Sunday, July 30: 

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader: Derek Higgs
• Scripture Reader: Derek Higgs
• Head Usher: David Rives
• Flowers: Mary Planer
• Montreat participants commissioned

Doors will be locked when service begins for security reasons. Please knock on ramp door to be let in.

Prayer List

Please keep the following people in your prayers:

 Jordan Tucker, Bill Rountree, Antonio, Jean Arrington, Ron Atkins, Becky Lyons, Terri Keck, Pam Church, Kathryn Benfer, Wendy Byrd, Mariah Tate, Katherine Heath

If you have a prayer request, contact Anna in the church office or email office@fpcma.com.

Our office administrator and financial secretary, Anna Bush, will be out of the office the week of July 31st to August 4th. She will be able to be reached by email at office@fpcma.com or anna@fpcma.com. 

July 30-August 5: Montreat HS Conference

August 8: noon: Bible Study

August 6

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader: Mike Branch
• Scripture Reader: Mike Branch
• Head Usher: Kelley Jackson
• Side Usher: David Rives
• Flowers: Mary Planer
• Communion served
• Pennies for Hunger collected

August 8: noon: Bible Study

August 13

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader: Kim Branch
• Scripture Reader: Kim Branch
• Head Usher: Kelley Jackson
• Side Usher: David Rives
• Flowers: Valerie Parker
• Blessing of the Backpacks and school supplies collection

August 15: noon: Bible Study

August 19: 10am: Sandwich Saturday

August 20

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader: Lee Daniels
• Scripture Reader: Lee Daniels
• Head Usher: Kelley Jackson
• Side Usher: David Rives
• Flowers: Mae and Lee Daniels

August 22: noon: Bible Study

August 27

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Vicki Jones Johnson
• Worship Leader: needed
• Scripture Reader: needed
• Head Usher: Kelley Jackson
• Side Usher: David Rives
• Flowers: Mary Planer

August 29: noon: Bible Study

Worship Volunteers Needed:

There are lots of ways to get involved during Sunday morning worship. We need scripture readers, flowers for the sanctuary, greeters, nursery helpers and Little Church helpers. There are sign-up sheets in the foyer, click the button below, or contact Anna at office@fpcma.com

Sunday, August 13th, Blessing of the Backpacks and Supply Drive

As our children prepare to head back to school, please plan to bring their backpacks to worship as we bless them and pray over them for the coming school year. In addition to the blessing, we will be doing a school supply drive for needed items for Mount Airy City School Students. A complete list of requested supplies is available in the foyer, as well as a basket for the donations. Thank you for your support in this mission! 

Sandwich Saturday: August 19

Help us make 75 bag lunches to be delivered in two of our neighboring housing units. We need volunteers, peanut butter, jam (easier to spread), 8oz. water bottles, and monetary donations for bread, and other supplies.

A sign-up sheets is in the foyer for August 19 which is being led by our choir. We start assembling lunches at 10am in the Fellowship Hall.

Each Saturday costs approximately $100 for all the supplies. To donate online, click the button and select "Sandwich Saturdays." For more information, contact Beth Pequeno at beth.pequeno@gmail.com.

Financial Report: In June, our total receipts came to $13.699.00, and our total expenses came to $14,009.57. We have received $86,643.50 in pledges for the year to date, which is 49 percent of our total pledge for the year. As we are still in the middle of the summertime travel season, please remember to keep your pledged giving up to date by giving online through Realm.

Beacon News:

We will not be meeting this week.

Montreat: (High School) July 30-Aug.5

Participants: Anna Peterson, Taylor Pike, Charlotte Banfield, and Ann Rachel Sheppard

Chaperones: Loida Slate, Beth Pequeno

Our Massanetta Participants

Godly Play (ages 3 - 2nd grade) and Faith Friends (3rd-5th grade)

We will not be meeting this week.Loida is in Montreat with some of the Beacons.

Lunchtime Bible Study

Every Tuesday, Dr Ritsch offers an hour long Bible study starting at noon.

We are currently studying the Gospel of Mark.

Bring a lunch if you’d like as we discuss what both scholarship and our hearts tell us as we study God’s word.

Scout Hut Renovations Have Started!

Workers are painting, replacing the flooring and upfitting both bathrooms. Stay tuned for the big reveal!

Support Our Area Charities 

Baskets are located in the foyer for donations of non-perishable food for both agencies. Helping Hands also accepts paper products and toiletries.

Please note that the government has returned to pre-pandemic support, so Second Harvest has reduced the amount of food given to our local pantries. They are struggling to meet the needs of our neighbors.

August's special requests are:

Yokefellow: Canned fruit and cereal

Shepherd's House: peanut butter and crackers

Helping Hands: Non-perishable food items

Adult Sunday School:

Odds and Ends: This is our longest established class and it meets every Sunday at 10am in the classroom located at the end of the long hallway upstairs.

Next Women's Fellowship Lunch will be September 10* after our worship service.

To order the Horizons Magazine and/or devotions book for 2023, CLICK HERE.

*Date changed due to Labor Day weekend.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

9-8-8 is the new three-digit dialing code to reach help for suicide and crisis help across the United States. Please help to spread the word about this very important topic, and encourage anyone you know who may need help to dial 9-8-8. Texting is also an option.

Session Members

Moderator: Dr. Rev. Frederick "Fritz" Ritsch

Clerk of the Session: Bob Keck

Elders:

Class of 2023:

Margaret Cockerell, Beth Pequeno, Mike Branch, Mark Brown, and Taylor Pike (youth elder)

Class of 2024:

Lydia Taylor, David Rives, Gene Rees and Steve Yokely

Class of 2025:

Kelley Jackson, Thomas Reisinger, Laura East and Jane Tesh