Dear Friends,

I received a beautiful image of how the puzzle pieces are coming together for at least one of you last week. That image is in the shape of a cross. That’s where we are headed of course. As Lent winds down, Holy Week looms on the horizon and we move with Jesus again from the palms, to the table, to the garden, and to the cross. I hope you are making plans to join us during Holy Week (schedule below). You are an important piece of our puzzle as we seek to be the body of Christ in this place here and now.

Grace and peace,

Ellen

Holy Week with FPC

April 2: Palm Sunday

11:00 AM Worship with communion

April 6: Maundy Thursday

6:30 PM: Dinner followed by Worship with communion in Davis Hall

April 7: Good Friday

3:30 PM: Community Stations of the Cross, begins at Grace Lutheran Church

7:00 PM: Tenebrae service in the sanctuary

April 9: Easter

7:00 AM: Sunrise service in Memorial Garden

9:45 AM: Flowered Cross service in the sanctuary

11:00 AM: Worship in the sanctuary (Nursery available for this service only)

There will be a Congregational Meeting following Worship this Sunday, March 26, for the purpose of electing one Deacon for the Class of 2025 and the Elders and Deacons for the Class of 2026.

Usher sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-fpcusher

Lay Reader sign up link:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948acab2dabf49-scripture

link for online worship:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfpzVUz-ZgaCJuogIMor8Iw/live

link to Ellen's sermon podcasts:  https://bit.ly/Sermons_FPCConcord

This Sunday is our Noisy Offering so gather up your change! (Dollar bills accepted too)

The Girl Scouts will hold a final cookie booth on the front lawn of the sanctuary this Sunday, March 26^th from 1-5 PM (or while supplies last!)

On Sunday, we explored Fellowship in the Church at Confirmation and worked on painting portions of Psalm 67 in Youth Group.

We look forward to gathering again this Sunday: 2022-2023 Youth: 3/26 Youth (signupgenius.com)

Please note that Youth Group will meet off-campus on Sunday. We hope that you can join us for the bonfire.

As we look ahead to Youth Sunday, we are also asking families to indicate their attendance plans for that weekend: 2022-2023 Youth: Youth Sunday (signupgenius.com)

Lisa McLennan, Vice President for Administration and Dean of Students for the Charlotte Campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary, will teach the class this Sunday, March 26.

Please join the Racial Equity Reads group at 3 PM this Sunday, March 26, in The Commons to discuss “The Color of Compromise” by Jemar Tisby.

This book, available on Amazon.com, examines the American Church’s complicity in racism and suggests ways to foster a more equitable and inclusive environment among God’s people. We will look specifically at chapters 2 and 3 this week.  

Our group is informal, and you can join any time. For more information email sverner@yahoo.com.

Prayers for Peace in Ukraine

March 26, 2023 6 PM

Join us the last Sunday in March

for an informal, community service of prayer for Ukraine

The Commons Prayer Room located at 75 Church St. NE Concord

(Church St. side of First Presbyterian)

Parking available in lot across street off of Creswell Dr.

Psalm 31:2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

One Great Hour of Sharing:

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA)

When natural or human-caused disasters impact communities, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is poised to respond and work closely with congregations and local mission partners to bring Christ’s love and healing.

Quick Figures

·      $3.1 million granted in 30 states and 15 countries

·       400 work team volunteers served in California, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey

In September 2018 Hurricane Florence caused catastrophic in NC.

·       In 2023, PDA is still hosting work teams in New Bern, NC to help repair damaged homes!

·       60 National Response Team Members were deployed to 19 presbyteries for natural and

human-caused disasters, including the tragic shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, and Highland Park.

·       Hosted more than 500 people in 41 Emotional & Spiritual programs

PDA is the emergency and refugee program of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The core budget, including staff and administrative costs, is funded through One Great Hour of Sharing. Please give generously. This offering will be received Easter Sunday.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina recently recognized the CCM Crisis Center Food Pantry as one of their three “Agencies of the Year.” We assume this was due to both the hard work the Food Program Team (staff and mostly volunteers!) accomplishes in serving our many neighbors in need, and to the innovations we are willing to take to better serve our community. At their annual All-Agency Conference they also provided us a few minutes to speak about our strong volunteer base. Many agencies have had a hard time recruiting and retaining volunteers since the pandemic hit, and CCM has been very blessed with a consistent and faithful volunteer pool.

Please be aware if delivering food to the Crisis Center after April 12—The City of Concord is closing Country Club Drive for at least nine months to replace the culvert down below us. We WILL remain open throughout the road closure. However, after April 12, everyone will need to come to us from the Concord Lake Road/Branchview Drive direction.

Currently, the pantry items we are in biggest need of are:

·    Spaghetti Noodles (we are completely out!)

·    Diced Tomatoes

·    Canned Chicken

·    Canned peas, carrots, and potatoes

·    Any kind of canned beans (Baked, black, kidney, etc.) except for green beans and pintos

·    Any Canned Fruit (Mixed, Peaches, Pineapple, etc.) except for pears

·    Paper Towels

As always, we especially seek low sodium items, no-added-sugar items, and whole grain items. 

Currently we have plenty of:

·    Canned Green Beans

·    Canned Corn

·    Canned Pintos

·    Pears

·    Pasta Sauce (15 oz.)

·    Tuna

·    Soup

·    Macaroni & Cheese

·    Tomato Sauce

Thank you for the continued support from our church and community partners. Our Crisis Center at 246 Country Club Drive NE in Concord serves as the warehouse for most of the food. We will gladly accept all donations at that site from 9:30 am to 1 pm Monday through Friday. Bethel Baptist Helping Hands Food Pantry, located at 1209 1/4 Opal Street in Kannapolis, will gladly accept donations from 9 am to 1 pm on Monday and Thursday. The food pantry located at Westford UMC on Highway 49 and the Kannapolis Food Pantry at West Point Baptist Church can accept donations on Saturday morning from 8:30 am to 11:30 am. The Feeding Our Souls Food Pantry at Bethel Church in Midland, and North Kannapolis Baptist Church Food Pantry will accept donations by calling the church in advance.

As we experience the season of Lent, Holy Week, and celebrate Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday, we will be inspired by several guest Celebration Musicians during worship: Sunday, March 26, professional string players (Violins, Viola, Cello and Double-Bass), and a consort of woodwind players on Easter Sunday (Clarinet, English Horn, French Horn, Bassoon). On Palm/Passion Sunday, the Sanctuary Choir will lift a stirring offering of music to God called, "All of Us," that will include a gospel-style trio of women (Cecilia Moneta Matthew, Carrie Myers, and our own home-grown Meredith Myers Herrera).  Plan ahead to attend worship and ask God to bless you and inspire you.

The S & D Sunday School class invites the congregation to join in providing Easter hams to families-in-need served by Operation Breadbasket. S & D class members will purchase and deliver 140 hams to Operation Breadbasket in time for their Easter distribution. If you would like to donate, please make your check out to Brian Moore and either drop it off at the church office, or mail to him: 2401 Bethlehem Church Rd, Gold Hill, NC 28071. Thank you!

For the first time since 2019, Cabarrus County Girl Scouts were able to gather to celebrate World Thinking Day this year. This annual event recognizes our Girl Scout sisters across the globe. All four troops sponsored by First Presbyterian Church selected a country and presented the unique culture of that country to all attending.