God loves a cheerful giver. ~ 2 Corinthians 9:7

Dear Friends,

This coming Sunday, René Prager and I will meet with some of this year’s confirmands and their parents as we begin exploring together what it means to be a member of the church. We will encourage them to participate in worship leadership over the next few months, specifically as lay readers or as ushers.

You are invited to consider signing up to usher as a family or with friends as well. Ushering is one concrete and important way to be involved in welcoming members and visitors to worship and by receiving the morning offering when we respond to the great good news of God’s grace in Jesus Christ by giving of ourselves and the gifts God has showered upon us.

We are also hoping that some new faces will sign up to serve as lay readers. It is so good to hear a variety of voices in worship, enabling us to listen for God’s word in new ways. I will be leading a workshop for returning and new lay readers on October 9 in the sanctuary during Sunday school. You’ll have a chance to learn more about why we do what we do, and you’ll have a chance to practice.

Thank you for the many ways you enable us to serve God faithfully. I am looking forward to seeing new faces and hearing new voices as we worship God together!

Grace and peace,

Ellen

Usher sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-fpcusher

Lay Reader sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-scripture

link for online worship:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfpzVUz-ZgaCJuogIMor8Iw/live

link to Ellen's sermon podcasts:  https://bit.ly/Sermons_FPCConcord

Bridge Texts: September 28-October 2

Thursday, Exodus 11

Friday, Exodus 12:29-32

Saturday, Exodus 13:17-22

Sunday, Exodus 14:5-7, 10-14, 21-29

October 2-5

Sunday, Exodus 14:5-7, 10-14, 21-29

Monday, Exodus 15:1-21

Tuesday, Exodus 15:22-27

Wednesday, Exodus 16:1-21

2022-2023 BackPack Program

Coltrane Webb Elementary School

Congregational Mission

Our BackPack Program served 10 families for the month of September! We expect the number of families we serve to increase in the next month or so as the school year gets established.

Each month families receive a Food Lion Gift Card for $100. (No alcohol or tobacco) In addition the families receive a bag of food. Below is the list of food items we need to collect for October.

You can make monetary donations toward the purchase of the gift cards via the FPC website, the fourth Sunday of each month in the noisy offering collection,or by check. (Please note the BackPack Program is one of the drop-down options on the website.)

Donations Needed By: October 10, 2022

All Purpose Flour (2 lb. /32 oz)

Sugar (2 lb. /32 oz)

Salt and Pepper (Individual Duo)

Mustard (Yellow, 12 to 14 oz plastic bottle)

Ketchup (20 oz plastic bottle)

Mayonnaise (20 oz plastic bottle)

Vegetable or Canola Oil (48 oz plastic bottle)

Garlic Powder (3 oz)

Onion Powder (3 oz)

Texas Pete Hot Sauce (12 oz)

Vinegar (White) (32 oz plastic bottle)

Grits* (24 oz cannister)

Pudding Cups (3.25 oz/4 per pack)

Jiffy Cornbread Mix (8.5 oz box)

Applesauce Cups (4 oz per cup/6 cups)

Pancake Mix (ALDI, Aunt Maple’s Buttermilk 32 0z)

Syrup (ALDI, Aunt Maple’s Original Pancake Syrup 24 oz)

*No individual packets of grits.

The Confident Caregiver: Saturday, October 8

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

McGill Baptist Church

5300 Poplar Tent Road

Who should attend: Caregivers, family, friends, and professionals

In the middle stage of Alzheimer’s disease, those who were care partners now become hands-on caregivers. Join representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association for this half-day workshop and hear caregivers and professionals discuss helpful strategies for safe, effective and comfortable care.

Coffee and lunch provided by Sponsors Morningside of Concord and Home Instead.

For more information and to register:

inyurl.com/ConfidentCareCabCo or 800-272-3900.

"This year's CROP Walk is right around the corner and we need your help to reach our goal!

