Vacation Bible School (VBS) at First Pres is currently scheduled for June 15-17, 2020, at your home. It is for children ages 5 through those who have completed 5th grade. Information will be sent out to you in an email.
SALT (Serving And Learning Together) ministry for our 3rd-5th grade children will continue meeting virtually over Zoom on Fridays, May 1 & 15, 4-5pm. We invite children to join in for games, service ideas, and Bible story lesson. Please contact Daewon for Zoom sign in information at daewon@firstpresnb.org
Youth Group will continue our meetings virtually through Zoom on Sundays, 2-3pm, until otherwise notified. Please contact Daewon for Zoom sign information or if you have any questions on Youth activities at daewon@firstpresnb.org
SALT (Serving And Learning Together) ministry for our 3rd-5th grade children will continue meeting virtually over Zoom on Fridays, May 1 & 15, 4-5pm. We invite children to join in for games, service ideas, and Bible story lesson. Please contact Daewon for Zoom sign in information at daewon@firstpresnb.org
Youth Group will continue our meetings virtually through Zoom on Sundays, 2-3pm, until otherwise notified. Please contact Daewon for Zoom sign information or if you have any questions on Youth activities at daewon@firstpresnb.org
Friends,
It’s been an interesting few weeks (or a month) in our lives as we faced a new way of living. It’s also a new experience for me to put together this year’s Youth Sunday worship. We planned March 22, 2020 as the date many months ago and schools were closed as of March 9. Our church activities were suspended since mid-March. Even though with various challenges, our youth were able to write the various parts of liturgy and our high school seniors not only write, but also record their sermons. Some of you may have listened the voice recording of Youth Sunday worship on March 22 and for others of you, we invite you to visit our church website to go and listen to it. For those who want to also read the sermons, you can also read it below.
I would like for us all to remember the words of Apostle Paul who said, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). Even though we find our lives and rhythms interrupted, may we know that the love of God remains with us. May we know that we can share this love to our family, friends, and neighbors every day.
Blessings,
Daewon
Luke B
My name is Luke B. I am an older brother, a swimmer from Epiphany, and among all other things, an eagle scout. I say this not to brag, but to provide context. This context is really key in explaining how and why I learned to put my faith in God and take that message to heart.
I always remember hearing about how people should put their faith in God, trust in him, believe in him. As a child, I always understood this message, but I cannot speak to the depth of which this message sank in.
Back in 2017, I signed up for a scouting trip called Philmont, that a few friends of mine had gone on, and recommended to me. I can't say I knew much about it but it seemed like fun, and I was determined to try it out. I started asking questions about what this trip involved and was told that it was one of the hardest trips a scout could take, so naturally, I was in. It involved a 10-day backpacking trek and with a group of about 12 people. I also had convinced my dad at this point that this was absolutely a trip he should go on, and he was ecstatic too. As we both began to gather our gear, in assorted stores and shops throughout the year, we were devastated when disaster struck Philmont. Philmont scout ranch, or at least the north country portion had caught on fire. These fires ravaged the mountains of Philmont, and our trip was canceled. This set back had both my dad and I wondering whether or not we should even go to Philmont at this point, but the next year, we signed up once again. We started preparing in 2019, ready to get back in the motion. All seemed well, but no matter how many practice hikes we took, we got there, and the experience was certainly beyond preparable for. That's not to say we weren't prepared to the fullest of our extent, there is just only so much you can prepare for. We got there, and now, we had to start. The first few days went by okay, but on the fourth day, we were all worried. We knew that we had worked well together as a team, from tying up bear bags to cleaning our dishes into the sump, we had been working well as a team. This came down to a matter of trust in ourselves, our friends, and God. This experience reminded me of the story of Abraham and Isaac, and not in the sense that my dad was planning to sacrifice me, but in that it was a test from God. God tested Abraham through requiring the sacrifice of his only son. This choice must have been incredibly difficult for Abraham in that Isaac was Abraham’s only son and Abraham was at such an old age. Despite this however, Abraham chose to trust God, and God revealed that it was a test, and all was well. This to me personally felt like a kind of test, and though there were many throughout this trip, this certainly stood out as one. One of these tests came as the summit of Mount Baldy.
