Fellowship Friday - December 31, 2021

I'm thinking you may have noticed a few changes to our Fellowship Friday newsletter. That's right! A new year means a new look!

As you may know, earlier this Fall, the Session approved new Mission and Vision statements for the congregation that go into effect in the new year. Session also approved using the monies from Giving Tuesday to offset the costs of a new website. Little did I know that the work the amazing team at Flairst would also provide us with a new logo! You can see that the team did an amazing job listening to members of the Outreach Committee and the importance of the stained glass window that anchors our sanctuary.

I don't know about you, but I think 2022 is poised to be an amazing year. While we still may not be totally out of the woods yet with the pandemic, there have been glimpses of the "new normal" throughout the fall.

As much as I look forward to what the next year has in store, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to reflect on the year that is coming to a close. We have, as a Fellowship Family, accomplished so much!

We adapted in the ways that we worshipped, from being online to gathering outside to being inside with masks and distance and different ways to do communion.
I was installed as your pastor, making it official - despite the yearlong delay.
We celebrated with Blake as he was ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament.
We collected over 5 and 1/2 TONS of food for Greensboro Urban Ministries
We welcomed back groups to use our building, including the American Red Cross, Woodridge Craft Association, a weekly bridge group, the board for the Greensboro Newcomers Club, and the Girl Scouts.

What does 2022 have in store? While only God knows exactly what's in store, I'm confident that the Holy Spirit is at work in this life of this Fellowship Family and can't wait to see how God uses us - both individually and collectively - to further God's kingdom here in this corner of our community.

I continue to be so incredibly grateful to be able to proudly say that I serve as Pastor at Fellowship Presbyterian Church. Thank you for the opportunity to do so.

As my parents would say to me as they left for their New Year's Eve party, See you next year!

Pastor Kathryn

Sunday (Virtual) Worship Information

Sunday worship is in person, but will continue to be available through Facebook Live and Zoom.

Worshipping via Zoom allows for worship participants to, at the least, see each other during worship, should a participant join through computer. Zoom also allows for worship participants to join by phone, should they not have access to a computer.

To join by phone, call: (646)558-8656

When you dial in you will be asked for a meeting ID number: enter 847 7231 7808. The password is: 658602. Depending on the time you dial in, you may not hear anything to start with. When the Prelude begins, you will hear audio.

To access worship by Zoom via computer, please click here.

(If you'd prefer to access the worship service through the Zoom website, please enter Meeting ID 847 7231 7808 - the password is: 658602.)

To access worship by Facebook Live, please click here.

To access worship by YouTube, please click here.

Don't forget - you can access this week's bulletin via the church's website or by clicking here .

End of Year giving: Financial contributions must be received by noon or postmarked by TODAY, December 31 to be recorded and recognized in 2021.

Additionally, the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted last December, provides several provisions to help individuals and businesses who give to charity. The new law generally extends through the end of 2021 four temporary tax changes originally enacted by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Here is a link.

As efforts are made behind-the-scenes to start 2022 on a new-and-fresh note, one of the ways the Outreach Committee is asking for the Fellowship Family to participate is by joining Realm. Realm is an online platform of the church’s database that provides for better communication within and through the Fellowship Family, including an online directory, church calendar, and an ability to both RSVP for upcoming events and give online. While the Outreach Committee is going to be hard at work in helping get everyone on board, you can opt-in and complete your online profile now!

Please visit https://onrealm.org/fellowshippresbyterian or use the QR link (and follow the prompts) to complete your profile. If you have questions, please ask Pastor Kathryn.

Volunteer with Applewood, Backpack Beginnings,

and Greensboro Housing Authority!

Fellowship has started an ongoing partnership between Backpack Beginnings, Greensboro Housing Authority, and The Applewood Community. Please contact Mary Howe to sign up: [email protected] or call/text at 336-698-6541. Please click here to sign up.

