Palm Sunday: April 2

Sermon: Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
Worship Leader: Derek Higgs
Scripture Reader: Derek Higgs
Head usher: Bob Keck
9:30am Confirmands meet with Session
Kids need to be in the sanctuary by 10:30 to practice their songs and then line up for the procession.
Pennies for Hunger collected
Volunteer sign ups and reception in foyer after service

Bulletin for Sunday, April 2

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

Pennies For Hunger: April 2

The first Sunday of the month we pass around yellow buckets for our Pennies for Hunger offering. You can also give to this fund through the Realm app.(click here) Just go to the giving tab and select the fund "HUNGER"

Recruitment Sunday: April 2

Please stop for just a moment after service in the foyer for refreshments and to sign up for ways that you can be involved in the life and activities of our ministry!

Blanton and Beth will also be available to help you with Realm.

Easter Party and Egg Hunt:

Saturday, April 8

Easter egg hunt and party for our children and youth. We hope all families will join us for this fun event!

Easter Sunday: April 9

Service Starts at 10am

Sermon: Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
Worship Leader: Mark Brown
Scripture Reader: Mark Brown
Head usher: Bob Keck
Flowering of the cross: please bring flowers
Confirmation of several Beacons
Communion Served

April 2: Palm Sunday: See information above

April 5: noon: Bible Study

April 6: 6pm: Maundy Thursday Service

handwashing and communion

April 7: Church office closed in observance of Good Friday

6pm: Good Friday Tenebrae Service

April 9: Easter: See information above

April 10: Church office closed in observance of Easter Monday

April 12: noon: Bible Study

April 16

Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
Worship Leader:
Scripture Reader:
Head usher: Bob Keck
Flowers: Bob and Kathy Moody

April 17: 7pm Session Meeting

April 19: noon: Bible Study

April 23

Sermon: Rev. Dr. Vicki Jones Johnson
Worship Leader: Shevaun O'Connell
Scripture Reader: Shevaun O'Connell
Head usher: Bob Keck
Flowers: Lindsey Rivera
Potluck lunch after service

April 26: noon: Bible Study

April 30

Sermon: Rev. Dr. Fritz Ritsch
Worship Leader:
Scripture Reader: Kathy Moody
Head usher: Bob Keck
Flowers: The Harrisons
Baptism of Louise Hues Harrison

Complete Church Calendar

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

Volunteer

Prayer List

Please keep the following people in your prayers:

Brian Minter, Jordan Tucker, Cornelia Reeves, Paul Walters, Bill Rountree, Legh Beal, Claire Merritt, Antonio, Jim and Janice Younger, Jean Arrington, Ron Atkins, Becky Lyons, Terri Keck, Pam Church, Kathryn Benfer, Wendy Bryd, Mariah Tate

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

Beacon News:

Confirmation classes:

Mentors are invited to join us anytime.

Sunday, April 2, 9:30am: Meet with Session. Bring statement of faith you've written

4-5pm: regular class

Sunday, April 9: 10am: Beacon confirmation will be on Easter Sunday during the morning worship service will be Sunday, April 9, at 10:00am

Beacon Meetings

April 2: 5pm: Scout Hut: Meet for Bible study and fellowship time together.

6:30 Bell practice

Beacons and their families are invited to a special children’s message next week during our Maundy Thursday service with Pastor Fritz which will begin at 6pm.

Any Beacons that can help set-up and work the Children’s Easter Party (with a special visit from the Easter bunny) please meet next Saturday, April 8, around 2:30pm in the Scout Hut, party is from 3-5pm

April 9: Easter Sunday: no meeting. Enjoy time with your family.

April 16, 23 & 30: 5pm: Scout Hut: Meet for Bible study and fellowship time together.

Meal providers: needed

Beacons will be learning about death and resurrection with Mr. Bob Moody, at Moody’s Funeral Home, time and date TBA.

Sunday, May 14: Mother’s Day - Beacons will be leading in a contemporary worship service with Rev. Fritz

Meals for the Beacons

The Beacons are looking for people to provide light suppers for their meetings on Sunday evenings. If you are willing to be a supper host, click the button for available dates and more details.

Meals for Beacons

Montreat and Massanetta Conferences:

Payments are now due for Montreat conference, and the first payment will be due soon for those who are going to Massanetta. Loida will be in touch with parents to update you on cost and due dates. Please reach out to her if you have any questions. We are in need of an adult, male chaperone to go on the Massanetta trip.

Massanetta Middle School Conference Center is near Harrisonburg, VAand is for our 6th-8th grade Beacons, We will go Tuesday July 18 through Friday July 21st. Approximate cost will be $450 per student.

Montreat High School Youth Conference is in Montreat, NC and is for rising 9th graders to 2023 graduates. We will goSunday, July30th to Saturday, August 5th. The approximate cost will be $600 per person.

Godly Play: ages 3 - 1st grade

Faith Friends: 2nd-5th grade

Palm Sunday - Children will meet in the sanctuary at 10:30 to go over the two songs they will be singing during worship.

