Weekly Update for February 7, 2020

We hope you all weathered yesterday’s storms without injury or damage. We know some of you may still be without power. The locker rooms in the Family Life Center will be available for hot showers until 4:30pm on Friday and from 8:30-11:30am on Saturday. Please note that the basketball court is NOT open, due to damage to the roof in yesterday’s storms. Please be careful if you venture out, as there are still downed trees and power lines as well as non-functioning traffic signals in many places.

THIS SUNDAY
8:45am MorningSong* and Chapel Worship Services
9:45am Sunday School for All Ages
11:00am Sanctuary* Worship Service
5:00pm Youth Group

(* 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.)

Scouting for Food
On Scout Sunday, February 9, Troop 2 Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts will participate in the Boy Scouts of America national Scouting for Food drive. Please bring non-perishable food donations to the Tower Room or the Lobby of the Family Life Center before or after worship services. Scouts will collect and deliver to TOTAL Ministries. Specific needs are pasta, mac and cheese, breakfast items, and spaghetti sauce.

NEXT WEEK
WAF Dinner – Wednesday, February 12
5:00-6:15pm in Fogartie Hall
This week we will enjoy Caesar salad bar, cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce or Bolognese sauce, sautéed mushrooms, bread, and dessert. No reservations are necessary, and most forms of payment are accepted at the door. Meal costs are: $8 for adults and youth (12 and older), $7 for seniors (55 and over), and $5 for children, with a limit of $25 per family.

WAF Program: The Power of Resiliency in Schools
Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Parker, Executive Director of the Child Protection Training Center at USC Upstate
6:30pm in the Sanctuary
Dr. Jennifer Parker will be leading a discussion on Childhood Resiliency and the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences ("ACEs") on children's brain development. Please consider a Witness Season gift to the Cleveland Academy Math Lab. Envelopes are in the pews or you may go online to the FPC website to donate. Volunteers are also needed at Cleveland. Reach out to Mary Elizabeth Evans or John Verreault for more information.

Other After-Dinner WAF Programming
Weekly Sermon Bible Study (Perrin Room)
Christian Recreation for Children (Gym and Activity Room)
Youth Wednesday Night Fellowship (Middle School Room)
Sit ‘n Stitch (FLC Lobby)
Wednesday Walkers (Walking Track)

Shower of Love and Wisdom for Joanne Hull – Thursday February 13
10:30am-noon in the Parlor and Perrin Room
Ladies of FPC, of all ages, are cordially invited to a shower of love and wisdom for our own Joanne Hull, on Thursday, February 13, 2020 from 10:30 am to noon. Please join us for refreshments in the Parlor and The Perrin Room. You are asked to offer Joanne words of love and wisdom as she and Eddie begin their life together. There are baskets of tartan-trimmed cards located around the Tower Room and church offices. Please use the cards to write down words of wisdom or Scripture or stories. Recipes are welcome as well.

Men’s Breakfast – NEXT Sunday, February 16
7:30am in the Social Hall
FPC Men: Bring your fathers, sons, and friends to the Men’s Breakfast at 7:30am on Sunday, February 16 in the Social Hall. A delicious breakfast will be prepared at no cost; donations accepted. Our speakers will be Jimmy Edwards and a special guest to tell us more about the Transparent Men ministry in our community. Please help us get a head count and RSVP to Shannon Hutcheson (shutcheson@fpcspartanburg.org // 864-208-2144) by Wednesday, February 12.

Youth Lock-Out – NEXT Sunday, February 16
noon-5pm
Register Online
All Youth are invited to join us on Sunday, February 16 for an afternoon of food, fun and fellowship in downtown Spartanburg! The youth will meet in the lobby of the Family Life Center right after the 11:00 worship service and walk to Morgan Square for lunch. Then they will head to UnderPin Lanes and Lounge for bowling and recreation. Afterward they will return to the Family Life Center for rec time in the gym or games in the Game Room. Pick up will be at 5:00 pm. Cost is $30 per person; participants will need to bring at least $15 with them for lunch and anything else they may want to purchase.

