Thank you to everyone who so generously contributed to Sunday's noisy offering. This month we collected $450.80!

Attention ALL Youth – we need your help! Our community service project for the month of October is the Backpack program. We are providing all the items for the families in need at Coltrane Webb Elementary School. Please take a look at the specific items needed and sign-up for as many as you are able to commit to providing.

2023-2024 Youth: Youth - Backpack items - October Mission Project (signupgenius.com)

Items can be brought to Sunday School, worship, or Moe’s THIS Sunday, or dropped off in the foyer of the Fellowship House by October 31^st. When possible, Youth is encouraged to take part in the shopping of these items. Help support this impactful community outreach organized by FPC Presbyterian Women.

This Sunday, October 29^th, all Youth are invited to gather at Moe’s after worship for lunch and fellowship together. Please provide your own transportation and lunch money. 

It’s that time again!!

 Sponsored by the Christian Education Committee, we are asking the children of the church to help by bringing fruits and vegetables to make the cornucopia for Sunday, November 12th.

There will be bags given out to the children in Sunday School, the Children’s message, and in Pew Prep on this Sunday, October 29th, with a list of what to bring. Please help your children with collecting the vegetables and returning them on Sunday, November 5th during the Children’s message.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about and share the bounty we all have been given.

After November 12th, the fruits and vegetables will be taken to Cooperative Christian Ministry for distribution. Any questions, email Sallie Dotger: ssdotger@gmail.com

On Tuesday, October 31, FPC will host a stop for Trick or Treaters as they make their way up and down Union Street.

We are now collecting donations of bags of individually-wrapped, store-bought candy to hand out that evening. We’d love a wide variety of options (nut-free, dairy-free, etc.) so that we have something for everyone.

Thanks in advance for your generosity! Contact Pastor Ellen with questions.

Join us at 5:00 PM for a time of prayer for Israel and Gaza. Whether you choose to pray your own prayers silently or pray one of the available printed prayers, we know that praying in community is powerful. “Where two or three are gathered in my name I am in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20

The Commons will be open from 5:00-6:00 PM for you to spend a few minutes or the entire time praying for the people of Israel and Gaza. 

The Deacon's Mission team at First Presbyterian Church has adopted W. M. Irvin Elementary School.

For the next three weeks (October 12-31) we will be collecting for their clothes closet.

They need boys & girls jeans, jackets, sweatshirts, sweatpants, shirts (short/long), and undergarments. (Basically everything...). They serve K-5th so the sizes range from 5/6 (children's size) to adult mediums.

A collection bin will be placed in the foyer of the fellowship house. Please check to see what you might be able donate. Thank you for your generosity!



If you have any questions contact Carol Lacy: grammytwins@yahoo.com

Book Joy To the World 

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to First Kids. We invite church members to visit the fair in Davis Hall this Sunday, October 29, before and after church services. It is a wonderful way to pick up great books for little ones in your life, while helping our preschool earn teaching materials for the classrooms. 



We hope to see you there! 

The Grounds Beautification day is set for the morning of November 4, 2023 starting at 8:00 AM.

It's a great opportunity for volunteers to meet new and greet old friends WHILE helping to keep our campus beautiful.

Some tools will be provided AND please bring some from home. You may want to bring some gardening gloves to protect your hands. Wear comfy clothes, shoes that can get dirty, and a smile.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Presbyterian Women

Fall Spiritual Event

"Come to the Table"

Advent Communion and Lunch

12:00 PM

in Davis Hall

Cost: $12 per person

From the Scriptures to the Early Church in the Todd Hobbie Sunday School Class

This week in Sunday School, we explored what the apostle Paul had to say about life beyond death in his monologue in Acts 22 and his first letter to the Thessalonian church. If you missed out this week, you can catch up on what we discussed at the link below. Across scripture, we have seen Hebrew Bible writers and New Testament authors like Paul spending less time imparting philosophical or scientific wisdom about what will transpire in the future than comforting those who are fearful and anxious, and turning our attention back to how we participate in the kingdom of God here and now. Next week, we will dive into how some members of the early church in North Africa conceived of heaven and life beyond death. To what extent are their visions consistent with what we've seen in scripture? Find out this Sunday at 10am in Davis Hall.

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/your-union-rev/episodes/Caught-Up-in-the-Clouds-Together-Life-Beyond-Death-in-the-Life-and-Letters-of-Paul-e2b0fls

The Price of Freedom Museum started almost 50 years ago in a Texaco station at a country crossroads between China Grove and Salisbury. Local people joined the effort and started bringing in WWII memorabilia brought home by family members. Eventually, volunteers procured an old schoolhouse in the Patterson community and put in many hours to make a museum. 

Local school children have visited the site for years to learn about those veterans who paid the Price of Freedom and to see what homes and schools in those years were like. In addition to uniforms, military equipment, and models. The museum houses a preserved classroom and auditorium from yesteryear and 3 rooms furnished as a typical War Era home. These “blasts from the past” will bring back memories of your own grandparents’ homes and of your school days!

Of particular interest is an extensive display of restored antique military vehicles, jeeps and trucks including the private collection of the late Food Lion executive Tom Smith valued at over $300,000.

Participants should meet at the church lower parking lot on Thursday, November 9, by 10:45am if they wish to caravan up to Gary’s Barbecue at 620 N Hwy 29 in China Grove, or they may go directly to Gary’s. The restaurant will have tables set aside for us at 11:30. (**Please note that Highway 29 gets confusing in China Grove if you go by I-85. Also, please be advised that Gary’s takes only cash, no credit cards.**). We will proceed from the restaurant to the Museum for our private tour at 1 PM. The museum is accessible and free. It is supported entirely by donations.

 Please call the church reservation line at 704-788-2100 and choose option 7 to let us know you are coming by Wednesday, November 8.

Did you notice our new composter in the church parking lot on Sunday?

You are cordially invited to discard any fruit and vegetable food scraps you may have, and any other compostable items in the big green box next to our trash and recycling bins.

Find a more complete list of what you can and can't compost in the the flyer here.

This is an easy way for us to reduce our carbon footprint, as composted food waste gives off 50% less CO2 than food discarded in landfills. Composting also allows us to witness and participate in God's work of resurrection, as God transforms our waste into nutrient soil that will benefit this church and our local elementary school partners in the gardening class at A. T. Allen.

Our Daisy troop got to trick or treat and pass out candy at Crescent Heights retirement center this week. The seniors were more excited for the visit than the candy, and our girls had such a good time giving back!

This week the Juniors of Troop 3142 thought like engineers to build a newspaper structure that could support the weight of one or more books. This was the last Journey sample activity that we will try; during our next meeting the girls will decide which Journey they would like to complete this year.

Our middle and high school Girl Scouts hosted a professional photographer and earned their digital photography badge.