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Friday, Oct. 2, 2026 Newsletter
For Sunday – NEW SCHEDULE!
10:00 a.m.: Combined Worship Service
(in person in the Sanctuary,
and livestreamed on Facebook and website)
Followed by a potluck picnic on the front lawn
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A MESSAGE FROM REV. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON:
CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY
Greetings friends,
Somehow, we’re at the start of October! A reminder that we’ll worship together with one service at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary this week for World Communion Sunday, then enjoy a potluck lunch afterwards. Hopefully outside - if the weather cooperates! Please bring a dish to share if you can. (Perhaps one that reflects your family heritage.) If you aren’t able to bring something, that’s OK; please stay anyway!
As we move into the fall, we want you to save an important date: Sunday, Nov. 15.
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That day, we’ll gather for one combined worship service at 11:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary to celebrate our 151st Anniversary and dedicate our 2027 pledges. Then we’ll move into Fellowship Hall for a special catered Fellowship Luncheon.
Later that afternoon at 4:00 p.m., we’ll gather again in the Sanctuary for Blessings & Memories: A Musical Celebration of Place. Our chancel choir will be joined by friends from other local choral groups as we give thanks in word and song for the gifts of the space which our faith community has called home since 1957.
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A number of past FPCB clergy will join us in for this big day! We know you’ll enjoy seeing these familiar faces and reconnecting with some of the folks who have helped nurture your faith and guide our congregation along the way.
We hope you’ll make plans to join us as we offer gratitude for and begin to say farewell-for-now to 2344 Center St. Even amidst the tenderness, it is sure to be a meaningful, Spirit-filled day!
With thanks for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Lindsey
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FOR THIS SUNDAY – World Communion Sunday
- 9:45 – 11:15 a.m.: Child care available (ask the ushers to direct you to the location)
- 10:00 a.m.: Combined worship service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on website and Facebook page)
- 11:15 a.m.: Potluck picnic, outdoors at the front of the church building
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If you are worshipping online you are welcme to preprare your own elements for communion: bread or a bread-like item (cracker, pita, bagel) and grape juice, wine or water.
In person: please plan to bring your favorite picnic lunch items to share for eight: salads, sandwiches, relish trays, dips, chips – and let’s not forget desserts!
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We could use a few volunteers to help us put the food on the tables and monitor them, and to clean up afterwards. If you can help, please contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865.
FOR THOSE WHO ORDERED FROM THE SOUP FUNDRAISER (and if you didn’t…)
Pre-ordered soup can be picked up in the Narthex after worship on Sunday, until
1 p.m. They will have extra quarts available to purchase for $12. Thanks to everyone’s donations, they were able to donate enough soup to feed both the Ripple and Daybreak programs.
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NO CLASS THIS WEEK: HEARTS N MINDS ADULT ED CLASS
Because of our special schedule this Sunday, Hearts N Minds, our adult ed class, will not meet. They will meet again on Sunday, Oct. 11 from 10-11 a.m. in the Library (room 210). All are welcome to join in the discussions.
| | The first book they are reading is Holy Envy: Finding God in The Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor, which is available new or used online. For Oct. 11, please read chapter four. You do not need to have read the material to participate in the discussion. | | | |
NO CLASS THIS WEEK: BODY N SOUL
Body N Soul, our intergenerational class, will not meet this Sunday; it will gather next week from 10:10-11 a.m. in Room 216. Come join us! All are welcome and all generations have something to contribute.
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MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ADAM REED
The memorial service for Adam Reed, the child of FPCB member Joann Reed, will be held tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 3) at Connell Funeral Home, 245 E. Broad St. Calling time is 10-11:30 a.m. with the service starting at 11:30 a.m.
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PARTICIPATE IN OUR WEEKLY SERVICES
Would you like to play a more active role in our worship services? We are looking for volunteers to serve as lectors. If you are comfortable reading scripture aloud in front of our congregation, this is the opportunity for you!
Check this online sign-up form and choose a service and date (there is also a paper sign-up form available in the Narthex on Sundays).
Questions? Contact us at 610-867-5865 or info@fpc-bethlehem.org.
| | INTERESTED IN DONATING FLOWERS FOR SUNDAY WORSHIP? | | |
We also have an opportunity to provide the flowers for our worship services held in the Sanctuary.
If you’re interested, you can use this online sign-up or the paper sign-up form in the Narthex.
The cost is $75, and you can dedicate your donation to a loved one. We take care of ordering them for you.
Thanks for considering this way to add to our worship experience!
