Weekly Update for July 26, 2019

As July winds down, we are finally blessed with some lovely days and comfortable nights that beckon us outside to enjoy God’s beautiful world. I’ve had a little time to sit on my screened porch and listen to the birds and watch the fireflies flicker. Maybe you have taken the time to rest and reflect and drink in the glorious creation God has provided for us at the beach or the mountains or just your own backyard. July is jubilee time at the church, as committees, Deacons, and Session take the month off from meetings and have a brief hiatus. But in August it is back to work for everyone as we prepare to start fall with a flurry of activities, classes, choirs, and events. So, I hope you are enjoying these slower July days and find refreshment, renewal, and revival with God and with those you love.

But First Presbyterian is still running along in its ministry and service to God, and here are the latest updates:

THIS SUNDAY
8:30am Chapel Worship Service
9:30am Sunday School for All Ages
9:45am Summer Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)
10:30am Sanctuary* & MorningSong* Worship Services

(* 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.)

Summer Sunday School – 9:30am
Experiencing God (Room 2201)
Led by Tom Evans and Mission Partners
This Summer Series will explore the ways that we experience God through the lens of Tom Evans’ sabbatical work and through the work of several of our mission partners.
July 28: Foster Care – Chamlee Loscuito (Hope Center) / Jonathon Sampson (Thornwell)
August 4 & 11: Experiencing the Holy – Tom Evans
August 18: Youth Mission Teams
August 25: Experiencing the Holy – Tom Evans

Going to the Good Book (Room 2200)
Led by Ansley Page, Jason Loscuito, John Lefebvre
This summer open your Bible and join three dynamic teachers in studies the Bible together!

Kicking it Old Testament
July 28: Minor Prophets

James: Faithful Living
August 4: James 1 Faith and Wisdom
August 11: James 2 & 3 Faith without Works /Words Matter
August 18: Joint Class with Youth Mission Report
August 25: James 4 & 5 Patience and Faith

Children’s Sunday School
Birth-age 2 – Clark Building, room 105
Completed 3K-5K – Clark Building, room 110
Completed 1^st-4^th Grade – Clark Building, room 201 (red door) Rising 6th graders will join the youth classes for Sunday School.

Youth Sunday School
We will have two youth Sunday School classes this summer led by Robert, our youth interns and other volunteer teachers. Rising 6th graders are invited to join the Middle School Sunday School class. Rising 9th graders are invited to join the High Schoolers as well.
July: “Friendships and Peer Pressure” (Proverbs)
August: “Busting Myths” (Ephesians)

Kirkin' Tartan Orders Due TODAY
First Presbyterian Church will hold its annual Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans Worship Service on Sunday, October 27. At our Kirkin’ service, we remember ancient times, as well as past and present kith and kin, while asking God’s help and blessings in the future through special music and a procession of bagpipes and tartans.
We need sponsors to help with the cost of purchasing the tartan fabric and staff materials. The cost of a banner is $135. The tartan fabrics are ordered from Scotland; we need your payment no later than Friday, July 26. Some clans have multiple patterns available. If you want a particular pattern, please indicate below. Otherwise, we will order the most common pattern for that clan. You will receive an acknowledgment of your order and payment. After the 11:00am service on October 27, the tartan banners will be given to the sponsor for storage or display until the next Kirkin’. Only the staffs and banner stands will remain at the church.

Order forms are in the church office.  To purchase a tartan, please send your completed order form, which includes name, address, phone, Clan Tartan Name and Pattern, along with $135 to the church office, Attention: Lynise Clarke. Checks payable to "First Presbyterian Church". If you have any questions or wish to confirm which tartans have already been purchased, contact Paul McKee; paulmckee202@gmail.com/(864) 621-6939.

Montreat Youth Conference
The FPC youth and chaperones will be traveling back from Montreat tomorrow.  Thank you for your prayers while they have been away.  Please continue your prayers for their safe return.

NEXT WEEK
Recommendations for Church Officers Needed by Wednesday, July 31
Your Congregational Nominating Committee needs your help in nominating members of the church to serve as Elders and Deacons. You may suggest any member of First Presbyterian Church, including yourself. Please email Michael Pack, CNC Chair, (mpack@dsdlegal.com) with the name of the Church Member, which office (Elder or Deacon), and why you think this member should be considered for a Church Officer. Paper nomination forms are available in the worship bulletins and around the church.

Summer Hangouts with Holly
Come and spend some time with our new Children’s Director, Holly Bannan. Be ready to play games in the gym/outside, share a special snack, and talk about your Summer “God Sightings!” Holly has extended the final Hangout to 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders, and she will be awarding a special prize to the winners!
Thursday, August 1, 1:00-3:00pm: For rising 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders
Please drop your kids off and pick them back up in the gym.

Youth Greenville Drive Game
August 4, 2:00-7:30 pm
All middle and high school students are invited to join us for an afternoon of Greenville Drive baseball and fun in the sun! First pitch is at 3:05 pm. Drop off and pick up from the Family Life Center. This trip is open for rising 6^th graders to rising Seniors. Email Carrie Coleman at ccoleman@fpcspartanburg.org if your child wants to attend!

