Dear friends,

           How can it possibly be August already? Do you sometimes find yourself thinking that time has stopped, or time has pushed too fast past us, or time is incomprehensible in this pandemic world when each day seems like a copy of the last and a foreshadowing of the next? What day is it? What time is it? We have lost our usual markers that tell us when we are in time and even where we are in space. Strange days, these.

           In an article from The Christian Century, Anglican priest Jesse Zink tells of the multicolored artwork that covered the windows of his apartment complex in Montreal in the early days of the pandemic when stay-at-home orders were the strictest. Many of these hope-filled, rainbow colored paintings included the phrase, “Ca va bien aller” which means something like “It’s all going to be fine.”

           John Weicher and I have each preached sermons during this pandemic where we have quoted Julian of Norwich who wrote: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”

           Both of these phrases point to the eschatological hope that we have as people of faith. Eschatology is the big theological word that refers to our understanding of the end times. What will this (our lives, this world, this pandemic) be in the end? Christians live in the eschatological hope that God has given us in Christ Jesus. We hope for that which has not come to fruition in its entirety, God’s kingdom of peace, love, and joy, here on earth.

Zink reminds us that “Eschatological living not only gives Christians hope for the future, it also allows us to cast a critical eye on the way we live now. If we know how God will act to fulfill all things, we are called to live now like we believe the future will one day be. It is a future of new creation, right relationship, and the overthrow of oppressive regimes.”

           And so I wonder, how does our confidence in God’s presence with us now, even in this pandemic, shape our hope for the future, and how does that hope for the future shape our actions for the present? These are difficult times to be sure, full of confusion, pain, and loss, but these are also times of rebirth and awakening to the injustices of the world and the deep need to repair the breach of racism and oppression that has held so many down for generations. It is also a time for us to hold onto what we value the most – the community we have formed with one another, our familial relationships, and our deepest understanding of ourselves and who God has created us to be.

      In all your days, in each moment of this time we call today, and now, may you hold on to the hope that God has given us in Jesus Christ. May your hearts be full of the knowledge and love of God. And may you be well, now and always. May you and all manner of things be well.

With love,

SYMPATHIES: The love and concern of the congregation are extended to Jeanne Hervey on the death of her friend Chris Kovach.

Care Communities:

Brookdale Durham: Julian Boswell, Becky Crockett

Croasdaile Pavilion: Bob Rankin, Henderson Rourk 

Dubose Center at The Cedars, Chapel Hill: Arthur Clark

Durham Regent: John Kerr, Ann Prospero  

Emerald Pond: Paul Cornsweet

Hillcrest Convalescent Center: Mickey Velkey; Peggy Mordecai, mother of Beth Eisenson

Rose Vista Village Assisted Living, Kinston NC: Phillip Herndon

The Forest at Duke: Fran Bryant

Family and Friends of the Congregation:

Brendan Bequette, family friend of Margaret & Miguel Rubiera

Jenny Bodkin, sister of Mindy Douglas

Johnny Boles, nephew of Maxie and cousin of Michael Honeycutt

Peggy Boulden, mother of Dick Boulden

Gail Chasin, friend of Kathy Krahenbuhl

Becky Evans, sister of Vernon Neece

Bruce Foster Momsen, father of Deborah Momsen-Hudson

Shannon Johnson, daughter of Mary Putman

Thank you to all of the members of First Presbyterian Church who reached out to me by notes and telephone calls to express their sympathy over the death of my partner Camilla and/or their concern about my kidney surgery from which I have fully recovered. - Mal King

I would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts after the death of my sister, Dawn K. Fitts (OBIT) in Greenville, NC on June 8. I have received many calls, emails, and cards and really appreciate knowing that we have such a wonderful caring community for support. Dawn was my oldest sister and I have treasured having her in my life. We will be having a memorial service for her next summer so that all of her extended family will have a chance to be together to share the love and memories. Again, thank you all; knowing that you are there is quite a comfort. AND . . . I'm really happy to be able to let you know that my friend, Gail Chasin, has been released from the hospital and is doing so much better than any of us could have imagined. When I let her know that we have a full contingent of prayer warriors praying for her, she wanted me to let you know how much she appreciates it. She is recovering at home, but is bouncing back strongly. So, I thank you as well, for all the prayers that went up for her. - Kathy Krahenbuhl

Here is the total inventory of what the church collected on behalf of farmworkers:

3 pairs of shoes (including two pairs of waterproof work boots)

They were distributed the week of August 3rd to workers at a labor camp in Black Creek, NC. Thanks again to all of you for your support and donations! If anyone needs to get in touch with the Association of Mexicans in North Carolina in the future, our contact there is Missel de Leon, Community Public Relations Coordinator ([email protected]).

