The FPC Auburn Session has called a congregational meeting for October 17 after the 11:00am worship service for the purpose of electing the elders and trustee for the class of 2024, and for electing the 2022 nominating committee.

An online voting option will be included in next week’s Friday email.

"that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love.” - Ephesians 3:17

Make both your financial and time and talent pledge for 2022 today at:

To learn more about the session's vision for ministry at FPC in 2022, click here to access a PDF version of the campaign brochure (a physical copy is in the mail).

Save the date! On Reformation Sunday, which will also serve as this year's dedication Sunday for our 2022 Stewardship Campaign, we will have two options for worship. Our 9am service will be held as usual in the FPC Sanctuary (with communion, shared virtually at 11am for those worshiping at home) and our 11am service will be held outdoors at the Town Creek Park Pavilion with a bring-your-own picnic lunch to follow. Mark your calendars and look for more details to come!

Flu Shot Clinic will be on October 10, 11:30am until 1:30pm. We will primarily give the current flu vaccine using a drive-through encounter, or you may visit the table in the rear parking area of the church after worship. If you have not participated previously you will need to bring your insurance card. If you participated last year, your information is on file unless you changed health insurance.

We will also have available a few Pneumonia and Shingles vaccines. However, if you want either of those, you must be ABSOLUTELY sure that you did not already have a dose of Pneumonia vaccine or #2 of the Shingles vaccine. We will not have access to your computer records, but want you to know that the insurance will not pay for the injections if you have already gotten them. Cost is $185 so be absolutely sure you are eligible for those vaccines. This is ONLY for the pneumonia or shingles vaccines. If you have questions, feel free to call me at 334-663-6668.

Jan Widell, Parish Nurse

Please join us on Saturday October 23 for our FPC Auburn work day. The property committee is coordinating this event and they have lots of projects around the church property they would like to complete. They need your help, so feel free to bring some work gloves and any tools you think might be helpful. We will have projects both inside the church and outside on the church property. If you have any questions feel free to contact Rev. Nick Reed (nreed@fpcauburn.org).

Calling all church members! Join our children and youth in Fall Fellowship and take part in our first ever Trunk or Treat!! You are invited to park your car in the church parking lot, decorate it with a spooky or fun Halloween theme, and then be ready at 5pm to hand out candy to all of the trunk or treaters. There will be prizes for the best decorated cars!

Sign up for a parking space HERE. Need more information about trunk or treating? Click this link to see what a trunk or treat is all about!

All children, youth, and their families are invited to come at 5pm show off your best Halloween costume ideas and enjoy a time of fellowship...and candy!

What a treat to be able to enjoy a time of refreshment and fellowship following worship. A big thank you to our hosts! However, there are a whole lot of Sundays coming up with open slots. If you would like to volunteer to host a Sunday Punch-on-the-Lawn, you may sign up here. For more information about volunteering, please contact Kirstin Yost at atkmyost97@gmail.comor 910-309-1625.

It's been lovely seeing beautiful arrangements back in our sanctuary on Sundays. We still have several open dates (two in October) on the calendar. If you would like to cover the cost of flowers for Sunday morning worship, please sign up for a date on our SignUp Genius page. If you are unable to sign up online, you may contact Sarah Wolak at 334-728-7853 to sign up for a date. While the Sign-Up Genius page only has one slot available for each week, you are welcome to split the cost with another family-- just be sure to write both names in the comments section. The cost of the flowers has been increased to $50 per arrangement, not including tax and delivery fee. As before, you are welcome to bring the arrangements home after the service, or to leave them to be delivered to other members of the congregation.

✵ 9:00 & 11:00 a.m.: In-Person, Indoor Worship -  If you attend one of the indoor services in coming weeks you will notice many differences from our "normal" sanctuary worship. At this time, based on recommendations from our COVID Task Force and Session, we will have a very simple service without congregational singing, passing of the peace, and several other elements you might be looking forward to sharing with your church family. However, as local conditions and guidelines continue to improve it is our greatest hope that we will begin adding back in all these elements of worship we know and love. Thank you so much for your patience and grace as we try to maintain the greatest level of safety for our congregation, musicians, worship leaders, and our greater community.

At the sign-up link below (and the email containing the sign-up sent on Thursday), you will find detailed information on our current protocols for worship attendance.

✵ 11:00 a.m.: Virtual Worship - We are pleased to announce that we are live-streaming our worship service at 11 a.m. What this means is that those worshiping from home will be able to watch the service live as it is happening in the sanctuary. To view the service you can go directly to our church’s YouTube Channel via your computer, smartphone, or Smart TV app (https://tinyurl.com/t7dl8vh) or you can access the worship service through our website or Facebook page.

