Church Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m.-noon
Welcome, visitors! Welcome, members!
Our church strives to
be a welcoming, caring family of faith called to love the Lord and our neighbors.
We are growing in Jesus Christ through worship, teaching, fellowship and service
to others.
9:30 a.m. Worship with Contemporary Music led by the Praise Team
11:00 a.m. Worship with
Traditional Music led by the Chancel Choir
Please join us for Coffee Fellowship in the Chapel Room following each service.
Nursery care is available from 9:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
For more information contact the church at (208)882-4122 or fpc@turbonet.com.
From the Pastor This year we will form our worship around the arc of scripture
from Genesis through Revelation. I believe scripture does have an arc, a
pattern that helps us understand our relationship to God and to one
another. I believe we can discern together the overarching concerns,
call and covenants God has in relationship with God’s people, God’s
children. Each Sunday, we will build a survey of foundational stories
that will describe points along the arc. This survey will enable us to
construct a pattern through which we discern the will and way of God
through the lens of Christ, who reveals most clearly God’s purposes. As
we wend our way through the Old Testament this fall, I hope you will
come as many Sundays as possible so that we can draw this arc together.
Sing Praises with one of our adult music groups!
The Chancel Choir meets each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. for rehearsal, and leads
every Sunday at the 11:00 a.m. service.
Praise Team provides musical leadership in the 9:30 worship service and
rehearses Thursdays at 7 p.m.
We welcome all who feel called to either of these ministries to learn more
by calling Donan Nealon 882-4122 (for Praise Team) or Mary Donohoe at
883-3898 (for Chancel Choir).
Christian Education Opportunities Every Sunday for Adults and
Youth
9:00 a.m.
Children age 4 through grade 4 participate in Children’s Choir
9:30 a.m.
Sunday school for children and youth, grades preK-12.
9:30 a.m.
Two Adult Study groups to choose from:
Esther-It’s Tough Being a Woman, women’s Bible study by author
Beth Moore; Room 35.
The Wired Word, a discussion relating current events to
scripture, meets in the Library
11:00 a.m.
Digging Deeper, a deeper look into the scriptures and sermon of
that Sunday, joining Pastor Norman in his overview of the
scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. Led by Rich and Donna
Scott in Room 35
The Nursery is open during worship
service for children up to 4 years of age.
Advent and Christmas Worship At-a-Glance
Wednesdays, December
14 and 21 – Taizé Worship, 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 11
9:30 a.m.
Worship – Children’s Choir, Praise Team Advent Program
11:00 a.m.
Worship – Children’s Choir,
Chancel Choir Cantata
Sunday, December 18
9:30 a.m.
Worship – Contemporary Worship with the Praise Team
11:00 a.m.
Worship – Youth Handbells, Children/Youth Christmas Play
Saturday, December 24
– Christmas Eve
5:30 p.m.
Family Worship – Moravian Lovefeast
10:00 p.m.
Candlelight Worship – Lessons and Carols with Chancel
Choir
Sunday, December 25
– Christmas Day
11:00 a.m.
Worship (one service only, coffee fellowship @ 10:30)
Sunday, January 1
– New Year’s Day
11:00 a.m.
Worship
(one service only, coffee
fellowship @ 10:30)
The FPC Advent
Devotional booklet is now available in the Narthex. These
thought-provoking and inspiring devotions were prepared by the elders,
deacons, and staff of our church to guide us on our journey through the
Advent Season. The latest issue of Our Daily Bread, a daily
devotional booklet for personal and family devotions for December
through February, is also available in the Narthex. Please take one of
each.
Looking for a
Special Gift That’s Filled with Love? Stop by the Alternative Giving Market in the Chapel Room and give a
lasting gift through Heifer International.
It's quick and easy to decide on a gift, fill out the form, and deposit
your check in the box provided. Gift cards available for your use.
Christmas Caroling! Plan to come to our annual
all-church caroling party on Sunday, Dec. 11. Bring a crock pot of soup
(by 3:45) to the home of Mary Jo Van Gerpen, who will graciously host the
carolers at her home following the event. We will leave the church at 4 pm to
go caroling.
