First Presbyterian Church 224 East Mobile Street, Florence, AL 35630

Phone: 256.764.2081 Email: office@fpcflorence.org

www.fpcflorence.org

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PRAYER LIST Jane Frith, Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA

Uvonna Curott, Florence Nursing and Rehab

Ann Craig, John Carter and Bobbie Zickler, Merrill Gardens

Mary Hatfield and Margaret Fleming, St. Martin ’s in the Pines

Sarah Leonard, Mitchell Hollingsw orth

Mary Louise Flanagan, Freddie Tyree, Jean Paxton, hom e

John Smith, father of Patr ick Sm ith

Steven Palis, brother -in-law of Chuck Gaputis

Christy McCorkle, daughter of Sara Elizabeth Doss;

Sister of Penney Griffin, Cynthia Briand and Chris Booream

David Reynolds, cousin of Lesley Byars and Blair Boggan

Mike Lumpkin, brother of Joni W illingham

Mike Worley, brother -in-law of Rhonda and Robert Tyree

Mr. and Mrs. Carlton Hughes, fr iends of Mary and

Hollis Wilson

Rod Townsley, fr iend of Mary and Hollis W ilson

Melissa Hobby Adams, fr iend of Stephanie Qualls

MAJ Barry Crosby, Sacram ento, CA

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN NEWS

PW will meet Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in the Sewing Room in the Elting Wing to organize the room for future PW meetings. All ladies of the church are invited to the Fall Gathering of the North Alabama Presbytery Presbyterian Women at First Presbyterian, Sheffield. Registration is at 9:15 a.m. , with the program following at 10:00. Lunch will be served. ($10.00, RSVP to Belva Gillespie.)

Please Join Us! Single Women’s Group

Thursday, September 10, 5:30 p.m.

Swampers at the Marriott

Contact Carol Howdyshell or Dixie Carter

1 10:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.

Visitors Committee Congregational Care Committee

2 6:00 p.m. Training Session and supper

6 10:00 a.m. Communion Worship NO Youth meeting

7 Church office closed for Labor Day holiday

8 2:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

Presbyterian Women meeting Worship Committee Stewardship Committee

9 5:30 p.m. 6:15 p.m. 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday Night Suppers resume Handbell practice Sanctuary choir practice

13 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m.

Rally Day Breakfast Worship Service resumes at regular time

14 5:30 p.m. Mission and Service Committee

3:30 p.m. Shoals Cluster Meeting

15 7:00 a.m. Men’s Breakfast Gathering

20 3:30 p.m. Youth meet for Pool Party/Equine Therapy

22 5:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m.

Session Coordinating Team Stated Meeting of the Session

28 5:00 p.m. Building and Grounds Committee

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

CHURCH STAFF Dr. Richard T. Gillespie, Pastor Rev. Brandon E. Miles, Associate Pastor

Dr. James K. Thompson, Parish Associate Rebecca Rockhill, Music Director Peggy S. Willich, Administrative Assistant Alan Flowers, Music Director Emeritus

First Presbyterian Church’s Statement of Mission

First Presbyterian Church Florence is a historic but evolving downtown church, striving to serve its congregation and community with a ministry that demonstrates a strong commitment to God and His love as revealed in Jesus Christ. Grounded in traditional worship and music, teaching and prayer, we facilitate spiritual growth, encourage family worship, practice stewardship of our resources, and maintain service to our community and the world. In all we do, we seek to be open to God’s Spirit as we move into the future.

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3 4 8 9

10

11 12 13

Sara Elizabeth Doss Sarah Tyree Wesley Roden Danny Barton Martha Barton Mary Janet Johnson Prudy Thomas Mary Wilson Diane Geiger

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19 20 23

27 30

Kevin O’Steen Lynn Johnson Porter Smith Marna Sneed Betty Jean Mitchell Maureen Henning Richard Pflueger Lud Seme Stephanie Qualls Libba Sherrod

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS

Dear Members and Friends of First Presbyterian Church,

This coming September 16th at 5:30 p.m., we will host our first Wednesday Night Dinner of the season. In the past, we have enjoyed a good meal, followed by a vesper service or a program. Starting this September, we are going to shake things up a bit. Dinner will be served at 5:30 and go until 6:15 for a time of good food and fellowship. At 6:15, we will break out into small groups.

