| WEEKLY EMAIL from FIRST REFORMED UCC APRIL 29, 2022 ———————— PLEASE JOIN US ONLINE SUNDAYS AT 10:30AM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE https://www.facebook.com/firstreformeducc OR YOUTUBE PAGE https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHfZFOjObXH_bR8E-UG_gTALOOKING TOWARD SUNDAY: A MESSAGE FROM REV. HORTON Dear Beloved Community, This Sunday, we celebrate a new beginning and a sacred ending. We thank God for Paula Lopp and Carolyn Robbins as they begin a new chapter in their lives in retirement from the Church Office. Worship will be filled with lots of music, and we share Holy Communion together. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. Please join in and express your well wishes to them. As we move into Eastertide, we continue our celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Death and destruction no longer hold us captive. We are set free from the tombs that have constrained us. The question for us and for this church: Now that we are set free, what will we do with ourselves? What will we do with this church as we live in resurrection freedom? Taking our cue from Mary Oliver’s poem The Summer Day, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? The Summer Day —Mary Oliver Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean— the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down— who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don’t know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields, which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Sunday, May 1 we mark the retirement of Paula and Carolyn from the church office. In worship, we will give thanks and pray a blessing upon them. After worship, we will celebrate in the Fellowship Hall with a reception. Please join in! Monday, May 2, Jackie Mock begins full time as our Church Administrator. This is a newly created position combining Finances, Administration, and Communication. The month of May will be time of transitions and of learning new rhythms together.During the mornings, come on up! Jackie is freely available to meet with you, answer questions, walk-ins are welcome and encouraged. During the afternoons, contact ahead, if possible. Jackie will use the afternoons for concentrated time on more focused work.Each day office will be closed for her to have lunch.May OFFICE Hours Monday-Friday 9am-1pm Church Office Open. Please stop by and meet Jackie! 1- 1:30pm Office Closed for Lunch 1:30 – 5pm Office Open: Contact Jackie ahead of time to meet Peace, ElizabethSUNDAY’S SCRIPTURE:John 21:15-19PLEASE PRAY FOR… Vogen Everhart, Jeff Hutchens, Bonita Hooper, Cheryl Walser, Lee Bouchard, Myrtle Latimer MEMBERS AT HOME AND IN CARE FACILITIES: Peggy Bates, Sherry Bonner, Ellen Bouchard, Ruth Essick, Pattie Everhart, Gerri Hill, Lib & Jimbo Hinkle, Marguerite Leonard, Deanna Michael, Carolyn Spivey, Adena Wall OUR FRIENDS: Franklin Waters (Cathy Whitley’s father), Yvonne Dobey (Frankie Hedrick’s sister)Sarah Lovell Biggers (Jerry & Patti Lovell’s daughter, Janice Mullineaux (Cathy Browder’s mother), Charm & Steve Ketner, Marc Frye (friend of the congregation)CELEBRATIONS MAY BIRTHDAYS: 4th…Tammy Rhodes…Lily Robertson…Aurelia Smith…Jones Walser…Stacy Sosebee-West THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE LITURGIST: Dave Fulton SOUND TECH: John Gray DIGITAL MEDIA TECH: Kivi & Jianna Miller ACOLYTE: Ethan Lovell BIBLE STEWARD: Lucas Peterson USHERS: Lisa Nelson, Doris Sink, Michell Winters, Eddie Yates WEEKLY CALENDAR OF CHURCH ACTIVITIES SUNDAY, May 1: Holy Communion 9:30AM Adult Sunday School (Parlor) “Who Are You Lord?” Acts 9:1-6 Facilitator: June Grubb 10:30AM Worship Service…Holy Communion 10:45AM Young Disciples and Children’s Church Volunteer Needed FOLLOWING WORSHIP: Reception to honor Paula Lopp and Carolyn Robbins 6:00PM Youth Group: Rev. Sieges & Volunteer Needed MONDAY, May 2: 6-7:00PM Clothes Ministry Give-Away 7:00PM NAMI Family Support Group (via Zoom) TUESDAY, May 3: 12:00PM Crucial Conversations on Faith and Race (2CFAR) via Zoom & in Parlor 7:00PM Adult Book Study via Zoom A new study begins for “His Truth Is Marching On” by Jon Meacham WEDNESDAY, May 4: 10:00AM Church Promotion Committee Meeting (Parlor) 6:30PM Choir Practice Children’s Fun & Activities: 2 Volunteers Needed Youth Study: Rev. Evan Sieges & Dave Fulton THURSDAY, May 5: 4-6:00PM Clothing Ministry Workday FRIDAY, May 6: 5:30PM Confirmation Class SUNDAY, May 8: Mother’s Day 9:30AM Adult Sunday School (Parlor) “Get Up!” (Acts 9:36-43) Facilitators: Jay and Cathy Whitley 10:30AM Worship Service: In the Pulpit – Rev. Evan Sieges 