First Presbyterian Church
79 Academy Street
Marion, NC
Phone - 828-652-5717
fpcmarionnc@gmail.com

Thursday Update
January 21, 2021
A note from
Rev. Rob Warren

It’s been a month – so, for the benefit of a mission program that is already present here, I want to challenge you. A while back, the Presbytery of Western North Carolina realized how many families in our world live in need. They have challenged every member of every church to donate a nickel for every meal they eat. A nickel each meal averages out to about $54.75 per person, per year. First Presbyterian Church has answered that challenge and when we were meeting in person, the donations were collected on the second Sunday of the month. Since we haven’t been meeting regularly, our donations to support this ministry have not been as consistent as they once were.

That doesn’t seem like a lot (about $1.05 a week). Hear the good news, when you collect fishes and loaves from a multitude, God can intervene and things may multiply. According to our last statistical report (2020), there are nearly 14000 members of churches in this presbytery. If just 10% of the Presbyterians in this region participate, that is over $75,000 to feed families in and around our churches. If 90% participated? That would mean that almost $690,000 would be donated.

Those funds are donated to the Presbytery as a designated gift (for the Presbytery Hunger Committee) and then given out in grants to organizations that are following the Presbytery guidelines and are endorsed by local churches. 55% of the money donated goes to international projects. Forty cents for every dollar (2 cents for each nickel) stays in this region. Then comes administration costs.

What the program does in the world is important, but what it gives the church is just as vital. Every person from every church is invited to attend. It is a truly “equal opportunity” mission. It reminds each of us that we are blessed and reminds us, with each meal, we receive a blessing from God. Most importantly, it starts with the communion table, and reaches out into the world.

So, we’re putting the two together.

For the foreseeable future, we will be collecting the nickel-a-meal donations on the first Sunday during the public communion we host in the parking lot (First Sunday of each month, noon until 1pm). It is not a requirement to receive communion, but God’s offering to us in Christ has long been linked to our response to God’s grace by offering our lives – our skills, our time, our resources – in service to God. I hope to see you each first Sunday, and I hope this message finds you well.

Rob
Blessing Bags

The first wave of the Blessing Bags is packed and ready for pickup and distribution. Thanks to everyone who has contributed contents, dollars, time, and talents to prepare the bags. If you are interested in the distribution of the Blessing Bags, they can be picked up in the Education Building. Just stop by and pick up a few to keep in your car and to hand out to folks in need in the community or wherever you travel. Going forward, we will pack the bags once a month and let everyone know when we are doing so. We have found that it is more economical and efficient if we purchase in bulk. Too, it is easier to identify what is needed so monetary contributions are probably the path of least resistance. If you are interested in helping, please consider donating cash for the cause or helping to assemble the bags when we meet monthly. Checks or cash may be dropped off in the Education Building with an indication that it is for the Blessing Bags. Thank you!
Sunday Worship - Jan 24

A link to the worship video will be posted on the church website and Facebook Page by 8 AM that day.

Since we will not be Live Streaming from the sanctuary, radio access in the church parking lot will not be available.
Zoom Sunday School
January 24

Please join us at 10:00 a.m.

Then click "download here" and "run."
Meeting ID: 865 9532 5999
Password: 511859
Let Us Pray for . . .

In Our Church Family

Margaret Anderson
Catherine Barrett Clapp
Bill Rowe
Charlotte Hartley
Margaret Gourley
Ken and Dorothy Lael
Ethel McGarr
Grace Greenlee
Angie and Joe Dunkel
Willie and Patti Wilkerson


Others of Our Families, Friends and Community

Mary Styles (mother of Deborah Leazer)
Lisa Turnbull (daughter-in-law of Joe & Trish Turnbull)
James Cronin (brother of Mary Alice Ramsey)
George Guinn, Jr. (brother of Pat Cantey)
Glenda Elam (mother of Angie Dunkle)
Martha Cauthen (mother of Mark Cauthen)

Autumn Care Staff and residents
Our schools & colleges, teachers, students, parents
Those affected by hurricanes and fires and responders, including Presbyterian
Disaster Response teams
Our nation and our church during times of transition 
 
 To add to or update our prayer list:
rb.brendle@outlook.com