, we will celebrate the sacrament of communion. For those worshiping in-person, prepackaged elements will be available for all. If you are worshiping from home via the live-stream or radio, you may wish to have your own bread and juice on hand for the service.

✵ 11:00am: In-Person, Indoor Worship -  If you attend one of the indoor services in coming weeks you will notice many differences from our "normal" sanctuary worship. At this time, based on recommendations from our COVID Task Force and Session, we will have a very simple service without congregational singing, passing of the peace, and several other elements you might be looking forward to sharing with your church family. However, as local conditions and guidelines continue to improve it is our greatest hope that we will begin adding back in all these elements of worship we know and love. Thank you so much for your patience and grace as we try to maintain the greatest level of safety for our congregation, musicians, worship leaders, and our greater community.

At the sign-up link below (and the email containing the sign-up sent on Thursday), you will find detailed information on our current protocols for worship attendance.

✵ 11:00am: Virtual Worship - We are pleased to announce that we are live-streaming our worship service at 11am. What this means is that those worshiping from home will be able to watch the service live as it is happening in the sanctuary. To view the service you can go directly to our church’s YouTube Channel via your computer, smartphone, or Smart TV app (https://tinyurl.com/t7dl8vh) or you can access the worship service through our website or Facebook page.

If you are unable to watch live at 11am, a recorded version of the service will be available at these same links later in the day.

As the fall semester approaches, UKirk Auburn is excited to welcome returning and new students to our ministry! The best way to reach new students is through word-of-mouth and a recommendation from someone they trust.

The UKirk Campus Ministries of our presbytery (Auburn, University of Alabama, Birmingham, and Jacksonville State) would love to be introduced to any and all college students who may be interested in a Presbyterian campus ministry. You can refer students through this form, and don’t forget to tell your college students to look for “UKirk” when they arrive on campus.

For more info, contact Caroline Barnett at cbarnett@fpcauburn.org.

9:30am, Baird Hall OR Zoom

The Old Testament Sunday school class has resumed meeting in person in Baird Hall. We also offer a live Zoom option. Our current study is what many refer to as Second Isaiah (Isaiah, chapters 40 thru 55). Class begins at 9:45. Please join us either in person in Baird Hall or contact Gayle Andress, if you wish to receive a Zoom invitation.

Mondays, 12pm, Baird Hall OR Zoom

You do not have to be an artist to find a great deal of meaning in the practice of Bible journaling. Join us in Baird Hall (or, if you are more comfortable, via Zoom) every Monday as we reflect upon the previous Sunday's sermon and Scripture text and explore various kinds of drawing, painting, and journaling techniques. For more information, please contact Susan Fillippeli.

As our children and youth resume in person Sunday School gatherings, those in the pre-retirement phase of life are invited to bring your own chair and coffee for a visit in the courtyard while the children are having their lesson. For the time being the goal is catching up and enjoying fellowship, though we will be crowd sourcing for ideas on Adult Education offerings for this age/stage of life for the fall.

Mark Your Calendars!!!

The Blessing of the Backpacks will be Sunday, August 8 during the Word to Grow By. Students of all ages as well as teachers and professors are encouraged to bring their backpacks to worship for this blessing. The children will be called forward and older students, teachers, and professors will be asked to stand to receive the blessing. Hope to see you there!

Children Pre-K through 5^th grade

• The nursery will now be available from 10 until noon on Sunday mornings for children birth to age 3.

• Children’s church is back! After the Word to Grow By, children ages 4 to rising 3rd grade will go together to the preschool room for the remainder of the worship service.

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

• Children’s Sunday school will meet this Sunday from 10:15 – 10:45 in Conway Hall.

• Masks are required indoors for children 3 & over and youth, as well as all adults working with them.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Youth Sunday school will meet this Sunday from 10:15 – 10:45 in the Senior High room.

Mary Turnbull, director of the Presbyterian Community Ministry, has requested help for an elderly client who is having difficulty dealing with the summer heat. Anyone who has a spare fan they could donate, please contact Mary ASAP. Thank you!

As you read the information below, please note that the church building is NOT yet open for general use. PLEASE do not enter the building without first contacting a staff member (preferably as outlined below, via email at least 48 hours in advance) so that we can continue to provide the greatest level of safety and sanitation.

Please send an email at least 48 hours before your group would like to gather so staff members have plenty of time to communicate and avoid overlapping groups.

from May 23 until August 8,

Please contact the following staff members with any questions or concerns in the

following areas:

Children and Youth | Chris Sarkowski

Music | Damion Womack

UKirk/University Ministry | Caroline Barnett

Worship | Damion Womack

Mission | Caroline Barnett

Adult Education and Presbyterian Women | Chris Sarkowski

Congregational Life | Caroline Barnett

Property | Chris Sarkowski

General Office | Kathy Rushing

Generosity | Caroline Barnett

Finance | Kathy Rushing

Personnel | Caroline Barnett

Pastoral Care/Blessings Bunch | Caroline Barnett

We thank you in advance for your patience and grace as we do our best to transition into this next (exciting!) phase of our reopening. Please know that in the weeks ahead we may find need to institute a more formal scheduling system in order to facilitate groups that desire to meet in the building. We will use the weekly email newsletter as a place to share these updates.

With much gratitude, The FPC Staff

Birthdays

Aug. 2 - Copeland Anderson, Wia Fergus

Aug. 4 - Christy Cochran

Aug. 5 - Don Ball, Joy Elam

Aug. 6 - Lynn Hecathorn, Jean Talmage

Anniversaries

Aug. 1 - Dan Henry and Donna Yeager

• Prayers for Harriette Huggin's son, Piet, who will undergo foot surgery.

• Prayers for the Spencer family for healing and strength.

• Prayers for Gwen Reid as she recovers from knee replacement surgery.

• Prayers for Gerri Talley who is recovering from back surgery. Also prayers for her son-in-law, Gary Sagunsky, and his family as he begins chemotherapy as well as dialysis for multiple myeloma.

• Prayers for rest and safe travels for the Reed family during their sabbatical this summer.

• Prayers for Katie Lee as she undergoes physical therapy after knee replacement.

• Prayers of healing and rest for Kevin Wells as he recovers at home from successful cardiac surgery.

• Prayers for members of the congregation who are waiting for results from medical tests.

• Prayers of healing and recovery for church members who had successful surgery and are now beginning the rehab process of their recovery.

• Continued prayers of healing and wholeness for many in our church family and their loved ones who are dealing with significant health and wellness issues but do not wish to be mentioned by name at the moment.

• Prayers for Rodney Greer’s mother, Dixie, as she recovers from surgery.

• Prayers for Bob Webeler's sister, Sue, who is receiving care at a facility in Phenix City after suffering a stroke.

• Prayers of healing for Tom Webb’s sister as she recovers from successful surgery. Prayers for Tom as he cares for his sister in Oregon.

• Prayers for Melanie Jackson, Jessica Barnes’ childhood friend, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Amy Well’s friend Suzi Bonifay undergoing treatment for breast cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Amanda Smith’s co-worker and friend, Susan Scales, as she undergoes cancer treatment.