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Friday, March 22, 2024 Newsletter
For Sunday - Palm Sunday
9:00 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Worship Service
in Fellowship Hall (in person only)
11:00 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service in the Sanctuary
(in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)
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A MESSAGE FROM THE REV. J.C. AUSTIN:
COMMEMORATING JESUS’ ACTIVITIES
This Sunday is Palm Sunday, which begins Holy Week, the most important week of the year on the Christian calendar. In the next week, we will have a range of services that commemorate Jesus’ activities the week leading up to his resurrection from the dead. Palm Sunday begins the week with a service celebrating Jesus’ provocative and triumphal entry into Jerusalem, accompanied by crowds of people laying palms on the road before him as a tribute to an arriving king.
Later in the week, though, things take a sharp turn into rejection, betrayal, crucifixion, and death. The church has called these services, held on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Holy Week, the “Triduum” since ancient times.
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The Triduum follows the Jewish tradition of marking days, since all of Jesus’ followers that were with him through the events of Holy Week were, of course, Jewish. That means it begins on the evening of Maundy Thursday, in which we recall the institution of the Lord’s Supper and Christ’s “new commandment” that we love one another just as Christ has loved us (the word “Maundy” comes from the Latin for “mandate” or “commandment”). We will observe Maundy Thursday with a contemplative communion service in Fellowship Hall at 7 p.m. It will include prayers, music, and the sacrament of Communion, and will be available both in person and online.
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The second night of the Triduum begins on Friday night, which we observe as Good Friday with a Service of Tenebrae. Tenebrae is Latin for “darkness,” and that is what the service involves: walking through the sequence of Jesus’ arrest, trial, torment, crucifixion, death, and burial by reading the Scriptural stories from the Gospel of Matthew in sequence, along with hymns or anthems and time for silent reflection.
After each passage is read, a candle on the Communion table is extinguished and the lights of the Sanctuary are lowered, until only the Christ candle is left. It is then processed out of the Sanctuary, symbolizing the light of Christ going out of the world at his death, and the Sanctuary is left in total darkness until the service concludes, at which point enough light is returned to safely exit in silence. It is a very moving service, and I hope you can join in person in the Sanctuary or online.
Holy Saturday, in many ways, is the forgotten time of the Triduum, but this was not always the case. It is actually the oldest part of Christian Holy Week observances, going back to the early observances of the ancient church, and before the Middle Ages it was the best-attended service of the year! It was a vigil that began Saturday evening, went all night with prayer, and then ended at dawn with a celebration of Communion on Easter morning.
While we do not hold an all-night vigil, we do observe this tradition in our own way with a Holy Saturday Compline Service, that preserves the spirit of those vigils with a service of contemplative and sung prayer on Saturday evening. It’s less than a hour long, but it is a wonderful way of spiritually “keeping watch” between Good Friday and Easter morning that I encourage you to experience, again either in person in the Sanctuary or online.
Easter, of course, will be celebrated with our “Holy Ground” contemporary service at
9 a.m. and our traditional service at 11 a.m. as we gather in person and online to give thanks to God that “Christ is risen; he is risen indeed!” And that will close our observance of the Triduum, which officially concludes Sunday evening, the end of the third day.
I hope you will participate in as many of these rich Holy Week offerings as you are able. I look forward to completing our journey through Lent and Holy Week and to celebrating Christ’s resurrection with you on Easter! See the entire Holy Week schedule below.
Grace and Peace,
J.C.
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- This week’s sermon: Riding for Glory by the Rev. J.C. Austin
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We post the video of each week’s services and sermon text on our website: fpc-bethlehem.org
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TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper for Sunday:
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LOOKING AHEAD TO SUMMER WORSHIP: GIVE US YOUR INPUT
Our Worship Committee is looking ahead to our summer worship schedule, and would like your input.
We are considering whether to continue to offer two services each Sunday during the summer, or whether to do one Combined Service at 10 a.m. And whether the Combined Service option should include an extended reflection time. You will be asked to rank your choices in order of most preferred, to least preferred.
Please complete this short survey (please limit your response to one per person). Thanks for taking some time to do this by Sunday, March 31.
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A NEW LENTEN PRACTICE: PRAYER SQUARES |
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Prayer Squares are small pieces of colored paper in baskets in both Fellowship Hall and the Narthex. We suggest you take a moment on Sunday to write a prayer concern or a joy on one of these prayer squares, fold it and place it in the basket.
Then please consider taking someone else's folded square from the basket and praying on it throughout the week. In this way, we hope to form a prayer chain to pray for each other.
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If you are unable to visit the church building to participate in this, please contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865 and we can take your prayer concern and/or send one to you.
