TOTAL Ministries Food Drive

This Sunday

Drop off non-perishable donations for TOTAL Ministries before or after service in the marked bins in the Tower Room, Narthex, or the Family Life Center Lobby.

For a list of items needed, visit fpcspartanburg.org/total-ministries

Church Facilities CLOSED

Labor Day (Monday, September 4)

In recognition of Labor Day, all church and gym facilities will be closed on Monday, September 4. We will re-open with regular business hours the following day.

We hope you have a safe long weekend!

Summer Sizzle: Rally Day

Sunday, September 10

It's almost time to ring in the start of new Sunday School classes with our annual Rally Day celebration!

This year's Rally Day will feature music, sprinklers, and the return of last year's foam party! Children and adults of all ages are encouraged to bring their towels and swimsuits and join the fun!

We'll be having a BBQ buffet line for lunch with slaw, beans, chips...the works! WAF pricing applies, and reservations are due by September 5. Click the button below to make yours today! We can't wait to celebrate with you soon!

JOY Fellowship Ladies' Tea

Wednesday, September 6 at 3:00 pm

Join the ladies of the church for tea and scones in the Perrin Room and courtyard. Hats and white gloves optional.

RSVP by clicking the button below, calling (864) 208-2132 or emailing Joanie Shackleton (jshackleton@fpcspartanburg.org).

Fall Focus: "This Is Our Story"

Beginning September 10

Beginning on Rally Day, September 10, First Presbyterian is embarking on a season of storytelling with a church-wide focus this Fall that we are calling: “This Is Our Story.” Through worship, study, and mission, we will explore the different ways that our individual and collective stories tell the Story of God’s redemptive love at work all around us. We hope you will join us as together we bear witness to the good news that God’s story is very much still being written.

Bill's Book Club

Begins Tuesday, September 5

The first meeting of the 2023-2024 Bill's Book Club (BBC) year is this Tuesday, September 5! We’ll be discussing In Darkest South Carolina by Brian Hicks. 

Can’t wait to see you at either the 10:30am or 7:00pm meeting in the Arthur Center.

Young Adult Pizza & Pickleball

Tuesday, September 5

This Tuesday, we will be having a Young Adult Pickleball & Pizza Night! Come play pickleball in the First Pres gym, and then join us at Venus Pie afterward for pizza!

All skill levels welcome, but no children please. If you have paddles, bring them with you!

Wednesdays at First

Returns September 13

Enjoy good food and fellowship at WAF! (Wednesdays At First)

Click the button below to make your dinner reservations.

Acts 2:46 Lunches & Dinners

Sign Up by September 13

These Acts 2:46 lunches and dinners have been a blessing of laughter and belonging for folks. Be sure to join the fun this fall! When you register for our September 24 meals, you will be placed in a small group of 10-12 church folks for a one-time meal together, so you can have a proper visit rather than a rushed hello. Your host will invite everyone to bring something for the meal.

For the dinners, you will have the choice to be in an intergenerational (ages 22–102) or your “same decade” group. Your host will reach out the week before with their address and the menu. Lunch groups are also available. Click the the button to sign up by September 13.

Questions? Contact Ansley Page – apage@fpcspartanburg.org

Welcome Class

Sunday, September 17

On Sunday, September 17, we will have a special Welcome Class, 12:00-2:00pm in the Large Private Dining Room. Lunch will be included. If you are interested in joining or learning more about First Presbyterian Church, please RSVP to Joanie Shackleton (jshackleton@fpcspartanburg.org / 864-208-2132); this will help us with planning. 

JOY Fellowship - NASCAR Hall of Fame

Thursday, September 28

You're invited to join our Just Older Youth Fellowship as they visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum in Charlotte, NC. Cost of admission is $24.00 per person. Bring money for lunch at the Pit Stop Café! Space is limited, so click the button below to sign up today!!

Questions? Contact Joanie Shackleton (jshackleton@fpcspartanburg.org / 864-208-2132)

Churchwide Day of Service

Saturday, October 14

On Saturday, October 14, we will be having our second-annual Churchwide Day of Service! We will gather at the church at 8:00am for coffee and a brief devotion then, from 9:00am-12:00pm, people will serve in various local organizations around Spartanburg. Come back at noon for lunch and a debrief together, and we will finish by 1:00pm.

Childcare provided up - upon request - through 8 years old, and there are service opportunities for all ages! You won't want to miss it! Click the button below to register by October 1!

Children's Choirs

Begin September 13

Get your shine on with this year's Children's Choirs! Kids from 4K to 5th Grade will be the stars of Wednesday evenings as they burst into song!

The children's choir lineup will be different this year, but they'll be shining brighter than ever:

• Joyful Sound (4K) - Taught by Debbie Keiser
• Angel Chatter (5K-Grade 1) - Taught by Martha Bean
• LightShine (Grades 2-5) - Taught by Marcia Andrews & March Moody

Don’t miss out on any of the fun - click the button below to sign up!

First Steps in Music

It's never too early to teach your babies to make a joyful noise for the Lord! Our First Steps in Music program allows newborns through age 3 (and their parents) to experience music and movement together!

Classes are filling up quickly…only two openings left in the non-walker class! Classes for walking toddlers are full. Click the button below to sign up!

