Plan to attend the Auburn vs. Texas A&M game on Saturday, November 23? If so, come park at the First Presbyterian parking lot and encourage your friends to do the same. The parking lot opens at noon; parking is still $40/car and first come, first parked!

While our parking fundraiser is typically designated for youth camps, conferences, and mission experiences, this year our Youth & Children Committee, in partnership with our Mission Committee, will be donating 100% of proceeds from this extra home game to the Capital Campaign of the Community Market of East Alabama.

What would you do if you were not afraid?

Life can be filled with uncertainty and fears. It wasn't any different two thousand years ago when Jesus was born. An aged priest is told he is about to become a father for the first time. A young woman is told she is going to give birth - outside the protection of marriage. A simple carpenter is asked to believe the impossible. A group of shepherds' night on a hill is interrupted by a bright host of angels in the sky.

Yet, each of these encounters begins with the same refrain: do not be afraid.

Those words, though, are not just words of comfort; they are an invitation and a calling from God. In this year's Advent study, pastor Erin Wathen challenges us to take this timeless message and apply it to our lives today.

We hope you will join us Sunday mornings in December at 9:50am in the FPC Chapel for this hope-filled study!

Time to Order Advent Poinsettias!

If you would like to place a poinsettia in our sanctuary/chapel for Advent (until Christmas Eve), please fill out this ORDER FORM and submit it by Wednesday, November 27. Additional paper forms will be available in the narthex. The plants will be in the sanctuary beginning December 8.

Payment for the plants ($15/each) can be placed in the offering or delivered to the church office. Checks should be payable to First Presbyterian.

Please do NOT make a payment online - non-tax deductible transactions violate our agreement with our online service.

Advent Devotional Materials

Order Print Copies by November 25!

Advent begins December 1 and will be here before we know it!

This year's devotional guide, "Patterns of Divine Possibility: An Advent Search for God's Diverse Order" will be sent out digitally each week in our Friday email newsletter. However, if you would prefer a printed copy, please share your name HERE no later than November 25.

Advent will soon be upon us and the season is filled with opportunities for study, worship, service, and fellowship with your FPC Church Family. Throughout the season we will provide updates on upcoming events, but please be sure to reference this calendar and make sure you save-the-dates for many moments that will offer experiences of God's hope, peace, joy, and love.

FPC Women's Retreat Registration: Deadline December 1!

This retreat is open to all women of the church but especially intended for those who are in need of some sabbath time away in nature. We will have times of reflection, prayer, bible study, and fellowship.

We will also enjoy all that our presbytery's camp, Living River, has to offer: hiking, crafting, campfires and more! At the registration link below you'll find several housing options. This year, the price of the retreat is tiered based on which housing option you choose.

Limited private rooms are available but there are several options for semi-private arrangements as well as old-fashioned camp cabins!

https://forms.gle/owva7Czt4SW6ueSv8

Prices include two nights lodging and meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast: 

Private Rooms: $120-$180

Semi-Private Rooms: $90-110

Shared Cabin (6 max to a cabin): $80

Please contact Kathy Reed with questions at kreed@fpcauburn.org. 

SAVE THE DATE! 

The 29th Annual Cookie Walk to benefit Habitat for Humanity will be held Saturday, December 7, at True Deliverance Church on North Donahue Drive. You can support this event by: baking cookies, volunteering to help set up and display cookies on Friday evening, or helping with the sale on the day of the event. The Cookie Walk is an important part of raising funds for the WEHELP Coalition that has participated in building 15 new homes for deserving families in our community.

Volunteer Sign-up

This Week at FPC

Nov. 24-30, 2024

Sunday

9:00 AM - Worship Service with Weekly Communion (Chapel)

9:30 AM - Coffee and Fellowship (Baird)

9:45 AM - Sunday School for all ages

11:00 AM - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for November 24 worship

Sunday Parking Map

4:00 PM - Children's Choir

5:00 PM - Youth Dinner & Fellowship

Wednesday - Friday

Church office closed - Happy Thanksgiving!!

Children and Youth News

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Children's Fellowship and Choir this Sunday from 4-5:30. Children will meet in Baird Hall for 15-20 minutes of fellowship and recreation and then head down to Conway Hall for choir. At 5 p.m., they will come back to Baird Hall for dinner with the Jr. and Sr. High Youth. 
• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.
• Godly Play: After the Word to Grow By (at 11 a.m. worship), children ages 4 to 2nd grade will go to the Godly Play room to worship together for the remainder of the worship service. 

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Parents, click here to download the Children and Youth Fall Calendar.
• Jr. and Sr. High Youth meets this Sunday with dinner at 5 and Youth Group from 5:30-6:30.
• Gameday Parking: Parking lot opens at NOON this Saturday. Cost is $40 per spot.

