THE BANNER

August 12, 2026

Note from Ellen


Dear Friends,


This Sunday’s question for our Curious Kids sermon series is “How is God with all the children at the same time?” Once again, it’s a great question. When children are baptized, we promise to nurture them in faith as they grow up. We also reassure them that God is with them always, no matter what, no matter where. So it makes sense that they might wonder how that works exactly. Our scripture passages for Sunday are Matthew 19:13-15 and 1 John 3:1; 4:7-12. How would you answer the question? What does it look like for God to be with you? I hope to see you Sunday when we’ll celebrate a baptism and wonder about this question together.


Grace and peace,

Ellen



A Congregational Meeting for the purpose of voting to approve revisions to the Manual of Procedures will take place after worship on August 30.


Artwork: Johnson, William H., 1901-1970. “Come Unto Me, Little Children,” from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt University Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.


Usher sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-fpcusher

Lay Reader sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-scripture

link for online worship:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfpzVUz-ZgaCJuogIMor8Iw/live

link to Ellen's sermon podcasts:  https://bit.ly/Sermons_FPCConcord

Register to Rise Against Hunger Today!

 

Our annual meal packing event with Rise Against Hunger will take place on Sunday, August 30. From 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM in Davis Hall, we will gather to pack more than ten thousand meals that will go directly to communities around the world experiencing extreme food insecurity and famine. This event is a great way to make a big difference in a short amount of time, and is open to families and members of all ages. We will not only be fighting hunger, but also dancing and forging deeper intergenerational friendships in our hair nets and gloves. Please register when you can at the link below. If you can join for set up at 1:30 PM or stay a bit late to clean up after 5 :00 PM, that would be great as well, but if all you can make is the main event, we would love to see you there.



https://act.riseagainsthunger.org/event/e788240

Church Retreat @ Montreat Registration


First Presbyterian Church is headed to Montreat Conference Center from Friday, April 9 to Sunday, April 11, 2027! After Easter and ahead of our sanctuary's one-hundred-year anniversary next year, we are delighted to return to a beautiful space in the mountains that our congregation has deep connections to for a weekend of worship, fellowship, conversation, and intergenerational community-building. We have reserved space and meals for roughly 130 members, and we hope that you will be among that number for our first congregational retreat in years. 

 

The cost to attend has been structured to make it as affordable as possible for families of every size to join us, and we are asking: individuals planning to attend to pay $200 to cover lodging, meals, and activities; couples to pay $300; and families of three or more to pay $400. If these costs will prohibit you from participating, reach out to Pastor Ellen or Pastor Casey, and we will work with you to find something that makes it possible for you to attend. If, however, you have the capacity to help offset costs for others to attend, please consider giving an additional $100 on top of your rate as a "Solidarity Gift" to another member or members of the congregation. Finally, if you plan to join us in the mountains that weekend, but would rather stay at your own private residence, we ask that you still contribute $100 per person to help cover the cost of meals and activities.

 

Use the Google Form below to reserve your space and help us begin planning for an unforgettable weekend next year, or grab and fill out a hard copy in the narthex next week before or after worship!

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdrT-hz6M5eRORLGVkLHlncB6aSMshNut4PbofJFvVPIFtFMA/viewform?usp=publish-editor

August 25th Lunch Bunch - register now!


Lunch Bunch will meet for lunch in Davis Hall on Tuesday, August 25th at 11:45 AM to learn more about Cabarrus Health Alliance (CHA), the public health authority for Cabarrus County. CHA provides traditional health department duties like restaurant inspections or communicable disease investigations. CHA also provides expanded services to meet the needs of our community. Join us to learn more about what services CHA provides and how the community shapes our strategic priorities. We will start with a short program over lunch in Davis Hall and later will travel to the brand new Cabarrus Health Alliance location at CCM's Rebuilder Campus at Brown Mill (~5 minute drive). CHA staff will provide a tour of the repurposed mill building along with a quick smoothie snack.


All are welcome at Lunch Bunch!


