WEEKLY ENEWS

November 2020

  • Weekly Update for November 24, 2020

    Posted Nov 24, 2020

    Happy Thanksgiving! Since the church will be closed on Thursday and Friday, we are sending our weekly update a few days early. Don’t forget about the Community Thanksgiving Service this evening. Things will be a little different because of COVID-19, but this time of community unity is more important than ever this year, and Angels Charge is such an important ministry!

    After you have had your fill of turkey (or however you celebrate Thanksgiving this year), don’t forget that the season of Advent begins this Sunday. The hope and expectation that is the hallmark of Advent may be just what we need as we wrap up this strange year! Look for an email later in the week with resources on how you can enrich your faith daily this Advent. Part of our celebration of Advent will also be an expansion of our annual White Gifts service to each of our Sunday morning services this Advent. See below to learn how you can join in this season of giving.

  • Weekly Update for November 20, 2020

    Posted Nov 20, 2020

    As we approach Thanksgiving in this topsy-turvy year, it is more important than ever for all of us to consider all those people and things for which we can be thankful, and out of that gratitude, to give to others in need. Last Saturday, we got to do that by distributing nearly 800 new coats to children from around Spartanburg County as part of our annual Winter Warmth Project. You can be a part of that ongoing project by donating $35 to buy a new coat for a child in need. See fpcspartanburg.org/winter-warmth for more information.

    The TOTAL Ministries Food Drive this Sunday is another way you can give out of your gratitude. See below for more information. This Thanksgiving let’s give others something for which they can give thanks!

  • Weekly Update for November 13, 2020

    Posted Nov 13, 2020

    This is a big weekend at the church! Today, final preparations are being made for our annual Winter Warmth coat distribution. Things will look a bit different this year, but this mission is no less important or meaningful to those children who will receive those brand new coats on Saturday! We still need some people to help distribute coats. So please click the link below if you can give of your time to help keep kids warm this winter!

    Speaking of giving, this Sunday is Stewardship Sunday. In gratitude for all God’s blessings, we invite each of you to prayerfully consider what you can pledge to the church for 2021. If you worship with us in person on Sunday, you may turn in your pledge card at that time. If you cannot be at church in person on Sunday, you may mail in your pledge card or pledge online through the Member Login section of the website or under My Profile in the ShelbyNext app.

    Holy cow! This Sunday is also the deadline for the FPC Assessment Survey as well as for nominations for the Pastor Nominating Committee. Look for more information below and be sure to complete all of your homework before Monday!

  • Weekly Update for November 6, 2020

    Posted Nov 06, 2020

    It was great seeing people in person for worship in both Fogartie Hall and the Sanctuary on Sunday! Join us again this Sunday. No reservations are necessary!

    For the most part, everyone is doing great about wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing. Thank you! One of the bigger challenges has been at the end of the Sanctuary worship services. In the Sanctuary, please wait for an usher to dismiss your row, and please do not bunch up in the aisles so that people can get by. We would love for you to visit and catch up with friends outside so that the aisles stay clear for those wishing to exit the Sanctuary.

  • Weekly Update for October 30, 2020

    Posted Oct 30, 2020

    Hopefully, you all received the word that you no longer need to make reservations for worship. We appreciate your patience as, with each step of bringing people back together on campus, we have begun cautiously with registrations to make sure we have the capacity for everyone, and then after just a few times, when we see that things are running smoothly and safely, we have removed the need for pre-registration. Thank you for bearing with us through that!

    And so, we invite you to MorningSong in Fogartie Hall at 8:45am and to the Sanctuary service at 11am. Please remain diligent in wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing so that people will feel safe (and be safe) when they come to worship. Of course, many of you are still not comfortable gathering with groups of people, and we remain committed to providing the best possible streaming experience for you as well!

  • Weekly Update for October 23, 2020

    Posted Oct 23, 2020

    At 8:45am, we will have our first Kirkin’ service for the day in the Sanctuary. There is still room in the Sanctuary for this service! So even if you didn’t register, “Hie thee to th’ kirk” for this very special service! We’ll try to make room for everyone (while maintaining physical distancing) in the Sanctuary. We also have video overflow in the Chapel and Fogartie Hall, if needed. Though there will not be a precession there will still be tartans, a bagpiper, and drummer who will join our vocal quartet in the familiar music that makes this service special!

    Then at 11am, when it is a little warmer, we will have an outdoor Kirkin’ service in the Family Life Center parking lot. This service will also feature tartans, a bagpiper, a drummer, as well as brass ensemble to lead us all in singing during this unique service. No registration is needed, and we should have plenty of room for all! We do request that all who are able bring their own chairs, but we will still have a rack of chairs available for those who need them. At this point, the weather is a little iffy for Sunday, but we will let everyone know by Saturday if there is any change of plans for that service.

    Also note that starting next week, Tuesdays at First and Wednesdays at First are merging back into a single event on Wednesdays, and everyone is invited! Registration is still requested so that we can be sure to have enough food, but the deadline is now later: Mondays at noon. Join us for what is (in my humble opinion) the best weekly tailgate party and programming for all ages in town!

  • Weekly Update for October 16, 2020

    Posted Oct 16, 2020

    This Sunday is Youth Sunday! We are excited to have our Jr. and Sr. Highs leading both of our worship services this Sunday. Make a point to come, or tune in, to both of these special services!

    We have also expanded our physically-distanced seating in the Sanctuary, converting what was overflow seating in the balcony into regularly available seating. Now, if we have walk-ups without registrations, they can join the service by video in the Chapel until they can (hopefully) be seated in a vacant spot in the Sanctuary.

    Since we resumed in-person services once in July and then more regularly in August, we have always made space for walk-ups and never turned anyone away! So please continue to make your reservations for the Sanctuary service so that we can continue to have space to do that, and don’t hesitate to call the church if you have any trouble with the online registration form! Our MorningSong service in the FLC parking lot does not require registration, and we can safely sing together outdoors with masks! So, come!

