The latest news for you from First Presbyterian Church

January 16, 2022

Rev. Susan Phillips Preaching

Faith, Community, and Covid

We love our faith community and care for our neighbors! This love and care is best expressed when we act in loving and caring ways. Our Covid numbers have skyrocketed to their highest number of new cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Therefore, for the sake of our community and neighbors, our Session has decided to suspend onsite worship until the numbers return to safer ranges. Our staff will be in touch with other groups regarding meeting at church. In the meantime, please get vaccinated and boosted, stay masked, get tested as needed and available, and isolate when exposed.

We are offering our worship services, Bible study, committee meetings, and pastoral care online or by phone. Our church website and calendar have all the links you need. You are invited to help stock the micropantry with food and personal care items. We have posted our new extensions to reach staff by phone. We have learned in the past two years how we can continue our ministry and mission while protecting one another’s health and wellbeing.

Let us love one another!

No 9:00 Service

please join us in zoom

10:30 Sunday - Online in Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85677718426

One tap mobile +13126266799,,85677718426#

Or Call +1 312 626 6799 and use

Meeting ID: 856 7771 8426

6:00 Wednesday Worship - Online in Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84961254779

Wednesday Gatherings

We are excited to try some new adventures on Wednesdays! Our staff have been exploring ideas for faithful, fun, and interactive activities for all ages. We will continue to gather at 6:00 in Zoom.

Emily will bring joyful music. Pastor Susan and Chaplain Tim will lead our gatherings with reflections and conversation. Families, individuals, kids, couples, and pets are all welcome!

We are looking into ideas for expanding the music, art, food and fun into our gatherings. Please join us!

Serving Hot Meals at the Winter Warming Center

Before the pandemic church members prepared and served hot meals. Since the emergency shelter opened in November most meals have been bagged cold lunches. In the spirit of reviving a special delicious hot meal once a month, we have one team currently providing monthly meals and the committee members have developed a plan for delivering an additional sixty meals consisting of two pieces of fried chicken, green beans, a fruit cup, two rolls, a brownie, and milk to the Warming Center January 19, February 16, and March 16 (the third Wednesday of each month). Please contact Tim Haworth or Barb Olson if you are interested in supporting this heart-warming endeavor.

Faith, Fiber and Fellowship

Faith Fiber and Fellowship will meet on Zoom Jan. 21 at 10 am. This group is open to anyone who enjoys making things. If you want, bring something to work on while we talk. We will be discussing the direction we want to go in 2022. Bring your ideas so we can plan accordingly.

See you on Zoom.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84197893591?pwd=REVXWjBmdkFKeTZnMjRYWHp2MFZZQT09

Meeting ID 841 9789 3591

Password 644727

Devotional to Sancti Spiritus

by Mick Bernasek

"But dear brothers, I beg you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to stop arguing among yourselves. Let there be real harmony so that there won't be splits in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose." ~ 1 Corinthians 1:10

"I close my letter with these last words. Be happy. Grow in Christ. Pay attention to what I have said. Live in harmony and peace. And may the God of love and peace be with you." ~2 Corinthians 13:11

There is a trend today of splits and arguments in certain denominations and governments. But both of the above reading indicate that harmony and unity are necessary. José Martí said, "Talent is a gift that brings with it an obligation to serve the world." Also, Jimmy Carter stated, "Whether the borders that divide us are picket fences or national boundaries, we are all neighbors of the global community."

'All-Black Governing Bodies' at 25

As we mark the 25th anniversary of "All-Black Governing Bodies," a groundbreaking work of denominational history that grew out of a General Assembly overture, we understand there is still much work to do as we continue "Facing Forward."

(Photo Book Cover for "All-Black Governing Bodies")

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance responds to Colorado wildfires, other situations

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) and the Presbytery of Plains and Peaks are responding to wildfires that impacted the area between Boulder and Denver, Colorado in the last days of 2021.

(Photo courtesy of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance)

Get ready for General Assembly 2022: 6 big-picture updates you will want to know

by Leslie Scanlon, The Presbyterian Outlook

In the midst of a pandemic, global warming, economic uncertainty, the life-threatening realities of racism, waves of grief and stress and sometimes hope, it makes sense that Presbyterians have other things to think about than “what happened to all those reports that were coming to the 2020 General Assembly?”

Reaching our Staff by Phone

We have new phone and internet systems at work.

Please call 217.528.4311 to reach our staff and use these extensions.

Pastor Susan Phillips ext. 1020

Chaplain Tim Haworth ext. 1030

Bookkeeper, Tara Kaeding ext. 1050

Office Manager, Michelle Hastings ext. 1010

Facilities Manager, Tom Melton ext. 1040

Help Us Keep Our Micropantry Stocked

Stocking our micropantry is a way we love our neighbors.

Click here to sign up for a particular day to stock it

Drop off food and hygiene items ANYTIME you want. You may place them directly in the micropantry cabinet or the basket in the narthex.

Click here for suggested items.

If you have any questions contact Chaplain Tim at [email protected].

Thank you!

Kids Activity Page

Click on this link for a fun activity page. Check back each week for a new activity page.

Share your work with us! We would love to see and display your creativity and talent. Send us your colored pictures (scan, email, regular mail) and we will share them on Sunday mornings and maybe also on our Facebook page.

Tuesday Night Bible Study

The Tuesday Night Bible Study will not be meeting this week. Please plan on joining us next week on Zoom at 6:30 PM.

Facebook

Just a reminder that another way to be kept up to date on the happenings of the church is to check out our Facebook page.

Covid Response at FPC -- Mask, Vaccinate & Boost, Distance

For the wellbeing of our members and community, we are abiding by public health protocols and state masking mandates. Masks will be required for all indoor gatherings. Social distancing will be our practice as part of our layered mitigation strategies. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated and boosted. If you need assistance making an appointment or with transportation, please contact our chaplain, [email protected]

Phoumano T.

Mindy M.

Juliana M.

All events are via Zoom unless otherwise specified.

January

Church Closed for Martin Luther King

Wednesday Worship 6:00

Session Meeting 6:30

Faith Fiber and Fellowship Meeting 10:00

Rev. Susan Phillips to lead worship in zoom at 10:30

NOTE: Links to all events are attached to items on the church calendar found at https://www.lincolnschurch.org/calendar. If you click on any item in the calendar, the Zoom invitation will open.

You can also find weekly church events on the homepage where a single click on the image of a computer or smart phone will take you to that Zoom meeting.

If you would like some personal assistance learning Zoom, please consider joining us before worship at 10:00 on Sundays, 5:00 on Wednesdays or email [email protected] for other times.