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.

Young Adults Serve Together: Neighborhood Meal Ministry
Tuesday, February 18 – 5:00-6:30pm (Arthur Center)
If you are age 22-35(ish), and would like to volunteer with the Young Adults to serve the Neighborhood Meal on Tuesday, February 18^th, please email Leslie Lang at llang@fpcspartanburg.org

Rise Against Hunger – Sunday, March 15
Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable, mobilizing the necessary resources to end hunger by 2030. They bring all their supplies to the church and we will spend 2 hours packaging food for the starving and malnourished around the globe. We need 120 volunteers for this mission opportunity, and we package 25,000 meals in 2 hours! How amazing is that? Join our youth on March 15^th at 2pm in the Gym! All ages welcome. Mark your calendars and register today!

OTHER NEWS
Souper Bowl of Caring
Thanks to your generosity our youth raised over $2,000 for TOTAL Ministries as part of the annual Souper Bowl of Caring Offering. Thank you!

Clark Building Elevator is out of service
The elevator in the Clark Building is temporarily out of service. While it is being repaired, if you need an elevator, you may use the one in the Main Building, near the church library, to access the second floor, and then walk down the call to the Clark Building.

“The Other Boys of Summer” Documentary – February 17 & 18
This program is documentary about racism, segregation and civil rights in America, told through the lives of the Negro League baseball players. A 40-minute film will be followed by a moderated group discussion centered around how racism has evolved and where we go from here.

2pm Mon. 2/17 in the Barrett Room at the Library
6pm Mon. 2/17 at the CC Woodson Community Center
6pm Tue. 2/18 at the SCC Evans Building auditorium

Lent Workshop – Sunday, February 23
Calling all families with Children age 3 through 5th grade:
Mark your calendar for a Lent Workshop on Sunday, February 23rd. We will gather during the Sunday School hour and make Godly Play “Faces of Easter” boxes together. This is something for the entire family to do together, to help prepare ourselves for Easter. If your family would like to participate, RSVP to Holly Bannan at hbannan@fpcspartanburg.org by February 10.

Blood Drive – Sunday, February 23
It's that time again! Time to sign up to donate blood. For every donor who gives blood, FPC will receive $20. We are about halfway to reaching our goal to put a bench in front of the Family Life Center. Help us reach our goal and help others in the process! The Blood Drive will take place on Sunday, February 23, 8:00am-1:00pm in the Gym and the FLC parking lot. For an appointment, contact Beth Cecil (bcecil@fpcspartanburg.org // 864-208-2136).

Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance Lenten Worship and Luncheon Series
Experience the tradition of the Lenten Season! The Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance will host six worship and lunch sessions beginning at noon where attendees have the chance to fellowship and learn more about the Lenten tradition.

Wed. 2/26 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church (161 N. Dean St.) – No lunch due to observance of Ash Wednesday (REGISTER)
Wed. 3/4 at First Presbyterian Church Spartanburg
Wed. 3/11 at The Episcopal Church of the Advent (141 Advent St.)
Wed. 3/18 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (121 Quail Dr.)
Wed. 3/25 at Glenn Springs Calvary Episcopal Church (3685 Glenn Springs Rd.)
Wed. 4/1 hosted by The Palmetto Moravian Fellowship at Central United Methodist Church (233 N. Church St.)

LOOKING AHEAD
February 1-8 – Dominican Republic Mission Trip
February 9 – Third Grade Bible Presentation
February 23 – Witness Season Sunday
February 23 – Lent Workshop
February 26 – Ash Wednesday Service (6:30pm/Sanctuary)
April 5 – Palm Sunday
April 9 – Maundy Thursday
April 10 – Good Friday
April 12 – Easter Sunday
June 15-18 – Vacation Bible School

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