Happy Thanksgiving

from your FPC staff!

*There will not be a Banner next week, November 23.*

Dear Friends,

This past week I had the privilege of doing one of my very favorite things as Senior Pastor at FPC, I got to lead chapel with our preschoolers. This month’s theme is “Be Thankful,” so together we read The Thank You Book. As you may know, in this book, Piggie tells his friend Gerald the Elephant that he intends to thank everyone. This goal makes Gerald a bit nervous because he is certain that Piggie will leave someone out. While I share Gerald’s concern about leaving someone off the list, I admire Piggie’s zeal for saying “thank you.”

As we move toward Thanksgiving next week, I hope you know how grateful I am for you and for your faithfulness, energy, imagination, and love. My life and the lives of this community are richer because of you. Thank you!

Grace and peace,

Ellen

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

Bridge Texts: November 16 - November 19

       Wednesday, Micah 3

Thursday, Micah 4

Friday, Micah 5:1, 5-15; 6:1-5, 9-16

Saturday, Micah 7

November 20 - November 26

Sunday, Isaiah 36:1-3, 13-20; 37:1-7; 2:1-4

Monday, Isaiah 36:4-12

Tuesday, Isaiah 37:8-13

Wednesday, Isaiah 37:14-29

Thursday, Isaiah 37:30-38

Friday, Isaiah 38:1-22

Saturday, Isaiah 39:1-8

November 27 - November 30

Sunday, Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:2-4; 3:[3b-6], 17-19

Monday, Habakkuk 1:5-11

Tuesday, Habakkuk 1:12—2:1

Wednesday, Habakkuk 2:5-14

The first Sunday of Advent is November 27. For worship each Sunday and for the two services on Christmas Eve, we need readers and lighters. We would love to have a mix of readers each week (from different families, ages, or groups such as circles, Sunday school classes, choir, or youth). The liturgies are simple enough for younger readers to join in, as well. So, form a group, sign up below:

(https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-advent2), and help us worship God as we prepare to welcome the Christ child.

The Angel Tree Gift Request Tags are available to take in the Sanctuary Narthex through this coming Sunday, November 20. Angel Tree Volunteers from the congregation participate by donating Christmas gifts which are then presented to a child as if they have come directly from the parent behind bars. In this our 40^th year, the Board of Deacons encourages everyone to participate and share Christ's love by ministering to those suffering through the temporary absence of a parent. 

Please return wrapped gifts with your Angel Tree Tag to the Fellowship House Lobby by Tuesday, November 29^th. Volunteers are still needed for the gift delivery teams. If interested in a tag or delivery, please email Jenny Chikes at chikes@gmail.com.  

      As we enter the final week of our Stewardship Season we continue to consider how our annual pledges and gifts will be shared to support God’s work within our church and community during the 2023 church calendar year.   

Throughout November members of our church family continue to share their stories on how being a part of FPC enables them to live their faith in action.  Kirby Sheridan, 2022-2023 Moderator of Presbyterian Women, is featured in a video clip in this Banner. She reflects on the valuable and creative contributions PW leaders and volunteers make to the many programs and activities at FPC. On Sunday we will hear from church Treasurer William Niblock, a life-long member of the church, who will give us an overview of the budget process for the 2023 FPC Operating Budget and the importance of our gifts that support this budget.  

           You are invited to bring your pledge card to our service Sunday where we will bring our gifts forward as a symbol of our support of God’s work within our church and community. You may also mail it, drop it by the church office, or pledge on line at https//firstpresconcord.org/give/make-a-pledge/. 

           Our Finance & Stewardship Committee thanks those who have spoken during worship and appeared in video clips in the Banner during the past three weeks sharing their Faith In Action stories. Members of this committee are Dale Carpenter and Harris Morrison, co-moderators; William Niblock, church treasurer; Susan Brooks, Laura Martin, Jim Monroe, and Valerie Thomas. 

Lots of important dates coming up for our Youth. Please take a moment to be sure these are all on your calendar:

Nov 16 – 5:30 PM – Confirmand/Parent meeting Fellowship House

Nov 19 – Concord Christmas Parade – gather with friends on the lawn of the Fellowship House for hot cocoa

Nov 20 – 9:45 AM Sunday School, Room WYB 304

Nov 20 – Noon – Usher Training in the sanctuary

Nov 20 – 5 PM – Special Thanksgiving Worship – Chapel of the Fellowship House

Nov 27 – 4:30 PM – Christmas Tree Lighting & Carols – lawn of the Fellowship House

Dec 4 – 9:45 AM – Sunday School, Room WYB 304

Dec 4 – 4:30 PM – Christmas Pageant Rehearsal (dinner included) – Sanctuary

Dec 11 – 9:45 AM – Sunday School, Room WYB 304

Dec 11 – 4 PM Costumes and final walk through for Christmas Pageant; Pageant at 5 PM, Youth party at 6 PM

Dec 18 – 9:45 AM – Sunday School, Room WYB 304

Pictured here are our middle and high school Youth making chili, cornbread, and brownies for our upcoming Night Shelter meal.

