Friday, July 18, 2025 Newsletter



For Sunday

10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service

       (in person in the Sanctuary, and livestreamed on Facebook and website)

A MESSAGE FROM REV. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON: 

PROCESS UPDATE

Greetings, dear ones,

It’s good to be getting back into the swing of things after my five weeks away on mini-sabbatical! Just before my time off, we launched our Call for Offers process with Foundry Commercial and the Presbyterian Foundation. That process is still underway, but I wanted to share an update with you - 

Foundry spent the first month of the process getting the word out, having initial conversations, scheduling property viewings, etc. Now, they’ve communicated to groups who are interested in submitting an offer that they should do so by the end of this month.

As August begins, the Steering Committee will gather to review all the offers submitted. We’ll begin with an initial review to identify any potential questions for clarification and to get a sense of whether there are a few which clearly rise to the top. 

Then, we’ll work with our partners at Foundry and the Foundation to have some further conversation with top prospects and refine those submissions as we work to discern our way to a single recommendation on which partnership(s) to pursue, which we’ll bring to Session, the congregation, and the Presbytery. We’re still hopeful that will happen by the end of this calendar year.

We want to remind you that the review and discernment phase will likely take a few months this fall and that you’ll hear very little from us during that time as confidentiality becomes critical to a successful deal.

The Steering Committee and I continue to be deeply grateful for your support and your prayers as we keep charting this path forward!

Onward with faith in God’s promise for the future,

Lindsey

The Sunday bulletin will be emailed on Saturday

MINUTE FOR MISSION: LITTLE BAGS OF HOPE

by Aileen Williams

How often have you stopped at a red light while driving, and seen someone standing on the median holding up a sign written on a piece of cardboard? If you’re close enough, usually the sign says something like: HOMELESS AND HUNGRY. PLEASE HELP. 

Now if you’re like my husband, your first thought would be, “Oh, he’s just trying to get some money for alcohol or drugs.” If you’re like me, you’re thinking, “Maybe he IS homeless, and he IS hungry.” So, what do you do? An explanation for our difference in attitude: my husband was a probation officer, and I was an elementary school teacher. 

Being in an agricultural valley, we had fresh fruits and vegetables to offer as well as the grocery items. One man in the church donated 40 - 50 loaves of bread every Friday.

The people who came in each Friday weren’t homeless. But putting food on the table every day wasn’t automatic either. Sometimes they would have to choose between food and medications, or food and utility bills. Or even food and rent. And during the week while we were in the pantry bagging, sometimes homeless men and women would come looking for something to eat and someone to talk to for a few minutes. 

We couldn’t give them what we were putting in the bags because they had no litchen. So we packed small bags for them. Small jars of peanut butter, crackers, and plastic utensils. Socks, soap, deodorant, a toothbrush. And that got me thinking. What about the men and women we might encounter on the street holding up a sign? I wanted to have something ready to go in my car that was compact. 

So I came up with the quart-sized Ziploc bag that I could fill with snacks, socks, travel size toiletries if I had some, and a $5 or $10 gift card for McDonald’s. Add in a paper that gives information on Resources and Assistance for our community that someone might find useful. 

Today while we’re enjoying Lemonade on the Lawn, we invite you to make a bag for YOUR car. We’ll help you, and we’ll make some to leave here at church to give out whenever someone in need shows up at First Pres. With the tremendous heat we’re experiencing right now, consider handing out a bottle of water along with these Little Bags of Hope.

We’re not handing out money that might be used to buy alcohol or drugs. (That satisfies my husband.) But we’re helping to stave off hunger in a small way at least, and that makes me feel better. I hope making up a Little Bag of Hope to keep in your car makes you feel better too. 

Thank you! Last Sunday more than 50 “Little Bags of Hope” were assembled. Aileen says they will plan another day to do these – stay tuned for details!

YOUR ENERGY, GOD'S CALL! NOMINATIONS DUE THIS SUNDAY

The FPCB Nominating Committee has begun its work to recommend a slate of ruling elders, deacons and trustees that will be elected in the fall. So our question to you is this: what within the church energizes you and where do you sense God is calling you to serve? Is it as a deacon, ruling elder or trustee? Is it on a committee? Is it in an area no one has thought of!?

As you pray about this, you are invited to speak with any member of the nominating committee about where you see yourself serving and/or to self-nominate for one of the elected positions.

The members of the nominating committee are: Rich Hjorth (chair), and members: Phil Clauser, Judy Smullen, Steve Samuelson, Belle Marks, Sharon Smith and Pam Phillippe. You can also talk to representatives from the Deacons (Jane Masters), Trustees (Ginger Seifried), and Session (Linda Filipovits).

PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW PASTORAL MESSAGE NUMBER

We have transferred to a new phone number for emergency pastoral messages.

The new number is 610-674-0005. Again, this is ONLY for emergency messages to our pastoral staff, when the office phone is not staffed.

JOIN US FOR LEMONADE ON THE LAWN

• Provide simple treats for about 40-50, such as: grapes, clementines or cut-up fruit; cheese and crackers; easy-to-eat baked treats (homemade or purchased) like cookies, mini muffins, bars, or granola bars.
• Get the beverages, cups and napkins, ice, and coolers out of the church kitchen and set them up (we typically serve lemonade, iced tea and water – these are provided).
• Return items to the kitchen and clean up (tables will be provided and taken down).

It doesn’t have to be a “formal” group, like a K group, committee, or the choir – it can be a family or group of friends. 

Thanks for considering this request! If you have any questions, let us know and we’ll connect you with a ‘veteran.’ You can use this online form to sign up, and we'll have a paper sign-up form at the Sunday service.

SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS: Summer Harvest Food Drive

Among the other local location spots to donate:

• Blast Furnace Blues (free concerts) at the SteelStacks’ Levitt Pavillion this weekend (Friday, July 18 and Saturday, July 19)
• Northampton Community College’s Summer Theatre performances - check their show schedule at ncctix.org
• The Farm Market at NCC - Wednesdays from 10 AM - 2 PM (the Quad on the Bethlehem campus, 3835 Green Pond Road)
• numerous local libraries, banks and retailers

Visit summerharvestfooddrive.com for a complete list of donation locations, requested list of items, and a form if you’d like to volunteer. There is also a form for food pantries that would like to receive donations.

There is an ambitious goal to double last year’s collection amount – let’s see what we can do to help achieve that, to support our neighbors!

FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:



Child care will be available from 9:45 - 11:15 a.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.

Your children are a joy in our worship services, and should the need arise, “kid bags” are available for their use while they are visiting. They are in the Narthex.

We offer nametags for folks to wear – these are for everyone! You can pick up as you enter the worship space; please clearly PRINT your first name.

THIS SUNDAY

• 9:45 - 11:15 a.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
• 10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website, fpc-bethlehem.org)
• 11:00 a.m.: Lemonade on the Lawn, social time for all, front of church

WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom.com (meeting #: 868 2214 2960; passcode: OO-Beth)



CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO:

Regular office hours are Monday - Thursday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Many of the office staff are working remotely for some of the time, so please make an appointment if you need to see someone specific. The answering service (610-778-7003) can take your urgent pastoral concerns, 24 hours a day. 

IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Look for updates on our website (fpc-bethlehem.org), Facebook page, and WFMZ (channel 69 and wfmz.com). We will also put the info on our church phone message, 610-867-5865.