We will offer at least three small groups, with the hope of growing into four or five. The first group will be the handbell group. Anyone who has been or is interested in playing handbells is invited to join Rebecca Rockhill in the new handbell room on the 3rd floor. The second group will be an adaption of the Wednesday night Bible study. This group will study the scriptures of the coming week, and work with the pastor in writing part of the liturgy for the coming worship service. The third group is a “Sermon Re-sponse” group. In the upcoming weeks, our bulletins will have space for notes and maybe even prompting questions. We invite you to hold on to your bulletin and bring it on Wednesday night to share your thoughts on the previous week’s worship service and sermon. We hope you will find something that will interest you in these groups and join us on September 16th for a wonderful dinner and a time of fun and reflection. - Brandon Miles, Associate Pastor

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WORSHIP

Flower chart for

September

COMMUNION

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Servers: Reba Hamm, Bob Hurt,

Lud Seme, Nancy and Dave Marbury

USHERS FOR SEPTEMBER

Judith Bourne, Uhland Redd, Dan Hendricks,

and Gary Wilkinson

PARKING LOT SHEPHERD

Wesley Roden

“FRIENDLY MEMBER” FOR SEPTEMBER

Mary Elizabeth Johnson

LOCK-UP VOLUNTEER FOR SEPTEMBER

Keith Fraser

SUNDAY MANA

Sept. 6 - Dr. Richard T. Gillespie “The ‘Come to Jesus’ Woman” - Isaiah 35:4-7a;

Psalm 146; Mark 7:24-37

Sept. 13 - Rev. Brandon E. Miles “Who Do People Say That I Am?” - Proverbs 1:20-33;

Psalm 19; Mark 8:27-38

Sept. 20 - Mark Howard, President, Presbyterian Home for Children

Sept. 27 - Dr. Richard T. Gillespie

“Keep Your Stumbling Blocks to Yourself” Numbers 11:4-6,10-16,24-29; Psalm 19;

Mission Emphasis for September:

Presbyterian Home for Children

PHFC President Mark Howard will be worshipping with us on September 20. Mark Your Calendars!

The Presbyterian Home for Children, located in Talladega, Alabama, has provided services to children in need since 1868. Originally founded as an orphanage, today it provides a wider range of services for children and their families.

Secure Dwellings is an on-campus ministry for homeless children and their female caregivers. Transitional housing, transportation, and access to social services are provided. The goal is to provide a safe haven for children who have been homeless to rest, grow, and play while their parent or guardian works on developing the educational, vocational, and social skills necessary to become self-sufficient.

Transition to Adult Living is a ministry focused on helping young women ages 19-24 successfully transition to adulthood. These ladies dream of rising above their past situations; lives without poverty, domestic violence, and neglect.

Moderate Residential Care is provided for children who live on the 88-acre campus near downtown Talladega. Many are referred by the State of Alabama through the Department of Human Resources. Others are privately placed by families who recognize the need for outside help with a child’s behavioral or educational needs.

Hope Academy, the Home’s SACS-accredited on-campus school, meets the educational needs of residents and private-pay students from the area who are attracted by the small class size and personalized attention of the school. As children come and go from campus, course credits are transferrable to all schools and count toward graduation for older students.

Since its beginning, the Home has relied on churches for support in prayer, finances, and spreading the word about the PHFC. Caring for children is expensive—each cottage and family needs groceries and household supplies. Please remember the Home in your prayers and with your generosity.

6 Vacant

13 Willingham

20 Seme

27 Vacant

Please remember that we will return to our regular Sunday morning schedule on Sept. 13.

Sunday School

9:40 a.m.

Worship Service 11:00 a.m.

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Sept. 6 No youth meeting — Enjoy the

Labor Day Holiday Weekend

Sept. 13 Noon High Ropes at Maranatha

Sept. 20 3:30 p.m. Pool Party and Equine Therapy

Sept. 27 5:00 p.m. Prepare Snack Bags

Oct. 2-4 Jr/Sr High Retreat

Oct. 11 2:00 p.m. Skeet Shooting

Oct. 18 5:00 p.m. Fall Festival preparation

Oct. 25 2:00 p.m.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER The Soup Scoop

Saturday, August 1 — Trinity Episcopal, Team Leader

Bert Bock, 78 guests

Friday, August 7 — Trinity Episcopal, Team Leader

Barbara Peck, 86 guests

Saturday, August 8— Marriott Shoals, Team Leader

Dixie Carter, 88 guests

Friday, August 14 — St. Bartholomew’s and Grace

Episcopal, Team Leader Jan Pflueger, 83 guests

Saturday, August 15 — Edgemont United Methodist/

Temple, Team Leader Burt Rieff, 87 guests

Friday, August 21—Magnolia Church of Christ, Team

Leader Prudy Thomas, 107 guests.

