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Weekly Update for August 14, 2020

Dear Siblings in Christ,

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!

Blessings and Peace,
Craig Foster
Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Communications

THIS SUNDAY
8:45am MorningSong on the Lawn
10:00am Adult Sunday School (Zoom)
10:00am Children’s Sunday School
11:00am Sanctuary Worship Service ONLINE

All services will be livestreamed at www.fpcspartanburg.org/live and on our Facebook page. We encourage you to join us on Facebook, comment during the live worship service, and help build community. Bulletins, scripture readings, manuscripts, and video archives can also be found our website. Our worship livestreams also appear on YouTube. However you join us, please sign the online guestbook and consider making your regular contributions online. Have you been having trouble with the livestreams? Check out this information on the church website.

10:00am Adult Sunday School (Join in)
This Sunday in the combined Adult Class via Zoom, Pastor Leslie will be teaching on the sacraments, focusing on the Lord’s Supper. Join us virtually to learn more about the history of the sacraments, their meaning, and what their significance is for us during this time of social distancing.

TOTAL Ministries Food Drop Off – Sunday, August 16 (8:30a.m. – 12:00 noon)
TOTAL Ministries has requested help stocking their pantry as food insecurity increases during Covid-19. On Sunday, August 16th, First Pres will have drop-off bins on campus for you to easily donate needed food items! You can drop your donations off during in-person outdoor worship at 8:45am or drive by anytime on Sunday morning between 8:30am-12pm. You should be able to see the bins from Chestnut St. If you have questions, please contact Leslie at llang@fpcspartanburg.org.

Needs:
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Rice (1-lb. bags)
Dry Beans (1-lb. bags)
Canned Meat / Tuna / Beef Stew
Grits / Oatmeal / Cereal
Mac & Cheese
Soup
Pasta and Spaghetti Sauce
Canned Vegetables (Peas, Carrots, Potatoes)
Canned Fruit / Applesauce
Paper Towels
Toilet Paper
Hygiene Products

Worship Guestbook Issues
Over the past couple of weeks many of you have been able to sign the worship guestbook, but some of you have been unable to select the appropriate service and submit the form. We believe this issue is now fixed. Please be sure to sign the guestbook every time you join in an online worship service!

MOVING FORWARD
The Pastors, Staff, and Session of First Presbyterian Church have been praying for and seeking guidance on how to best move forward with in-person worship, fellowship, and other activities. To quote Jon Bon Jovi’s new song, “When you can’t do what you do, you do what you can.” We haven’t been able to do what we do, that is worship and fellowship with our members and guests on our church grounds, since March. However, we are very excited for the plans that lie ahead

MorningSong on the Lawn – Sunday, August 23 at 8:45 a.m. (Reserve Now)
We look forward to returning to in-person worship and fellowship, beginning this Sunday, August 16. Reservations for this Sunday have closed. You may register for the August 23 service beginning on Monday. Reservations are necessary and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Chairs will be set up in family circles with proper distancing, and there will be assigned seating. Masks will also be required for everyone age 6 and older.

If you registered to attend service this week, we ask that you refrain from signing up for August 23 to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to worship in-person.

Please contact Caroline Goodman at cgoodman@fpcspartanburg.org if you have difficulty reserving seats for in-person worship.

Evening Vespers – Sunday, August 23 at 6:30 p.m. (Reserve Now)
You are invited to an outdoor Vespers Service Sunday, August 23 at 6:30 p.m. near the Family Life Center. Vespers is an evening prayer service, and ours will be simple and only 30 minutes. We will come together for guitar/banjo music with Rafe Andrews and then scripture, devotion, and prayer with Rev. Ansley Page. Hopefully, you will find a respite of joy, hope, and love with your church family – a holy close for the Sabbath and a good start for the week.

Bring your own chair and mask. Registration is required by Friday, August 21, and there are more details on the registration form.