The walk is Sunday, October 9th in downtown Kannapolis (you may also walk at home if that's more convenient). Registration is at 1 PM and the walk will be at 2 PM, starting at Kimball Memorial Lutheran Church.

This fun event supports the fight against hunger and poverty both locally and globally.

Please use this link to make a contribution to our FPC Concord team or to join us at the walk!

https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2022/team/fpc-concord "

As a Matthew 25 congregation, First Presbyterian Church of Concord is committed to promoting racial equity. To advance our understanding of racial inequities, the Racial Equity Reads group meets every other Sunday to discuss our first book of autumn, “Dear White Peacemakers,” by Osheta Moore.

Our next discussion will be 3 - 4 PM October 9 in the Library Conference Room. We’ll discuss chapters  4-7. We invite you to join us! You can catch up by reading the short introductory pieces and chapters 1-3. Questions? Email sverner@yahoo.com.

You are invited to attend a community meeting at Central United Methodist Church, 30 Union Street N, on October 10 at 7 PM. Click here for a detailed flyer.

All 6th-12th grade Youth are encouraged to attend a COMBINED Youth Group on Sunday from 4:30-6 PM. We are hosting PCUSA Peacemaker, Maina Talia of Tuvalu who will speak to the group about rising sea levels and the current impacts on his Pacific Island country. Dinner will be provided. Please use this link to RSVP and bring a friend!



https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-102

Our Youth Group gathered on Sunday for some adventures in baking, as we prepared for a couple of upcoming events. 

JOURNEY will not meet this Sunday, 10/2/22. Members are invited to join the joint adult Sunday School class with our guest speaker in Davis Hall

Interested in Ushering? Here’s what to do:  

• Ushers arrive 30 minutes before the service so at 10:30 AM on Sundays
• Open inner & outer church doors and secure each door with hooks located behind them. 
• Greet and welcome members & guests and offer each a bulletin.
• Close the inner & outer church doors when the service starts. 
• Collect the offering
• Collect friendship pad sheets following the service.
• Open the inner & outer church doors during the last hymn.

Complete written usher instructions are available in the Narthex.    

Please consider joining us and sign up here

Join us on Saturday, October 8, from 8 AM to Noon to beautify our campus grounds!  Don't miss this opportunity for fellowship outdoors.

In the CCM Food program, our numbers remain high and we continue to serve a LOT of households who are new to CCM. Our inventory is getting critically low!

Currently, the pantry items we are in biggest need of are:

·    Any kind of canned vegetables, especially green beans and corn

·    Diced Tomatoes

·    Dried Pinto Beans

·    Any kind of canned beans (Baked, black, pinto, kidney, etc.)

·    Canned Fruit (except fruit cocktail)

·    Any kind of Canned Meats (except tuna!)

·    Macaroni & Cheese

·    Pasta Sauce

·    Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

As always, we especially seek low sodium items, no-added-sugar items, and whole grain items. 

Currently we have plenty of:

·    Tuna

·    Soup

·    Canned Mixed Fruit

• Thank you for the continued support from our church partners. Our Crisis Center at 246 Country Club Drive NE in Concord serves as the warehouse for most of the food. We will gladly accept all donations at that site from 9:30 AM to 1 PM Monday through Friday. Bethel Baptist Helping Hands Food Pantry, located at 1209 1/4 Opal Street in Kannapolis, will gladly accept donations from 9 AM to 1 PM on Monday and Thursday. The food pantry located at Westford UMC on Highway 49 and the Kannapolis Food Pantry at West Point Baptist Church can accept donations on Saturday morning from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. The Feeding Our Souls Food Pantry at Bethel Church in Midland, and North Kannapolis Baptist Church Food Pantry will accept donations by calling the church in advance.

The next Books & Brews will meet on Thursday, October 27 at 7 PM at the Wine Room (5401 Village Dr NW, Concord, 28027).

The book will be Station Eleven.