Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
Worship is broadcast at 11:00 a.m. on WCHS-580AM
304-343-8961
The cross on the chancel is made from three Christmas trees. It symbolizes the connection between cradle and cross as we celebrate the gift of God’s Son and His sacrifice for our salvation.
Next Week’s Sermon will be given by Doug Jenkins.
Sympathy of the Congregation is extended to the family of Helen T.Conner on her death April 6, in Decatur, Alabama.
Welcome: This morning we welcome little Audrey Virginia Lioi into God’s family through the sacrament of baptism. As she grows, we’ll love, cherish and support her by holding her in the nursery and smiling at her in worship. We’ll share the good news of the Gospel with her by teaching her in Sunday School class and sharing meals with her at LOGOS. We’ll help her to know and follow Christ by coaching her basketball team and chaperoning her youth trips. We’ll think of many other ways to show her God’s love–welcome to the family, Audrey!”
Many Ways to Support our Ministries: In addition to traditional cash and checks in the offering plate, you can give on our website firstpresby.com via your computer or smart phone, through our mobile app “Church Life” (you must first set up a user profile on our website to use the Church Life app.) or by texting 73256 and typing “firstpresby” in the message line. Use the QR code card in your pew rack to go directly to our giving page. God loves a Cheerful Giver.
One Great Hour Of Sharing Offering Is Received Today: Catastrophic storms throughout the US; extreme poverty and urban squalor; malnutrition and starvation; and political uprising around the world. . . These stories of disaster, hunger, poverty, and tragedy fill the evening news. With such news, it is easy to become disheartened and experience compassion fatigue. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that we are called to be “the repairer,” to make God’s community livable for all. One way that we do this is through abundant and generous giving to One Great Hour of Sharing. This offering is divided between Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People. Your sharing brings joy to God and those in need. Children are invited to bring their Fish Banks and place them in the collection plates during the offering time. Faith Endures – “Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts.” Romans 5:5
Summer Events Lunch: Join us in fellowship for a lunch after worship next Sunday, April 23. We will be highlighting all of the events, camps, ministries, and mission projects that the church will be offering or involved in this summer.
Summer Event Lunch April 23 After Worship
Please complete the form below or contact the church office (304-343-8961) for reservations.
Return the tear-off portion below for your lunch reservation.
Sunday Lunch –April 23, 2017– After Worship
NAME_______________________________________PHONE______________________________
______Adults _______Children 3 through 12 _______Children 2 and under
Menu: Presbyterian Chicken, Vegetable, Salad, Rolls & Dessert
Lay Academy will NOT meet today.
Join us in the pews or on the chancel at the end of worship this morning for our annual singing of G>F>Handel’s Hallelujah chorus. To sing with others on your part, come to the chancel where the ladies will stand on the piano side and the men will gather on the bell table side. Sopreanos and tenors will be wearing white stoles; altos and basses will be wearing gold stoles. Music is found on the insert in your bulletin. Hallelujah!!!
Wheelchair Needed: Do you have a wheelchair that is no longer being used. One is needed for use in the Activities Building.
Presbyterian Coffee Project: Coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolates, raisins, and nuts continue to be available for purchase after worship and during the week during church business hours.
Youth Group will NOT meet tonight. We next meet this Wednesday, April 19.
Youth Mission Trip: There is a high school mission trip planned from July 30 – August 3. To put your name on the list there is a $50 deposit towards the total cost of $260. Contact Payne to get on the list or for more information.
More About the Music: This morning’s beloved opening hymn, “Jesus Christ is Risen Today,” has helped Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection for over 300 years. According to Glory to God: A Companion, the first verse of the original text appeared as follows when it was first published in 1708: “Jesus Christ is Risen to day, Halle-Hallelujah/Our triumphant Holyday/Who so lately on the Cross/Suffer’d to redeem our loss.” Songs such as this one connect us through time to the voices of the past and also to those who will sing it a hundred years from now. For more tidbits about our music and hymn texts, visit a church copy of Glory to God: A Companion by Reverend Carl P. Daw, Jr. M.A., M.Div., Ph.D in our church library, or look through the copy on the piano at the front of the sanctuary after worship.
Geneva Choir for youth and adults’ welcomes sopranos, altos, tenors, basses, and everyone in between. No prior musical experience is required; just a servant heart and a sense of humor. We rehearse on Thursday evenings from 7:30-9:00 p.m. in the Choir Room at the top of the stairs above the Susie Early Room. Come sing with us!
The First Presby Walkers are continuing to meet on Mondays at 5:30 p.m.in the church parking lot. Please join us as we walk around town.
