Finance Committee First Quarter Update To The Congregation

Friends,

I am writing to keep you informed about the status of First Presbyterian Church’s 2023 Operating Budget after the first quarter (25%) of the year. The Operating Budget is where we track our monthly income and expenses but does not include the Designated Funds or the Endowments which are spent and monitored separately.

The table above is a summary of our budget with income in the upper section and expenses in the lower section. Contributions make up 86% of our budgeted income and about 93% of contributions come from your pledges.

Click here to read the rest of my report. .

If you have any questions about the budget, please contact me at [email protected] and I will do my best to answer them.

Fred Moore

Finance & Investment Committee, Chair

Sunday, June 18

11:00 a.m. Worship

Mindy Douglas , preaching

Evelyn Walters will be ordained

and installed as a deacon.

Eric Wiebe and Conrad Carter will be installed as deacons.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sunday, June 25

11:00 a.m. Worship

The Hunger for Change Offering will be received.

This summer, the children's class will meet from 9:45-10:45 a.m. as a one-room schoolhouse on the second floor of the CE building, room 208. The theme is "Journey with Jesus." Parents and youth are invited to assist. Sign up HERE.

Faith and Community Class

Lectionary Class

Join us each Sunday at 9:45 in the Robert Daye (East) Parlor for discussion of the lectionary readings.

June 18: Jesus proclaims that the kingdom of heaven has come near – good news! – but he immediately gives his disciples unpaid and sometimes thankless tasks to do. Is God's presence and rule in our lives always good news for us, or are we, like Paul, left to boast in our sufferings?

June 25: Jeremiah lamented that he had become a laughingstock, mocked by everyone, for boldly proclaiming the uncomfortable word of the Lord. Jesus does not promise that the lives of his followers will be smooth and easy. Are we ready for the difficult demands of discipleship?

MnMs (Meaning in the Middle) Fellowship - Summer Plans

We encourage the 9:45 a.m. in-person class to attend the other adult classes being offered this summer.

8:00 p.m. Zoom time will meet four Sundays in June. We'll send out the link each week. If you have been attending in-person at 9:45 a.m. feel free to pop in as you can this summer. We will be taking the month of July off.

We'd love for folks to plan some spontaneous pop-up in-person activities throughout the summer. Share ideas and details with Mary Berry and Emily Diy.

YOUTH CALENDAR

SUMMER 2023

Appalachia Service Project

(High School) – June 11-17

CROSS Missions (Middle School)

– June 18-23

Massanetta Middle School Conference – July 18-21

Montreat Youth Conference

– July 23-29

Help retire medical debt

in North Carolina

In 2022, the Session of First Presbyterian Church in Durham, NC voted to set aside $50,000 from our capital campaign to help eliminate debt for our neighbors in NC who have been saddled with overwhelming medical bills. Our first of three campaigns raised $26,000 and paid off $5 million in medical debt in NC in Durham and other counties in NC. On May 1, 2023, we launched a second campaign which targets the counties with the greatest number of people of color in their boundaries (including Wake, Guilford, Forsyth, and Mecklenburg). 

Please share the link below with anyone who wants to eliminate medical debt for our eligible neighbors in NC.

Link to give: 

https://ripmedicaldebt.org/campaign/building-beloved-community/

AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE INSIGHTS WITH THE THRIVING CONGREGATIONS COMMITTEE

This campaign is only interested in collecting your perspective and insight. If you are not able to make any of the remaining dates (June 25 and July 16), please send an email to Jane Brown ([email protected])

 to let her know. We are going to be scheduling more sessions in the fall and want to gauge interest.

In these listening sessions you should voice anything you think is vital to take First Presbyterian into God’s work for us, your insights, what you see, and are called to in your heart.

Thank you. CLICK TO SIGN UP!

SERVICE & MISSION

FRESH VEGETABLES AVAILABLE FROM

SANKOFA FARM

HOW IT WORKS:

The boxes of vegetables will be delivered to First Pres every Thursday afternoon between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. in the church foyer. This cycle will run for six weeks, from May 18-June 22. Other pick up options include Thursday evenings at Westminster Presbyterian from 6:00-7:30, and Saturday mornings at the Hillsborough Farmers Market from 8:00-12:00.

THE COST: $35 per week for a full share and $25 for a half share. 

For the full six weeks it is $210 for a full share and $150 for a half share. 

Shop for vegetables: www.sankofafarms.com.

If you have questions, feel free to contact Tom Bacon,

George or Johanna Bernhardt, Cris Rivera, or Larry

Brockman.

