Friday, June 6, 2025 Newsletter



For Sunday - NEW TIME!

10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service

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

A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: 

CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF OUR CHURCH

Grace and peace to you,

This Sunday, June 8, we celebrate Pentecost, which is known as the birth of the church! (Read the story at Acts 2:1-22). Why is this church observance so special? And, what is going on with the howling wind, descending doves and flames landing on the disciples’ heads and then them being able to speak in a language not native to them? Sounds confusing and frankly a tad terrifying. I don’t know what I would think about that – it’s all bewildering.

If we read further in Acts 2, we discover that about 3,000 were added that day to the already growing community. Listen to what they did: The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them. Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity. They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47

In other words, they went out and became the church. They became a community of faith that kept bringing in people because of their fruit of the spirit actions and their inclusive teaching. They committed to being out there as dangerous as it would become. They gave birth to the church.

Guess what?! Their DNA is our DNA – we still have this in us. How will we think about communicating the message of God’s love for all in ways that can be understood? A question to ponder. Come and see, come and explore, come and be.

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

Traditional Worship Service (5 pages)

BREAD FOR THE WORLD OFFERING OF LETTERS: IT’S NOT TOO LATE

by Rev. Dr. Steve Simmons

This Sunday after worship, our church will receive an Offering of Letters to be delivered to our elected representatives, urging them to support federal hunger assistance programs for our neediest citizens. 

As you are probably aware, on May 22 the House of Representatives narrowly approved a budget reconciliation bill that would cut $290 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

Most states will likely not be able to afford cost-sharing a percentage of the SNAP benefits their residents receive if this bill passes and will be forced to substantially reduce SNAP benefits or remove qualified people from the program – including families with children. In addition, the bill imposes work requirements on single parents with children seven and above and older adults that ignore the realities of low-wage jobs, erratic work schedules, and unaffordable childcare.

The bill also fails to extend the expanded child tax credit (CTC) to the families who need it most. An estimated 17 million children, 1 in 4 children in the U.S., will not benefit from the modest $500 per child CTC increase because their families earn too little to receive it.

The bill will now move to the Senate for revision and debate, and it’s a critically important time to make our voices heard. And it’s not too late to express support for other national and international hunger issues as well.  

Sample letters, background information, and letter writing tables will be available in the Narthex following worship on June 1 and 8. Of course you can use these samples to craft your own letters at home and bring them with you to worship on Sunday.

Note: Please sign your letters with both your name and address, to identify yourself as a constituent.

We’ll collect letters through June 15, and plan to deliver them to the appropriate offices later in the month (let us know if you'd like to help deliver them). Thanks for making your voice heard!

Sample letters: Sen. John Fetterman Sen. David McCormick Sample - congresspeople

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.

CAN YOU HELP?

We’re looking for folks to serve as lectors for our 10 a.m. combined worship services for the summer. This is a great way to participate in the ministry of our church – if you’ve not done it before, we’re glad to provide coaching.

You can sign up on the paper form available at the Sunday services, or use this easy online sign-up form: 

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 - COMMUNION SUNDAY

• 9:45 - 11:15 a.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
• NEW TIME! 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

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.