April 5 and April 12: We will not be meeting in observation of the Easter holiday.

Faith Friends all children and their families are invited to a special children’s message next week during our Maundy Thursday service with Pastor Fritz which will begin at 6pm.

Saturday, April 8, from 3-5pm: The Children’s Easter Party (with a special visit from the Easter bunny)

For more information about our Children's Ministry, contact Loida Slate at loida@fpcma.com

Long time FPCMA member, Claire Merritt, has moved to Winston-Salem and will no longer be able to attend regularly.

Claire has expressed her appreciation for First Presbyterian Church and the congregation during her time with us.

For those of you who would like to stay in touch with her or send her card for her upcoming birthday on April 4th, her mailing address is

1776 Robinhood Road

Winston Salem, NC 27104-3250.

Her phone number is 336-618-1856.

Lunchtime Bible Study

Every Tuesday, Dr Ritsch offers a weekly, one-hour Bible study starting at noon.

We are currently studying the Gospel of Mark, which was the first of the canonical gospels that was written and on which Matthew, Luke and even John depend for a framework.

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

Note: This study started as a Lenten study, but will continue indefinitely. Please join us whenever you are able.

Calling all toddlers ages one and two! Enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year begins March 1st! Please contact Mary Alice at firststeps@fpcma.com for an application. A one-time, nonrefundable enrollment fee of $150 is due with the application.Classes will fill up quickly, so don't wait to reserve a spot!

First Steps needs substitutes! If you are a lover of little ones, and open to spending an occasional morning substituting, please reach out to Director Mary Alice Leonard at firststeps@fpcma.com.

Would you like to show support and provide lunch to our First Steps staff? If so, contact Nicole Harrison at nicole@moodyfs.com. Thank you for your continued support of First Steps!

Women's Fellowship Lunch: Sunday, May 7

On Sunday, May 7 we will have a luncheon after church. If you are interested in helping organize the luncheon, please reach out to Beth Pequeno at beth.pequeno@gmail.com.

To RSVP and/or sign up to bring something, click the button below or see signup sheet on bulletin board.

Lunch Sign-up

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

Upcoming Renovations

A committee has been formed and is looking at renovating the Scout Hut which houses our children's ministry activities including Godly Play, Faith Friends, and the Beacons. All groups use the playground as well as First Steps.

Proposed improvements include:

painting interior and exterior
new roof and fix drainage issues
new flooring, remove stage
renovate kitchen and bathrooms
add WiFi (completed in March)
new lighting (Duke Power reimburses 80%)
re-landscape area for playground and change fencing
new playground equipment (grant being applied for)
Lighthouse- raze and clean up
repairing picnic shelter
providing area for older kids to play

It is estimated that all the renovations will cost around $80,000 or more depending on grant money for the playground. We received a $10,000 donation to renovate the interior of the Scout Hut and have another $10,000 pledged.

If you would like to donate, please write a check and put "Scout Hut Reno" in the memo line. We are in the process of setting up a way to give online.

Questions? Talk to Gene Rees, Blanton Youell, Loida Slate or Beth Pequeno.

Vacation Bible School:

June 26-28

Jerusalem Marketplace

We will take a trip back in time to the Holy Land, and experience what it looked and felt like to live during bible times! We will have a kickoff Sunday on June 25th, and a lunch to follow worship that day.

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.

This month's special requests are:

Yokefellow: dried beans and canned vegetables

Shepherd's House: Lysol Spray

Helping Hands: non-perishable food items

Books Needed

The Missions Ministry Team is working on a project for The Shepherd's House, Helping Hands, and Surry Medical Ministries to provide children with books to keep. We need new and gently used books for children (all ages), young adults, and adults. Spanish books or simple books to help learn English would be extremely helpful. There will be a box for donations in the foyer. Contact Beth Pequeno (beth.pequeno@gmail.com) if you have questions or would like to help with this project.

Help for Migrant Workers

Surry Medical Ministry is holding a toiletry drive for Migrant Farmworkers who will be in our area. Our Missions Ministry Team, along with the Beacons, will have a collection box in the foyer for the following items: (full size, not trial size please)

tooth brush and toothpaste
shampoo
shaving cream, disposable razors
sunscreen
comb and brush
soap, deodorant
hand and body lotion
feminine hygiene products

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.

March Birthdays

4/3 Amy Heath

4/4 Claire Merritt

4/7 Fritz Ritch

4/11 Carol Burke

4/12 Carolyn Robertson, Alex Bowers & David Andrew Rives

4/14 David Majure & CeeJay Inman 4/16 Jim Younger

4/19 Van Cooke

April

Anniversaries

4/7 Wayne & Joy Barlow

4/8 Robert & Terri Keck

4/10 Felton & Joan Godwin

4/10 Van & Jenny Cooke

4/12 Gene & Peggy Rees

Photos from the Chili Cookoff: March 26

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.