  • Weekly Update for October 9, 2020

    Posted Oct 09, 2020

    It was wonderful to have a congregation in the Sanctuary last Sunday! Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we worship together in yet another new way during this pandemic. Registration for next Sunday, October 18 (Youth Sunday!) is now open at https://fpcspartanburg.org/events/rsvp-for-sanctuary-worship.

    Remember that outdoor MorningSong no longer requires registration, but we do ask that you bring your own chairs, if you are able. We will have a rack of chairs available on-site, though, just in case. The weather is not looking good for this Sunday with the remnants of Hurricane Delta blowing through. If the MorningSong service has to be cancelled, notification will be sent out by email, text, social media, and the church website no later than 6pm on Saturday. If that happens, the service will happen livestream only.

    Be sure you make your dinner reservations for Tuesdays at First (TAF) and Wednesdays at First (WAF) by Sunday! See below for more information on that.

  • Weekly Update for October 2, 2020

    Posted Oct 02, 2020

    We are looking forward to our first in-person communion services since this pandemic began and our return to in-person worship services in the Sanctuary! We appreciate everyone’s understanding of the limitations of the space right now, and the need to limit our numbers in the Sanctuary in order to keep everyone there safe. We also appreciate your understanding of the adaptations we are having to make to be able to have these services inside. Don’t forget about the Hymn Sing before the service!

    Were you not able to get into the Sanctuary service this week? Don’t like limited numbers? Want to sing in worship? Then MorningSong is the service for you right now! We have eliminated the need to register for MorningSong and are asking everyone to bring their own chairs. We will have a rack of chairs available for those that need one, but no chairs will be set up ahead of time. And because it is outside and everyone is in masks and properly spaced apart, we can all sing together! So come worship together in what is currently the most “normal” of our worship services in the FLC parking lot at 8:45am on Sunday!

  • Weekly Update for September 25, 2020

    Posted Sep 25, 2020

    We are looking forward to all the new programming beginning in just over a week, including Wednesdays at First, a new Tuesdays at First, and in-person Sanctuary worship services, all kicking off the first week of October. Please be mindful that pre-registration is needed for most activities, including worship, but so far we have not run out of available space for any of our activities. Especially note below that the registration for Vespers this Sunday evening closes at noon today. So make sure you sign up and join us!

  • Weekly Update for September 18, 2020

    Posted Sep 18, 2020

    This Sunday, MorningSong resumes in the Family Life Center parking lot. We will also resume the weekly MorningSong livestream on the church website and Facebook. Due to technical limitations of our outdoor equipment, we will not be livestreaming MorningSong to YouTube at this time, but the Sanctuary service will continue to stream on the church website, Facebook, and YouTube.

    The Fall Edition of First News is in the mail and online. In it you will find information about the pastoral transition and search process, a letter from our Temporary Interim Pastor (starting Oct. 1) Lewis Johnson, and lots of new things happening at the church, including the return to in-person worship in the Sanctuary, and the return of our mid-week programming (now split between Tuesday and Wednesday). So read it carefully and sign up for stuff on time! In order to control numbers, arrange for the increased amount of setup and allow contact tracing (if needed) most events, including worship, now require pre-registration, for the time being.

  • Weekly Update for September 11, 2020

    Posted Sep 11, 2020

    Today is, of course, a solemn day of remembrance in our country, as we mourn the tragic events of September 11, 2001. And as we mourn those lost on that day, let us also mourn the hatred and tribalism that led to those events, and let us all repent of that hatred and tribalism that we too often harbor today. And let us also celebrate the unity we found that day across all kinds of differences, and strive to find that unity once more.

    Today I also got the pleasure of attending the dedication of the Mathematics Lab at Cleveland Elementary, the product of our Witness Season contributions earlier this year. This congregation blew past our Witness Season goals, just days before this pandemic set in in earnest. And it was so encouraging to see that math lab come to fruition, and to see so many FPC members there at the dedication. Good and important work is happening through our church, my friends!

    Finally, this Sunday we bid farewell to Pastor Tom, as we celebrate his ministry with us and pray for his ministry in New York. I hope that you will all join in the streamed service on Sunday. It is going to be a very special service indeed. And Zoom congregation meeting afterward. We have upgraded our Zoom account to make sure we have room for all of you. So please sign in via Zoom for this important meeting. Information on a full Sunday of activities is below.

  • Weekly Update for September 4, 2020

    Posted Sep 04, 2020

    This Sunday, September 6, we will have only one livestreamed service at 11am and no online Sunday School. We hope everyone will have a safe and enjoyable long weekend!

    The following Sunday, September 13, will be Pastor Tom’s last Sunday with us. We will again have only one livestreamed service at 11am that day with a congregational meeting via Zoom (Zoom link) immediately after it for the purposes of electing church officers and formally requesting that Foothills Presbytery dissolve the pastoral relationship between Dr. Tom Evans and First Presbyterian Church. See below for information about activities that afternoon to celebrate Tom’s ministry with us and to say goodbye to the pastor who has led us so faithfully through these past eight years.

  • Weekly Update for August 28, 2020

    Posted Aug 28, 2020

    This Sunday we celebrate our 2020 Confirmation class during our 8:45am MorningSong service. The confirmands have all made their professions of faith and been examined by the Session, and we are proud of the work they have done, even amid unusual circumstances this year. So, we are glad to finally be able to welcome these young people into full membership. Physical distancing requirements mean that things will look a little different this year, but we are thankful to be able to celebrate this milestone with them, in-person and with their families with them.

    And you can join in online! If the technology all cooperates, we expect to livestream this service for the whole congregation (and more!) on Sunday. Tune in at the usual place on the church website: www.fpcspartanburg.org/live.

  • Weekly Update for August 21, 2020

    Posted Aug 21, 2020

    Last Sunday was so very special as we had our first outdoor MorningSong service in the Family Life Center parking lot in the morning followed by the Blessing of the Backpacks/MacBooks that afternoon. It was so very good to see people gathered at the church, and I am looking forward to our second outdoor MorningSong this Sunday and the Vespers service Sunday evening. Make sure you sign up for that Vespers service by noon today, if you want to come.

