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Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025 Newsletter
For 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)
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NOTE: Today’s newsletter is coming out on Wednesday, Nov. 26 because of the Thanksgiving holiday.
As a reminder, the church building will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 27; Friday, Nov. 28; and Monday, Dec. 1 for the Thanksgiving holiday. We hope you have a safe and meaningful holiday!
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A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: HOPEFUL EXPECTATION
Grace and peace to you,
This Sunday, we enter the season of Advent, a four-week period of watching and waiting and hopeful expectation of the birth of Jesus. For many of us it’s a familiar story, and I wonder sometimes if it’s too familiar. Can we embrace the story this year as though it’s new to us?
| | Our theme for this year comes from A Sanctified Art and focuses on hope and fear. Jesus was born into a world full of fear with the cruelty of Roman oppression and Herod’s rule. Yet repeatedly the angels will tell Zechariah, Mary and Joseph and the shepherds to not fear. ‘Do not be afraid’ is a phrase we hear repeatedly throughout scripture. How were they able to move through their fear – perhaps by acknowledging it and moving through it? Where did their courage come from to say yes to the invitation to participate in God’s redemptive story? | | | |
The creators of this year’s theme write this: “Fear can divide and paralyze us, and even be used as a tool for oppression. But what if we formed a different relationship with fear? Can we acknowledge fear without letting it rule us? Might we catalyze our fears into love and action? What if naming our fears helps us see more clearly how God is breaking in and where God is at work?”
Over these next four weeks, we will be invited to identify where fear is present - both in the Advent story and in our lives—while also finding our way toward hope, with the angels’ voices in our ears. Let us embrace the story of Christ’s birth as a promise that is fulfilled every moment of every day of every month of every year. Let us embrace it as an ongoing story, not a static one.
And, in that vein, I will encourage you to follow the daily devotional that accompanies our worship series. If you are on Facebook we will be posting a daily breath prayer. There are also opportunities to reflect on weekly poems and artist renderings. Come and see, come and explore this Advent journey together.
Blessings,
Pastor Karen
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HEARTS N MINDS: A WEEK OFF
Our adult ed class, Hearts N Minds, will not meet this Sunday, Nov. 30. They will be back on Dec. 7 at the regular time from 10-11 a.m. in the Parlor. All are welcome!
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During Advent they will be discussing The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass.
A "mother, scientist, professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation," Kimmerer explores the nature and meaning of "economics," contrasting the reciprocal gift economy of the natural world with the market economy that relies on extraction and accumulation for wealth and security.
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How do we sustain the natural world and all that live in it, including us humans, while existing in a culture that defines economics as "the study of scarcity" rather than as "how we organize ourselves to sustain life and enhance its quality"?
Come and join us for what will be challenging conversations!
Reminder: For Sunday, Dec. 14, the class will meet at 9 a.m. due to the combined worship service at 10 a.m.
| | BODY N SOUL: RETURNS THIS SUNDAY | | The Body N Soul Intergenerational Faith Formation class will meet this Sunday between the two services, from 10:10 - 11:00 in Room 216 in the South Wing. | | They will begin their celebration of Advent – all are welcome! | | |
Our friends at A Sanctified Art have provided a special e-reader version of this year’s Advent devotional, which you can access on your computer and mobile devices. Contact us for the link.
We will have print copies of the devotional available for those who need them. Contact us and tell us if you will pick it up or if you need it mailed (along with your name and complete mailing address).
| | | We will also be sharing daily “Advent breath prayers” on our Facebook page (@firstpresbethlehem), beginning on Sunday, Nov. 30. These will be posted between 6 – 9 a.m. each morning. | | |
SUPPORTING OUR DONEGAN NEIGHBORS
During Sunday’s Minute for Mission, Donna Taggart shared information about an opportunity to bring a happy holiday to the Donegan Elementary students who are part of the mentoring program that FPCB volunteers support.
