Transition Update:


  • On July 6th the session approved the Ministry Information Form (MIF) generated by the Transition Team. The MIF must be approved by the presbytery at the end of July before it can be used to advertise for a transitional minister. In the meantime, the presbytery is aware of our need for a transition minister and will send us any candidates, even before the MIF is approved.
  • Our transition team consists of two elders: Nelson Clark and Lydia Taylor, a staff member: Anna Bush, and two at-large congregation members: Laura East and Mike Branch. This team will focus on finding an interim pastor. Once this person is in place, the congregation will form a Pastor Search Committee to look for a permanent pastor.
  • We will continue to pay Griff Gatewood his full salary plus benefits through October as agreed upon in his severance package, in addition to paying for our guest ministers. 
  • Please keep Session members informed regarding your thoughts about our guest pastors and our church activities. Good, meaningful programs are important to us all. 



Note: The Session did not meet in July.

Sunday, July 31


We welcome Reverend Dr. Vicki Jones Johnson back to the pulpit. Rev Johnson is a native of Lubbock, TX, and a graduate of Union Seminary in Richmond, VA. She is the wife of Mark Johnson and the mother of two adult children, Nancy and David. Vicki serves on the Commission on Ministry’s Task Force for the Care and Oversight of ministers not installed in a church position. In her spare time, she creates hand-built clay pieces in her basement studio.


  • Worship Leader: Laura East
  • Flowers: Mary Planer
  • We will have a commissioning blessing for our Montreat Youth Conference participants during worship. We have four of our Beacons: Will Banfield, Charlotte Anne Banfield, Taylor Pike and Anna Peterson; along with two adult chaperones: Sandy Bowers and Loida going for a week of fellowship and presentations that will deepen their faith. This will be the first time our Beacons have attended in several years! 


  • Today is the last day we are collecting the Love offering for Mike Shumaker’s family: We are taking up a love offering for the family of Mike Shumaker, our custodian who passed away June 30th. You may give your gift in the offering place, or through Realm to the fund titled “Special Offering”. Please make a note on your check or envelope that it is for the “Shumaker Offering”. 


Bulletin for Sunday, July 31, 2022
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Happening this Week:


There are no activities planned August1-11 due to Montreat and VBS. 


This Month:

Head Usher: Valerie Parker


Sun., August 7

  • Eric Leathers will be our guest minister.
  • Ted King will be the worship leader. 
  • Pennies for Hunger collected


Sun., August 14

  • Ken Crews will be our guest minister.
  • Mark Brown will be the worship leader.
  • Flowers: Valerie Parker
  • Children will sing some of the songs they learned at VBS.


Sat., August 20: Sandwich Saturday (10-11:30am)


Sun., August 21

  • Melvin Scales will be our guest minister.
  • Joanna Refvem will be the worship leader.
  • Blessing of the backpacks.
  • Ice cream social following worship. 


Sun., August 28

  • Amanda Anderson will be our guest minister.
  • Felton Godwin will be the worship leader.
  • Flowers: Mary Planer
Complete Church Calendar
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VBS: August 7-11


Join us and Beacon the puffin Sunday, August 7 through Thursday, August 11, from 5-7:30pm for lots of Vacation Bible School fun! Dinner provided each night. 


Loida will be contacting all the volunteers that have signed up for VBS to talk through what their responsibilities are at the beginning of next week while at Montreat. 


Children will sing some of the songs they will learn at worship on August 14.

Register to Attend VBS
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Pennies For Hunger: August 7


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"

Helping Hands Foundation Weekly Community Outreach


Would you like to join some of us to help with organizing food kits for those families most in need in our local community? If so, please plan to join Helping Hands Foundation at the old Jones School behind their auditorium building on Thursdays around noon to unload and make up the food boxes. On Fridays, around 3:00 pm come help with the food box distribution to the families. These events happen weekly. Please contact Loida for more information or if you would like to help out.


We will not be helping on Aug. 4 and 5 since Loida is in Montreat or Aug. 10 and 11 due to VBS.

Sandwich Saturday: Aug. 20


Sandwich Saturdays occur on the third Saturday of the month. Come help assemble 75 lunches for those in need. Volunteer sign-up sheet is in the foyer.


We are still in need of peanut butter and grape jam. Monetary donations also needed. Mark envelope/check "Sandwich Saturday." See Joy Barlow or Beth Pequeno for details.

Blessing of the Backpacks: August 21


We will be blessing the backpacks during worship on Sunday, August 21.


