Nursery
A nursery is provided for second grade & under in the Ministry Center room 1.23.
Nursery is available from 9:30 am through 12:00 pm. Masks will be worn by the adults offering this program.
A nursery is provided for second grade & under in the Ministry Center room 1.23.
Nursery is available from 9:30 am through 12:00 pm. Masks will be worn by the adults offering this program.
Sunday School
Sunday School classes meet Sundays 9:40-10:40 am starting on September 12th!
Youth Fellowship Kick-Off Family Event September 12!
JOY (Just Older Youth) for 6-12th graders and SALT (Serving and Learning Together) for 3-5th graders Kicks Off THIS Sunday, September 12, 5:30-7:30 pm. Families are invited! This event will be all outside so bring a towel and a bathing suit (and maybe a lawn chair) and dinner is included! Contact Marianna (marianna@firstpresnb.org) for more information.
Please register your children and youth participating in Youth Ministry and Sunday School: https://forms.gle/5UmDHUCoNte974Pr6
Sunday School for Children
Children and Teachers are asked to wear masks in the classroom.
Preschool – Ministry Center room 1.24 (God Loves Me – 52 storybooks)
Kindergarten-5th Grade – Ministry Center room 1.27 (Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living)
Middle & High School – Ministry Center room 2.23-24 (Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living)
Youth Fellowship Kick-Off Family Event September 12!
JOY (Just Older Youth) for 6-12th graders and SALT (Serving and Learning Together) for 3-5th graders Kicks Off THIS Sunday, September 12, 5:30-7:30 pm. Families are invited! This event will be all outside so bring a towel and a bathing suit (and maybe a lawn chair) and dinner is included! Contact Marianna (marianna@firstpresnb.org) for more information.
Please register your children and youth participating in Youth Ministry and Sunday School: https://forms.gle/5UmDHUCoNte974Pr6
Sunday School for Children
Children and Teachers are asked to wear masks in the classroom.
Preschool – Ministry Center room 1.24 (God Loves Me – 52 storybooks)
Kindergarten-5th Grade – Ministry Center room 1.27 (Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living)
Middle & High School – Ministry Center room 2.23-24 (Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living)
Kindergarten – 5th Grade children
Invited to worship with us at 8:30 am or 11:00 am
or watch our online service which has a children's bulletin available online.
Invited to worship with us at 8:30 am or 11:00 am
or watch our online service which has a children's bulletin available online.
*Children’s Worship & Wonder
After the Children’s Moment at 11:00 am worship, children ages 3 through 2nd grade may attend Worship & Wonder in the Ministry Center room 1.25. This is an age-appropriate time of worship where children can grow in their understanding of God and praise God through prayers and songs.
A Children's bulletin and worship bag is provided for the service & a Children's bulletin is available online.
After the Children’s Moment at 11:00 am worship, children ages 3 through 2nd grade may attend Worship & Wonder in the Ministry Center room 1.25. This is an age-appropriate time of worship where children can grow in their understanding of God and praise God through prayers and songs.
A Children's bulletin and worship bag is provided for the service & a Children's bulletin is available online.
New Sunday School Classes
TheoEd Talks/Jim Copland and Beth Paul – Ministry Center room 2.21
This new Sunday School offering is a place to land for parents of youngsters, young couples, and young adults. It will be a place to develop friendships, share about this unique stage of life we are in, and delve into some thought-provoking discussions about topics of faith. Each week we will view a TheoEd talk (think a TED talk on a topic of faith) with a discussion to follow. To learn more about TheoEd talks visit https://theoed.com/wath. For questions contact Maren (maren@firstpresnb.org).
Getting Involved with God: Wrestling with the strange and sacred Scripture of the Old Testament/Maren Sonstegard-Spray – Session House Main Room
We began this class in January of 2020 and had to pause because of COVID. We will return to our study of the Old Testament with a lot of review of what we covered already! If you have ever struggled with reading and understanding the Old Testament, or if you have ever wondered how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament, come join us. We will be guided by Ellen Davis’s book “Getting Involved with God” and John Goldingay’s book “Do We Need the New Testament,” among others. No need to buy a book (unless you want to!). Bring your favorite translation of the Bible with you.
This new Sunday School offering is a place to land for parents of youngsters, young couples, and young adults. It will be a place to develop friendships, share about this unique stage of life we are in, and delve into some thought-provoking discussions about topics of faith. Each week we will view a TheoEd talk (think a TED talk on a topic of faith) with a discussion to follow. To learn more about TheoEd talks visit https://theoed.com/wath. For questions contact Maren (maren@firstpresnb.org).