    Please note that we are not livestreaming these initial outdoor MorningSong services as we figure out this setup and how to make it best for those who are there. In the event of a weather cancellation of the outdoor service, we will do our “pandemic-usual” MorningSong livestream-only service from Fogartie Hall. One way or another, we will livestream the outdoor Confirmation service on the morning of August 20, even if it is just me holding a cell phone! But I think we can do better than that!

    This week, we are excited to welcome our Weekday School children back to our church campus, under very careful COVID-19 precautions. We are taking every effort to make this a safe and wonderful year for these children. Please continue to be in prayer for that staff and those children, as well as all of those who are going to school and making school happen in new ways all around our community, country, and world.

  • Weekly Update for August 14, 2020

    Posted Aug 14, 2020

    This weekend we pray for teachers, administrators, school staff, students, and their families as they return to school amid strange circumstances, navigating all sorts of new procedures. We pray for peace for all of them amid the uncertainty, and for safety, understanding, and grace as we all figure it out together.

    Please also be in prayer for your leadership here at the church, and for all of us as we take more steps back into in-person activities at the church. We pray especially for our Weekday School staff as they prepare to safely welcome our youngest members and friends back for another wonderful year together amid these strange times.

    May God grant all of us, wisdom, understanding, patience, flexibility, safety from harm, and grace in abundance to share with all!

  • Weekly Update for August 7, 2020

    Posted Aug 07, 2020

    This week’s email contains a number of signs that we are slowly, cautiously returning to normal. In-person worship will begin next Sunday, August 16 with MorningSong on the front lawn. Pre-registration is required and below you will find the links to sign up for either (but not both!) of the first two services. I can’t wait to see your (masked) faces next Sunday, and hopefully my eyes will show what’s hidden behind my mask – that I will be grinning from ear to ear!

    Another sign that things are slowly returning to normal is the return of the “Looking Ahead” section of this weekly update. For several months, conditions have been so unpredictable that we could not plan more than a couple of weeks in advance. Now we are beginning to get some longer-term dates on the books that you should mark on your calendars too. So be sure to read all the way to the bottom!

  • Weekly Update for July 31, 2020

    Posted Jul 31, 2020

    By now all of you know the sad news that Pastor Tom Evans is leaving in mid-September to accept the call as pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. Though we are sad to see him go, we all wish him well as he follows God’s call to serve in a new place of ministry.

    I hope you will join me in praying for Tom and Wendy as they make this move and give thanks for their time among us. We appreciate Tom’s steady and creative leadership, thoughtful preaching, excellent teaching, thorough administration, kind pastoral care and his friendship. We will have some unique opportunities to say good-bye to our pastor and friend as the departure date nears.

    Plans are being made through the Personnel Committee of the Session for leadership during this transitional time. These plans will be announced as soon as they are finalized. Please continue to pray for our church as we seek the right leadership for the coming years of ministry!

    Also this week, the Session concurred with the decision of the Weekday School board to open in August with strict measures in place to keep the children and staff safe.

    Further, plans are in the works to provide some in-person outdoor worship experiences with limited numbers according to the CDC/DHEC guidelines. The process of reopening is slow, and we must continue to be very patient and cautious, but one day we will be back together! I long for that day as do many of you and what a day that will be!

    In the meantime, check out below what’s happening this week at FPC! Join in!!!

  • Weekly Update for July 24, 2020

    Posted Jul 24, 2020

    This Sunday, the Rev. Robert Bannan will be continuing our series on Mark in both worship services, exploring Mark 2:13-17. If you have not done so already, I encourage you to join in this study of Mark by reading the entire Gospel in one (or two) sitting(s). It is just 16 short chapters, and doing so really helps you get a feel for the whole of Jesus’ life and ministry.

    So much of what we are doing as a church right now has to be online, and there are links for this and links for that, and it is easy to lose the link for that you need. On the church homepage, there is a panel for weekly Zoom meetings that lists all the major church Zoom meetings. So stop by there if you can’t find your link. If it is a committee meeting or other small closed group, please reach out to your group leader. We don’t want anyone to be unable to participate just because they cannot find an email with a link!

  • Weekly Update for July 17, 2020

    Posted Jul 17, 2020

    Our prayers continue to go with all those affected by this dreadful pandemic and with those seeking to help them. We especially pray for those in our government and in our school districts and schools making difficult decisions and complex plans right now. And though it has largely faded from the headlines, we continue to pray and work for greater racial equity in our city, and for the children who are growing up in poverty. May God grant us the wisdom and compassion to do all that we can to protect and promote the welfare of the most vulnerable members of God’s great family who struggle in hope for things we so often take for granted!

  • Weekly Update for July 10, 2020

    Posted Jul 10, 2020

    This Sunday at 8:45am we will celebrate our high school graduates with a very special service. Be sure to tune in online for this one-of-a-kind service featuring the MorningSong Band (unplugged!) in a little bit different setting than usual! Congratulations to all of our 2020 high school, college, and graduate school graduates! We know this has been a hard year to graduate, with so many things shut down because of this dreadful virus, and we look forward to celebrating and honoring our high school graduates this Sunday!

    Then at 11am, Leslie will explore “Unexpected Joy” through the well-known 100th Psalm in our Sanctuary Worship Service.

  • Weekly Update for July 3, 2020

    Posted Jul 03, 2020

    Happy Independence Day weekend! Please note that this Sunday we will have ONE SERVICE ONLY (11:00 AM) and NO SUNDAY SCHOOL.

    The 11:00 AM worship service will include not only traditional patriotic hymns like “America the Beautiful” but will also highlight the significant contributions the African American musical tradition has made to our national life. Sacred music by Duke Ellington, as well as a healthy dose of spirituals, will be featured. AND, we are delighted to welcome FPC’s own Lilla Keith to the service as soprano soloist.

