THE 3RD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

13 June 2021

Online – We are continuing to hold our Sunday services by Zoom, live, at our regular time of 10:30, for the time being.  Each week’s service is recorded and then uploaded to YouTube, for the benefit of those who are unable to join us in real time.  Each service is now being saved for two Sundays, at which time it is deleted from the YouTube channel.  The link to the Zoom meeting is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84737316742?pwd=ZjZWYTgyTzBWR2RkZ1BOUy9nVlVuUT09; it is the same every week.  The link to the recording on YouTube is e-mailed out following the service each Sunday, along with a copy of the service script; that link is different every week.  In addition, hard copies of the script can be printed and mailed out to anyone who would like them.  If you would like to receive them, just call John at the church office.

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom (final session)

Summer Services – The Session has decided that we will not have in-person services in July and August, even if they are permitted.  Instead, it has accepted an invitation extended by First Church and St. Andrew’s Church in Brandon to participate in joint online services with them, just as we did last summer.  Hopefully, in-person services will again be permitted by the Labor Day weekend, so that we can resume our normal worship routine in September!  John hasn’t yet chosen his vacation dates yet; that will depend on when Laura Hargrove and Glenn Ball are taking their vacations.

Full announcement here

Here is the link to the service on YouTube

The text of the service is here

THE 2ND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

GENERAL ASSEMBLY SUNDAY

6 June 2021Online – We will continue holding our Sunday services by Zoom, live, at our regular time of 10:30, for the time being.  Each week’s service is recorded and then uploaded to YouTube, for the benefit of those who are unable to join us in real time.  Each service is now being saved for two Sundays, at which time it is deleted from the YouTube channel.  The link to the Zoom meeting is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84737316742?pwd=ZjZWYTgyTzBWR2RkZ1BOUy9nVlVuUT09; it is the same every week.  The link to the recording on YouTube is e-mailed out following the service each Sunday, along with a copy of the service script; that link is different every week.  In addition, hard copies of the script can be printed and mailed out to anyone

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom

– Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – F&M Committee meeting, by Zoom

Summer Services – The Session, in its meeting on the 27th of May, decided that we will not have in-person services in July and August, even if they are permitted.  Instead, it has accepted an invitation extended by First Church and St. Andrew’s Church in Brandon to participate in joint online services with them, just as we did last summer.  Hopefully, in-person services will again be permitted by the Labor Day weekend, so that we can resume our normal worship routine in September!

Full announcements here

Here is the link to the YouTube video of today’s service

The text of the service is here

TRINITY SUNDAY

THE 1ST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

30 May 2021

Online – We will continue holding our Sunday services by Zoom, live, at our regular time of 10:30, for at least today and next Sunday (6 June).  This means, then, that next Sunday’s service will definitely not be a Communion service.  Each week’s service is recorded and then uploaded to YouTube, for the benefit of those who are unable to join us in real time.  Each service is now being saved for two Sundays, at which time it is deleted from the YouTube channel.  The link to the Zoom meeting is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84737316742?pwd=ZjZWYTgyTzBWR2RkZ1BOUy9nVlVuUT09; it is the same every week.  The link to the recording on YouTube is e-mailed out following the service each Sunday, along with a copy of the service script; that link is different every week.  In addition, hard copies of the script can be printed and mailed out to anyone who would like them.  If you would like to receive them, just call John at the church office.

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom

No Outdoor Service – Due to the ongoing pandemic and the necessary restrictions, we will again be unable to have our annual Outdoor Service and Barbecue — for the second year in a row.  We normally have it on the second or third Sunday in June.

The Christian Year – Today is Trinity Sunday (the First Sunday after Pentecost), a festival that highlights the doctrine of the Trinity — the teaching that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

     Actually, this doctrine (official church teaching) is not explicitly taught in scripture; in fact, the word “Trinity” itself is not found in the Bible at all.  Rather, this understanding of God evolved in the early church, through a long period of reflection and debate on the relationship between God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  Church leaders held a variety of opinions on this question, much too complicated to explain in a couple of paragraphs!

     In order to be faithful to the Old Testament, it was imperative that Christians continue to believe in the existence of only one God, not three separate Gods.  And in order to be faithful to insights from the New Testament (particularly in the Gospel of John), it was necessary that Jesus and the Holy Spirit be regarded as part of God, not just as beings that God had created.  Eventually, the doctrine of the Trinity emerged — the teaching that God is a “Trinity” consisting of three “persons”, the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.  It was formulated gradually, in a series of church councils held in the cities of Nicaea (in the year 325), Constantinople (381), and Chalcedon (451).  This understanding of God is unique to the Christian faith, and is still accepted by Christian churches of all denominations today.