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ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING: THROUGH EASTER SUNDAY
Millions of people lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water, sanitation, education, and opportunity. Please consider a gift to this important ministry.
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Special envelopes are available at both worship services, and for those who have pledge envelopes, there is one in your packet. You can also donate online at fpc-bethlehem.org/give – be sure to write “One Great Hour of Sharing” in the notes field (under the payment information), or you can mail a check to the church’s Finance Office (with a note in the memo field).
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THIS SUNDAY: Bread for the World Offering of Letters
Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6: 9, CEB)
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This Sunday after both services we will collect your letters for this year’s Bread for the World Offering of Letters to our Senators and Representatives, with tables at both worship services for this purpose.
Supplies and sample letters will be available for those who would like to write a note on the spot (there will be cookies!).
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BFW is a Christian citizens’ advocacy organization that will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. Well-respected on both sides of the aisle, Bread staffers work closely with our elected representatives to draft and pass legislation on agricultural policy and food assistance.
The focus of this year’s Offering of Letters is the congressional Farm Bill, which was scheduled for its five-year renewal in 2023, but which has yet to be approved. With food insecurity on the rise in many parts of our country, it’s especially important that the Farm Bill be moved through Congress speedily. If it isn’t renewed, some programs will have their funding frozen at 2018 levels or cut further, and others will simply cease to exist.
Major provisions of the bill include disaster assistance for farmers, rural development, conservation and environmental stewardship (think organic farming and biofuels), forestry management, and a wide range of nutrition assistance programs for food-insecure households, including SNAP and Meals on Wheels. Congress recently authorized a one-year extension of the Bill, but its future remains in jeopardy, and your support for these critical programs is especially important now.
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NEW! INTERGENERATIONAL FAITH OFFERING FOR ALL AGES
The intergenerational faith formation group has begun exploring a new curriculum titled Current: Seeking Justice Together!
The curriculum includes materials and activities for ages from Preschool to adult, making this hour welcoming to all. Drop in as you are able, or join for the full series. The group meets in Fellowship Hall between the two services from 10:10 - 10:45 a.m.
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HEARTS N MINDS: JOIN THE DISCUSSION
The Hearts N Minds adult education class will meet this Sunday in the Parlor. We gather at 9:45 a.m. and end at 10:40 a.m. (if you attend the 9 a.m. Holy Ground service, you are welcome to leave early to attend this class).
The group will discuss Fr. Richard Rohr's Falling Upward, chapter 7: Home and Homesickness (pages 87-96). All are welcome to attend – you do not have to have done the reading to enjoy the discussion.
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FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: AN IMPORTANT ISSUE |
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We have been experiencing issues with parking in the front of the building, and ask for your cooperation. There are cars parked in the “NO PARKING” zone as well as in handicapped spaces.
A critical issue is that if there was a fire or an ambulance needed, access to the front of the church is blocked, or in the case of a fire truck, the round-about in front of the church is inaccessible to the trucks.
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HI NEIGHBORS: BRINGING 'HOT TOPICS'
We kicked off the spring series of programs with a great crowd to hear Dr. Micah Sadigh talk about “Dreams.” Let’s keep that momentum going - all are welcome to attend, and there are no registration or fees required.
Gather at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall, with the program begining at 10 a.m.
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For this Monday, March 25: Have you heard the term “AI” or “artificial intelligence” but wondered what it’s all about?
Dr. Scott Garrigan will break it all down in easy-to-understand language in “The Basics of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.” (Hint: it’s all around us!)
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Click the button for the complete schedule of programs that run through Monday, May 20 (no session on Monday, April 1) - with a special "field trip"! |
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GET YOUR HANDS IN THE SOIL
The Blank Slate Community garden located on the campus of First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem is run and supported by a Penn State Master gardener team and wonderful volunteers from the community including those from FPCB.
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This garden has a long history of early interfaith involvement in which it won state and international awards. The current garden focuses on garden education to answer and help volunteers not only in the community garden but their private gardens as well.
All the produce is donated to local food banks and kitchens to feed food insecure neighbors in the Lehigh Valley.
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Most volunteers help at least once a month from April to September, although some work more often. Gardening skills are not a prerequisite since you will be able to ask questions and learn on site. Volunteers are also needed to deliver produce to local distribution centers (this can be a good job for someone who has access to a vehicle).
For questions, or to sign up, please contact Dr. Bob Yoder at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or call the church office at 610-428-9649.
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ANOTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY TO USE YOUR SKILLS
The Committee on Preparation for Ministry of Lehigh Presbytery needs interested laypeople who would like to help in the process of preparing people for ordained ministry in our churches. The committee meets as needed a few times a year. Folks who sit in the pews offer a very valuable perspective.
