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THE BANNER
April 1, 2020
PALM/PASSION SUNDAY, APRIL 5
Worship Service 11:00 a.m. online
“Palm Powered Protest”
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Matthew 21:1-11
Rev. Dr. Scott M. Kenefake
We invite you from wherever you are to submit a video offering the Palm Sunday liturgy:
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
You can offer this from your kitchen, your yard, your living room - wherever! Spoken or sung. 
If you would like to wave palms as part of your video offering, you can pick them up from the church. Palms can be found and picked up from the bottom of the stairs of the Education Building under the drive-thru. Simply pull through, grab your palms, and head out to make your video! Please practice safe social distancing protocols. All videos will be compiled and offered as part of FPCC’s Palm Sunday online service on April 5, 2020. Please submit your video by Friday, April 3 at 5 pm by uploading the video to this link  https://m3-studios.smugmug.com/upload/78PjKZ/smugmugfpcc

MAUNDY THURSDAY, APRIL 9
Worship Service at 7:00 p.m. online
“Virtual Communion Service”
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; John 13:1-17
Rev. Dr. Scott M. Kenefake
Rev. Lynne Keel
Rev. Rachel Vogado
Join us for a special Maundy Thursday service April 9 at 7pm. We invite you to participate in communion with your family. Please have bread and juice (or wine) ready. If you elect to make bread, here is a recipe:  https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2017/02/21/bread-baking-dutch-oven . This is only a suggestion and is not required!
You can r ead about Virtual Communion here.
RESURRECTION OF THE LORD/EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 12

Flowered Cross Drive-Thru
10:00 a.m. 
As has been a longstanding tradition of First Presbyterian Church, you are invited to clip spring flowers from your yard and bring them to the church to be placed on our cross. On Easter Sunday, April 12th from 10 a.m. to noon, the cross will be on the front lawn in front of the Sanctuary. We are asking everyone who would like to participate to drive on the half circle in front of the Sanctuary, stay in your vehicle, and a basket will be there to receive the flowers. Your greeter will say "Jesus Christ is Risen!" and you may respond "He is risen indeed!." The cross will remain for the afternoon. If you would like to take pictures with your family, we ask that everyone observe the recommended social distancing practices.

Easter Worship Service
11:00 a.m. online

“The Resurrected Gardener”
Isaiah 25:6-9; John 20:1-18
Rev. Dr. Scott M. Kenefake

Services Update
Our pastoral staff continues to preach and teach through various means of technology. Please join us for all of our worship opportunities on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/firstpresconcordnc/),
YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfpzVUz-ZgaCJuogIMor8Iw), or our Sermon Archives ( https://firstpresconcord.org/worship/sermon-archives/).
Message from Session
To our fellow church members: We miss seeing you, worshiping together, and fellow-shipping at church; and we so look forward to when we will be back together! We are thankful for technology to keep us connected virtually during this time. Session and Deacon committees continue to carry out needed church and community business and stay connected with the ministers and church staff. We are thankful for our pastors, and ALL church staff, and the many ways they are ministering and managing our church in new ways, and who are planning now for our Palm Sunday and Easter services. And we are thankful for each of you and the ways you are dealing with this pandemic, working in an essential service or healthcare setting, working from home, teaching and nurturing kids, caring for friends and family, and doing what you can to address the needs in our community.
Unfortunately, after reviewing all state and local orders regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, and after careful consideration and the advice of medical professionals in our congregation, the Session finds that we must continue to suspend all activities on our church campus through the end of April with the intent to reevaluate the situation on May 1st.
Stay safe and healthy and until can can meet again, we hope to see you online!
Lenten the Curve
As we all work to "Flatten the Curve," let's Lenten the Curve as well! Since we had to cancel our Thursday Centering Prayer gatherings, we are going to host a time of Lenten devotion online Thursdays at 12 p.m. via Zoom. Here is the link: https://zoom.us/j/786781484 or you may call ( 646) 558 8656. Either way, the meeting ID is: 786 781 484.
Virtual Sunday School
You're invited to join us for virtual Sunday school as we will gather to connect, hear stories from and for our faith, and learn together. All ages are welcome! It is probably helpful to have some paper and something to write or draw with close by as there will be time to reflect and create. We will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom; you can access the meeting here:   https://zoom.us/j/387511139
or call (646)558-8656 and use Meeting ID: 387 511 139
Gather your family around the computer or phone as we learn and grown in faith together! 
Spiritual Practices and Faith Formation at Home
In our virtual Sunday school gathering last Sunday, we talked about the incredible story from Ezekiel about the valley of the dry bones. This story, which is about renewal and hope, invites us all to consider the ways that God's Spirit, or ruach in Hebrew, breathes new life into all of us. In these anxious times, it can be especially helpful to use spiritual practices to ground or center you. At the end of our virtual Sunday school, we explored the spiritual practice of breath prayers. A breath pray is one in that moves in and out on the wind of your breath, as the Spirit of God intermingles with your own spirit. It reminds us of the time the resurrected Jesus breathed on his disciples, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:22) Here are some that you might consider doing at home throughout the day:
  • One is pretty simple- as you inhale, think "Breathe in God's mercy." As you exhale, think "Breathe God's mercy out to others."
  • Or along those lines, you can use a verse from the psalms. For example, here is one using Psalm 62: as you inhale, think "For God alone," and as you exhale, think "my soul waits in silence."
If you are looking for a longer time of prayer considering lengthening your breath prayer.
This is one of my favorite ones from Teresa A. Blythe's, 50 Ways to Pray.
  • Find a comfortable position to sit in for at least 20 minutes. Do what you can ahead of time to minimize distractions or interruptions.
  • Express to God your longing to experience God in this prayer. Then, let go of expectations and simply breathe. Exhale slowly, allowing each breath to find its own rhythm.
  • Breathe through your nose unless there is some reason you cannot do so.
  • Focus your attention either on your inhalation or exhalation. Feel the breath moving across your nostrils and entering your lungs.
  • If your attention wanders, bring it back to your breath. Seek relaxed, yet focused, awareness.
  • When your time in prayer has come to a close, express your gratitude to God for the breath of life.