     The symbolic color for Trinity Sunday is white, signifying joy and celebration.

Full announcements here

Here is the link to today’s service on YouTube

The text of the service is here

The text of the sermon is here

The text of the Prayers of the People is here

The May 2021 Newsletter is here!

PENTECOST

THE 8TH SUNDAY OF EASTER

23 May 2021Online – We are holding our Sunday services by Zoom, live, at our regular time of 10:30, at least for today, yet, and possibly for the next few weeks as well.  Each week’s service is recorded and then uploaded to YouTube, for the benefit of those who are unable to join us in real time.  Each service is now being saved for two Sundays, at which time it is deleted from the YouTube channel.  The link to the Zoom meeting is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84737316742?pwd=ZjZWYTgyTzBWR2RkZ1BOUy9nVlVuUT09; it is the same every week.  After the service, the link to the recording on YouTube will be e-mailed out, along with a copy of the service script; that link is different every week.  In addition, hard copies of the script can be printed and mailed out to anyone who would like them.  If you would like to receive them, just call John at the church office.

The Reader today is Lisa Sneesby.

Charlie Clifford, one of our lay preachers, is preaching the sermon today, and is also leading the Prayers of the People.  We thank him for assisting in leading today’s service!

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom

– Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – Session meeting, by Zoom

Newsletter – The May/June issue of the congregational Newsletter has been sent out by e-mail, and hard copies will be mailed out this week to those who don’t have e-mail.  Many thanks to Lisa Sneesby for putting the Newsletter together, and to Mardine Garnham for printing and mailing the hard copies!

ASCENSION SUNDAY

THE 7TH SUNDAY OF EASTER

16 May 2021

Online – We are holding our Sunday services by Zoom, live, at our regular time of 10:30, today and for at least one more week.  Each week’s service is recorded and then uploaded to YouTube, for the benefit of those who are unable to join us in real time.  As usual, each service is available until the following Sunday, at which time it is deleted from the YouTube channel.  The link to the Zoom meeting is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84737316742?pwd=ZjZWYTgyTzBWR2RkZ1BOUy9nVlVuUT09; it is the same every week.  After the service, the link to the recording on YouTube will be e-mailed out, along with a copy of the service script; that link is different every week.  In addition, hard copies of the script can be printed and mailed out to anyone who would like them.  If you would like to receive them, just call John at the church office.

This Week in First Church:

– Today – Deadline for submissions for the June newsletter

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom

– Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – Presbytery meeting, by Zoom

Newsletter – If you have something to contribute to the June issue of our congregational Newsletter, please send it to Lisa Sneesby (bsneesby@mymts.net) today.  We plan to have the Newsletter ready for distribution next Sunday.

Next Sunday – Charlie Clifford will be preaching the sermon and leading the Prayers of the People next Sunday.  John will lead the rest of the service.

Full announcements here

Online – We are holding our Sunday services by Zoom, live, at our regular time of 10:30, today and for at least the next two weeks.  Each week’s service is recorded and then uploaded to YouTube, for the benefit of those who are unable to join us in real time.  As usual, each service will be available until the following Sunday, at which time it will be deleted from the YouTube channel.  The link to the Zoom meeting is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84737316742?pwd=ZjZWYTgyTzBWR2RkZ1BOUy9nVlVuUT09; it will be the same every week.  After the service, the link to the recording on YouTube will be e-mailed out, along with a copy of the service script.  That link is different every week.  In addition, hard copies of the script can be printed and mailed out to anyone who would like them.  If you would like to receive them, just call John at the church office.

This Week in First Church:

– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom

– Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – F&M Committee meeting, by Zoom

Coming Up:

– Sunday, 16 May – Deadline for submissions for the June newsletter

Spring Dinner – Many thanks to everyone who supported our take-out Spring Dinner this past Sunday!  Special thanks to organizers Mardine Garnham, Margaret McNutt-Reichelt, and Lisa Sneesby!  A full report on the Dinner will be included in the June issue of the Newsletter.

Newsletter – If you have something to contribute to the June issue of our congregational Newsletter, please send it to Lisa Sneesby (bsneesby@mymts.net) by next Sunday, the 16th.  We plan to have the Newsletter ready for distribution the following Sunday, the 23rd.

Full announcements here