Holy Week will be here before we know it! Save the dates above and join us for this very special time in the life of our church. 

Maundy Thursday: 

5:15pm - a congregational meal in Baird Hall will take place, followed immediately by Maundy Thursday worship, including the sacrament of communion

Good Friday: 

7pm - join us in the chapel for a brief but meaningful service of song and scripture, leading into the beginning of our Easter Prayer Vigil

Easter Prayer Vigil: 

Sign up below to participate in this very special tradition of our church. From the end of the Good Friday Service until sunrise on Easter morning, members will take turns spending an hour in prayer in the chapel. All ages are welcome to participate, and security will be present from 9pm-5am.

Easter Sunday: 

Join us for worship at 9am or 11am to celebrate the joy and hope of Christ's Resurrection. Between services, we will have a time of fellowship with refreshments provided as well as an egg hunt for our youngest members. Don't forget to bring flowers to decorate the flower cross in the courtyard!

Throughout the season of Lent we will have ongoing faith formation opportunities for all ages! If you have questions about any of the offerings please reach out to the appropriate staff member: 

Children and Youth - Chris Sarkowski (csarkowski@fpcauburn.org) 

Adult Education - Kathy Reed (kreed@fpcauburn.org)

If you would like to order a lily to be placed in our sanctuary on Easter Sunday, you may fill out a paper form (also available in the narthex) or complete this Google form by Monday, March 25. Checks may be mailed to the church office or placed in the collection plate on Sundays (please do NOT include on same check as pledge payments - thank you!). If a plant is given in your honor (or in memory of a family member), please take it home after the 11:00 a.m. Easter service.

The Alabama Arise Legislative Day is Tuesday, April 2, in Montgomery at the Alabama State House in Room 200 (11 South Union Street). We need to make sure our voices are heard as we advocate for a better Alabama for all. 

9:30 a.m. Registration in Room 200 of the State House.  

10:00 a.m. Briefing meeting. 

12:15 p.m. News conference and legislative visits. 

2:30 p.m. Membership meeting to debrief.

There is no cost for this event, but a $15 donation for lunch is suggested. 

Please register by March 25 as seating is limited. The preferred way is to register online at alariseaction.org/legislative-day-2024. You can also email info@alarise.org with your name and contact information. 

Let Harriette Huggins know if you register so carpooling can be arranged.

The Personnel Committee is now accepting applications for a part-time position as Program Director for our UKirk Campus Ministry program. If you know someone who:

• loves working with college students
• has excellent organizational & communication skills
• and would enjoy working as a member of the FPC church staff

please share the above job description and encourage them to contact Personnel Committee Chair, Holly Mitchell at hollymitchell@email.com

Please join us for the PRAYER VIGIL - Prayer without ceasing!

We are dedicating a special time, which we call the vigil, to seeking God through prayer. This is a significant event in the life of our church where we take a break for at least an hour to reflect on the working of the spirit, both within and without. It's a time to prepare ourselves for Easter, where we will be nourished together and gain direction for our future work. We strive to have someone sign up to be in prayer for every hour of the vigil. The prayer vigil starts directly after the Good Friday service on March 29, and continues until sunrise, 7 a.m. Easter Sunday, March 31. 

We encourage you to sign up to commit to setting aside one hour to be with God in our Chapel. Groups and families are encouraged to sign up together. A variety of materials will be available to help guide your prayer hour. More than one person can sign up for the same slot. You will be reminded via email or phone a day or two before your time slot. In addition, all are encouraged to join throughout the weekend anywhere - anytime.

During this time, we can share our various celebrations, concerns, and thanksgivings!

Prayer request cards will be available in the Narthex and Chapel. Drop them in the Sunday offering plate or in appropriately marked boxes around the church. 

Sign-up: You can sign up for the chapel hours online at this link, or on a paper signup sheet in the Narthex before and after church. 

For more information or help in signing up contact:  Shane Klugh 334-707-0626

This Week at FPC

Mar. 17-23, 2024

Sunday

9:00 a.m. - Worship Service with Weekly Communion (Chapel)

9:30 a.m. - Coffee & Fellowship (Baird Hall)

9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for all ages

11:00 a.m. - Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Bulletin for March 17 worship

Sunday Parking Map

12:00 p.m. - PW Circle #4 (Library)

4:00 p.m. - Children's Fellowship & Dinner

5:00 p.m. - Youth Dinner & Fellowship

5:00 p.m. - Handbell Choir Rehearsal

5:30 p.m. - Stated Session Meeting (Library)

7:00 p.m. - UKirk Dinner & Bible Study

Wednesday

8:00 a.m. - Men's Bible Study (Library)

12:30 p.m. - Mission Committee

7:00 p.m. - Youth First Wednesday Fellowship (Rescheduled)

Children and Youth News

Children Pre-K through 5th grade

• Acolytes! 3rd – 5th grade parents, click the link to sign your child up!
• Children's Church during 11 a.m. worship
• Worship bags are available for all children during worship.
• Godly Play: After the Word to Grow By (at 11 a.m. worship), children ages 4 to 2nd grade will go to the Godly Play room to worship together for the remainder of the worship service.
• Children's Fellowship/Choir: The next three Sundays (3/17, 3/24, 4/7) from 4-5 p.m. the children will have a brief time of recreation in Baird Hall and then head down to Conway Hall for choir rehearsal in preparation for Children's Sunday, and then dinner from 5-5:30.