In conjunction, we will be collecting school supplies to donate to the Mount Airy City Schools to distribute to students in need. 


Suggested items include: Pencils, crayons (no fat ones), colored pencils, markers, glue sticks, dry erase markers, notebook paper, composition books (no spiral notebooks), headphones, and earbuds. A complete list can be found at Supply List.

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Beacons Yard Sale Huge Success!


The Beacons held a yard sale Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23, with a sneak peek preview sale for our congregation on Thursday, July 21st.


They raised over $2600 for their Montreat and Massanetta summer camps, and other youth activities!


What didn't sell went to several places. The staff and clients of the Shepherds House came to collect some items, and the bulk of the remains went to Makers Market that helps people in need locally. The leftover children's books were given to a teacher who fills Little Free Libraries at three schools. The magazines went to the city library.


The Beacons would like to thank everyone who donated the wonderful items to sell, as well as those who volunteered, and shopped. Special thanks to Jane Tesh, Beth Pequeno, Sandy Bowers, and Pepper Mayes for organizing the things and teaching the Beacons how to run the sale. 

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Walk to End Alzheimer's:

Saturday, Sept. 10 


Join our team as we Walk to End Alzheimer's at Riverside Park the morning of September 10. Our team goal is $1500 this year. Please help by joining the team and walking, or donating to a team member or the team as a whole.


To earn an event t-shirt, you must raise $100. To have t-shirt in time to wear for walk, you must raise this by August 13. It will be automatically shipped to you.


Sign up, donate or learn more by clicking the button below. You can also contact team members Beth Pequeno or Joy Barlow.

Join Our Team

The First Steps Committee is pleased to announce that Mary Alice Leonard has been hired for the director of the program for the 2022-2023 school year. Mary Alice served as staff support for the 2021-2022 school year and is well-suited for her new position. Tiffany Fulton has been hired for the position of staff support for the 2022-2023 school year. Tiffany served as lead-teacher for our two-year-old class for the 2021-2022 school year.  


The First Steps Committee would like to extend a sincere thank you to Christie Sheppard for her service to the program for the 2021-2022 school year. Christie was dearly loved by students, staff and parents and surely will be missed! 


Several part-time assistant teachers and substitute positions are available for next year. Click on the button below for details and link to the applications. Contact Nicole Harrison for more information: nicole@moodyfs.com or (919) 259-3061.

First Steps Employment
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Snack Donations Needed


Please consider picking up some snack foods (sweet or salty) and/or drinks for our Faith Friends and Beacons. Monetary donations would also be appreciated. Items can be left in the foyer outside the sanctuary. See Loida for details.

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Support Our Area Charities 


Baskets are located in the Foyer outside the sanctuary for:


Yokefellow: Peanut butter and crackers


Shepherd's House: Dryer sheets

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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.

Flower Arrangement Sign-up
Scripture Reader Sign-up
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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.

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Prayer List


Please keep the following people in your prayers:

The family of Mark Johnson (Mike Branch’s best friend who passed away last week), Ron Atkins, Vickie Riekehof, Becky Lyons, Mary Higgs, Terri Keck, Pam Church, Bettsee McPhail, Denny Holder, David Davis, Kathryn Benfer, Phil Chavez, Jodi Powers.


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

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August Birthdays


8/3 Brenda Ferry

8/4 Mark Brown

8/5 Randall Carter

8/6 David Glen Whitfield

8/11 Janice Younger

8/13 Margaret Shepherd

8/14 Mary Botkin and Jim Pell

8/17 Wendy Clabough

8/18 Steven Lowe, Pennson Sheppard and Alan Wardle

8/21 Robert Keck

8/23 Eli Youell

8/24 Steve Yokeley

8/25 Margaret Cockerell

8/26 Gloria King

8/27 Barry Brown

8/28 Tarona Hollingsworth

8/29 Drew Clabough

8/30 Bill Refvem

August Anniversaries


8/8 Alan and Louise Wardle

8/9 Gray and EveTrotter

8/14 Terry and Gena Ray

8/17 Hampton and Heather Hatcher 8/30 Jim and Libby Pell


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. 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.

             Pictures from July Activities           

Faith Friends


On Wed., July 6 the Faith Friends went to visit a bee hive and learned all about keeping bees and making honey. Then, the kids all enjoyed tasting different kinds of honey!

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Session Members

Moderator: Varies      

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                                                        

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First Presbyterian

Church Of Mount Airy

326 S Main St

Mt Airy, NC 27030

(336) 786-2803

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