September 24, 2020
Let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
[Amos 5:24]
Dear Friends,
If you are like me, right now you've a few things to
complain about--COVID, masks, social distancing, quarantine, tests, and
more. We're trapped in a pandemic that we can't control. No one wants to be
a habitual complainer, but sometimes we can't help ourselves. The ancient
Israelites escaping Egypt also felt trapped--trapped by God in an
unrelenting wilderness. They complained and God listened. Maybe there is an
art to complaining. Join me this Sunday in person or
online to learn more about how to complain. If, by chance, you
have fallen behind on your church contributions, now is an excellent time to
catch up. You can bring your offering to the church office any time. Our Sunday worship will be held both online and in-person.
Bulletins will be ready for download on Friday. You will find them here.
In Christ,
On Sunday, everyone is invited to convene at the church at Noon in their cars
for our second Sunday Drive. We’ll head out as a caravan to visit the homes of church members in order to bring them some FPC
drive-by fellowship. We’ll wave and shout our hellos. Please contact Kristy in the church office if you can participate. The event should take less than an hour. Signs and banners and balloons are encouraged.
The first Sunday of October is World Communion Sunday.In previous years, FPC has held our much-loved All-Church Breakfasts on this day.
Sadly, the Breakfast is not an option this year.
However, we are going to hold an outdoor worship service at 10:00 am (weather permitting).
Worship will be outside—-socially distanced-—in the parking lot.
We’ll have folding chairs available, but if you’ve got a comfy lawn chair, then bring it.
The service will feature the singing of lots of old, favorite hymns.
The service will also be broadcast online via Zoom.
This past Tuesday, 12 volunteers gathered at the church to wrap diapers into packets of 25 to be distributed
via the Lebanon schools to families in Wilson County. 3450 diapers were wrapped.
They were delivered on Wednesday.
The diapers were provided by Nashville Diaper Connection.
Thank you to everyone who participated.
As with everything else this year, the SCAN Santa for Seniors program will be different.
To help protect everyone involved, SCAN has partnered with Amazon to drop ship all gifts directly to the seniors.
Each sponsor will be provided via email with a link for the senior they are sponsoring, and with instructions on how to order.
Amazon will take care of the wrapping and shipping.
Therefore, if anyone would like to sponsor a senior and either is comfortable ordering on Amazon or,
if not, would like to provide funds and I’ll be glad to order for you, please contact me at: chanson457@yahoo.com
Local assistance agencies have an urgent need for food donations. Non-perishable food items can be brought to the church.
Zoom is a video conferencing system that allows us to communicate remotely during this period of social distancing.
Detailed information on how to use Zoom can be found on the FPC webpage.
Zoom Dial-up number: 1-312-626-6799
Sunday, September 27
10 am - Streaming Worship (join meeting)
meeting number: 959 167 376
password: 865280
Monday, September 28
6 pm - Book Club with Michael (join meeting)
Exodus
meeting number: 999 257 630
password: 315915
Wednesday, September 30
6 pm - Virtual Youth Group (join meeting)
meeting number: 666 840 856
password: 175075
YOUTH GROUP
Wednesdays 6:32 p.m. via Zoom
This Wednesday, September 30, join us at 6:32pm via Zoom for a Virtual Escape Room. For each friend you bring, you get a FREE clue. The team that escapes the fastest will win an Amazon gift card. You do not want to miss this exciting finale to online youth!
There will be no Youth Group on Wednesday, October 7, due to Fall Break.
CHILDREN AND WORSHIP
Sunday, October 11 at 10:00 a.m.
Early Childhood/Early Elementary (2 years to 2nd grade)
We know worship in its current form is difficult for families with young children. To make worship more engaging for children, we will begin hosting "Children and Worship" on October 11 at 10:00 a.m. Children and Worship is an age-appropriate, play-based worship program made just for kids. To participate, drop your child(ren) off at the nursery and pick them up at the conclusion of the service. Masks are encouraged, but not required. Barbara Howell will be curating this worship experience
SACRED CIRCLE TIME
Sunday, October 11, at 10:00 a.m.
Upper Elementary (3rd to 5th grade)
Just like our early elementary friends, our upper elementary students deserve a worship experience that is built just for them. Join us upstairs in the children's wing beginning October 11 at 10:00 a.m. for Sacred Circle Time. Sacred Circle time allows students to experience God through song, dance, meditation, and discussion. For our older students, masks are required. Michael will be curating this worship experience in October.