Volunteers needed. Contact Jen if you can serve at Urban Ministries.

Jen McGonigle - 202-421-5870

UMD opportunities:

 https://umdurham.org/volunteer/

Condolences: The love and concern of the congregation are extended to the following:

• Emily Wilkins, Bella, and

Sophie on the death of Neal Wilkins’ mother (Emily’s mother-in-law; Bella and Sophie’s grandmother. Mattie Jean (Mémé) Wilkins passed away on June 1 in High Point NC. 

Expressions of sympathy may be sent to the Wilkins family at the following address:

Neal and Emily Wilkins

611 Ruby St

Durham NC 27704.

• Sheila and Sam Miglarese on the death of Sheila’s mother. 

Norma King passed away on June 9 at the Hock Family Pavilion in Durham. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to Sheila and Sam at the following address:

Sheila and Sam Miglarese

8 Drucilla Court

Durham NC 27705.

Concerns: 

 Marilyn Hedgpeth fell recently and has a broken wrist and knee cap.

Click HERE to see other prayer concerns.

Lynn Lopez hosted Presbyterian Women at her home on June 5 with a spring social and time of fellowship. It was lovely! Thank you, Lynn.

From Iglesia Emanuel:

On Saturday morning, June 3, 38 energetic FPC volunteers came together to bag 4,500 pounds of rice and beans for the Emanuel Food Pantry. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, service, and even dancing to the music! Many thanks to all who took part in this fun event which helped stock the shelves of our food pantry. The support that FPC provides this ministry enables us to continue to serve 650 families each and every week with abundant amounts of nutritious food. We are deeply grateful to be part of such a caring and generous congregation! - Margaret and Miguel Rubiera

June 14, 5:00 p.m.

Ponysaurus Brewing Co.

219 Hood Street, Durham

Join Eric Wiebe and Mindy Douglas for a conversation about the theological implications of AI.

First Friends

Breakfast on the Porch

Saturday, June 17

9:30 a.m.

Andy & Cherrie Henry will host breakfast on the porch at their home. Coffee and tea, bacon, and scones will be provided. Bring a breakfast food to share. RSVP via EVITE.

BOOK DISCUSSION POTLUCK

June 20, 2023, 6:30 p.m.

at the home of

Christy and Jim Gudaitis

If you attended one or more of our book discussions this past year, Mindy wants you to gather in person with others who participated via Zoom, and Christy and Jim Gudaitis have graciously offered us the use of their home for a shared potluck. Please respond to the EVITE by letting us know if you can join us. We can use some of our time together to do a little planning for the year ahead while enjoying Christy and Jim's warm hospitality.

The May 27 grounds workday has been rescheduled to Saturday, June 24 from 8:00-11:00 a.m. Contact Barbara Buckley if you would like to help.

Day Timers’ Luncheon

Tuesday, June 27 at 11:30 a.m.

Bennett Pointe Grill

4625 Hillsborough Rd, Durham

Hosted by Mickey Velkey

RSVP to Mickey by June 25:

[email protected]

601.750.3619 cell

CHURCH OFFICE VOLUNTEERS

The church office is still in need of weekday volunteers. If you are interested in a half-day (4-hour) shift, sign up on the OPEN SHIFTS scheduler. To learn more about this important ministry, contact Sarah Wright at 919-218-7890.

COMMUNION SERVERS NEEDED

Would you like to help with communion during worship? We have need for communion preparers and servers (serving communion is not limited to elders and deacons!).  

Sign up here.

If you are interested but would like to have more information or some instruction before volunteering, please contact Mary Ann Compton (919-363-8822).  

MEDIA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

 The audio and video streaming consoles at the back of the sanctuary are operated by volunteers, and we need more. The equipment may look intimidating, but training and mentoring is provided. If you’re not afraid of technology and are interested, please speak to one of the operators on any Sunday. Middle school and high school youth are particularly welcome.

SHARING WORSHIP FLOWERS WITH THOSE WE LOVE

Visiting someone after worship? Please take them a bouquet, courtesy of the FPC Diaconate! About 10 minutes after worship--after you're done shaking the preacher's hand!--please head to the kitchen to pick up a beautiful bouquet of flowers, arranged by the Deacons. Please tell the Deacon arranging the flowers who you are taking them to, so we don't take duplicates. Thank you for spreading the beauty of God's creation--these flowers bring joy to those unable to attend worship, recovering from illnesses, 

grieving, celebrating or simply in need of the reminder they are loved by their church and God. Please email Brianna Bennett or Esther Hethcox with any questions. Thank you!