Friday, July 21, 2023 Newsletter
SUMMER WORSHIP
10:00 a.m.
In the Sanctuary
(in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)
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TWO IMPORTANT NOTICES!
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The church building (including the Preschool) will be CLOSED on Tuesday (July 25) for some needed water main repairs. We apologize for any inconvenience.
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There will be NO NEWSLETTER next week. You will receive a copy of the Summer Worship bulletin; the newsletter will return the following week.
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A MESSAGE FROM THE REV. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON:
Growth and Community
FPCB Friends,
No matter what is going on in the world, hearing young people sing together always gives me a bit of hope that everything just might be OK. That was certainly the case this past Sunday with the Artefact choral scholars leading us in worship and sharing their gifts at that afternoon’s concert. Much gratitude to all of the people connected to our church and music department who made such a vibrant partnership possible—I know it was an incredible amount of work to organize and make happen!
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I’m also moved by the growth and community that those students shared in our building during the five days of their intensive; to me, that is a beautiful example of our resources doing God’s work in the world, especially among students who might not otherwise experience belonging and nurture in a church setting.
It was also energizing to hear about the work that a couple more nonprofit partners—Turning Point Lehigh Valley and Third Steet Alliance—are doing in the community to meet the needs of housing insecure families and to continue engaging in conversation about how faith communities can be part of that work alongside them.
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If you missed our Linger & Learn session after Sunday’s worship service (or struggled with the audio volume in the sanctuary), you can view the recording on our Facebook page or use this link. (We’re already thinking about logistical changes for the August 13 session to improve the participant experience, both in person and online.)
As we began the Linger & Learn, I shared a bit of an update from the Strategic Mission Steering Committee, and that information seemed helpful to offer here, as well. The Steering Committee is engaged in ongoing conversations with local nonprofit partners (some of whom we’ve met with multiple times) as we explore possible opportunities for the adaptive re-use of our vastly underutilized building.
These co-location possibilities offer a path toward direct community impact, and such partnerships would also help generate needed capital funds and operating income to move us toward long-term financial sustainability. We anticipate beginning an architectural feasibility study to inform those dialogues in the coming weeks.
The Steering Committee is also researching and interviewing possible consultants and partners to help guide our wider campus planning and redevelopment efforts, and we expect to be ready to begin congregational and community engagement on more specific possibilities for our property in the fall.
There are surely still more questions than answers, but God’s faithfulness and the Spirit’s guidance in this strategic, missional work is deeply moving to me. With our collective focus on being Christ’s hands and feet among our most vulnerable neighbors (and using our resources toward that end), I am confident that we will experience transformation, renewal, and vitality unlike we can even imagine.
It will be challenging in moments—change and growth always are—but what a gift to be invited to reimagine church and co-create with God in this way!
Blessings for the journey, dear ones.
Lindsey
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This week’s sermon: Doberman or St. Bernard? by the Rev. Cynthia Leslie Simmons
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We post the video of each week’s services and sermon text on our website: fpc-bethlehem.org
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TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper for Sunday
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FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:
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Child care will be available from 9:45 - 11:15 a.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.
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Your children are a joy in our worship services, and should the need arise, “kid bags” are available for their use. They are in the Narthex.
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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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We thank the Rev. Cynthia Leslie Simmons for serving as our guest preacher this Sunday.
Both Cindy and her husband, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Simmons, serve our congregation as Parish Associates – we appreciate them sharing their time and talents in this way!
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AFGHAN FAMILY FUNDRAISING UPDATE |
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Thanks to an ongoing stream of contributions - including a generous matching gift of our previous week’s total ($2,035) - we are only $520 away from our fundraising goal of $6,500 to cover the entirety of our Afghan family’s legal fees!
If you would like to help us reach our goal – and the time is right for you to do so – please mark your contribution as “Refugee Family Support.” You can give on Sunday, in the mail or donate online at fpc-bethlehem.org/give with the same designation.
Much gratitude to everyone who has contributed, and we look forward to hosting a church-wide Green Card party once the process is successfully completed.
