The Church and its Finances...during a pandemic
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It has been four weeks since we first instituted “social distancing” on our church campus (although it seems much longer to me!) and started doing “virtual” church. Our daily lives, as well as our faith routines have been upended as a result of the spread of Covid-19.
The pastoral staff is acutely aware of how the “stay at home” order has impacted the jobs and livelihoods of many of our parishioners. And, of course, when the economy stumbles, so does church and charitable giving.
However, (so far at least!) our pledge giving has held up pretty well (it is down a bit, but not as dramatically as it could be). So thanks very much for that!
Our denomination, the Presbyterian Church USA, has made a variety of stewardship and finance resources available to congregations during this difficult time. They can be found
here.
But there is one document among these resources from the Presbyterian Foundation that I would like to highlight because of its good advice:
Please take some time to review it yourself—and thanks again for your continuing support during this global crisis.
Blessings,
Scott M. Kenefake
Interim/Transitional Pastor
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You're invited to join us for virtual Sunday school as we will gather to connect, hear stories from and for our faith, and learn together. All ages are welcome! It is probably helpful to have some paper and something to write or draw with close by as there will be time to reflect and create. We will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom; you can access the meeting here:
or call (646)558-8656 and use
Meeting ID: 974 5961 5489
Password: 095641
Gather your family around the computer or phone as we learn and grown in faith together!
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What
:
Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others
, by Barbara Brown Taylor
When
: Wednesday evenings (May 6, 13, & 20), 7-8 pm
Where
: Zoom
Who
: all curious adults
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Salvation Army Night Shelter Request
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The Salvation Army Night shelter residents are being asked to stay in place at the shelter, so they are there all day. They would love playing cards, cards, and board games; and individual snacks for 36 people would be great as well. Those items can be dropped off at the Shelter behind the Salvation Army.
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Deacons response to Covid-19
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Since the stay-at-home order was issued in NC, our Deacons have approved discretionary funds for the following:
* $750 to supplement our Coltrane Webb Back Pack program with Food Lion gift cards
*$3,000 to help Meals on Wheels create additional shelf stable meals, and
*$2,000 to replenish the food pantry at WM Irvin Elementary
*$1,000 to CCM for the food pantry
Additionally, Deacons have been calling our older adult members along with our Visitation team to chat and receive prayer requests. We will continue to listen for the needs of our congregants and our community and respond with Christ's love. If you are aware of additional needs or would like to become involved with these and/or other efforts, please let Lynne Keel or Janna Mitchell know.
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The Presbyterian Women's Backpack Program here at First Presbyterian has shifted its focus during the coronavirus crisis and requirements for social distancing. Rather than providing rolling suitcases of food for our students at Coltrane-Webb Elementary School, we are providing no alcohol/no tobacco gift cards from Food Lion. There are several reasons to make this shift, including:
• Most of the shoppers and delivery people for the program fall into the high-risk category for exposure to COVID-19 and have less ability to shop for and deliver groceries;
• Most grocery stores are limiting the amounts of certain food items an individual can purchase at one time, and while food is still largely available, there are a number of empty shelves; and
• The school district is now requiring that any agencies working with the schools to provide food would be responsible for distributing that food on a weekly basis.
Working with our partners at Central United Methodist Church, we decided the best way to stay safe while still providing food to those in need would be to use gift cards. Our program received an extremely generous donation of 30 $25 Food Lion gift cards which covered two weeks of food for our families. Most of our families are picking up these gift cards when they come to the school to pick up the breakfast and lunch bags the schools are handing out. For those families who are unable to attend these pickups, school employees are going to great lengths to deliver the meals and the gift cards to them.
We plan to provide gift cards until such time as the schools reopen for this year, or until the natural end of the school year in June. We all hope life will be back to normal in the fall, at which time we will resume our regular food deliveries.
We did have a large amount of food on hand in the pantry. When we learned of a significiant need at Cooperative Christian Ministry, that was the perfect solution. Thanks to Amy Murphy and husband, Mark, who packed up the pantry and delivered 1,226 pounds of food to CCM!
If you have food to donate you are encouraged to deliver it to CCM. If you wish to support the Backpack Program directly, we are accepting donations to help pay for the gift cards.
Thanks for your continuing support. Stay well.
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Lay Liturgists
Sign up
here to be a lay liturgist to
read scripture in worship on Sundays.
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Sanctuary Flowers
To give the congregation a gift of
to sign-up for one or more Sundays
during the year.
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Shepherd for Sunday School
Sign up
here to be a Shepherd in our Elementary and Middle School Sunday School.
A Shepherd helps our teachers by being another adult in the room, to make sure that we have a safe classroom, and to fulfill the requirements of our Child and Youth Protection Policy. If you have questions about what it means to be a Shepherd, please reach out to one of the members of the Christian Education Committee or Rachel Vogado.
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Youth Newsletter
Sign up here to receive the Youth Newsletter for detailed information
about all events related to youth who are in 6th-12 grade.
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Sunday, April 19, 2020
Rev. Rachel Vogado preaching
John 20:19-31
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Sunday, April 19
9:30 a.m. Sunday School via Zoom
11:00 a.m. Worship on Facebook
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Tuesday, April 21
7:00 p.m. Al Anon meeting
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Birthdays
April 16
- David Austin, Barbara Hayes
April 17
- Bob Foust, Jill Nierenmberg, Hannah Patrum, McCann Sheridan
April 18
- Ben Holland, Anne Niblock
April 19
- Elizabeth Campbell, James Gibson, Judy Holloway, Sydney Lisk, Bob Pierce
April 20 -
Emma Teague, Remy Williams
April 21
- Kimmy Byrd, Lucas Kiser, Scott Watson
April 22
- Matt Dugan, Brian Floyd, Marina Snellings, Mary Wilder
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Associate Pastor
for Care and Mission
Associate Pastor
for Christian Formation
Director of Music and Organist
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Director of Music and Organist
Choirmaster
Church Administrator
Financial Secretary
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Heath Ritchie
Maintenance Superintendent
Director of First Kids
Church Hostess
Wedding Director
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First Presbyterian Church
(704) 788-2100
70 Union Street North
Concord NC 28025
Mailing Address:
PO Box 789 Concord NC 28026-0789
Church Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Closed Friday
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The Commons Prayer Room Hours:
Monday: Closed
Open for scheduled groups:
Tuesday,Thursday, Friday
Open to Public:
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 am - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday mornings for FPC
Memorial Garden:
(704) 786-8009
36 Spring Street SW
Concord NC 28025
Garden Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Closed Monday
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