Friday, February 2, 2024 Newsletter
For Sunday – Communion Sunday
9:00 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Worship Service
in Fellowship Hall (in person only)
11:00 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service in the Sanctuary
(in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)
|
|
A MESSAGE FROM THE REV. J.C. AUSTIN: Annual Meetings Recap
Friends, thanks to all of you who attended last week’s Annual Meetings of the Congregation and Corporation of First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem. I thought it might be helpful to do a brief recap for those of you who were unable to attend the meeting to confirm what happened.
|
|
First, the Congregational Nominating Committee presented an outstanding slate of nominees to serve as Elders, Deacons, Trustees, and members of the Congregational Nominating Committee. The nominations that were made by the committee were approved unanimously! See them here.
The officers-elect will be doing training in February and will be ordained and/or installed in early March. Second, the Corporation Meeting focused on reports about the endowed/invested funds of the church, which performed quite well in 2023, increasing in value by 16% through growth in the market.
|
|
|
Returning to the Congregational Meeting, there were reports on ministry highlights from 2023, the Annual Operating Budget in 2023, and the approved Annual Operating Budget for 2024. The great news about the budget in 2023 is that we initially projected a deficit of over $300,000, because there is no “fat” in our budget to cut, and any cuts would inhibit our ability to fulfill our mission.
We asked the congregation to prayerfully consider making First Presbyterian your philanthropic priority for at least the next three years as we go through our strategic mission planning process for redeveloping our campus, which is simultaneously our greatest resource and our greatest liability, and many of you responded.
That, plus a few timely bequests, enabled us to end 2023 with a small surplus!! For 2024, the Session has passed an operating budget with a substantially smaller deficit, and is continuing to ask for you to consider how you might be able to increase your support of our church if you have not already done so. See the revised financial statement (the one in the Annual Report, below, has been updated)
Finally, the congregation discussed the recommended changes to our congregational bylaws that the Session presented. It was a substantive discussion, including several proposed amendments to improve both clarity and congregational communication.
Those that passed were incorporated into the bylaws, while one regarding the reporting processes among Session, Trustees, and standing committees failed, but its substantive intent will be taken up by the Session in terms of improving internal communications processes.
With all that accomplished, we adjourned after 90 minutes, and many of us enjoyed a delicious pasta luncheon provided by our Boy Scout Troop 302, with a full room of diners and joyful conversation. If you were not able to attend, I hope this helps understand what happened, and that you’ll be able to join us next year!
Grace and Peace,
J.C.
NOTE: If you would like to receive a print copy of the Annual Report, contact us at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865. We can leave it at the reception desk for you to pick it up, or drop it in the mail (so if you want it mailed please include your mailing address).
|
|
|
|
- This week’s sermon: Rise and Shine: Staying Mobile by the Rev. J.C. Austin
-
We post the video of each week’s services and sermon text on our website: fpc-bethlehem.org
|
|
TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper for Sunday:
|
|
FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:
-
Child care will be available from 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.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. 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.
|
|
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11: SOUPER BOWL SUNDAY & SCOUT SUNDAY
Celebrating our Boy Scout Troop
|
|
On Sunday, February 11, we will celebrate Boy Scout Sunday. Troop 302 has been chartered to First Presbyterian Church for over 100 years.
Ours is the oldest Boy Scout Troop in Bethlehem that has been continuously chartered to the same organization. Scouts and leaders from that Troop are assisting the ushers at the Traditional service.
|
|
|
If you would like more information about Boy Scouts of America or Troop 302, please contact Randy Stonesifer at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865.
Souper Bowl of Caring
For Sunday, February 11, following the 11:00 a.m. service, we’ll host a Souper Bowl of Caring soup luncheon to raise awareness about local hunger relief efforts and to collect funds for our area nonprofit partners.
|
|
We’re looking for a few more folks to bring a crockpot of soup. If you can do that, please drop us a note at info@fpc-bethlehem.org.