If you are unable to watch live at 11 a.m., a recorded version of the service will be available at these same links later in the day.

9:45am, FPC Chapel

In her book, More Than Words: 10 Values for the Modern Family, author Erin Wathen explores what it means to practice family values such as compassion, sabbath, authenticity, and joy. While this class was initially requested by parents of our church's youth and children, it is open to individuals, couples, and families of all walks and phases of life. Participants are encouraged to purchase a copy of the book. If you are interested in attending, please contact Rev. Kathy Reed.

9:45am, Room 309

This fall, the Burton Bible and Bible Basics classes will be combining to explore a new PC(USA) curriculum, "Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living." Based on practices followed by Jesus and that he taught us to do as faithful followers, this new curriculum examines where these practices are found in the Bible and how they have been used in Christian faith then and now. If you are interested in attending, please contact co-teachers Jim Bannon and/or Henry Brandhorst so that enough participant guides may be ordered.

9:45am, Baird Hall OR Zoom

The Old Testament Sunday school class is now in the post-exilic period of the story of Israel. Our scripture during this phase of our study will come from the books of Ezra/Nehemiah, Third Isaiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Esther, and Daniel. In person class begins in Baird Hall at 9:45. A Zoom option is also available. Please contact Gayle Andress if you wish to receive a Zoom invitation.

Tuesdays, 2pm, Library OR Zoom

You do not have to be an artist to find a great deal of meaning in the practice of Bible journaling. Join us in the church library (or, if you are more comfortable, via Zoom) every Monday as we reflect upon the previous Sunday's sermon and Scripture text and explore various kinds of drawing, painting, and journaling techniques. For more information, please contact Susan Fillippeli.

In loving memory of Gerri Talley, her long service to Presbyterian Women, and her instrumental role in ministry to mothers and children through the founding of the Layette Project, the PW Coordinating Team have renamed the Project, The Gerri Talley Memorial Layette Project. If desired, members of PW and others may donate to the Project by submitting a check to Presbyterian Women with Gerri Talley Memorial Layette Project in the memo line.  

With the university back in session, UKirk is restarting dinner and Bible Study on Sunday nights at 7 p.m. If you are interested in providing dinner for UKirk, you may sign up for a Sunday here.

When you volunteer for a Sunday, we ask that you provide dinner and dessert for 15-20 students, including a vegetarian option for those who do not eat meat. UKirk will provide the utensils, plates, and drinks. You are welcome to join the students for dinner, drop off a meal beforehand, or make a donation to our meal fund (to donate: please make a check out to FPC with “UKirk Meal Fund” written in the memo line). All meals will take place in our courtyard to ensure the greatest level of safety.

If you are interested in providing a meal, but Sundays do not work for you, please contact Caroline; there are mid-week events where we also provide dinner!

Thank you so much for your willingness to support our UKirk students!

--The University Ministry Committee

Join Denise Salo on a moving journey on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Monday each month, 9-10 a.m. in Baird Hall. Exercises will work on strength, balance, and recovery. Contemporary Christian music and scripture focus and reflection are all part of a fun morning. Masks required and FPC Covid protocols in effect. Contact: Denise Salo 313.304.3248 denise_salo@yahoo.com

Parents of Children and Youth - please see the update in Adult Christian Education Opportunities about the new “Modern Families” class that will begin this Sunday. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Reed.

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

•      Worship Readiness has begun. This year, Worship Readiness is offered for 2nd and 3rd graders. Each Sunday for six weeks children will learn about all of the different pieces of worship and why we worship the way we do. At the conclusion of Worship Readiness, our 2nd and 3rd graders will be prepared to stay in worship for the entire service. We meet in Room 111 next to the Godly Play room.

•      The nursery is now available from 9:30 until noon on Sunday mornings for children birth to age 3.

•      Godly Play: After the Word to Grow By (at 11 a.m. worship), children ages 4 to 1st grade will go to the Godly Play room to worship together for the remainder of the worship service.

•      Worship bags are also available for all children during worship.

•      Children’s Sunday school will meet this Sunday from 9:45 – 10:45 upstairs in the children’s classrooms. There will be two classes, Pre-K through 1st grade and 2nd through 5th grade.

•      Masks are required indoors for children 3 & over and youth, as well as all adults working with them.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

•      Mark your calendars, the Montreat Youth Conference for rising 9th graders through graduated seniors will be July 10-16, 2022

•      Mark your calendars, the Montreat Middle School Conference for rising 6th through rising 8th graders will be July 20-24, 2022 (this is a new conference, more info to come)

•      Jr. and Sr. High Sunday school meets weekly from 9:45 – 10:45am upstairs in the Sr. High room.

