Friday, March 3, 2023 Newsletter
COMMUNION 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:
REVISITING OUR MISSION AND CORE VALUES
Recently, as part of their mission strategy work, the Session and the Trustees reviewed our congregation’s Mission Statement and Core Values. You may know that those were adopted in 2019 after considerable work drafting them and soliciting congregational input.
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Obviously, they were adopted before the pandemic, and like many churches and other organizations, we are reviewing almost everything that was established before the pandemic to see whether it still has the substance and impact we need to guide us in the post-pandemic world.
I am pleased to report that the Session and Trustees felt that both the Mission Statement and the Core Values of the congregation continue to have real strength and relevance to us on the other side of the pandemic. They made only some minor semantic adjustments to the Mission Statement, which now reads as follows:
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Our Mission:
To welcome an inclusive and joyful community of Christ’s followers into actively exploring how God’s gracious love gives meaning to our lives and faith,
and inspires us to address the needs of our changing world.
Through our learning, service, and grateful worship,
God fills us with purpose, compassion, courage, and love.
The main change was swapping “diverse” for “inclusive” in the first clause. This was done to maintain our mission to be a congregation that welcomes all kinds of people, and the feeling that “diverse” can be heard as incidental, while “inclusive” suggests true intentionality. Otherwise, there was only some minor rephrasing and word swaps for greater clarity.
In the Core Values section, the church leadership had a substantial conversation around the meaning and implications of the second value statement, which had been “Welcoming to All,” but was finally changed to “Expansively Welcoming.”
This change is more significant than it may sound at first, and in ways that I think are both insightful and important. “Welcoming to All” sounds a bit triumphalist, as if we are fully welcoming to literally all people who ever come through the door.
It was felt that we needed a bit more humility in that statement, because there are always things to learn about both extending hospitality and the ways in which we fall short of that, however authentic our intentions might be.
Even more important, the phrase “Welcoming to All” could be heard in ways that are very different from our intention. The point of that Core Value was to indicate that we will not exclude anyone from participation or leadership in the church based on their identities, sexuality, background, etc.
However, in isolation from the explanatory text, it could be heard as a kind of moral relativism, suggesting that not only are all types of people welcome, but all ideas and commitments are. While we strive to be a “big tent” congregation with a generous approach to personal beliefs in the spirit of the Presbyterian Book of Order’s assertion that “God alone is Lord of the conscience,” we as a church are obviously not welcoming to belief systems that deny the full humanity of certain groups of people in violation of the Bible’s teaching that we are all made in the image of God (e.g., racism, misogyny, homophobia, etc.).
Therefore, the church leadership voted unanimously to change that language to “Expansively Welcoming,” which was felt to better express both the generosity of spirit and fellowship and the importance of not welcoming literally all ideas, however much they may conflict with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So, I encourage you to take this opportunity to go to the website and refresh yourself on both our Mission Statement and our Core Values, so you can be an ambassador for this congregation in terms of who we are and what we feel called to do!
Grace and Peace,
J.C.
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- This week’s sermon: Way Will Open: Beginning Again by The Rev. J.C. Austin
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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 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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LOOKING FOR A FEW LECTORS…
“Lectors” is the name for the people who participate in our worship services, by reading prayers and scripture. We are looking for additional volunteers for our 9 a.m. service; if you are interested, please use this easy online sign-up form.
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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 are two more dates, March 12 and 19.
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 second of four sessions in our Lenten Supper series will be offered next Wednesday (March 8), followed by two more on March 15 and 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!
FPCB volunteers will be cooking and serving dinner for the guests at Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering on Wednesday, March 29.
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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).
You can also sign up in person with Pastor Lindsey starting on Sunday, March 5.
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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 will be 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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The Lunch Bunch - an informal group which meets for friendship and fun - will reconvene for a lovely midwinter get-together next Thursday, March 9 at noon at Rudy's Bar and Grill, 1406 Center St., Bethlehem. All are welcome to join us!
Please let us know if you plan to attend so we can alert Rudy’s with the number.
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Contact Melody Engel at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or call the church office at 610-867-5865. Hope to see many of you for a relaxed, social lunch! |
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FLOWERS ARE ON OUR MINDS…
Altar Flowers: We appreciate the donation of altar 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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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.
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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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SOME REMINDERS FOR YOU…
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Look for updates on our website (fpc-bethlehem.org), Facebook page, and WFMZ (channel 69 and wfmz.com). We’ll also put a message on our church phone, 610-867-5865.
PLEDGE ENVELOPES: If you ordered pledge envelopes, they will be mailed directly to you from the envelope company. Please contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org if you have not yet received them.
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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 SERVICES
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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: 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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