‌
THE BANNER
March 20, 2019
Congratulations to Amy Murphy
Cabarrus County Preschool Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to our very own Amy Murphy who won the Hearts and Hands Award for outstanding Preschool Teacher of the Year given at the annual Coming Together for Children Event on March 7th at Crossroads Church. 
 
The Hearts and Hands Award is awarded to deserving early childhood educators from Cabarrus and Stanly County, nominated in recognition of outstanding commitment to excellence in teaching and care of young children, while promoting positive relationships with and providing service to families, colleagues and the community. 

Amy was nominated by the Carpenter family and by First Kids Preschool. We are very proud and fortunate that she has been such an important part of our First Kids staff for 17 years.

Guest Preacher, Rev. Lisa McLennan
This Sunday, March 24th, we welcome the Rev. Lisa McLennan to the pulpit. Lisa is the Admissions Director of Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Charlotte campus and serves as a Parish Associate at Selwyn Avenue Presbyterian Church. She worked as a registered dietitian for 20 years before answering a call to seminary as a second career pastor. She and her husband Braxton have 3 teenagers, and they enjoy skiing, hiking, and watching the Panthers and the Tarheels while tailgating in their driveway.
Congregational Meeting Rescheduled to March 31st
The Congregational Meeting called by the Session for Sunday, March 24th has been rescheduled for Sunday, March 31st during the 11:00 a.m. worship service. The additional time is needed to secure a full slate of nominees for the offices of Elder and Deacon.
The Commons

Drop in Open House for our "near neighbors"
Sunday, April 7th, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.

If you have friends who attend Central United Methodist,
Trinity UCC, St. James Lutheran, Forest Hill United Methodist
or Grace Lutheran, please invite them and
help us spread the word of our new outreach ministry.  
Wednesday Night Fellowship
Join us on March 27th for a Book Discussion Group. There will actually be two groups, each with a discussion facilitator, and you get to choose which discussion you would like to participate in! One group will be discussing Beauty in the Broken Places by Allison Pataki and the other group will be discussing The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. We hope to see you there!  Please make your dinner reservations by noon, Monday, March 25th.
Menu: honey garlic chicken, fried rice, egg rolls, fruit, salad, dessert
Girl Scout Troop 334
First Presbyterian sponsors Older Girl Troop 334 and joined them in celebrating Girl Scout Sunday on March 10th. This year is the 107th anniversary of the first Girl Scout meeting in the United States and Girl Scout Sunday celebrates that anniversary on the 2nd Sunday of March each year. The girls and their leaders served as greeters and ushers. They welcomed the congregation to a lemonade and Girl Scout cookie reception in the Fellowship House following worship.
(Pictured left to right: Kate Prager, Meredith Sheridan, Breanna Mayfield)
Session Highlights from the March 12, 2019 Meeting
  • Due to political unrest in Haiti, the mission trip planned for March 15-20 unfortunately has been canceled.
  • The Personnel Committee is working diligently to hire a Church Administrator to fill Deborah Mesimer’s position when she retires in May. 
  • As more time is needed to find an Interim Minister, Lynne and Rachel shared a list of things that they urgently need help with! Elders will be seeking volunteers from the congregation to help during this critical time. 
  • The Lenten Lunch series is going well with participants from the church, preschool, and community.
  • Shepherd Training is being planned – please watch for opportunities for this quick and easy training so that more of us can help shepherd our youth.
  • Thank you for supporting the Youth Bake Sale on March 10. The youth enjoyed wonderful fellowship while baking, and raised $389 for the Haiti mission. 
  • A beautiful community prayer vigil was held in the Commons recently with 50-75 people praying for Betsy Burchfield who was diagnosed with heart failure. 

The Session meets monthly on the 2nd Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. Minutes are open and available
by request after they are approved at the following month’s Session meeting.

To connect with church officers, all Deacons and Elders and their committee assignments
are listed on the church website here .
First Kids and First VBS Summer Camp
First Kids Summer Camp ($65 per week)
Week 1 June 3 - 5, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Week 2 June 10 -13, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
(Rising 2 year olds - 2nd grade)

First VBS Summer Camp (Free)
June 17 - 20, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
(Rising 2 year olds - Kindergarten & 1st Grade - 5th Grade)


Join us as we go To Mars and Beyond where kids will discover the wonders of God's universe through art, music, science, story time, mission, outdoor fun and more. Campers will become voyagers on a journey through space, exploring where God's power can take them. "Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by God's power at work within us." Ephesians 3:20
Sign-up Links
Wednesday Night Fellowship
Wednesday, March 27th
6:00 p.m., Davis Hall
PW Spiritual Nurture Luncheon
Sunday, March 31st
12:15 p.m., Davis Hall
Lay Liturgists
Sign up here to be a lay liturgist to
read scripture in worship on Sundays.