Walking in the Family Life Center (For Members Age 65 and Older)
Beginning next week, members who are 65 or older in age can reserve a spot to walk inside on the gym floor during select times Monday through Friday. Appointments must be made in advance and no more than four people will be in the gym during the half hour block. Appointments are first come, first served. Please register each individual in your walking party. (Register Now)

Weekday School Substitute Teachers Needed!
The Weekday School is currently looking for anyone who may be interested in being a substitute teacher. Please contact Kris Graham at 864-208-2148 or kgraham@fpcspartanburg.org if you would like more information.

While services and events will be different types of gatherings than we are used to, we are moving forward with the second part of Bon Jovi’s line…we are doing what we can! Please join us in praying for our church, city, state, and nation as we move forward. Stay tuned for additional details!

NEXT WEEK
Weekly Community Zoom Times for Everyone!
See the full list online at: https://fpcspartanburg.org/events/weekly-zoom

Prayer Gathering with Joanne – Tuesdays at Noon (Join in)
Men’s Bible Study – Wednesdays at Noon (Join in)
Bible Study on the Gospel of Mark with Tom – Wednesdays at 6pm (Join in)

New to Zoom? Having Trouble? Need a Password?
Visit www.fpcspartanburg.org/zoom for tips on how to get the most out of your Zoom gatherings. Please note that if you use any of the links in this email you will not need to input a password. If you use a link on the church website or social media you will need a password. The current password for most church events is “5834531” (which just happens to be the church phone number as well).

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Blood Drive – Sunday, August 30 (12:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.)
The Blood Connection will be in the Family Life Center parking lot Sunday, August 30 from 12:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. and will follow safe pandemic protocols. Please bring a mask to wear. You will receive free antibody testing, and First Pres will receive $20 per viable donation. Two buses will be available during the blood drive to accommodate our members in anticipation of a successful event.

Pre-registration is necessary. Contact Beth Cecil at (864) 641-8772 or bcecil@fpcspartanburg.org. As always, get plenty of rest, eat a hearty breakfast and lunch, and drink a lot of fluids (an extra 8-16 ounces before your scheduled donation). If you are age 16-17, you will need consent from a parent. Everyone must bring a donor card and an identification.

Recent Opportunities in Ministry Finder

OTHER NEWS
“The Time Has Come” Campaign Pledges Due
All First Presbyterian members are reminded that our commitments to the “The Time Has Come” Campaign (2017-20) are due; the campaign period officially ends as of August 31, but in the current circumstances, payments through December 31, 2020 are considered “on time.” Thanks to everyone who has participated; we received $3,360,101 in commitments, with just $237,854 outstanding to date! All of the church’s prior debt has already been paid off but for $132,000, which will be paid off shortly after the payment period ends. Clearing these commitments will also enable the church to purchase a badly needed new HVAC chiller for $100,000.

Thanks to the generosity of our members in this campaign, magnificent renovations were made to our historic sanctuary space; the courtyard was significantly enhanced and outstanding new reception/gathering space was created; the MorningSong stage was completely replaced; and major sound, lighting and technical improvements were added throughout our worship spaces, making possible the meaningful worship opportunities we are enjoying online today (and probably never anticipated).

We hope to report an outstanding campaign commitment balance of “$0” soon!
Cathy Bagwell and David Beacham, The Time Has Come Campaign co-chairs

Vaccination Clinic – Wednesday, October 7 (4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.)
Save the date for the Vaccination Clinic Wednesday, October 7 from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. (times may be modified). Available vaccines will be Influenza, t-Dap, Pneumonia, and Shingrix. Contact Beth Cecil at (864) 641-8772 or bcecil@fpcspartanburg.org for more information or to pre-register.

LOOKING AHEAD
August 16 – First Outdoor MorningSong Service
August 16 – Blessing of the Backpacks & MacBooks (5pm)
August 23 – Evening Vespers Service (Register)
August 24 – Weekday School Resumes
August 30 – Confirmation Sunday
August 30 – Blood Drive
September 6 – One Service, ONLINE at 11am
September 13 – Pastor Tom’s last Sunday
September 13 – Zoom Congregational Meeting
October 4 – World Communion Sunday
October 7 – Vaccination Clinic
August 13-15, 2021 – Women’s Connection at Montreat

Many additional events are almost ready to be shared! So check for updates to this Looking Ahead section every week!