THE BANNER
November 24, 2020
Happy Thanksgiving!
Devotional for the First Week of Advent
(As we unpack the Christmas creche, let each piece become a prayer that our lives will be changed during Advent.)

*As we place the stable, let us remember how a place never meant to be a home sheltered our Lord. Let us pray that our homes will be places of hospitality for all who enter them.

*As the star shone to give direction to the magi, let us hold high a faith in Christ to give direction to our lives.

*As the shepherds were the most common of folk and yet the only ones to be summoned by angels, may we never forget that God calls the simplest among us to tasks of greatest glory.

*As the magi moved in the deep belief that God was acting in this world, may we always look for that same redemptive activity and never be so proud that we cannot seek our Lord with childlike faith.

*As sheep and donkey, oxen and lamb looked on the holy miracle in wonder and sang the newborn child to sleep, may we too stand in awe before each miracle, wondrous or simple, which our God will work.

*As the angel proclaimed the tidings of God, may we be open to hear God calling us to be a part of God's plan.

*As Joseph wondered, then obeyed where he could not understand, may we be obedient - even in the face of our own lack of understanding.

*As Mary opened herself to the miraculous working of God through her, may we be instruments of God's love in whatever humble way we are summoned.

*As God was in Christ, reconciling the world, may we in prayer kneel before the manger and wonder again at the miracle of Christmas.

**JAMES C. HUFFSTUTLER
Advent at Home
This year join First Presbyterian Church in celebrating Advent at home with a special kit for you and your family to learn more about the lessons of Hope, Peace, Love, and Joy. This kit is an opportunity for families to to take time each week during the Advent season to be intentional and focus on their faith through devotions, advent wreath, and calendar practices, creative expressions and mission opportunities.
If you plan to use the kit this season, please sign up for one so we can adequately prepare and be good stewards of our resources. Thank you and we hope you will join us this Advent!
If you signed up for a kit, you can pick it up from the church this Sunday, November 29th from 10-11 a.m. or following Sunday from the lobby area of the Fellowship House.
Advent Prayer Wall
The Christian Education Committee has created a new way for you to pray this Advent. Beginning on the first Sunday of Advent, November 29, you will see an outdoor prayer wall in front of the sanctuary. If you are walking or driving by the church, you are invited to stop and add your prayer to the wall, as many times as you would like. This could be a wonderful weekly or even daily prayer practice. There will be a prompt for you to lift up a prayer for hope, joy, peace, and love and you will tie your prayer to the wall. Throughout the Advent season you will see the prayers of our congregation and community create a vision of Advent hope. 

Virtual Christmas Pageant
As we prepare for the season of Advent, the Christian Education Committee is working on many opportunities for you to learn, pray, worship, and ponder the birth of Jesus. While many of our beloved traditions will look a bit different this year, we are working to create meaningful expressions of those traditions. The Youth are working to share some Advent joy as we tell the Christmas story virtually. If you have pictures or videos from previous years' Christmas Pageant, please email them to Rachel. We appreciate your help as we gather some good historical photos from Christmas Pageants past!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Presbyterian Women
The Thank Offering is an annual opportunity for Presbyterian Women to express gratitude for the special blessings in our lives. The funds raised through this offering are used to fund Thank Offering grants (video), ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 each. At least 40% of the offering funds health related ministries.

Giving is easy. You may use this link to donate with a credit card payment on the Presbyterian Women page of our website. Just click here and select the Thank Offering as the option when making your donation. You may adjust the pre-populated amount in either direction. You may also mail or drop off your check at the church. All Thank Offering donations are due to the church by Wednesday, December 2nd. Donations received this year will fund grants awarded in 2021.
2021 Pledge Cards
Please be sure to return the 2021 pledge card you were sent to the office in the envelope provided, or visit the church website and make your pledge there before November 30.
Return the card even if you are unable to make a pledge at this time. Having the cards back helps all committees as they prepare their budgets to fund future programs. Thank you!
Angel Tree Kick-Off
Even in this challenging time of Covid19, the Board of Deacons is pleased to confirm that First Presbyterian Church will once again join forces with The Angel Tree Fellowship Ministry.
We are excited to announce that through the launch of the Virtual Angel Tree Program you can easily send the child of an incarcerated Cabarrus County parent a Christmas gift, which will strengthen and restore loving relationships, using the link below.
The Virtual Angel Tree Program allows our church community to sponsor a child of a prisoner for $22.00. The child will receive a Christmas package on behalf of their incarcerated loved one, and will include: a gift card to Walmart (based on selected sponsorship level), the prisoner parent’s message, a Gospel presentation, and an opportunity to request a free Adventure Bible.
To access the Virtual Angel Tree Ministry website and effectively navigate your way to sponsor children, the Ministry has assigned First Presbyterian Church this URL link.
Simply click here . You will then be prompted to add the Access Code: VTI52
If you require computer assistance, please ask a family member or a friend to assist you, or send a check for $22.00 made payable to First Presbyterian Church. Please add Angel Tree to the memo line, and mail to: P O Box 789 Concord, NC 28026.

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Many Thanks,
The Board of Deacons
Joy Gift Concert
We are looking forward to our Virtual Joy Gift Christmas Concert. This will not be Zoom. This is a recorded Concert and like our Sunday Service, The recording will be released Sunday, December 6, at 1:30 p.m. and then available for viewing afterwards, so watch your inbox for that email.

