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Weekly Update for August 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 together with your church family amid the beauty of God’s creation. For more information and to register, visit www.fpcspartanburg.org/retreat .

This Sunday we get the opportunity to hear about what God has done in and through our youth on their youth mission trips this summer. Both of the combined summer Sunday School classes will attend this program, and all are welcome. This will be at 9:30am in room 2201, near the elevator on the second floor of the main building.

THIS SUNDAY
8:30am Chapel Worship Service
9:30am Sunday School for All Ages
9:45am Summer Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)
10:30am Sanctuary* & MorningSong* Worship Services
5:00pm Youth Fall Kick-Off Party
(* Services with asterisks will be livestreamed at www.fpcspartanburg.org/live . Bulletins, scripture readings, manuscripts, and video archives can also be found on that page.)

Youth Fall Kick-Off Party
5-7pm in the Family Life Center
Our Sunday Night Youth Ministry is about to get back into full swing! All middle and high schoolers are invited to join us for the Fall Kick Off Party on Sunday, August 18 from 5 - 7 pm at the Family Life Center. We'll have food trucks from Fuddrucker's and Bruster's, several tournaments with prizes for the winners, music, fellowship and more! Email Carrie Coleman to let us know if your child will be there!

Summer Sunday School – 9:30am
Experiencing God (Room 2201)
Led by Tom Evans and Mission Partners
This Summer Series will explore the ways that we experience God through the lens of Tom Evans’ sabbatical work and through the work of several of our mission partners.
August 18: Youth Mission Teams
August 25: Experiencing the Holy – Tom Evans

Going to the Good Book: James: Faithful Living (Room 2200)
Led by Ansley Page, Jason Loscuito, John Lefebvre
This summer open your Bible and join three dynamic teachers in studies the Bible together!
August 18: Joint Class with Youth Mission Report
August 25: James 4 & 5 Patience and Faith

Children’s Sunday School
Birth-age 2 – Clark Building, room 105
Completed 3K-5K – Clark Building, room 110
Completed 1^st-4^th Grade – Clark Building, room 201 (red door)
Rising 6th graders will join the youth classes for Sunday School.

Youth Sunday School
We will have two youth Sunday School classes this summer led by Robert, our youth interns and other volunteer teachers. Rising 6th graders are invited to join the Middle School Sunday School class. Rising 9th graders are invited to join the High Schoolers as well.
August: “Busting Myths” (Ephesians)

NEXT WEEK
Flights + Fellowship: An FPC Young Adult Event – Wednesday, August 21
5:30-7:30pm at RJ Rockers Brewery
Fellowship with friends at RJ Rockers Wednesday, August 21^st from 5:30-7:30pm. If you have questions, please contact Leslie Lang at llang@fpcspartanburg.org.

Wet and Wild Summer Sizzle – Next Sunday, August 25
11:30am in the FLC Parking Lot
Join us for the last summer sizzle of the season. We will have food trucks for lunch including: Salsaritas, Fuddruckers, Carolina Gourmet Snowcones and one more food truck surprise. Come play in the bouncy houses, slide down the water slide run through the sprinkler city or get into the Great Water Balloon Fracas (with bio-degradable balloons too)! Bring a bathing suit and a picnic blanket or chairs, and enjoy lunch, the water games and all your friends! (Some tables and chairs will be available.)

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Find all sorts of ways that you can serve in the Ministry Finder section of the website (under the “Serve” menu). There you can search for service opportunities that match your interests and schedule, and with one tap make contact with someone who can tell you more and/or help you to get involved.

Items Needed for the Cuba Mission Trip, September 20-25
Our Cuba Mission Team needs a number of things to be donated to take down with them on their trip. These include:

Feminine hygiene products
Adult Vitamins
Tylenol – regular & arthritis strength
Children’s vitamins (not gummy)
Ibuprofen
Razors (both men & women)
Tooth brushes & tooth paste
Twin sheet sets (new)
Towels (new)

Donations for the Cuba Mission Trip may be left in the missions drop-off closet, just inside the Chestnut St. door.

Choir Director Needed for the Shepherd’s Center
The Shepherd’s Center choir director has had to take a leave of absence due to a serious illness in her family, and they are seeking a volunteer who would like to lead their choir this coming year. The choir does have an accomplished pianist who plays for them. Anyone interested in volunteering should Cindy Tobias ( cindy.tobias@att.net) or just stop by up here at the Shepherd’s Center office during weekday mornings. The choir schedule is flexible.