Saturday, August 22 — St. James United Methodist,

Team Leader Jackie Zickler, 139 guests.

Friday, August 28—Westminster Presbyterian,

Team Leader Carol Howdyshell, 106 guests

Saturday. August 20—Woodmont Baptist, Team Leader

Jackie Zickler, 125 guests

Average number of guests at

Soup Kitchen Events in August: 100

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE TWO VACANT SUNDAYS IN SEPTEMBER ON THE FLOWER CHART. This coming SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, is open. If you would like to place flowers In the church Sunday, please contact Mary Lynn Fraser or Peggy in the church office as soon as possible. SEPTEMBER 27 IS ALSO AVAILABLE.

Congratulations to Jaina Anderson and

Phillip Glaze!

Their wedding took place on July 25 at First Presby-terian Church, Athens. Their home is near Athens, and Jaina commutes to First Presbyterian Church, Shef-field, where she currently serves as Pastor.

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Summer is almost gone, which means it is time to start a new Sunday School year. Many of you took the summer off from Sunday School, and now it is time to get back into the faith-nurturing saddle. We will kick the year off with breakfast at 9:30 am in the Fellow-ship Hall. We will thank last year’s teachers and provide “teasers” concerning offerings by the various classes and small groups. The following classes will be offered:

Pre K-2nd grade— Janette Wilkinson

3rd grade to 6th grade—Sarah Miles

7th grade to 12th grade—Brandon Miles

Saints and Sinners—Gary Wilkinson

Good News—Bert Bock with rotating facilitators

Faith Discovery (formerly Parents of Children and

Youth; all ages welcome)—Bill Wharton

Special classes: Inquirers (pastors) and Geography

of the New Testament (Randy Pettus)

Look for more details in the September 9 Midweek Update, including some new small groups and restructuring of Wednesday night activities.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUPPERS

We will begin Wednesday Night

Suppers on September 16 at

5:30 p.m. We need volunteers

to cook and clean up. Please contact

either one of us or the church office if you would like

to help.

Potluck meals are scheduled for October 7,

November 4 and December 2.

There will be a meeting of all cooks at 4:45 p.m. on

Wednesday, September 16. Everyone is invited to

attend. Thank you! Barbara and Prudy

REMEMBER TO VISIT THE BULLETIN

BOARDS IN THE HALLWAY OUTSIDE

THE OFFICES. YOU’LL FIND SOME VERY

INTERESTING INFORMATION THERE!

On August 9, we welcomed Anne

and Richard Baize and their

daughter, Ruari, to our church

family.

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REPORTS FROM COMMITTEE

MODERATORS

Christian Education

Rally Day will be Sunday, Sept. 13. Break-

fast will be served at 9:30 a.m. Everyone is

encouraged to attend.

Expect some changes in our Wednesday

evening studies.

Worship Committee

Sunday morning worship will resume at the

regular time (11:00 a.m.) on September 13.

Look for small changes in the order of

worship.

Mission and Service Committee

Mark Howard, President of the Presbyterian

Home for Children, will be with us during the

Sunday School hour and also will deliver the

sermon on September 20.

Mission Emphasis for September will be the

Presbyterian Home for Children.

The Soup Kitchen has a new logo! Rich Larkins

has produced it, and it will be revealed soon.

Stewardship Committee

The new refrigerator has arrived. This

purchase was funded by two generous gifts

and a small amount from the Soup Kitchen

Fund.

Through the hard work of the financial review

committee and the generosity of our congrega-

tion and others, the finances of the church are

improving.

Work is progressing on new policies for the use

of the church facilities by outside groups so

that fees are charged that at least cover church

expenses of HVAC Facility use policies are be-

ing reviewed

As our three year grant from Presbytery to

help support our Associate Pastor position

ends, church representatives plan to apply for

a grant from the Church Development Foun-

dation to assist for three more years with these

costs.

Congregational Care Committee

Dinner with Friends program is being fine-

tuned and changes will be forthcoming.

We have a new refrigerator in our church

kitchen.

Wednesday Night Suppers will begin Septem-

ber 16. We have some new cooks and more are

needed.