Friday, Aug. 9, 2024 Newsletter



For Sunday



10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship Service in the Sanctuary

(in person and livestreamed on Facebook and our website)

A MESSAGE FROM THE REV. SUZANNE TRUMP: FINDING HOPE

Greetings Friends,

While at my previous church, I often worked with a local funeral director and whenever we saw each other we joked about getting a deserted island. We did not want to be together, we each wanted our own deserted island because life was so crazy, and we wanted to escape. I suspect that we are not the only ones feeling weary by everything going on around us.

And yet, ultimately there is very little we have direct control over, and avoidance does not solve anything. How do we have hope in our world that seems to be spiraling out of control?

I recently watched a panel discussion with a Sikh moderator, a Lutheran pastor, a Jewish rabbi and a humanistic chaplain on this very topic. And yes, the Lutheran pastor immediately joked after the introductions that this sounded like a joke, religious folks and a humanist walk into a bar… What I found was that both religious people and humanists have a great deal to say about hope. Not the cliché types of comments that we all know.

As Christians we are part of a long and wonderful story of hope. The story starts with our Jewish ancestors and continues with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are ultimately all about hope. Hope in the resurrection, hope in the promises that God gave to us, hope in our connection to all the wonderful ways God has acted in the past to save and renew God’s people. This is our story. 

Just maybe, the key to having hope in the midst of all the issues surrounding us is to remember that we too are a part of God’s story and as God has acted with love and forgiveness in the past, we share in both that past and God’s ongoing love and forgiveness. 

Perhaps the whole key to hope is to shift our focus from what troubles us to what a loving and redeeming God has in store for us and the world. It does not mean that serious issues are not facing us, but it does mean our hope comes through God and God’s love for us and the world God created. That is a solid focus of hope. May it be so. Amen.

Blessings,

Suzanne

FOR THIS SUNDAY

Romans 5:1-5

• Sermon: Finding Hope by the Rev. Suzanne Trump
• We post the video of each week’s services and sermon text on our website: fpc-bethlehem.org

TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT on 8.5" x 11" paper:



Summer Worship Service (3 pages)

FOR THIS SUNDAY: JOIN US FOR LEMONADE ON THE LAWN

LEHIGH VALLEY PRIDE EVENT: COMING SOON! SIGN UP TO HELP!

The Lehigh Valley Pride Festival is coming up on Sunday, August 18 at SteelStacks from 2:00-7:00 p.m. 

Each person should sign-up for their own slot (so no more than two FPCB peeps at a given time). You are welcome to sign-up for one timeslot (30 minutes) or two (an hour)!

We also encourage you to plan to attend this great event! Admission is free and it is a family-friendly event with lots of entertainment, community organizations, vendors, and fun! This is always a wonderful opportunity to share God’s love and affirmation with the LGBTQ+ community, so we hope to see you there!

SUMMER HARVEST FOOD DRIVE: WITH GRATITUDE!

We extend heartfelt thanks for the donations that filled our Summer Harvest Food Drive collection boxes. While we await the final count, we can report that the overall drive collected almost 3000 items that went to numerous food pantries around the Lehigh Valley and Pocono regions. 

The need is real – the impact is real – together, we have made a real difference!

FOR SUNDAY’S IN-PERSON WORSHIP:



• Child care will be available from 9:45-11:15 a.m. this Sunday morning; please ask an usher for directions.



• Your children are a joy in our worship services, and should the need arise, “kid bags” are available for their use while they are visiting. They are in the Narthex.



• We offer nametags for folks to wear – these are for everyone! You can pick up as you enter the worship space; please clearly PRINT your first name.

THIS SUNDAY



• 9:45 – 11:15 a.m.: Child Care (ask ushers to direct you)
• 10:00 a.m.: Summer Worship service, in-person in the Sanctuary and livestreamed on Facebook and on our website, including a brief Congregational meeting
• 11:00 a.m.: Lemonade on the Lawn – all are welcome!

WEDNESDAYS: 7 p.m. - Overcomer’s Outreach Christian 12 Step Recovery Group weekly meeting, via Zoom.com (meeting #: 868 2214 2960; passcode: OO-Beth)



CHURCH OFFICE AND BUILDING INFO:



Regular office hours are Monday - Thursday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Many of the office staff are working remotely for some of the time, so please make an appointment if you need to see someone specific. The answering service (610-778-7003) can take your urgent pastoral concerns, 24 hours a day. 

IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Look for updates on our website (fpc-bethlehem.org), Facebook page, and WFMZ (channel 69 and wfmz.com). We will also put the info on our church phone message, 610-867-5865.