  • Weekly Update for June 26, 2020

    Posted Jun 26, 2020

    Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God repeatedly and unmistakably calls us to care for those in our society who are most vulnerable, and over the decades, our congregation has long been on the front lines of that work. Today, I am proud of the efforts so many of our members are making at this time to show solidarity and support for our black neighbors, and who are working for positive change. And I am proud for the part each of you are playing to control the spread of this pandemic, even as our state has become one of the hotspots of this outbreak. Please stay diligent and patient in doing your part to help all of our most vulnerable siblings in Christ!

  • Weekly Update for June 19, 2020

    Posted Jun 19, 2020

    Happy Father’s Day weekend to all of you fathers out there! We give thanks to those who have been father-figures in our lives. We give thanks for the ways, despite whatever flaws they may have had, they point us to the love of our Heavenly Father. We pray for those for whom the image of God as Father is painful or difficult, and we pray that the rich tapestry of images for God in the Bible draws them close to God in other ways. We pray for those who are separated from their fathers by distance, broken relationships, and/or death. (Let me personally express my thanks to those who have extended notes of kindness and condolences on the death of my own father last month!) We pray for fathers who are separated from their children, by distance, broken relationships, and/or death. We pray God’s comfort and peace on all people this weekend as we continue through these difficult times of pandemic and unrest, and as we seek to put an end to the injustice and inequity of racism.

    This evening, the bi-annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) begins. Our own Leslie Lang will be a commissioner in this first virtual GA. More information, including streaming links, visit https://ga-pcusa.org/. Please be in prayer for our denominational leaders and commissioners as they do the work of the national church over the next week.

  • Weekly Update for June 12, 2020

    Posted Jun 12, 2020

    Our congregation is far from being racially diverse, but for years we have sought to be engaged in the ministries of racial reconciliation, community building, and justice. Join in those efforts! Take on the 21 Day Racial Equity Challenge! Join in the “Just Mercy” movie discussion! Get involved in the Faith Initiative to End Child Poverty, Speaking Down Barriers, Transparent Men, or another local effort involved in ending systemic racism! Get to know people whose skin color and life experience may be different from your own!

    At last week’s Interfaith Service of Grief and Action (watch), the Rev. Dr. Sheila Hodge from Silver Hill United Methodist Church asked all of us, “Why do we have to die to move you, and haven’t enough us died already?” How will we respond?

  • Weekly Update for June 5, 2020

    Posted Jun 05, 2020

    In these days of uncertainty and unrest, as we are troubled by the twin threats of a pandemic and broad systems of evil, I am greatly encouraged by our congregation’s continued commitment and witness to the ways of Jesus that call us to care for the least of these. I am also encouraged by how the faith communities of Spartanburg have found unity in calling for unity, self-examination, justice, and peace. If you did not see them, both Tuesday’s press conference and Tuesdays with Tom are well worth your time as you reflect on the issues before us.

    This evening the Congregation B’nai Israel and the Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance invite us all to a special Sabbath service livestreamed at 5:30pm. Faith leaders from around our community will join in an interfaith service of grief and action to grieve the murder and racialized violence of the past week, the past many weeks, and the past 400 years; and from that grief to call our community to action to end racial violence and oppression. You can join that service online on the synagogue’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/OurTemple29302) or on YouTube (https://youtu.be/m86YLflAbTo). I hope that our community and our congregation will join together in this important service of worship together!

  • Weekly Update for May 29, 2020

    Posted May 29, 2020

    This Sunday is Pentecost, and we will celebrate the birth of the Christian Church and the power of the Holy Spirit with ONE ONLINE service at 11am. This service will be a time to open ourselves to God’s creative new future. We invite you to wear red – even if you are still in your pajamas! And please send Caroline Goodman pictures of you and your family wearing red at cgoodman@fpcspartanburg.org so that we can share with others how you are celebrating this holy day.

    In the “spirit” of trying something new, I encourage you to give the Facebook Live version of our livestream a try. You will find the same video that you see and hear on the website and YouTube, but with the added benefit of being able to see the names of those who are watching with you. You can even pass the peace right there in a Facebook comment. Several people have recently commented to me about how much they appreciate the sense of community that creates during the service. Facebook also allows you to Cast or AirPlay video to a bigger screen, or you can stick with what you are doing for the TV and just open the video in Facebook on your phone or tablet (with the volume all the way down) at the same time.

  • Weekly Update for May 22, 2020

    Posted May 22, 2020

    This long weekend, we remember and celebrate those who gave their lives in the military. We will have only one service this Sunday at 11am, and we will welcome the vocalists from the MorningSong Band into the Sanctuary for a beautiful a cappella piece that I’m sure you will love! I hope that you will continue to be vigilant in your efforts to keep each other safe during this pandemic, even as we enter into this holiday weekend.

  • Weekly Update for May 15, 2020

    Posted May 15, 2020

    As our society begins to reopen, please be assured your staff and Session are hard at work making plans to reintroduce in -person ministry when it becomes safe to begin that gradual process. At this time, we will continue our current practices of online ministry and worship.

    At the May meeting of Session, the Health Committee will advise on the factors to be considered. We will be taking a cautious approach, wanting to ensure to the best of our ability, that we protect the most vulnerable in our community. We are also consulting Presbytery, sister congregations, and guidelines from the CDC and local government agencies as to the timing and nature of returning together. The safety of our congregation is of the utmost importance to us, and we hope you understand that in-person worship will be included in the last phase of our reopening process.

    If you have any questions or concerns please contact me. I pray God’s presence and the peace of Christ be with you and all you love in this time.

  • Weekly Update for May 8, 2020

    Posted May 08, 2020

    This weekend we give thanks to those who have been the mother figures in our lives, even as many of us have to remain physically distant from them. We pray for all those who are living in isolation right now, and we give thanks for all of those who are seeking to help in these trying times. Let us all do our parts as we continue to avoid unnecessary outings, wear our masks whenever we go out, maintain proper distances, clean common surfaces, and, of course, wash hands. I know we are all growing weary of all of this, but this is how we care for those most vulnerable right now. Thanks be to God for those who have cared for us throughout our lives, and may we learn from their good examples!