10:45AM Young Disciples  MEALS ON WHEELS DRIVERS NEEDED Drivers are needed to deliver meals. Please contact Alisa Johnson if you can help. (336-357-0648) CLOTHES MINISTRY GIVE-AWAY Open Hands Ministry will begin a MEAL, MINISTRY, and MUSIC event serving dinner outside at St. Stephen UMC on Monday nights, beginning May 9 at 6:30pm. Our Clothes Ministry give-a-way will be open from 6-7:00pm on Mondays to assist those in need. To volunteer to help serve the meal or help with the Clothes Ministry, please contact John Maze. (704-524-6462) NAMI OF DAVIDSON COUNTY Do you have a loved one with mental illness? You are not alone. Family support groups will be available here in Davidson County for family of those living with mental illness. Family Support Groups are offered free of charge for family members of someone diagnosed with or suspected of having a mental illness. The support group will be led by Cathy and Joe Browder. They are local residents and have experience loving a family member with a mental health condition. Cathy and Joe are trained by NAMI as facilitators to help support and encourage others as they seek to help their loved ones. The Family Support Group meets regularly on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month at 7pm via Zoom. To ask questions and get Zoom information, please email Cathy at NAMIDavidsonCounty1@gmail.com VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED EACH SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY Please consider serving as an usher on Sunday mornings or volunteering to help with our children and youth on Sundays or Wednesdays. You may sign up using the links below or you may call the church office to volunteer.Sign up to Volunteer as an USHER HERE https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050f44abae28a7fe3-usher Sign up to Volunteer Wednesday night Youth Study HERE https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F44ABAE28A7FE3-wednesday Sign up to Volunteer for Wednesday Children’s Fun Night HERE https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F44ABAE28A7FE3-wednesday1 Sign up to Volunteer for Sunday Children’s Church HERE https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050f44abae28a7fe3-childrens Sign up to Volunteer for Sunday Youth Meeting HERE https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050f44abae28a7fe3-youth SUMMER OPPORTUNITY FOR MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS Discover 2022 … Catawba College Youth Theological Institute Register NOW. Registration is now open at www.catawba.edu/discover High School Session: July 10-15 Middle School: Session: July 17-22Catawba College will welcome middle and high school students to participate in its Youth Theology Institute for the 8th year this July. Check out our website www.catawba.edu/discover or email us at discover@catawba.edu. DISCOVER is a program that challenges youth during this formative time in their lives to engage in careful theological and moral reflection and activity, enabling them to discover God in new ways, especially as incarnational and interactive; discover who they are as children of God; discover how to live out their faith; and discover what they are called to do vocationally. SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS GRADES 4-12  Johns River Valley Camp is making plans to provide Outdoor Ministry opportunities during the summer of 2022. COVID protocols are still being determined but we will put Camper safety first. Camps will be provided for Campers grades 4-12. Church youth groups and others are asked to inquire about our “Hospitality Model” in which you work with our staff to plan and provide a retreat experience which meets your group’s unique needs. We also continue to invite groups to plan Mission Camps involving meaningful projects and ministry opportunities. Please use THIS LINK for a copy of the flyer for 2022 Johns River Valley Camps for the summer. With THIS LINK you will find more information about the camps and can register online.Ministers: The Congregation of First Reformed United Church of Christ, 104 East Center Street, Lexington, NC 27292 Phone: 336-248-2617 www.frucc.org Pastor: Rev. Elizabeth Horton (elizabeth@frucc.org, cell/text #336-972-8895) Minister of Pastoral Care: Rev. June Grubb (jgrubb3@triad.rr.com #336-248-5668) Director of Children and Youth Ministries: Rev. Evan Sieges (evan@frucc.org) Choir Director: Ellen Peterson (ellenrpeterson@gmail.com) Organist/Pianist: Christopher Kiser (cdkiser94@gmail.com) Church Administrator: Jackie Mock (jackie@frucc.org) |
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