The Banner Newsletter

THE BANNER

September 6, 2023

Note from Ellen

Dear Friends,

This Sunday is Rally Day, marking a new program year. Once again, this year, we will follow the Narrative Lectionary. As you may know, a lectionary offers a way of moving through scripture in an orderly fashion. The Narrative Lectionary is a four-year cycle of readings that begins each fall with Genesis: “On the Sundays from September through May each year the texts follow the sweep of the biblical story, from Creation through the early Christian church.” (For more on the NL, follow this link: https://www.workingpreacher.org/narrative-faq). We will be in the Old Testament (or Hebrew Bible) through Advent. In January we will turn to the gospel of Mark

As we move through the story of God and God’s people, we will cover a lot of ground in a hurry. Each week, you will find daily Bridge Texts listed in in the Banner that connect one week to the next. We will also have hard copies of Weekly Devotions in the Narthex that will carry us through the week. In that spirit, ahead of this Sunday, I invite you to look back over Genesis 1, to remember one way the Bible speaks of God’s work of creation.

I am so excited to dive back into the Narrative Lectionary with you. I hope you’ll make plans to join us on Sunday and to invite neighbors and friends to join us, too!

Grace and peace,

Ellen

Tell Me More: Visitors and prospective members are invited to a conversation with Pastor Ellen, Pastor Casey, and others, about life and discipleship at FPC on Sunday, September 17, 2023 at 9:45 AM. We’ll meet in the sunroom of the Fellowship House. Coffee and refreshments will be provided.

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

Nursery Volunteers Needed!

We are looking to add a few loving adults to our volunteer list for the Nursery on Sunday mornings.This is a wonderful way to live out the promises we make as a congregation at baptism.

Please prayerfully consider helping, as we are in need of volunteers as early as this Sunday.

Nursery Volunteers: Sunday Nursery Volunteers (signupgenius.com)

Rally Day is this Sunday!

Please join your friends at our Rally Day kickoff event on Sunday, September 10 at 9:45 on the Front Lawn of the Fellowship House. Come learn about our church groups and Sunday School classes for adults and youth, as we enjoy a hot breakfast together. Maybe you said last spring that you were going to visit a Sunday School class or join a group in the fall, now you can talk to some of the members and learn what they are discussing. Hope to see you there.

Needed - Communion Set-up/Clean-up Volunteers

Pre-covid FPC had a vibrant communion ministry. Today we are joyfully reinstituting this ministry and we need your help. PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING!

Once a month set-up/clean-up (the 1st weekend of the month):

Saturday set-up - fill the trays with bread and juice, takes about 50 minutes - 1 or 2 people needed

Sunday clean-up - after the 11:00 service

Detailed instructions for set-up and clean-up are in the robing room. Materials for set-up will be ready for you on the preparation table.

Our church family is grateful for your willingness to serve in this important ministry.

Please email Pam McDonald with any questions, or to volunteer: danielpam151@yahoo.com

Final Drop Off Day for the Mission Sale!

There is only one remaining Drop off day for this year's market sale. Bring your sale items next Tuesday, September 12, from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

Campus Update from Building and Grounds

The building and grounds committee reports that the video system is completely installed and operational, thereby improving the safety of the staff and all who come to the campus.

Rise Against Hunger

Are you ready to break out your favorite hairnets?! It's time for one of our favorite service projects of the year and it's one that everyone in the congregation can help with! Rise Against Hunger is an organization that packs meals for the hungry all over the world and they ask congregations like ours to assemble the meals. It's super fun. There's music. There's an assembly line. There are jobs for everyone. And there's even a gong. It's a joyful few hours spent in air conditioning doing mindless work, so why not bring your whole family and your neighbor too? Last year, we packaged 10,000 meals in under two hours!

Our event this year will be held in Davis Hall on September 17 from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

Make sure to register with us by clicking here, or copying the following into your browser: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4FA8AE2EA1FA7-rise

Red Cross Cabarrus County VIP Blood Drive

Monday, September 18th, in Davis Hall from

2:30 PM - 7:00 PM

To schedule an appointment click here and enter 28025 or

visit redcrossblood.org and enter: Cabarrus VIP Blood Drive

Sign-up Links

Lay Liturgists

read scripture in worship on Sundays.

Nursery

Ushers

Sanctuary on Sundays

Sanctuary Flowers

To give the congregation a gift of

sanctuary flowers, please click here

to sign-up for one or more Sundays

during the year.

Calendar

View the Full Calendar here.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Rev. Ellen Crawford True

Psalm 100; Genesis 2:4b-9, 15-25

Thursday, September 7

Night Shelter Meals

9:00 AM First Kids Preschool (Will Young Bldg)

4:30 PM CCYO (Ed Bldg)

5:30 PM GS Trop 334 (Ed Bldg)

6:00 PM GS Parent Meeting (Sanctuary)

6:30 PM GS Daisy, Brownie & Junior Troops (Ed Bldg)

Friday, September 8

Night Shelter Meals

9:00 AM First Kids Preschool (Will Young Bldg)

Saturday, September 9

Night Shelter Meals

Sunday, September 10

9:45 AM Rally Day (Fellowship House Lawn)

10:30 AM Sanctuary Choir (Choir Room)

11:00 AM Worship (Sanctuary)

3:00 PM Circle 5 (Library Conference Room)

3:30 PM Youth (Topgolf)

Monday, September 11

9:00 AM First Kids Preschool (Will Young Bldg

11:00 AM Circle 4 (off campus)

11:00 AM Admin/Personnel Library Conference Room

4:30 PM CCYO (Ed Bldg)

7:00 PM Boy Scouts (Will Young rm 304)

7:00 PM Boy Scout District Roundtable (Davis Hall)

Tuesday, September 12

9:00 AM First Kids Preschool (Will Young Bldg)

11:30 AM Circle 3 (Davis Hall)

2:00 PM Staff Mtg (FH Sunroom)

4:30 PM CCYO (Ed Bldg)

6:00 PM Cub Scouts (Davis Hall)

6:30 PM Session (Library Conference Room)

7:00 PM Al Anon (Commons)

Wednesday, September 13

9:00 AM First Kids Preschool (Will Young Bldg)

10:30 AM Bible Study (Fellowship House)

4:30 PM CCYO (Ed Bldg)

7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)

Church Report

Congratulations

Congratulations to Benjamin Thomas Holland and Amanda Norwood Ryan who were married on September 2, in Wilson, Wyoming. Benjamin is the son of Julie and Wade Holland.

Honorariums

William Niblock - Backpack Program

Memorials

Pat Hoover - Memorial Garden

Mary Niblock - Families in Need

BIrthdays

September 7 - Josh Monroe

September 8 - Kirby Bullard, Lori Clay

September 9- Trent Blackman, Pat Hollingsworth, Kelly Jones, Aaron Rotan

September 10 - Chris Hahn. Judy Hollis, Abby Klutz, Joe Price, Peter Snellings, Bob Underwood

September 11 - Kay Christy, Jim Todd

September 12 - Steve Bradley, Cate Davis, Harmon Gibson, Cannon Leatherman, Jordan Myers, Marc Niblock, Carolyn Ruth