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Letter from Pastor/Head of Staff 

Dear friends,

           For her daughter’s confirmation, writer Stephanie Paulsell shared a copy of Emily Dickenson’s poem, “I dwell in Possibility.”* She wanted her daughter to remember that, as a child of God, in God’s house - “More numerous of Windows--/Superior--for Doors"-- there is room to turn and be changed, to choose mercy over revenge, to give away everything we have and follow Jesus. Within God's possibility, even death is not the last thing to be said about us.”

When I think about stewardship, I think about possibility, particularly the possibility of expanding our hearts through gratitude. God has gifted us in unimaginable ways – through our very life-breath, through an expansive, unconditional, enveloping love, through relationships that bring us joy and peace, and through a calling to live lives of deep meaning, faithfulness, and service. 

When I think about First Presbyterian Church, I also think about possibility. God has called us to be bearers of the good news of Christ’s love, inclusion, grace, and peace to the world. We are challenged to share and live a different narrative than the one the world shares and lives. The world says “horde, buy, accumulate, expand your wealth.” God says “give, share, support, expand your heart.” To follow Jesus is to dwell in the endless possibility of a world full of love instead of hate, of healing instead of violence, of grace instead of judgment. 

On Sunday, we are celebrating stewardship dedication, a time when we bring forth our pledge for 2023. This ritual of faith reminds us that everything we have is from God. In this service, we remember that God has placed us in downtown Durham to be bearers of light and love. We have a particular role to play in this place. Your generosity allows us to live into the possibilities of transformational love for Durham and beyond.

Your pledges for 2023 will allow us to continue our mission giving to Iglesia Emanuel, Urban Ministries of Durham, Habitat for Humanity, Housing for New Hope, Step Up Ministries (to name a few organizations), support our youth ministry program as well as the campus ministry programs at NC Central University and Duke University, fund our children’s, fellowship, and membership programs, and give our staff raises in this season of high inflation. As your generosity increases, the possibilities we have for living into God’s kingdom of grace and love increase. As I have often said this year, “FPC has an embarrassment of riches.” In other words, God is good. Our responsibility is to be good stewards of these amazing gifts we have been given. I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday as we share our gifts with humility and grace, giving thanks to God for all we have, all we are, and all that it is possible for us to be.

With love and deep gratitude,

Mindy

*“I dwell in Possibility” by Emily Dickinson

I dwell in Possibility –

A fairer House than Prose –

More numerous of Windows –

Superior – for Doors –

Of Chambers as the Cedars –

Impregnable of eye –

And for an everlasting Roof

The Gambrels of the Sky –

Of Visitors – the fairest –

For Occupation – This –

The spreading wide my narrow Hands

To gather Paradise –  

Sunday, October 30

9:45 a.m.

Faith Formation Classes for all ages

11:00 a.m. Worship

British Hyrams, preaching  

British Hyrams hails from Chicago, Illinois and its surrounding suburbs. She is a graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and holds two master’s degrees from Union Presbyterian Seminary- a Master of Divinity (M. Div.) and a Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.). She currently serves as campus minister for Presbyterian Campus Ministry at North Carolina Central University.

After deciding to leave corporate to raise her three children with her husband, she accepted a position as a math instructor at a local college and returned to teaching online with Johnson C. Smith University.  British has served at Central Steele Creek Presbyterian church in Charlotte, NC – as the Director of Christian Ministries, Associate Pastor, and as acting Senior Pastor. British has also served in the wider denomination as a part of the Presbytery of Charlotte COM committee, Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) Advocate team member, and board member for the William Black Lodge.

British is a cancer survivor with a zest for new experiences and a passion for lifelong learning. She seeks opportunities to build bridges with people of varying perspectives as an integral part of her Christian service and witness.

She is married to her college sweetheart Kevin. Jamal, Akilah, and Aman are their young adult children who continue to bring them blessings upon blessings.

FAITH AND COMMUNITY CLASS

October 23:

Confessions of Behar

Links: 

PCUSA Report on Reparations

FPC_Reparations - Google Drive 

MEANING IN THE MIDDLE (MnM)

MnMers gather in Room 205 (near children's classrooms) during the faith formation hour, 9:45-10:45 a.m. Join us for conversation, discussion, sharing of lives and laughter. For those meeting in person, Amy Wilson will be leading us. 

For those meeting on Zoom, we will meet at 8:00 p.m. , and Michael Schultz will be leading us. If you have any issues accessing the meeting on Sunday evening, please feel free to email or text Mary Berry (703.851.8625). The Zoom link will be sent on Sunday evening prior to the time for class to meet. 



As always, you are welcome whether you've had time to read or not. Our leaders will give a brief summary of the readings before we dive into conversation, so this is a low-pressure thing!

Contacts for this class are: Mary Berry and Emily Diy.

For the rest of the fall semester, we are going to be using The Liturgy of the Ordinary because of its blessedly short chapters and because I can disseminate the text easily. We realized if we voted on a text and ordered books, we'd be onto the next semester by the time we got that all squared away. But never fear, we'll take the other texts we've sampled this semester + other ideas (e.g., podcasts) and have the group select what we'd like to use for the spring semester from those texts and ideas. Stay tuned!

Fellowship: On Saturday, November 5, we will meet at Hi-Wire/Two Roosters from 3:30-5:30 PM for our monthly fellowship event. Hope to see you there! 

Trunk or Treat!

Join us for this new Halloween event at church, Sunday, October 30, 5:00-7:00 p.m. It’s like trick or treat, but in our own parking lot, and car trunks take the place of homes. FPCers are invited to decorate their trunk around a theme of their choosing (from Harry Potter to Duke basketball) and give out candy. FPC children and youth will join children and youth from some of our local mission partners. To sign up to “do a trunk,” or if you need inspiration, contact Stephen Berry, stephen.d.berry@gmail.com. (You don’t have to decorate a trunk to bring children, or even come just yourself, but we do want as many trunks as possible.)  

Medical debt is the source of incredible inequities, keeping families mired in debt and impeding their ability to build assets. Plus, it adds enormously to emotional stress. That’s why First Presbyterian Church is leading this campaign as one reparations strategy. The potential to WIPE OUT DEBT for pennies on the dollar is amazing! When you make a pledge to our capital campaign, you are already supporting this project. If you have not already made a pledge, we hope you will join us in giving to our Building Beloved Community campaign! To learn more about how this debt is eliminated, check this out: HERE.

To pledge to reduce medical debt without giving to the capital campaign, go HERE.

 Please invite your family and friends to add to the amount we give to relieve medical debt. Give in the name of FPC’s Building Beloved Community campaign.

Day of Service and Fun

at Iglesia Emanuel Food Pantry!

Here we go! It is time to gather once again at Iglesia Emanuel for a fun-filled morning of service and fellowship. Come join fellow FPC members and friends on Saturday morning, October 22, from 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon, as we bag rice and beans for the Food Pantry. This is a family friendly event, and all ages are welcome. Bring your nimble fingers and warm smiles,and help us fill the shelves of our pantry. Come spend an hour or two or stay all morning to lend a hand! With your generous support, we will continue to provide nutritious food every week to over 600 families facing economic hardship. Please sign up here.

•   Address: 2504 N Roxboro

•   Other options: come early to help set up, stay a bit later to help clean up, bring snacks for the volunteers, or bring food donations (protein items, cereal, granola bars, bags of apples or oranges). Monetary donations always welcome!

•   Questions? Contact Margaret Rubiera.