Friday, Aug. 2, 2024 Newsletter



For Sunday - Communion Sunday



10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service in the Sanctuary

(in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)

A MESSAGE FROM THE REV. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON: 

LOOKING AHEAD

Greetings dear ones,

First, much gratitude to everyone who helped make J.C.’s send-off celebration a meaningful time together! I think it was a fitting way to honor his ministry alongside us and offer our blessings for his next chapter.

Speaking of Presbytery, our Transitional Pastor Search Team has submitted the Ministry Discernment Profile, which is the Transitional/Interim Pastor position description, for Committee on Ministry approval. COM’s next monthly meeting is on Aug. 13, but we’re hopeful they might be able to approve it electronically before then. The search team will certainly keep you posted!

And looking a bit farther ahead, I wanted to share some upcoming Out of Office dates with you. I’ll be at the beach with family from Aug. 10-15, and Laura and I are enjoying a little staycation from Aug. 29-Sept. 2. 

Then, I have two professional commitments later in the fall: I’ve been asked to substitute for J.C. at the Stewardship Kaleidoscope conference (Sept. 23-26) where I’ll be leading a workshop focused on our strategic work to use our physical resources for community impact and financial sustainability. I also think it will be a valuable time to gather additional ideas and tools for our future stewardship and capital needs! You can learn more about that conference here.

From Oct. 14-21, I’ll be leading my first Recently Ordained Clergy CREDO cohort as a vocation faculty member for that Board of Pensions program. More information about it can be found here.

For the August and September dates, Rev. Suzanne Trump will be on-call for any time sensitive pastoral care needs, and in October, one of our Parish Associates will provide that coverage since Suzanne will also be away. (More on who to contact a bit closer to then!)

I’m grateful for your words of confidence and support as I hold down the fort in this bridge period, and I know that the staff, Session, Trustees, and Deacons will all continue to lead well even during such a big transition! Forward together, friends…

In Christ,

Lindsey

FOR THIS SUNDAY

Ephesians 4:1-16

• Sermon: Rowing in the Same Direction by the Rev. Rhonda Kruse
• We post the video of each week’s services and sermon text on our website: fpc-bethlehem.org

TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper:



Summer Worship Service (4 pages)

WELCOMING REV. RHONDA KRUSE TO OUR PULPIT

FOR THIS SUNDAY: JOIN US FOR LEMONADE ON THE LAWN

COMING SOON: LEHIGH VALLEY PRIDE EVENT

The Lehigh Valley Pride Festival is coming up on Sunday, Aug. 18 at SteelStacks from 2:00-7:00 p.m. This is a free community event, and we hope you will plan to attend!

Each individual should take one slot (so no more than two FPCB peeps at a given time), and if you’ll sign up for one 30-minute time to start, that’d be great! (We may extend to hour-long slots, depending on the number of FPCB folks interested/ available.)

This is always a wonderful opportunity to share God’s love and affirmation with the LGBTQ+ community, so we hope to see you there!

SUMMER HARVEST FOOD DRIVE: LET’S HIT 1000 POUNDS!

We extend heartfelt thanks for the donations that are filling our Summer Harvest Food Drive collection boxes.

So far we have collected over 700 pounds! Let’s see if we can get to 1000 before the collection ends this Sunday, Aug. 4 - let's get these empty tables filled up again!

ANOTHER WAY TO SUPPORT FIRST PRES

Are you 72 or older and thinking about your next gift to First Presbyterian?

December 31, 2022, was a magic date for many of us. If you were 72 by that day, you can make all your charitable gifts directly from your Individual Retirement Account (or IRA). Our church is blessed with many generous persons who already use “qualified charitable donations” (or QCDs) from IRAs to fulfill their pledges and to make special gifts. Reasons why this is smart:

• a QCD counts toward your annual RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) if it comes directly out of your IRA
• a QCD can provide tax relief to you
• a QCD lowers the end-of-year IRA balance, which is the basis for how much one is required to take as the following year’s RMD
• a QCD supports First Presbyterian’s mission and ministries the same as a cash gift

Fidelity, Vanguard, Wells Fargo, or any financial institution that holds your IRA can help you make your gift online or via a paper distribution form. You need to give the administrator the church’s address, which is 2344 Center St., Bethlehem PA 18017, and its EIN number, which is 24-0796866. Gifts need to be received by the church before December 31.

If you have questions about making a gift, please contact Linda Robertson at info@fpc-bethlehem.org or 610-867-5865.

A FOND FAREWELL...

One of J.C.'s gifts was a representation of the Benediction he typically gave on Sunday mornings to conclude our service (left, created by Elder Kari Keyock).

If you did not get an opportunity to leave a card or note for him, you can bring to chuch this Sunday or drop at the church office next week.

And so a chapter closes.

This was the scene yesterday as J.C. paid a last visit to his office (looking the cleanest we've ever seen it!), before heading out to his new call at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, Maryland.

We wish him and his family the best as they begin this new leg on their life journey.

Go forth into the world... love and serve the Lord

FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:



• Child care will be available from 9:45-11:15 a.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.



• 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.



• 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.

THIS SUNDAY - COMMUNION SUNDAY



• 9:45 – 11:15 a.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
• 10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship service, in-person in the Sanctuary and livestreamed on Facebook and on our website, including a brief Congregational meeting
• 11:00 a.m.: Lemonade on the Lawn – all are 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)



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.