Join us for Worship – and Community – Online

Dear Members of First Presbyterian Church,

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. We will continue to livestream MorningSong at 8:45am and the Sanctuary at 11am each Sunday, but only the worship leadership and AV team will be in the worship space. We hope the rest of you will join us online at fpcspartanburg.org/live or on Facebook or YouTube.

When you join us online for worship we encourage you to participate as fully as possible, and not just watch. Sing the songs, pray the prayers, join responsively in liturgy so that you can be fully engaged in worship, even from a distance – even if you are still in your pajamas! For the Sanctuary service, you may want to print the bulletin in advance. Your worship time will be greatly enriched, the more engaged you are. Also, let us know that you are worshiping with us via the online guestbook.

We also hope that you will continue to be faithful in your giving during this unusual time. Information on a variety of ways to give can be found at fpcspartanburg.org/give.

Additionally, we are also working on a number of other ways to connect with each other during this time of social distancing. See below for more information. Know that every member of your church staff is available for any need that may arise during this time – please contact us. The church buildings (including the gym) will remain closed until circumstances change, but your church staff is hard at work to continue the ministry of this church and keep us connected as a community of faith.

And please reach out to family, friends, and neighbors by phone, Facetime, or whatever means possible during this time of social distancing to make sure that those most affected by these circumstances are cared for.

Once again, your pastors are available for any Pastoral Care needs that may emerge. Please feel free to contact us via phone, email, or on the Pastoral Care phone line: 864-208-2142.

Blessings,
Tom

Dr. Thomas E. Evans
Senior Pastor
First Presbyterian Church
864/583-4531
www.fpcspartanburg.org

Other Ways to Be With Your FPC Family

Daily Zoom Community Time
2-3pm Monday-Friday
https://zoom.us/j/226075719
From 2-3pm each weekday, members of the church staff will be hosting a Zoom video gathering for anyone that wants to drop in. This will be an informal time of conversation and connection for all of us. Simply click this link and follow the directions to get connected: https://zoom.us/j/226075719
Having trouble? You can call in at 646-876-9923 and use meeting ID: 226 075 719.

Adult Sunday School
10am on Sundays
https://zoom.us/j/396224968
On Sunday mornings we will have a brief 30-minute interactive video class on Zoom.

Weekly Devotional Video from Tom
Follow the church on YouTube to get a weekly video devotional from Dr. Tom Evans. We will also share these on Social Media and provide links to them in the weekly email.

Weekly Prayer Time with Joanne
Noon on Tuesdays
https://zoom.us/j/913483351
Rev. Joanne Hull will lead a Weekly Prayer and Sharing Time via Zoom.

Weekly Bible Study with Tom
Next week, Dr. Tom Evans will begin a “Study of the Book of Mark” via Zoom. We will record it for those that cannot attend. Look for further details and information in the weekly email.

Weekly Godly Play Video from Holly
Holly Bannan will be recording the Godly Play lesson for children each week and posting it to the church YouTube page. A link to this video is also being sent out to parents each week.

Hangouts with Holly
1pm on Mondays & Thursdays
Children are invited to join Holly Bannan on Zoom each Monday and Thursday at 1pm. A link and instructions will be emailed to parents.

Youth Group on Zoom
4pm on Wednesdays and Sundays
Sunday and Wednesday Youth Group will continue on Zoom at a new time over the next few weeks. Join Robert and Carrie to talk through the highs and lows of everything we’re all dealing with right now. Information on how to connect has been emailed out to youth and parents.

UKirk on Zoom
7pm on Sundays
College students are also facing the effects of social distancing and cancellations. So UKirk is moving online to Zoom until conditions change. Look for information from your UKirk leadership on how to connect.

Watch for more information as more Bible Studies and other activities get set up online!

What is this Zoom thing?
Zoom is a videoconferencing platform similar to Skype, Google Hangouts, and others that allows participants to have conversations over video in real time. Our church has been using Zoom for meetings for several years now and found the platform easy to set up and use and very reliable. It is available on PCs and Macs as well as in smartphones and tables (Apple and Android). On a computer you will need a webcam, microphone, and speakers. Most laptops and some desktops come with these built-in. Your smartphone or tablet should already have all the hardware you need. You will just need to install the Zoom app. Give it a try! Just click the link maybe 10 minutes before the scheduled time the first time you connect to give yourself time to get things set up and running.