Friday, August 12, 2022 Newsletter
SUNDAY SERVICE
IN-PERSON AND ONLINE VIA FACEBOOK LIVE:
10:00 a.m. Summer Worship in the Sanctuary
(* also available on our website and via phone)
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MESSAGE FROM THE REV. J.C. AUSTIN: No better way
As many of you know, when Keith Brown, our beloved Pastor Emeritus, died a year ago, a number of people wanted to make memorial gifts to the church to honor Keith’s life and ministry. As those gifts came in, the Session felt that it was important that they not simply get deposited in the Memorial Fund, but be used in a way that specifically honors Keith’s life, ministry, and legacy as the long-time pastor of this congregation.
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Accordingly, the Session made two decisions. The first was to name Fellowship Hall at the church after Keith.
One of the key themes throughout Keith’s decades of ministry was the importance of koinonia for Christian congregational life. Koinonia (koy-no-NEE-ah) is a Greek word to mean “fellowship,” not simply in the sense of social interaction, but as a relationship of deep mutual sharing of one another’s joys, challenges, faith, and hope.
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Second, the Session decided to direct any gifts that are given to the church in Keith’s name to a fund that will support badly-needed upgrades to Fellowship Hall to make it suitable for multimedia ministry and worship in the 21st century. This also means that memorial gifts for Keith are not simply looking back to his ministry, but his legacy continues to fuel the future ministry of the church.
These two decisions were made with the blessing of Keith’s family, and a letter was sent out this summer explaining these decisions so that those who were considering a gift in memory and honor of Keith would know how such gifts are being utilized.
So, I want to thank those of you who have made such gifts so far, and let you know that plans are coming together well for what we might do in Fellowship Hall to realize the vision of how that space can support our current and future ministry more faithfully and effectively through upgrades and renovations.
I want to give special thanks to David Macbeth, who has been working tirelessly with consultants on issues related to acoustics and audio/video systems, and to the Property Committee for their work on infrastructure questions, especially Bud Newton, Bob Hunsicker, and Kevin Konczyk.
I look forward to seeing how these plans unfold as we enter the fall!
Grace and Peace,
J.C.
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TO DONATE TO THE KEITH BROWN MEMORIAL
- Mail a check (made out to FPCB with “Brown” in the memo line) to First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, Attn: Business Office, 2344 Center St., Bethlehem, PA 18017.
- On the Narthex tables you will find offering envelopes marked “Brown.” You can use one to place your check in the donation box (also on the Narthex table) or offering plate.
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Use our online giving portal at fpc-bethlehem.org/give and put “Brown” in the “notes” box below the payment information.
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FOR THIS SUNDAY
Click the link to read the verses
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- This week’s sermon: Peace or Pieces? by
The Rev. J.C. Austin
- We post the video of each week’s
services and sermon text and audio
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TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper
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FOR SUNDAY MORNING
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The Building Reopening Task Force has issued a new guideline: they encourage that people wear masks, especially if they are in a high risk category, as an additional precaution to protect themselves and others.
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Child care will be available from 9:45-11:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings; please ask an usher for directions.
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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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JOIN US AFTER SUNDAY WORSHIP |
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Our popular “Lemonade on the Lawn” social time is offered after our 10 a.m. Summer Worship service.
Stop by the front lawn for a cool drink, snack, and fellowship. We’ll head into the North Link in case of bad weather.
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- Every Sunday we encourage you to look for the table at Lemonade on the Lawn, where you can sign cards for our friends who are sick or hospitalized.
- If you have excess garden bounty to share, we’ll have a table available for you to put it out – and others to take what they can use. Give and get!
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TIME AGAIN FOR THE LUNCH BUNCH! |
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This Wednesday, August 17 at noon
Illick's Mill Park
Pavilion nearest the parking lot
Everyone welcome!
Bring your own bagged lunch!
This is an open invitation for folks of all ages - members and friends - to gather for good conversation at beautiful Illick's Mill Park.
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We'll meet unless it's raining – so please check our website or call the church office at 610-867-5865 before venturing out. |
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To make it easier to connect with ways to help in our community, we’ve created a new website page with listings of FPCB and community volunteer opportunities, including this new one, below.
We’d also like to add additional organizations, or specific volunteer tasks. If you have any to share, please contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or leave a message at the church office, 610-867-5865.
We encourage you to check it often!
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BE A FRIEND TO A LOCAL STUDENT |
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If you are available on Thursday mornings from 8 – 8:50 a.m. and are willing to spend some time connecting with a K-5 student, we have a volunteer opportunity for you!
Donegan Elementary School, 1210 E. 4th St., Bethlehem, will begin its mentoring program on Thursday, October 6. The adults and students will gather in the school’s cafeteria for one-on-one social time, before the students’ school day begins.
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The goal is to help the children self-assess their emotional wellness – an important step for those who may have emotionally- and/or economically-challenging lives away from school.
To participate, mentors must be vaccinated; masks are worn at all times. You won’t be expected to help with 5th grade math homework – but we do ask that you make a commitment to be there consistently, to build a trusting relationship with your student.
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POSITIONS AVAILABLE
We currently have these employment opportunities available at First Pres - if you know of someone who might be interested in additional information, please have them contact us at HR@fpc-bethlehem.org.
- Pastoral Associate (part-time)
- Director of Early Childhood Education (full-time)
- Coordinator of Extended Care (part-time)
- Assistant Coordinator of Extended Care (part-time)
- Two Preschool teacher positions (part-time)
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UPDATED: IF YOU ARE HOSPITALIZED…
We would like to know when our members are entering the hospital. Please tell the hospital that your church ID is 724. We contact the hospitals on weekdays to get that information. If you enter the hospital on Friday-Sunday, you can contact Phil Fair at prayer@fpc-bethlehem.org to keep us up to date.
PRAYER REQUESTS...
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Send us your news and photos to share:
**Deadline for next week's newsletter is
WEDNESDAY at noon**
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Your likes / comments / shares help us spread the word about First Pres!
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THIS SUNDAY
- 9:45 – 11:30 a.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
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10 a.m.: Summer Worship Service, in-person in the Sanctuary AND livestream on Facebook Live and our website; below, to join us online
- 11 a.m.: Lemonade on the Lawn hospitality time
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TO JOIN OUR LIVESTREAM WORSHIP SERVICES
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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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IF YOU DO NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS: You can participate on your phone to listen to the Summer Worship Service
To listen on the phone (audio only): Call 929-205-6099; when prompted enter the Meeting ID: 848 4170 9518, followed by the # key. You will be asked for the participant ID – press the # key again.
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TUESDAYS: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Crafters, Room 408 (everyone welcome)
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, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. The South entrance will be open during these hours, and on Sunday mornings.
Many of the office staff are continuing to work 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.
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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