“Whale listened for God’s voice,

but all he heard were the trembling prayers of the man Jonah

as he sloshed around inside.”

~ from Jonah’s Whale by Eileen Spinelli with illustrations by Giuliano Ferri

Dear Friends,

Sunday’s celebration of Julie’s ministry was lovely. Thank you.

As we move into this in between time as a community, I give thanks for your continued faithfulness. I am grateful for the two years we have spent together thus far, and I am looking forward with joyful anticipation to the next chapter. After worship on Sunday, we will hear a report from the APNC (Associate Pastor Nominating Committee), and the congregation will vote on the committee’s recommendation to elect the candidate as FPC’s next installed associate pastor. The men and women on the APNC have been faithfully at work over the past nine months discerning who God has in mind to serve next at FPC. I am thrilled with the candidate they are presenting and could not be more excited to work with this colleague in ministry.

On Sunday in worship, we will continue our time in Jonah, looking at chapter 2 and Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the fish. Jonah’s prayer sounds like a psalm and includes intermingled praise, lament, and thanksgiving. What do you pray in the in between times? I invite you to read Jonah’s prayer and think about what prayers you might offer if you were in the belly of a big fish. My guess is that our prayers would include a bit of everything too, just as they do even now.

Grace and peace,

Ellen

Congregational Meeting: The session has called a congregational meeting immediately following worship on June 11 for the purpose of electing a deacon to fill a vacancy in the class of 2026 and to act on a report from the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee. The congregational meeting will not be live streamed.

If all goes as we expect, a video of the newly elected Associate Pastor will go live on YouTube shortly after the meeting ends. The link to that video and a digital copy of the bio that will be handed out during the meeting will be emailed to everyone on the Banner list at that time as well. We will also share the exciting news on social media early Sunday afternoon.

Habitat House Celebration! We have been invited to celebrate with Aiesha King at the dedication of her home on Tuesday, June 13^th at 12pm at 275 Evans St. in Concord. Aiesha was with us in worship this spring and shared a bit of her story with us, and the Presby Wonder Women worked on her home during the Women Build. Pastor Ellen will be offering the prayer and the benediction at the dedication. Carpooling is encouraged. If you would like to carpool to the site, please meet in the Church Street parking lot at 11:30 am that morning.

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

Please join us for Sips & Sweets after Sunday's worship service and congregational meeting. All are invited and welcome.  Enjoy refreshing beverages, tasty treats, and friendly fellowship at the Sips & Sweets tables outside the narthex, weather permitting. See you there!"  

All of our rising 6^th-12^th graders are invited to participate in our Meals on Wheels route this summer.

Please use this sign-up to select the date that works best for you:

Meals on Wheels: Meals on Wheels (signupgenius.com)

Spots are open as early as Monday, June 12^th. Each week 2-3 Youth will join Sallie Dotger and another FPC adult on the delivery route.

Youth should arrive at 10:15 AM in the Fellowship House and Sallie will drive them home at the end of the route (approx. noon/12:30 PM). 

As you are cleaning out closets, we are happy to repurpose your board games.

We are specifically looking for: Sorry!, Trouble, Monopoly, and Life board games, but will accept others as well.

Please drop off your used board games in the Fellowship House foyer. Thank you!

We are still seeking VBS Volunteers for June 26-29.

Please sign up here: 2023 VBS Volunteers: VBS Volunteers (signupgenius.com) or e-mail René Prager (r.prager@firstpresconcord.org).

We are also looking for queen or king size flat sheets in white, ivory, or tan. These will be used to paint backdrops and will not be returned. Other items that we are seeking include: a wooden ladder rack, woven scarves, baskets, a woven rug, hanging herbs, bougainvilleas, an arbor, date tree, fiscus plant or palm plant (real or artificial). 

Circle 3 will have summer lunch together on Tuesday, June 13 at 11:30 AM at Johnny’s Farmhouse on Copperfield Blvd. Shirley Brannan has reserved the small back room for us.

Please email Susan Hannah, susanphannah@hotmail, so we have an idea of how many are coming.  

No reservations needed, just come, everyone welcome. 

This month we will eat at the Chop House (beside the Gem Theater) in Kannapolis on Wednesday, June 21 at Noon. Please call the church reservation line to reserve your spot 704-788-2100 #7 by Monday, June 19, so we know how many tables to have reserved for our group. You can meet us at the restaurant at noon, or the FPC parking lot off Church Street at 11:30 AM to carpool.

We will take a very short walk after lunch to the Core Lab at the NC Research Campus to view their hand painted dome. The mural reflects Mr. Murdock’s belief that fruits and vegetables can change people’s lives. The $1.5 billion Research Campus focuses on health and nutrition. The beautiful dome was the largest in NC when it was painted. Imagine a 23 foot long pineapple, a foot long blueberry, and an 11 foot head of lettuce, among other fruits and vegetables. The building also has an amazing table from Hawaii on display.

If you haven’t’ been to Kannapolis recently you will be surprised by all the changes. Join us to see some of them!

We hope you will come and help us “reboot” Lunch Bunch. We were thrilled to have 21 people attend lunch in May, and hope the number continues to grow. The committee is working on interesting trips and programs, and we would love to have you be part of it. All adults are welcome!

Congratulations to our graduating high school class of 2023: Lilly Bryant, Eli Farmer, Avery Garmon, Michael Gilbert, Elizabeth Maroney, Meghan Maroney, Price Rinker, and Anna Claire Watson.

The Christian Education committee has a small gift for each of you.

Please contact René Prager at r.prager@firstpresconcord.org to arrange pick-up or delivery.

Dear Friends,

           My heart is full after your warm send-off on Sunday! We are enjoying “Christmas in June” at my house as I display the lovely handmade nativity you gave me. It is truly special, complete with cute sheep and unique, detailed gifts of the Magi. (The mystery artist who created this is very talented…and generous!) I will think of you and our time in ministry together fondly each year as I unpacked and display this nativity prominently in our home. Thank you!

           Thank you also for the reception and for all the cards, phone calls, messages, and gifts that you showered me with these past few weeks. I feel appreciated and loved. Please know that I am grateful for you as well and treasure our time together. 

Grace and peace,

Julie

"Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest", as stated in Matthew 11:28. And our church offers a wonderful space for people to do just that.. Come to the Commons for a place and time of rest and reflection. 

Open to the community on Wednesdays 10 AM -6 PM and Saturdays 10 AM -3 P.

Open for congregation members only on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10-5. Other times for group meetings available via email at thecommonsconcord@gmail.com