Fellowship Friday - December 3 2021

And just like that, we're in the heart of the holidays.

With Thanksgiving firmly planted in the rear view mirror, all indications around us - from television, radio, decorations in the community, and the stores - let us know that Christmas is coming!

So why Advent? Why celebrate a season when people are so quick to look to Christmas? It's a question that many of my pastor-friends and I toss around each year: why not sing all of those Christmas "classics" from the get-go?

To me, there's something about the waiting; about the anticipation. It's about preparing our hearts with anticipation and excitement - that same excitement that we see in the eyes of our children, grandchildren, and little ones in our community.

This Sunday, we will continue with our sermon series entitled "A Cinematic Christmas" that Blake launched so well last week by turning our focus to It's a Wonderful Life. How can the scriptures and our faith inform us as we watch this classic story?

Please make sure to look through the rest of this newsletter for updates about Giving Tuesday, our 2022 Stewardship campaign, and some great events coming up NEXT Saturday and the rest of this season. I encourage you to reach out to friends and neighbors who may be seeking a church home to these family-friendly events.

Until Sunday,

Pastor Kathryn

Sunday (Virtual) Worship Information

Sunday worship is in person, but will continue to be available through Facebook Live and Zoom.

Worshipping via Zoom allows for worship participants to, at the least, see each other during worship, should a participant join through computer. Zoom also allows for worship participants to join by phone, should they not have access to a computer.

To join by phone, call: (646)558-8656

When you dial in you will be asked for a meeting ID number: enter 847 7231 7808. The password is: 658602. Depending on the time you dial in, you may not hear anything to start with. When the Prelude begins, you will hear audio.

To access worship by Zoom via computer, please click here.

(If you'd prefer to access the worship service through the Zoom website, please enter Meeting ID 847 7231 7808 - the password is: 658602.)

To access worship by Facebook Live, please click here.

To access worship by YouTube, please click here.

Don't forget - you can access this week's bulletin via the church's website or by clicking here .

THANK YOU to everyone who gave on this week's Giving Tuesday. Your collective generosity raised $675 toward non-budgeted initiatives to start 2022 on a new foot! THANK YOU!

Urban Ministries Food Drive Collection: Fellowship’s next Food Drive is this Sunday, December 5th, following worship until noon.

Pennies for Hunger Collection will continue to take place during worship on the second Sunday of the month. Next collection: December 12.

TWO Events NEXT Saturday!

There are two opportunities for fellowship with the Fellowship Family next Saturday, December 11:

Caroling: Meet Blake at the church at 1:30 pm to gather addresses, song sheets, and determine groups to head out to homebound members' houses for some holiday spirit. If you know of someone who may benefit from a visit, please contact Blake by Thursday, December 9.
Holiday Open House at the Campbells: at the conclusion of caroling, head over to the home of Pastor Kathryn, Austin, Avis, Archer, Fred, and Carollynn for a festive time of fellowship and light refreshments. Their house, at 510 Hobbs Road, will be open for all from 3-5 pm.

Volunteer with Applewood, Backpack Beginnings,

and Greensboro Housing Authority!

Fellowship has started an ongoing partnership between Backpack Beginnings, Greensboro Housing Authority, and The Applewood Community. Please contact Mary Howe to sign up: maryhowe0712@gmail.com or call/text at 336-698-6541. Please click here to sign up.

Wondering what to do with all of those grocery shopping bags? The Missions committee will be collecting “gently used” plastic grocery bags for Backpack Beginnings. Please bring any you don’t use to church with you, leaving them on the Missions table in the Dogwood Lobby closest to the double doors leading towards the classrooms.

Fellowship Presbyterian has online giving available through the Presbyterian Foundation.

Click this link to be taken to the online donations page.

Congregational Cares and Concerns

Traci Rankins seeks prayers for Richard Turner, who is her husband’s stepfather, who has entered hospice care. She also seeks prayers for her and Erik as they travel back from Washington state to Greensboro this week.
Jennifer Raines (Susan Harman's niece) passed away Monday afternoon in Charlotte following a lengthy illness. Susan requests prayers for her family.
Jeannine Bailer requests prayers for Ed McLean, a member of the Unity Bell Choir, who suffered a heart attack prior to the concert on 11/21; he underwent heart surgery on November 30 for an aortic repair.
The Votaw Family (Erin, Trent, Lucas, and Ben) needs prayers after their house burned down on November 27. Erin was a teacher at Fellowship Day School.
Donna Ritter, Aimee Steven’s aunt, passed away November 23 in Pennsylvania from pancreatic cancer. Aimee thanks the congregation for their prayers.
Continued prayers for our church members: Melissa Johnson, Lea Groves, Donna, Katie & the Steele family, Nancy Baughman, and Bruce Weaver, and Marjorie Van Horn.
Continued prayers for the family and friends of our congregation: Baylee Ann & Yancey Burleson (Nora’s great granddaughter and grandson), Felicia Schaps (Lindahl's daughter-in-law's mother), Teresa (Terry Anderson’s coworker), Ashley Long (Joel and Ann Long’s daughter-in-law), Libby Ansel (Lesa Layno’s sister), Gail Keefe (John Archambault’s colleague), John Fair (FPC’s former organist), Joyce Berger (Kandee’s mother), Gwen Flowers & her family (Linda Ueland’s sister), Dorothy & Edward Archambault (John Archambault’s parents), Roe Roe Tucker (friend of Lesa & Charles Layno), Arch Gravely (Peggy Koppel’s cousin), Tim King family (Phyllis King’s son), Roger Eliason (Tye Wittmann’s coworker).

If you have any additional prayer concerns,

please contact Linda Ueland (336-314-5481)

or call Martha at the church (336-288-5177).

This Week’s Events

December 5: Second Sunday of Advent
9:15-11:15am: Professional Childcare available in the “Preschool” Classroom
9:30am: Worship – in-person (with masks), on Facebook Live, Zoom and YouTube
10:30am: Fellowship Time – in Dogwood Lobby
10:45am: Education Hour in the Library
After worship until noon: Food Drive supporting Greensboro Urban Ministries
3pm: Elder Training via Zoom
December 6:
6pm: Outreach Committee Meeting via Zoom
7:30pm: Worship and Music Committee Meeting via Zoom
December 7:
7pm: Session Meeting via Zoom
December 8:
7am: Men's Coffee Klatch @ Panera Bread (Lawndale)
12 noon: Bulletin and Blast Deadline
December 9:
1pm: Bridge in the Parlor
6pm: Programs Committee Meeting via Zoom
December 11:
1:30pm: Caroling in the Community (meet at church)
3-5pm: Open House at the Campbells
December 12: Third Sunday of Advent
9:15-11:15am: Professional Childcare available in the “Preschool” Classroom
9:30am: Worship with Pennies for Hunger collection – in-person (with masks), on Facebook Live, Zoom and YouTube
10:30am: Fellowship Time – in Dogwood Lobby
10:45am: Education Hour in the Library
3pm: Elder Training via Zoom

While Guilford County has removed the face mask mandate, the Session has yet to discuss the church’s next steps, which it will do at its next meeting on December 7. Therefore, we are asking that all wear a mask for worship regardless of vaccination status. Should you have any questions, please contact Pastor Kathryn or Julie Davis, Clerk of Session.