If you are curious about spiritual practices and faith formation at home, feel free to email Rachel. More practices and ideas for faith formation at home for people of all ages will be shared in the weeks ahead.
Pastor Nominating Committee Report
Since the last update from the PNC we have been very busy. We continue to meet weekly on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and, although no longer together in The Commons, are meeting via Zoom and that is working well. We are thankful for the technology that enables us to connect and to be able to continue the work in spite of the current circumstances.

Our Ministry Information Form (MIF), was approved by the Session at their March 11th meeting and then, in turn, approved by the Presbytery. These approvals allowed us to post the job position on the PCUSA Church Leadership Connection website, an internet platform through which PCUSA churches and ministers from all over the country are able to connect. Ministers interested in the position are now able to confidentially submit their Pastor Information Forms, (PIFs/resumes), through this same website.

To date we have received 18 PIFs, have reviewed and discussed each one in detail, and are now gathering more information on a few of the candidates. We are researching them, primarily through the internet, and have spent many hours reviewing their public information, viewing their church websites and listening to countless sermons.

The PNC is open to any Presbyterian minister who may be considering a call. We can use your help with this. If you know of a minister you would like for us to look at or have visited another church and witnessed a minister that you liked, please let us know. Please email Betsy Liles at dinnerbell6@gmail.com with their name, current church, and any information you think would be beneficial for the committee to know. All information received will be kept confidential.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our committee as we discern who God is calling as our next senior minster.

Peace from the PNC,
Betsy Liles – Chair
Dave Goff, Margaret Hillman, Cheryl Kelling, Rindy Moore, Mack Morgan, Todd Phillips, Kathy Pilkington, Nathan Woolwine
Red Box Pantry Update
Due to the government's stay-at-home directives, today, April 1, 2020 is the last day items will be delivered to the Red Box Pantry. Deliveries will resume when those orders are lifted.

You may deliver items to the pantry on your own if you are comfortable doing so.
These Days Devotionals
The quarterly devotional magazine that the church purchases is here for April, May and June. Copies are available on a first come first serve basis to anyone who would like to have one mailed to them, just call Suzanne at the office, 704-788-2100. Please leave a message if she is not there. Thank you.
Sign-up Links
Lay Liturgists
Sign up here to be a lay liturgist to
read scripture in worship 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.
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.  
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.
Calendar
Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020
. Rev. Dr. Scott Kenefake preaching
Thursday, April 2
12:00 p.m. Devotion on Zoom
Sunday, April 5
9:30 a.m. Sunday School on Zoom
11:00 a.m. Worship on Facebook
Tuesday, April 7
7:00 p.m. Al Anon meeting
Church Report
Memorials
Mary Kathryn Ewart - the Commons, Backpack Program
Honorariums
Susan Brooks - Backpack Program
Marriage
Congratulations to Daniel Steel and Dallas Tyson whose marriage was celebrated on March 25 in Concord, NC.
Birthdays
April 02 - Jonathan Ewart, Ella Grace Jones
April 03 - Mitzi Malone, Rhee Nelson, William Nelson
April 05 - Julie Holland
April 06 - Robert Brannan, Laura Holland
April 07 - Ben Ritchie
April 08 - Christopher Connelly, Julia Connelly, Henry Garrison, Grace Rotan, Olivia Rotan
Staff
Associate Pastor 
for Care and Mission

Associate Pastor
for Christian Formation

Director of Music and Organist
Director of Music and Organist

Choirmaster

Suzanne Russell
Church Administrator

Financial Secretary

Heath Ritchie
Maintenance Superintendent

Director of First Kids

Church Hostess

Wedding Director
Contact Info
First Presbyterian Church
(704) 788-2100
s uzanne.russell @firstpresconcord.org  

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 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