Weekly Update for August 6, 2021

Dear Friends,

This Sunday we celebrate the ministry of Robert and Holly Bannan and give thanks to God for the work they have done with us and for us over the past two years. I hope you all will join us for the reception for them this Sunday in the gym, after the 10:30am worship services, and give them our best wishes as they begin the next phase of their ministries in Conway.

Of course the work of the church continues! Thank you to all of you who have stepped up to make sure things happen this fall! And let us all be in prayer for our two new search committees as they hire interim staff and search for who God is calling to be our next long-term leaders in children’s, youth, and campus ministries. All of those people who are helping during this transition are true saints in my book and deserve thanks and support from all of us!

Craig Foster
Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Communications

Sparkle City Transparent Men Breakfast – Saturday, August 7 at 8:30am
Large Private Dining Room
Sparkle City Transparent Men, a multi-racial group of Christian men striving to become better friends, is meeting for breakfast and fellowship Saturday, August 7 at 8:30am in FPC Large Private Dining Room. If you are interested in making a true friend (or two) of another race this is the place for you. Hope to see you there. For information and questions, please email Jimmy Edwards.

THIS SUNDAY – AUGUST 8
8:30am Traditional Worship (Chapel)
9:30am Sunday School for All Ages
9:30am Hospitality Time (Perrin Room)
9:45am Summer Choir (Choir Room)
10:00am Receiving New Members (Perrin Room)
10:30am Traditional Worship (Sanctuary)
10:30am MorningSong (Fogartie Hall)
11:30am Celebration of Ministry for Robert and Holly Bannan (Gym)

While on the Summer Worship Schedule, the 10:30am Sanctuary Worship Service will be streamed on the church website and Facebook, and the 10:30am MorningSong Worship Service will be streamed on the church website and YouTube.

However you join us, please:

• Check in through the ShelbyNext app or sign the online guestbook to let us know you worshipped with us.
• Consider giving online or through the ShelbyNext app as a regular act of worship.

Trouble with the livestreams? Check out this information on the church website.

Hospitality Time
Between Services, stop by the Perrin Room - just down the hallway from the Tower Room - for a refreshing beverage. Feel free to take a few minutes to visit with other church members and visitors. If you have any questions about First Presbyterian, our Hospitality Team would like to help you find the answer. Additionally, if you are a church member in need of a Sonitrol Key Card, you may do so during this time at no charge! Please come by to have your picture taken; your card should be available within the week.

9:30am Sunday School for All Ages
Adults: “Welcome to the One Great Story” (Social Hall)
This summer, you are invited to join an adult class on the great sweeping story of the Bible. We will be guided by the new book by Dr. George Thompson entitled "Welcome to the One Great Story." Led by Dr. Lewis Galloway and Dr. Lewis Johnson, the class will help us understand how to interpret the wide variety of literature in the Bible and how the many stories of the Bible come together to tell one great story. This class is designed for all levels of familiarity with the scriptures. Copies of the book will be available for $28 in the Social Hall for those who want to go deeper than what is covered in class.

Adults: “Mountaintop Moments” (Parlor)
Grab coffee and come catch up with church friends in the Parlor. Rev. Ansley Page will offer a devotion and discussion around mountaintop moments in Scripture and how they connect with our stories. A little extra lift for your Sunday morning!

Children & Youth Sunday School
Preschool Sunday School (Room C110)
Elementary Sunday School (Room C201)
Nursery, 6 months – 3 years (Room C105)
Middle School Students – Middle School Classroom
High School Students – High School Classroom

9:45am Summer Choir (Choir Room)
Anyone high school age or older who has been fully vaccinated is welcome to be a part of Summer Choir. Come to the Choir Room at 9:45am, and we will take care of the rest...the music is manageable, and there are experienced singers to make your experience fun and comfortable. Questions? Contact Holt Andrews at rhandrews@fpcspartanburg.org.

10:00am Receiving New Members
Interested in Joining First Presbyterian Church? Come to The Perrin Room Sunday at 10:00am. Ministers and members of the Session will be there to greet you.

11:30am Celebration of Ministry for Robert and Holly Bannan (Gym)
Rev. Robert Bannan and Mrs. Holly Bannan have accepted a call to Kingston Presbyterian Church in Conway, SC; Robert as the Pastor and Holly as the Director of Discipleship and Communications. Join us for a reception Sunday, August 8 in their honor at 11:30am in the Gym. If you would like to write them a note, there is a basket in the church office or bring it to the celebration of their ministry on their final Sunday at First Presbyterian Church Spartanburg. Please join us in expressing our gratitude to Robert, Holly, Jacob, Hattie, and Trace and wishing them God's blessing as they make Kingston Church their new home.

NEXT WEEK
New Yoga Class! Tuesdays at 10am in the Activity Room
In addition to Thursday lunch time yoga, Leslie Lehmann will also offer a class on Tuesdays at 10am beginning August 3 in the Activity Room. The cost for yoga classes are $5. Contact Colleen Darrall for more information.

