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Friday, July 17, 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. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON:

LET'S CONNECT

Greetings, dear ones,


This Sunday, we continue with the second in a pair of sermons inspired by Priya Parker’s book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters. As our faith tradition calls us to fellowship and hospitality, what does it mean to do that work well? How can we slow down to reflect on the purpose for gathering and plan with greater intentionality?

We are looking to John 6:5-14 and Luke 14:12-24 for more insight on how expansive welcome and transformation are integral to our gathering practices and true hospitality.

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

This is an opportunity for local community and faith leaders to explore relational organizing. We are working toward a community listening and voter engagement campaign as a first step in building a broad-based power coalition with Metro-IAF. 

Clergy and/or lay leaders interested in community engagement and justice-seeking who might be willing to build a small team from their faith community or organization are invited! (If you might be interested in joining the FPCB team, this is for you!)


• 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 me know via email.


Forward together, friends!

Lindsey

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 Women's K-Group 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.

WE'RE HOSTING...

CAN YOU HELP?


The Deacons are in search of folks to serve as drivers for those who need assistance getting to medical or other appointments, grocery shopping or other things that come up. 


If you are willing to do so, please email info@fpc-bethlehem.org as we build a list of folks willing to drive. If there are specific times and days you are not available, that would be helpful to know; please share your contact info. Thanks for your consideration!

MISSION STUDY UPDATE

This exciting milestone is a testament to the prayerful input and dedication of our entire congregation throughout this process.

We are now preparing the final document for its official release to both our congregation and the public, and we look forward to sharing it with you very soon.

Thank you for your continued partnership and prayers as we take this meaningful step forward together.  

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.  

A NEW HOME FOR THE LITTLE YELLOW SHED

As we shared previously, the Facilities Team has now completed a project to move the smaller shed that was located inside the Preschool playground, to a new, temporary location on the northeast corner of our campus. The entire move went smoothly and with no challenges – mission accomplished!

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.


This is what we’ve collected so far – let’s see how we can add to this in the next two weeks!

Organizers say that an easy way to help is to engage with their Facebook and Instagram accounts (@summerharvestfooddrive) – please consider liking / commenting / sharing their posts to help them reach even more folks. Thank you!

NCC PRESENTS 'HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME'

You may want to get tickets to see The Hunchback of Notre Dame, featuring the talents of Dan Swank, an FPCB member. It is presented by the Northampton Community College's Summer Theatre, 3835 Green Pond Rd., Bethlehem.

The show has opened for its run through Sunday, July 26 - Dan will appear in the 
7:30 p.m. performances on Saturday, July 18; Wednesday, July 22; and Friday, July 24; and the 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, July 26.

It's 15th-century Paris, and Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer of Notre Dame, has spent his entire life hidden away in the cathedral's towers. Held captive by his cruel guardian, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo (played by Dan), Quasimodo dreams of life among the people below.

For tickets, click here.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR: FAMILY FUN!

You’re also encouraged to bring a donation for the Summer Harvest Food Drive.

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.