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Weekly Update for February 1, 2019

This weekend over 70 members and friends of FPC will be traveling for spiritual growth and service. Today, about 40 women will head up to Kanuga Conference and Retreat Center in Hendersonville, NC for the bi-annual Women’s Retreat. Then early tomorrow morning, the 34 members of our Dominican Republic Mission Team begin their journey toward a week of service and growth in the DR. Please pray for both of these groups, and look for opportunities to hear their stories as they return.

THIS SUNDAY
8:45am MorningSong* in Fogartie Hall &
Chapel Worship Service
9:45am Sunday School for All Ages
10:30am Monthly Fellowship in the Perrin Room
11:00am Sanctuary* Worship Service
12:00pm Congregational Meeting
5:00pm Mid High Youth
6:00pm Combined Youth
6:30om Sr. High Youth

(* 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.)

Congregational Meeting THIS SUNDAY
The Session has called a Congregational Meeting and a meeting of the members of the Corporation (First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg, SC) for Sunday, February 3, 2019 during the 11:00am worship in the Sanctuary to elect at-large members to the 2019 Congregational Nominating Committee, to elect the class of 2021 elders and the chair of the Diaconate to the Board of Trustees of the Corporation, and to vote on terms of call for the Rev. L. Craig Foster, Associate Pastor of Discipleship and Communications.

Souper Bowl of Caring
We have the opportunity to participate in a different kind of “Super Bowl” by supporting a local ministry through the Souper Bowl of Caring. To help serve our community, our youth will be collecting monetary donations in large soup pots following all three services that will help support the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen.

NEW Sunday School Class Begins This Sunday
LiFT - (mid)Life in Fellowship Together
10:00-10:30am in Room 2212
This new class is made up of those in the center of their lives with older children in and out of the house. Each week will be a stand-alone, Bible-based study from 10-10:30. Join us to find a lift for your spirit and deepen your connection to Christ. Come early at 9:45 for delicious coffee and extra connection!

Middle East Series in Christian Perspectives Sunday School
February 3 & 10
On February 3rd and February 10th, the Christian Perspectives' Sunday School class will be joined by students and faculty from Converse College and offer their observations and insights on Christianity in the Middle East and the cultural differences between US and Middle East values, institutional roles, and daily livelihoods. This Sunday will be led by Jacky Torres, who has recently returned from Saudi Arabia. Jacky is a senior majoring in accounting and politics and was lead delegate of the Converse Model League team. She partnered with a United Kingdom student delegation that traveled to the Saudi Kingdom. Jacky happened to be there while the Khashoggi Affair was unveiling.Joe Dunn will spend the following Sunday speaking on his trip into Vietnam and Cambodia. In doing so, Joe will share his perspective and knowledge learned about Buddhism and its differences with Christianity.

Monthly Fellowship
10:30am in the Perrin Room
This Sunday is our monthly fellowship time in our newly renovated gathering space. Meet in the Perrin Room at 10:30am for doughnuts, coffee, and fellowship with your church family. Parent’s please be sure to pick up your children from Sunday School by 10:30 so that everyone, including teachers, can enjoy the fellowship time together. And if a child offers you a sticker, take it and share a conversation with that child!

Youth Century Club
In 2019, the youth ministry looks to take its next big leap forward. 2019 is the first year of what we are calling the “Century Club”. Every person, children to adults, wants to be part of something greater and to find their place. Joining the “club” is one way that the youth ministry and the church family can participate in intergenerational ministry. The Century Club is our inaugural and ONLY fundraiser for the year. Our goal is to have members of the congregation invest $100 a year into the youth ministry. Mark Ashby will be talking about the Century Club in all services this Sunday and there will be an envelope in the bulletin for joining the club.

Witness Season Begins
The month of February marks Witness Season at First Presbyterian Church. This year, our church's goal is to raise $25,000 to support Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. This emergency and refugee program of the PCUSA provides long-term recovery support to communities across the globe that have been adversely affected by crises and catastrophic events. PDA continues to respond close to home, in communities in the Carolinas impacted by flooding from Hurricane Florence. Please make plans to attend WAF programming on Wednesday February 20 and a combined Sunday school class in Fogartie on Sunday, February 24 to hear Rick Turner, a long-time volunteer for PDA national disaster response, speak about the organization's work at home and abroad. For more info or to give online: www.fpcspartanburg.org/events/witness-season-2019

NEXT WEEK
Tickled Pink Women’s Bible Study Resumes – Tuesday, February 5
9:15-10:30am in Fogartie Hall
Mark your calendars, grab a friend and join Susan Oldham and Ansley Page as they begin a new Tickled Pink study! Each lesson is stand alone, homework is optional, snacks are yummy and the fellowship is the best in town! Look forward to nourishing our souls with together!

Local Missions Lunch-n-Learn – Tuesday, February 5
Noon in the Large Private Dining Room
Come learn more about our local mission partners as well as enjoy a delicious lunch cooked by Jane Mullins for only $7. Come to the Large Private Dining Room (LPDR) in the Family Life Center at Noon on Tuesday, Feb. 5 for a panel discussion. Panelists will include: Adult Learning Center, Mental Health America-Spartanburg, New Day Clubhouse, The Shepherd’s Center, and Speaking Down Barriers. Register online here .

Wednesdays at First
5pm in Fogartie Hall
Join your church family for Wednesdays at First! No reservations are necessary, but if you wish to pre-pay online, you may do so at: fpcspartanburg.org/waf. Cash, check, and credit cards are accepted at the door.

WAF Adult Program: “Local Missions – Mission Frameworks
6:30pm in the Sanctuary
February brings a whole series of Missions programming and opportunities. Come learn what our church is doing to make a difference in the world around us and how you can get involved.

