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THE BANNER

June 23, 2021

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A Note from Ellen

Dear FPCC friends,

What a wonderful, full first week it has been! It is so good to be with you in worship, reading stories with children at VBS, and working prayerfully with Session to discern next steps for our life together. As I have said more times than I can count, I am deeply grateful to be here.

I wanted to share a new podcast with you. It features the sermon audio from the Sundays when I preach. Eventually, you will be able to subscribe and share on several platforms (including Spotify and others). Here is the direct link: https://anchor.fm/ellen-crawford-true

Again, it is so good to be here.

Grace and peace,

Ellen

Session Meeting Highlights from June 22, 2021

Charged by Rev. Ellen Crawford True with caring for one another, working as a team, and doing our faithful best to honor God and our neighbors, the Session met at 7:00 p.m. on June 22 in Davis Hall and on Zoom Internet video & audio.
Our reopening steps continue! The Session joyfully approved the following changes in our steps toward gathering safely beginning 6/27/21:
For those who are fully vaccinated, masks are optional for the following:

Outside on the church campus when reasonable distancing is practiced.
In the chancel of the sanctuary for ministers and lay leaders.
For groups meeting in church spaces, other than for worship, when everyone in the group is fully vaccinated.

For worship services:

Masks will continue to be worn by congregants and choir members to assure we continue to protect children and the more vulnerable in our congregation.
While masked, the congregation can return to normal standing/sitting during the service and to singing and voicing affirmations and responses.

The Session’s deliberations were guided by several factors including:

Protection of those unable to receive the vaccine yet due to age, health factors, etc.,
The low vaccination rates in Cabarrus county and the southeast,
The rise in the prevalence of the more contagious, more severe, form of Covid, the Delta variant.

All of our precautions will be continually assessed as we care for one another and our community. The Session urges everyone to get fully vaccinated!
Sunday School teachers for the fall are being sought, so please offer your time and talents to our Christian Education program!
The Deacons have scheduled two dates, August 29, 2021 and January 23, 2022, for meal packaging for Rise Against Hunger and look forward to bringing church members back together after the pandemic. Also, the Deacons voted to allocate $1,000 from the discretionary fund to purchase 264 backpacks for children attending Irvin Elementary School!
Kathy Pilkington and Amy Murphy reported being inspired by their attendance at the May 18^th Presbytery meeting.
A called Session meeting will be held on July 13, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. to continue to assess our Covid 19 precautions.

As Presbyterians, decisions affecting our worship, education, spiritual nurture, physical property, and budget are made by our elected leaders. To connect with church officers, see the list of Elders and Deacons and their committee assignments on the church website under the “ABOUT” tab, “Staff and Leadership.”

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

Vacation Bible School

Here are a few pictures from this weeks Vacation Bible School -

S'more adventures with God

94 children learning about the ways that God provides everything that we need.

A Note of Thanks

Dear friends,

I was humbled and always will be grateful for the expressions of grace extended by you on my final Sunday in worship. The donation to the fund at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte for the establishment of the Currie Family Chair of History and Mission is particularly meaningful in that I have been serving for the past three years on the fundraising committee. We are close to the goal and the new professor should be announced later this year. The pottery by Margaret Irvin, given by the Presbyterian Women, is beautiful and will bring to mind many friendships and memories in the years to come. The musicians offered two favorite pieces in worship with joy and excellence. I also thank the staff for their humorous presentations and exquisite cupcakes, and those of you who have sent cards, notes, and e-mails along the way and recently. Each of you is blessed to be part of FPC Concord, a vital community of both tradition and innovation, a sustaining fellowship. I have learned much and gained much in being with you for a relatively brief time.

In Christ's care,

Rush

Corporation Officers Elected

The Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church Corporation met on June 22, 2021, and elected the following officers for 2021-2022:

Kathy Pilkington, President, and Aaron Rotan, Vice President.

They also appointed the Corporation Executive Committee to include the President and Vice President, plus Treasurer, William Niblock and Clerk of Session, Gina Goff as Secretary.

Reopening News on the Website

Visit the NEWS section of the church website for up-to-date information on the re-opening of our Church campus for worship and other activities. We anticipate things to change frequently over the next several weeks and will post all updates for the congregation under that section of the website.