Reservations need to be made by calling the church reservation line at 704-788-2100 extension #7 by NOON on THURSDAY August 20th. The cost of the catered meal will be $15.00. Please leave the names of all guests as well as your own and a phone number where you can be reached on the message.

 

Lay Liturgists

Sign up here to be a lay liturgist to

read scripture in worship on Sundays.


Nursery

Sign up here to volunteer in the Nursery on Sundays.


Pew Prep

Sign up here to volunteer to help with pew prep on Sundays.

 

Ushers

Sign up here to volunteer in the          

Sanctuary on Sundays


Greeters

Sign up here to volunteer in the

Sanctuary on Sundays


Sanctuary Flowers

To give the congregation a gift of

sanctuary flowers, please click here

to sign-up for one or more Sundays

during the year.

Calendar

View the Full Calendar here.

Sunday, August 16, 2026

Rev. Ellen Crawford True

Matthew 19:13-15, 1 John 3:1,4:7-12

Thursday, August 13

8:30 AM Academic Learning Center (Library Conference Room)

Friday, August 14

office closed

2:00 PM Dale Nixon Funeral (Sanctuary)

Saturday, August 15

9:00 AM Families First (E201, E202, Library Conference Room)

2:00 PM Nancy Bibby Funeral (Sanctuary)

Sunday, August 16

9:45 AM S & D Class (Fellowship House)

11:00 AM Worship (Sanctuary)

1:00 PM Families First (E201, E202, Library Conference Room)

Tuesday, August 18

7:00 PM PW CT (Library Conference Room)

7:00 PM Al Anon (Commons)

Wednesday, August 19

10:30 AM Bible Study (Library Conference Room)

1:00 PM Staff Mtg (Fellowship House Sunroom)

6:00 PM Christian Ed Mtg (Fellowship House Sunroom)

6:30 PM Worship & Music Mtg (E201)


Church Report

Condolences

The sympathy and condolences of the congregation go out to the family of Dale Nixon as they mourn her passing on August 2, 2026. Dale's funeral will be in our sanctuary this Friday, August 14, at 2:00 PM. Here is the link for her obituary.

The congregation also extends sympathy and condolences to the family of Nancy Bibby as they mourn her passing on August 4. The funeral for Nancy will be in the sanctuary this Saturday, August 15, at 2:00 PM. Here is the link for her obituary.

Our sympathy and condolences also go out to the family of Lalla Overby as they mourn her passing on August 6. Here is a link to Lalla's obituary.

Birthdays

August 13 - Parker Cain, Mary Beth Eubanks, Charles Hobson, Thomas Hobson, Brandee Perkins

August 14 - Linda Clausen, Robin Hayes, Virginia Shelley

August 15 - Jonathan Blackman, Rowan Churchyard, Dan Johnson, Ellis Sheridan

August 17 - Maxson Terwelp

August 18 - Carol Hovey

August 19 - Debby Brown, Chelsea Green

To enjoy a sung Happy Birthday, click here!

Staff

Ellen Crawford True

Senior Pastor/Head of Staff 

ellen.crawfordtrue@firstpresconcord.org


Casey Aldridge

Associate Pastor

casey.aldridge@firstpresconcord.org


Bryan Hovey

Parish Associate

bryan.hovey@firstpresconcord.org



Director of Music and Organist

Choirmaster

Suzanne Russell
Church Administrator

Kim Mazzola
Financial Administrative Asst.

Heath Ritchie
Maintenance Superintendent


Director of First Kids


Wedding Director
Contact Info
First Presbyterian Church
(704) 788-2100

70 Union Street North
Concord NC 28025 

Mailing Address: 
PO Box 789 Concord NC 28026-0789

Church Office Hours: 
Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Closed Friday

The Commons Prayer Room:

Open to FPC: Tuesday - Sunday

Open to FPC: Saturday 10 AM - 3 PM     

Group times available with prior arrangement


Memorial Garden:

info@firstpresconcord.org


36 Spring Street SW

Concord NC 28025

 

Garden Hours: 

Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

March 15 - September 15


Tuesday- Sunday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

September 15 - March 15

Closed Monday

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