  • Weekly Update for May 1, 2020

    Posted May 01, 2020

    The generosity and concern of the First Pres. Family is truly amazing! Over the past few weeks, our congregation has generously given to provide a hotel room and food for our SPIHN week as well as fund 8 weeks of food bags from the Hub City Farmers Market to 12 families in need. Because of all who gave, we have exceeded what we need to help in these ministry areas, raising over $2,200 for SPIHN and $5,500 for Hub City Farm Bags. Thank you for looking out for our neighbors in need during this time!

  • Weekly Update for April 24, 2020

    Posted Apr 24, 2020

    This week, Joanne Hull will be preaching in both worship services, exploring 1 Peter 2:2-10. Join us for either (or both!) services and don’t miss Sunday School and Godly Play for the younger kids between services.

    And check out the revised listing of community Zoom times for everyone. Each online gathering has its own purpose and content, but all will also allow for plenty of time to connect with other members of our church family.

    Don’t forget about the Hardship Survey that the Deacons are doing as part of Tom Evans’s continuing research from his sabbatical. More information on that is below.

  • Weekly Update for April 17, 2020

    Posted Apr 17, 2020

    It was a glorious Easter, even though we had to celebrate it apart! It lifted all of our spirits to see how many of you joined us for Easter worship and how so many of you celebrated the resurrection in your own special ways as well! If you missed any of the services (including Robert and Hattie Bannan’s sweet sunrise devotion on Easter), it is well worth going to the worship archives and watching them! Click the + to expand the April 2020 services, to access services more than 7 days ago.

    Wednesday is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. As a church, we have committed to be an Earth Care Congregation, and though we cannot have the celebration we had originally planned for Wednesday, we will be thinking about God’s creation in worship and in Tom’s Wednesday Bible Study. So take some time during this week of being stuck at home to look out your window or step out your back door and enjoy the beauty of spring bursting forth around us!

  • Weekly Update for Good Friday (April 10, 2020)

    Posted Apr 10, 2020

    It is Good Friday, the most solemn day of the year, when we remember how Jesus died on the cross for us. But Easter is coming! Holy Week is very different for all of us this year, but perhaps it will help us to experience the mystery and the wonder of this time in whole new ways. Please note that, even though we are all worshipping from our homes, we will all worship together in one service on Easter Sunday at 11am. There will be no services at 8:45am, but roll out of bed early as Robert Bannan leads is in a brief Sunrise Service at 6:45am.

  • Weekly Update for Holy Week - April 3, 2020

    Posted Apr 03, 2020

    Dear Siblings in Christ,

    This Sunday in Palm Sunday, beginning Holy Week, the most sacred time in the church year, And even though our Holy Week will look very different this year as we maintain our physical distance, we hope that you will make a point to still join together for worship via our livestreamed services throughout the week. Holy Week services will still happen online, and we have some special ways for you to participate in Holy Week from home. Read below for details about all of our Holy Week services as well as other ways we can be in community, learning, prayer, and service during these strange times for our world.

    Peace,
    Craig Foster
    Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Communications

  • Did you have trouble with the worship livestream on Sunday?

    Posted Apr 02, 2020

    The AV Team of the church makes every effort to make sure that the worship livestreams deliver a worship experience that invites you into the service from wherever you are. That said, internet service providers are being taxed in unprecedented ways right now with the immense amount of streaming video we are now using with Zoom calls and livestreamed services for churches everywhere (not to mention tons of Netfilx, Hulu, etc.). So even when things go out from the church perfectly, there can be difficulties on the receive end, and we know that those are just as frustrating. Here are a few things you can do on your end to prevent and address problems you may have accessing the livestreams.

  • Zoom Tips, Security & Privacy

    Posted Apr 02, 2020

    As the Zoom videoconferencing platform has grown by about 30x during this pandemic, it has naturally come under more intense scrutiny. The church is monitoring reports and updates about Zoom's security and privacy, but at this time we still believe that it is the easiest and best on-road to online community that we can currently offer our congregation. Read more for tips on how to best start using Zoom to connect to online events at the church and a blog post from Zoom about the recent security and privacy concerns.

  • Weekly Update for March 27, 2020

    Posted Mar 27, 2020

    I have loved seeing so many of you on various Zoom gatherings over the past week. I’ve especially been thankful to see some of our more senior members who have been restricted to retirement homes without visitors but have been courageous enough to try meeting with people in a new way. It has been great to see your faces and hear your voices.

    There is a Daily Community Time at 2pm every weekday on Zoom. Give it a try! Just click the link and follow the directions on pretty much any computer, tablet or smartphone that has a webcam, microphone (often built into the webcam), and speakers.

  • Weekly Update for March 20, 2020

    Posted Mar 20, 2020

    Grace and peace to all of you! As we begin to settle into this new normal of social distancing for as long as we have to keep it up, we at the church are changing how we do things, but we are not slowing down our ministry! I hope you have all received Tom Evan’s updates about worship and activities at the church. See below for all the ways your church is still active during this time and all the ways that you can join in.

    Please note that all in-person gatherings and activities at the church, including worship, have been suspended until circumstances change. But the worship leadership will still lead you in worship from home every Sunday, and we invite you to be adventurous and open to engaging in worship, fellowship, learning, giving, and serving in new ways during this time. And don’t just be passive watchers! Join fully in worship by singing, praying, saying responses, etc. and join in the conversations in Zoom events. As with most things, you get out what you put in! Have you ever wanted to lift your hands in praise or prayer, shout “AMEN” in the middle of a sermon, dance, or sing inappropriately loud, but you were worried what the other “Frozen Chosen” in worship would think? Well, now’s your chance to let it all go in worship to God!

