*Sunday, June 9: 3rd Sunday after Pentecost

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader/Scripture Reader: Bob Keck
• Flowers: Gene and Peggy Rees
• Head usher: Anna Peterson
• Nursery Workers: needed
• Congregational meeting following worship- see article below

Tuesday, June 11: noon: Bible Study

*Sunday, June 16: Father's Day

• Donuts with Dad: Meet in the foyer before worship
• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader/Scripture Reader: Mike Branch
• Flowers: needed
• Head usher: David Rives
• Nursery Workers: needed

Tuesday, June 18: noon: Bible Study

*Sunday, June 23

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Vicki Jones Johnson
• Worship Leader/Scripture Reader: David Rives
• Flowers: needed
• Head usher: David Rives
• Nursery Workers: needed

12:15 Women's Fellowship Transition Team cottage meeting- see article below

Tuesday, June 25: noon: Bible Study

*Sunday, June 30: Outdoor Worship: starts at 10am- see article below

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader/Scripture Reader: needed
• Flowers: needed
• Head usher: David Rives
• Nursery Workers: needed

Worship Volunteers Needed:

There are lots of ways to get involved during Sunday morning worship. We need scripture readers, flowers for the sanctuary, greeters, nursery helpers and Little Church helpers. There are sign-up sheets in the foyer, click the button below, or contact Anna at office@fpcma.com

Note: We especially need people to sign up for flowers.

Prayer List

Please keep the following people in your prayers: Gaye McKeithan, Cason McMillian, Kevin Dodd, Sheila Gifford, Larry Watson, Ann Yokeley, Jordan Tucker, Bill Rountree, Jean Arrington, Kathryn Benfer, Wendy Byrd, Mariah Tate, Katherine Heath, Tim Long, Aria Stevenson, Maggie Brewer

If you have a prayer request, contact Anna in the church office or email office@fpcma.com.

Congregational meeting June 9

A congregational meeting is called for June 9 immediately following worship to elect Daniel Horton, elder, class of 2025; and Taylor Pike, Deacon, class of 2026. 

Father's Day: June 16

We will be honoring dads on Father’s Day with Donuts and coffee and other breakfast items in the foyer outside the sanctuary at 10:30. Please plan on attending!

Vacation Bible School: June 17-19

“In God’s Backyard”, a camp-themed vacation bible school will be June 17-19 from 5:30-7:30. Dinner will be served each night. VBS is for nursery age children through 5th grade. Beacons will participate as helpers. This is always an exciting time of fellowship and fun, not only for our children and youth, but all generations of our church family! 

***Loida is in need of donations of camping tents, gear, campfire themed props, etc. that can be borrowed to decorate for VBS. Please reach out to her if you have anything she could use!

Cottage Meetings

The Transition Team is holding cottage meetings with the help of hosts to discuss who the church is and where God is taking us as we prepare for our new pastor. If you would like to host, please let Anna know. These home meetings will take place throughout the summer. The date and time are at your discretion. The Transition Team will provide the program. 

June 17: Hosts: Blanton and Lauren Youell (440 Old Springs Rd., Mount Airy) 6-7:15pm. All adult members are welcome to attend this cottage meeting weather pending. Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged. They will have hors d’oeuvres with beer and wine. Please be punctual as this meeting is shorter and we need to cover a presentation and questionnaire.

June 23: Host: Women's Fellowship: in the Fellowship Hall following worship. This meeting is especially designed for the women in our congregation. Light lunch will be served. Please RSVP to beth.pequeno@gmail.com

June 23: Hosts: Blanton and Lauren Youell (440 Old Springs Rd., Mount Airy) 5-7pm. This meeting will be geared to families with young children. Entertainment will be provided for the kids during the meeting as well as pizza and refreshments for everyone. This meeting will also be available to any VBS helper that could not attend on the 17th. Please RSVP to: blantonyou@gmail.com

Outdoor Worship Service

June 30 starting at 10am

We will once again hold our annual outdoor worship service June 30th at 10am in the upper parking lot. This will be a patriotic themed worship service, followed by a covered dish luncheon in the fellowship hall. Please remember to bring portable folding chairs. All are welcome!

Beacon News:

Youth in middle school and high school meet on Sundays from 5-7pm, in the Scout Hut for Bible study and fellowship.

6/9: Regular meeting

6/16: Father's Day: No meeting this evening: celebrate Father's Day with your family.

