Friday, April 22, 2022 Newsletter
SUNDAY SERVICES
IN-PERSON AND ONLINE VIA FACEBOOK LIVE:
9:00 a.m. Contemporary
11:15 a.m. Traditional*
(* also available on our website and via phone)
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A MESSAGE FROM THE REV. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON:
SPRING SONG
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spring song
the green of Jesus
is breaking the ground
and the sweet
smell of delicious Jesus
is opening the house and
the dance of Jesus music
has hold of the air and
the world is turning
in the body of Jesus and
the future is possible
- Lucille Clifton
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Easter isn’t over yet, friends! Easter Sunday is just the beginning of Eastertide - the 50 day period from Easter to Pentecost, when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. Eastertide, then, is a season of Jesus being on the loose.
On Sundays (including this week), we’ll hear stories from Scripture of his post-resurrection appearances to the disciples. During the weeks to come, I wonder how we might notice the resurrected Jesus around us and in our midst, too…
To be on the lookout for such a faith-filled spring song is to pursue hope over despair, imagination over what used to be, love over fear or judgment, letting go over holding on, etc. It is perhaps not an easy task when our worry and concern over what will be so often drives the bus. But it is a necessary task if we believe the Easter story: that Christ is risen, that nothing can separate us from God’s love, that the future is possible.
Won’t you join together for the journey, Easter people? I pray you will.
With courage and excitement,
Lindsey
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FOR THIS SUNDAY
Click the link to read the verses
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- This week’s sermon: Recognizing Jesus by
The Rev. Lindsey Altvater Clifton
- We post the video of each week’s
services and sermon text and audio
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TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper
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FOR SUNDAY MORNING
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Child care will be available from 8:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. on Sunday mornings; please ask an usher for directions.
- We will 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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We offer Hospitality Time between our two worship services: you’re invited to join us in Fellowship Hall for coffee and a few refreshments starting at 10:00 a.m. We’ll also have a table for kids of all ages to create faith together while enjoying a story and related craft. Hope you’ll join us!
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MASK PROTOCOLS
As a reminder, anyone who is not fully vaccinated and boosted must properly wear a mask when in the church building; all others may wear one at their option. However, if attendance is expected to exceed 50 percent of capacity, we will require masks for everyone – we will advise you of these situations beforehand. Thank you for your cooperation.
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WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS
On Sunday, April 10, we welcomed seven new members to our congregation. During the Contemporary service, Bekah and Ted Masthay, and Laura and Chris Bono (below, left), were received into membership. Ralph and Pam Morgan and Jennifer Hahn became members during the Traditional service.
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SUNDAY’S FELLOWSHIP & FORMATION HOUR: FOR THIS WEEK
Hearts N Minds, our adult ed class, resumes their Sunday morning meetings this Sunday, April 24: they meet in person, from 9:45-11 a.m. (note the new start time) in the Children’s Center, room E3/4. For this Sunday, they will discuss “Being Christian in Time of War”.
Between May 1-22 they’ll offer a new four week series about growing empathy: It will explore why empathy has become so important, what empathy is and what it is not, what hinders our willingness to practice it more often, and how we can put it into action. Join us in learning how we can make empathy a more normal state in our faith journey.
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To join online for the video class, use this Zoom link: bit.ly/3Iizxry
- To join on the phone for audio only, call 929-205-6099, then enter the meeting ID: 842 1225 8913, then press # and then # again.
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PHOTO ALBUMS
Many thanks to Kari Keyock and Jeanne Hunsicker for sharing these photos from recent events - the memorial service for The Rev. Keith Brown on Saturday, April 9 (left), and the Easter Egg Hunt & Spring Festival on Saturday, April 16 (right).
Click each image to view the photo gallery.
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HI NEIGHBORS INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMS: ALL WELCOME!
Hi Neighbors, our popular speakers program, resumes this Monday with another informational program. We gather in Fellowship Hall at 9:30 a.m. before the 10 a.m. program begins.
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A program called “Hear Life’s Story”® by Blaise Defino and Autumn Defino is on tap for this Monday. |
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They will have information about hearing healthcare and best practices to address hearing loss.
The last two programs of the spring season will be “Bethlehem Mounted Police” with the Preschool on Monday, May 2, and “SouthSide Film Festival” by Jeff Vaclavik on Monday, May 9.
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SIGN UP NOW FOR THE NEXT FAITH CRAWL
Register by Sunday, May 1 to participate
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The Bethlehem Interfaith Group will offer its second “Faith Crawl” tour of local houses of worship, to learn more about different faith traditions.
The event will be offered on Sunday,
May 15 between 3-6 p.m.
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Participants will travel via bus to four different houses of worship and at each stop the host will offer a short presentation and tour.
This year’s sites will include:
- Wesley United Methodist Church, 2540 Center Street (meeting site)
- Respect Graduate School
- Congregation Brith Sholom
- Lehigh Valley Friends (Quakers)
Due to security and parking concerns, all participants in the Faith Crawl must register online by Sunday, May 1 and travel via bus. If there is a mobility concern and you cannot travel on the bus, please contact Pastor Nina Patton-Semerod at pastornina.ps@gmail.com by May 1.
All registration must occur on the online sign-up link below. If you are unable to sign up on this link, please contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865 and we can sign you up.
Although this is a free event, a free will offering will be collected on the day of the Faith Crawl (suggested donation of $10 per person) to offset the cost of the bus.
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IF YOU ARE HOSPITALIZED…
We would like to know when our members are entering the hospital. Please tell the hospital that your church ID is 724 and they will contact us. You can also contact Phil
PRAYER REQUESTS...
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Send us your news and photos to share:
**Deadline for next week's newsletter is
WEDNESDAY at noon**
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Your likes / comments / shares help us spread the word about First Pres!
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THIS SUNDAY
- 8:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
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9 a.m.: Contemporary Worship Service, in-person in the Kirk Center AND livestream on Facebook Live and our website; see below, to join us online
- 9:45 a.m.: Hearts N Minds adult ed class, in person and via Zoom
- 10 a.m.: Hospitality Hour, Fellowship Hall
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11:15 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service, in-person in the Sanctuary AND livestream on Facebook Live and our website; see below, to join us online
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TO JOIN OUR LIVESTREAM WORSHIP SERVICES
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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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IF YOU DO NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS: You can participate on your phone to listen to the Traditional Service
To listen on the phone (audio only): Call 929-205-6099; when prompted enter the Meeting ID: 848 4170 9518, followed by the # key. You will be asked for the participant ID – press the # key again.
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WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom (Meeting # 380 435 9056 / Password: overcomer)
CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO: Regular office hours are Monday-Thursday,
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. The South entrance will be open during these hours, and on Sunday mornings.
Many of the office staff are continuing to work 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.
CARE CONCERNS AND HOSPITAL VISITS: If members of the FPCB congregation are hospitalized and would welcome pastoral and hospital ministrant visitors and/or prayers, please contact: Phil Fair, Prayer Ministrant (prayer@fpc-bethlehem.org).
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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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