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LEMONADE ON THE LAWN
We’re back with our social time, “Lemonade on the Lawn” for this coming Sunday, after our service.
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We are looking for other groups or families to take on the hosting duties. Basically, you will need to provide a few treats to eat and to get the beverages, cups and napkins, ice, and coolers out of the church kitchen. Clean-up is as simple as returning those items to the kitchen.
It doesn’t have to be a “formal” group, like a
K group or the choir – it can be a family or group of friends. It’s easy to sign up on this online form or call the church office at 610-867-5865. We’ll also have a paper sign-up form at each event.
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DINNER & A SHOW: KINKY BOOTS
LAST CALL: We need a few more RSVPs to meet our minimum!
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We’ve made plans to see the Lehigh Valley premiere of the hit Broadway musical, Kinky Boots, at the Pennsylvlania Playhouse on Friday, July 28. All are welcome!
For those interested, we’ll first gather for dinner at The Clubhouse Grille, 400 Illick’s Mill Road (next to the Playhouse) at 5:30 p.m. Each person pays for their own meal.
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The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $22 each. (If you do not go to dinner, meet at the theatre at 7:15 p.m.)
You can pay for your tickets beforehand (to the church office) or the night of the show; make checks payable to FPCB and put “play” in the memo line.
The deadline to register to attend is Friday, July 21. If you’d like to attend, contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865 and include: your name, how many tickets, if you’re going to dinner, and if you need handicapped seating at The Playhouse.
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AN INVITATION FOR YOU – FROM STEVE SIMMONS |
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I'd like to invite you to a rollout for our new book, Hear Me Out: Six Questions on Belonging and Belief, at Wesley United Methodist on Monday, August 7, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. In addition to some general schmoozing time, we'll have some "stations" representing the various questions in the book and some (painless) activities that people can do individually as they move around. We'll have refreshments, some very brief presentations, and mostly time to circulate and chat. We'll also have copies of the book available for purchase.
I hope you can join us! If you plan to come, please RSVP to me at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865 so that we will know how many to plan for.
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ALL ARE WELCOME! BETHLEHEM GARDEN CLUB FLOWER SHOW |
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Today: Friday, July 21, from 3-8 p.m.
Tomorrow: Saturday, July 22, from
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
This weekend, our Kirk Center will be ablaze with the beauty of the Bethlehem Garden Club’s big event, “A Standard Flower Show.” The show is open to the public and admission is free.
Along with lovely flower displays, there will be vignettes, table settings, miniatures, a plant sale and a pastry cafe. There’s something for everyone to enjoy!
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CHILD CARE HELP NEEDED
Our Sunday morning Child Care program is hiring! We are looking for workers to provide care during Sunday morning worship services, to kiddos infant to age 5. Knowledge about littles, and experience working with them is a plus.
The summer shifts run from 9:45-11:15 a.m.; from September-May it is from 8:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (in the summer the workers are paid for the full 3.5 hour shift).
Clearances are required (the church will pay for these), and they must be at least 18 years old. The starting pay is $14, and employees cannot be church members.
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ANOTHER GREAT 'LUNCH BUNCH' GATHERING! |
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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, leave a message or call our answering service at 610-778-7003.
PRAYER REQUESTS...
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Send us your news and photos to share:
**There will be no newsletter on Friday, July 28.
Deadline for the next week's newsletter:
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2 at noon**
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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 the "Watch the Service" button
- Please check in with a comment so we know you’ve joined us!
- Captions will now be 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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THIS SUNDAY
- 9:45-11:15 a.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
- 10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship, in-person in the Sanctuary and livestream on Facebook Live and our website
- 11:15 a.m.: Lemonade on the Lawn, our after-worship connecting opportunity – all are welcome!
WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom (Meeting # 380 435 9056 / Password: overcomer)
CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO:
THE BUILDING AND PRESCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED ON TUESDAY (JULY 25) FOR WATER MAIN REPAIRS.
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.
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BETHLEHEM |
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18017 610-867-5865 | info@fpc-bethlehem.org
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