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Weekly Update for October 2, 2020

Dear Siblings in Christ,

We are looking forward to our first in-person communion services since this pandemic began and our return to in-person worship services in the Sanctuary! We appreciate everyone’s understanding of the limitations of the space right now, and the need to limit our numbers in the Sanctuary in order to keep everyone there safe. We also appreciate your understanding of the adaptations we are having to make to be able to have these services inside. Don’t forget about the Hymn Sing before the service!

Were you not able to get into the Sanctuary service this week? Don’t like limited numbers? Want to sing in worship? Then MorningSong is the service for you right now! We have eliminated the need to register for MorningSong and are asking everyone to bring their own chairs. We will have a rack of chairs available for those that need one, but no chairs will be set up ahead of time. And because it is outside and everyone is in masks and properly spaced apart, we can all sing together! So come worship together in what is currently the most “normal” of our worship services in the FLC parking lot at 8:45am on Sunday!

Craig Foster
Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Communications

THIS SUNDAY – WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY
8:45am MorningSong in the Family Life Center Parking Lot
10:00am Adult Sunday School (Join in – New Link!)
10:00am Elementary Zoom SS
10:00am High School Sunday School (Outdoors near the Scout Hut)
10:30am Hymn Sing (Between the Chapel and Sanctuary)
11:00am Sanctuary Worship Service (Registration closed)
5:00pm Middle School Youth Group (Register Now)
6:00pm High School Youth Group (Register Now)

All services are livestreamed at www.fpcspartanburg.org/liveand on our Facebookpage. Bulletins, scripture readings, manuscripts, and video archives can also be found our website. Our Sanctuary service is also streamed on YouTube. However you join us, please sign the online guestbookand consider making your regular contributions online. Having trouble with the livestreams? Check out this information on the church website.

Fill the Trucks for Hand in Hand
Drop off between 8:30am and 12:00pm in the upper Family Life Center Parking Lot
This year for World Communion Sunday, we will be taking donations of essential items to support Hand in Hand, a ministry that provides necessities to families and children in need throughout Spartanburg County. Hand in Hand collects items and works in collaboration with Spartanburg County School District social workers and volunteers who help distribute essential items to identified families. By providing these necessities, Hand in Hand hopes to relieve daily concerns, improve self-esteem, and allow children to concentrate on their education.

Suggested donations are non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies, trash bags, hygiene products, and paper products. Let’s “fill the trucks” with these items! Drop off your donations in the Family Life Center Upper Parking Lot from 8:30am-12:00pm.

10:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School (Join in – New Link!)
For the month of October, the combined Adult Sunday School class will join with LIFT. Join us this Sunday as Pastor Ansley explores seeking and finding God in Acts 17.

10:00 a.m. Elementary Sunday School on Zoom
Parents should have all received information about how to connect for Sunday School. If you did not receive an email, please contact Holly for information.

Sunday Night Youth Group – Beginning at 5:00 p.m. (Register Now)
Sunday Night Youth Group will be held this Sunday at the home of the Hoenigs. Pre-registration is required in order for us to plan safely and accordingly. Middle Schoolers will meet from 5:00-5:45 p.m. and High Schoolers from 6:00-6:45 p.m. Bring your bathing suit and towel, because e we will be swimming (weather permitting). Click the registration link for additional information!

Sign up by Sunday for Tuesdays at First & Wednesdays at First
Tuesday, October 6 (Register Now) and Wednesday, October 7 (Register Now)
Picnic Begins at 5:00 p.m. / Programs Begin at 6:00 p.m.
Mid-week fellowship continues NEXT WEEK! Tuesdays at First is a new offering for our more mature members, and Wednesdays at First will feature a new format designed specifically for families with children and youth. Drive through beginning at 5pm to get your boxed dinner and enjoy “dinner on the grounds as you a picnic in your car, tailgate, or set up chairs or a blanket in the grass (physically distanced from other households, of course). Our pastors and staff have planned a variety of fellowship and learning opportunities for adults on Tuesday and for all ages on Wednesday, beginning at 6pm each evening. Make sure to sign up for dinner and/or programs by Sunday, October 4.

