The Commitment to Peacemaking
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Back in 1992, the 204th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA adopted “guidelines” for use by Sessions and Congregations to use “in times of disagreement.” Titled, “Seeking to be Faithful Together: Guidelines for Presbyterians During Times of Disagreement,” the document is filled with practical advice on how to stay in community with one another while working through difficult issues in healthy ways. You can read the whole document
here.
I do, however, want to highlight the “10” primary guidelines in the document because they contain good common sense, but also provide practical help for church officers (Elders, Deacons and Ministers of Word and Sacrament) who have promised “to work for the peace and unity of the church” in their ordination vows:
In a spirit of trust and love, we promise we will …
- Treat each other respectfully so as to build trust, believing that we all desire to be faithful to Jesus the Christ; - we will keep our conversations and communications open for candid and forthright exchange, - we will not ask questions or make statements in a way which will intimidate or judge others.
- Learn about various positions on the topic of disagreement.
- State what we think we heard and ask for clarification before responding, in an effort to be sure we understand each other. Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)
- Share our concerns directly with individuals or groups with whom we have disagreements in a spirit of love and respect in keeping with Jesus’ teachings.
- Focus on ideas and suggestions instead of questioning people’s motives, intelligence or integrity; - we will not engage in name-calling or labeling of others prior to, during, or following the discussion.
- Share our personal experiences about the subject of disagreement so that others may more fully understand our concerns. Maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3)
- Indicate where we agree with those of other viewpoints as well as where we disagree.
- Seek to stay in community with each other though the discussion may be vigorous and full of tension; - we will be ready to forgive and be forgiven.
- Follow these additional guidelines when we meet in decision-making bodies: - urge persons of various points of view to speak and promise to listen to these positions seriously; - seek conclusions informed by our points of agreement; - be sensitive to the feelings and concerns of those who do not agree with the majority and respect their rights of conscience; - abide by the decision of the majority, and if we disagree with it and wish to change it, work for that change in ways which are consistent with these Guidelines.
- Include our disagreement in our prayers, not praying for the triumph of our viewpoints, but seeking God’s grace to listen attentively, to speak clearly, and to remain open to the vision God holds for us all.
As the document says on page 2:
Conflicts are inevitable in all of life and certainly in the church. The history of the church is filled with conflicts and disagreements. Several of Paul’s letters address the conflicts which were common in the early church. There have been and are going to be disagreements as Christians attempt to discern God’s work in the world and as we interpret scripture.
Conflicts can be harmful and even destructive. They can cause individuals a great deal of pain and the community of faith immeasurable damage.
At the same time, conflicts can be an opportunity for new insights, learning, and individual and corporate growth.
The Bible contains many stories of conflict and disagreement and much advice about how they can be addressed. As those stories indicate, God is already present wherever there is brokenness, granting wholeness and peace. God promises to be with us in times of disagreement and calls us to reconciliation, trust, love, and forgiveness.
We realize that our perspectives are limited, so to help us affirm each other, enhance our community, stay open to the viewpoints of others …
Good advice for us church folk, but also for family, work, and civic life, as well.
Blessings,
Scott Kenefake
Interim/Transitional Pastor
Rev. Kenefake will be away on a long-planned vacation, June 27th through July 11th.
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A Brief Word about the nature of Interim Ministry
An unusual thing about being an “interim” minister is that one of my primary tasks is to work myself out of a job. And that’s a good thing. Even though we are still in the midst of a pandemic, the search for a new Senior Minister at FPCC is in full swing and the work of the church continues.
I always try to coordinate (as much as possible) the search for my next ministry position with the pace of the search of the pastor nominating committee. The goal is to try to reduce as much as possible “the gap” between the leave-taking of the Interim Pastor and the arrival of the new Pastor. Due to the complexities of our clergy “call system” this can often be tricky at best. However, we will all do our best.
SMK
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Please view this
link for more thoughts about returning to our churches:
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News from the PCUSA 224th General Assembly
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Please view this
link for news from the 224th General Assembly.
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Update for Racial Equity Reads
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In faithful response to the biblical commands to love our neighbor, and in light of the current events of our country, we seek to create an intentional space for dialogue, understanding, and action for anti-racism and justice work. We had our first meeting this past Sunday at 4 p.m., and our next gathering is Sunday June 28th at 4pm via Zoom.
