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Friday, May 29, 2026 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. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON: 
CONNECTING WITH THE SACRED


Greetings, friends!

This brief note comes to you from Black Mountain, NC, one of my favorite places on the planet. 

I look forward to exploring this more together!



Blessings, dear ones.

Lindsey

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

Summer Worship Bulletin (4 pages)

FOR THIS SUNDAY: ONE OR BOTH!

We are in need of a host for Lemonade on the Lawn for this week! – see more details below. 

HELP US CHOOSE OUR MINISTRIES OPTIONS

Coming out of our successful May 17 retreat, the MIssion Study Team turns its attention to writing the Mission Study report. This report will go to the Session for approval and, then, to the Presbytery Committee on Church Order (COCO). It will then be shared with the congregation and become the basis for understanding our pastoral needs going forward.

One of the most critical pieces of preparing the document will be outlining "Where God Is Leading Us", defining the ministries that are most important to us, given the community needs.

To help us discern those, please remember to "vote" for the ministries options offered up on the posters in the Narthex. You will vote with three stickers, for three options within each of the three themes: RED - Relational Church; GREEN - Mission-Active Church; and BLUE - Community-Integrated Church. So you are making nine choices!

The summaries of the options can be found at bit.ly/4dVHST1. These posters will be up until after the church service this Sunday, so please participate! 

If you are not in the building by Sunday, you can submit your votes to info@fpc-bethlehem.org.

Many thanks, again, for your spirited and loving participation in the May 17 retreat!

SUNDAY CONNECTION: LEMONADE ON THE LAWN

Please consider how you might support this important ministry!

Basically, you will need to:

• 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.

• There is a bin near the ice maker in the kitchen area marked “Lemonade on the Lawn” that has what you need. There are also coolers in this area. Get the provided beverages (lemonade and iced tea) from the refrigerator (with the Lemonade on the Lawn sign), and ice from the ice machine.

• 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. We thank "the Kitchen Crew" for hosting this week.

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 (bit.ly/42TDejr), and we'll have a paper sign-up form at the Sunday service.

UPCOMING INQUIRERS SESSION

Newcomers to FPCB are invited to attend an upcoming Inquirers Seminar. It’s a casual, relational afternoon session to learn more about one another and more about FPCB. This is also the first step for folks considering joining us as new members.  

We do have enough folks interested, so we’re planning to get together on Sunday, June 7 around 11 a.m. (after our 10 a.m. Summer Worship service), and we’ll finish by 1:30-1:45 p.m. Refreshments will be provided. 

Please let Lindsey know via email (lclifton@fpc-bethlehem.org) that you’re interested in participating.

GETTING READY…

In anticipation of our move to Christ UCC Church at the beginning of 2027, we are doing some cleaning out! Even with all the items we sold at our two sales last summer, there are “still” many to be deleted from our inventory.

We’re gearing up for a big Indoor Yard Sale on Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20 from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. The sale will be held in the Kirk Center (gym).

Then on Thursday, June 18 we’ll offer a Preview Sale – open to FPCB members from noon – 6 p.m.; Preschool families are welcome to come by beginning at 4 p.m. More details to come!

FOOD DONATIONS: SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS


We heard from Northeast Middle School, the recipient of our April donations: “Thank you so much for your help and support! Your donations supported us in filling our tables and it was greatly appreciated!”

FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:

Child care will be available from 9:45 - 11:15 a.m. this Sunday; 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 – NEW SCHEDULE!


• 9:45– 11:15 a.m. – Child care available (ask ushers to direct you)
• 10:00 a.m. – Summer worship service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on website and Facebook page)
• 11:00 a.m. – Lemonade on the Lawn (west lawn) and post-service discussion opportunity (Narthex)

 
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.