Blessing of the Backpacks – Sunday, August 15 at 10am
We invite children, youth, and teachers to bring their backpacks and/or laptops to the church to be blessed as we embark on a new school year. At 10am, our congregation will gather on the front lawn to celebrate this tradition.

Weekday Bible Studies and Other Groups

• Tuesday at 10am – Yoga with Leslie Lehmann in the Activity Room (Cost $5)
• Wednesday Men’s Bible Study: Wednesdays at noon, in person and on Zoom (Join in)
• In person and Zoom Group Workouts – Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:15 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. (Email Colleen)
• Thursdays at 12 noon – Yoga with Leslie Lehmann in the Activity Room (Cost $5)
• 6:30am Men’s Bible Study: Fridays in the Small Private Dining Room
• 7:00am Men’s Bible Study: Fridays in the Arthur Center

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Dominican Republic Mission Trip - February 5-12, 2022
Cost: $1,500
We need you! Please join First Presbyterian Spartanburg on an international mission to the Dominican Republic. FPC has made a commitment to visiting and sharing our resources with our sisters and brothers in the Caribbean that need our help. Partnering with Solid Rock International, FPC Spartanburg sends a yearly team of doctors, dentists, nurses, and others to provide medical and dental services as well as build construction projects and sponsor children in the Solid Rock schools. Visit fpcspartanburg.org/DRmission for more information and to register.

Mobile Meals Drivers Wanted
After months of adjusting during the pandemic, Mobile Meals plans to resume delivering meals everyday starting in October, and they are looking for more drivers to cover their expanding routes. This is a rewarding volunteer experience that only takes an hour or two out of your week, but it can mean the world to the recipients to receive a warm meal, a friendly smile, and a kind word. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Vivian Tanner at vivian@mobile-meals.org and tell them you are from First Presbyterian Church.

Other Opportunities in Ministry Finder

• Habitat for Humanity Spartanburg
• Cleveland Academy of Leadership
• Hand in Hand
• TOTAL Ministries
• SPIHN

OTHER NEWS
Congregational COVID-19 update
With the Delta variant, Covid-19 is once again on the rise. As a congregation, we are continuing to follow CDC guidelines to protect the vulnerable population among us and to promote health and safety for everyone. We encourage everyone age three and above to wear a mask at all indoor church activities. Masks are available at all church entrances.

JUSTFAITH: Faith and Racial Equity
First Presbyterian Church is offering another JustFaith class in the fall! The group will meet at the church on Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30pm starting on September 16th through November 11th. If you are interested in engaging with how faith and racism intersect, this is a wonderful opportunity! Please contact Leslie Lang if you are interested or would like more details.

Children’s Choir and First Steps Resume in September! (Registration NOW OPEN)
Children’s Choir resumes September 15 for ages 4K-5^th grade at 5pm. Register at fpcspartanburg.org/childrenschoir. Additionally, First Steps for parents and children birth through age 3 will begin mid-September. Class size is limited! Register at fpcspartanburg.org/firststeps. For more information, please contact Marcia Andrews at mandrews@fpcspartanburg.org.

Christmas in August – Preparing for Advent
Monday, August 16 in the Purnell Room
The Sanctuary Guild will meet Monday, August 16 in the Purnell Room at 10am. Everyone interested in enhancing our church campus for special occasions is encouraged to attend. For more information, please email LeAnne Thurmond or call 864-621-0213.

Peace and Justice Taskforce
The Peace and Justice Taskforce of First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg is a proactive congregational work group for peacemaking and justice issues around racism and discrimination in our community. The next meeting is Friday, August 27th from 12:30-1:30pm in the Purnell Room. Many of the resources that are being discussed and introduced come from our own Foothills Presbytery: https://foothillspresbytery.org/anti-racism-resources/. Recently, we have been discussing the Spartanburg Racial Equity Collaborative, which you can view here.

Questions about your Church Membership?
If you have any questions or comments about your church membership, please email Lynise Clarke. You may also use contact Lynise to update any changes to your information (addresses, phone numbers, etc). Thank you.

LOOKING AHEAD

August 8 – Celebration of the Ministry of Robert and Holly Bannan

August 13-15 – Women’s Connection at Montreat

August 15 – Blessing of the Backpacks (10am on the Front Lawn)

August 20 – All Church Facilities close at 2pm / Young Adult Fellowship and LIFT Fellowship at the Criterium

August 29 – Rally Day & End of Summer Bash / Shelter

September 5 – One Worship Service (No Sunday School)

September 12 – Return to Regular Worship Schedule

September 15 – WAF Resumes/Children’s Choir Resumes

September 25 – Young Adult Event: Northside 5k

October 3 – World Communion Sunday

October 10 – Blood Drive

October 31 – Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans

More activities and events can be found in First News.