The Sacrament of Baptism was celebrated for Ruby Elizabeth Gentithes on Sunday, August 9 during worship. The baptism was held at the Gentithes' home and viewed live via FPC's YouTube channel. John Weicher officiated and Amy Wilson was the presiding elder. Ruby is the 13-year-old daughter of George and Annie Gentithes.

SHOWER OF CARDS: On August 20, 2020, Henderson and Jane Rourk will observe their 60th wedding anniversary. The FPC family is invited to celebrate this milestone with the Rourks by showering them with congratulatory notes and cards. Please send mail to:

Adult (virtual) classes begin at 10:00 a.m.

Worship streamed at 11:00 a.m. via the church's website:

https://firstpres-durham.org

Bob Pleasants, FPC deacon, will be waiting to greet you and send you to a breakout room with some old and new friends. Come one, come all! Hope to see you then!

Worship streamed at 11:00 a.m. via the church's website: https://firstpres-durham.org

Sunday, August 30, 2020.

please let Mindy Douglas know.

The Racial Equity Task Force will have a meeting on Sunday, August 16 at 11:45 (or right after church if church runs past 11:45) via Zoom. We will include the Zoom information in the Friday FPC Weekend reminders for next weekend. Please note that anyone from the congregation is welcome to join the Task Force, you don't need a nomination. We have seen a lot of interest in the Faith and Community class this summer and hope that some of you might want to join us. It is always good to have fresh perspectives on next steps as well as new ideas. Please contact Kathy Krahenbuhl or Jon Abels if you have any questions.

New Hope Presbytery congregations are invited to participate in “Brave Spaces and Truth-Telling,” a series of conversations and activities designed to acknowledge and examine structural racism in our churches and to create new paradigms for a more just and unbiased Christian experience for all worshipers. 

Please join us at our first forum: Is this Conversation Really Necessary? led by Dr. Brian K. Blount. Mindy Douglas will be one of the panelist. The forum will be conducted as a Zoom meeting on Tuesday, August 18, 2:00 –4:00 p.m. Please sign up to participate at www.nhpresbytery.org/racial-equity.

Contact Margaret Rubiera or Jen McGonigle

Contact Margaret Rubiera if you wish to sign up to serve. Margaret Rubiera <[email protected]>

This is just a reminder that the VIRTUAL Fill That Bus! school supply event is still in full swing and we will continue to accept school supplies and monetary donations until Friday, August 21st. Our contributions are needed now more than ever, as we work closely with the school district to get school supplies into the hands of the neediest students.  If you have not donated yet but will be ordering supplies to be shipped directly to the C2C warehouse, please make sure FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF DURHAM is placed on the shipping label or package in the FROM section with your name. C2C wants to thank and acknowledge the donor organizations. You may also drop off your donations at FPC on Friday, August 14 and Monday, August 17 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thanks again and we anticipate that, in spite of COVID-19, this will be our most successful year! - Mal King, FPC coordinator

Small but mighty — those words perfectly describe the Food Pantry at Iglesia Emanuel. Since the outbreak of Covid in March, volunteers from FPC and other churches have joined forces with Iglesia Emanuel to pack and distribute large boxes of fresh and staple food every week to families in need of assistance. The numbers have grown steadily, from around 60 families in early March to 440 families last week! Over and over, we have seen heartwarming examples of generosity — people volunteering to help sort and bag food, unload delivery trucks, load the boxes of food into the trunks of cars in searing heat as well as pouring rain. Financial and food donations have also played a huge part in the ongoing success of this ministry. Thank you to all who have responded with love! The needs continue, and we welcome your ongoing support. To volunteer on site, click here: Iglesia Emanuel COVID-19 Food Bank Signup Genius. To make an online donation, click here. For questions, contact Margaret Rubiera at [email protected].

Durham Congregations in Action has been coordinating with food pantries all over the Durham area to help get people the food they need with support from the CROP Hunger Walk and other resources. Now, DCIA is partnering with churches all over the city to gather the supplies people need to stay safe and healthy through this pandemic. Our local food pantries have been flooded with requests for basic sanitation items that have become hard to come by in the pandemic, but they have not had enough to meet the demand. To answer this urgent need, DCIA is launching a hygiene drive to keep our partner pantries fully stocked with the supplies Durhamites need. They are seeking the following items: 

• First Presbyterian Church

• Cole Mill Road Church of Christ

• Antioch Baptist Church

• Pilgrim United Church of Christ

 • Christus Victor Lutheran Church

Click DURHAM FEAST or COVID-19 RESPONSE