FALL VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Sunday, October 18, 9 am-1 pm
Did you miss summer VBS? Join us Sunday, October 18 from 3-6 pm for a special one-day vacation Bible school. Get ready for songs, crafts, and a whole lot of fun! This event is for children AND youth. We will have a children's track for the little ones and a youth track for our middle schoolers. Families are welcome to have dinner and attend a closing ceremony from 5:30-6:00 pm.
FALL FESTIVAL/TRUNK OR TREAT
Wednesday October 28, 6-8 pm
Instead of our normal Fall Festival, we will host a Trunk or Treat in the FPC parking lot. We will need volunteers to decorate, recruit congregation members to bring candy, and set up outdoor carnival games.
SAVE THE DATE
Youth Murdery Mystery Dinner
Saturday, November 14, 6:15-8:15 pm
Thanksgiving Fest
Wednesday, November 18 6:00-7:30 pm
Advent Festival
Sunday, December 6, 3:00-6:00 pm
Santa Night
Wednesday, December 16, 6:00-7:30 pm
How to reach Michael. email: mjschulte.14@gmail.com phone: 618-979-6320
Sunday, September 27
Noon - Sunday Drive
11:10 a.m. - Fall Book Club (registration)
Sunday, October 4
World Communion Sunday
9:45 a.m. - Congregational Meeting
10:00 a.m. - Outdoor Worship
Collection of Peacemaking Offering
Sunday, October 10
8:00 a.m. - Men's Breakfast
Sunday, October 11
12:15 p.m. - Session Meeting
Wednesday, October 21
6:00 pm - Wednesday Meal Take-Out
View Complete Calendar
An archive of sermons and bulletins (audio and text) can be viewed here.
The Session held its Stated September Meeting on Sunday September 13 at Noon on Zoom.
Building and Grounds Committee
• HVAC repair is scheduled for this year.
Christian Education Committee
• Beginning October 11, children will have worship opportunities during the 10:00 service.
• The Fall Book Club will be led by Catherine Hanson and Max Carter.
• Michael has scheduled several events for the children and youth: a Family Scavenger Hunt on September 18, Youth Day Camp on September 26, Fall VBS on October 17, and an outdoor Fall Festival on October 28.
• The next Men’s Breakfast will be held on Saturday, October 10.
Congregational Care Committee
• Wednesday night take-out dinners have been planned for the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Outreach Committee
• On August 21, eight volunteers prepared and served 36 meals for Compassionate Hands.
• The Food Drive on August 23 collected 251 food items and $370 to benefit the family resource centers of both LSSD and Wilson County Schools.
Worship Committee
• Work on the Columbarium continues; plans have been submitted to the city for site approval.
• An outdoor worship service is planned for Sunday, October 4 – World Communion Sunday. The Peace and Global Witness Offering will be received that day.
New Business
• Officer Nominating Committee: Elders Pat Bone and Robin Orewiler will serve on the committee. A congregational meeting to elect
4 at-large members is scheduled for Sunday, October 4. A second congregational meeting to elect new officers is scheduled for Sunday, November 1.
The next Session meeting is scheduled for Sunday October 11 at 12:15 pm on Zoom.
Scripture - Exodus 17:1-7
1 From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
2 The people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?"
3 But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?"
4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me."
5 The LORD said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7 He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"
Allegro Cantabile (Symphony no. 5) - C.M. Widor Allegretto (Sonata 4) - Felix Mendelssohn
Allegro Maestoso (Sonata No. 4) - Felix Mendelssohn
FPC has two ongoing collections benefiting the following organizations:
1. Wilson County Schools Family Resource Center. We collect food and personal hygiene items for students whose families are struggling.
Donations can be left in the plastic tub in the back hallway.
2. Wilson County Community Help Center.
Monetary donations are used to purchase food items for the Help Center. Write Help Center on your check.
For those worshiping online on Sundays, the worship bulletin is available for download. You can download a version to print at home, or you can download a version to view on a second screen (such a a phone or tablet). Bulletins are posted on Fridays. To access the downloads, you can 1) click
here,
or 2) go to the church website and click on the Worship menu (as shown below).
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