JANUARY 2025

The First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary has stories to tell.

During one of the recent storms Bill Lessard, the historic preservation specialist who is both a member of First Presbyterian Church and one of its main caretakers, discovered a small leak in the steeple. The leak isn't an urgent concern, but it will need to be repaired. To start his investigation, Bill had a friend come and fly a drone over the steeple to get a better look. And then he looked at the same places from the inside. Places that are WAY up high in the steeple. And way up high is where he photographed some of the carvings in the beams that remind us of the volumes these buildings could write.

Who was J. B. Brown of 1884? What was the reference to Canada West? We know that Canada West is modern-day Ontario, but in the 19th century it was a main destination for tens of thousands of enslaved men and women and children seeking freedom. Was someone leaving a message to say where they were going, or was it a message from an artisan who had traveled from there to work on the steeple? And who was S. Welsh of the 12th Reg.?

We're going to, eventually, get the leak fixed, of course. Some day in the next 6 - 12 months you'll likely see a ladder truck or crane visiting us on New Street (it needs to be able to reach up 100 feet - and that's not an easy thing to find!) to make those repairs, but I keep thinking about those carvings and the stories they could tell. What stories does our church tell now? What do people know from the ministry that happens here and flows from here?

What is the story of faith our own lives tell? Is it a mystery that leaves people wondering or is it clear from the way I live that I am a disciple of Jesus Christ?

As we enter 2025 I am grateful for the stewardship that cares for this campus and congregation so that we can continue telling THE story, the story of Love that Saves, for 200 years and more.

Peace to you,

2025 Financial Stewardship Update

As of December 30, we have received 218 pledges for the 2025 budget, for a total of $945,032. In addition, we have received 41 pledges for the FPC Foundation totaling $59,734. We are grateful for those who have pledged!

JANUARY 5 SESSION I BEGINS

Adult Education: Faith Formation

A new session of adult education classes begins on January 5. Classes include: Jesus: A Pilgrimage, taught by Wendy Moeller; The Present Word, taught by George Evans, and Seeing Grey, taught by Lana Brunk and Dick Betts.

To discover more about these classes and other Faith Formation opportunities, click to learn more on the website or pick up a printed brochure in the narthex.

JANUARY 8

Fellowship Dinner

Sign up now for our January Fellowship Dinner on Wednesday, January 8 at 5:30 pm in the J. Murphy Smith Center. On the menu: potato and chili bar!

Please RSVP by this Friday, January 4th.

WENDY MOELLER

William Lee Hawkins Library

December was, as it always is, a busy and, for some, a stressful month, so we will be going lighthearted on this month’s reading recommendations. But first, a story about why I have selected these books.  

My mother died in May of 2020 leaving my Norfolk-based father grief-stricken after 68 years of marriage. His three daughters on the East Coast were attentive with frequent visits and coordinated trips to minimize his loneliness, but my sister in California really struggled with how she could contribute, given the distance. Struggled, until she and my dad settled into their little transcontinental book club which consisted of daily phone calls during which for thirty or forty minutes Shari would read to my father and they could discuss whatever they had read.

They read together history, adventure tales, theology, memoir, even rereading my father’s own memoir of several years earlier. And then they hit on Jan Karon’s Mitford Series, the fictional world of Father Tim, an Episcopal priest in a North Carolina mountain town modeled after Blowing Rock. I would call later in the day and my father would regale me with the happenings in Father Tim’s life, his theology, his ministry struggles and joys, the crazy things his parishioners were doing. That series (all 14 of them) kept them going for the better part of two years. I am convinced Jan Karon was a crucial factor in my father’s return to joy.  

Our library has seven of the fourteen books in the series (and a special volume of collected Father Tim quotes), all on the Fiction shelves under FIC KAR, but for the month of January they will be on the big table in the Hawkins Library on the second floor of the Ministry Center to be checked out for your reading pleasure. And when you are done, be sure and say a little prayer of gratitude that Mitford came through Hurricane Helene unscathed!

STACEY GRIFFITH

Backpack Blessings December Build

This December, Backpack Blessings put together boxes of staples plus a holiday meal for all the families whose kids receive the snack packs. And the families came and received the boxes directly from us...so it is a wonderfully connected way of sharing holiday joy. I always look forward to this, and served during the Tues. late afternoon/evening delivery. 

Each of the 305 families (and yes, the largest group ever!) we served received a holiday ham or turkey, 2 large boxes of food staples, a bag of frozen items, a large bag of additional foods, a holiday pie, and a bag of fresh fruit!  

As our clients pulled their cars up, we loaded holiday foods into the recipients cars and exchanged holiday greetings and smiles.

As always, our congregation supplied willing hands and hearts for the Backpack Blessing Holiday Meal assembly and distribution. In total, we packed 600 boxes of Holiday food so each of our 304 recipient families (and yes, this is more than last year) got a bountiful supply of food staples and a complete holiday meal for the family. We unpacked and stocked the food on the tables, assembled the food boxes and bags, then broke down the shipping containers and built more basic food boxes for the next shift to fill.  As always, First Pres. was central to the success of this ministry. Eight of us found the time during this holiday season to lend willing hands to this ministry. 

A tip of the hat to Karen Reed, Bob Little, Judy Paquin, Taylor and Scott McClellan, Olivia Peterson, Kirsten Sonstegard, and Stacey Griffith. 