If you are interested in joining this group, or already planning to attend, please contact Lynne. She will be sharing the Zoom link and information about our gatherings.
Our first book is “So You Want to Talk about Race” by Ijeoma Olou. As a great first step in anti-racism work, we invite you to consider purchasing your book from a black owned bookstore, such as Key Bookstore or Mahogany Books. Here is how you can already begin preparing for discussion:
- This week, we will be reading chapters 1 through 4.
- In the following weeks we will cover the chapters in groups: chapters 5 through 8, chapters 9 through 12, and chapters 13 through 17.
Come if you are curious. Come if you are hopeful. Come if you are sad, angry, or apathetic. Come if you are wondering what to do next. Come if you seek to love your neighbor.
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Pastor Nominating Committee Report
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Since the Presbytery and our Session approved our Ministry Information form in March, your PNC has been researching candidates for 3 months. We have received 29 Pastor Information Forms (PIF’s) and have reviewed each candidate in great detail. We are following up with a few of the candidates and checking references as needed. We are still early in our search process and continue to get new PIF’s on a weekly basis. We are learning that patience is a key part of the process, interest is slower than anticipated due to Covid19 and communication with candidates in person is difficult. Our committee is being patient, while at the same we are committed to the job we have been called to do and are energized to continue to move forward in our search.
We begin each of our meetings with a short devotion based on different scripture passages about call, and a prayer. We are deliberate about spending time with God’s word and trust that the Holy Spirit is guiding us each step of the way as we discern who God is calling to be our next Senior Minister.
Minister recommendations from our members are encouraged. If there is a Presbyterian Minister that you would like for the PNC to look at, please let us know. Email Betsy Liles at
d
innerbell6@gmail.com with their name, current church, and any information that might be beneficial to the committee. All information will be kept confidential.
Please continue to lift up the PNC and our church in prayer.
If you have any questions for the committee, please contact Betsy Liles at
dinnerbell6@gmail.com. Look for our next update in August.
Peace from the PNC,
Betsy Liles – Chair
Dave Goff, Margaret Hillman, Cheryl Kelling, Rindy Moore, Todd Phillips, Kathy Pilkington, Nathan Woolwine
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Christian Formation Opportunities
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The Christian Education committee has been hard at work considering ways to grow and deepen our faith over the summer time. Look for information and signups coming soon for a Staycation Bible School! Intended for use while you are at home or if you are traveling, this VBS will offer resources, videos Bible stories, and crafts that you can do and use as a family. Materials will be prepared for use in late July. We will have a sign up soon with more details about this opportunity for you!
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Report from Projects of the Presbyterian Women
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As the Presbyterian Women’s fiscal year draws to a close, we would like to thank all church members for their support of our projects. When the COVID 19 crisis struck and our Backpack Program was challenged to meet it head on. Church members quickly responded with donations over $4000 to help us buy Food Lion Alcohol Free Gift Cards for the families we were serving at Coltrane Webb Elementary.
Jayne Maurer, our retiring church hostess, with the help of Cathy West, spent countless hours writing a cookbook to also benefit the Backpack Program. Once again, people in this church came forward and gave over $600 in donations in exchange for copies of
Jayne’s Recipes.
When Woody Collins at Congo Helping Hands, our Hobbie Scholarship liaison to the nursing program we support, mentioned to us that they were trying to raise money for handwashing buckets and masks for the schools’ reopening in the Congo, members stepped up and sent donations totaling $900.
This is the generous spirit of the people of First Presbyterian Church and a reminder that God is working through us in these difficult days when we are apart.
We would like to ask any PW members who still have receipts for Backpack shopping or other PW projects that need to be reimbursed to get them in immediately so we can close the books for this budget year. Since our Circle year was abruptly cut short, there may also be Circle members who would still like to make contributions for this budget year. Those may be sent to Christy Canupp , financial secretary at the church, to be applied to this year. Thank you.
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Note from Cooperative Christian Ministry re Current Needs
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As we move into the summer months, we anticipate a slow-down in donations. However, we also anticipate an increase in the requests for food assistance, as the benefits run out but the jobs do not come back. Every day I hear about companies and businesses in our area closing or doing mass layoffs. Thus, all food donations are still welcomed and needed!
We continue to operate a drive-through pantry here at the Crisis Center, and almost all of our satellite pantries are back open, using a similar model. Currently, it is best to deliver the food to the Crisis Center between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Mondays-Fridays. We can receive it later in the afternoon on Mondays through Thursdays with an appointment.
