Weekly Update for Holy Week (April 17, 2019)

It is Holy Week and our weekly email is going out a couple of days early as a gentle reminder of the services coming up on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Also note that there is no Wednesdays at First this evening.

Last Sunday evening was an amazing first youth group with Robert Bannan. 75 Jr. and Sr. High youth turned out for pizza, conversation, fellowship, and recreation. There are some great events on the calendar for the youth. Let’s keep up this momentum!

HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SCHEDULE
Maundy Thursday, April 18
7:30pm Tenebrae Service* (Sanctuary)

Good Friday, April 19
8:15am Worship (Chapel)
*Nursery care provided at 8:15am.
12:15pm Worship (Chapel)

Easter, April 21
6:45am Sunrise Worship (Columbarium)
8:45am Worship ( MorningSong* and Sanctuary)
10:15am Butterfly Release & Hot Cross Buns (Front Lawn)
11:00am Worship (Sanctuary *)
**There will be no Sunday School nor Children's Worship on Easter.**

(* 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.)

A Reflection and Prayer for Holy Week
from our congregation’s Prayer Committee
This year the Prayer Committee has invited you to join us in a lectionary reading and prayer for each week during Lent and Holy Week. Soon we will celebrate Easter, with hearts and souls prepared to renew our baptismal commitment.

Reading: The lectionary reading for Easter is Luke’s account of the risen Jesus revealing himself to his disciples while traveling to Emmaus and, later that same night, in Jerusalem. Please read Luke 24:13-49 and rejoice in the revealed glory of Jesus, the Christ.

Prayers: The prayers this week are the collects for Easter Eve, Easter Day, and Easter Monday from the Book of Common Prayer (1928/1953).

Grant, O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy blessed Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, so by continual mortifying our corrupt affections we may be buried with him; and that through the grave, and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful resurrection; for his merits, who died, and, was buried, and rose again for us, the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee that, as by thy special grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

O God, whose blessed Son did manifest himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread; Open, we pray thee, the eyes of our faith, that we may behold thee in all thy works; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

NEXT WEEK
Church Closed on Easter Monday – April 22
The church will be closed the Monday after Easter. The Weekday School will be open and run on its usual schedule, however, and we will be hosting our SPIHN guests as well.

Wednesdays at First – Wednesday, April 24
5pm in Fogartie Hall
Menu: Chicken Tenders with Dipping Sauce, Mac N Cheese, Fruit
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 .

WAF Program: Poverty Summit Recap – Wednesday, April 24
6:30pm in the Sanctuary
Were you unable to make it to the Faith Summit on Child Poverty? Or maybe you came and you want to know what’s next. Next Wednesday, April 24, we will hear about what happened in that amazing 2-day event and where things will go from there as we as a church together with the broader faith community in Spartanburg seek to put an end to child poverty in our area.

Don’t forget to check www.fpcspartanburg.org/povertysummit regularly to see what’s happening in this initiative. Currently, you can find videos of all sessions of the Poverty Summit, as well as links to local news coverage of the event

Installation of the Rev. Leslie A. Lang – Next Sunday, April 28
ONE Service at 11am in the Sanctuary
Next Sunday, April 28, one week after Easter, we will have a special service of installation for the Rev. Leslie A. Lang, our new Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Missions. There will be only one service that Sunday at 11am in the Sanctuary. Sunday School will happen as usual. After the service there will be a reception in Fogartie Hall so that all can welcome her into ministry with our congregation.

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.

Help Build the First Presbyterian Habitat House – HAPPENING NOW!
Work is progressing well on our Habitat House. This home is being built at the corner of Salem and Maxton Streets in the Maxwell Hills/Duncan Park neighborhood. For a schedule of work and information about how to volunteer, visit www.fpcspartanburg.org/habitat .

OTHER NEWS
JOY Fellowship Spring Luncheon – Thursday, May 2
11:30am in Fogartie Hall
The JOY Fellowship Committee is excited to invite you to our annual Spring Luncheon, Thursday, May 2^nd at 11:30 in Fogartie Hall. We’ll have great fellowship, food and entertainment. Please contact Joanie Shackleton at the church office to RSVP ( jshackleton@fpcspartanburg.org / 864-208-2132). If you are in need of transportation, please let us know when you make your reservation.

Vacation Bible School – June 9-13
Registration is now open!
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 children on Sunday, June 9, during a special Summer Sizzle with a sing-along, a chance to meet EP3-20, and time to pick up t-shirts and music CDs. June 10-13 will be from 9:00am to noon. Want to volunteer? Contact Molly Jones at mollyjones01@gmail.com or text her at 843-412-1022. We hope you’ll join us as we deepen our faith in God and have fun while we do it! VBS registrations are now open until May 17. You can register at www.fpcspartanburg.org/vbs or pick up a form in the church office.

LOOKING AHEAD
April 18 – Maundy Thursday
April 19 – Good Friday
April 21 – Easter Sunday
April 21-28 – SPIHN
April 22 – Church Facilities Closed
April 28 – Installation of the Rev. Leslie Lang (One Service at 11am)
May 19 – Baccalaureate Sunday
May 19 – Blood Drive
May 26 – Begin Summer Worship Schedule
May 27 – Church Facilities Closed
June 9 – Pentecost
June 9-13 – Vacation Bible School
June 24-27 – CAST Camp
June 29-July 5 – Youth Wyoming Mission Trip
July 4 – Church Facilities Closed
July 8-11 – CAST Camp
July 12-27 – Montreat Youth Conference
July 28-August 4 – SPIHN
August 5-8 – CAST Camp
September 20-22 – Church Retreat at Montreat
September 20-25 – Cuba Mission Trip

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