Opportunity to Serve: Van or Bus drivers are needed for a collaborative effort to benefit children and youth on the West Side of Charleston. Your time of 3-4 hours, 3-4 times per year is needed to make cultural experiences and live art performances available to children who may never otherwise get that experience. This is a collaborative effort with St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church. Other churches are being asked to participate as well. The van or bus will be provided by St. Christopher’s. Will you please give consideration to being a vital part of bringing fun and worthwhile experiences to the lives of children who will benefit greatly by your service. If interested and for more details, please call Sue Webster at 304-343-8961 Ext. 139 or sue@firstpresby.com.
Cents-Ability Offering is received next Sunday, April 23: “To allow the hungry to remain hungry would be blasphemy against God and one’s neighbor, for what is nearest to God is precisely the need of one’s neighbor. It is for the love of Christ, which belongs a much to the hungry as to myself, that I share my bread. If the hungry do not attain to faith, then the fault falls on those who refused them bread. To provide the hungry with bread is to prepare the way for the coming of grace.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Please be mindful as to how you will give to the Cents-Ability offering.
What Would be Easter Without Chickens? Wow!–Have you seen the Children for Chicks Challenge bulletin board? There are Chicks Everywhere! Thank you to our elementary age children and congregation for your offerings to support this effort. To date your gifts’ total $1,884.83 which equates to 375 chicks! Today is the last day to participate in this Challenge. One family of chickens costs $25.00, individual chicks cost $5.00 each. The offerings received for this challenge will be sent to PC(USA) to enable World Mission to purchase a family of chicks (5 chicks) for people in need of a sustainable source of good nutrition. To participate, simply stop by the Children for Chicks Challenge bulletin board located in the main hallway. Select a chick, write your name on it and put it along with your offering in the provided chick envelope. Take your envelope to the front office and a staff member will add your chick(s) to the flock on the bulletin board. Let us all do our part to help our Elementary Children help their brothers and sisters throughout the world!
Kroger Rewards: Do you shop at Kroger? The Kroger Family of Stores is committed to bringing hope and help to local communities. They do this through a variety of activities, including charitable giving and the Community Rewards Program. Kroger is also committed to carefully protecting customers’ personal information and have adopted a simple policy to never share a customer’s personal information. Our First Presby families (86 households) who have enrolled their Kroger Plus Card in this program and shopped at Kroger between 12.1.2016 and 2.28.2017 have contributed to Kroger’s $1,431.17 total donation to First Presby for the quarter. Please consider helping us receive a larger donation from Kroger by enrolling your card at https://www.kroger.com/account/enrollCommunityRewardsNow. If you would like the church to enroll your card for you, please stop in or call the office and have your Kroger Plus Rewards card available. What a simple way to help the church do more to help others! Thank you!
Thank You: The Easter Celebration on Sunday, April 9, was wonderful! Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this wonderful afternoon such a success.
Thanks to Our Child Care Volunteers today in our nursery, toddler and preschool rooms. All child care rooms are equipped with live video feeds of the worship service. Do you love children and babies? Call the church office,304-343-8961, to volunteer in this special ministry.
Act of Faith: We are reminded that all we have comes from God. Please remember to name the First Presbyterian Church as a beneficiary of your will, your retirement plan or of a life insurance policy in order that we may carry out God’s wishes and continue his work in our community and in the world.
This Week at First Presbyterian
Sunday, 4/16
Easter Sunday
One Great Hour of Sharing
10:00 Music Warm-up
10:30 Worship
Monday, 4/17
8:30 Aerobics
5:30 First Presby Walkers
Tuesday, 4/18
9:30 Bible Study Group
10:00 Knitting/Crocheting Group
5:30 Fellowship & Rec
5:30 FPC Lyres
7:00 Boy Scouts
Wednesday, 4/19
8:00 Wednesday Work Crew
8:30 Aerobics
5:00 Youth Group
6:00 Church Fellowship Dinner
6:45 Mission Division
7:00 Worship Team
7:30 Lenten Growth Group-Bob Newman
Thursday, 4/20
7:30 Shoney’s Group, Downtown
10:30 PW Hannah Circle
10:30 PW Ruth Circle
11:30 PW Prayer Group
12:00 PW Luncheon
5:30 Capella Bells Rehearsal
7:00 Geneva Choir
Friday, 4/21
7:00 Men’s Group
10:00 Women’s Outreach Bible Study
Saturday, 4/22
Church Fellowship Dinner, April 19 6:00 p.m.
Please make reservations by 4:00 p.m. Monday.
Please contact the church office (304-343-8961) for reservations.
Hosts: Property and the class Sunday School Class
First-time visitor, be our guest—no charge!
PRICE FOR DINNER
Adult/$7; Child 3-12yrs./$3; Child under 3 is free
MENU: Ribs, Hash Brown Casserole, Mixed Vegetables, Corn Muffins, Salad & Dessert