  • Join us for Worship – and Community – Online

    Posted Mar 18, 2020

    For the safety of all our members and to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we are moving entirely to online worship services until circumstances change. Additionally, we are also working on a number of other ways to connect with each other during this time of social distancing...

  • UPDATE: Our Church Response to COVID-19

    Posted Mar 13, 2020

    We appreciate your patience and understanding as we respond to the ever-evolving situation regarding the COVID-19 virus. In consultation with the Health Committee and other Presbyterian congregations, as well as looking to government agencies for their recommendations, your FPC church staff has decided to discontinue all church events, activities, meetings, and gatherings through the end of March, with TWO exceptions:

  • Weekly Update for March 13, 2020

    Posted Mar 13, 2020

    Grace and peace to all of you! I know there is a lot of concern globally about the COVID-19 pandemic. Hopefully, you all received yesterday’s email about the steps our church is taking. You can find it on the church website here.

    We are moving though the season of Lent, exploring together the intersections of worship and life through sermons and daily devotions. Whether you are with us in person on Sunday or via the livestream, I hope that you join us for worship on Sunday as Joanne delves into the story of the Samaritan woman in MorningSong and Tom explores the Proclamation of the Word in the Chapel and Sanctuary.

  • Our Church Response to COVID-19

    Posted Mar 12, 2020

    We are closely following the CDC's recommendations and will lean on them to decide if we need to discontinue group events. Currently, we plan to conduct our ministry as usual while taking some prudent precautions. A few of those are listed below.

  • Weekly Update for March 6, 2020

    Posted Mar 06, 2020

    Thank you all for your generosity as part of Witness Season. Together, we have been able to raise $42,078! With another $25,000 of matching funds coming in from an anonymous outside donor, that makes the total $67,078 toward establishing and staffing a mathematics lab at Cleveland Academy of Leadership! Thank you!

    As we continue our efforts to end child poverty in Spartanburg, please take note of the Lunch n’ Learn on Tuesday (registration deadline TODAY) and the 2nd Annual Poverty Summit in April.

  • Weekly Update for February 28, 2020

    Posted Feb 28, 2020

    It has been an amazing week at FPC. Last Saturday we got to celebrate the wedding of Joanne Hull and Eddie Donald. If you missed it (or just want to see it again) you can find it here. We also celebrated Witness Season and have exceeded our goal! You can read more about that below or watch any of the Witness Season programs on the church website. People gave more than their money on Sunday, too, through our Ecumenical Blood Drive. Then on Wednesday we entered into the season of Lent through our Ash Wednesday Service. Thank you to so many people who gave of themselves in so many ways to make all of this possible!

  • Weekly Update for February 21, 2020

    Posted Feb 21, 2020

    This Sunday is Witness Season Sunday, and we welcome Bill Barnet to our church during the Sunday School hour to share with us a little more about the community we are trying to enrich through our work with Cleveland Academy of Leadership. He will be speaking at 10am on Sunday in Fogartie Hall, and all adult Sunday School classes are invited! Can’t come? Look for the livestream at https://fpcspartanburg.org/give/witness-season/witness-season-programs.

    Hopefully you all already know that we are trying to raise $25,000 towards creating a mathematics lab at Cleveland, and the good news is that an anonymous donor from outside the church has promised to match what the church contributes. So your giving can go a very long way to help end the cycles of poverty through education in our city’s Northside. So far we have raised $6,500 toward our $25,000 goal. So please give generously! More information, including videos explaining more about the need and hopes for this math lab can be found at www.fpcspartanburg.org/witness-season. You may also give online there. We also need volunteers at Cleveland. If you are interested, please contact Mary Elizabeth Evans (meevans@spart7.org).

    But even before we get to Witness Season Sunday, our own Rev. Joanne Hull is getting married to Eddie Donald at 4pm in the Sanctuary on Saturday (TOMORROW)! And you are all invited! Tartans and kilts are welcomed, but not required. Though there will not be a nursery, children who can sit through the 45-minute service are invited, and there will be a children’s sermon and activity bags especially for them. A reception will follow in Fogartie Hall. Come be a part of the celebration!

  • Weekly Update for February 14, 2020

    Posted Feb 14, 2020

    Our Witness Season project to help build a Mathematics Lab at Cleveland Academy of Leadership is well underway. School principal Marquice Clark and our own Jennifer Parker have done a great job helping us to understand the challenges that the children of Cleveland face, as well as the real hope to be able to change their lives and their futures. If you missed either of those programs, they can be found here. Mark your calendars for the next two Witness Season presentation on Wednesday and next Sunday morning (see info below), and please give generously to this important cause!

    And a huge thank you to all of you who donated over 300 food items for TOTAL Ministries as part of FPC’s Boy Scout Troop 2 Scouting for Food project last Sunday!

  • Weekly Update for February 7, 2020

    Posted Feb 07, 2020

    We hope you all weathered yesterday’s storms without injury or damage. We know some of you may still be without power. The locker rooms in the Family Life Center will be available for hot showers until 4:30pm on Friday and from 8:30-11:30am on Saturday. Please note that the basketball court is NOT open, due to damage to the roof in yesterday’s storms. Please be careful if you venture out, as there are still downed trees and power lines as well as non-functioning traffic signals in many places.

  • Weekly Update for January 31, 2020

    Posted Jan 31, 2020

    Dear Blessed Family of First Presbyterian,

    As you enjoy your weekend, be sure to count the blessings that God bestows upon you each and every day.

    Every day that God grants us breath is a profound moment to be a part of the most magnificent universe there is!

    The gift of today comes with a joyous task: to share the light of God’s love with another. So, whether it is a friend from long ago, a stranger on the street, or your loved ones at home, take this day to bless someone with the Love of God. This Sunday in worship, we will learn all about God’s blessings in the beatitudes.

    Read Matthew 5:1-12 as your prayer this evening and read through the list below of all the ways God is working through us all!