Jr. and Sr. High Youth

• Jr. and Sr. High Youth will meet Sunday for dinner in Baird Hall at 5 p.m. and Youth Group in the Youth Lounge from 5:30-6:30.
• Youth Group Dinner Sign Up
• Confirmation Class meets at 4 p.m. on Sunday in the Youth Lounge on the 3rd floor.
• Jr/Sr High Fellowship will meet this Wednesday (3/20) 7 p.m. to stuff Easter Eggs (rescheduled from last week).

Save the Date

Youth Sunday - April 7

Children's Sunday - April 14

Summer Mission Trip and Conference Dates for Jr. and Sr. High Youth

Charleston Youth Mission - June 2-7, 2024

Montreat Youth Conference - July 7-13, 2024

Montreat Middle School Conference - July 17-21, 2024 

Birthdays 

Mar. 17 - Jim Dunham, Eric Moore

Mar. 18 - Janne Debes

Mar. 19 - Nancy Calcott, Jim Foil, Kellye Joiner

Mar. 22 - Margaret Craig Schmidt, Addison Ragan

Mar. 23 - Ben Wernette

Anniversaries

Mar. 18 - Bob and Kay Recknor

Mar. 19 - Shane and Laura Klugh (30th!)

Mar. 20 - Barry and Mary Burkhart

Prayer Concerns & Celebrations

• Prayers of healing and rest for Henry Helmke as he recovers at home after a brief stay at the hospital. 

• Prayers of care and healing for Erin Brown’s sister Carrie as she prepares to donate a kidney to a friend in need. 

• Prayers of healing for Don Ball’s son, Kelly Ball, who is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for recurrence of cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Daniel and Amanda Johnson’s nephew James Ivey as he receives critical care. Prayers for the doctors and caregivers who are caring for him, especially his parents and family.

• Prayers for Todd White as he recovers at home from successful outpatient back surgery.

• Please continue to pray for many members of our church who are dealing with illness, significant health issues, grief, and difficult circumstances but at this time do not wish to be mentioned by name. Prayers of healing, wholeness, and comfort for many in our congregation.

• Prayers of healing for Mary Baird’s brother-in-law Bill as he recovers at home from successful double-bypass surgery. Prayers for Mary’s sister Carol and niece and nephew as they care for Bill.  

• Prayers of healing and wholeness for Becky Buchanan’s family friend Hughes Allen who has been diagnosed with cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Kay Recknor as she continues to improve from a significant leg injury.

• Prayers of healing for Clay Price’s father as recovers from a fall. Prayers for Clay as he cares for his father.

• Prayers for Amy Kilner (daughter-in-law of Dorothy Moran) as she recovers from a kidney transplant.

• Prayers of healing for Donine Cooper as she continues to recover at home from surgery. Prayers for Doug as he cares for her.

• Prayers for Jim Foil and his family as they continue to manage Jim’s health.

• Prayers of healing for Todd Jolly’s brother Robby as he awaits test for a cancer diagnosis. Prayers for Todd as he cares for his brother from a far.

• Prayers for Catherine Wolfe Riley’s father, Ned. Ned has a recurrence of cancer and will be undergoing treatment over the next few months. Prayers for Catherine as she cares for her father..

• Prayers of healing and rest for Donna Yeager’s mother, Patsy Yeager, as she navigates health issues.

• Prayers healing and comfort for Sarah Wolak’s mother, Susan French. Prayers of comfort and strength for Sarah and all her family as they care for her mother.

• Continued prayers of healing for Chris Greer. We especially pray for good healing and rest as Chris recovers from successful treatments. We continue to rejoice with Chris because the latest scans show no sign of cancer. We are so grateful the chemotherapy treatments have been successful.

• Prayers for Brooke Myers as she cares for her father, Charlie Myers. Charlie is recovering from a fall and has moved to Morningside.

• Prayers of healing for Debbie Duin’s friend Ann Suttles who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

• Prayers of healing for Carolyn William’s sister Beverly Huey as she navigates health issues. Prayers for Carolyn as she cares for her sister.