*Sunday, October 1: Worldwide Communion

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Vicki Jones-Johnson
• Worship Leader: Shevaun O'Connell
• Scripture Reader: Shevaun O'Connell
• Head Usher: Thomas Reisinger
• Pennies for Hunger collected

Tuesday, October 3: noon: Bible Study

*Sunday, October 8

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader: Valerie Parker
• Scripture Reader: Valerie Parker
• Head Usher: Thomas Reisinger
• Flowers: Carla Majure

Tuesday, October 10: noon: Bible Study

Friday, Oct. 13- Sunday, Oct. 15: Autumn Leaves Parking Fundraiser

*Sunday, October 15

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader: Derek Higgs
• Scripture Reader: Derek Higgs
• Head Usher: Thomas Reisinger
• Flowers: Gene & Peggy Rees
• Baptisms of Lindsey, Lola, and Miles Rivera, and Anne Rachel Shepherd
• Confirmations of Anne Rachel Shepherd and Morgan and Samantha Cooke
• Lemonade on the Lawn to follow worship

Tuesday, October 17: noon: Bible Study

*Sunday, October 22

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Vicki Jones-Johnson
• Worship Leader: Margaret Cockerell
• Scripture Reader: Margaret Cockerell
• Head Usher: Thomas Reisinger
• Flowers: The Church to honor Mae Turpin's 100th Birthday

Tuesday, October 24: noon: Bible Study

*Sunday, October 29

• Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
• Worship Leader: Margaret Cockerell
• Scripture Reader: Margaret Cockerell
• Head Usher: Thomas Reisinger
• Flowers: Kathy Moody
• Congregational Meeting following worship
• Trunk-or-Treat: see article below for details

Tuesday, October 31: noon: Bible Study

Prayer List

Please keep the following people in your prayers:

Ginny Collins, Richard and Doris Terry, Sheila Gifford, Larry Watson, Melissa Wilkins, Ann Yokeley, Jordan Tucker, Bill Rountree, Jean Arrington, Terri Keck, Pam Church, Kathryn Benfer, Wendy Byrd, Mariah Tate, and Katherine Heath



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

You can click on the blue wording to open up documents related to Session meetings.

September Agenda: 9-18-2023 Agenda



Minutes from previous meetings:

8-21-2023 Stated Meeting 

September was a better month financially for the church. Our receipts came to $15,187 and our expenses came to $12,612.40. To date, we have received $114,556.50 in pledges, which is 64% of our pledged giving for the year. We are 83% through the year. Thank you for keeping pledges current, and for your continued support of our church and its missions.

The Transition Team appreciates everyone who attended and are grateful that people were so open, honest and sympathetic to one another at the meeting Sunday, September 24. We are excited to move forward to see what God has in store for FPCMA. We have attached the Lessons Learned sheet that was handed out at the start of the meeting for the benefit of members who could not make it. Our next event will be focused on the Church’s heritage, more information will follow soon. If anyone wants to discuss anything or give feedback with the transition team, please do not hesitate to reach out.

The Transition Team: Lee Daniels Amy Heath Linda Gatchel David Rives Blanton Youell

Advisor: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch

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

Children meet with Loida Slate on the playground and in the Scout Hut every Tuesday in October for lots of Bible stories and fun fall activities! Snacks are provided.

The Godly Play group (ages 3 to 1st grade) will meet from 4-5pm in the Scout Hut.

Faith Friends (2nd to 5th grade) will meet from 5-6pm in the Scout Hut.

Tuesday, Oct.10: We will be decorating and painting pumpkins with all of the kids!

Oct. 29: Trunk-or-Treat: see article below

Beacon News:

Youth in middle school and high school meet every Sunday from 5-7pm, in the Scout Hut for Bible study and fellowship. A light supper is usually provided.

Please consider providing a meal for the Beacons one Sunday this fall.

• Oct. 1: Putt Putt and Scoops
• Oct. 8: Regular meeting

• Oct. 13-15: Autumn Leaves Parking Fundraiser- We will be manning the church parking lot during the weekend of Autumn Leaves Festival! Please sign up for a time to come and help us park cars and raise money for our summer youth camps and Thanksgiving meals! See article below to sign up online

• Oct. 22: plan to go somewhere scary like Woods of Terror or a Haunted House.
• Oct.28 - Beacon lock-in and movie night in the Scout Hut!

Autumn Leaves Parking Fundraiser

We will be charging for parking during the Autumn Leaves Festival October 13-15 as a fundraiser for the Beacons' summer conferences and Thanksgiving meal kits.

We will also sell drinks and need donations of popular sodas and bottled water.

Please sign up for a shift or two using the button below.

Thanksgiving Meal Kits

This year the Missions Ministry Team is expanding our efforts to feed our neighbors in need by teaming up with Helping Hands to provide Thanksgiving meal kits. We will still be providing kits to families referred to us by Salvation Army, but will also assist Helping Hands clients.

A $40 donation provides a meal for a family of four. Any amount is You can drop a check in the offering plate with "Thanksgiving Meals" in the memo line or donate online using Realm by clicking the button below. We are also going to expand our donation requests using Facebook and contacting other churches and organizations.

Help Feed the MAHS Football Team

This fall, our church has been asked to provide meals for the State Champion Mount Airy High School Football Team before a couple of their home games. The first date was Friday, September 29th (see pictures). The next date is Friday, November 3rd at 3:00pm. We need help cooking and preparing the meals, serving, and cleaning up afterwards. Please contact the church office if you are able to help with this, or sign up on the bulletin in the hallway. 

Support Our Area Charities 

Baskets are located in the foyer for donations of non-perishable food for both agencies.

October's special requests are:

Yokefellow: Canned/dried milk, oatmeal

Shepherd's House: Paper towels

Helping Hands: Non-perishable food items, paper products and toiletries.

The Shepherd's House Newsletter

Click the button below to view the newsletter and see several ways you can help the Shepherd's House including voting for them using your Chick-fil-a app so they can win a large grant!

100 cards for 100 years:

This October 27, longtime church member Mae Turpin will be turning 100 years old! We would like to honor her by sending her 100 hand-written cards from church members wishing her well. Please take a moment to fill out a card in the foyer, or bring one with you to worship between now and then and place them in the designated basket. 

To Receive Realm Messages by Text:

Never miss a message on Realm! Text the word "START" (in all caps) to 910-469-4825 to Opt-In to receive text notifications when we post communications on Realm. You should already be getting emails and push notifications from the app whenever we post something, but this will also allow you to receive the message by text. 

Next Women's Fellowship Sunday, November 5

Ladies, lets get together for a covered dish lunch after our worship service on November 5 in the Fellowship Hall. We will elect officers and make plans for 2024.

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

The Children’s Center is partnering with Belk for the upcoming Belk Charity Days: November 3-5.If anyone is interested in a $5 coupon, please reach out to Valerie Parker.

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.

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.

Free at-home COVID-19 tests

Every U.S. household is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests.

www.covid.gov

Find Local Services by Calling 2-1-1

NC 211 is a free, confidential, and multilingual health and human services information and referral system, available 24 hours a day in all 100 North Carolina counties. Managed by United Way of North Carolina and supported by many local United Ways across the state, NC 211 has continuously gained recognition as a trusted resource in the State and serves as a key member of the State Emergency Response Team.

North Carolinians can find help by dialing 2-1-1 (or 1-888-892-1162) or by visiting nc211.org.

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