Weekly Update for May 31, 2019

This Sunday we begin a new sermon series exploring how we can use the Bible to draw near to God. The two tracks of our Summer Sunday School Series will complement this sermon series by looking at people’s encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John and by exploring the ways that we experience the holy in our lives. So let worship and Sunday School enrich each other and your relationship with God this summer!

Don’t forget that we are on our Summer Worship Schedule now. Times are listed below.

Finally, in addition to being a communion Sunday, this Sunday is a Hunger Relief Sunday. Containers will be located at the entrances of the Sanctuary and Fogartie Hall where you can drop off non-perishable food items to help feed some of our neighbors in Spartanburg.

THIS SUNDAY
8:30am Chapel Worship Service
9:30am Sunday School for All Ages
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.)

SPARK Coffee Fellowship
Young Adults, ages 22-35(ish), are invited to meet in the Small Private Dining Room of the Family Life Center, 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 the Rev. Leslie Lang; llang@fpcspartanburg.org.

Summer Choir
Rehearse at 9:45am each Sunday
The Summer Choir meets each Sunday at 9:45 AM through Labor Day. Anyone high school age and above is welcome any Sunday. The choir rehearses music for that day’s service only, and there are experienced singers to sit beside. People who enjoy singing but who aren’t able to be a part of the Chancel Choir on a regular basis, visitors, college students home for the summer, and anyone else interested is encouraged to participate!

Summer Sunday School – 9:30am
Experiencing God (Room 2201)
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: Paige Stephenson or United Way of the Piedmont
· 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)
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.

Other Adult Classes Continuing Through the Summer

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

Children’s Sunday School
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
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!

NEXT WEEK
Welcome to Our New Children’s Ministry Staff!
This week we will welcome TWO important new members of our staff to work with our youngest members and friends! Hopefully, you already know that Holly Bannan will be joining us as our new Director of Children’s Ministries. She has already been hard at work with our VBS planning team and will hit the ground running full speed ahead next week to get ready for VBS starting June 10.

I am also very pleased to announce that Kris Graham will be our new Weekday School Director. Kris has taught one of the Twos classes in our Weekday School for the past three years and, outside of the Weekday School, has been serving as an Early Interventionist. Prior to that she served as a supervisor with DSS for 30 years. She did her undergraduate work in Psychology at Wofford, and earned a Masters in Education from Converse.

Shannon Hutcheson will be working with both of these ladies to ensure that our children’s ministry program as a whole runs smoothly. Holly’s and Kris’s respective offices will be on the first floor of the Clark Building, and Shannon will be transitioning to the Clark Building over the summer.

JOY Fellowship Ladies High Tea – Thursday, June 6
4pm in the Perrin and Purnell Rooms
RSVP by Monday!
Join the Joy Fellowship for tea and scones and enjoy a presentation on English tea ceremony. Hats and white gloves optional. Please RSVP to Joanie Shackleton ( jshackleton@fpcspartanburg.org / 864-208-2132) by Monday, June 3.

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. We are still needing a number of flag bearers. So 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).

Pentecost – Next Sunday June 9
8:30am & 11am in the Sanctuary
Next Sunday we will worship together in the Sanctuary at 8:30 and 10:30 as we celebrate the birthday of the Christian Church and the movement of the Holy Spirit in us and in our world. This service will be a time to open ourselves to God’s creative new future. Come ready for the excitement and wear red! Note that there will be no service in the Chapel or Fogartie Hall on Pentecost so that we can come together as a worshipping community for these special services.

Next Sunday, June 9, will be our FIRST Summer Sizzle!
Join us for our VBS Launch and Pentecost Celebration! The Social Hall is the place to gather with your church family after the 10:30 worship service on June 9. Enjoy refreshments, and pick up your child's VBS t-shirt and CD. All are welcome (whether you are involved in VBS or not)!

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
Thank you from our 4^th Tuesday Neighborhood Meal Ministry!
This past Tuesday evening, with the help of many members and friends of our church, we served over 60 people at our 4^th Tuesday Neighborhood Meal Ministry. This week it became especially personal for one of the leaders of this program, as Will DeLaney, a rising senior at Presbyterian College who comes back to each month to make this ministry happen, got to serve dinner to a PC alum who is experiencing some difficulties. Thank you to the Lockman family and to all those who provided, prepared, and served the meal, as well as those who provided clothes, toiletries, and other needed items for our guests. Thank you also to our Women’s Ministry who provided the ladies handmade bags filled with essentials.

Please bring your access cards with you to the church
For the safety of our members, staff, guests, and facilities, an access card is required to enter the building at times other than Sunday morning. Please be sure to bring your FPC access card with you each time you come to the church. If you do not have a card or have lost yours, please see Didi Terry in the church office. Access cards can now be made on the spot while you wait, and cost just $10.

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 .

LOOKING AHEAD
June 9 – Pentecost
June 9 – Summer Sizzle: VBS Launch Party
June 9-13 – Vacation Bible School
June 22-29 – Youth Salkehatchie Mission Trip
June 23 – Summer Sizzle: Book Swap and Coffee Shop
June 24-27 – CAST Camp
June 29-July 5 – Youth Wyoming Mission Trip
July 4 – Church Facilities Closed
July 8-11 – CAST Camp
July 14 – Summer Sizzle: Undies and Sundaes
July 21-27 – Montreat Youth Conference
July 28-August 4 – SPIHN
August 5-8 – CAST Camp
August 11 – Summer Sizzle: Dog Days of Summer
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 8 – Rally Day
September 20-22 – Church Retreat at Montreat
September 20-25 – Cuba Mission Trip
November 3 – Ecumenical Blood Drive

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