Summer is now here and, notwithstanding the glorious weather this past weekend, hot, steamy weather is ahead. Summer also means kids out of school, family vacations, July 4th celebrations and the like. And it typically means our Sunday services are not as well attended since folks are out of town or traveling. I have been very encouraged to see the attendance the last two Sundays and have particularly enjoyed the pastor’s messages along with a broad cross section of music led by Karen Reardon. It has been truly uplifting and inspiring!
So where are you and your family in your worship participation? Have you gone remote with an occasional in-person attendance? Or have you decided to not do church this summer? If you answered yes to either of these questions, I kindly ask you to reconsider. Your church family misses you and wants to see you! There are wonderful events planned this summer, and the staff and pastors have a well-thought out schedule that gets us all the way to the fall. And as Christians, we are meant to be together. We thrive off of being around each other. We need each other! As Paul said in his first letter to the Thessalonians: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (NIV 1 Thessalonians 5:11).
I hope to see you next Sunday morning. WFPC is a great place to be at that time.
In Christ
Ed Pulliam
Elder for Finance
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Worship at WFPC
Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (in-person and online)
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June 26
As we continue to focus on music during the month of June, this Sunday we will focus on VBS music in celebration of WFPC VBS this coming week! Our Scripture comes from 2 Samuel 22:29 and John 1:1-5. Marguerite will share her sermon, "Praise Music."
10:00 in the Sanctuary
Our 10:00 a.m. worship service is livestreamed on our YouTube channel. |
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It's Time to Eat and Celebrate!
Thursday, June 30, at 5:30 p.m.
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What is God like to YOU? This is the idea we will be exploring all week during VBS this year, and you are invited to join us! Thursday, June 30, will be a congregational dinner and VBS Celebration. We will enjoy dinner together, have celebration time, share songs our children have learned, and hear about what God is like to THEM. The ice cream truck will be on site during our celebration for folks with a sweet tooth! RSVP for dinner by clicking here! |
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WFPC Moves to One Worship Service |
At the meeting last week, Session made the difficult decision to continue with a single worship service into the fall. Sunday worship will be at 10 a.m., with all Sunday School classes meeting at 9 a.m.
The rationale is, not surprisingly, based on the effects that COVID has had not just on WFPC, but on churches of all denominations throughout the country. Our attendance is significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels of around 350 per Sunday— through May of this year, an average of about 100 people attended each service, while the sanctuary capacity is 475, and the CLC capacity is even higher than that. And the volunteers (greeters, ushers, musicians, AV assistants and the like) needed to run a service are stretched thin.
Session did not take this action lightly, and the unanimous vote to approve the motion came after a long discussion in which we all wrestled with the decision. Prior to our meeting, individual elders received input from members of Sunday School classes, Bible studies and other groups at WFPC. Ultimately, we decided that moving to one service is the right choice for the church we are at this time.
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Summer Sundays at WFPC — July through Labor Day |
During our July Summer Sundays, we will be focusing on the visual arts. In addition to our normal worship service, we will have a congregational art show and interactive art/prayer stations for you to engage with each week.
July 3: Staying Rooted
“Storms make trees take deeper roots.” (Dolly Parton).
Draw the ground line about a third of the way down and then the lines for a tree trunk. Begin the process of drawing roots from top to bottom of the page. Notice your breathing as you draw each root. Notice the way they connect and also move in different directions. Create as many roots as you desire.
Then pause and think about the things that keep you rooted to self, others, and the moment. Write each one on a tree root.
When you’re finished, take a look at all of the roots and choose one to do in the next couple of hours. Repeat as needed…and feel free to add more roots or begin a second tree if you run out of room! Sometimes we need a forest.
July 10: Parament Square Making
Kathy Drake and Joni Amerson are excited to invite the congregation to help make the next paraments that go on the communion table in the sanctuary. Everyone will be invited to draw a symbol that is meaningful to them (examples of PCUSA symbols will be provided for inspiration) on a square of fabric that will be sewn with all other congregant squares to make a beautiful new parament!
July 17: Dissolving Anxiety with Prayer: Be Still and Know
Each congregant will be invited to take a sheet of paper and spend a moment thinking on the things that are worrying them, or making them feel anxious or fretful. Everyone is invited to write down any and all worries they choose on that piece of paper and spend a moment simply being still and knowing that God is in that moment with them. Then each person is invited to place their paper in a bowl of water on the table, and watch the paper dissolve away, hopefully carrying some anxiety and worry with it.
July 24: Thankful Praying: Fill in the Blanks with Thanks!
Small 4x6 canvases will be available to folks after worship. Create a design by putting masking tape on whatever areas of the canvas you do not want color. (see picture above). Once tape is removed and color is set, use the blank lines to write things you want to thank God for!!
July 31: Where Did You See God Today???