You may carpool with us or meet us at 4:05 at Good Sam in the lobby.
We will carol at Good Sam, the surrounding homes, a few homes of church family
members, and at Clark House.
We will meet back at Mary Jo’s at 6 pm for a soup and fellowship.
Advent
Organ Recitals
The local chapter of the American Guild of Organists will present two Advent
organ recitals in December. The first is this Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 12:15
p.m. at Pullman Presbyterian Church, 1630 NE Stadium Way. Organists Mary
Carloye, David Buckley, and Jill Schneider will perform. The second recital is
Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 12:15 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Moscow,
featuring organists Susan Billin, John Ahern, Denise Snider and Judy Croskey.
Free and open to the public.
Christmas Eve Services We will have two services to celebrate the birth of Christ on
Christmas Eve. The 5:30 p.m. service will be centered around a Moravian
Lovefeast (sharing of sweet buns and hot cider, uniting us in fellowship
as God’s family), along with scriptures, carols and the lighting of
candles to welcome Christ, the Light of the World. The 10:00 p.m.
worship will be a candlelight service of Lessons and Carols, with
anthems by the Chancel Choir. The congregation at both services is
invited to bring white gifts (tissue-wrapped canned or packaged food to
be donated to the Moscow Food Bank).
Change
in worship schedule over Christmas/New Year’s holiday
On December 25 and January 1, there will be ONE SERVICE ONLY, at 11:00 a.m.
Coffee Fellowship will be at 10:30 a.m. Sunday school and adult education
classes will resume on January 8. Communion is rescheduled to January 8. The
church office will be closed from December 23 until January 2.
Sunday,
January 1 (one service at 11:00 a.m.) will be a special service of Sharing of
Gifts.
If you would like to share a gift of music, poetry, story, or anything else you
can think of, please contact Kathleen Norris by Dec. 18.
Stephen
Ministry Training Begins in January A class is forming for Stephen Ministry training that will meet from January
- May 2012.
If you are interested or would like more information about what is involved
please pick up an information/application packet in the church office or contact
one of our Stephen Leaders: Kathy or Bruce Pitman, Mary Read, Barbara Williams
or Pastor Norman.
We want
everyone to be able to participate fully in worship.
If you have trouble hearing the sermon, we have personal hearing assistance
devices at the back of the sanctuary that will amplify the sound.
Just ask one of our sound technicians (Alan or Stephen) about trying one out.
(Tip: the sound is better towards the front of the sanctuary.)
Is the print in the hymnal too small? Pick up a large-print copy of the
hymns at the back of the sanctuary.
If there is anything else that we can do to help you have a better worship
experience, please talk to Kathy in the church office.
Tuesday
Mom's Group This Bible Study group for moms of all ages meets weekly at 1:30 at the
church, room 35. Donna Scott will facilitate the discussions again this year.
She and all the women who attend welcome you to join them as they begin a new
study. For more details on the study topic, child care, etc. contact Cindy
Schneider.
All college aged folks are invited to gather on
Thursday evenings at 5:30 p.m. during fall and spring semesters when UI is in session.
Together we will explore our world, ask questions
of faith, search the scriptures and have some fun and food as well.
We will meet
at the church for about an hour and a half. For further info please see Pastor Norman.
"When they call to me, I will answer them."
– Psalm 91:15
Earthquake. Tsunami. Nuclear meltdown. Any one of these disasters could
be catastrophic.
Rescue efforts continue in Japan following the March 11 tsunami and
earthquake and the growing nuclear crisis.
Thousands have been confirmed dead, tens of thousands are missing, and
hundreds of thousands have been evacuated.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is responding through Presbyterian
Disaster Assistance (PDA) and our ecumenical and mission partners.
Already, $100,000 from the One Great Hour of Sharing offering has been
sent to provide immediate relief.
