Friends at FBCP,
Here are the updates and announcements you need for the week.
This Sunday
Join us for worship in the sanctuary at 10:30 am for Christ the King Sunday. The nursery will be open as usual for our toddlers and babies. Our kids four years old and up can join us in the park, and youth are invited to join us for worship and then stay after for lunch and Hanging of the Greens. As a reminder, here are our community guidelines for being together in the sanctuary.
Help us decorate the sanctuary for Christmas after service! We’ll kick off our Advent season with the Hanging of the Greens following worship on Sunday. We’ll eat lunch together before getting to work in the sanctuary hanging garlands, putting up lights, and having fun together while listening to some Christmas music.
We’ll begin our service with an open time of sharing gratitudes, so we invite you to consider this prompt as we head into Sunday: Gratitude can be a simple practice. So in that spirit, share two or three simple things for which you are thankful from this last hour.
You can also prepare for worship by listening to this week’s scripture recording. You’ll hear a combination of sounds and scripture in this meditation from Matthew 11:1-19.
This week we are asking you to bring canned vegetables or fruit for the Friends In Deed Food Pantry if you are able. Right now this will help meet a major need in their supply. Thanks for contributing!
As an American Baptist Church, we share in the long history of global servants who have been called to work cross-culturally to show people the love of Christ and proclaim God’s reign of justice, peace and abundant life for all creation. This month, you can give to the World Mission Offering (WMO) in support of International Ministries (IM), the organization that sends and supports the American Baptist global servants. We hope you will step into the flow of generosity as you consider how you might give above and beyond your regular offering to support God’s work around the world through the WMO. Click here to give online or make your offering during worship on Sunday.
Future Happenings & Other News
Thursday noon Bible study will take a break next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ll pick right back up though on Thursday, December 2nd. In the meanwhile, may you have a blessed Thanksgiving next week.
Advent begins on Sunday, November 28th, and this year’s Advent devotional uses Mary Oliver’s poetry from her book Devotions. Pick up a printed copy in the lobby starting this coming Sunday or click here for a digital copy.
Starting Sunday, November 28th, join Rene and John Jay Sunday mornings from 9-10 am for a special Advent Sunday School class that explores the season and all of its power and promise. The class will meet November 28-December 19 and childcare will be available so parents can attend. The curriculum will utilize the exquisite poetry of Mary Oliver as a lens to focus our hearts uniquely on Advent themes and practices. Copies of the poems will be provided, and no experience or expertise is required! Click here to sign up.
Interested in finding out more about FBCP, our history as an American Baptist church, and what we’re all about? Join us for our next Basics class on Sunday, November 28th, in the Southside Room after worship service when Pastor John Jay and Pastor Chip will go over what it means to be part of the FBCP community. Email Pastor Chip for more details.
Come and bring your friends on Sunday, December 12th, to join in our 78th Annual Candelight Carol Service at 6 pm in the sanctuary! Help us celebrate the Christmas season as we sing together and are reminded of hope made real in the birth of Jesus. Childcare for toddlers and infants (4 years and under) will be provided, and there will be a cookie reception after the service. Feel free to grab some of our invitation cards in the lobby area to share with friends.
Partner with us in generosity through Friends in Deed’s annual Christmas for the Kids gift drive. Every year we get the honor of helping to provide gifts for Friends in Deed’s families with kids as we are reminded of God’s generous gift of Jesus to our world. More information on how to participate will be announced in service this Sunday and in the upcoming weeks.
Grace and peace to you as we head into the weekend. We can’t wait to worship with you in our sanctuary on Sunday!
Less without you,
The FBCP Community
