Friday, April 21, 2023 Newsletter
SUNDAY SERVICES
9:00 a.m. ‘Holy Ground’ Contemporary Worship in Fellowship Hall
(in person)
11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary – Sunday
(in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)
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A MESSAGE FROM THE REV. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON:
Settling in…
Someone recently asked me how our Afghan family was doing, and I realized it had been awhile since we shared an update.
In some ways, that’s because they’ve settled into rather normal (perhaps even mundane) routines and rhythms. Bahar and Taib are doing well at their respective preschool and elementary school, and baby Ayaz is sitting up, rolling over, and belly crawling here, there, and everywhere. We’re hoping the never-ending germs and colds of winter are behind all three kiddos now…
Baz continues to work at Cedar Crest Hospital (though he’s hoping to find better paying work sooner rather than later), and we’re beginning to help them think about applying for a childcare voucher for Ayaz which would enable Mursal to work, as well.
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The family was able to join us for the church’s Easter Egg Hunt & Spring Festival which was fun! Mursal and I often laugh while calling the baby “President Ayaz” since he’s a tiny American who could someday become our first Muslim president; I explained that he’d need to know about egg hunts because of the big one hosted on the White House lawn each year.
Baz continues to work at Cedar Crest Hospital (though he’s hoping to find better paying work sooner rather than later), and we’re beginning to help them think about applying for a childcare voucher for Ayaz which would enable Mursal to work, as well.
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The family was able to join us for the church’s Easter Egg Hunt & Spring Festival which was fun! Mursal and I often laugh while calling the baby “President Ayaz” since he’s a tiny American who could someday become our first Muslim president; I explained that he’d need to know about egg hunts because of the big one hosted on the White House lawn each year.
Mursal and Baz have been busy fasting and praying throughout Ramadan which began on March 22, and ends on Friday with the celebration of Eid. There’s a guest Imam leading Ramadan prayers at Respect Graduate School’s masjid/mosque, so they’ve worshipped there some recently instead of at the Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley where they have been going since arriving in Allentown. (Various MALV members have offered support to our family along the way: new furniture, baby items, help with taxes, etc. It has been a good source of Muslim community for them!) All in all, pretty typical week-to-week life stuff.
Then came some unexpected good news! In addition to Mursal’s asylum application, our church support team had also completed and submitted a Special Immigrant Visa application for Baz, given his supply technician work for a US military contractor. He had begun that process in Afghanistan back in 2017, but it was stalled because his supervisor couldn’t be located for a required recommendation letter.
We cleared that hurdle and got word last week that he has received the final approval needed to be granted SIV status! Now the family can complete their Green Card applications for permanent residency.
While there’s more work to be done - the I-485 application for a Green Card is 20 pages long without any of the necessary supporting evidence - this is such a relief and a big step forward for them! They may still be granted asylum, but this is actually a shorter path to permanent residency - after the asylum decision, they would have been asylees for a year before being able to apply for Green Cards. Our team is working on what we can of the paperwork, and we’re hoping to get them legal support again; this will require another USCIS interview, and it’s good to have representation present for those.
As I look at recent pictures of the kiddos, it is easy to see just how much they’ve grown. This family’s love and resilience are such a gift, and they share it so readily with those of us walking alongside them. Mashallah! Thanks be to God.
Blessings,
Lindsey
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This week’s sermon: The Flavor of Bread 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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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 and in the blanket-sitting area (to the left of the communion table in Fellowship Hall).
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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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AFTER EACH SUNDAY SERVICE: Coffee & Conversation
We invite folks to stay for Coffee & Conversation following each of our two worship services. This is an opportunity for connection in Fellowship Hall where you’ll find coffee for adults along with juice boxes and a simple snack for children.
We will still gather for our Intergenerational Faith Formation story and craft after the 9:00 service!
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CELEBRATING THE MCKNIGHT MISSION SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Last Sunday, 70 friends gathered for lunch in Fellowship Hall to honor Sally Gillispie (second from right) and hear the story of the group of Lafayette College students who received a significant grant from the McKnight Mission Scholarship Fund.
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Named for Sally’s missionary parents, Minnie and James McKnight, this permanent fund in our church’s endowment offers support for individuals engaging in mission experience.
It allows them to explore more deeply an interest in local or global mission.
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The grant enabled these students to learn more about the system of refugee relocation in the U.S. and interact with two non-profits supporting this vital work – Lutheran Social Services and HIAS, the world’s oldest (1902) refugee agency.
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HEARTS N MINDS ADULT ED CLASS: ALL ARE WELCOME
The Hearts N Minds adult ed class will meet this Sunday from 9:45 – 10:40 a.m. in the Parlor (upstairs above the main church office). Please feel free to come even if you have not done the reading.
The group is studying the book, Elusive Grace: Loving Your Enemies While Striving for God’s Justice by Pastor Scott Black Johnson, senior pastor at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian in Manhattan. The reading for this week is the chapter, “Learning to love your enemy.”
NOTE: The group will not meet on Sunday, May 7, due to a special Mission Strategy Conversation from 10-10:45 a.m. More details to come.
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HI NEIGHBORS: HOT TOPICS FOR YOU!
Special Guest: Rev. Peter Keady
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Our popular speakers program, Hi Neighbors, is back for this Monday,
April 24, when we welcome the Rev. Peter Keady, founder of First Responder Chaplain Corps. This local group supports first responders with emotional and spiritual care, and provides mentoring services as well.
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Each program will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall with a hospitality time. The presentations will begin at 10 a.m. All are welcome - there is no fee and no pre-registration.
This spring we're partnering with the folks at Meals on Wheels, who are assisting us with the scheduling of presenters, and to promote our program. We thank them for their support.
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COME TO OUR CHURCH WORK DAY – SATURDAY, APRIL 29
Can you spare some time to help spruce up our church building and grounds? We’ve planned “Work on Our Church Day” for Saturday, April 29 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Volunteers are asked to bring a lunch and drinks to hydrate themselves. There will be prep work for painting, painting, general clean-up of the grounds, and fixing regular and storm windows. Folks should bring work gloves.
Kids age 12 and older are welcome to join in the fun (we can give Community Service Hours credit).
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CONCERT AT FIRST PRES BY CONCORD CHAMBER SINGERS
From the early music of the Moravians and Stephen Foster, to the works of Barber and beyond, there is a rich history of new music from Penn's Woods.
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The Concord Chamber Singers, directed by David Macbeth, will present "Music of Penn's Woods", a selection of songs by Pennsylvania composers from the 1680s all the way to now.
It will be offered at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 30 here at First Pres. Featuring the multi-generational Concord Chamber Singers as well as multiple musicians, enjoy this journey through history to enjoy the music the state of Pennsylvania has helped produce.
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Tickets are available for purchase online; they will also be available at the door. Adult tickets are $25, and students are $10; under five are free.
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LOOKING AHEAD…
Beginning Sunday, May 28 (Memorial Day weekend), we will offer a 10 a.m. Summer Worship Service in the Sanctuary. This schedule will run through Sunday, Sept. 3 (Labor Day weekend).
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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 week's 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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THIS SUNDAY
- 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
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9:00 a.m.: “Holy Ground” Contemporary service, Fellowship Hall followed by Coffee & Conversation in Fellowship Hall
- 9:45-10:40 a.m.: Hearts N Minds adult ed class, Parlor - all are welcome
- 11:00 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service, in-person in the Sanctuary AND livestream on Facebook Live and our website
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 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 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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