While Japan is among the world’s most advanced countries, the damage
caused by the unprecedented scale of these multiple disasters is beyond
imagination.
You can make a difference in bringing God’s healing to this devastated
nation, where Presbyterians have been engaged in active mission work
since 1859.
What you can do:
GIVE — Financial support for relief efforts wherever disasters occur can
be designated to DR000148.
Support exclusively for these disasters can be designated to DR000117.
Donations may also be made to One Great Hour of Sharing, which supports
PDA.
Gifts can be made online, by phone at (800) 872-3283, or by mailing a
check to: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA
15264-3700.
ACT — Congregations and individuals can put together Gifts of the Heart
hygiene kits and baby kits.
Stay informed through the PDA website and Rapid Information Network
e-mail reports.
PRAY — Join with others in lifting up the people of Japan and those
providing aid.
Our 4th-6th grade Sunday
School class is working on a mission project to raise money for hot lunches
for Haitian school children.
They plan to make dolls to sell at the Farmer’s Market, the Co-op, and other
places around town. They need fabric, stuffing, and recycled clothes to make the
dolls.
If you would like to donate any of these items, please drop them by the church
office. Thank you for helping them get hot lunches to Haiti.
The Northwest
Children's Home in Lewiston, ID is a private, non-profit youth
rehabilitation and educational facility equipped to handle 92 children
ages 6-18, and is proudly supported by Presbyterian Women of our
church. In the hallway outside of the church office you will find a
wish list of items greatly appreciated by the home.
If you have any of these items - new or gently used - that you would
like to donate please leave them in the bench labeled Northwest
Children's Home. Thank you!!
Check out our
Mission page to find other ways you can
help others. Just click here.
Stephen Ministry
Moscow FPC has trained and commissioned 21 Stephen Ministers. Stephen Ministers are
actively engaged in providing confidential one-to-one Christian care for
people experiencing times of personal crisis, such as loss of a loved
one, divorce, a terminal illness, unemployment, loneliness, or a
spiritual crisis. Click here to learn more.
Evangelism
Corner:The
Christian life is a great adventure. God loves us and has a wonderful,
exciting plan for us. We are not creatures of chance, brought into the
world for a meaningless, miserable existence; but rather, we are people of
destiny, created for meaningful and joyful lives. Jesus promises, "I have
come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). (From
a letter from Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ) Plant a
new seed, and share this news with a friend this week! Friendship Forms:
Both new-comers and long-timers: sign, with your address and phone number.
Getting To Know You: Join us after the worship for coffee, tea and conversation.
Introduce yourself to someone new. Ours is a sharing faith.
Let’s keep our congregation a sharing fellowship of believers!
Q. What is the difference between just attending First Presbyterian Church and actually joining? A. According to Margaret Littlejohn’s research, the term “Presbyterian”
comes from the Greek Word presbuteros, meaning “elder.” A Presbyter was
an elder in the early Christian Church. FPC, like all Presbyterian churches is
a church with Jesus Christ at the head and with government provided by elders
(and other lay leaders). While all church attendees are eligible for pastoral
care and may participate on committees and in the life of the church,
non-members do not have a vote and may not hold the position of elder or
deacon.
Q. How do I become a member? A. The three ways to join a Presbyterian church are profession of faith
in Jesus Christ, reaffirmation of faith professed at a different Presbyterian
church, or transfer from another Presbyterian church or church in another
Christian denomination.
We welcome all questions about FPC, past and present;
church membership; or the ministries of the church. Please send to
fpc@turbonet.com. We will post submitted questions (with answers).
Kathy Warren
Evangelism/Public Relations
THESE DAYS devotionals are for YOU. Looking for a new source of daily scriptural inspiration and prayer?
If you like paper, please pick up one of the booklets “These Days” from
the table by the window in the lower chapel room. The Evangelism Committee
offers these to all interested readers, with a fresh batch every three months.
Want an onlinedevotional? Too many to choose from to recommend just one. If you put
the words “Christian devotionals” in the Google.com search engine box, you’ll
have LOTS to choose from.
