Weekly Update for May 17, 2019

This Sunday is very full as we celebrate our high school graduates, Christi Brown’s last Sunday on staff, and take part in an ecumenical blood drive. Note that there will be only two worship services this Sunday: MorningSong at 8:45am and the Sanctuary Worship Service at 11am. There will be no service in the Chapel on Sunday, and regular Chapel attendees are invited to come to either of the other services. See below for all the details on all of this.

Register by TODAY for Vacation Bible School – June 9-13
VBS registration for children closes next Friday, May 17. To register your child, visit www.fpcspartanburg.org/vbs or pick up a form in the church office.

We are still looking for a few good volunteers to help out during VBS! We’d love to have you all four days, but if you only have one or two days available, we have places for you as well. Due to an overwhelming response, our mission-oriented VBS+ for rising 5^th and 6^th graders has started a waiting list while we organize another set of volunteers. The VBS kick-off will be on Sunday, June 9, during a special Summer Sizzle, and then we’ll meet Monday, June 10- Thursday, June 13 from 9am to noon. We hope you’ll join us as we deepen our faith in God and have fun while we do it! To volunteer, email or text Molly Jones ( mollyjones01@gmail.com).

Habitat House PASTORS’ CHALLENGE Days
As we come into the home stretch on our Habitat for Humanity home build, your pastors want to challenge you to work alongside of us to get this house finished! Please look at your schedules and join us on the following days!

Saturday, May 18 (morning) – Ansley needs your help installing columns and handrails!
Thursday, May 23 (morning) – Tom needs your help with some touch-up painting!

Work continues on other days as well. See www.fpcspartanburg.org/habitat for the schedule and information about how to volunteer.

THIS SUNDAY
8:45am MorningSong* in Fogartie Hall &
Chapel Worship Service
9:45am Sunday School for All Ages
11:00am Sanctuary* Worship Service
5:00pm Youth Discipleship & Mom Time

(* 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.)

Ecumenical Blood Drive
The second of three ecumenical blood drives for 2019 is scheduled for this Sunday, May 19. Once again, The Blood Connection will be gifting to the church $20 for every unit of blood that is collected from our members during that blood drive. We are well on our way to reaching the goal for the tower room door assist! Please contact Beth Cecil to reserve your time to donate.

This is Pastor Christi’s Last Sunday on Staff
Sunday, May 19 is the Rev. Christi Brown’s last Sunday on staff at FPC. Christi will be preaching in both the MorningSong and Sanctuary services. Chapel attendees are invited to attend one of these two services, as there will be no service at 8:45am in the Chapel. After the 11:00 Sanctuary service, please join us at a reception in the Social Hall to celebrate Christi’s ministry and honor her family.

World Relief Speaker in Christian Perspectives Sunday School Class
9:45am in Room C212
This Sunday, May 19, Natalie Terlitsky, a Specialist with the World Relief Center of the Upstate, will be speaking on the "Journey of a Refugee". She will be augmenting her discussion by clarifying the differences between refugee vs. asylee, the legal status of a refugee compared to an immigrant, and the role of sanctuary cities. All are welcome to join the Christian Perspectives class for this informative session.

Mom Time
5-7pm in the Church Parlor
Calling moms of teens, tweens, and even returning collegiates! You'll share some yummy snacks, funny stories, and summer survival tricks while you discuss God's promise of the fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22)

NEXT WEEK
Sanctuary Guild and Flower Guild Meeting – Monday, May 20, 2019
11am in the Purnell Room
This month we will review our Lenten and Easter activities and make plans for summer and fall events. All are welcome!

Chamber Singers Spring Concert – Monday, May 20
7pm in the Sanctuary
This concert, “A Day in the Life”, uses texts from the Old Testament, traditional liturgy, and contemporary poets to show how the extraordinary is present in the course of an ordinary day.

Remembering Their Service and Sacrifice
On Sunday, May 26, the church will honor your loved ones who have served in the United States Armed Forces and have now passed on. We will print the information in the worship bulletin. Please contact Joanie Shackleton; ( jshackleton@fpcspartanburg.org / 208-2132) prior to May 20 with the name of the person, their rank, branch of service, and dates of service.

