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Next Week at FPC (December 31, 2021)

Dear Friends,

As the year comes to an end, we give thanks for the blessings of the past year and the ways in which Christ has sustained us and encouraged us through the joys and challenges of life. I pray that the promise of abundant life with Christ both here and in the world to come will strengthen those among us who have suffered illness and even the death of loved ones in the past year. As we look forward to a new year, I hope you will join us this Epiphany Sunday when we celebrate the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus and share in the Lord’s Supper together. We will have one service in the Sanctuary at 11am with a nursery provided. As these visitors from the east were guided by a star, so may the light of Christ guide our path in the coming year.

Blessings,
Lewis

Dr. Lewis F. Galloway

Interim Senior Pastor

Recommendations for CNC (DEADLINE TODAY, Friday, December 31)
The Congregational Nominating Committee is seeking a slate of nine members from the congregation to replace members who will rotate off the CNC. Members will serve for one year and will be charged with the nomination of Church officers. Please SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION(S) HERE.

Year-End Giving
Contribution Deadlines: *For credit as 2021 contributions, donations must be received in the church financial office by 5:00pm on Friday, December 31, 2021 or postmarked by December 31, 2021. Any contributions received or postmarked on or after January 1, 2022 will be considered as 2022 contributions. *If you make a pre-payment in 2021 toward your 2022 pledge, please make certain to write 2022 in the “memo” section of your check. Similarly, in 2022, if you continue to make contributions toward your 2021 pledge, please mark as 2021.
Year-End Stock Contributions: By giving appreciated stock to the church for your pledge, you can receive a tax advantage. Please notify Lynise Clarke in the church financial office at the time you notify your broker with the following information: * Name of your broker and the particular stock that is involved and * Year (or years) in which to apply your gift and/or whether any special funds are involved. Please allow 1-2 weeks for completion of stock transactions.
Questions? Contact Lynise Clarke; 864-208-2130/lclarke@fpcspartanburg.org.

THIS SUNDAY – JANUARY 2
11:00am Traditional Worship (Sanctuary)
Stream our services live on FPCSpartanburg.org/worship, YouTube, or Facebook.
Join us Sunday as we worship as one in the Sanctuary at 11am. Nursery will be provided at this time.

NEXT WEEK

Staff Ch-ch-ch-changes
To quote the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “There is nothing permanent except change.” To that end, we have some staff updates for you:

On Tuesday, January 4, Lee Raines will join our staff as Facilities Manager. Many of you know Lee from his work with the Spartanburg City Police Department. He has been a fixture in Spartanburg for many years. We are excited to have him on board and look forward to working with him in this new venture.

Also, on Tuesday, January 4, our Receptionist Cathy Rush, will become a permanent fixture at First Presbyterian. After working with us for many months, she has graciously accepted the role of Receptionist and Administrative Assistant to Music. By the way, today is her birthday! We celebrate with her and are so happy for her to join us.

Lastly, a few weeks ago, Caroline Goodman, Administrative Assistant to Communications, Young Adults, and Missions, submitted her letter of resignation. Today is her last day on staff. Caroline will be working full time at Hatcher Gardens as Director of Development. We will miss her and wish her well in her new endeavor.

Church Facilities Closed
All Church Facilities will be closed on Monday, January 3 for the New Years' Holiday. Additionally, the church offices will close at 12:30pm on Wednesday, January 5 in order for the staff to attend a Christmas / Epiphany gathering.

The Sanctuary Guild Needs Your Help
On Tuesday, January 4 at 10am, we will begin to Un-Deck the Halls. On Friday, January 7, the day after Epiphany, at 10:00 am, all remaining Christmastide decorations will be taken down. Contact LeAnne Thurmond at leanne.thurmond@gmail.com for more details and to sign up.

Wednesdays at First Returns January 12 – Register Now for Dinner! (Register Here)
Join us Wednesday, January 12 for BBQ beef brisket, BBQ chicken leg, coleslaw, baked beans, roll, and dessert! Register yourself and/or your family by Monday, January 10 at 4:30pm. If you would like to serve as a volunteer in some capacity to ensure WAF runs smoothly, please click here to sign up!
WAF Programs – 6:30-7:15pm
CRC – 5K-Grade 5 (Gym and Activity Room)
Youth – Grades 6-12 (High School Room)
Adults

The Sermon on the Mount – Led by Dr. Lewis Galloway and Rev. Craig Foster (Social Hall)
Younger Women’s Bible Study – Led by Donna Pulliam, Carter Smith, and Leslie Lang (Perrin Room)
Health Series – 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease (January 19) and Medicare…When, How, and What Supplement? (January 26)

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
How Can I Help?
On Friday, December 10 and into the early hours of Saturday, December 11, several tornadoes ripped through multiple U.S. states, resulting in extensive damage and significant loss of life. First Presbyterian Church of Mayfield, Kentucky was completely destroyed. The Presbytery of Western Kentucky has been working with the Mayfield church and is receiving donations on behalf of Mayfield as well as other areas that have been affected. FPC Spartanburg is sending a $5,000 gift to the Presbytery of Western Kentucky. We invite you to join us. You may submit a donation to FPC Spartanburg – noting “Presbytery of Western Kentucky” – or give directly to the presbytery yourself. That address is: Presbytery of Western Kentucky, PO Box 624, Hopkinsville, KY 42241.

Other Opportunities in Ministry Finder

OTHER NEWS

The Peace and Justice Task Force Spotlight: Live Healthy Spartanburg

Live Healthy Spartanburg is a merger of Spartanburg’s Way To Wellville and The Road to Better Health and represents a “collaborative with the mission to achieve health equity and improve health outcomes for all Spartanburg County residents.” Please visit www.spartanburgwellville.com to understand why Spartanburg is an ideal location to pursue health equity based on history. Please join us at the next Peace and Justice Task Force Meeting on January 21^st, 12:30-1:30pm in the Purnell Room.

LOOKING AHEAD

January 2, 2022 – One Worship Service (11:00am in the Sanctuary)

January 3 – Church Facilities Closed

January 12 – WAF Resumes

January 30 – Annual Meeting of First Presbyterian Church (10:00 am in the Sanctuary)

January 30 – Shelter

More activities and events can be found in First News.