Getting Involved with God: Wrestling with the strange and sacred Scripture of the Old Testament/Maren Sonstegard-Spray – Session House Main Room
We began this class in January of 2020 and had to pause because of COVID. We will return to our study of the Old Testament with a lot of review of what we covered already! If you have ever struggled with reading and understanding the Old Testament, or if you have ever wondered how the Old Testament relates to the New Testament, come join us. We will be guided by Ellen Davis’s book “Getting Involved with God” and John Goldingay’s book “Do We Need the New Testament,” among others. No need to buy a book (unless you want to!). Bring your favorite translation of the Bible with you.
Sunday Afternoon Men’s Beer and Theology led by Ken Wilkins at Brewery 99 (1014 Pollock St) at 4 pm on Sunday, September 19. This will be a casual men’s gathering for fellowship and conversation around topics of theology and faith.
Monthly Gathering
Grief Support
Grief Support will resume on Tuesday, September 14 at noon in the Chapel. Group will continue to meet monthly on the second Tuesday. This group voluntarily provides its members who have lost a loved one with hope and understanding, as well as support and guidance as we navigate together through this murkiest of times. The group members provide lessons learned, helpful hints, or just a listening ear because they have experienced the same kind of hurt and pain that others simply can’t understand. This group is a vessel where we grow from receiving support to feel called to provide that support to others who are in this transition. We hope you can join us. Bring your lunch or snack if you choose. Call the church office for more information.
Grief Support will resume on Tuesday, September 14 at noon in the Chapel. Group will continue to meet monthly on the second Tuesday. This group voluntarily provides its members who have lost a loved one with hope and understanding, as well as support and guidance as we navigate together through this murkiest of times. The group members provide lessons learned, helpful hints, or just a listening ear because they have experienced the same kind of hurt and pain that others simply can’t understand. This group is a vessel where we grow from receiving support to feel called to provide that support to others who are in this transition. We hope you can join us. Bring your lunch or snack if you choose. Call the church office for more information.
The Present Word
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Location: Session House Parlor
Sunday at 9:40 am -10:40 am "The Present Word" is a cooperative curriculum written and supported by five denominations, including PCUSA. It is designed to cover the entire Bible in five-year cycles, but each quarter stands on its own. George Evans will lead the "The Present Word" class is studying "Celebrating God" with material from the Old and New Testaments. The class meets Sunday morning in person at 9:40 am in the Session House parlor. Please contact George Evans (gkevans4@gmail.com) if you have any questions. The book is available in the church office. Gene Peele and Darryl Warren will assist. |
Life of Prayer: The Practice of Contemplative Living & Contemplative Worship
Life of Prayer: The Practice of Contemplative Living
Beginning Wednesday, September 15, noon-1pm led by Lloyd Griffith, and meets in Ministry Center room 2.21 and by Zoom in a hybrid format to begin the fall. The group will be studying “Soul Force” by Lloyd Griffith and “Immortal Diamond” by Richard Rohr.
Wednesday Evening Contemplative Worship
Beginning Wednesday, September 15, 5-5:30 pm led by Lloyd Griffith, and meets in the Chapel in the Ministry Center. This contemplative, or reflective, approach to worship is offered each Wednesday from 5 to 5:30 pm in the Chapel. This quiet service is focused on silence, prayer, and reflection on the Biblical text chosen for preaching the coming Sunday. The Lord’s Supper is observed on the 4th Wednesday of the month. Come when you can and bring a friend.
I want to clarify the difference between contemplation and living prayer. In the early Christian tradition contemplation was the normal evolution of a genuine spiritual life and open to everyone. It was understood as intimate knowledge based on personal experience of God’s Spirit.
Each Wednesday evening at 5:00 pm we gather for Contemplative Worship that centers on this experiential knowing. We begin with listening to the scripture reading selected for preaching the coming Sunday. We listen again to the same reading to pay closer attention to what the passage is saying to us. Then we offer our own prayer to God sharing what we have heard and how we feel about it. We finally let go of our thoughts and rest in the silence for God’s Spirit to respond.
Over time this early tradition developed into different types of prayer and furthered the notion among many that intimate knowing based on an experience of God’s Spirit was reserved for only a few. In this evolution the openness of the spiritual journey to all got pushed to the side.
Living prayer is a way of returning to the earlier tradition of a genuine spiritual life for all by intentionally nurturing our intuitive faculties that have been repressed in the modern age. Each Wednesday at noon our Living Prayer Group meets to study different spiritual masters who guide us in letting go of our thoughts and consenting to the presence and action of God’s Spirit within each of us. We help each other be more intentional about the spiritual journey we feel led to make.
Both Contemplative Worship and Living Prayer are open to anyone at any time. This is an invitation to sense a nudge from the Holy Spirit and try one of these gathering out. It is a timely preparation of our heart for welcoming the birth of the Christ child among us.