All Recovery Addiction Support Group – Wednesdays
6-7pm in the Arthur Center
All Recovery is a F.A.V.O.R. (Faces and Voices of Recovery) support group. The group focus is to have a conversation with each other and learn more about recovery from addiction. This group is for anyone who has suffered from addiction to a substance and/or who has been affected by the symptoms and/or disease of addiction. This includes family and friends. The group meets every Wednesday evening 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the William L. Arthur Center. For more information contact Lauren Gilmore (864-357-4376) or Beth Cecil (864-208-2136).

SPIHN
July 28-August 4
SPIHN's mission is to help temporarily homeless children and their families become self-sufficient by bringing together community resources to provide essential needs and life skills in a compassionate environment. These families need assistance by providing meals, supplies, and positive interaction. Thanks to many of you, all our volunteer spots are FULL!  Please pray for the families our church will serve over the next week.

Men’s Breakfast
Sunday, August 4 at 7:30am in the Social Hall A delicious breakfast will be prepared by Dick Mahon and crew. Please RSVP to Shannon Hutcheson by August 1 at shutcheson@fpcspartanburg.org or (864) 208-2144.

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.

Stephen Ministry needs YOU!!
Classes start August 5
If you are looking for a way to serve First Presbyterian that allows you a flexible schedule and once-a-week interaction with someone who is desperately in need of some Christian caring, this is the place for you! The new class starts Monday, August 5 at 5:30. Interested? Call, email or text Dana Halliday (danahalliday1@charter.net / 864 237-0330) More information can be found in Ministry Finder.

Bus Drivers
We are frequently in need of drivers for our three church buses. A CDL is not required, but all drivers must be at least 25 years old, submit a background check, and go through a training session with our Facilities Administrator Chris Everette. EVERYONE who intends to drive one of the buses MUST go through this process, regardless of whether you have driven the old buses or the new buses before! To begin this process, please download and complete the Background Check Authorization and return that along with a copy of your driver’s license and insurance card to Lynise Clarke in the church office. After that, training can be scheduled.

Child Poverty Initiative
The Faith Summit on Child Poverty held in April was only the beginning of a long-term initiative in Spartanburg to end child poverty. If you would like to be involved moving forward and were not able to attend the summit or to put your name on the follow-up list, please contact Caroline Goodman (cgoodman@fpcspartanburg.org) and ask to be added. Four focus groups are in the process of forming now, so you can choose your preference: Childcare, Generational Literacy, Living Wage, and Neighborhood Isolation.

OTHER NEWS
Tower Room Entrance – New Handicapped Door
We have installed a new handicapped door at the tower room entrance to better serve our members, guests, and visitors as well as become ADA compliant. The door will open automatically with a swipe of an active badge during normal business hours. During Sunday services and special events, the door will operate with the push buttons located on the outside and inside walls. Or you can simply push the door to exit. We will continue to monitor the opening mechanism and adjust as needed. We will also have signs placed indicating door operations.

Church Retreat: “Family Camp” – September 20-22
Montreat Conference Center
Register by August 16
Come experience time in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina with your church family! This year’s Church Retreat will be Family Camp for families of ALL ages, shapes, and sizes, with plenty to do together with and among families. There will also be plenty of time to relax and do your own thing as well. This year, we are also opening the retreat up to commuters. We very much hope that everyone who can will opt for the whole weekend, but if you can only come for Saturday, we are glad to welcome you! For more information and to register: www.fpcspartanburg.org/retreat

Children’s Choir and First Steps in Music
Children’s Choir and First Steps in Music will begin in mid-September.  Online registration will open on August 1st.

Spartanburg Opportunity Center
The Spartanburg Opportunity Center is hosting several Open Houses over the next few weeks. The center will provide services for the homeless and nearly homeless of our community. First Pres generously supported this project during the 2017 Witness Season, and now it is finally becoming a reality! The center, located at 701 Saxon Ave, will be open to the public from 4-6pm on the following dates:
Monday, July 29^th
Wednesday, July 31^st
Monday, August 5^th
Wednesday, August 7^th
For more information, please contact Karl Rogozenski at spopcenter@gmail.com.

LOOKING AHEAD
July 28-August 4 – SPIHN
July 29 – Youth Bible Study
August 1 – Hangouts with Holly (rising 5^th)
August 4 – Men’s Breakfast
August 4 – Greenville Drive Youth Day August 5-8 – CAST Camp
August 11 – Summer Sizzle: Dog Days of Summer
August 18 – Youth Fall Kick Off Party
August 25 – Last Day of Summer Worship Schedule
August 25 – Summer Sizzle: Wet & Wild Back to School Bash
September 1 – One Worship Service (No Sunday School)
September 6-8 – Confirmation Retreat
September 8 – Rally Day
September 11 – Children’s Choir Rehearsals begin
September 20-22 – Church Retreat at Montreat
September 20-25 – Cuba Mission Trip
October 11-13 – High School all Retreat
October 27 – Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans
November 3 – Ecumenical Blood Drive
November 8-10 – Middle School Fall Retreat

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