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Friday, Oct. 18, 2024 Newsletter
For Sunday
9:00 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Worship Service
(in person in Fellowship Hall)
11:15 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service
(in person in the Sanctuary, and livestreamed on Facebook and website)
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A MESSAGE FROM REV. DR. STEVE SIMMONS:
THAT ALL MAY BE NOURISHED
“Food, glorious food!” sing the street urchins in the Broadway musical Oliver. While we may not be in their desperate circumstances, we can all relate. Food is basic to our existence, both physically and emotionally. “Let’s do lunch” is an invitation, not only to chow down, but to deepen a friendship. Family gatherings generally center around a festive meal. For people of faith, food is a reminder of God’s good creation and provision for our needs.
This past week, our Canadian friends celebrated Thanksgiving, and Wednesday marked both United Nations World Food Day and the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which commemorates God’s care for his people during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness following the Exodus.
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The Lord’s Table is central to our understanding of Christianity (a good argument could be made that it is, in fact, the core symbol of our faith), highlighting as it does Jesus’s self-giving on behalf of the world, our continuing need for physical and spiritual nourishment, and our hope for a new creation when “people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.” And from the earliest days Christians have understood that we have a commission to extend that table to all, and especially to those who lack their daily bread. | |
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Taking up that call, our congregation actively participates in a variety of food-related ministries, from the recent CROP Hunger Walk (see update, below), to the Bread for the World Offering of Letters, to Meals on Wheels, in gratitude for God’s bounty.
We also help to support local agencies like Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering (above) and New Bethany (did you know that New Bethany recently opened a “Choice Food Pantry” that makes it possible for people experiencing food insecurity to make their own food choices in a market-like setting?). Our church is also an organizational, founding member-owner of the Bethlehem Co-op Market (formerly the Bethlehem Food Co-Op), and many in our congregation are household member-owners. And we host the Blank Slate CommUNITY Garden, providing fresh produce to area food pantries.
So, as we anticipate the coming season of feasting and festivity, let’s be united in remembering that “all good gifts around us are sent from heaven above,” and so “thank the Lord for all his love” as we pass those gifts along to a world that is hungry for food, faith, and fellowship, that all may be nourished.
Blessings,
Steve
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- Sermon: Conversations by Rev. Dr. Stephen Simmons
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We post the video of each week’s services and sermon text on our website: fpc-bethlehem.org
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TRAFFIC ALERT FOR THIS SUNDAY, OCT. 20
The Bethlehem Running Festival will be held this Sunday, Oct. 20.
It will feature a Half Marathon road race that morning,
through city streets. The route will not utilize Center Street but will impact streets to the west and south of our campus.
Please plan ahead. CHECK THE MAP.
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Thank you to Elder Kari Keyock for sharing her talent by creating
these new logos for our faith formation offerings. | |
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FOR SUNDAY: HEARTS N MINDS - ADULT ED CLASS
The Hearts N Minds adult education class is engaging in a series of discussions designed to spark engagement with democracy and democratic values in a non-partisan way. This Sunday we will ‘drill down’ into the HEART of democracy to the “US”.
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The historian Howard Zinn said that the “Us” (you and me) is the essential ingredient in the democracy experiment. To make democracy in America work individuals need to be in it for the long haul; no exceptions for age or condition - we can all be models. | |
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The class meets in the Parlor at 10 a.m. on Sundays. All are welcome to attend. | |
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FOR SUNDAY: BODY N SOUL - INTERGENERATIONAL FAITH FORMATION
Intergenerational faith formation builds community across generations, providing a space and structure where persons of all ages can learn from each other. Through biblically-based storytelling, small group conversations, interactive group activities, and opportunities for individual contemplation, participants encounter God’s word and explore how it is active in today’s world.
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The class is exploring the curriculum Current: Seeking Peace Together. Divided into four segments, this curriculum explores the topics: Peace with God, Peace Within, Peace with Others, and Peace with Creation. | |
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Each week introduces a new story from the Old or New Testament that illustrates God’s shalom. Body N Soul meets weekly between Sunday services (10:10 – 11 a.m.) in Fellowship Hall, continuing through the end of December. All are welcome! | |
HI NEIGHBORS SPEAKERS PROGRAM: JOIN US ON MONDAY! | |
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Last Monday’s Hi Neighbors audience heard from Matthew Sayre, a physical therapist from St. Luke’s Anderson campus. He shared important info about how to thrive as we age, as well as tips and strategies to ensure “Fitness in Your Golden Years”.