    Your friend in Christ,

    Tom

  • Weekly Update for January 24, 2020

    Posted Jan 24, 2020

    This Sunday is another wonderful celebration of God’s calling as we will ordain and install remaining elders and deacons in MorningSong, and commission our Dominican Republic Mission Team in the Sanctuary. The DR Mission Team departs next Saturday, February 1.

    Then Sunday evening, even more members of our congregation respond to God’s call as we welcome guests from Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network onto our campus for a week.

    And then on Wednesday, we get to celebrate the ministry of Jane Mullins as she moves to the next stage of God’s call for her life.

    Thanks be to God for all of these people who are answering God’s call to serve in Spartanburg, the DR, and elsewhere! Please be in prayer for them as they seek to show God’s love and care to all.

  • Weekly Update for January 17, 2020

    Posted Jan 17, 2020

    This is a long weekend for many as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There are lots of events planned in our community this weekend and Monday. Whether you join in one of the events listed below or find some other way to serve and to break down the barriers of racism and other prejudice, please find your way to make this world a better place this long weekend! Please note that, with the exception of the Poverty Simulation, the church will be closed on Monday.

    This weekend we also commission Susan Oldham for service as a Commissioned Ruling Elder. Please join us at the 11am Sanctuary service for this celebration. There will be a reception in the Perrin Room following the service.

    We also still need a few people to help with SPIHN starting January 26. See the “Service Opportunities” section below for details.

  • Weekly Update for January 10, 2020

    Posted Jan 10, 2020

    This Sunday we will ordain and install deacons and elders who will serve and lead our congregation over the next three years. Join us in celebrating their calling and faithful response in the 11am Sanctuary Worship Service.

    As you begin the year, we invite you to find new ways to serve our Lord and our neighbors. Prayerfully consider the opportunities found in Ministry Finder and the others listed under “Service Opportunities” below, for it is often in service to others that we experience God’s presence most clearly!

    We also invite you to continue the pattern of Bible reading that many of you began during Advent (or start a new discipline now!) as you read through the New Testament and Psalms, the Old Testament, or both during 2020. See www.fpcspartanburg.org/Bible for more information.

  • Weekly Update for January 3, 2020

    Posted Jan 03, 2020

    Dear Friends,

    Most of your Christmas decorations are probably coming down or have already been packed away. You are watching football bowl games. The after-Christmas shopping is over. The kids may have started to drive you crazy. You might still be traveling. Is Christmas still alive in you? Or has the spirit of Christmas evaporated as the last few days have passed? How do we keep the joy, hope, love, and peace of Christmas flowing? Come worship with us this Sunday as we continue to celebrate Christmas on Epiphany and discover how you can keep the spirit of Christmas alive in your life.

    There are still a few of us here this week, keeping Christmas alive at FPC, so here’s what is happening around the church house:

  • Weekly Update for December 27, 2019

    Posted Dec 27, 2019

    Merry Christmas! It was great to see so many of you on Christmas Eve, whether it was amid children dressed as shepherds, angels, and wisemen, or bathed in candlelight. We hope you are having a wonderful and safe Christmas.

    This Sunday, we will have only one worship service, at 11:00am in the Sanctuary with Dr. Lewis Johnson preaching. There will be no Sunday School this Sunday.

    The church will close at 5pm on December 31 and will be closed all day on January 1. We will open back up on January 2 for you to start on your New Year’s resolutions in the church gym!

  • Weekly Update for December 20, 2019

    Posted Dec 20, 2019

    The season of Advent is drawing to a close and Christmas is almost upon us! Note that Christmas Eve services are at 4pm, 6pm, and 11pm on Tuesday. We hope to see everyone at the Christmas Eve services, but if you are not able to be there in person, they will be livestreamed at www.fpcspartanburg.org/live. If you are traveling for the holiday, we wish you safe travels. Blessings to those amid the joys and challenges of gathering with loved ones, and blessings also to those who are missing loved ones this season.

  • Weekly Update for December 13, 2019

    Posted Dec 13, 2019

    This Sunday we enter the third week of Advent, and on Sunday we will celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent with the Moravian Love Feast in the Chapel. If you have not been to this special service, you are in for a real treat and a very meaningful way to enter into this Advent season. See below for service times and much more happening in the life of the church!

  • Weekly Update for December 6, 2019

    Posted Dec 06, 2019

    The season of Advent is in full swing! Join us for Handel’s Messiah this Sunday, and stick around for the Family Advent Celebration! After that, be sure to pick up something for the White Gifts Service on Wednesday and read below for many more ways to enrich your faith and discipleship this Advent!

  • Weekly Update for November 8, 2019

    Posted Nov 08, 2019
    This is Veterans Day weekend, and we give thanks to those who have faithfully served our country in the military. This weekend we will also dedicate o...

  • Weekly Update for November 1, 2019

    Posted Nov 01, 2019
    Last Sunday was truly amazing! The Kirkin’ services were as stirring as ever, and the Concert of Hope was a powerful and eye-opening experience that r...

  • Weekly Update for October 25, 2019

    Posted Oct 25, 2019
    This Sunday we celebrate Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans and Stewardship Sunday, have the Concert of Hope, and welcome SPIHN guests to our church.All services ...

  • Weekly Update for October 18, 2019

    Posted Oct 18, 2019
    Fall is finally upon us! Lots of things are just around the corner at the church, so be sure to read below to see important deadlines and your opportu...

  • Weekly Update for October 11, 2019

    Posted Oct 11, 2019
    There are some important deadlines coming up in the next week (and even today!). So don’t miss out on your chances to be involved in these ministries ...

  • Weekly Update for October 4, 2019

    Posted Oct 04, 2019
    This Sunday is all about broadening our connections as a faith community. First of all, it is World Communion Sunday, a time when we not only remember...

  • Weekly Update for August 30, 2019

    Posted Aug 30, 2019
    This Sunday we will have only one combined worship service at 10:30am in the Sanctuary. There will be no Sunday School or youth group on Sunday. We ho...