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WORLD COMMUNION OFFERING: SUPPORTING JUSTICE
The World Communion Offering concludes this Sunday, Oct. 4 - World Communion Sunday. This is a new way for Presbyterians to “love kindness” expressed in action, involving mercy, faithfulness and steadfast commitment.
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Racial justice, gender justice, global witness, and ecumenical and interfaith engagement are the important causes supported by this Offering.
It is one of three annual churchwide special offerings mandated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The offerings — One Great Hour of Sharing, World Communion Offering and Christmas Joy Offering — play an important role in defining what it means to be a connectional church.
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ONLINE AUCTION TO OPEN MONDAY
As you have been hearing, we are undertaking an online auction to sell furniture and other items that we will no longer have a need for. Richard L. Dotta Auction House in Nazareth is handling this sale for us.
The online website, dottaauction.hibid.com, is now live for you to preview the items for sale. To participate in the auction, you will need to log onto that site, register and enter credit card info if you wish to be able to bid. Log in, look for the church name or auction date (Oct. 15) and review all the lots. You won't be able to bid on anything if you are not registered.
Bids will be accepted through Thursday, Oct. 15, and you can pick up your items on Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17.
This is a very big undertaking and we hope you will help us spread the word so we have a good result! If you have any questions please contact us at 610-867-5865 or info@fpc-bethlehem.org.
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AN INVITATION…
For those who do not have access to a computer who would like to view the auction: we will have a couple of volunteers available in the North Link after Sunday’s service/during lunch, who will help you view it on their computers.
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TIME FOR THE ANNUAL CROP WALK: SUNDAY, OCT. 18
The Bethlehem CROP Hunger Walk is part of a larger initiative to combat hunger, both locally and globally. Historically, 25% of the funds raised have been retained locally for agencies that provide food assistance to neighbors in need.
This year’s event will be held on Sunday, Oct. 18.
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The route will include parts of north and SouthSide Bethlehem, with one-mile and 3.5 mile options. The walk steps off at 2 p.m. from Central Moravian Church; for First Pres participants, we’ll offer a light lunch after the Sunday Traditional service in Fellowship Hall, and carpool to Central.
With hunger both nationally and globally on the increase, we need both “boots on the ground” and generous sponsors to make this year’s walk a success.
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You can register to walk or to donate by clicking on this link (bit.ly/4jnmIBm), or by stopping by the registration table in Fellowship Hall after Sunday worship. We’re looking to hit a goal of $2,200.
Thanks in advance for supporting the CROP Hunger Walk, and for helping to eliminate hunger one step at a time!
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HI NEIGHBORS: YOUR WEEKLY LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
Our popular speakers series, Hi Neighbors, is your opportunity to learn new and interesting things each week. Last week our audience of 65 learned all about pierogies and other hand-held delights from around the world.
The presentations are free and open to the public, and feature an interesting array of topics such as history, local culture, music, and current events.
We begin at 9:30 a.m. with a social time in Fellowship Hall, followed by the hour-long presentation at 10 a.m. A lively question-and-answer period is included.
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For this Monday, Lehigh Valley Planning Commission’s Executive Director, Becky Bradley, will join us to give a look at “The Future of the Lehigh Valley.”
The full schedule is available to view on our website here (and you can print a one-page flyer). Please consider sharing this information with friends!
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FOOD DONATIONS: SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS
Thanks for supporting the West Bethlehem Emergency Food Pantry during the month of September. We collected quite a good amount of items to support their families.
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For October we will be collecting for the food pantry at Donegan Elementary School (where we have a group of volunteer mentors working with their students).
They have specifically asked for cereal, juices, beans, rice, peanut butter, jelly, canned vegetables, canned soups, canned fruit, microwavable mac and cheese, cheese board/snack items, crackers, snacks for children, Clorox wipes, and tissues.
Thanks for considering how you can help!
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Send us your news and photos to share:
info@fpc-bethlehem.org
**Deadline for the next newsletter:
WEDNESDAY 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 9:45 - 11:15 a.m. this Sunday; ask the ushers 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 - WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY
- 9:45 – 11:15 a.m.: Child care available (ask the ushers to direct you to the location)
- 10:00 a.m.: Combined worship service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on website and Facebook page)
- 11:15 a.m.: Potluck picnic, outdoors at the front of the church building
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.
CARE CONCERNS AND HOSPITAL VISITS: If you are hospitalized, please tell the hospital our church code is 724. Also, please call the church office at 610-867-5865 to let us know as the hospitals do not always collect this information. After hours, for emergency pastoral concerns, call 610-674-0005.
PRAYER REQUESTS: Send to prayer@fpc-bethlehem.org or call 610-867-5865 and leave a message.
| | 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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