Friday, March 10, 2023 Newsletter
SUNDAY SERVICES
9:00 a.m. ‘Holy Ground’ Contemporary Worship in Fellowship Hall
(in person only)
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary – Sunday
(in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)
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A MESSAGE FROM THE REV. J.C. AUSTIN: The Blessing of Ordination
This Sunday, we will be ordaining new Elders and Deacons, and then installing them to office along with our Trustees (Trustees are installed into their crucial roles of leadership, but it is not an ordained office).
Ordination and Installation Sunday is always a highlight of the year for me personally; it is the culmination of literally months of conversation, prayer, discernment, and training for both those being ordained and for the Congregational Nominating Committee which begins its work every fall in seeking out those whom God is calling to serve in an ordained capacity in this congregation.
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As I have often stressed, one of the hallmarks of the Presbyterian Church is that the members of the church elect their leaders, and nothing can interfere with that. The Session does not have a role in either nominating or electing leaders for the church; it only supervises the actual ordination and installation process once those leaders have been nominated and elected by the congregation.
I, as the pastor of the church, am an ex officio member of the Congregational Nominating Committee, which means that I can advise the committee, but they don’t have to take my suggestions.
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As pastor, I have no power to choose or block anyone for nomination; in fact, I do not even get a vote in the process! So those being ordained today were called by God and this congregation to serve as Deacons and Elders, and they have answered that call with a willingness to serve and spent the time between the Annual Congregational Meeting and now in training to serve.
As we prepare to ordain and install people this Sunday, I think it’s important to pause for a moment and remember what ordination means in the Presbyterian Church and what these offices, in particular, are charged to do.
For six years, I served as the Visiting Professor of Presbyterian Governance at Union Theological Seminary in New York City (which is a fancy way of saying that I taught a course in Presbyterian government, or “polity,” that is required for people seeking ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament!).
In my teaching, I always told my students that ordination in the Presbyterian Church is to service, not to status; people who are ordained are not any more important or holy or powerful than anybody else in the life of the church, they have simply been called to serve to particular service because of their gifts, skills, and personal ministries.
And our ordination “hierarchy” is horizontal, not vertical; Ministers of Word and Sacrament are no more ordained than Deacons or Elders, they just fulfill a different function: preaching and teaching the Word and administering the sacraments.
Elders could also be called Ministers of Governance and Discipline in that sense; their function is to come together in councils to make decisions about the mission and ministry of the church and to cultivate a sense of mutual respect and care in the life of the congregation. Deacons could be called Ministers of Compassion and Justice in the same way; their role is to ensure that those who are experiencing poverty, illness, or other such needs are cared for, and to help the congregation address systemic problems that lead to such experiences.
Finally, it’s important to note that ordination is for life. Once you are ordained, you remain an Elder or Deacon until you die. That’s because God’s gifts and calling never expire; the only thing that changes is how we engage them. So we install people to particular terms in office (usually three years at a time), but even when those terms expire, people are still called to live out their ordination vows in their ministry within the congregation, even though they aren’t currently sitting on the Session or the Board of Deacons.
So: be sure to offer your blessings and support to those being ordained and installed this Sunday, and your thanks to those who are completing terms on Session, the Board of Deacons, and the Trustees, as we all continue to move forward into God’s greater calling to us as a congregation in the coming months.
Grace and Peace,
J.C.
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This week’s sermon: The Unusual Suspects by
The Rev. J.C. Austin
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 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.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 and in the blanket-sitting area (to the left of the communion table in Fellowship Hall).
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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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COFFEE & CONVERSATION – AFTER EACH SUNDAY SERVICE
We invite folks to stay for Coffee & Conversation following each of our two worship services.
This is an opportunity for connection in Fellowship Hall where you’ll find coffee for adults along with juice boxes and a simple snack for children. (We will still gather for our Intergenerational Faith Formation story and craft after the 9:00 service!)
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SPECIAL LENTEN SERIES FOR SUNDAY ADULT ED
This Sunday we continue our four-part special Lenten series for adult ed. All are welcome to gather in Fellowship Hall beginning at 10 a.m. After this Sunday there is one more session on March 19. These sessions are in-person only; we will share audio recordings of each one at a later date.
We are exploring the insights of the two books that the Session and Trustees read last summer and which have been guiding their strategic work ever since. The books are Shift: Three Big Moves for the 21st Century Church, by Mark Tidsworth, and We Aren’t Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Ministry and Mission, by Mark Elsdon.
While you are certainly invited to make reading these books part of your Lenten discipline, there is no expectation that you will have done so in order to participate in the class. Rather, we’ll be presenting the key points of the two books and discussing them with an eye towards how they might speak to us right here at First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem.
The Hearts N Minds adult ed class is on hiatus until Sunday, April 2, when they will meet at 9:45 a.m. in the Parlor. They will not meet on Easter Sunday (April 9) and will resume on Sunday, April 16.
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CONTINUING: WEDNESDAY'S LENTEN SUPPER SERIES
“Making Room for Something New”
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The third of four sessions in our Lenten Supper series will be offered next Wednesday (March 15), followed by the last session on March 22. From 6:00-7:30 p.m. we’ll gather in Fellowship Hall for a simple potluck meal and explore the theme Making Room for Something New.
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The series offers insight on discipleship practices and spiritual postures for navigating transition and change, both as individuals and as a community.
There is time for food and connection, a brief bit of teaching and practice, followed by small group reflection and conversation. Here are the themes we’ll explore together over the four weeks: creating space and waiting/wintering; stillness; imagination; resilience and vitality.
Attendees are invited to bring either a salad or dessert for at least eight. Any variety of salad (pasta salad, grain bowl, chicken/egg/potato salad, green salad, etc.) or dessert is welcome!
