The Session has approved sacrament by intinction for November and December and will continue to evaluate for sacrament in 2023.

Starting on THIS SUNDAY, November 20th we will participate in the sacrament of communion in worship by means of intinction. Intinction is the method of coming forward to receive communion by taking the bread and dipping it in the cup. Congregants will be invited to come forward to take communion. You may do so by receiving the bread and then receiving the cup. You may choose to continue to use the pre-packaged communion elements that will be provided. A gluten free option will also be available. 

   What a joy it is to gather around bread and cup as the Body of Christ. Christ prepares the Table, and we give thanks for God’s creative power, redeeming love, and sustaining care. Church, we get to enjoy a foretaste of the heavenly banquet to come! During this season of thanks, we thank our Covid Task force team and session for taking good care of us through a hard and holy season of Covid protocols. We rejoice to resume communion by intinction this November!  

Come, all are welcome!

The Table is prepared. There is a seat for YOU! 

This year's theme for Advent is From Generation to Generation... There is room for every story! All in the congregation are invited to bring framed photographs of loved ones - ancestors, present day family photos, and children and grandchildren, as well as family Bibles or other meaningful tokens of your tapestry of faith. 

Please bring these to the church by November 26 and deliver them to Alicia to be a part of sharing your ancestral story for the first Sunday of Advent!

This Advent, may you remember that you belong - to a story etched into the wrinkles of time, to generations that have come before and will come after, to a love that won't let you go.

We may have had Commitment Sunday, but it’s not too late to make your commitment by submitting your good and perfect gifts! Submit your Covenant Card ASAP to be included in our 2023 Operating Budget!

American Red Cross Blood Drive at FPC

November 23rd | 10:00am-3:00pm | FPC Fellowship Hall

Donors can sign up at redcrossblood.org using the sponsor code firstprescov

Walk-ins are welcome!

Get ready to roll up your sleeve, lay back and take it easy for about 30 minutes and then get cookies for your effort. Can you believe it cookies for taking it easy. Yes indeed, First Presbyterian is hosting a American Red Cross Blood Drive and everyone is welcome. This is a critical time for the need of blood donations. Please go to the American Red Cross website and look up our event and sign up for a spot that best works for you. However, "walk in's" are welcome and anyone who comes to the event will be given the chance to donate. Anyone that gives a donation or tries to give a donation will be welcome at the cookie and juice table (really good cookies). Please put November 23rd on your calendar and come visit with some of your church members working the event.

Children & teens are encouraged to join our Christmas Pageant!

Speaking & non-speaking parts available.

Practices: Dec. 4 at 9:45am

Dec. 11 at 9:45am

Dec. 14 at 4:00pm

See Erin for more details and to sign up

On December 3rd we will once again be passing out hot chocolate and donuts during the Covington Lion’s Club Christmas Parade!

We will have a table in front of the church and will meet at 9:15am to set up before the parade starts at 10:00am. Please contact Curtis Watson if you are interested in helping out!

Meat is provided and we invite you to bring a side dish or dessert.

Sign up to bring your favorite with Erin!

Following our Soul Feast Christmas Party, come hear a word about how we can help our neighbors living in homelessness! Jennifer Phillips from Willing Helpers Clinic will be speaking in the Adult Sunday School Room at 6:15pm on December 7th.

The Chancel Choir has begun rehearsing music for Advent and Christmas, and we would love to have you join us! For the next couple of months, a portion of the rehearsal from 7:20 to 7:50 is dedicated to rehearsing Lessons & Carols, which will be accompanied by a string quartet and percussion on Sunday, December 11th. 

"Grace Notes & Gospel Gab" is a new email offering from our Director of Music and Worship Arts, Alicia Taylor. Subscribe to learn about FPC’s music ministry and the history behind special worship services.

Children 3 years old through 1st grade are invited to Joyful Noise at 4:30pm to ring bells, sing praise, participate in a rhythm band, and puppetry arts.

Hallelujah Kids! meets at 5:00pm for 2nd through 8th graders to learn to ring tone chimes and handbells, sing praise, participate in a drumming circle, and puppetry arts.

Childcare will be available from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM each Wednesday at the church for parents who are involved in the church music ministry.

Please contact Alicia Taylor at 770-656-6848 or at alicia@fpccov.org with any questions

Every child deserves to experience the joy of Christmas morning. The Salvation Army Angel Tree program helps provide Christmas gifts for hundreds of thousands of children around the country each year. Angels in our community get their Christmas wish list shared on a Christmas Tree for loving donors who purchase gifts of new clothing and toys. The gifts are distributed to the family to place under their family Christmas tree.

  An Angel Tree will be placed in the narthex on November 27th with 30 Angels on it for you and your family to donate gifts to.

Neeley’s Notions is an email offering that gives Neeley the chance to start a conversation about the inspirations and influences she thinks about while writing her weekly sermon. The email will be sent on Friday mornings when the Spirit leads, and you can reply to the email with your thoughts and stories for Neeley to read.

Greetings in the name of the Lord! What a joy it is to serve in ministry with you! As we walk on this journey of faith together, we will send out a monthly newsletter with ministry opportunities for Children and Families. Be on the lookout for ways to connect with one another! 

With joy,

Rev. Erin Morgan

Associate Pastor for Faith Formation

In last week's e-news there was an error wherein the button to see the Veterans' Day slideshow did not work, but it has been corrected! Click below to see the Veterans' Day slideshow made by Dan Walden back in 2012!

Please keep the following people and their families in your prayers this week:

Prayers:

• Patricia Edwards, grandmother of Kayla Dobbs
• Sandy Morehouse - recovering from pulmonary embolism
• Joe Burns, brother of Cathy Dobbs
• Stephanie Fortson, broken hip
• Patrick Carmichael
• Donald Vining, brother of Danny Vining - vision loss
• Beverly Beasley, friend of Jean Elder - caring for husband who has leukemia
• Larry Cox, brother-in-law of Randy Layton - cancer
• Bob Darby, friend of Jeff Mackenzie - leg amputated, kidney problems
• Bruce Hamilton, brother-in-law of Theodosia Wade - cancer
• Karen Lein Kaasa, sister-in-law of Julie MacKenzie - home health care
• Lonnie Lamb - chemotherapy
• Gary Lott, brother of Tricia Hinton - recovering at home following two brain surgeries
• Linea Lott, niece of Tricia Hinton - leukemia
• Richard, friend of Miriam and Jack Wheeler - cell mutation
• Tony Taylor, brother of Alicia Taylor -gradually gaining strength with physical therapy
• Blair Weaver - health issues
• Joyce Williams, sister of Danny Vining - Alzheimer’s

Condolences

• Our prayers are with Angela Gilmer as she mourns the death of her fiancé, Fred Calalay, who passed away on November 14, 2022. There are no plans for a service at this time. 

Independent and Assisted Living

• Penny Blakeney - The Oaks Assisted Living
• Julia Brubaker - Benton House
• Jean Elder - Florida with her daughter
• Dot Fincher - Merryvale
• Travis Moss - Westbury, Conyers
• Louise White - Merryvale

Military Service

• Billy Scarborough - Marines
• Koen Ardis - Navy

Please click HERE to update your prayer requests or send new prayer requests.

You will be sent a check-in after three weeks.

In your email please indicate if you would like your request to be confidential or added to our prayer list.