Sunday September 12, 2021

9:00am - Worship at Memorial Park Bandshell

10:00am - Sunday School

11am - Traditional service in sanctuary

COVID19 Protocol Update

Because Franklin county has moved into the High category of COVID transmission, First Church leadership asks that congregants wear masks while inside the building per CDC recommendation. This is recommended NOT mandated. We understand that individuals have varied feelings on masks.

We are also again encouraging social distancing in the sanctuary and in the FLC.

Please see Bishop Park's announcement.

Get Ready for Fall!

Download the Church Center App by Planning Center for quick signups to events, studies, and groups.

Watch our services on youtube at 12pm!

We also have a dedicated phone number so you can listen to latest recorded service at 717-899-4JOY (4569).

We are asking folks not to mail donations through the US Postal service. Please hand-deliver them to the church, because we are having issues with receiving mail. We also have online giving available as well. Thank you for blessing us!

In Traditional Worship:

Pastor - Steven M. Livermore

Organist - Diaconal Minister of Music: Linda A. Peppernick

Reader -  Linda Peppernick

Flowers are placed this morning to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Sharon Hoover who would have celebrated her birthday today. Given by Bobbi and Steve Gillespie.

 

 

MINISTRY UPDATES

Children's Ministry

Pray with us Tuesdays at 2:52pm.

Worship Bulletins for kids to engage them with the service are available at the welcome tables.

'Fear Not!' October Schedule coming soon!

 

Visit First Lights.org for more

Youth Group

Illuminate Youth Ministry will be meeting in backyards this September on Wednesday nights. A full schedule is on the events page at illuminateyouth.org.

Visit Illuminate.org for more

Hungry Hearts
Please save your egg cartons and drop them off for Hungry Hearts so we can repackage flats of eggs for distribution. If you would like to serve with this ministry, please contact Dan Renshaw at dan@pageek.com.
Hungry Heart's Clothing Mission is NOT accepting donations at the present time due to the church elevator being out of operation and several of our regular volunteers not being available due to health issues. We are looking for some additional volunteers.  The job includes sorting and sizing incoming donations, maintaining the store in the church basement, storing out-of-season clothing, and greeting our guests on Thursday afternoons.  Parents and children may want to consider helping during the summer months. (We find younger volunteers to be very helpful in sorting toys.) Our usual hours are from 1 pm to 5pm on Thursday but we can be flexible. Call Carel Fish 717-264-4354.

Visit Hungry Hearts

Team Haiti

Please remember the needs of the orphans whom we support year-round.  If you would like to support the work of constructing the new orphanage, please write your check out to “FUMC Haiti Mission” and write “Orphanage Construction” in the memo.  School of Hope scholarships begin again in September.

Haitian Earth Quake - UMCOR - United Methodist Committee On Relief is working with partners in Haiti on how to best meet the immediate needs of survivors following last Saturday’s devastating earthquake.  You can help by making a gift to the work of international disaster response by going on line here: https://umcmission.org/advance-project/982450/ or by writing a check to “First UMC” and writing “Haiti Quake Relief” in the memo or using an envelope and addressing it “Haiti Quake Relief” and put it in the offering plate.

Pastoral Care Ministries

Stephen Ministry- If you or someone you know of is facing difficulties and would like someone to “walk” with, contact/refer to Gail Vaughn at 717-268-8491 ext 207 for a Stephen’s Ministry Care Giver.

GriefShare will start September 13th, 2021 at 1:00 PM. For more information or to register for the seminar contact Gail at 717-263-8491 ext. 207

Visit Pastoral Care Ministries

Women Connect

Ladies, feeling the need for a little room to breathe in your life?  Mark your calendars now for our annual Women’s Retreat that will be held on October 15th-17th at the Mt. Asbury Retreat Center in Newville, PA.  Registration coming soon.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Important Note regarding upcoming events:

Anyone planning any church events please make sure you contact Stacey in the church office so that we can coordinate all events in the church and are not overlapping ministries. Thank you!

