It is hard to believe that it has almost been six months since we have engaged in ministry and worship in socially distant ways. Our staff and church session has been blessed by your patience as we all navigate this pandemic together, and we are all grateful that we have been able to experience new ways to worship and glorify God. Our staff, session, and Covid-19 task team are engaged in conversations about how to adapt and adjust our ministries in the days ahead as information and the situation changes.

We wanted to share with you all that we will remain in phase 1 of our reopening plan for this next week. Our church’s Covid-19 Task Team is continuing to monitor latest information and case trends from the Alabama Health Department and East Alabama Medical Center. 

Please continue to pray for all our leaders, educators, and healthcare workers as they all tend to our well being. Our prayers of healing and wholeness continue to be lifted up for the many in our community whose health has been impacted by this pandemic.

What a joyous day it will be when we can all gather together again in person. Until that day may we all hold tight to Paul’s blessing for the Romans, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit! (Romans 15:13)”

Grace and Peace,

Nick and Kathy

​The annual Flu Vaccine Clinic will be offered on Sunday, September 27, in the driveway/parking lot in the rear of the church building. The clinic will be available from 11 am until 2 pm. The clinic will be a drive-through event instead of being inside a building. You will enter the driveway from Thach Avenue alongside Baird Hall. If there is a line blocking the street, you can park in the lot behind the University Chapel.

At the turn in the driveway you will obtain a clipboard with the insurance/permission form. You will sign the form and clip your insurance card with it. Then proceed to the covered area by the rear of the sanctuary. Stay in your car but roll down the window to give access to your arm. Everyone should wear short-sleeved garments such as T-shirts or casual tops for ease of access. When everyone in your car has received their vaccine, you will exit onto Gay St.

The vaccine is offered with the assistance of The Drug Store staff and especially their pharmacist, Janie Fisher. If you have questions you can contact Jan Widell, Parish Nurse at 334-663-6668. If you are unable to attend this clinic, there will be other organizations and churches providing vaccine clinics in October.

During its Zoom on-line meeting on August 17 the Session…

• learned that income for January through July was $429,242; expenses, $416,255; and net, $12,986; that income for July was 55,616; expenses, $50,934; and net, $4,682; and that investments are doing well but pledge income is down about $38,000;

• learned that a Publix grocery store will be constructed adjacent to the church property on Gay Street; that preliminary plans show the back of the building, with trash and loading docks, next to the church’s parking lot; and that the parking lot task force will request a design change to avoid that configuration;

• approved an amended plan for a drive-through flu clinic on September 27, noon to 2:00 p.m.;

• approved a plan for oversight for gameday parking for this football season that will not involve the youth but, instead, a task team of adults, to be appointed by the moderators and staff, to implement safety standards necessary to operate the parking lot on those days; and

• were reminded that Amy Wells and Mike Williams will be commissioners to the August meeting of Presbytery and that Susan Fillippeli and Emmett Winn will be commissioners for the November meeting.

Church members may read the complete, approved minutes for this meeting in the church office after the office has reopened.

The Annual Meeting for Alabama Arise will be a ZOOM meeting on Saturday, October 3 from 10:00-12:00. At that meeting participants will vote on issues they want the Arise staff to work on for the upcoming legislative session. The issues to be considered will be discussed before the vote. Our church is a group member of the state organization and can have 6 persons designated to participate in the meeting. If you would like to be one of the six, please let Marilyn Garrett know by September 15 so she can submit your name. You may email her or call at 334-246-3115. If you are unfamiliar with Alabama Arise you can check out their web site.

Study at Home:

If you or someone in your family would like to receive hard copy Sunday School materials that can be utilized at home (without a virtual component), please contact Rev. Nick Reed and these will be delivered mid/late August.

Virtual Classes for Adults:

If you'd like to receive a zoom invitation to one of the following classes, please email the class contact person:

Day/Time: Sundays at 8:45am

Contact: Gayle Andress, dongayle17@gmail.com

This class will combine the historical setting material

in 2 Kings with the prophetic material in First Isaiah.

Day/Time: Sundays at 9:30am

Contact: Harriette Huggins, harriette.huggins@gmail.com

Sue Bradley is currently leading a study of 

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins.

***NEW Day/Time***: Tuesdays at 12:00pm (beginning September 22)

Contact: Kathy Reed, kreed@fpcauburn.org

Register at https://www.ctsnet.edu/connect/alumni.