Sanctuary Flowers
To give the congregation a gift of
sanctuary flowers,  please click here
to sign-up for one or more Sundays
during the year.
Shepherd for Sunday School
Please help us fill the Spring calendar!
Sign up here to be a Shepherd in our Elementary and Middle School Sunday School.
A Shepherd helps our teachers by being another adult in the room, to make sure that we have a safe classroom, and to fulfill the requirements of our Child and Youth Protection Policy. If you have questions about what it means to be a Shepherd, please reach out to one of the members of the Christian Education Committee or Rachel Vogado.  
Youth Newsletter
Sign up here to receive the Youth Newsletter for detailed information
about all events related to youth who are in 6th-12 grade.

Do you have a love of cooking and feeding hungry youth? Each Sunday, our Middle and High School youth gather around a meal together for shared fellowship and fun. We need your help to fill the meal calendar to feed the youth on Sunday night. Please consider signing up with a friend for a Sunday night or two. The youth's stomachs thank you! Rachel will send out meal specifications, including allergy needs, etc. Sign up here! 
Calendar
Sunday, March 24, 2019
Luke 13:1-9
"Another Year"
Rev. Lisa McLennan preaching

Our "Noisy" Offering will be received this Sunday during worship.
Sunday, March 24
9:45 a.m. Sunday School
9:45 a.m. Confirmation Class
11:00 a.m. Worship
3:00 p.m. Children's Choir
4:00 p.m. Youth Choir
5:00 p.m. Middle School Youth Fellowship
6:00 p.m. All Youth Supper
6:30 p.m. High School Youth Fellowship
Monday, March 25
9:00 a.m. First Kids Preschool
11:30 a.m. AA
Tuesday, March 26
9:00 a.m. First Kids Preschool
10:00 a.m. Adult Literacy Tutoring
Wednesday, March 27
7:30 a.m. Men's Bible Study
9:00 a.m. First Kids
4:30 p.m. Interim Pastor Search Committee
6:00 p.m. Fellowship Supper
7:30 p.m. Sanctuary Choir
Thursday, March 28
9:00 a.m. First Kids Preschool
10:00 a.m. Knitting Group
12:00 p.m. Lenten Lunch Series
6:30 p.m. Boy Scout Advancement Boards of Review
7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts Troop 3
Friday, March 29
First Kids Closed (Teacher Workday)
9:30 a.m. Adult Literacy Tutoring
10:00 a.m. Bridal Luncheon
Sunday, March 31
9:45 a.m. Sunday School
9:45 a.m. Confirmation Class
11:00 a.m. Worship
12:00 p.m. The Commons Open House
12:15 p.m. PW Spiritual Nurture
3:00 p.m. Children's Choir
4:00 p.m. Youth Choir
5:00 p.m. Combined Youth Fellowship
Church Report
Condolences
The sympathy and condolences of the congregation are extended to the family of Beth Barbee on the death of her mother, Helen Hatley, March 17, 2019, in Harrisburg, NC.
Birthdays
Mar 20 - Miller Finney
Mar 21 - Elizabeth Barnett, Kae Bradley, Francey Brown, Bella Burke
Mar 22 - Toby Prewitt
Mar 23 - Thomas Campbell, Connor Moore
Mar 25 - Trey Davis, Mary Mangum Weaver, Barney West, Sally Woolwine
Mar 26 - Britt Austin, Zachary Carder, Victoria Schneider, Linda Wightman
Staff
Associate Pastor 
for Care and Mission

Associate Pastor
for Christian Formation

Director of Music and Organist
Heath Ritchie
Maintenance Superintendent

Director of First Kids

Church Hostess

Wedding Director
Contact Info
First Presbyterian Church

70 Union Street North
Concord NC 28025 

Mailing Address: 
PO Box 789 Concord NC 28026-0789

Church Office Hours: 
Monday - Thursday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Closed Friday
The Commons Prayer Room Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Open for Scheduled Groups
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday mornings for FPC

Memorial Garden:
(704) 786-8009
36 Spring Street SW
Concord NC 28025
 
Garden Hours: 
Tuesday - Saturday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Closed Monday