Spartanburg Opportunity Center
The Spartanburg Opportunity Center is looking for volunteers to help our brothers and sisters who are homeless on the path to self-sufficiency. If you have a few hours, or many hours, please contact Karl Rogozenski at spopcenter@gmail.com or (864) 384-4131.

Bus Drivers
We are frequently in need of drivers for our three church buses. A CDL is not required, but all drivers must be at least 25 years old, submit a background check, and go through a training session with our Facilities Administrator Chris Everette. EVERYONE who intends to drive one of the buses MUST go through this process, regardless of whether you have driven the old buses or the new buses before ! To begin this process, please download and complete the Background Check Authorization and return that along with a copy of your driver’s license and insurance card to Lynise Clarke in the church office. After that, training can be scheduled.

Child Poverty Initiative
The Faith Summit on Child Poverty held in April was only the beginning of a long-term initiative in Spartanburg to end child poverty. If you would like to be involved moving forward and were not able to attend the summit or to put your name on the follow-up list, please contact Caroline Goodman ( cgoodman@fpcspartanburg.org ) and ask to be added. Four focus groups are in the process of forming now, so you can choose your preference: Childcare, Generational Literacy, Living Wage, and Neighborhood Isolation.

OTHER NEWS
Children’s Choir and First Steps in Music
It is time to register for our Children’s Choir and First Steps in Music programs! Space is limited for First Steps, so sign up now! Note that last week there was a First Steps computer glitch and at least four sign-ups were not successfully completed. We do not know who these four people were. Please contact Marcia if you tried to register at that time. Click to register online for Children’s Choir and First Steps in Music .

Family Life Center Survey
The Recreation Committee is trying to identify what our members currently use in our fitness facility and ways we can improve it for all members. The Session approved this survey at its last meeting, and we hope you will take a few moments to take it. This survey will help the Session, Program Staff, and Recreation Committee better shape our recreation ministries to make sure we are meeting the needs of our members. The survey is confidential; no one will know your individual answers. After the data is collected, the results will be shared with the congregation. Please complete the survey right away at: Family Life Center Survey .

Angels Charge Ministry’s Law & Order: Spartanburg – Thursday, September 12
11:30am-1:00pm in Fogartie Hall
Angels Charge Ministry invites you to experience Law & Order: Spartanburg, a luncheon featuring chefs from several departments of local law and order. The lunch will consist of tapas style cuisine and remarks will be delivered from Chaplain Ken Apple of the Spartanburg County Detention Center. Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit Angels Charge Ministry. Click here for more information to purchase tickets.

Hop on the Bus to Thornwell! – Thursday, October 10
9am-1:30pm
Bet you didn’t know that the Thornwell Charter School just opened OR that some newer initiatives are being cultivated now. Join this half day tour on Thursday, October 10^th to find out more about this Presbyterian ministry to children and families. We will meet in the Family Life Center parking lot at 9am for a 9:15am departure and return by 1:30pm. Lunch is included. Make your reservation by contacting Caroline Goodman ( cgoodman@fpcspartanburg.org / 864-583-4531).

New FLC Hours
Starting this Sunday, August 4, the FLC will be open from 12-4pm on Sundays. The FLC hours each week are:
Monday-Thursday: 6am-9pm
Friday: 6am-5pm
Saturday: 8am-Noon
Sunday: Noon-4pm

LOOKING AHEAD
August 18 – Youth Fall Kick Off Party
August 21 – Flights and Fellowship: An FPC Young Adult Event
August 25 – Last Day of Summer Worship Schedule
August 25 – Summer Sizzle: Wet & Wild Back to School Bash
September 1 – One Worship Service at 10:30am(No Sunday School)
September 8 – Rally Day
September 11 – Children’s Choir Rehearsals begin
September 11 – WAF Resumes
September 20-22 – Church Retreat at Montreat
September 20-25 – Cuba Mission Trip
October 2 – Healing and Wholeness Service
October 9 – Vaccination/Skin Screening Clinic
October 11-13 – Middle School Fall Retreat
October 27 – Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans
November 3 – Ecumenical Blood Drive
November 8-10 – High School Fall Retreat

Find out more in First News: fpcspartanburg.org/firstnews