We left our heavy packs back at the campsite, tidied up the campsite, and headed off. Today was the day we climbed a mountain. After about an extra hour of hiking due to wrong turns, eventually, our faith in our navigator paid off and our group made it to the camp at Baldy mountain, right at 10,000 ft, already 1,000 ft above our campsite. We got our water and our snacks, and began the journey, which for the most part, went okay. All until we could see the peak. We began to ascend, and we were walking up barely a 50° incline. Now I don't often like to admit when I'm scared, but with six inches of gravel total, separating two 2000-foot drops, I began to pray. I said the "our father" from the first step I took towards the peak until I was on top. I genuinely believe that God kept me safe on that perilous journey, and this served as a reminder to me. A reminder that however perilous our journeys may be in life, He is always there, as the silent hand, keeping us safe. And though I may have been incredibly scared, I'm glad that I had that moment, because it reassured me, and it reaffirmed to me that God is always there for us, just as God was there for Abraham in his time of need.
Sara-Rose S
Hi, my name is Sara-Rose S, I am a senior at New Bern High School. My first real experience with this church was through my Nana. Some of you may know her as Nancy McAden. She took me to choir practice when I was seven when my family moved to New Bern and I didn’t know anyone. We moved to New Bern from California after my mom, my brother and I only lived there for five months. I did not have the best experience in California. I struggled making friends, missed family and I also found out my parents were getting divorced. I really wasn't old enough to understand divorce yet, but I remember when my mom told me that she and my dad weren’t going to be together anymore. I immediately said...let’s move to New Bern! My mom, being the awesome person, she is, said that’s a great idea and made me think it was definitely my idea! I remember being so excited to move here, I had only ever been to New Bern to visit my grandparents and I thought that it was the best place ever!
When I started school in New Bern, I still struggled making friends. Looking back this was definitely because I really was an awkward child. But, like everyone...I was looking for that sense of community and family. This is when my Nana took me to choir practice. I had been to church before but I had never really paid enough attention to understand the message, and truthfully I didn't really start to understand until years later when I was going through confirmation and started paying more attention to the sermons. I just knew that I liked the community and fellowship that church offered. I loved going to church and being a part of this body. When I was eight, I was baptized and thought it was the most wonderful thing. The Ephesians passages to me says, “Whenever you feel unloved, unimportant, or insecure, remember to whom you belong. You belong to the household of God.” When I was at First Pres, it felt like I had found where I belonged. I belonged to the household of God, the body of Christ.
As I got older and my mom remarried my step-dad Jason, I continued to attend church and sing in the choir. I couldn’t get enough of it. As many of y’all may know, my family loves to surf. They'll take any chance they can to get to the beach and catch a wave. The beach is where they feel that sense of belonging. I like the beach, but I spent a lot of years trying to convince the rest of my family to get out of the water and get to church! I would beg my parents to drive back from the beach late Saturday night or early Sunday morning so we could make it to church. We all laugh about it now!
One of the main reasons I felt at home at First Pres was the people. There were times throughout high school when I faced various struggles. One of those times in particular came last year. People say junior year is the most important year in high school, and I faced a lot of pressure in that year. I was really struggling with handling everything that went on including schoolwork, tests, work and relationships. Ms. Kathy and Ms. Janet noticed I was struggling and made sure that I had someone to talk to. I could come to them with my struggles and they were there for me. They listened and heard my struggles. They were there for me when I needed someone and helped me through my difficulties. I am very grateful for them. I truly found my second family at First Pres. And that is what church is all about. Being a family who care for one another.
I’d like to take a minute to thank Ms. Pat, Ms. Kathy, Ms. Janet, Daewon, and Mr. Madison, for supporting me throughout my middle and high school years. Middle school and high school is hard. I don’t care what they say it’s nothing like "High School Musical" ! These people have always been there to talk to me, to encourage me and just generally support me in whatever I was trying to do at the time. I wouldn't be the person I am today without them. As I head to Meredith College next year, I hope to find that same type of community and family in a church there. Thank you.
It’s been an interesting few weeks (or a month) in our lives as we faced a new way of living. It’s also a new experience for me to put together this year’s Youth Sunday worship. We planned March 22, 2020 as the date many months ago and schools were closed as of March 9. Our church activities were suspended since mid-March. Even though with various challenges, our youth were able to write the various parts of liturgy and our high school seniors not only write, but also record their sermons. Some of you may have listened the voice recording of Youth Sunday worship on March 22 and for others of you, we invite you to visit our church website to go and listen to it. For those who want to also read the sermons, you can also read it below.