NEXT WEEK
RSVP by Thursday for Sanctuary Worship on October 11 (Register Now)
We will continue to worship in the Sanctuary on Sunday, October 11 at 11:00am. Reservations are on a first-come, first-serve basis and seating is limited. Masks will be required for everyone that enters the building, and we request that physical distancing be maintained throughout your time on campus. Registration for October 11 is now open! Due to logistics, reservations will close at noon on Thursdays.

BBC with Kirk Neely – Tuesday, October 6 at 10:30a.m. (Register Now)
First Presbyterian Church offers a book club with Dr. Kirk Neely on the first Tuesday of each month. Currently, the book club is meeting via Zoom at 10:30 a.m. Our book for October 6^th is Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. All are invited to attend. You do not have to be a member of FPC to participate. To receive the Zoom link, please contact Didi Terry via email at dterry@fpcspartanburg.org.

Vaccination Clinic – October 6 & 7 (4:00-7:00 p.m.)
Save the dates for the Vaccination Clinic October 6 and 7 (4:00-7:00 p.m.). Available vaccines will be Influenza (regular and high dose), tDap, Pneumonia, and Shingles. Drive up stations will be set up at the Arthur Center. Pre-registration is required by October 5. Contact Beth Cecil at (864) 208-2136 or bcecil@fpcspartanburg.org.

Tickled Pink – Every Tuesday (Register Now)
Outdoors Near the Family Life Center
Tickled Pink resumed on Tuesdays this past week at 9:30am! Ladies join Ansley and Susan for Real Hope for Here and Now: O Happy Day! The fall focus will be Biblical figures in a tight spot, facing challenges, or living the adventure of faith and how God helped them. "Pink Ladies" will meet outdoors near the Family Life Center, so bring a chair, mask, and Bible. Register online each week by clicking this link. Registration will close Mondays at 11:00 am. O happy day to be together again!

ECHOES on Zoom – Thursday, October 8 at 12:00 noon (Join) or 7:00p.m. (Join)
Caring for a loved one who is aging or sick is a special ministry. If you are engaged in this and would appreciate Christian encouragement, please join Rev. Ansley Page, Rev. Joanne Hull, and Parish Nurse Beth Cecil on Thursday at either 12:00 noon or 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. From the comfort of your home, you can enjoy this time of devotion, prayer, and sharing with folks in similar circumstance. Let your church family help you in this sacred work. Please register with Joanie Shackleton at jshackleton@fpcspartanburg.org.

New Book Study with Tom and Nan McDaniel on Zoom (Join)
Thursdays through November 19 (12:00 noon)
Thursday Book Study returns with Tom and Nan McDaniel began at 12:00 noon on October 1 via Zoom. The group will be discussing the book His Truth is Marching on: John Lewis and the Power of Hope by Jon Meacham. You may purchase your own book at a local bookstore or on Amazon.

Pulling Back the Curtain: The Technology Used in Worship (Join)
Thursdays through November 5 (5:30-6:30pm) on Zoom
Have you ever wondered about the technology that enables our worship services, both online and inside the worship spaces? In The Wizard of Oz, Toto pulled back the curtain and let everyone see what made the “Great and Powerful Oz” happen, and we want to do the same for you! This Thursday will be Basic Audio Mixing with Todd Camp.

Walking in the Family Life Center (For Members Age 65 and Older) (Register Now)
Members who are 65 or older in age can now reserve a spot to walk inside on the gym floor during select times Monday through Friday. Appointments must be made in advance and no more than four people will be in the gym during the half hour block. Appointments are first come, first served. Please register each individual in your walking party.

Weekly Community Zoom Times for Everyone!
See the full list online at: https://fpcspartanburg.org/events/weekly-zoom

Prayer Gathering with Joanne – Tuesdays at Noon (Join in)
Men’s Bible Study – Wednesdays at Noon (Join in)
Thursday Book Study – Thursdays at Noon (Join in)
Adult Sunday School – Sundays at 10am (Join in)

New to Zoom? Having Trouble? Need a Password?
The current password for most church events is “5834531” (which just happens to be the church phone number as well). Please visit www.fpcspartanburg.org/zoom for tips on how to get the most out of your Zoom gatherings.