Thank you for prayerfully considering this signicant contribution to the greater church that you love. If interested, contact Rev. Angie Van Hise at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or the church office, 610-867-5865.
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A SPIRITUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU
Through the Roof – And Other Moments with God: A Time for Spiritual Renewal
Saturday, May 4: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Parlor
You are invited to join us for a time of refreshment, renewal and spiritual nurturing as we seek to identify ways we encounter God in events and relationships in our daily lives. Long time spiritual retreat leaders, Jan Bickford, Gail Watts, the Rev. Dr. Ginny Smith, and the Rev. Dr. Richard Smith will facilitate our time together.
Registration is due on Saturday, April 20. Use this simple online sign-up form or call the church office (number below). Paper forms will also be available at our church services.
Lunch will be served. There is a suggested donation of $10, payable by check and made out to First Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem, or pay at the door the morning of the retreat. For more information: info@fpc-bethlehem.org or call 610-867-5865.
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Easter Egg Hunt & Spring Festival
POSTPONED! To Saturday, March 30
10-11:30 a.m.
Everyone welcome!
This family-friendly event is a great way to celebrate spring! The event will begin in the Kirk Center and include face painting, temporary tattoos, photo booth, and other hands-on activities.
Then we’ll head outside for age-specific egg hunts (including one for adults!).
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HOLY WEEK: MARCH 24 - 31
All of the following services (except 9 a.m. on Sunday) are offered in person and via livestream on the church Facebook page and website:
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Sunday, March 24: Palm Sunday (two services, at 9 a.m. in Fellowship Hall and 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary)
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Thursday, March 28: Maundy Thursday (service at 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall)
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Friday, March 29: Good Friday Tenebrae (service at 8 p.m. in the Sanctuary)
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Saturday, March 30: Holy Saturday Compline (service at 8 p.m. in Sanctuary)
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Sunday, March 31: Easter Sunday (two services, at 9 a.m. in Fellowship Hall and 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary)
PRESCHOOL EASTER CHAPEL
The FPCB Preschool will offer its Easter Chapel program today (Friday, March 22) and again on Tuesday, March 26 at 9:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. All are welcome.
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CARE CONCERNS AND HOSPITAL VISITS
If you are hospitalized, please tell the hospital our church code is 724. Also, please call the church office at 610-867-5865 to let us know as the hospitals do not always collect this information. After hours, leave a message or call our answering service at 610-778-7003.
PRAYER REQUESTS...
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Send us your news and photos to share:
**Deadline for the next newsletter:
WEDNESDAY at noon**
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Your likes / comments / shares help us spread the word about First Pres!
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TO JOIN OUR LIVESTREAM WORSHIP SERVICE
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Visit our Facebook page and look for the post with our live feed
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If you don’t have a Facebook account, go to our website to view the service - click on the "Watch the Service" button
- Please check in with a comment so we know you’ve joined us!
- Captions will now be available on our livestream, for those who would like to use that feature
To watch a video – available after the services have aired: Visit our website archives
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FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:
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Child care will be available from 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.
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Your children are a joy in our worship services, and should the need arise, “kid bags” are available for their use. They are in the Narthex.
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We offer nametags for folks to wear – these are for everyone! You can pick up as you enter the worship space; please clearly PRINT your first name.
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THIS SUNDAY
- 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
- 9:00 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Worship service, in-person in Fellowship Hall
- 9:45 a.m.: Hearts N Minds adult ed class, Parlor - all are welcome
- 10:10-10:45 a.m.: Current: Seeking Justice Together!, an intergenerational faith formation offering, Fellowship Hall – all ages are welcome
- 11:00 a.m.: Traditional Worship service, in-person in the Sanctuary and livestreamed on Facebook and on our website
WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom.com (NEW! meeting #: 868 2214 2960; passcode: OO-Beth)
CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO:
The offices, building and Preschool will be closed on Monday, April 1 for the Easter holiday; all will reopen on Tuesday, April 2 (the Preschool will also be closed on Thursday, March 28 and Friday, March 29).
Regular office hours are Monday - Thursday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Many of the office staff are working remotely for some of the time, so please make an appointment if you need to see someone specific. The answering service (610-778-7003) can take your urgent pastoral concerns, 24 hours a day.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Look for updates on our website (fpc-bethlehem.org), Facebook page, and WFMZ (channel 69 and wfmz.com). We will also put the info on our church phone message, 610-867-5865.
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BETHLEHEM |
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18017 610-867-5865 | info@fpc-bethlehem.org
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