•      Jr. High Youth Group will meet this Sunday at 4pm in Baird Hall.

•      Sr. High Youth Group will meet this Sunday at 5pm in Baird Hall

Parking for the AU vs. Georgia game will open at 7am.

During its Zoom on-line meeting on September 20, the Session…

• learned that the church’s income for August 2021 was $53,976; expenses, $68,585; and net income, minus $14,609; and, for January through August 2021, income was $498,519;expenses, $485,153; and net income, $13,367;

• learned that the Gift Acceptance Committee will meet soon to determine use of accumulated gifts;

• approved offering communion each week during the 9:00 a.m. worship service;

• approved worship at Town Creek Park for the 11:00 a.m. service on Dedication/Reformation Sunday, October 31;

• approved church member Will Duin’s moving into a student center apartment on October 1;

• approved appointments of Jessica Barnes and Kirsten Yost as Session representatives to the COVID Task Force;

• tabled a motion by the COVID Task Force regarding reopening policy following discussion;

• learned that the annual stewardship campaign would begin on September 26; and

• learned from staff members that the Personnel Committee is constructing a job description for Property Manager; that the Publix grocery store should be completed by May 2022; that the Methodist church has purchased the property at the corner of Thach and Gay, where the cleaners was located; that nine confirmands are preparing for their confirmations in the spring; and that two new Sunday school classes for adults have been well attended.

Church members may read the complete, approved minutes for this meeting in the church office.

As you read the information below, please note that the church building is NOT yet open for general use. PLEASE do not enter the building without first contacting a staff member (preferably as outlined below, via email at least 48 hours in advance) so that we can continue to provide the greatest level of safety and sanitation.

Please send an email at least 48 hours before your group would like to gather so staff members have plenty of time to communicate and avoid overlapping groups.

Please contact the following staff members with any questions or concerns in the

following areas:

Children and Youth | Chris Sarkowski

Music | Damion Womack

UKirk and University Ministry | Caroline Barnett 

Worship | Nick Reed or Kathy Reed

Mission | Kathy Reed

Adult Education and Presbyterian Women | Kathy Reed

Congregational Life | Nick Reed 

Property | Nick Reed or Steve Hickok

General Office | Kathy Rushing

Generosity | Kathy Reed

Finance | Nick Reed 

Personnel | Nick Reed or Kathy Reed

We thank you in advance for your patience and grace as we do our best to transition into this next (exciting!) phase of our reopening. Please know that in the weeks ahead we may find need to institute a more formal scheduling system in order to facilitate groups that desire to meet in the building. We will use the weekly email newsletter as a place to share these updates.

With much gratitude, The FPC Staff

Birthdays

Oct. 11 - Kristina Lane

Oct. 13 - Evert Duin

Oct. 14 - Ralph DuToit, Dorothy Hinkle-Uhlig, Kim Spencer

Oct. 16 - Jo Cooper, Anne Leader

January 29, 1952 - October 1, 2021

  Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Celebrations:

• We rejoice with the Thurlow family upon the birth of Olivia Eloise Thurlow, October 5, to Charles Michael and Cassie Thurlow. Olivia is the first grandchild for Chuck and Suzanne Biles Thurlow and the first great-granddaughter for Bobbie Thurlow.

• Prayers of comfort for Mary Dalrymple and all the family and friends of Larry Dalrymple as they grieve Larry Dalrymple’s death.

• Prayers of comfort for Paul Talley, Larry Keller, and all the family and friends of Gerri Talley as they grieve Gerri Talley’s death.

• Prayers of healing for Bill Combs as he seeks medical treatment for cancer. Prayers of comfort and guidance for Bill and Patsy as they process this diagnosis. 

• Prayers of healing for Jason Banks (Margaret Brinkley’s neighbor). Jason is in stable condition at EAMC after a car accident.

• Prayers for Nick Reed as prepares for outpatient surgery next week. He hopes to only be away from the church for a few days.

• Prayers of healing for Bob Webeler’s sister, Rev. Susan Webeler, who is now receiving daily physical therapy at facility near son who lives in Ohio.

• Prayers of healing for members of our church who are recovering from medical procedures this week, but do not wish to be named at this time. Also please continue to pray for many members of our church who are dealing with illness or significant health issues, but at this time do not wish to be mentioned by name.

• We continue to pray for healing and wholeness for those dealing with issues related to Covid-19. We also continue to pray for all the health care workers as they tend to everyone’s well being.