"The Christmas Joy Offering has been a Presbyterian tradition since the 1930's. The Offering is distributed equally to two areas of need.
The Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. The second area involves Presbyterian-related schools and colleges which provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage."
Christian Education
Be sure to check out our Virtual Sunday School Classroom with our new Growing in God's Love curriculum. For Pre-K through 5th grade children, this includes a monthly supply kit to take home and use with the virtual classroom each week.
The kits are available in the lobby area of the Fellowship House. Be sure to grab your kit to be ready to go for the lesson this Sunday. You can access the virtual classroom by clicking here or by going to the First Presbyterian Church website! The content will change weekly as we hear a new story each Sunday.
This Sunday we will be starting our new unit, "The Birth of Jesus" which will walk us through the Advent and Christmas season.
Also, please help us as make our kits. Fill out this short questionnaire to help us best prepare for you and be good stewards of our resources! https://forms.gle/gVDJVUxn5X7vfw488
First Youth Fellowship
If you are a family that has a Youth in grades 6th through 12th, be sure to sign up to receive the First Youth Fellowship newsletter. That is the best way to see all the ways youth can get connected and deepen their faith through service, community, and fun! Sign-up here to receive the Youth Newsletter for detailed information about all youth happenings. **If you didn't receive the Youth Newsletter last week, please be sure to check your spam or junk folder.
All youth families, please fill out the following short questionnaire to help Rachel best prepare and anticipate the needs for our various youth gatherings. Questionnaire found here: https://forms.gle/Z63UdUmwV43xojgG6
Presbyterian Women Circle 1

Circle One is having a Drive Through Christmas Celebration
on Sunday, December 6 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Circle One members should drive through at the church to pick up a treat and drop off “Santa on Wheels” packages.
Wear your mask!
Operation Sandwich a Success
Way to go Operation Sandwich volunteers for making over 120 bags of food for the Opportunity House to feed our homeless neighbors. We look forward to organizing another one soon.
Here is a link to watch the volunteers in action.
Purchase an Ornament/Honor a Loved One
For more than 35 years, Hospice & Palliative Care of Cabarrus County has been providing expert, personalized and compassionate care for those nearing the end of their life due to an illness or a disease for which there is no cure. Hospice care focuses on helping the patient feel as comfortable as possible, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

For the past 10 years, Hospice has partnered with Carolina Memorial Park on a project that gives families an opportunity to memorialize a loved one and raises awareness for the work that HPCCC is doing in the community. For a minimum $3 donation, you can purchase an ornament that will be inscribed with your loved one’s name with all proceeds benefiting Hospice. During the holidays, the ornaments will be displayed on lighted trees at Carolina Memorial Park, 601 Mt. Olivet Rd. in Kannapolis.

Thank you in advance for your support. For questions, call 704-403-5277 or email Kristen.Kitchen@atriumhealth.org.
2020 Contributions and Stock Transfer
Please remember that year-end contributions must be received in the church office by noon on December 31st. For stock transfers, please notify Suzanne Russell so that the proceeds can be applied to the correct account in a timely manner. Thank you!
Services Update
Our pastoral staff continues to preach and teach through various means of technology. Please join us for all of our worship opportunities on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/firstpresconcordnc/),
Worship is posted at 11:00 a.m.
Sign-up Links
Sign up here to receive the Youth Newsletter for detailed information
about all events related to youth who are in 6th-12 grade.
Calendar
Sunday, November 29, 2020
Rev. Rush Otey preaching

Wednesday, November 25
6:30 p.m. PNC online
Thursday, November 26
Office closed for Thanksgiving
Sunday, November 29
11:00 a.m. Worship
4:00 p.m. Racial Reads via Zoom
Monday, November 30
9:00 a.m. First Kids Preschool
5:30 p.m. Moderators Meeting
Tuesday, December 1
9:00 a.m. First Kids Preschool
2:45 p.m. ALC
6:00 p.m. Cub Scouts
7:00 p.m. Scouts Pack 3
Wednesday, December 2
9:00 a.m. First Kids Preschool
6:30 p.m. PNC online
Church Report
Condolences
The sympathy and condolences of the congregation are extended to the family of Nancy Odell who died on November 23. Here is a link to Nancy's obituary.
Birthdays
November 25 - Lela Bishop, Timothy Neal
November 26 - Guy Beaver, Chip Clark, Robert Johnson
November 27- Vernon Byrd, Mary Cannon Dickens, Betsy Hobbie
November 28 - Daniel Steel
November 29 - Jeff Price
November 30- Trisha Austin, Adam Conversano, Brian Moore, Ethan Olson, Grace Olson
December 1 - Betty Hill
**To enjoy a sung happy birthday, click here!**
Staff
Rush Otey
Temporary Supply Pastor 

Associate Pastor 
for Care and Mission

Associate Pastor
for Christian Formation



Director of Music and Organist

Choirmaster

Suzanne Russell
Church Administrator

Financial Secretary

Heath Ritchie
Maintenance Superintendent

Director of First Kids

Wedding Director
Contact Info
First Presbyterian Church
(704) 788-2100
suzanne.russell@firstpresconcord.org 

70 Union Street North
Concord NC 28025 

Mailing Address: 
PO Box 789 Concord NC 28026-0789

Church Office Hours: 
Monday - Thursday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Closed Friday
The Commons Prayer Room Hours:
Closed

Memorial Garden:
(704) 786-8009
36 Spring Street SW
Concord NC 28025
 
Garden Hours: 
Tuesday - Saturday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sunday, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Closed Monday