Lloyd
Trail Guide
Beginning Wednesday, September 15, noon-1pm led by Lloyd Griffith, and meets in Ministry Center room 2.21 and by Zoom in a hybrid format to begin the fall. The group will be studying “Soul Force” by Lloyd Griffith and “Immortal Diamond” by Richard Rohr.
Wednesday Evening Contemplative Worship
Beginning Wednesday, September 15, 5-5:30 pm led by Lloyd Griffith, and meets in the Chapel in the Ministry Center. This contemplative, or reflective, approach to worship is offered each Wednesday from 5 to 5:30 pm in the Chapel. This quiet service is focused on silence, prayer, and reflection on the Biblical text chosen for preaching the coming Sunday. The Lord’s Supper is observed on the 4th Wednesday of the month. Come when you can and bring a friend.
I want to clarify the difference between contemplation and living prayer. In the early Christian tradition contemplation was the normal evolution of a genuine spiritual life and open to everyone. It was understood as intimate knowledge based on personal experience of God’s Spirit.
Each Wednesday evening at 5:00 pm we gather for Contemplative Worship that centers on this experiential knowing. We begin with listening to the scripture reading selected for preaching the coming Sunday. We listen again to the same reading to pay closer attention to what the passage is saying to us. Then we offer our own prayer to God sharing what we have heard and how we feel about it. We finally let go of our thoughts and rest in the silence for God’s Spirit to respond.
Over time this early tradition developed into different types of prayer and furthered the notion among many that intimate knowing based on an experience of God’s Spirit was reserved for only a few. In this evolution the openness of the spiritual journey to all got pushed to the side.
Living prayer is a way of returning to the earlier tradition of a genuine spiritual life for all by intentionally nurturing our intuitive faculties that have been repressed in the modern age. Each Wednesday at noon our Living Prayer Group meets to study different spiritual masters who guide us in letting go of our thoughts and consenting to the presence and action of God’s Spirit within each of us. We help each other be more intentional about the spiritual journey we feel led to make.
Both Contemplative Worship and Living Prayer are open to anyone at any time. This is an invitation to sense a nudge from the Holy Spirit and try one of these gathering out. It is a timely preparation of our heart for welcoming the birth of the Christ child among us.
Lloyd
Trail Guide
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Men’s Beer and Theology
Led by Ken Wilkins at Brewery 99 (1014 Pollock St) at 4:00 pm on Sunday afternoons. This will be a causal men’s gathering for fellowship and conversation around topics of theology and faith. |
Monday Evening Women's Bible StudyEarlier this summer as travel and family gatherings were gearing up and with six toddler and preschool grandchildren, I had ample opportunity to witness reactions to instructions with which those little ones were not particularly happy - difficult instructions or requests, that seemed to go against the grain for little folks, followed by lots of protestations, tears, denials, tantrums, and insecurity erupting all at the same time. Are we adults any different than these wee ones when we hear our Savior telling us something difficult, unbelievable, mysterious, maddening, or just plain contradictory to what we expect from his lips? Requests like, “Sell what you own!” or “Hate father and mother!” What, in the world, are we to do with these and several others of Jesus’ “difficult sayings”? Join us Monday evenings from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm starting September 13th as we accompany Amy-Jill Levine, one of our favorite authors and teachers, and author of THE DIFFICULT WORDS OF JESUS, as she guides us through that struggle to a place of greater understanding of what it is that our Lord is requesting of us. For more information, call Wendy Moeller 252-876-7259 or Marice Debruhl 252-637-5468 or contact Cathy Wingfield at cathy@firstpresnb.org. This will be a hybrid meeting. Wendy will meet in the conference room of the Ministry Center for those who wish to join her there and a Zoom link will be shared with the group for those who wish to join through Zoom.
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Thursday Morning Women's Bible StudyWe will begin on Thursday, September 16, and meet at 10:00 am and we are going to meet by Zoom because it allowed so many more people to participate and the breakout rooms created connections that aren't as possible in the classroom. If you haven't already received an email, please email Maren to get on the list so you will get the Zoom link and the weekly reading and questions. maren@firstpresnb.org
We will begin with AJ Levine's book "The Difficult Words of Jesus: A Beginner's Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings" (and the Monday Women's group will do the same book at the same time). You can purchase the book on Amazon and it is available in a Kindle version: https://www.amazon.com/Difficult-Words-Jesus-Beginners-Perplexing/dp/1791007570/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Grace and Peace, Maren |
Montreat Women's Summer Conference August 13-15th
Word Wise: Encountering the Word that draws us in and sends us out
Jen Hatmaker - Keynoter
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FPC 2021 Women Attendee's
Montreat Campus view of Lake Susan
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Beautiful Silk painting used as backdrop for Women's Conference 2021
Rev. Dr. Alice Ridgill
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