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Friday, July 24, 2026 Newsletter

For Sunday 


10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service

 (in person in the Sanctuary, and livestreamed on Facebook and website)

A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: THE SALT OF THE EARTH

Grace and peace to you,

This Sunday, we conclude our series on discipleship/spiritual practices that took inspiration from this passage in Acts 2:

The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47, Common English Bible).

By their actions, these disciples (students/learners/followers) and apostles (teachers/messengers) have become salt and light for the earth. Their light is not under a bushel (Matthew 5:13-16). By their actions, they have become the hope for their corner of the world (Romans 15:13-16). Paul recognizes this in the Jesus follower church in Rome.

Would we be recognized as hope for a weary world? Would we be recognized as salt and light? Why is salt so important in Jesus’ time, seen as incredibly valuable and an essential part of life? Salt had many uses besides seasoning food (anyone on a salt-free diet can attest that takes some getting used to!). It was used as a preservative, a disinfectant, treating wounds, currency – Roman soldiers might see part of their paychecks in salt - and even as a temple offering in sacrifices.

Jesus tells his disciples they are the salt of the earth and as individuals and as a community of believers, to live like they know that. As a community that knows they are the salt of the earth, their lives reflect all the things that salt can bring to a community – flavor, healing, preserving the Gospel truth, exhibiting mercy and grace but most of all bringing the flavor of God’s love to all.

Jesus also says – you are the light of the world. Light that illuminates the shadows. Light that has been and always will be. Light that brings hope.

And, you are these things now – not in some distant future, but now. Jesus is reminding his disciples that having the knowledge that you are these things isn’t enough – you have to live it as individuals and as a community of faith. Discipleship isn’t theoretical – it is everyday practice – the ultimate way of being and functioning in the world.

The practices we have explored these past weeks strengthen us, guide us and give us courage to live discipleship, not just think discipleship. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. Know it, live it. Come and explore together this Sunday!

Blessings, 
Pastor Karen

TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper:

Summer Worship Bulletin (6 pages)

FOR THIS SUNDAY: ONE OR BOTH!

For this Sunday (and until further notice), child care during worship service will be offered in room 216 (ask the ushers to direct you).

Thank you to the Rossetti family for hosting Lemonade on the Lawn this Sunday. Please consider taking a Sunday slot! See more details below. 

NEW! SHARING THE BOUNTY

Anything left over will be donated to New Bethany, along with other produce harvested from the CommUNITY Garden located on our campus.

SUMMER WORSHIP HELP: CHILDREN'S SERMON SIGN-UP 


We'd love to have some other voices lead our children's sermons during summer worship. You'll get the scripture readings and theme info in advance, and we can also provide suggestions or ideas, if you'd like! Please see the sign-up list and volunteer for an upcoming Sunday: volunteersignup.org/hj4yy.

GROWING OUR COMMUNITY

Per Pastor Lindsey’s update on Sunday about this new initiative, here’s a reminder for those who were interested in updates and next steps following the last Metro-IAF leaders lunch. This is an effort focused on relational community organizing and opportunities to build a broad-based power coalition in the Lehigh Valley. There are two more upcoming chances to connect and be part of the early stages of this important work:


Metro-IAF Community Leaders Lunch - Tuesday, Aug. 11, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem

Metro-IAF Training for Listening/Voter Campaign - Tuesday, Aug. 25, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at the Lehigh Conference of Churches, 457 W. Allen St., Allentown


This is the team training to help us facilitate the community listening and voter engagement campaign. The hope is that local faith communities and other organizations will bring their core group of volunteers to this for skill-building before launching the relational organizing efforts. (You don’t have to come to the Leaders Lunch to attend the Training with our group.)


These are great opportunities for connection and learning that will help us lean more fully into all three of those Mission Study commitments! If you’re interested in attending one or both of these, please let Lindsey know via email.

A NEW OPPORTUNITY: SITTING WITH THE PSALMS

Sundays: Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

9:00 – 9:45 a.m.

Church Library

We hope you will join us in sitting with a different Psalm each Sunday in August. An open heart and a willing spirit are all that are needed.  

SUNDAY CONNECTION: LEMONADE ON THE LAWN

It doesn’t have to be a “formal” group, like a K group, committee, or the choir – it can be a family or group of friends. We thank the Mission Strategy team for hosting this week.

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 (bit.ly/42TDejr), and we'll have a paper sign-up form at the Sunday service.

FOOD DONATIONS: SUPPORTING OUR NEIGHBORS

For the month of July we are once again supporting the Summer Harvest Food Drive, a four-county initiative that last year secured 6000 pounds of donations.

FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:

Child care will be available from 9:45 - 11:15 a.m. this Sunday; they will meet in room 216.

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.

THIS SUNDAY

• 9:45– 11:15 a.m. – Child care available in room 216
• 10:00 a.m. – Summer worship service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on website and Facebook page)
• 11:00 a.m. – Lemonade on the Lawn (west lawn) and post-service discussion opportunity (Narthex)

 
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.

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, for emergency pastoral concerns, call 610-674-0005.

PRAYER REQUESTS: Send to prayer@fpc-bethlehem.org or call 610-867-5865 and leave a message.