6/23: Regular meeting

6/30: Regular meeting

Updates from the Session:

Financial Report: In May, our total income came to $9,667, while our total expenses came to $13,895. We have received $75,483 in pledged giving for the year, which is 56% of our total pledges.

As we enter the summer months and attendance may go down as more people travel, please remember to keep your giving current. One way to easily do this is to set up automatic giving through Realm. Please reach out to the church office if you need any help setting this up.

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We have received $49,000 in pledges for the "Close the Gap Campaign" that the session has launched in order to fulfill the budget/pledge gap for 2024. We are only $11,000 away from the goal of $60,000! Thank you for all your contributions to the life and ministry of our congregation."

June 23:The Women's Fellowship is hosting a cottage meeting for the transition team in the Fellowship following worship. This meeting is especially designed for the women in our congregation. Light lunch will be served.

Committees working on:

• Chrismon repairs and additions
• Redesigning flower beds
• Cleaning and rearranging storage areas

Ongoing Projects:

• Fundraising for Thanksgiving Meal Kits

Support Our Area Charities 

Baskets are located inside the Blessings Box located in the foyer for donations to these agencies.

April's special requests are:

Yokefellow: Canned/powdered milk; mac and cheese

Shepherd's House: Latex gloves- all sizes

Helping Hands: Non-perishable food items, paper products and toiletries.

Pennies For Hunger

The first Sunday of the month we pass around yellow buckets for our Pennies for Hunger offering. You can also give to this fund through the Realm app.(click here) Just go to the giving tab and select the fund "HUNGER"

Collected in 2023: $1849

As of June 1, 2024 we have collected $395

A little Jesus goes a long way!

On Easter Sunday, miniature Jesus figures were given out to the congregation as a reminder that he is with us wherever we go. If you did not get one, we have more available in the sanctuary. We ask that you please share pictures of wherever you take him with you, and post on social media with the hashtag #findlittlejesusFPCMA. Let’s see how many shares we can get!

Congregational Care & Outreach

Deacon Kim Branch is providing congregational outreach by sending birthday, anniversary, and care cards to members and friends on our prayer list. Please contact her if you have someone in particular that you would like to have a card sent to on behalf of the church. Email krhbtexan@yahoo.com or call 336-401-0733. 

To Update Your Realm Profile for Skills and Interests:

When in Realm scroll to the bottom of your profile and you can select your skills and interests. By doing so the church will be able to help you find matches for what you are passionate about and/or good at.

Adult Sunday School:

Odds and Ends: This is our longest established class and it meets every Sunday at 10am in the classroom located at the end of the long hallway upstairs.

Lunchtime Bible Study

Every Tuesday, Dr Ritsch offers an hour long Bible study starting at noon.

We are currently studying the Gospel of Mark.

Bring a lunch if you’d like as we discuss what both scholarship and our hearts tell us as we study God’s word.

Kitchen Clean Up: We have a lot of items including serving plates that have been left in the kitchen over the past few months. Please take a look and take home anything that it yours. Things will be donated after June 14th.

Changing Table: First Steps is in need of a diaper changing table. If you have one you would willing to donate, contact Mary Alice.

Matchbox cars: The children in First Steps love small cars and they disappear over time. If you have some you're willing to part with, they would be much appreciated. You can leave them in the foyer, and someone will get them to Mary Alice.

Find Local Services by Calling 2-1-1

NC 211 is a free, confidential, and multilingual health and human services information and referral system, available 24 hours a day in all 100 North Carolina counties. Managed by United Way of North Carolina and supported by many local United Ways across the state, NC 211 has continuously gained recognition as a trusted resource in the State and serves as a key member of the State Emergency Response Team.

North Carolinians can find help by dialing 2-1-1 (or 1-888-892-1162) or by visiting nc211.org.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

9-8-8 is the new three-digit dialing code to reach help for suicide and crisis help across the United States. Please help to spread the word about this very important topic, and encourage anyone you know who may need help to dial 9-8-8. Texting is also an option.

Session Members

Moderator: Dr. Rev. Frederick "Fritz" Ritsch

Clerk of the Session: Bob Keck

Elders:

Class of 2024:

Lydia Taylor, David Rives, Gene Rees and Steve Yokely and Anna Peterson (Youth Elder)

Class of 2025:

Kelley Jackson, Laura East and Jane Tesh

Class of 2026:

Carla Majure, Blanton Youell, Derek Higgs, and Bob Moody