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Become a Mentor at Hope Center for Children
Hope Center for Children (HCFC) is looking for some new mentors for the children in their care! Mentors are paired with a single child and can take them off campus for activities. They are also able to stay in touch with the child as they grow into adulthood, beyond the time they spend at HCFC. Additionally, mentors commit to contacting their youth twice per month for as long as the youth remains in foster care. They must pass an extensive national background check, complete training, and submit monthly progress reports. While this reads as a big commitment, it is a positive life changing experience for both the mentor and mentee and is often critical to the future success of a child. For more information, please email pwright@hopecfc.org or check out ‘Life Support’ at https://fgi4kids.org/volunteer/. Mentor training takes place twice a year and is coming up at the end of September!

Volunteer and Donate to the Spartanburg Opportunity Center
The Spartanburg Opportunity Center needs volunteers and donations! They continue to serve people on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. For more information, visit www.fpcspartanburg.org/spop.

Other Opportunities in Ministry Finder

OTHER NEWS
Young Adult Fellowship at FR8yard – Sunday, October 18 (4:00-6:00pm)
The Young Adults are planning to enjoy the fall weather and fellowship at FR8yard on Sunday, October 18 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. (weather permitting). Come have a beverage and enjoy some outdoor socially distant time together. Children are welcome if they will social distance as well! Email Leslie Lang if you have any questions.

The Children’s Music Ministry is Now on Facebook! (Like and Follow)
The Children’s Music Ministry now has a Facebook page for you to keep up with the monthly song, First Steps, and more fun ways to lift your voices. Click this link, like, and follow their page!

Pastoral Counseling with Dr. Kirk H. Neely
Pastoral Counseling with Dr. Kirk Neely is available by appointment. Currently all counseling is being done by telephone or by Zoom. Personal Counseling, Marriage and Family Counseling, and Spiritual Direction are available by appointment only. This is not emergency counseling. To make an appointment, please contact Didi Terry at dterry@fpcspartanburg.org or you may contact Dr. Neely directly by email at kirkhneely@fpcspartanburg.org.

“These Days” Daily Devotional
The October-December edition of “These Days” daily devotional is available. Click on this link to fill out a form and we will mail you a copy.

“The Time Has Come” Campaign Pledges Due
All First Presbyterian members are reminded that our commitments to the “The Time Has Come” Campaign (2017-20) are due; the campaign period officially ends as of August 31, but in the current circumstances, payments through December 31, 2020 are considered “on time.” Thanks to everyone who has participated; we received $3,409,857 in commitments, with just $180,038 outstanding to date! All of the church’s prior debt has already been paid off but for $132,000, which will be paid off shortly after the payment period ends. Clearing these commitments will also enable the church to purchase a badly needed new HVAC chiller for $100,000.

Thanks to the generosity of our members in this campaign, magnificent renovations were made to our historic sanctuary space; the courtyard was significantly enhanced and outstanding new reception/gathering space was created; the MorningSong stage was completely replaced; and major sound, lighting and technical improvements were added throughout our worship spaces, making possible the meaningful worship opportunities we are enjoying online today (and probably never anticipated).

We hope to report an outstanding campaign commitment balance of “$0” soon!
Cathy Bagwell and David Beacham, The Time Has Come Campaign co-chairs

LOOKING AHEAD
October 4 – World Communion Sunday
October 6 – Tickled Pink (Register Now)
October 6 – Tuesdays at First Begins (Register Now)
October 6&7 – Vaccination Clinic (More Information)
October 7 – Wednesdays at First Begins (Register Now)
October 8 – ECHOES
October 18 – Youth Sunday
October 18 – Sunday Tailgate (More Information)
October 18 – Young Adult Fellowship at FR8yard
October 25 – Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans
October 25 – Evening Vespers
November 19 – Young Adult Game Night via Zoom
August 13-15, 2021 – Women’s Connection at Montreat

More activities and events can be found in First News.