God sightings wall : We will have a large piece of butcher paper attached to one of the partitions from the CLC… a table will be set with materials to either draw or write where you’ve seen God in worship today. Everyone is invited to write or draw one way they have seen God during worship and tape their art to the wall! We can leave the God sightings up for several weeks as a reminder of how to continue looking for God in even the smallest of moments.
We will close out our Summer Sundays with sermons focusing on literature. We invite you to get a head start now and join us in our summer reading:
August 7: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
August 14: The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
August 21: Drawing God by Karen Keifer (Children’s Sunday)
August 28: Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman
September 4: American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings
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Starting July 3, we will focus our services on visual art and worship. So we're inviting you to help us celebrate by having a congregational art show July 3 - August 7. Please allow us to display your painting, sculpture, drawing, fabric art, whatever you would like to share. We're especially interested in any works you have on the themes of: America, Still Life, The Mountains to the Coast, Seeing God, and Light. There are submission forms with details in the narthex. You may drop off your artwork this Sunday morning. |
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Community Garden
We now have potable running water! Hallelujah! We’ll soon have a shade sail and a water misting system, which will make summer harvesting more enjoyable! Our first ripe tomatoes of the season were harvested on 6/11, and on the first day of summer, we harvested 35 pounds of tomatoes. That’s early even for Early Girl tomatoes! We were pleasantly surprised to harvest 147 pounds of potatoes from the framed beds this week. God is good! We’ll resume providing produce to Journey Ministry Food Pantry in Youngsville next week (formerly known as Glory Tabernacle Food Pantry). Summer fruit planting was rescheduled for tomorrow. We need your help to seed the edible forest with watermelon, honeydew melons, cantaloupe, pumpkins, and winter squash. For those who want to start early, Pam will be there at 7 a.m.
Journey Ministry Food Pantry
Formerly known as Glory Tabernacle, this food pantry will resume operations soon! This ministry helps food-insecure families in the greater Wake Forest area. If you are interested in being a part of this exciting team, contact Randy or Kathy!
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VBS Starts on Sunday!
“Whenever you aren’t sure what God is like, think about what makes you feel safe, what makes you feel brave, and what makes you feel loved. That’s what God is like.”
We have 73 children, ages four through fifth grade, coming to WFPC to answer the question, “What Is God Like?” Please pray for our participants and volunteers to have a fun, spirit-filled week!
In hope and in love,
Katherine and Amy
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Summer Pop Up Gatherings
Hey youth! Be on the lookout for pop up gatherings and missions this summer! Stay tuned to the weekly email and announcements for details! Can’t wait to see you! In the meantime…have a great summer!!!
A Look Ahead:
July 17-23 Montreat High School Youth Conference
Janet Briley
Director of Youth Ministries
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Please keep the following members of our church family in your prayers:
Jody Alston
Eddie Glasscock
Jean Futrell
Helen Halva
Charlie Jones
Don McCorkle
Rebekah Maul
David and Grace Maul
Peggy Newsome
Evelyn Patton
Wayne Pratt
Ed Ray
Marcia Rhoten
Don and Sally Shupe
Daniel Valentino
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Saturday, June 25
8:00 am Iron Sharpens Iron
Sunday, June 26
10:00 am Summer Worship in the sanctuary
6:00 pm VBS
Tuesday, June 27
5:45 pm Beginner Handbells in blue mod room 3
6:00 pm VBS
Wednesday, June 29
5:45 pm Handbell Rehearsal
6:00 pm VBS
7:00 pm Chancel Choir
Thursday, June 30
5:30 pm Congregational Dinner and VBS Celebration
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WFPC Tithes/Offerings vs. Expenses for 2022
Current Mo. YTD
Receipts $39,104 $385,725
Expenses $37,020 $366,436
Surplus/Deficit $2,084 $19,289
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WFPC Deacons
Class of 2022
Paul Ballance, Welcome
George Dudley, Branch Ministry
Pat Snyder, Compassion
Class of 2023
Ann Brackett, Branch Ministry
Sarah Chapman, Fellowship
Bonnie Habicht, Compassion
Class of 2024
Karla Frye, Welcome
Mike Honkomp, Fellowship
Traci Marchand, Compassion
Carol Noble, Fellowship
Lucy Deeprose, Clerk of Diaconate
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WFPC Session
Class of 2022
Dania Borowitz, Discipleship (Children)
Trish Floyd, Congregational Care
Sharon Lineberry, Discipleship (Adult)
Randy Parrish, Mission & Outreach
Ed Pulliam, Finance
Jim Wills, Facilities
Class of 2023
Kathy Drake, Worship & Music
Denny Ide, Facilities
Sarah Kirby, Clerk
Amanda McCabe, Personnel
Chad Robertson, IT/Communications
Class of 2024
John Akerman, Generosity
Joni Amerson, Worship
Norm Brown, MEG
Seamus Duerr, IT/Communications
Dawn Myers, Discipleship (Youth)
Harold Panel, Personnel
Kathy Tharrington, Mission & Outreach
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