Please join us for a brief usher training this Sunday, November 20 directly after worship. This will take no more than 15 minutes. We will review the role of ushers and the usher responsibilities in worship. We look forward to seeing you!

Thank you for serving our church in this ministry. 

Please contact Cindy Wise for any questions, 704.699.1039

The church office will close for the Thanksgiving holiday at noon on Wednesday, November 23, and will reopen on Monday, November 28.

Christmas in the Four Gospel Homes: An Advent Study

 “How might a house look for Christmas based on what each Gospel says about it?” Architect Kevin Burns has reimagined each of the four Gospels as a “house” which the church visits at Christmas. His illustrations, along with reflections on the distinctiveness of each of the four Gospels by Cynthia Campbell, offer a creative way to reflect on the birth of Jesus and his incarnation.

Books will be available in The Commons beginning November 20.

Use them as a self-study, or join Carrie Myers in The Commons during the Sunday school hour to discuss with others. 

It’s turkey time again! This annual project of the S & D Sunday School class helps to provide Thanksgiving dinner for the organization's clients. Brian Moore has ordered 140 turkeys to be delivered to Operation Breadbasket in early November. Once again we wanted to invite all church members to join us in support of this project this year!

If you wish to donate, you may in one the following two ways:

1.      Make your check out to Brian Moore and mail to him at:

              2401 Bethlehem Church Rd

              Gold Hill, NC 28071

2.      Send your donation to Brian Moore’s Venmo acct @Brian-Moore-813.

Please help us fill volunteer openings:

Middle & high school Sunday School – 11/20

MS / HS Sunday School teachers: MS / HS Sunday School (signupgenius.com)

Nursery – 11/20, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18, 12/24

Nursery Volunteers: Sunday Nursery Volunteers (signupgenius.com)

Pew Prep – 11/27, 12/4, 12/18

Pew Prep: Pew Prep - Volunteers (signupgenius.com)

We are in the midst of the holiday food drive season, and are being blessed with so many wonderful food drives that help us to replenish our inventories. However, we’re continuing to see a big increase in the numbers of families coming for food assistance. In the first 10 operating days of November, the Crisis Center Food Pantry served 411 households. If that pace continues—and it probably will, we will serve well over 800 households this month, making it one of the biggest months in the last several years. Our satellite pantries also are reporting big numbers this month. Bethel Church in Midland, which operates monthly pantry and normally serves about 100 households each 2^nd Saturday of the month served 142 this month! Wow! So a lot of the food that is coming in is already going right back out the door to our neighbors in need.

Currently, the pantry items we are in biggest need of are:

·    Any kind of canned vegetables, especially mixed vegetables, carrots, and potatoes

·    Diced Tomatoes

·    Dried Pinto Beans

·    Any kind of canned beans (Baked, black, pinto, kidney, etc.)

·    Any Canned Fruit

·    Any kind of Canned Meats (except tuna!)

·    Pasta Sauce

·    Peanut Butter

·    Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

As always, we especially seek low sodium items, no-added-sugar items, and whole grain items. 

Currently we have plenty of:

·    Tuna

·    Soup

·    Macaroni & Cheese

·    Rice

·    Tomato Sauce

Thank you for the continued support from our church partners. Our Crisis Center at 246 Country Club Drive NE in Concord serves as the warehouse for most of the food. We will gladly accept all donations at that site from 9:30 am to 1 pm Monday through Friday. Bethel Baptist Helping Hands Food Pantry, located at 1209 1/4 Opal Street in Kannapolis, will gladly accept donations from 9 am to 1 pm on Monday and Thursday. The food pantry located at Westford UMC on Highway 49 and the Kannapolis Food Pantry at West Point Baptist Church can accept donations on Saturday morning from 8:30 am to 11:30 am. The Feeding Our Souls Food Pantry at Bethel Church in Midland, and North Kannapolis Baptist Church Food Pantry will accept donations by calling the church in advance.

Our next B&B gathering is scheduled for Thursday, December 15 at 7 PM at Southern Strain Brewery. The group has chosen The Guncle by Steven Rowley to read and discuss next.

All are invited to this relaxed time of conversation and fellowship. Contact Pastor Ellen with questions. Hope to see you there!