You can now use your smart phone to text a donation to FPC. Here's how:

Save the date for your Back to School Blessing on August 23rd! If you are a student of any age, teacher, or a family with students, whether at home or at school, know that we are praying for you! There will be a special blessing in our virtual worship at 10:00 a.m., and then a drive thru time following worship to pick up your blessing tag and a popsicle! Look for more details on Facebook and in next week's Banner!

First Kids is excited to be reopening! The school still needs 4 classroom teachers. If you would like to be part of this wonderful school, please contact our director, Maureen O’Bryan, 704-788-2812, or frstkids@yahoo.org.

Are you a media savvy individual? Do you consider yourself creative? Do you love technology and all that can be done through it and with it? Well, If this sounds like you, then please let us know. We want to talk to you! Email or call CE moderator Hunter Morrison:

huntermorrison@gmail.com 704-807-8799

One of the most creative and dynamic ministries in the Presbyterian Church USA is happening at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina, under the leadership of their Head of Staff, Marcia Mount Shoop (https://www.gcpcusa.org/who-we-are/gcpc-staff/). Under her leadership, the church has developed a unique model for mission called “Covenant Partners.” The church website describes it this way:

Two aspects of this work that we are hoping to improve upon in 2020 are finding ways to cultivate especially deep relationships (something that can be a challenge when working with such a large number of partners), as well as consciously and continuously examining our commitment to equity, so that our actions align with our convictions. The Serve Council’s commitment to this work has inspired us to begin exploring ways to share decision-making power with directly-impacted people, who know best how to address the root causes of injustice. In addition to this, during this time of pandemic, we have seen the ways that the institutional/systemic racism that has long-harmed Black and Brown bodied people is being exacerbated, and people of color are being most negatively impacted. Therefore, the Council believes that now is the time for GCPC to respond boldly and faithfully to this reality (https://www.gcpcusa.org/get-involved/ministry-partners/).

I share this with you because this way of doing mission fits nicely with the Matthew 25 initiative of the Presbyterian Church USA which has been adopted by both Charlotte Presbytery and the Session of First Presbyterian Church of Concord. The Matthew 25 initiative can be described this way:

Matthew 25:31–46 calls all of us to actively engage in the world around us, so our faith comes alive and we wake up to new possibilities … We recognize Christ’s urgent call to be a church of action, where God’s love, justice and mercy shine forth and are contagious. And we rejoice how our re-energized faith can unite all Presbyterians for a common and holy purpose: our common identity to do mission (https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/matthew-25/).

A link to an introductory video can be found here: Watch the video 

Blessings,

Scott Kenefake

Interim Pastor

Missing the public library? Just a reminder you can check out a book from the church library located in the library conference room in the Education Building. Call the office, 704-788-2100, Monday through Thursday before 4 p.m. to have someone let you in to browse for a selection you would enjoy.

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/),

YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfpzVUz-ZgaCJuogIMor8Iw) or our Sermon Archives (https://firstpresconcord.org/worship/sermon-archives/).