First News Weekly
 
First Presbyterian Church
4602 Cary Street Road Richmond, VA 23226
(804) 358-2383 | www.fpcrichmond.org 
 
Week of December 13, 2015


Amaryllis
Click here for this week's prayer list.

If you have a joy or concern that we may lift up in prayer, please contact Rev. Mary Kay Collins or any of our pastors.

If you are in immediate need of pastoral care, please call the church office, 358-2383. During night and weekend hours, your call will be transferred to a pastor on call.
A Hanover Christmas
December 11 & 12    6:00 - 9:00 pm

Visit Camp Hanover December 11 & 12 for
A Hanover Christmas. This unique live nativity / reenactment features a candlelit stroll along a wooded path, meeting Mary, Joseph, and other characters along the way. Afterward, stay for live music and refreshments by the fireplace.

Call 804-779-2811 for information. 
Sunday, December 13
No 9:00 am Chapel Service

 
9:00 am Open Door Service in the Rec Room

The Visitation
Rev. Chris Mooney







11:00 am Traditional Service in the Sanctuary

Gloria by Antonio Vivaldi
Chancel Choir and Orchestra
5:00 pm Evening Prayer Service in the Chapel

The Cradle and the Cross
Dr. Charlie Summers

Stewardship 2016
As of December 10, FPC members have submitted 361 pledges for 2016, totaling $1,166,874. That puts us $300,000 short of our goal of $1,470,000. Participation is at 86%. We need your pledges to reach our goal and together  serve God's purposes in this place. If you have  not made  a pledge, please prayerfully consider joining  your fellow congregation members who have. You may pledge online or mail your pledge card (found in the pews) to the church office.

Next Sunday, offering envelopes will be available for pickup in the Narthex for those who requested them.
Adult Sunday School

 

Letters of Love and Longing

9:45 - 10:45 am, Room 219
Dr. F. Scott Spencer

Raising Children in Faith in a Secular World
9:45 - 10:45 am, Room 205
Dr. John Vest

Belief in a Secular Age
9:45 - 10:45 am, Room 218
Dr. Richard Morrill - watch previous classes

 

 

For more information about these classes, visit fpcrichmond.org/adults
Christmas Joy Offering
Sundays, December 13 and 20 Offering - Christmas Joy (red)

On December 13 and 20, we will receive the Christmas Joy Offering.  This offering supports our Presbyterian racially ethnic colleges and also provides supplemental retirement income and health insurance support to former ministers, missionaries, and church workers.
FPC Youth Ministry

Youth Fellowship
Grades 6 - 12
Sundays
5:30 - 7:30 pm
Meet in the Fellowship Hall
$3 for dinner
Bring a friend!

Youth Lock-In
Grades 6 - 12
Friday, December 18
8:00 pm
Cost: $25
Please RSVP to Chris
Christmas Memorials

Help make our sanctuary beautiful for Christmas by donating a poinsettia or wreath. You may make your gift in memory of a loved one or in honor of a special person or ministry.  You may also designate your gift for our music fund for our special Christmas music.

The names of those honored will be included in the bulletin on December 20 and Christmas Eve. Deadline for guaranteed bulletin inclusion is Monday, December 14.

Please place your order online here, or pick up an order form in the Commons.
FPC Music Ministry

Family Caroling
Wednesday, December 16, 5:00 pm
Join us as we go caroling to homebound members.
Contact Suzanne Riehl.

Auditions for Children of Eden
Monday, December 21, 4:00 - 7:00 pm
Youth and adults are invited to participate in this musical, which will be presented March 19 & 20, 2016.  For more information, visit fpcrichmond.org/music for a video from Suzanne Riehl and Bruce Miller, along with all the details.
Congregational Meeting
Sunday, December 20

A congregational meeting will be held during 11:00 am worship on Sunday, December 20, for the purposes of election of the 2019 Class of Elders and Deacons, and to act on Dr. Summers' request to retire.
Thank You, Liz Spencer

We are sad to announce that Liz Spencer will be leaving our church staff after 13 years of service. Liz has done everything from creating and editing church newsletters to keeping things in order administratively with regard to pastoral care. We are so grateful for the gifts of organization and attention to detail that Liz has offered. She will be missed. 

Under Liz's leadership we have offered well-organized Discover First classes; and we have communicated with our large pool of Homebound Communion teams to make sure they were ready equipped to offer this important ministry. Liz oversees our church prayer list and takes special care to note where the flowers will be delivered each week. Liz has contributed a lot to the pastoral care of our congregation, and we will miss her bright smile and her helpful demeanor. We wish Liz the very best. She will be having knee surgeries in January and our prayers go with her. We hope that she will enjoy some well-deserved time with her husband Larry and their daughter Cat.

Please join us in saying thank you to Liz for her service at FPC.
Underneath are the Words

We have sold out of Dr. Summers' book, but we are taking orders for another printing. You can place your order Sunday in the Commons, or online. Proceeds from the sale of the book support Boaz & Ruth.
Christmas Eve Worship
Thursday, December 24

Bring your family and friends, and join us on Christmas Eve for worship.  There will be two services:

5:00 pm - Family Christmas Eve Service in the Sanctuary, with children's choirs and a Christmas story. Childcare provided.

11:00 pm - Holy Communion Candlelight Service in the Sanctuary, with Chancel Choir, soloists, and a   communion meditation.  No childcare.
Christmas Eve Offering for Emergency Assistance
Thursday, December 24

A special offering is given by our congregation every year  on Christmas Eve. Our offerings given this night provide a fund for emergency assistance to people in our community who come to us for help in emergency situations. We help pay the rent or a utility bill. Many times, as little as $100-$150 can actually keep a family from becoming homeless.  Thanks to your generosity last Christmas, we have been able to help 86 families in 2015.

This offering will be received on Christmas Eve. Your support of this special fund will bless many people in the year ahead.
January Classes for Adults
9:45 to 10:45 am, Sunday mornings in January
Please register online by December 30. 

Plays that Help Us Think about Faith and Culture
Each week, Bruce Miller, Artistic Director of the Virginia Repertory Theatre, will discuss plays from the 2016 season of the Acts of Faith Theatre Festival.  He will address how cultural norms and values are   portrayed and the impact on one's faith journey.

Why the Bible?
Why is the Bible important for us? How did it come together as a collection of ancient texts? Is the Bible  still relevant? Senior Pastor Dr. Charles Summers will explore one of the great themes of the Reformation, "Sola Scriptura"(by Scripture alone). There will be plenty of time for questions, and time to look at how the Bible is a guide for devotion and prayer.
(No class January 3.)

Science and Faith: The Universe, Time, Connectedness, Race, Gender and Faith
Dr. Walter Witschey, Professor of Anthropology and Geography at Longwood University and Director Emeritus of the Science Museum of Virginia, will present current scientific research as it may bear on  personal matters of faith. Topics will include the relatedness of life on the planet, the scientific understanding of human race, and the complexities of human gender. 
2016 - 2017 Preschool Applications Available
preschool camp
The preschool is accepting applications for the 2016 - 2017 school year.  Children must be 8 months as of September 1, 2016 to attend.  Church members receive priority if their applications are received by January 1, 2016.

Please contact the preschool office, 358-2857 or fppreschool@fpcrichmond.org, for more information.
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