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Friday, August 22, 2025 Newsletter
For Sunday
10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service
(in person in the Sanctuary, and livestreamed on Facebook and website)
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A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: IS RESISTANCE FUTILE?
Grace and peace to you,
Dragons, beasts, false prophets and the number 666! What are we getting ourselves into as we explore Revelation Chapter 13? This series has been eye-opening for me as I have researched the Book of Revelation for the class that convenes each Wednesday evening on Zoom at 7 p.m. (the last one will be next Wednesday, Aug. 27 – the Zoom link is bit.ly/41buEvA).
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Repeatedly though, we are reminded that God is in control (even when it doesn’t feel like it) and that we are to stay faithful witnesses to God and Jesus – their power, love, grace, mercy, forgiveness. We are to imitate the way in which Jesus witnesses to God’s love and power (I’m not that clever, to be honest!).
But perhaps the point being made especially in Chapter 13 is that evil exists in our world – it exists in systems and structures and people, but we don’t always recognize evil, do we?
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We get swayed by false prophets who promise us the world and capture our attention. We get bedazzled by all the shiny things.
Or we deny that evil exists. Either way, this Chapter asks us to recognize evil by seeing the deceptive practices behind it. Then we can answer the question: To whom do we truly belong - to the forces that destroy or the Lamb who liberates? Who will we bear witness for? Will we give up hope and say resistance is futile (I’m a Star Trek fan) or will we stay hopeful and keep resisting? Will we turn our attention to God and discern how we are to respond in this moment in time? Lots of questions!
Come and see, come and explore!
Pastor Karen
| | STUDY THE BOOK OF REVELATION WITH PASTOR KAREN | | If you would like to do a deeper dive into the Book of Revelation, Pastor Karen is leading an online discussion every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. – next Wednesday is the last session. You are welcome to attend even if you have not attended the previous ones. Use THIS LINK to attend via Zoom. | | | |
INQUIRERS SEMINAR THIS FALL
Pastors Lindsey and Karen will gather a group of newcomers together in the fall for our Inquirers Seminar. It’s a casual, relational afternoon session to learn more about one another and more about FPCB. It’s also the first step for folks considering joining us as new members.
The group will gather after our 11:15 service on Sunday, Sept. 21 in Fellowship Hall (around 12:30 p.m.), and lunch will be provided. It should be done no later than 3:30 p.m. If you’re interested, please contact Lindsey.
| | HEARTS N MINDS ANNOUNCES FALL READ | | |
Our adult ed class, Hearts N Minds, has announced the book the attendees will be reading during the fall session. Classes will begin on Sunday, Sept. 21 at
10 a.m. in the Parlor.
The book is entitled The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness by Father Greg Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries in CA.
Many of you will remember how powerful his Barking to the Choir was, a previous read.
For more information: info@fpc-bethlehem.org
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MINUTE FOR MISSION: BETHLEHEM CO-OP MARKET
Lindsey Altvater Clifton, FPCB’s designated primary member of BCM
Today's Minute for Mission is about the Bethlehem Co-op Market. The church is one of the founding member-owners of the co-op (and over 20 FPC households are also member-owners). So we want to take an opportunity to lift it up in part, because they could use both more member-owners and some additional financial support.
The co-op will be a community-owned, full service grocery store that will be open to all shoppers. They are nearing the completion of their construction process and are close to reaching some of their initial financial goals, with the hopes of being able to get the store open sooner rather than later.
They are a democratically-owned and operated co-op. So each of you member-owners, including the church as a founding member-owner, have a vote in matters of leadership and direction.
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There are special perks for members like discounts at local businesses, and when the store opens there will be discounts for member-owners. There are currently 1,708 members. If you want to be 1709, you can sign up online.
The store will focus on locally-sourced produce, meats and cheeses, bulk foods, dried grocery, prepared foods - all things that are fresh and of good quality to make sure that these kinds of nutritional products are readily available in our wider community. They are located downtown at 250 E. Broad St., which is just across from the Connell Funeral Home.
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So if you don't know about the co-op and would like to know more, either as a shopper when it opens or as a prospective member-owner, you can go to their website and sign up for their newsletter to learn more about where they are and next steps.
We hope that you might consider either joining as a member-owner or offering some additional financial support as they're in this home stretch to open. I think they're going to be a really wonderful community resource. They're already a strong community partner out at lots of events, spreading the word about the food access that they are working to bring to our community.
Website: bethlehemcoopmarket.com
| | HOST AN AFS EXCHANGE STUDENT – LIVE YOUR VALUES | | Hospitality, connection, and community are at the heart of both First Presbyterian and AFS-USA. By welcoming an exchange student into your home, you have the chance to share daily life, build lifelong connections, and live out the values of compassion and service. Whether for a semester or a school year, hosting is a meaningful way to make a global impact right from your home. | | | |
You can also volunteer to support students and families along the way. Learn more at www.afsusa.org/host.
If you’d like more details or have any questions, contact Judy Rance-Roney via info@fpc-bethlehem.org. Last year you may have seen Gabriela from Indonesia attending our church. This year we are hosting two young women, one from Pakistan and one from Kyrgyzstan.
| | THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT! | | |
Once again our community answered the call, and we collected 661 items to contribute to the Summer Harvest Food Drive for the month of July.