Chancel Choir-Practice is held Wednesday nights at 7:00. All singers welcomed! Contact Diaconal Minister Linda Peppernick at lindapeppernick@embarqmail.com

Post-High School Connections - First Church Friends: I am looking for people to connect with our post high age young adults. Check-in texts, notes, and emails are a great way to let them know they're a part of the family even when they may not be able to attend regularly. If you're willing to friend one of our post high young adults, please contact Beth Stahl (stahlfamily2000@gmail.com or 717-375-8011).

200th Anniversary – 2022 will mark the 200th Anniversary of the birth of First Church.  We are looking for interested individuals to be part of the committee planning our celebrations. Please contact Pastor Steve at pastor4fumc@gmail.com if you would like to help.

Evening Bible Studies We are planning evening study opportunities for the fall.  To date these classes are being planned:

Intergenerational Study -Interested in making connections between faith and real life?  In building intergenerational relationships within the church?  Consider joining this discussion-based Bible study at 5:30 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of every month. Study is designed for youth Grade 7 or higher in the company of their parents. All adults welcome!

“Wednesday Bible Study” @ 6:30 PM, Begins September 22nd and every Wednesday after in the Preschool Classroom (Apple Place). We will be studying the book of Jeremiah.  Jeremiah lived and wrote in a dark time. Studying the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah, you will get a glimpse of what it is like to have a personal relationship with God, for God and a human to be together and you will discover how you can grow in your own personal relationship to God.  This study will also stream on Zoom.  Study guides are available to pick up at the Welcome Center or you can download a copy at the website www.firstonsecond.org

 If you are interested in taking a Stop the Bleed Class please contact Dr. James Hurley at jehtwo@comcast.net.

The annual Veterans, spouses and family picnic will be held Saturday September 25 at Green Township Memorial Park. Plan on eating at 12:30p.m. Provided will be fried chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, rolls condiments and place settings.  Each family is asked to bring  their own drinks and a dish to share by last names: A-H, salad or fruit;  I-Q, side dish (baked beans, macaroni and cheese, etc.); R-Z, desserts     So that we order the proper amount of food, please  respond by September 20  how many from your family will be attending. You   may contact Doug Davis @717 372-7373 or e-mail  dougdavis0034yahoo.com  or  Ray Kauffman 717 64-6688 or raykauffman35@outlook.com

Blood Drive Monday, October 4,  beginning at 2pm in the FLC

Homecoming is October 6th.  Currently, the parade is scheduled for 6:00 PM.  You are invited to view the parade from the parsonage front lawn at 925 East McKinley Street.

World Communion Sunday will be celebrated October 3rd at 10:00 AM at the park. Originally a Ministry Fair was planned to follow but it is postponed to a later date.

Alter flowers in sanctuary

If you would like to place flowers in the sanctuary for worship, please call Vikki Eckert at 419 632 4653 or email her at
veckert7997@gmail.com.

PRAYER, PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)

We lift our prayers to the Lord!

Continue praying for the people of Haiti & Afghanistan

Pray for Pastor Genre and that the shipment he is waiting for comes soon

Pray for our government leader

Pray for all those who have been affected by Ida

Prayers for Norine Selby (Glenn & Natalie Aylesworth’s daughter)

Healing for Ron Shatzer

Wisdom for Sam

Healing for Dave Kauffman

Bev Rensch – healing

Healing for John Parson

Healing for Joan Kauffman

Pray for those who will be coming to GriefShare 9/13

Pray for those dealing with fire in the west

Pray for water shortage in the west

Pray for Stephen Ministry

Continued prayers for Postal Service

Healing for those with Covid

Safety and protection for school children and those working in school systems

Continued prayer for those in Afghanistan

Continued prayers for Bev Rensch & wisdom for her family

Healing prayer for Jeff Brookens - medical procedure - 9/13 at John Hopkins Hospital
Pray for the Women's Retreat in October - those planning the retreat and the ladies coming

Prayers for those facing life struggles -

Linda Leidig

Kathy Beaston

Barb Armstrong

Peggy

Deb Ewing

Shirley Jones

Evelyn Jones

Susie Bulger

Praise and Thanksgiving

We praise God for the amazing world He made! We celebrate the sounds of summer!

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Posted in Being the Church.