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Weekly Update for February 8, 2019

Our Dominican Republic Mission Team has had a great week of service and will be returning home tomorrow. Please pray for safe travels and look for opportunities to hear about their experiences.
This afternoon our 2019 Confirmation group will kick-off Confirmation with a retreat at Asbury Hills Camp and Conference Center. Please be in prayer for the 20 students, six Covenant Family Leaders, and your staff as we embark on this important journey of faith together.

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
5:00pm Mid High Youth
6:00pm Combined Youth
6:30pm 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.)

Boy Scout Sunday
This Sunday we will recognize and celebrate our Boy and Cub Scouts during our 11am Sanctuary worship service.

Christian Perspectives Sunday School, February 10
Joe Dunn will speak 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.

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. Contact Mark Ashby for more information.

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

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. This week: hear from the mission team as they share their Dominican Republic experiences.

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.

OTHER NEWS

“Pop-up” First Steps in Faith Sunday School class for 2-year-olds and their parents
If you have a child who has turned two but is not yet in the 3-year-old Sunday school class, you may be interested in a short-term class to help you introduce your toddler to concepts like love, faith, and God in a way that is easy for them to understand. Parents and children will meet together at 9:45 in room C104, with the lesson from 10:00 to 10:30, to have fun with a specially selected Bible story. This class will meet on the following Sundays: February 17, February 24, March 3, and March 10. You must register prior to attending by following this link and giving your name: https://www.shelbygiving.com/f/f2?formid=2bfa8e3a-7e59-40db-b71d-ca5cdb2392b2

Blood Drive - February 17

First Presbyterian is one of a seven churches in our community participating in this event. More than 400 units of blood are needed daily to meet the demand in our area. For every donation made at our blood drive, The Blood Connection will donate $10 to our church. Last year, we received $1,490 for the blood donated, by our members, to benefit the lives of others. Contact Beth Cecil to schedule an appointment time .

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 ).

Sanctuary Rededication – Sunday, March 17

On Sunday, March 17, we will rededicate our Sanctuary at a very special worship service at 4:00pm. Dr. Tom Evans will deliver the message, with festive music featuring the Chancel Choir, Chamber Singers, Children’s Choirs, brass octet, and percussion. A time of fellowship will follow the service.

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 re-arm 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 2-9 – DR Mission Trip
February 8-10 – Confirmation Retreat
February 17 – “Pop-up” First Steps in Faith Sunday School Class
February 17 – Men’s Breakfast
February 17 – Blood Drive
February 24 – Witness Season Sunday
February 27 – Healing and Wholeness Service
March 1 – World Day of Prayer
March 17 – Sanctuary Re-Dedication
April 10-11 – Poverty Summit