Vaccination/Skin and Bone Screening Clinic

October 10 & 11

It’s time to start registering for the upcoming Vaccination/Skin Screening/Bone Density Screening Clinic. The Drive-Thru Clinic (Flu shots only) is scheduled for Tuesday, October 10th 5:00 pm–7:00 pm

The Walk-in Clinic with screenings is scheduled for Wednesday, October 11th 5:00 pm–7:00 pm (During WAF) 

Please contact Beth Cecil to register (bcecil@fpcspartanburg.org).

Blood Drive

Sunday, November 5

Our next blood drive is scheduled for Sunday, November 05, 2023. If you would like to participate during that event please refrain from donating blood after Friday, September 08, 2023.

WAF Volunteers Needed

Wednesdays at First begins on September 13, and we need volunteers! Jobs include: Registration, desserts, serving/prep, kids table, dish washers, and breakdown.

If you're willing to help with any of these tasks, on any week of WAF, please click the button below to sign up. We appreciate your help in serving on our WAF Staff!

Hospitality Golf Carts

Drivers Needed

Our hospitality golf carts are driving toward a return to First Pres! We are excited to announce that you will soon be seeing golf carts in and around the parking lots on Sunday mornings. This service, which was suspended during the pandemic, will be offered again starting this Fall and is available to any and all members who’d like a ride from their car to the 11:00 worship service. Lots of little people to wrangle? Had a recent surgery? Feeling extra tired? We want you to catch a ride!

But FIRST, we need volunteer drivers! We are looking for 8-10 men and women, ages 25+, to drive the golf carts. With this number of volunteers, we expect each driver to be assigned a Sunday no more than once every two months. All drivers will go through a background check for insurance purposes and will be trained and oriented on driving and storing the golf cart.

Click the button below to volunteer for this easy, fun way to get involved!

JustFaith: Faith and Racial Justice

Begins September 13

Want to learn more about how to put your faith into action? JustFaith: Faith and Racial Justice will begin on September 13th, and it will run for 9 weeks on Wednesday nights (6:15-8:15pm). This program combines reading, videos, discussion, and prayer in a small group context.

If you are interested in learning more or want to sign-up, please contact Leslie Lang (llang@fpcspartanburg.org). Space is limited. 

2023 FIECP Summit

Thursday, October 19 | 8:30am-2:00pm

On Thursday, October 19 the Faith Initiative To End Child Poverty will host a summit from 8:30am-2:00pm focused on education, especially how congregations can best support students and educators. The Faith Initiative is a consortium of congregations working to end child poverty in Spartanburg. The Summit will be held at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Spartanburg (502 S. Daniel Morgan Ave., Spartanburg, SC 29306). A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. All are welcome.

The Faith Initiative Summit is in partnership with the Spartanburg Academic Movement's 10th anniversary conference the day before, on October 18. This article by Dr. Irvin Scott from the Harvard LIFE (Leadership Initiative for Faith and Education) Program is our framework for the October 19 Summit.

Please RSVP so we can have a good estimate of attendance for food and seating. The Faith Initiative would especially like to invite congregations and educators who are partnered to serve students in our schools throughout Spartanburg County. If you are aware of ministries or congregations that work in partnership with our schools, please share with us who to contact in order to invite them to the Summit.

To RSVP for the the Summit and to connect us with ministries partnered with schools, please contact Scott Neely (neelysj@gmail.com).

Winter Warmth 2023

Do You Knit or Crochet? We Need You!

Although the weather is far from being chilly, we’re already preparing for FPC’s largest annual mission project, Winter Warmth, where we distribute brand-new coats to children in need across Spartanburg County.

In addition to coats, children will also be receiving hats and scarves, handmade by members of the church. That’s where you come in! If you’re able to knit or crochet, we could really use your help in making it happen!

Winter Warmth will take place on November 11th this year. It’s never too early to start! If you have questions, please email them to winterwarmth@gmail.com.

Weekday School

Substitute Teachers Needed!

The Weekday School at FPC is looking for a few more substitute teachers for the 2023-2024 school year.

If you are interested in being a substitute at our wonderful Weekday School, or know someone who would be great, please contact Kris Graham at (kgraham@fpcspartanburg.org / 864-706-0460).

Cleveland Academy of Leadership

Kindergarten Tutors Needed!

Are you able to commit to one hour a week to help end child poverty through the gift of literacy?

Kindergarten Tutors are needed every day from 9:00-10:00am at Cleveland Academy to work in small groups with students. Please contact Mary Elizabeth Evans (mewevan@gmail.com) if you are interested and able to help. 

Hand in Hand Ministries

Accepting Food Donations

Our Hand in Hand community ministry is always accepting non-perishable food donations to help support Spartanburg families in need! They also accept monetary donations through the church giving site.

To learn more about the mission of Hand in Hand and see how you can help those who need it most, visit their website at handinhandspartanburg.org.

Sunday Greeters Needed!

Looking for an easy way to get involved in the church? Come share your smile and help greet on Sunday mornings! We need three greeters each Sunday- one to welcome those coming to Sunday school from 9:30-9:55 and two to welcome Sanctuary worshippers from 10:30 to 11:00. All you have to do is stand outside your assigned door and welcome people as they arrive! (You are welcome to bring your kids to help as well!)  We just ask that you bring your warm smile and friendly face.

FPC Spartanburg Sermoncast

Available on All Podcast Platforms

Missed last week's worship service? Want to revisit your favorite sermons while on the road, at work, or anywhere at all? Now you can!

All of it is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you find your podcasts.