Summer Worship Schedule Begins NEXT Sunday, May 26
Next Sunday, May 26, Memorial Day weekend, we will shift to our summer worship schedule.

8:30am Chapel Service
9:30am Sunday School
10:30am Sanctuary Service and MorningSong

Summer Sunday School – 9:30am Starting May 26
Experiencing God (Room 2201) – Starting May 26
Led by Tom Evans and Local Missions 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 local mission partners.

May 26 & June 2: Tom Evans: Experiencing the Holy
June 9: Local Mission Partners
June 16, 23 & 30: Tom Evans: Experiencing the Holy
July 7, 14, 21 & 28: Local Mission Partners
August 4, 11, 18, 25: Tom Evans: Experiencing the Holy

Encountering Jesus (Room 2200) – Starting June 2
Led by Ansley Page, Jason Loscuito, John Lefebvre
This summer open your Bible! Starting on June 2 and throughout the month of June, this Summer Series will explore five passages from John’s Gospel, using Encounters with Jesus by Francis Taylor Gench as a guide. She writes about John, “when we read it, the person and promises of Jesus Christ seem more immediate and available. Jesus seems up close and personal in John and we find ourselves in direct encounter with him.” Additional chapters of this summer series for July and August are in the works, and may include one of the minor prophets and one of the New Testament epistles.

SPARK Coffee Fellowship – Starting June 2
Starting June 2nd, come join SPARK (Young Adults ages 22-35ish) in the Small Private Dining Room of the Family Life Center from 9:45-10:15am in June for coffee and fellowship (and sometimes snacks). This will be an informal time for fellowship, sharing of joys and concerns, and building connections. Even if you’re only around for a week or two in June, we’d love to have you! (PS – Childcare is provided in the Clark Building during this time). If you have questions, please contact Rev. Leslie Lang ( llang@fpcspartanburg.org).

Other Adult Classes Continuing Through the Summer

• Open Class (Room 2213)
• Purnell Class (Purnell Room)

Children’s Sunday School – Starting May 26
The program for Sunday School for children will be condensed beginning May 26. The nursery staff will be in room 105 to welcome all children birth through age 2 (3 year-olds may stay in the nursery during church services as always). The 3K, 4K, and 5K Sunday School classes will meet in room 110. Rising 2nd graders through rising 5th graders will meet as one class in room 201 (the red door). Rising 6th graders will join the youth classes for Sunday School.

Youth Sunday School – Starting June 2
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. In June, both groups will explore the Book of James in a series called “You Have Issues.” In July, they will look at “Friendships and Peer Pressure” through the Book of Proverbs. Finally, in August, they will do a series called “Busting Myths” and, guided by the book of Ephesians, tear down myths about being a Christian. Come as often as you are able!

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.

Ushers Needed for October and April
We are seeking additional ushers willing to help pass out bulletins and assist seating during the 11 AM service in the sanctuary. Ushers serve a month at a time twice a year. Find more information in Ministry Finder .


OTHER NEWS
We are looking for a Program Administrator for Youth and Campus Ministry!
A search committee has been formed as we are currently accepting resumés for an Program Administrator for Youth and Campus Ministry. This is a largely administrative role but also would require presence at youth functions. The job description can be found on the church website . To apply, please send resumés to search committee chair Ashley Millinor at ashley.millinor@aflglobal.com .

Young Adult Gathering – Thursday, May 30
5:30-7:30pm at the home of Cathy and Billy Bagwell (1000 Thomas Rd.)
Join the Young Adults for a summer kick-off fellowship event! Come meet the Rev. Leslie Lang, our new Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Mission, as well as connect with old and new friends! Beverages and appetizers will be provided. Just bring yourself!
RSVP HERE http://evite.me/58kSW7Gg9n or email llang@fpcspartanburg.org

International Flag Bearers Needed for Pentecost Service – June 9
On Sunday June 9 our church will celebrate Pentecost. We will post flags representing the various countries in which our church supports international missions. If you would like to carry a flag at either or both services (8:30 am and 10:30 am) that day, please email Emily Neely (eneely@gmail.com).

LOOKING AHEAD
May 19 – Celebration of the Ministry of the Rev. Christi O. Brown
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 21-27 – 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