Weekday School Sweethearts Celebration – Thursday, February 7
5:30-7:00pm in Fogartie Hall
RSVP by Monday, February 4
Enjoy a spaghetti dinner, musical entertainment by Debbie Keiser and a delicious bake sale while helping to raise funds for our Weekday School! Please make your reservation by Monday, February 4, 2019 by clicking HERE .

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Find these and more 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.

Sponsors Needed for Tuesday Community Dinners
In 2018 the Neighborhood Meal Ministry served 36 Tuesday dinners to our friends at the Arthur center. We averaged around 45 guests each week along with 10-12 volunteers. Some of the folks are homeless, some are just low on resources and others enjoy the fellowship. All have shown kindness and appreciation. Several individuals, groups and Sunday School classes have stepped up to make this happen: Jerry Kiehl, Tina Hamilton, Steven Richards, Bill Walters, the Deacons, VBS, the Emmaus Sunday School class and Stephen Ministry and many First Presbyterian volunteers. Most of the Tuesdays for 2019 are already covered but the following are available: January 29, May 21, July16, July 30, September 17, and November 15. If you, your group or your Sunday School Class is interested in hosting one of these dinners please contact John Tatham at jtatham1@charter.net. If you would like to contribute financially to these dinners please make a check to First Presbyterian Church and note for Neighborhood Meal Ministry.

OTHER NEWS
Men's Breakfast – Sunday, February 17
FPC Men: Bring your fathers, sons, and friends to the Men's Breakfast at 7:30am on Sunday, February 17 in the Social Hall. Dr. Lee Close will be leading the program: "Opportunities for Service." A delicious breakfast will be prepared by Dick Mahon and crew! No cost; donations accepted. RSVP by February 14 to Shannon Stewart ( sstewart@fpcspartanburg.org ).

Security Improvements at the Church
In a continued effort to improve security and needed access for members, staff, and visitors we will be transitioning from key-access to card-access for all buildings on campus. This transition will both save the church money in false alarm calls as well as better control access to each building. The church can grant access to any member for events whether it be a onetime event or continual, so that all will have the access that they need. This will virtually eliminate false alarms and un-needed charges by the city for these false alarms.

We also need your help for security.

1) When you have a scheduled need for building use (example: the Arthur Building) please let the administrative staff know when you will be leaving so that we can rearm the alarm system.

2) Do not allow anyone that are not members or staff to “follow” you through any outside door. This is a huge security risk to everyone. Staff members will have badges displayed and members are encouraged to display badges always. If you encounter someone wanting to enter, please contact a church staff member to address.

3) Inform the church office if your security badge has been lost or stolen.

Buildings will still be accessible without a card on Sunday mornings. The Family Life Center will be accessible without a card on Wednesday evenings, but you will continue to need a card to access exterior doors on other buildings during Wednesdays at First.

We ask for your understanding and cooperation during this transition so that we will better be able to secure our campus and members.

Youth Spring Beach Retreat “Eyes Above the Waves” – March 15-17
Garden City Chapel, Murrells Inlet, SC
for 6^th-12^th Graders
Sign up by March 1
Youth, join your fellow 6^th-12^th graders for an amazing weekend at the beach. The featured speaker will be Chip Herring with music leadership by Danny Nue. The cost is $165, and registration is due by March 1. Chaperones are needed to make this happen. So please let Mark know if you can help! To sign up, visit: https://www.shelbygiving.com/f/f2?formid=9b7cf2f3-bde4-4154-ae87-a6b7b49ad697

Vacation Bible School
Mark your calendar now for June 9-13 so that you can be part of this year’s Vacation Bible School. We’ll kick off the week for the children during a special Children’s Worship session (for all ages rising 5K to rising 6 ^th grade) on Sunday, June 9, and continue the fun with our first Summer Sizzle after the service. Want to volunteer? Contact Cesily King ( cking@fpcspartanburg.org ) or one of the leaders, Leigh Anne Langley, Jennifer Hoy, or Molly Jones. We hope you’ll join us as we deepen our faith in God and have fun while we do it!

APNC Needs YOUR Input
The APNC would like your help to find an Associate Pastor of Young Adults and Mission. Through your own connections, many of you know potential candidates. Please give one of our Committee members the name and contact information and we will follow up. APNC: Mac White, Chair, Cathy Bagwell, Andrew Darr, Kellie Foster, Laura Stille, Alan Workman, Hannah Zimmerman. You may send information to APNC Chair Mac White or contact any committee member via the ShelbyNext Portal ( https://www.fpcspartanburg.org/discover/member-login ).

Search for Director of Children's Ministries
The DCM search team need your help to find our next Director of Children’s Ministries! The very best candidates are often already linked in some way to the congregation they will serve. So please talk to a few people you know, or email them, and let them know FPC is looking for a full-time Director of Children’s Ministries. Or give one of our search team members the name and contact information and we will follow up! People can find the full job description at www.fpcspartanburg.org/dcm. Resumes and cover letters may be sent to Sara Bailey at sara.bailey@ministryarchitects.com . DCM Search Team: Tim Camp, Celia Cogdell, Craig Foster, Anne-Marie Glover, Callie Hammett, Arthur Jones, Cesily King, Emily Neely (chair).

LOOKING AHEAD
February 1-3 – Women’s Retreat at Kanuga
February 2-9 – DR Mission Trip
February 7 – Weekday School Sweethearts Celebration
February 8-10 – Confirmation Retreat
February 17 – Men’s Breakfast
February 17 – Blood Drive
February 24 – Witness Season Sunday
February 27 – Healing and Wholeness Service
March 17 – Sanctuary Re-Dedication

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