Introducing Our New Interim Pastor: Rev. Frederick "Fritz" Ritsch

Thank you for your patience as we worked to find the very best Interim Pastor for our church. This year Interim Pastors are in very high demand. Churches around the country are dealing with changes in spiritual leadership at a record pace. As your Transition Team, we are extremely grateful that we have been led to an outstanding Interim Pastor; Rev. Fritz Ritsch, who moved to Greensboro several weeks ago. He has an impressive record of building leaders within congregations and building bridges throughout the community. Please read the message from Rev Fritz Ritsch below and then join us in worship on Sunday October 2, as well as during the lemonade social after worship.

Thank you,

Lydia, Laura, Mike, Anna and Nelson 

Click to see a message from Rev. Fritz Ritsch

Sunday, October 2

World Communion Sunday

• Service led by Rev. Fritz Ritsch.
• Worship Leader: Alex Bowers
• Flowers: Kathy Moody
• Head usher: Margret Cockerell
• Pennies for Hunger collected
• Reception to follow service to welcome Fritz and his wife, Margaret.

Beacons: Sunday, October 2: 

We will meet in the Scout Hut from 5-7 for our weekly Bible study and fellowship time together. Beacons, please think of (or bring) a favorite game that we could all enjoy playing together tonight! 

Meals for the Beacons

The Beacons are looking for people to provide light suppers for their meetings on Sunday evenings. If you are willing to be a supper host, click the button for available dates and more details.for Beacons

This Month:

Head Usher: Margret Cockerell

Sun., October 9

• Worship Leader: Derek Higgs
• Scripture Reader: Needed
• Flowers: Needed
• Congregational Meeting following worship

Friday, Oct. 14 & Saturday, Oct. 15:

Autumn Leaves Parking for Beacons and Thanksgiving Meals

Sun., October 16

• Worship Leader: Peter Pequeno
• Scripture Reader: Needed
• Flowers: Needed
• Minute for Missions

Sun., October 23

• Guest minister: David Docusen
• Worship Leader: Bettsee McPhail
• Scripture Reader: Needed
• Flowers: Needed

Sun., October 30: Stewardship Sunday

• Worship Leader: Needed
• Scripture Reader: Needed
• Flowers: Mary P

Pennies For Hunger: Oct. 2

The first Sunday of the month we pass around yellow buckets for our Pennies for Hunger offering. You can also give to this fund through the Realm app. Just go to the giving tab and select the fund "HUNGER"

Community Outreach:

This fall, FPCMA will be providing a couple of meals for the Mount Airy High School football team before their Friday night games. The second date is October 7th at 3:30pm. We need a few volunteers to help set up, clean up and cook. If you are interested in helping, please reach out to the office at office@fpcma.com.

Autumn Leaves Parking for Thanksgiving Meals

The Missions Ministry Team and the Youth Ministry Team decided that the money raised from parking this year will be split between Thanksgiving meals and the Beacons' summer conferences fund.

We need volunteers for shifts on Friday (10/14), Saturday (10/15) and Sunday (10/16). Sign up using button below or the signup sheet at church.

Adult Fellowship Survey

Several members have expressed interest in restarting our adult fellowship groups (Men's and Women's). These groups can involve fellowship, devotions, a Sunday school class, mission work, and/or volunteering for the church.

Please take a moment to answer the short questionnaire by clicking one of the buttons to help us gauge interest and make plans.

Support Our Area Charities 

Baskets are located in the Foyer outside the sanctuary for:

Yokefellow: Canned or dried milk, oatmeal

Shepherd's House: Paper towels

Worship Volunteers Needed:

There are lots of ways to get involved during Sunday morning worship. We need scripture readers, flowers for the sanctuary, greeters, nursery helpers and Little Church helpers. There are sign-up sheets in the foyer, click a button below, or reach out to Anna at office@fpcma.com.

The First Steps committee is asking for assistance with needed items for the coming school year. You can follow the link below to access their amazon wish list. Thank you for your support!

Sandwich Saturday Wrap-up

A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered and/or donated to this important ministry. We have stopped for the year, but plan to do it again next summer. 

This year we provided 225 lunches!

Walk to End Alzheimer's:

Wrap-up

Thank you to everyone who donaned and/or walked this year. We raised $1135 just missing our goal of $1500 by $365. (Donations are still accepted through the end of the year.)

We had 10 walkers on our team including:

Beth Pequeno- Team Captain

Joy Barlow and Blanton Youell- Team Leaders (Blanton didn’t walk since he was the DJ for the event)

Bob Keck; Lauren, Maddie, and Claire Youell; Loida Slate; and Anna Peterson.

Adult Sunday School Offerings:

Odds and Ends: (50+ years old) : this is our longest established class and it meets every Sunday at 10am in the classroom located at the end of the long hallway upstairs.

Adult Sunday School: Sundays at 10am in the Ladies Parlor. This class is open to all adults and uses The Bible Project that pairs a video with passages to read and discussion questions to walk through as a group. Each lesson stands alone, so come when you are able. Led by David Rives.

Prayer List

Please keep the following people in your prayers:

Steven Lowe, Jim and Janice Younger, Tyler Payne, Tim East, Jean Arrington, Ron Atkins, Mariah Tate, Vickie Riekehof, Becky Lyons, Terri Keck, Pam Church, Denny Holder, Kathryn Benfer, Wendy Bryd, and Jillian Roach.

If you have a prayer request, contact Anna in the church office or email office@fpcma.com.

Hospice Afghans for Veterans

Hospice is running low on afghans for their veterans. Afghans need to be no more than 3'x3' and use red, white and blue yarn in any pattern you choose.

They can always use 3x'3' afghans in any color you choose.

Contact Beth Pequeno for more information. beth.pequeno@gmail.com.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

9-8-8 is the new three-digit dialing code to reach help for suicide and crisis help across the United States. Please help to spread the word about this very important topic, and encourage anyone you know who may need help to dial 9-8-8. Texting is also an option.

We had a special time of worship and fellowship on Sunday, September 25 when we met at Riverside Park for our service followed by a cookout and covered dish lunch.

Session Members

Moderator: Rev. Frederick "Fritz" Ritsch

Clerk of the Session: Bob Keck

Elders:

Class of 2022:

Mary Ellen Goad, Joy Barlow, Nelson Clark, and Valerie Parker

Class of 2023:

Will Sheppard, Margaret Cockerell, and

Beth Pequeno

Class of 2024:

Barry Schneider, Lydia Taylor, and David Rives