A request was made to ‘adopt’ the 26 students – plus seven additional families – for the holidays, to share gifts and other seasonal cheer. We’re happy to report that all have been adopted – thank you!
A collection box is in the North Link for this initiative. Please bring all the items by Sunday, Dec. 14.
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POINSETTIA ORDERS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
DEADLINE: FRIDAY, DEC. 5
Help us decorate the Sanctuary with beautiful, “double” poinsettias!
We suggest a donation of $20 for a poinsettia that you can take home
after the Christmas Eve service you attend. This is a lovely way to honor a loved one.
Special envelopes are available in the Narthex and
Fellowship Hall (there is also a poinsettia envelope in your pack of pledge envelopes).
If you need an envelope contact us at 610-867-5865 or info@fpc-bethlehem.org.
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LOOKING AHEAD…
Wednesday, Nov. 26
7 p.m. – Thanksgiving Eve worship service in the Sanctuary and livestreamed
Saturday, Nov. 29
10 a.m. – noon: Hanging of the Greens, all around the church interior – volunteers welcome!
Monday, Dec. 1
Building and Preschool closed for the Thanksgiving holiday
Sunday, Dec. 14
9 a.m. – Hearts N Minds adult ed class
10 a.m. – Combined Service in Fellowship Hall and livestreamed
Tuesday, Dec. 16
7 p.m. – Longest Night service in Fellowship Hall and livestreamed
Sunday, Dec. 21
4 p.m. - Christmas Joy Concert, featuring a "Sing-Along Messiah", in the Sanctuary. THIS IS A TICKETED EVENT
Wednesday, Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve candlelight services in the Sanctuary and livestreamed
4 p.m. - Intergenerational service
7 p.m. - Candlelight service
Sunday, Dec. 28
10 a.m. – Combined Service in Fellowship Hall and livestreamed
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Send us your news and photos to share:
info@fpc-bethlehem.org
**Deadline for the next newsletter:
THURSDAY at noon**
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And follow us on Facebook: @FirstPresBethlehem
Your likes / comments / shares help us spread the word about First Pres!
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TO JOIN OUR LIVESTREAM WORSHIP SERVICE
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Visit our Facebook page and look for the post with our live feed
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If you don’t have a Facebook account, go to our website to view the service - click on "Watch" at the top and then the "Watch the Service" button
- Please check in with a comment so we know you’ve joined us!
- Captions are available on our livestream, for those who would like to use that feature
To watch a video – available after the services have aired: Visit our website archives
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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.
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THIS SUNDAY
- 8:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
- 9:00 a.m.: Holy Ground worship service, Fellowship Hall (in person only)
- 10:10 a.m.: Body N Soul intergenerational class, Room 216 – all are welcome
- 11:15 a.m.: Traditional worship service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website, fpc-bethlehem.org)
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:
For Monday, Dec. 1: The building and Preschool will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, and will reopen on Tuesday.
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.
| | FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BETHLEHEM | |
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18017 610-867-5865 | info@fpc-bethlehem.org
Rev. Karen Kinney, Transitional Pastor/Head of Staff; KKinney@fpc-bethlehem.org
Rev. Lindsey Altvater Clifton, Associate Pastor for Justice and Community Impact; LClifton@fpc-bethlehem.org
David Macbeth, Director of Music Ministries; ext. 202; DMacbeth@fpc-bethlehem.org
David Crook, Director of Church Administration; ext. 210; DCrook@fpc-bethlehem.org
Kevin Konczyk, Facilities Manager; KKonczyk@fpc-bethlehem.org
Carol Burns, Communications Manager; ext. 238; CBurns@fpc-bethlehem.org
Lisa Todd, Preschool Director; phone: 610-867-2956; LTodd@fpc-bethlehem.org
Brenda Robinson, Office Manager: ext. 211; BusinessOffice@fpc-bethlehem.org
Website: www.fpc-bethlehem.org
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