This week we will be collecting offerings for Thornwell Home for Children in honor of Thornwell Emphasis Month.

Thornwell Emphasis Month represents a long-standing tradition of faithful friends who so generously advocate for Thornwell and bring awareness to the needs that exist within our communities. We hope you will consider joining us as we share how God is working through children and families being supported by programs at Thornwell!

Thornwell serves to prevent child abuse and neglect, to build up and reunite families, and to support healthy communities in the name of Jesus Christ.

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!

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

Starting on 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! 

November 10th at 7:00pm in the Fellowship Hall

Join our new Garden Club: Blossoms and Beans!

Meets on the second Thursday of the month

7:00pm-8:30pm in the Fellowship Hall

Ask Jeff MacKenzie for details. Questions about plant problems, seedlings, compost issues, and all things botanical are welcome!

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.

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 [email protected] with any questions

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

We will have photos of our veterans playing on the TV in the Narthex this Sunday in honor of Veterans' Day! We have some already that have been collected in the past but we might be missing a few. So if you'd like your picture added, please email it to Catherine at [email protected] by Thursday at 12:00pm!

Names will be added to the photos on the slideshow, but will not be printed in the worship guide.

Click below to see the Veterans' Day slideshow made by Dan Walden back in 2012!

PDA is working with affected presbyteries and international partners to assess the aftermath of Hurricane Ian and offer resources and support. emergency grants have been disbursed and National Response Team members are deployed. 

As people of faith, we stand ready to partner with presbyteries, congregations and communities to meet the immediate and long-term needs.

If you'd like to contribute to PDA's disaster response, please visit

pda.pcusa.org/situation/hurricane-ian/

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

Prayers:

• 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

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.