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First Presbyterian Church
Bi-Weekly Newsletter
December 31, 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE . . .
Pastoral Letter
Joys / Concerns
Worship
Fall Faith Formation
Fall Fellowship Events
Service and Mission Opportunities
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A Prayer for the New Year
God of our past, present and future, as the calendar turns and we greet another year, we ask not so much for answers to those questions that perplex us, but for confidence in your never-failing care for us.
As we reflect on the year we leave behind, we begin with gratitude for the moments and the milestones in which we experienced your presence. As we look to the year ahead, we start with hope for a kinder, more just, lavishly loving world. Through all the years, we depend on the abundance of your grace, the generosity of your mercy and the unwavering promise of your compassion.
Aid us, Almighty God, when we fail to be the people you create and call us to be.
Comfort us, Abba, when we face times of sadness, loss and grief.
Admonish us, Lord of all, when we neglect the teachings of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Guide us, Triune God, all the days of this new year, and indeed, every day of our lives until that time when we see you face to face.
Amen.
Jill Duffield, The Presbyterian Outlook
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2025 Pledges Update
As of 12/30/2024
Pledges: 170
Amount: $1,012,395.07
Percentage of 90.42
Pledge Goal: $1,119,655.01
Needed: $ 107,259.94
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Arrangements for Carlisle Caughman Harvard (Obituary)
Visitation
Friday, January 3
5:00-7:00 p.m. in the FPC sanctuary
Service of Witness to the Resurrection
Saturday, January 4
11:00 a.m. in the FPC sanctuary
Reception follows in Watts-Hill Hall.
If you are willing to provide food items for the reception, please sign up here.
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CONCERNS
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Ann Sanders, sister of Jane Brawley, is hospitalized, Atlanta GA area.
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Mary Ann Ruegg is receiving care in the Health Center at The Forest.
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Jim Gudaitis, husband of Christy Gudaitis, remains hospitalized at Duke.
Additional concerns can be found here.
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The churchlife app can be used to locate address information for sending cards to individuals and families. You may also contact the church office if you do not have access to the app.
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Sunday, January 5, 2025
Epiphany of the Lord
Worship at 11:00 a.m.
Mindy Douglas, preaching
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Sunday, January 12, 2025
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Worship & Communion
at 11:00 a.m.
Esther Hethcox, preaching
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MUSIC FOR CHILDREN
Children are welcome on Sunday mornings from 9:45-10:00 a.m. in the Godly Playroom to learn and sing songs. Lenore Champion leads this time with children.
After Worship . . .
Music with the Children
returns January 12, 2025
Children, kindergarten-6th grade are invited to a time of music with Kathy Parkins in the choir room following worship each Sunday (begins about 12:10 p.m.)
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Children's Faith Formation
The Preschool Faith Formation class is for ages 3 years to 5 years. Each Sunday, there's free play, a story, a snack, and an activity!
The kindergarten-2nd grade Faith Formation class promises a fun story, big art, drama, and a snack!
The Godly Play class is for 3rd through 5th grades. Stories are presented visually with small props. The class is invited to consider "Wondering" questions as they reflect on the story that was presented. Check in for the week and prayer time ends the session!
If your child is interested in taking part in Worship leadership, please let Lenore know! (l.champion@firstpres-durham.org)
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FAITH & COMMUNITY CLASS
We meet on Sundays from
9:45-10:45 a.m.
in Watts-Hill Hall.
We will begin a new discussion
on Sunday, January 5.
Topic: to be announced.
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LECTIONARY CLASS
Join us each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in the Robert Daye Meeting Room for discussion of the lectionary readings.
January 5: The glory of the Lord has risen upon us. The wise men from the East understood the significance of that glory when they saw the star. Do we see the presence of the Lord as clearly as they did? Do we act on that experience as boldly as they did?
January 12: Something happens in baptism – a cleansing, a rebirth, an anointing, a spiritual empowerment. Is the power in the water itself, or in the hands of the baptizer? Was the voice of the Lord heard at your baptism?
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JOURNEY'S CLASS
Sundays at 9:45 a.m.
in the Wilson Parlor
We will begin a new discussion on Christianity and Democracy on Sunday, January 5. Check out this resource for the class.
For more information on this adult class, contact Andy Henry, Eric Wiebe, or Paul Baldasare.
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MEANING IN THE MIDDLE
meets Sundays
8:00 p.m., via Zoom
(Link is sent in weekly email)
We are using the resource d365, a Presbyterian / mainline devotional to guide our discussion. There is no reading or prep required, and our topics vary from week to week, so you won't have missed anything.
We need leaders for our weekly Zoom discussions and our monthly in-person gatherings. The sign-up sheet for both is here. If you haven't already done so, please sign up for two weeks on the spreadsheet, and a giant THANK YOU to those who have already signed up.
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YOUTH CALENDAR
Faith Formation Classes for Middle School and High School begin back this Sunday, January 5
at 9:45 a.m. in the basement classrooms.
Youth Group begins back this Sunday, January 5
from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
We will begin preparing to lead worship.
Youth Sunday is February 9.
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FPC Men of Faith
Friday, January 3
8:00 a.m. at
Mad Hatters Cafe
Join with men from FPC for breakfast and some casual conversation.
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Presbyterian Women
Circle & Bible Study
Monday, January 6
10:30 a.m. in the
Daye Meeting room.
New faces welcome.
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January Yoga
led by Jane Wettach
Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m.
Fridays at 10:30 a.m.
Meet at the church.
Location to be determined based on class size.
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Annual Retreat
Sunday, January 12
12:30-3:00 p.m.
in Watts-Hill Hall
Anyone interested in how FPC can foster racial equity is welcome to join us. Lunch will be provided.
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First Acts
Sunday, January 12
4:00-5:30 p.m.
in the Wilson Parlor
Gather at FPC to read through the second act of Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee. No need to have been part of Act 1. Contact Mason Essif if you would like a copy of the script in advance: 773-480-0638, masonessif@gmail.com.
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SAVE THE DATE
First Friends
January Potluck
Friday, January 17
hosted by
Susan Dunlap and
Prasad Kasibhatla
An EVITE with details coming soon.
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The church office will be closed on Monday, January 20
in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday holiday.
MLK, JR. COMMUNITY EVENT
Open to the Public!
Monday, January 20
Annual MLK Unity March and Community Worship
The March begins at 11:00 a.m. from N.C. Mutual Life Insurance Company (411 West Chapel Hill Street) and ends with a community service that begins in the FPC sanctuary around 12 noon. All are welcome to participate in the march and the service.
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You may remember that our last letter from Mission Partners Christi and Jeff Boyd was about malaria in Congo and sub-Saharan Africa. In Sunday's PCUSA Mission Yearbook there was an article about this issue with a link to send an e-mail to our US Senators and Representatives about support for a malaria vaccination program. We did not see any of our members of Congress as supporters yet. It is easy to just sign your name, or you can personalize the message.
Here's the link to the Mission Yearbook entry:
https://www.presbyterianmission.org/yearbook/November-17-2024/
Here's the link to the e-mail to Congress:
https://www.votervoice.net/PCUSA/Campaigns/118056/Respond
-Karolyn Mangeot
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