Friday, April 18, 2025 Newsletter



For Sunday - Easter Sunday

9:00 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Worship Service

 (in person in Fellowship Hall)

11:15 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service

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

A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY:

EXPLORING THE QUESTIONS

Grace and Peace to you,            

On this Good Friday, we mourn with Jesus’ disciples, friends and family his death. We put ourselves in the horrible scenes of crucifixion. 

What if they are telling the truth about Jesus? What if his words that I remember him uttering are true? What might happen if I remove these walls of grief that have locked me away? Can my grief hold my hope? How do any of us receive this good news? Are we locked behind walls of grief and fear? 

Lots of good questions to explore this Sunday as we rejoice that Jesus lives! In our hearts, in our lives, in our minds, in our souls, Jesus lives! Come and celebrate with us! Wave your glitter wand in hope! Hear the story that gives us life. Come and see, come and explore.

Blessings,

Pastor Karen

TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper:

Traditional Worship Service (4 pages)

EXPERIENCING HOLY WEEK AT FPC

Good Friday - Friday, April 18

We invite you to use this Devotional Guide for your own spiritual practice.

You may also be interested in this special service which will feature reflections by eight local faith leaders, including Pastor Lindsey. It will be offered at 3 p.m. at the Church of the Nativity, as well as online at nativitycathedral.org.

Click HERE for details.

Holy Saturday: Compline – Saturday, April 19

8 p.m.: Join us on Facebook or our website for a recorded Compline Service. This will be online only; there will not be an in-person gathering. Bear witness to the sorrow felt by Mary, the disciples, and friends at the death of their beloved Jesus. 

Easter Sunday – Sunday, April 20

9 a.m.: Holy Ground worship service, Fellowship Hall (in-person only)

11:15 a.m.: Traditional worship service, Sanctuary (in-person and via livestream)

MUSIC FOR EASTER SUNDAY’S TRADITIONAL SERVICE

As is our tradition, our Easter Sunday worship at the Traditional Service will be full of music. We are blessed to once again host our friends from the Elysium String Quartet and to feature our own FPCB Chancel Ringers!

This special pre-service music will begin at 11:05 a.m., ahead of our 11:15 a.m. service. Come early, whether in person or online on our website or Facebook page.

And please note: you’re welcome to stay and enjoy the Postlude or to depart while the music is played. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!

Featured music from the Quartet includes individual Prelude and Postlude pieces as well as joining with members of the Chancel Choir to perform the “Credo” movement of Schuberts Mass No. 2 in G. The Chancel Ringers will offer several joyful pieces of Handbell ensemble music.

All in all, it will be a wonderful day of celebration!

CHANGES IN YOUR TRADITIONAL BULLETIN

Perhaps you noticed a few changes last week to your bulletin for the Traditional worship service. First, we have added a Minute for Mission to our Offering time. We want to lift up the mission programs, and opportunities for spiritual growth that are happening in our church that benefit our community and us. 

Another change is that we are no longer printing the lyrics to the hymns; instead, you now have the opportunity to return to your hymnals and read both the lyrics and the music. Those of you who worship online will continue to see the lyrics scrolled across your screen. If you have questions, please direct them to Pastor Karen.         

CLASS UPDATES FOR SUNDAY

FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE  

Standing at the Crossroads: A Conversation about Discernment 

Saturday, May 3 

9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

We seek to know what is not clear. Our hope: to step out confidently, moving from darkness to light. Yes, from doubt to clarity. Yes to an understanding of our path. Oh Lord, my anxious soul seek peace. 

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING: THROUGH EASTER SUNDAY

All three programs work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need. From initial disaster response to ongoing community development, their work fits together to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope.

Special envelopes are available in your packet of envelopes, or at the info table in Fellowship Hall or Narthex.

THIS SATURDAY: EASTER EGG HUNT FUN!

Easter Egg Hunt & Spring Festival (10-11:30 a.m.) 

Saturday, April 19

Our planning committee has put a different spin on our event: while there will be a dash to the eggs, all of them will be empty, and each participant will turn in all of their eggs to receive the same goody bag. 

Note that this event is open to all ages and you are asked to bring your own basket.

Should we have more bad weather tomorrow, we will hold it indoors in the Kirk Center.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LEHIGH VALLEY FUNDRAISER 

Now fielding TWO TEAMS

She Nailed It! is an all women, nail-hammering, relay competition and one of Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley's signature fundraising events! 

We’re excited to announce that First Pres has added a second team, FPCB Nailing for the Neighbors: Deb Philpotts, Joanne Kelhart, Pam Swank and Cindy King. They’ll be competing against the team of Donna Taggart, Allison Masters, Tracy Samuelson, and Polly Beste.

With the addition of the second team, our church needs to raise a minimum of $3,000 by the end of the month (thank you! so far we’ve raised over $1,500).

To support our teams - and HabitatLV - you can make a gift online using the button, below. You can also write a check to the church with She Nailed It! on the memo line. 

HI NEIGHBORS: ANOTHER GREAT PROGRAM COMING

We begin at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall with a social time, followed by the presentation at 10 a.m. All are welcome - there is no registration nor cost to attend.

ANOTHER SPECIAL CONCERT BY CONCORD CHAMBER SINGERS

The Concord Chamber Singers will take the stage with the Charter Arts Touring Choir on Sunday, April 27 for a special presentation, "From Grief to Hope: Rutter Requiem and Howell's Four Anthems (I and III)." It will be offered at 4 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

Tickets are available for purchase online ahead of the concert at the link, below. They will also be available at the door for cash, check, or credit card. Seating will be first-come, first-serve the day of the concert.

Visit ccsingers.org to learn more and purchase tickets.

FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:



Child care will be available from 8:45 a.m. -12:15 p.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 - EASTER SUNDAY

• 8:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
• 9 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Worship Service, Fellowship Hall – in person only
• SPECIAL START TIME: 11:05 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)

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:

The church office and building will be closed Monday, April 21 for the Easter holiday. The Preschool will be closed Thursday, April 17 – Monday, April 21. All will reopen on Tuesday, April 22.  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.