We also need five volunteers each week to help with light preparations at 5:30 p.m. If you’re available to help, please email info@fpc-bethlehm.org or call the church office at 610-867-5865 and your message will be shared with Gail Watts, who is coordinating the suppers.
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BES SIGN-UP: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! |
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FPCB volunteers will be cooking and serving dinner for the guests at Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering on Wednesday, March 29. We need volunteers to help cook and serve dinner, clean up during service and after the meal, and serve as shower monitor (which is just a simple check-in process).
If you’re interested in volunteering, these are the available spots – please email Pastor Lindsey at lclifton@fpc-bethlehem.org or see her on Sunday morning:
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- Cook - 2:00-5:00 p.m. (1 more volunteer needed)
- Clean-up - 6:00-8:30 p.m. (4 volunteers needed)
- Shower Monitor (Female) - 7:15-9:15 p.m. (1 volunteer needed)
- Shower Monitor (Male) - 5:15-7:15 p.m. (1 volunteer needed)
- Shower Monitor (Male) - 7:15-9:15 p.m. (1 volunteer needed)
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SUPPORTING ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING |
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Around the world, millions of people lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity. The three programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) — Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People — all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need. From initial disaster response to ongoing community development, their work fits together to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope. |
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NOTE: The Presbyterian Disaster Assistance fund is supporting earthquake response efforts in Turkey and Syria.
Received during the season of Lent (February 22 – April 9), each gift to OGHS helps to improve the lives of people in these challenging situations. The Offering provides us a way to share God’s love with our neighbors in need. In fact, OGHS is the single, largest way that Presbyterians come together every year to work for a better world.
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LOOKING AHEAD TO LENTEN COLLECTIONS
First Pres is collecting nonperishable foods and bedding for New Bethany Ministries, Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering and Northeast Community Center, now through Palm Sunday.
Note that the items for BES can be new or very gently used; they are also requesting donations of tents (they appreciate this model, so they can tell who is affiliated with their programs).
Containers are located in the North Link and in the Kirk Center. Please consider supporting these Bethlehem organizations.
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FLOWERS ARE ON OUR MINDS… |
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Easter Flowers: We are now taking orders for flowers for use in our Easter services – you will have your choice of a hydrangea ($22), tulip ($11) and daffodil ($11). Special envelopes are available, or you can use the one in your pack of envelopes. This is a nice way to honor or remember a loved one, and you can take home the flowers you order. Orders are due Sunday, March 19.
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NOTE: We are not ordering Easter lillies this year - just the options noted above.
Chancel Flowers: We appreciate the donation of chancel flowers for use in our Traditional worship services in the Sanctuary. This is a wonderful way to honor a loved one, or their memory. Please sign up for your requested date using the form in the Narthex (or you can call the church office at 610-867-5865).
We will order the flowers on your behalf. The cost is $75, payable to First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem; send your payment to the Finance Office or use the flower envelope that is with the sign-up form.
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BETHLEHEM NAACP FORUM: RACE & REFORM
Monday, March 13
6:00 p.m.
Bethlehem City Hall
In response to horrific actions of the Memphis Police in the killing of Tyre Nichols, the Bethlehem NAACP Community Advisory Board invites you to participate in a discussion about extreme police violence and the need for change.
The forum will open with statements by faith leaders, elected officials, and the Bethlehem Police Department. The Rev. Lindsey Altvater Clifton and FPCB Elder Rep. Steve Samuelson will be participating. Open discussion will follow.
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COMING IN APRIL: NEXT HELPING HANDS TRIP
The next Helping Hands trip is slated for Saturday, April 15 – Saturday, April 22 and will take volunteers back to New Bern, NC to work on homes for our neighbors there.
We hope you will consider being part of this trip. There are no specific skills or experience required. There are jobs for every skill level, and experienced volunteers can help train you. Volunteers will be housed at the Neuse Forest Presbyterian Church in New Bern. The facility is fairly new and the accommodations are very comfortable.
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The registration deadline is Thursday, March 30. The cost is $250.00 (includes round trip travel to New Bern and housing and meals while in New Bern), but if the cost is prohibitive and you would like to participate, there are scholarship funds available.
The Orientation Meeting will take place on Thursday, March 30 at 6 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Allentown.
If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Kevin Kehoe via info@fpc-bethlehem.org or leave a message for him at 610-867-5865.
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IF YOU ARE HOSPITALIZED…
We would like to know when our members are entering the hospital. Please tell the hospital that your church ID is 724 and they will contact us, but you are also enouraged to contact Jane Mackie at prayer@fpc-bethlehem.org to keep us up to date.
PRAYER REQUESTS...
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Send us your news and photos to share:
**Deadline for the next week's newsletter:
WEDNESDAY 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
- 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
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9:00 a.m.: “Holy Ground” Contemporary service, Fellowship Hall (in person only) followed by Coffee & Conversation in Fellowship Hall
- 10:00 a.m.: Lenten Adult Ed class, Fellowship Hall – all are welcome
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11:00 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service, in-person in the Sanctuary AND livestream on Facebook Live and our website; in-person followed by Coffee & Conversation in Fellowship Hall
TUESDAYS: 6 p.m. - Handbell rehearsal, Sanctuary (middle school and older, no experience needed)
WEDNESDAYS: 6-7:30 p.m. - Lenten Supper Series, Fellowship Hall; 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom (Meeting # 380 435 9056 / Password: overcomer)
THURSDAYS: 7 p.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary
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 members of the FPCB congregation are hospitalized and would welcome pastoral and hospital ministrant visitors and/or prayers, please contact: Phil Fair, Prayer Ministrant (prayer@fpc-bethlehem.org).
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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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