For this week’s program, we’ll enjoy an armchair travelog as Leslie Pohl takes us along on her recent “Travels to Australia.”
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We start each session with a 9:30 a.m. Social Time in Fellowship Hall. An hour-long program follows at 10 a.m., focusing on topics like local history and culture, wellness, and technology. The complete schedule is available here.
All are welcome – no registration fee or sign-up needed. Just come and bring your friends!
| STILL TIME TO HELP: ANNUAL CROP WALK | |
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Many thanks to all who participated in this year’s CROP Hunger Walk, whether as sponsors or walkers (or both!). As of now, we've received $2,542 in contributions to this effort, and if you’d like to pitch in, it’s not too late!
We hope to close the books over the next three weeks, so if you’d like to help, use this link.
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Or you can also make out a check to “CWS/CROP” and drop it off in the church office.
Thanks for helping us support our neighbors in this way!
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CARE CONCERNS AND HOSPITAL VISITS
If you are hospitalized, please tell the hospital our church code is 724. Also, please call the church office at 610-867-5865 to let us know as the hospitals do not always collect this information. After hours, leave a message or call our answering service at 610-778-7003.
PRAYER REQUESTS...
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**Deadline for the next newsletter:
WEDNESDAY at noon**
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Your likes / comments / shares help us spread the word about First Pres!
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TO JOIN OUR LIVESTREAM WORSHIP SERVICE
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Visit our Facebook page and look for the post with our live feed
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If you don’t have a Facebook account, go to our website to view the service - click on the "Watch the Service" button
- Please check in with a comment so we know you’ve joined us!
- Captions will now be available on our livestream, for those who would like to use that feature
To watch a video – available after the services have aired: Visit our website archives
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FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:
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Child care will be available from 8:45 a.m. -12:15 p.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.
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Your children are a joy in our worship services, and should the need arise, “kid bags” are available for their use while they are visiting. They are in the Narthex.
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We offer nametags for folks to wear – these are for everyone! You can pick up as you enter the worship space; please clearly PRINT your first name.
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THIS SUNDAY
- 8:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
- 9 a.m.: Holy Ground Contemporary Service, Fellowship Hall (in person only)
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10-11 a.m.: Hearts N Minds adult ed class, Parlor (see more info, above)
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10:10 – 11 a.m.: Body N Soul intergenerational class, Fellowship Hall (see more info, above)
- NEW TIME - 11:15 a.m.: Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary (in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website, fpc-bethlehem.org
TUESDAYS: 6 p.m. - Hand Bell Choir rehearsals, Sanctuary; newcomers welcome!
WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom.com (meeting #: 868 2214 2960; passcode: OO-Beth)
THURSDAYS: 7 p.m. - Chancel Choir rehearsals, Sanctuary; newcomers welcome!
CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO:
Regular office hours are Monday - Thursday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Many of the office staff are working remotely for some of the time, so please make an appointment if you need to see someone specific. The answering service (610-778-7003) can take your urgent pastoral concerns, 24 hours a day.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Look for updates on our website (fpc-bethlehem.org), Facebook page, and WFMZ (channel 69 and wfmz.com). We will also put the info on our church phone message, 610-867-5865.
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BETHLEHEM | |
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, 2344 Center Street, Bethlehem, PA 18017 610-867-5865 | info@fpc-bethlehem.org
Rev. Lindsey Altvater Clifton, Acting Head of Staff/Associate Pastor for Justice and Community Impact; LClifton@fpc-bethlehem.org
Rev. Suzanne Trump, Pastoral Associate for Compassion; STrump@fpc-bethlehem.org
David Macbeth, Director of Music Ministries: ext. 202; DMacbeth@fpc-bethlehem.org
David Crook, Director of Church Administration; ext. 210; DCrook@fpc-bethlehem.org
Kevin Konczyk, Facilities Manager; KKonczyk@fpc-bethlehem.org
Carol Burns, Communications Manager: ext. 238; CBurns@fpc-bethlehem.org
Tracy Leszcynski, Preschool Director; phone: 610-867-2956; TLeszcynski@fpc-bethlehem.org
Brenda Robinson, Bookkeeper; BusinessOffice@fpc-bethlehem.org
Website: www.fpc-bethlehem.org
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