Roasted Lemon Chicken with Rosemary, zucchini & squash, roasted carrots, green salad service, fruit cobbler dessert. (Paleo Friendly: no sugar veggies.)

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September 25

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We hope you find this weekly newsletter informative on the many happenings at The First Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg.

We hope each day, you will learn the power of grace to transform lives, families and communities.

We invite you not only to worship with us on Sunday as we seek to learn more the glory, joy and Word of God, but also to serve with us around our city and around the world.

-The First Presbyterian Church of Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Community Prayer Service on Sept. 11
From Dr. Sean Michael Lucas, Senior Minister

In place of our Sunday evening service this coming Sunday, we will be gathering at Temple Baptist Church at 6pm with a number of other churches for a time of prayer. The service will be structured around ACTS: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication; and the majority of our time will be spent praying. There will be child care for those who need it.

I would encourage you to use this as an opportunity to live out what we talked about from Romans 16: we are part of a Gospel partnership not only in our own church but with all those who trust in Jesus. Here is a wonderful way to live that out in our city, by gathering around God's Word for prayer.

Women's Ministry News
From Caroline Grubbs, Women's Ministry President

The Monthly Morning Bible Study will meet on Tuesday, September 13, at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The Bible study will include the Introduction, and chapters 1 and 2 of the study book Unlikely Heroes by Daniel R. Lockwood. The study is based on Hebrew 11 which teaches the Triumphs of Faith or the Heroes of Faith. The first lesson will be taught by Melissa Neill who serves as Christian Growth Chairman for the Women's Ministry. The study books will be on sale on Sunday morning, September 11, before and after Sunday School in the Fellowship Hallway as well as at our September 13 meeting. Bring your Bible, too!

The Grace Gift offering for Mid-South Church Planting Network will conclude at the September monthly Bible studies. The mission of the Mid-South Church Planting Network is the plant PCA churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Our church as well as 28 additional PCA churches is a partner for Mid-South. How can we as members of the Women's Ministry help? There are at least three ways we can be involved! Bring your offering for the Grace Gift to the morning Bible study on Tuesday, September 13, at 9:30 or to the evening Bible study on Monday, September 19, at 6:00 p.m., pray for this ministry, and stay informed by reading the monthly e newsletters that are available by contacting Hunter Brewer, Ministry Coordinator, at Midsouthnetwork.pca@gmail.com/

Lessons & Carols Rehearsals
From Dr. Larry Smith, Sanctuary Choir Director

Lessons and Carols rehearsals begin Sunday night, September 18, 2016 at 7:15 pm in the choir room. Christmas singers please join us for this rehearsal. Come join us for great fellowship and Christian service through the beautiful Christmas anthems of Lessons and Carols.

The annual service of Lessons and Carols is Sunday night, December 11, 2016 at 6 pm.

Bookclub
From Loleeta Rhett, Arts & Discipleship Coordinator

Opportunities abound for this fall! On Tuesday, September 20th, we will meet at noon in the parlor to discuss Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta (many have read this and asked for a discussion)! Laura Lee Peaster Nelson will be joining us for a little question/answer time, as the plantation house that is so prominent in this book was owned by her grand-grandmother. And if you want to know even more after our meeting, the author (Richard Grant) will be speaking at the downtown library at 6:00 p.m. on October 6th.

For October 24th, we will read Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. John Grisham says of this book, "Not since Atticus Finch has a fearless and committed lawyer made such a difference in the American South. Though larger than life, Atticus exists only in fiction. Bryan Stevenson, however, is very much alive and doing God's work fighting for the poor, the oppressed, the voiceless, the vulnerable, the outcast, and those with no hope. Just Mercy is his inspiring and powerful story." Again, an extra opportunity exists for this book - the author will speak at USM's Honors Forum on Tuesday, October at 18th at 6:30 p.m. in Bennett Auditorium. His topic will be American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity and Making a Difference.

And last (but CERTAINLY not least), we have chosen the delightful book, Right Ho, Jeeves for our November 15th meeting. Truly English humor at its finest.

So join us for the book discussions, the "field trips" or both! Please let Loleeta know if you are interested in hearing either of the authors speak - or if you have any questions.

Pantry for the Needy
From Caroline Grubbs, Women's Ministry President

The Pantry for the Needy is well stocked by the gifts of non-perishable items

given at the White Gift Service each December! However, by this time of the year we are usually running low on some items. The pantry needs to be replenished with the following: spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, rice, canned fruit, canned meat, grits, and breakfast bars. We are currently well stocked in canned goods and soups. You can bring the requested items to any women's Bible study, place them on the counter outside the Fellowship Hall kitchen, or leave them in the church office. Please mark on the bag "Pantry for the Needy." Thank you for your continued support of this church project.

Hope For Hattiesburg 5K - Online registration available

From Bobby Blass

Please mark your calendars to participate in the H4H "Run For Literacy" on October 15 at the Longleaf Trace Gateway at USM. Proceeds from this event will benefit the literacy program at Grace Christian Elementary School (HPSD).

See HopeForHattiesburg.org/run for more details including online or mail in registration
Please register early and help spread the word!
Business sponsors and event day volunteers are needed. Contact Bobby Blass at 770-315-2356 or rlblass@gmail.com

Missionaries in Focus

From Missions Committee

Scott Moore was an intern serving at Grace Community in Church when he was called to Trinity Gardens, AL, a small, predominately African-American community just south of Prichard, AL. A Christian lady who had been having a Bible study for children for years in the neighborhood called Scott and asked him to get involved in the ministry in 2011, which he did.

Scott decided he would have two major programs: Jobs for Life (since over 60% of the youth in the neighborhood don't finish High School) and a mentoring program to build relationships. After moving into the neighborhood and building some relationships, they had their first worship service in August 2013. In the fall of 2015, they started the after school portion of their Youth Enrichment Program (Explorers Club) and say they have seen amazing things happening. They are focusing on "instilling foundations" such as reading, math, communications, exploring and understanding our world. More importantly, they are learning to love each other, work together and help each other. With the help of one of the church members, they now have a Trinity Family Garden that the kids love to work in! Two years after starting Trinity, they now have 47 members who went through membership class about the mission, vision, purpose and basic beliefs of the church, as well as the responsibilities of being a member.

Scott says they need more volunteers and funding, not for things or even programs, but for staff. Be praying for Scott, his family, the programs for the young people, more volunteers and for continued funding.

Pecans 2016
From Dr. Larry Smith, Sanctuary Choir Director

It's time to order pecans for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You may email your order to Dr. Smith at 2016pecans@gmail.com.

1 lb bags $11.25

3 lb bags $32.50

5 lb bags $53.00

DEADLINE: Monday, October 17, 2016

Upcoming Birthdays

September 11 - Henry Hawes, Jeff Frasier, Anne King

September 12 - Ron Keller, Suzan Newman, Ian Smith, Mac Cole

September 13 - Kathy McKellar, Cindy Keller, Richard Hickman, Winston Messer, Jessica Aehnlich

September 14 - Lucy Domergue, Bobby Blass, Anita Henderson

September 15 - John Reid, Rhodes Tatum

September 16 - Joyce Norwood, Marc Maddox, James Palermo

September 17 - Andy Ferguson, Amanda Cain, Ann Norris

The First Presbyterian Church

The First Presbyterian Church proclaims and practices the Gospel of God's transforming grace for God's glory alone. We invite you to join us on Sunday mornings in seeking truth from the Word in Sunday School at 9:45 and in worship at 8:30 and 11:00.

The First Presbyterian Church
4901 Hardy Street
Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39402
Office: 601-268-0303

Fax: 601-268-0778