  • Weekly Update for August 23, 2019

    Posted Aug 23, 2019
    This Sunday we celebrate the end of summer and the return to school with one last Summer Sizzle, and this one will be the biggest of them all! The wea...

  • Weekly Update for August 16, 2019

    Posted Aug 16, 2019
    TODAY is the deadline to sign up for the Church Retreat in beautiful Montreat, NC on September 20-22. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy time togeth...

  • Weekly Update for August 9, 2019

    Posted Aug 09, 2019
    This week saw off our SPIHN families off on Sunday morning and also concluded our final CAST week for the summer. Thank you to all the people whose ef...

  • Weekly Update for August 2, 2019

    Posted Aug 02, 2019
    This Sunday we welcome Dr. Tom Evans back from his sabbatical, and eagerly await hearing what he has learned and discovered during his time away. Tom ...

  • Weekly Update for July 26, 2019

    Posted Jul 26, 2019
    As July winds down, we are finally blessed with some lovely days and comfortable nights that beckon us outside to enjoy God’s beautiful world. I’ve ha...

  • Weekly Update for July 19, 2019

    Posted Jul 23, 2019
    July is always the month when it is most noticeable that so many of you are vacationing.  Tom is continuing his Sabbatical travels out west, and ...

  • Weekly Update for July 12, 2019

    Posted Jul 12, 2019
    Following up on the visit of Pastor Luc last Sunday, we have a number of opportunities to hear about missions, both local and international, this week...

  • Weekly Update for July 3, 2019

    Posted Jul 03, 2019
    Happy Fourth of July! We hope you have an enjoyable and safe celebration of our nation’s independence. Please note that all church facilities, includi...

  • Weekly Update for June 21, 2019

    Posted Jun 21, 2019
    This Sunday is our second Summer Sizzle, and it will be a chance for you to enjoy coffee and fellowship in the Social Hall as you peruse the table...

  • Weekly Update for June 14, 2019

    Posted Jun 14, 2019
    We had an amazing week of Vacation Bible School this week, as the children explored how God “is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or ima...

  • Weekly Update for June 7, 2019

    Posted Jun 07, 2019
    This Sunday is Pentecost! We have two special services planned that incorporate the Summer Choir and the MorningSong Music Team as well as people from...

  • Weekly Update for May 31, 2019

    Posted May 31, 2019
    This Sunday we begin a new sermon series exploring how we can use the Bible to draw near to God. The two tracks of our Summer Sunday School Series...

  • Weekly Update for May 24, 2019

    Posted May 24, 2019
    This Sunday we begin our Summer Worship Schedule. See times below. This weekend the Chamber Singers will be in Charleston. On Saturday a...

  • Weekly Update for May 17, 2019

    Posted May 17, 2019
    This Sunday is very full as we celebrate our high school graduates, Christi Brown’s last Sunday on staff, and take part in an ecumenical blood dri...

  • Weekly Update for May 10, 2019

    Posted May 10, 2019
    Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and mother-figures out there, and our prayers are with those for whom Mother’s Day can be a source of pain ...

  • Weekly Update for May 3, 2019

    Posted May 03, 2019
    Last Sunday was a joyous time of celebration as we installed the Rev. Leslie Lang as our new Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Missions. This...

  • Weekly Update for April 26, 2019

    Posted Apr 26, 2019
    Holy Week and Easter were truly amazing this year. Thank you to all the many hands, voices, and hearts that, through your talents and your very ...

  • Weekly Update for April 5, 2019

    Posted Apr 05, 2019
    Our Faith Summit of Child Poverty is next Wednesday and Thursday, April 10-11! Please make sure you sign up for the portions of the event you plan...

  • Weekly Update for March 28, 2019

    Posted Mar 28, 2019
    Spring Break has begun for many area families. Safe travels to those who are traveling, and don’t forget that you can worship with us wherever yo...

  • Weekly Update for March 22, 2019

    Posted Mar 22, 2019
    This Sunday is Confirmation Sunday, and we will welcome this year’s Confirmation Class into full membership in the church during our 11am Wors...

  • Welcome the Rev. Leslie Lang

    Posted Mar 18, 2019
    First Presbyterian Church is pleased to welcome the Rev. Leslie Ann Lang as our new Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Missions. Leslie will begin ...

  • Weekly Update for March 15, 2019

    Posted Mar 15, 2019
    This is a very special Sunday as we as a congregation vote on whether to extend a call to be our Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Missions, o...

  • Weekly Update for March 8, 2019

    Posted Mar 08, 2019
    The season of Lent has begun. In addition to our usual array of Lent and Holy Week worship services, we are making available several Lenten ...

  • Weekly Update for March 1, 2019

    Posted Mar 01, 2019
    This Sunday we welcome Dr. Tom Evans back from sabbatical as we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday. Tom will be preaching in MorningSong and the ...

  • Weekly Update for November 9, 2018

    Posted Nov 09, 2018
    This Sunday is Youth Sunday, and youth will be leading each of our three Sunday morning worship services. This is always an exciting and encouraging c...

  • Weekly Update for November 2, 2018

    Posted Nov 02, 2018
    This Sunday we are remembering those beloved members of our First Pres family who have gone on to the Church Triumphant. In the Chapel and Sanctuary, ...

  • Weekly Update for October 26, 2018

    Posted Oct 26, 2018
    This Sunday is Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans. This annual service features a procession of tartans and bagpipes and drums and celebrates not only the Scottis...

  • Weekly Update for October 19, 2018

    Posted Oct 19, 2018
    Mark your calendars for Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans in just over a week on Sunday, October 28! And don’t miss out on church basketball sign-ups. Registrati...

  • Weekly Update for October 12, 2018

    Posted Oct 12, 2018
    There are lots of opportunities just around the corner for missions, fellowship, growth in faith, and worship just around the corner. Read on and fins...

  • Weekly Update for October 5, 2018

    Posted Oct 05, 2018
    This Sunday is a very special Sunday around the world, as we celebrate our unity in Christ at the table. We will also begin a special time of fellowsh...

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