Our current big needs are:
- Any kind of canned vegetables
- Any kind of canned beans
- Any kind of canned fruit
- Soup
- Rice
- Toilet paper and paper towels
As always, we especially seek low sodium items, no-added-sugar items, and whole grain items.
Right now, we have plenty of the following:
- Dried Beans
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Cereal
- Plastic Grocery bags (!!!)
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 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Bethel Baptist Helping Hands Food Pantry, located at 1209 1/4 Opal Street in Kannapolis, will gladly accept donations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 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 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. . The Feeding Our Souls Food Pantry at Bethel UMC in Midland, North Kannapolis Baptist Church Food Pantry, and the New Life Baptist Food Pantry will accept donations by calling the church in advance.
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Memorial Garden Association
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As we chart new obstacles with COVID 19 and turn our attention to the important challenges of racism and discrimination in our world, Memorial Gardens provides us great opportunity to enjoy the beauty and tranquility gifted to us by God.
Did you know that First Presbyterian Church, Concord purchased the original property at the site of Memorial Gardens to build our very first sanctuary in 1804? Our church moved to a second sanctuary in 1874 designating the original property as a cemetery. Unfortunately the property was not maintained and in 1931 Sallie Phifer Williamson received permission from the church Session and congregation to “rescue the garden.” Sallie Williamson’s intention was to honor the memory of her mother, Mary Adeline Phifer. (Sallie’s parents, Mary Adeline Phifer and Caleb Phifer, are both buried in the garden.)
In 1941, Sallie’s son, Marshall established a foundation for the purpose to maintain the garden. In 1966, upon his death, Marshall Phifer Williamson further funded the foundation by establishing a trust “to use for the specific purpose of maintaining and keeping Memorial Garden in good order and repair.” Marshall Williamson designated that the trust’s principal be preserved and maintained while the income be used to keep the garden in good repair.
To further secure the longevity of Memorial Garden, in 1986, the Session of First Presbyterian Church established a corporation for the purpose of administering the Williamson Trust and Memorial Garden Funds. The congregation approved the proposed articles of incorporation and established the Memorial Garden Association.
Memorial Garden is open! Please come and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the garden! Robert Jolly and his staff are completing the planting of summer flowers and plants. It is a sight to behold and share, a reminder of the generous gifts of our congregational ancestors, and a place to be reminded of the beauty that is around us provided by our kind, gracious God.
Memorial Garden Association Board: Linda Barnett, Francey Brown, James Garmon, Julie Holland, Cheryl Kelling, Britt Leatherman, Holt Morrison, William Niblock, Kathy Pilkington
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Services Update - Summer Worship Schedule
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Summer Worship is posted at 10:00 a.m.
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Lay Liturgists
Sign up
here to be a lay liturgist to
read scripture in worship on Sundays.
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Sanctuary Flowers
To give the congregation a gift of
to sign-up for one or more Sundays
during the year.
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Shepherd for Sunday School
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.
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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.
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Sunday, June 28, 2020
Rev. Rachel Vogado preaching
Jeremiah 28:5-9
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Sunday, June 28
10:00 a.m. Worship online
4:00 p.m Zoom Race Equity Reads discussion
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Tuesday, June 30
7:00 p.m. Al Anon meeting
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Birthdays
June 25
- Marty Atkinson, Stuart Jones
June 26
- Gibson Carpenter, Gwyn Furr, Jim Morrison, Kim Stamey
June 27
- Susan Bishop
June 28
- Claire Atkinson, Adam Beam, Caroline Blackman, Wendy Perdue
June 29 -
Wade Holland, Kerry Johnston, Amy Murphy, Claudia Reiff
June 30
- Meredith Lee Patton
July 1
- Cary Gluf, Steve Mervin
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Scott Kenefake
Interim Senior Pastor
Associate Pastor
for Care and Mission
Associate Pastor
for Christian Formation
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Director of Music and Organist
Choirmaster
Church Administrator
Financial Secretary
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Heath Ritchie
Maintenance Superintendent
Director of First Kids
Wedding Director
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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
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The Commons Prayer Room Hours:
Monday: Closed
Open for scheduled groups:
Tuesday,Thursday, Friday
Open to Public:
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 am - 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
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