Parents, click here to download the 2024 Advent Devotion for Families

and click here for the Advent Calendar.

There are printed copies available in the narthex as well.

Birthdays 

Nov. 24 - Brittany Dennis

Nov. 25 - Carson Herndon

Nov. 28 - Allen Patterson

Anniversaries

Nov. 24 - Reed and Vickie Cooper

Nov. 29 - Phil and Laura Shevlin

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Prayers of comfort for the family and friends of Patsy Combs as they grieve Patsy’s death. As of now there are no plans for a funeral service in Auburn.

• Prayers of healing for Henry Helmke as he recovers from back surgery. Prayers for Shirley and the Helmke’s as they care for Henry.

• Prayers of healing for Donna Yeager as she recovers from successful back surgery. 

• Prayers of thanksgiving as the Cochran and Recknor family welcome their new granddaughter and great grand daughter. Baby Tarca was born Thursday and arrived a few weeks early so she will be in the NICU for a week. Both mom (Kelly Cochran Tarca) and baby are doing well. 

• Prayers of joy and celebration for Kellye Joiner who received the Leischuck Award for Teaching Excellence at Auburn University. Congratulations, Kellye!

• Prayers of healing for Kay Recknor as she navigates health issues at home.

• Prayers of comfort for Donna Yeager as she recovers from back surgery. Prayers for Daniel Henry as he cares for her.

• Prayers of healing for Denise Salo as she heals from medical procedures.

• Please continue to pray for many members of our church who are recovering from successful surgery, dealing with significant health issues, surrounded by grief and difficult circumstances but at this time do not wish to be mentioned by name. Prayers of healing, wholeness, and comfort for many in our congregation.

• Prayers of wholeness, comfort, and rest for Nancy Gamble as she receives hospice care to keep her comfortable in the weeks/months ahead. She requests NO visitors or phone calls but welcomes prayers and cards.

• Prayers of healing for Todd White's mother, Joan White, as she recovers from hip surgery. Prayers for Todd and his family as they care for her.

• Prayers of healing for Leslie Chamber’s grandmother, Imogene Hill, has she recovers from hip replacement surgery. Prayers for Leslie and all her family as they care for Imogene.

• Prayers of healing for Addy Steele’s mother, Emily McDaniel, as she recovers from significant surgery. Prayers for Addy and her family as they care for her mother.

• Prayers of healing for Joyce Bravaldo as she navigates health issues at home. 

• Prayers of healing for Amanda Covington Anderson as she continues to heal. Prayers for Frank and Carole and all of Amanda’s family as they care for her. 

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Prayers for Catherine as she cares for her father.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin’s brother Warren and sister-in-law Janet as they both recover from significant falls. They are both home after a brief stay in the hospital. Prayers for Debbie as she cares for her brother and sister-in-law from a far. Continued prayers of healing for Debbie as she recovers from successful knee surgery. 

• Continued prayers of healing, rest, and comfort for Donna Yeager’s mother, Patsy Yeager, as she navigates health issues at home. Prayers for Donna and her siblings as they care for her mother in Texas.

• Prayers of healing for Olyne Fischer’s daughter-in-law Chell Fischer. Chell has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and will have surgery in a few weeks. Prayers for Olyne as she cares for Chell and her son Gary from afar. 

• Prayers healing and comfort for Sarah Wolak’s brother Chris French. Chris has been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome and is receiving treatment for his symptoms. Continued prayers of healing and comfort for Sarah’s mother, Susan French, as she also navigates health issues.  

• Prayers of healing for Karen and Bob Cochran’s friend Randy Tucker as he undergoes a stem cell study for his cancer treatment.

• Prayers of healing for Don Ball’s son, Kelly, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for recurrence of cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Daniel and Amanda Johnson’s nephew James Ivey as he receives critical care. Prayers for the doctors and caregivers who are caring for him, especially his parents and family..

• Prayers for former Ukirk student Shannon Smith as she recovers at home after having a stroke.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner (daughter-in-law of Dorothy Moran) as she recovers from a kidney transplant.

• Prayers for Jim Foil and his family as they continue to manage Jim’s health.

• Continued prayers of healing for Chris Greer. We especially pray for good healing and rest as Chris recovers from successful treatments. We continue to rejoice with Chris because the latest scans show no sign of cancer. We are so grateful the chemotherapy treatments have been successful. Chris will continue a plan of treatment for the upcoming months. 

• Prayers for Brooke Myers as she cares for her father, Charlie Myers. Charlie is recovering from a fall and has moved to Morningside.