I would like for us all to remember the words of Apostle Paul who said, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). Even though we find our lives and rhythms interrupted, may we know that the love of God remains with us. May we know that we can share this love to our family, friends, and neighbors every day.
Blessings,
Daewon
Luke B
My name is Luke B. I am an older brother, a swimmer from Epiphany, and among all other things, an eagle scout. I say this not to brag, but to provide context. This context is really key in explaining how and why I learned to put my faith in God and take that message to heart.
I always remember hearing about how people should put their faith in God, trust in him, believe in him. As a child, I always understood this message, but I cannot speak to the depth of which this message sank in.
Back in 2017, I signed up for a scouting trip called Philmont, that a few friends of mine had gone on, and recommended to me. I can't say I knew much about it but it seemed like fun, and I was determined to try it out. I started asking questions about what this trip involved and was told that it was one of the hardest trips a scout could take, so naturally, I was in. It involved a 10-day backpacking trek and with a group of about 12 people. I also had convinced my dad at this point that this was absolutely a trip he should go on, and he was ecstatic too. As we both began to gather our gear, in assorted stores and shops throughout the year, we were devastated when disaster struck Philmont. Philmont scout ranch, or at least the north country portion had caught on fire. These fires ravaged the mountains of Philmont, and our trip was canceled. This set back had both my dad and I wondering whether or not we should even go to Philmont at this point, but the next year, we signed up once again. We started preparing in 2019, ready to get back in the motion. All seemed well, but no matter how many practice hikes we took, we got there, and the experience was certainly beyond preparable for. That's not to say we weren't prepared to the fullest of our extent, there is just only so much you can prepare for. We got there, and now, we had to start. The first few days went by okay, but on the fourth day, we were all worried. We knew that we had worked well together as a team, from tying up bear bags to cleaning our dishes into the sump, we had been working well as a team. This came down to a matter of trust in ourselves, our friends, and God. This experience reminded me of the story of Abraham and Isaac, and not in the sense that my dad was planning to sacrifice me, but in that it was a test from God. God tested Abraham through requiring the sacrifice of his only son. This choice must have been incredibly difficult for Abraham in that Isaac was Abraham’s only son and Abraham was at such an old age. Despite this however, Abraham chose to trust God, and God revealed that it was a test, and all was well. This to me personally felt like a kind of test, and though there were many throughout this trip, this certainly stood out as one. One of these tests came as the summit of Mount Baldy.
We left our heavy packs back at the campsite, tidied up the campsite, and headed off. Today was the day we climbed a mountain. After about an extra hour of hiking due to wrong turns, eventually, our faith in our navigator paid off and our group made it to the camp at Baldy mountain, right at 10,000 ft, already 1,000 ft above our campsite. We got our water and our snacks, and began the journey, which for the most part, went okay. All until we could see the peak. We began to ascend, and we were walking up barely a 50° incline. Now I don't often like to admit when I'm scared, but with six inches of gravel total, separating two 2000-foot drops, I began to pray. I said the "our father" from the first step I took towards the peak until I was on top. I genuinely believe that God kept me safe on that perilous journey, and this served as a reminder to me. A reminder that however perilous our journeys may be in life, He is always there, as the silent hand, keeping us safe. And though I may have been incredibly scared, I'm glad that I had that moment, because it reassured me, and it reaffirmed to me that God is always there for us, just as God was there for Abraham in his time of need.
Sara-Rose S
Hi, my name is Sara-Rose S, I am a senior at New Bern High School. My first real experience with this church was through my Nana. Some of you may know her as Nancy McAden. She took me to choir practice when I was seven when my family moved to New Bern and I didn’t know anyone. We moved to New Bern from California after my mom, my brother and I only lived there for five months. I did not have the best experience in California. I struggled making friends, missed family and I also found out my parents were getting divorced. I really wasn't old enough to understand divorce yet, but I remember when my mom told me that she and my dad weren’t going to be together anymore. I immediately said...let’s move to New Bern! My mom, being the awesome person, she is, said that’s a great idea and made me think it was definitely my idea! I remember being so excited to move here, I had only ever been to New Bern to visit my grandparents and I thought that it was the best place ever!