This class will not meet the week of September 13

but will begin a NEW series on the book of Ruth September 22.

Bible Journaling Class

Day/Time: Thursdays at 12:00pm

Contact: Susan Fillippeli, fillise@att.net

This class explores the practice of bible journaling while reflecting on Scripture passages recently used in our church's worship services.

UKirk is excited to welcome back college students for the new school year! Though this year’s format may look different than past ones, UKirk is still providing opportunities for fellowship with a faith community and would love to get new students involved. If you know any students attending Auburn, or another college in the area, you can refer them to UKirk with this form or email Caroline Barnett.

We are looking to add a PW circle that will meet during the weekend. If you are interested in joining a weekend circle, please contact Kim Holman. This is a great opportunity for members that work during the week and/or have children or for anyone that would prefer this meeting time! (The email address previously linked for Kim was incorrect - if you tried contacting her before, please try again!)

It is our hope to worship together via our church’s YouTube Channel and on WQSI FM TALK 95.9 at 11 a.m. this Sunday. Please let all your church friends know the different ways to experience Sunday morning worship. To view the service you can go directly to our church’s YouTube Channel via your computer, smartphone, or Smart TV app (https://tinyurl.com/t7dl8vh) or you can access the worship service through our website or Facebook page. Knowing we are at the mercy of technology, we appreciate your patience and grace if all does not go according to plan. Attached you will find a bulletin for this Sunday’s service.

If you (and/or someone in your family) would be willing to serve as a lay reader for one of our virtual worship services, we still have several spots available in October. The commitment involves recording your part and sending it in by Friday, 12pm. Instructions and a "script" are provided. Sign up here!

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24

   The words of the psalmist inspired our 2020 stewardship campaign, and we can find comfort in those words today. In these extraordinary times, it is important for us to reflect on the abundance of God’s grace and the gifts we have received. When we began the stewardship campaign in September 2019, we could not imagine what this year would bring; however, through all, God’s love endures, and the work of the church continues. In this time of online worship, we are reminded that giving is part of the church’s liturgy. Whether you share your financial gifts weekly, monthly, or annually, your offering continues to support our missions of worship, fellowship, Christian education, outreach, and UKirk, to name the broad categories.

   The church staff remains available to receive your pledge payments during this time, whether you elect to mail a check to the church office, process a payment directly from your bank, or use online giving. We do need to inform you that a flat rate of two percent is deducted from each contribution made through online giving. If you choose to provide your pledge payment online, please prayerfully consider whether you are able to add an amount to help off-set the processing fee.

 For members with children, remember it is important to talk to your children about giving, especially during this time when they may not see you put anything in the offering plate.

Peace,

Generosity Committee

Birthdays

Sep. 14 - Patty Disque, Kathy Reed, JJ Shaffer

Sep. 15 - Mary Parsons

Sep. 16 - Herb White

Sep. 18 - Henry Brandhorst

Anniversaries

Sep. 14 - Jim and Susan Parker

Prayer Concerns:

• Prayers for Barbara Pritchard as she grieves the death of her former husband Craig Pritchard. Prayers for comfort for Barbara, Barbara and Craig's children, and all their family as they grieve Craig’s death.

• We continue to pray for many in our church dealing with health issues. Prayers of healing, wholeness, and strength for many who wish to not be named at this time.

• Continued prayers for our community leaders, educators, and healthcare workers as they are tend to all our well being. Especially we pray for the many students who have been quarantined from their school and classmates.

• Prayers for all of those who are having to flee the wildfires in California and Oregon. Prayers of safety for those the firefighters trying to control the fires.

Two Sundays a month we will have Zoom Sunday school classes taught by our fabulous Sunday school teachers.

Pre-K through 1st grade will be from 9:45 – 10 am

2nd through 5th grade will be from 10:15 – 10:30 am

September 13 and 27

October 11 and 25

November 8 and 22

December 6 and 20

Also, once a month all Pre-K through 5th graders will gather for a Zoom Fellowship time.

Each Sunday morning our youth will gather on Zoom at 10:30 for a quick check-in before worship. Then each Sunday evening our Jr Highs will meet at 3 pm on Zoom and our Sr. Highs will meet at 6 pm on Zoom for regular Youth Group meetings. Zoom invites will be sent via the Remind app. If you have any questions or have not been receiving the emails, please contact Chris Sarkowski.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth and Parents, follow us on Instagram @fpc_auyouth