THE BANNER

July 30, 2025

Note from Casey


Dear friends, 

 

This week we will return to Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, and to some of its most familiar verses (1 Cor. 13:1-13). Here, Paul makes abundantly clear that agape—or unconditional, selfless, communal love—is the raison d'etre of Christian life. Not even hope or faith is as important to Paul as love. In the final three weeks of Ellen's sabbatical, we will explore faith, hope, and love... but let's start with the most important of the three, shall we?

 

As my wife, the Rev. Jordan Goodwin Aldridge, reminded us on Sunday morning, we are called to love our neighbor as well as ourselves. For some, that has been made more difficult because of certain verses in Paul's letters, or the way those verses have been interpreted and weaponized against them. We will meet some of those characters on Sunday, and think about how this week's passage emphasizes what matters most—at church, in our communities, in our self-image, and across our lives.


Peace,

 

Pastor Casey

 

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

Noisy Offering Results

 

This past Sunday we collected $484.22 during the Noisy Offering Collection to benefit the backpack program at Coltrane-Webb Elementary.

Elementary Sunday School Teaching Team Meeting


Are you interested in joining our Elementary Sunday School teaching team?


Please join us TONIGHT, Wednesday, July 30, 6:30 PM in the Children’s Chapel. For more information, contact René Prager, r.prager@firstpresconcord.org.

Sharing God’s Gifts

 

Do you have a gift for baking cookies?

A passion for fishing?

A Cricut machine?

The gift of sewing?

Would you be willing to share your gifts?


Please connect with René Prager for more details – r.prager@firstpresconcord.org

Youth Meals on Wheels Route

 

Today, our Youth and adult volunteers completed a month of Meals on Wheels deliveries.


A special thank you to Sallie Dotger for organizing and leading this mission work with our Youth. Thank you to Marie and Harrison for their dedication as adult volunteers and to our Youth: Andy, Emmett, Sawyer, Hazel, and Dylan. We hope this was an impactful ministry for each participant.


If any adults are interested in helping to plan next summer’s route, please connect with René Prager at r.prager@firstpresconcord.org.

Blessing of the Backpacks


Please join us on Sunday, August 10th, for the Blessing of the Backpacks for the upcoming school year!

August Food Needs at CCM



CCM’s Fiscal Year runs from July through June. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, we broke more records for the numbers of household visits during the year, both at our Crisis Center Food Pantry and across the total Food Program. At the Crisis Center, we served an average of 1,142 households each month, representing 4,262 individuals. That was up about 12% over the previous year. Across the total program, we served 1,912 households each month, up 8%. And we distributed 1.25 million pounds of food! That’s enough to provide 842,000 meals to our neighbors in need. We are SO grateful to all our community partners who made this possible.

 

Our current biggest needs are:

·    Canned Chicken

·    Canned peas, carrots, and mixed vegetables

·    Baked Beans

·    Mixed Fruit and Pineapple

·    Cereal

·    Mac & Cheese

·    Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

·    Diapers

 

We remain appreciative of items which are “low-sodium,” “no-added-sugar,” and “whole grain.” Visit https://cooperativeministry.com/wp-content/uploads/CCM-Healthy-Pantry-Donations.pdf for details on nutritional donations.

 

In addition to our main pantry at 246 Country Club Dr. @ 9:30 AM-1:00 PM Mondays-Fridays, CCM’s satellite pantries also accept grocery donations. They include:

1. Bethel Baptist Helping Hands, Kannapolis @ 9:00 AM-1:00 PM Mondays and Thursdays

2. Westford Methodist, Concord @ 8:30 AM-11:30 AM Saturdays

3. West Point Baptist, Kannapolis @ 8:30 AM-11:30 AM Saturdays

4. Bethel Methodist Church, Midland @ appointment by phone (704-888-2653)

5. North Kannapolis Baptist, Kannapolis @ appointment by phone (704-933-2125)

Sign-up Links

Lay Liturgists

Sign up here to be a lay liturgist to

read scripture in worship on Sundays.


Nursery

Sign up here to volunteer in the Nursery on Sundays.


Pew Prep

Sign up here to volunteer to help with pew prep on Sundays.

Ushers

Sign up here to volunteer in the          

Sanctuary on Sundays


Greeters

Sign up here to volunteer in the

Sanctuary on Sundays


Sanctuary Flowers

To give the congregation a gift of

sanctuary flowersplease click here

to sign-up for one or more Sundays

during the year.

Calendar

View the Full Calendar here.

Sunday, August 3, 2025

Rev. Casey Aldridge

1 John 4:7-21; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Thursday, July 31

3:00 PM VBS Art (Fellowship House Sunroom)

Sunday, August 2

9:45 AM S & D Class (Fellowship House)

10:00 AM Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

11:00 AM Worship (Sanctuary)

Monday, August 4

4:00 PM Leader Meeting Troop 3142 (2nd Fl Ed Bldg)

Tuesday, August 5

6:00 PM Buildings & Grounds Mtg (Journey Classroom)

7:00 PM Board of Deacons (Library Conference Room)

7:00 PM Al Anon (Commons)

Wednesday, August 6

10:30 AM Bible Study (Library Conference Room)

2:00 PM Staff Meeting (Fellowship House Sunroom)

Church Report

Condolences

The sympathy and condolences of the congregation go out to the family of Jane Spainhour as they mourn her passing on July 23, 2025. Click here for a link to her obituary.

Birthdays

August 1 - Keith Alley, Locke Floyd, Mary Garrison, Chris Leeman, Aya Paul, Porter Peterson

August 2 -Daniel Ellis, Hunter Horton, Carol Lacy

August 3- Harrison Entwistle

August 4 - Forest Cannon, McNeill Bethune

August 5 - Bill Grist, Hannah Monroe, Margaret Morrison, Carole Shaw

August 6 - George Bethune, Carole Parr, Nancy Rotan

To enjoy a sung Happy Birthday, click here!

Staff

Ellen Crawford True

Senior Pastor/Head of Staff 

ellen.crawfordtrue@firstpresconcord.org


Casey Aldridge

Associate Pastor

casey.aldridge@firstpresconcord.org


René Prager

Director of Christian Education

r.prager@firstpresconcord.org


Bryan Hovey

Parish Associate

bryan.hovey@firstpresconcord.org



Director of Music and Organist

Choirmaster

Suzanne Russell
Church Administrator

Kim Mazzola
Financial Administrative Asst.

Heath Ritchie
Maintenance Superintendent


Director of First Kids


Wedding Director
Contact Info
First Presbyterian Church
(704) 788-2100

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:

Open to FPC: Tuesday - Sunday

Open to FPC: Saturday 10 AM - 3 PM     

Group times available with prior arrangement


Memorial Garden:

info@firstpresconcord.org


36 Spring Street SW

Concord NC 28025

 

Garden Hours: 

Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

March 15 - September 15


Tuesday- Sunday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

September 15 - March 15

Closed Monday

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