When I started school in New Bern, I still struggled making friends. Looking back this was definitely because I really was an awkward child. But, like everyone...I was looking for that sense of community and family. This is when my Nana took me to choir practice. I had been to church before but I had never really paid enough attention to understand the message, and truthfully I didn't really start to understand until years later when I was going through confirmation and started paying more attention to the sermons. I just knew that I liked the community and fellowship that church offered. I loved going to church and being a part of this body. When I was eight, I was baptized and thought it was the most wonderful thing. The Ephesians passages to me says, “Whenever you feel unloved, unimportant, or insecure, remember to whom you belong. You belong to the household of God.” When I was at First Pres, it felt like I had found where I belonged. I belonged to the household of God, the body of Christ.
As I got older and my mom remarried my step-dad Jason, I continued to attend church and sing in the choir. I couldn’t get enough of it. As many of y’all may know, my family loves to surf. They'll take any chance they can to get to the beach and catch a wave. The beach is where they feel that sense of belonging. I like the beach, but I spent a lot of years trying to convince the rest of my family to get out of the water and get to church! I would beg my parents to drive back from the beach late Saturday night or early Sunday morning so we could make it to church. We all laugh about it now!
One of the main reasons I felt at home at First Pres was the people. There were times throughout high school when I faced various struggles. One of those times in particular came last year. People say junior year is the most important year in high school, and I faced a lot of pressure in that year. I was really struggling with handling everything that went on including schoolwork, tests, work and relationships. Ms. Kathy and Ms. Janet noticed I was struggling and made sure that I had someone to talk to. I could come to them with my struggles and they were there for me. They listened and heard my struggles. They were there for me when I needed someone and helped me through my difficulties. I am very grateful for them. I truly found my second family at First Pres. And that is what church is all about. Being a family who care for one another.
I’d like to take a minute to thank Ms. Pat, Ms. Kathy, Ms. Janet, Daewon, and Mr. Madison, for supporting me throughout my middle and high school years. Middle school and high school is hard. I don’t care what they say it’s nothing like "High School Musical" ! These people have always been there to talk to me, to encourage me and just generally support me in whatever I was trying to do at the time. I wouldn't be the person I am today without them. As I head to Meredith College next year, I hope to find that same type of community and family in a church there. Thank you.
Youth Group Important Dates in 2020
Parents, please make a note of the following events for our youth in 2020. A minimum of 4 youth must commit to attend conferences to allow us to participate.
Massanetta Middle School Conference from July 14-17, 2020: Fun middle school conference for those who have completed 6th - 8th grade. Please sign up by March 15th. The cost is $300 per youth.
Montreat High School Conference— July 19- 25: A week long conference for high school youth. It’s an amazing conference attended by thousands of youth each summer. Please sign up by March 15. The cost is $450 per youth.
(scholarships available, for either conference please talk to Daewon to sign up or to discuss scholarships).
Parents, please make a note of the following events for our youth in 2020. A minimum of 4 youth must commit to attend conferences to allow us to participate.
Massanetta Middle School Conference from July 14-17, 2020: Fun middle school conference for those who have completed 6th - 8th grade. Please sign up by March 15th. The cost is $300 per youth.
Montreat High School Conference— July 19- 25: A week long conference for high school youth. It’s an amazing conference attended by thousands of youth each summer. Please sign up by March 15. The cost is $450 per youth.
(scholarships available, for either conference please talk to Daewon to sign up or to discuss scholarships).
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Fun in the Gym with Christ Church & FPC Youth
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Some Fall Fun October 2019 "Have you seen my "Mummy?"
New Hope Presbytery Middle School Retreat
Camp Kanata, Wake Forest, NC
Fun filled retreat led by Janet Bryan & Daewon Goldenbaum-Yang
Summer Camp
Our four middle school girls along side Janet Bryan and Daewon Goldenbaum-Yang attended the conference from July 16th-19th 2019. The theme "At the Door" based on Matthew 7:7-12. Below are a few fun photos from our time at the conference.
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VBS was June 17th -21st Mission to Mars
See the VBS page for photos!!
Youth Sunday, February 3, 2019