For dessert, we'll be supporting a Bake Sale offered by Eagle Scout candidate Logan Pierson-Balik, which he's doing to raise funds for the renovation of the Preschool playground that he will be managing.
|
|
|
If you'd like to donate to Logan's Bake Sale, you are welcome to bring items in a disposable container (please mark if it contains nuts or is gluten-free).
Please make plans to attend whether you make a donation or not - there will be plenty of food. Feel free to show your support for your favorite Super Bowl team,
as well!
|
|
NAVIGATING A NEW TERRAIN: SESSION 2
This Sunday, February 4
Please join us for the second session of our discussion about the lessons we learned from the COVID pandemic this Sunday, February 4 from 9:45-10:45 a.m. in room 400.
|
|
We had a lively discussion in our first session and, based on the responses of those in attendance, the second session will be focusing some of the intangible things that we lost and that we gained as we learned to navigate the “new normal”. All are welcome! |
|
|
HEARTS N MINDS: ON HIATUS UNTIL FEBRUARY 25
The Hearts N Minds adult education class is on hiatus until Sunday, February 25. When it returns they will continue the discussion of Father Richard Rohr’s book, Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life.
|
|
CAN YOU LEND YOUR HELPING HANDS?
The Lehigh Presbytery’s Helping Hands program has scheduled three (possibly four) weekends to work at Camp Lackawanna (in Tunkhannock, a two hour drive) during the month of February. Tasks include painting, fixing and making picnic tables, creating exits in cabins, and repurposing two bathrooms. Minimal skills needed!
|
|
Folks are welcome to come for any or all days (Thursday – Sunday) of any of the first three weekends (the fourth weekend of February is also a possibility). Bunk beds, showers and meals are provided; the only cost for volunteers is their personal transportation (carpooling may be available). Open to high school age and older.
And for your consideration: the next Helping Hands trip to New Bern, NC, the week of April 6 – 13. Work will focus on getting families back into their homes following storm damage. More details will be coming.
(right - Jamie Henry repairs a ceiling on a recent trip)
|
|
|
SECOND COMMUNITY MEETING HELD
We had over 200 attendees at last Wednesday evening’s second Community Meeting to share concept designs for the campus and to launch our second public survey! The conversations were engaging, and helpful questions and concerns raised.
|
|
We’re eager to continue gathering public feedback through the end of February. If you were unable to attend, you can see the concepts designs and 3D models at our Project Headquarters in the North Link (pictured, right).
You’ll also find a QR code to access the digital survey along with paper copies to share your feedback.
|
|
|
The survey includes all the needed information about each of the three concepts, and it may be found online here: bit.ly/4b3M8h2
You can also visit the church website to see additional contextual information shared on posters at Wednesday night’s meeting. The survey link is posted there, as well. Responses are being accepted through February 29, so feel free to share with other folks in the Bethlehem community!
|
|
THANK YOU: ANNUAL GIVING TREE
Mission would like to thank all those who purchased Items from the Giving Tree this past Christmas. Altogether we purchased $1865 worth of goods for people in need of a hand up. We also want to acknowledge those who purchased items online (this amount is not reflected in the $1865 total).
Together we made a real impact!
|
|
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...
|
|
Send us your news and photos to share:
**Deadline for the next newsletter:
WEDNESDAY at noon**
* * *
Your likes / comments / shares help us spread the word about First Pres!
|
|
TO JOIN OUR LIVESTREAM WORSHIP SERVICE
-
Visit our Facebook page and look for the post with our live feed
-
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
|
|
THIS SUNDAY - COMMUNION SUNDAY
- 8:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
- 9:00 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Worship service, in-person in Fellowship Hall
- 9:45 a.m.: Navigating a New Terrain: Learning from the Pandemic adult ed class, Room 400 – all are welcome!
- 10:10-10:45 a.m.: Current: Seeking Justice Together!, an intergenerational faith formation offering, Fellowship Hall – all ages are welcome!
- 11:00 a.m.: Traditional Worship service, in-person in the Sanctuary and livestreamed on Facebook and on our website
WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom.com (NEW! 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
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