Altogether, the 28 local donation sites collected 5,909 items to help our neighbors – our total was the second highest of all. Many thanks!
(Right: Just a portion of our donated items)
| | | HI NEIGHBORS WILL BE BACK ON MONDAY, SEPT. 15 | | |
Our popular speakers series, Hi Neighbors, will be back with a new ten-week series on Monday,
Sept. 15.
The presentations are free and open to the public, and feature an interesting array of topics such as history, local culture, music, and current events. We appreciate the efforts of Susan Wolf, our volunteer program coordinator, for her diligence in securing such interesting speakers!
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The programs begin at 9:30 a.m. with a social time in Fellowship Hall, followed by the hour-long presentation at 10 a.m. A lively question-and-answer period is included.
The first session will feature Andrea Zia, CEO of the National Museum of Industrial History, who will give an overview of NMIH, and introduce a documentary and panel discussion by the Women of Bethlehem Steel. *This first program will run from 10-11:30 a.m. (all others are one hour long).
For this fall we're looking for someone (or a couple of someones) who would commit to making the coffee for the group. It does not need to be for every week; we can work out a rotating schedule. If interested in helping in this way, contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org.
Click the link for the one-page schedule.
| | JOIN US FOR LEMONADE ON THE LAWN | | |
Our popular social time is offered after our 10 a.m. service, on the front (west) lawn as weather permits – otherwise we’ll meet in Fellowship Hall.
Thanks to the Rossetti family for hosting. NOTE: We are in need of volunteers for the next several weeks. You can sign up using the link below, or on the paper form available on Sundays.
| | | Thanks for considering this request! If you have any questions, let us know and we’ll connect you with a ‘veteran.’ You can use this online form to sign up, and we'll have a paper sign-up form at the Sunday service. | | |
NEWS FROM OUR PRESCHOOL
Our Preschool has put out a request for school supplies – if you are so inclined to help, a list of suggested items is attached to this newsletter. There are collection tubs available at the south and east entrances, and in the North Link until Sunday, Sept. 14.
PRINT THE SUPPLY LIST
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And it’s also time to order mums! The plants available through the annual Preschool Mum Sale are beautiful and hardy, and come in a variety of fall hues.
Orders are due by Sunday, Aug. 31 and can be picked up at the church building beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
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LOOKING AHEAD…
Sunday, Sept. 14:
9 a.m. - Hearts N Minds adult ed class, Parlor
10 a.m. – Summer Worship Service, Sanctuary (in person and livestream)
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Ministry Fair, Fellowship Hall
Sunday, Sept. 21:
9 a.m. – Holy Ground Worship Service, Fellowship Hall (in person only)
10 a.m. – Hearts N Minds adult ed class, Parlor (this is the regular class time)
11:15 a.m. – Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary (in person and livestream)
12:30-3:30 p.m. – Inquirers Class, Fellowship Hall (contact us to attend)
Sunday, Oct. 5:
9 a.m. - Hearts N Minds adult ed class, Parlor
10 a.m. – Combined Worship Service, Fellowship Hall
11 a.m. – Community Potluck, Fellowship Hall
3 p.m. – Bethlehem Interfaith Group (BIG) Faith Crawl (BethlehemInterfaith.org)
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Send us your news and photos to share:
info@fpc-bethlehem.org
**Deadline for the next newsletter:
THURSDAY at noon**
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And follow us on Facebook: @FirstPresBethlehem
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 "Watch" at the top and then the "Watch the Service" button
- Please check in with a comment so we know you’ve joined us!
- Captions are 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:
Child care will be available from 9:45 - 11:15 a.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.
Your children are a joy in our worship services, and should the need arise, “kid bags” are available for their use while they are visiting. They are in the Narthex.
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
- 9:45 - 11:15 a.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
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10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website, fpc-bethlehem.org)
- 11:00 a.m.: Lemonade on the Lawn, social time for all, front of church
WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom.com (meeting #: 868 2214 2960; passcode: OO-Beth)
CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO:
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.
| | FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BETHLEHEM | |
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18017 610-867-5865 | info@fpc-bethlehem.org
Rev. Karen Kinney, Transitional Pastor/Head of Staff; KKinney@fpc-bethlehem.org
Rev. Lindsey Altvater Clifton, Associate Pastor for Justice and Community Impact; LClifton@fpc-bethlehem.org
David Macbeth, Director of Music Ministries; ext. 202; DMacbeth@fpc-bethlehem.org
David Crook, Director of Church Administration; ext. 210; DCrook@fpc-bethlehem.org
Kevin Konczyk, Facilities Manager; KKonczyk@fpc-bethlehem.org
Carol Burns, Communications Manager; ext. 238; CBurns@fpc-bethlehem.org
Lisa Todd, Acting Preschool Director; phone: 610-867-2956; LTodd@fpc-bethlehem.org
Brenda Robinson, Bookkeeper: ext. 211; BusinessOffice@fpc-bethlehem.org
Website: www.fpc-bethlehem.org
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