Thank you, as always, to First Pres. for your continuing support of time, treasure, and talent to this ministry, as well as to Jane Dail who sits on the Board of Backpack Blessing. And a special thanks to our wonderful staff without whom we could never continue to contribute to this ministry in such a meaningful way. 

Though this particular 'special' food outreach only happens once a year, this was one of MANY Backpack ministry builds First Pres. participated in this year. A total of approximately 100+ First Presbyterian members engaged in at least one of these food/snack pack builds during the course of 2024.  We look forward to continuing our support for this ministry which serves Craven, Jones, and Pamlico County school age kids and their families as we move into 2025 and beyond.

OUR NEXT BUILD EVENT

January 13 & 14

Our first packing event comes pretty quick in the new year! It will be on January 13 and 14 and we would love to see you there.

DECEMBER TRIP

Lunch Wagon visits Chinese Lantern Festival

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

Special Christmas Project

Each year the Presbyterian Women’s Circles select a special Christmas project. This year Circle 2 members collected checks and donations for Colonial Capital Humane Society.

In January the Circles will collect donations for the Carolina East Women’s and Children’s Unit. Their wish list is: take home clothes, size newborn; diapers, size 1 and 2; and monetary donations toward car seats.

Charitable giving is a key aspect of Presbyterian Women and we find joy in working together to help those in need. 

CCHS loved our donations!

CATHERINE CAMPBELL

Children, Youth, and Family Ministries

If you are interested in a detailed calendar of upcoming Children, Youth, and Family Ministry opportunities, or volunteering, please reach out to

Catherine Campbell, Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry: catherine@firstpresnb.org

PAT KERR ROWLETT

♫ Music Notes

Happy New Year! I want to thank everyone in the Music Program for a very enriching season of choral and handbell music. We had handbells, flute, string quartet for the Vivaldi Gloria, children, youth and adult ensembles all singing during the Advent season.

The highlight for many of us was the Vivaldi Gloria during both worship services on December 15. The choir began rehearsing this beautiful but difficult piece in September, learning difficult running passages and pronunciation of the Latin text. Kudos to them for achieving such a high level of musicianship and expression. The string players were from the Raleigh area, and we were not able to rehearse with them until 7:30 am Sunday morning! We had an extra rehearsal on Saturday without them. Thanks to Daniel Sansone for excellent choices of registration and playing continuo with the ensemble. We actually had fun!

Now we are preparing for Lauren Blackerby’s concert on Friday January 10 at 7:00 pm. She will do two pieces with me, one from the Gloria with Erica Smith, and two with the choir. She is the daughter of Jim and Cheryl Blackerby, and granddaughter of Nick Blackerby. In Middle School she began playing for us every time her family visited New Bern from Houston. She is a professional oboist with the Boise Philharmonic and a very busy musician. Please join us for this very special program.

FAITH FORMATION

Women's Retreat

Join the group from FPC heading to the annual Women’s Connection Conference in Montreat this August! This is a wonderful time for women to connect with old and new friends, a time to care for yourself, and a time for space and Sabbath. We will attend together and share in powerful and authentic worship led by women, provide space for honest and faithful conversation, and allow time for discernment and renewing rest. The keynote speaker is Amy-Jill Levine, who describes herself as an unorthodox member of an Orthodox synagogue and a Yankee Jewish feminist who works to counter biblical interpretations that exclude and oppress.

NOTE: Rather than registering for the conference individually, we will register as a group through First Presbyterian. Learn more and sign up to let us know you’re coming!

First Presbyterian Church, New Bern Staff

Anna Pinckney Straight - Pastor

anna@firstpresnb.org

Patrick Ryan - Associate Pastor

patrick@firstpresnb.org

Catherine Campbell - Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry

catherine@firstpresnb.org

Pat K. Rowlett - Director of Music

pat@firstpresnb.org

Daniel Sansone - Associate Director of Music & Organist

daniel@firstpresnb.org

Susan Mabie

Director of Resurrection Singers

Tim Elliott - Facilities Manager

property@firstpresnb.org

Dawn Inglis - Office Administrator

church@firstpresnb.org

Kerri Wheeler - Preschool Director

kerri@firstpresnb.org

Summer Hough - Financial Administrator

summer@firstpresnb.org

Communications

comms@firstpresnb.org

Louis Foye - Sexton

Richard Colflesh - Maintenance

property@firstpresnb.org

Stephen Ministry

stephenministry@firstpresnb.org

pastoroncall@firstpresnb.org

After office hours or on the weekend,

a good way to reach a pastor is to

email the pastor on call.

Share your News!

Have an article for the newsletter? Want an announcement placed in the bulletin? See something we should post on social media? Have photos of a church event to share? Email comms@firstpresnb.org to get your news shared!

Bulletin Deadline:

Mondays at 12:00 pm

Weekly Word Deadline:

Mondays at 12:00 pm

First Edition/Monthly Newsletter Deadline:

the 20th of the month at 12:00 pm

Physical Address

400 New Street,

New Bern, NC 28560

Mailing Address

PO Box 1069,

New Bern, NC 28563

Church Office Hours

Monday - Thursday

9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Friday

9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Contact Information

252.637.3270

church@firstpresnb.org

www.firstpresnb.org