Wondering what to do with all of those grocery shopping bags? The Missions committee will be collecting “gently used” plastic grocery bags for Backpack Beginnings. Please bring any you don’t use to church with you, leaving them on the Missions table in the Dogwood Lobby closest to the double doors leading towards the classrooms.

Fellowship Presbyterian has online giving available through the Presbyterian Foundation.

Click this link to be taken to the online donations page.

Congregational Cares and Concerns

Linda Kershner is home recovering from an inflammation for which she was hospitalized Christmas Eve. She is on medication and a special diet and seeks prayers for continued recovery.
Gail and Greg French mourn the passing of Gail’s mother, Evelyn York.
Libby Ansel (Lesa Layno’s sister) has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing further testing.
Blake Tickle requests prayers for the family and friends of his friend, Noah Cameron, who died in a car accident on December 19.
The Fellowship Family mourns with the rest of the Salem Presbytery community at the passing of Rev. James Rissmiller, who died before Christmas.
Betsy Craver requests prayers for her cousin, Jenny George, who has had a reoccurrence of Ovarian cancer and is starting a new round of chemo.
Phyllis King has shared some prayer requests: her nephew, Scott Loupos, is recovering for a hospital stay for infection, and her sister in law, Fern Horwat, needs an aortic valve replacement pending testing.
Traci Rankins seeks prayers for Richard Turner, Erik’s stepfather, who has entered hospice care.
Continued prayers for our church members: Melissa Johnson, Lea Groves, Donna, Katie & the Steele family, Nancy Baughman, and Bruce Weaver, and Marjorie Van Horn.
Continued prayers for the family and friends of our congregation: the Votaw Family (Erin, Trent, Lucas, and Ben) after their house burned down on November 27. Erin was a teacher at Fellowship Day School, Felicia Schaps (Lindahl's daughter-in-law's mother), Teresa (Terry Anderson’s coworker), Ashley Long (Joel and Ann Long’s daughter-in-law), Libby Ansel (Lesa Layno’s sister), Gail Keefe (John Archambault’s colleague), John Fair (FPC’s former organist), Joyce Berger (Kandee’s mother), Gwen Flowers & her family (Linda Ueland’s sister), Dorothy & Edward Archambault (John Archambault’s parents), Roe Roe Tucker (friend of Lesa & Charles Layno), Arch Gravely (Peggy Koppel’s cousin), Tim King family (Phyllis King’s son), Roger Eliason (Tye Wittmann’s coworker).

If you have any additional prayer concerns,

please contact Linda Ueland (336-314-5481)

or call Martha at the church (336-288-5177).

This Week's Events

January 2:

9:15-11:15am: Professional Childcare available in the “Preschool” Classroom
9:30am: Worship – in-person (with masks), on Facebook Live, Zoom and YouTube
10:30am: Fellowship Time – in Dogwood Lobby
10:45am: Education Hour in the Library
After worship (10:30) until noon – Food Drive for Urban Ministry

January 3:

Offices Closed in observation of New Year’s Day

January 5:

7am: Men's Coffee Klatch @ Panera Bread (Lawndale)
12 noon: Bulletin and Blast Deadline

January 6:

1pm: Bridge in the Parlor

January 8:

9am-3pm: Session Retreat in the Fellowship Hall

January 9: Fourth Sunday of Advent

9:15-11:15am: Professional Childcare available in the “Preschool” Classroom
9:30am: Worship with Pennies for Hunger Collection – in-person (with masks), on Facebook Live, Zoom and YouTube
10:30am: Fellowship Time – in Dogwood Lobby
10:45am: Education Hour in the Library

Guidelines for Safe Return to Worship are posted at the Office and Dogwood Lobby doors for your review. Despite the lifting of the Guilford County mask mandate, the mask rule is still in effect in the building as per the December 7 Session meeting. If you have questions, please contact Pastor Kathryn or Julie Davis, Clerk of Session.