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The First News

First Presbyterian Church

September 2020

Dearest First Friends,

I am grateful for all the ways you continue to be nimble during this season. While the building may be closed, the church is open and alive - we’re still bound together, still serving, still wor-shipping, still a community. Thanks be to God!

As we move towards our fall, many things will seem familiar: we’ll have Rally Day to kick-off our Sunday School and Christian Education opportunities; we’ll elect new elders at a Septem-ber 13 Congregational Meeting; start an Inquirers Class September 27. This year, however, we’ll do these things online. We’ll need your continued flexibility is called for and a whole lot of grace, too!

Speaking of gatherings online, if you are having any difficulty or hesitation to joining in on our online worship, studies, gatherings, etc - we are here to help. Staff and Session don’t want

anyone to feel left out in this strange time and if there are things we can do to help you navigate our life together, speak up. We can send you paper copies of worship liturgies, help you set-up your device, talk you through ways you can engage.

I invite you to look through this newsletter and take time to digest it. Consider the ways you can lean in to our life to-gether and the ways you can live Christ’s love aloud in Statesboro. The church is alive and well - amen? Amen!

Peace in Christ,

Pastor Taylor

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The First News

We Continue To Be The Church Together, Even When

We Are Apart

Join us as we stream services Sunday, at 11 am

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/First-Presbyterian-Church-Statesboro-379236202130574/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkRg1CAzXrlKsu3rL3q3Ydg?view_as=subscriber

We are also streaming the video from our own website: www.fpcstatesboro.org.

If you prefer to sing from a hymnal rather than from a screen, or to read from paper rather than from a screen, we will be happy to provide you with a printed copy of the liturgy and a hymnal.

Email June at office@fpcstatesboro.org, or call 681-2053 Monday, Wednesday or Friday during office hours and we will get you a loaner hymnal and copy of the liturgy.

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The First News

Share Your Talent

If you would enjoy singing or playing an instrument

for a worship service, we would love for you to share

your talent!

Duets and larger groups can be handed safely as well

thanks to virtual recordings like we have used for a

couple of songs now.

Whether you would like to simply come to the church to record your piece or would pre-

fer a more virtual solution, please email Ronn Alford at ronnalford@comcast.net today!

Thanks and Blessings

Ronn

Director of Music

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The First News

Has you email address changed?

Receiving your quarterly contribution

statements by email is safe, easy,

saves paper and saves the church

postage.

If you aren’t currently receiving your

statements by email and would like

to, contact Linda Kimsey.

Have you considered setting your contributions up for automatic payment? It’s quick, easy,

and confidential.

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OVER UNDER

Revenue Budget Budget Expenses Budget Budget

$21,955.90 $23,208.33 $(1,252.43) $24,740.80 $58,097.81* $(33,357.01)

UNDER UNDER

Revenue Budget Budget Expenses Budget Budget

$159,405.44 $162,458.35 $(3,052.91) $144,884.82 $187,227.23 $ (42,342.41)

Stewardship Report - July 2020

July, 2020

* We had budgeted to have the sancturay foundation work completed in July. This did not happen

For this month we collected LESS money than planned. Expenses were LESS than planned

The net income (loss) for the month was $(2,784.90)

This was HIGHER than budgeted for by $32,104.58

Year To Date

Year to date, we collected Less money than planned. Expenses were Less than planned.

Net income YTD was $14,520.62

This was HIGHER than budgeted for by $39,289.50

COVID-19 has affected our collections, since we haven't been able to meet in person. However, expenses have been lower as well. We have

benefitted from a 3-month reduction in required pension contributions, but that ended in July.

Our recently established Legacy Funds are now officially working for us. At the end of 2018, three funds were estab-

lished for: Capital Facilities, Ministries, and Mission/Benevolence. the goal of these funds is to prepare for FPC’s fu-

ture. Monies will not be used until the balance of the three funds reaches $100,000. Totals are as of June 30, 2020.

Facilities $38,878.92

Ministries $40,614.62

Mission $0

Linda Kimsey

Treasurer

The First News

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The First News

Meet The Nominees For

Christian Education

Yvette Allen

Yvette was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in the Disciples of Christ Church which later merged with the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches (Jamaica & Cayman) to form the United Churches of Jamaica & the Cay-man Islands. She is a graduate of the University of Technology Jamaica (BSc, Computer Sci-ence & Management) and the University of the West Indies (Master of Business Administration -MBA). Prior to moving to Statesboro in June 2014, Yvette spent 27 years in the Information Technology field in various industries in Jamaica (Software Services, Life Insurance, Telecommunications and Banking/Financial Services). She started her career as a Programmer and has held positions as Sys-tems Analyst, IT Project Manager, IT Business Analyst and Systems Develop-ment Manager.

Yvette is married to Andrew and they have a daughter Alyssa, who is currently a junior at the University of Georgia. Yvette and her family became members of FPC in January 2015. After experiencing first-hand the compassion and care extended to her from members of the FPC congregation during her period of illness which led to heart transplant sur-gery in September 2018, Yvette was honored to join the Congregational Care Committee. She believes that working with this team allows her the opportunity to provide encouragement, comfort and community to others during difficult times. Yvette considers herself a ‘foodie’ at heart and enjoys baking/cooking. She also loves to read, watch movies and solve puzzles. Most recently, she has picked up gardening and crocheting which she has found to be great stress relievers.

Matt Rogers I am a Statesboro native along with my wife, Lauren Rogers. I graduated from Statesboro High School (2002) and from the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy (2008). My wife and I moved back to Statesboro after pharmacy school, and I am now a pharmacist at Wal-Mart, where I have been practicing for the past 11 years. Lauren is a realtor with Century21 and is also a certified yoga instructor. In my free time, I enjoy long distance running and playing the guitar. Lauren and I grew up in a United Methodist Church youth group, where we met and eventually started dating. We reconnected with the church when we returned to Statesboro. After some soul searching and much prayer, we began searching for a new church home a couple of years ago. In our search, we found our way to Statesboro FPC. We felt a strong connection to the congregation and the beliefs of the PCUSA, and we joined the church earlier this year.

We have 2 children: Tess (10) and William (7). Tess loves to sing and is learning guitar, and William is learning to play the drums. They both enjoy soccer and take piano lessons, as well.

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The First News Worship/Missions/Congregational Care

The Elder Class of 2023

Lori Spinner

Lori Spinner has been a member of our congregation since early last year. She and her husband, Bob, moved to Georgia in 2017 to pursue their retirement dream of living in the country and were thrilled to find a church home at First Presbyterian. She and Bob have one son, Jared, who is a Junior (and baseball player) at Albany State University. She is also blessed with three, grown step-daughters and seven grandchildren. Since retiring from her career as a high school principal in Florida, Lori teaches part-time at East Georgia State College, but devotes most of her time to several community service projects. Lori enjoys volunteering with the American Cancer Society as a Road to Recovery Driver Coordinator; serves monthly at Rebecca’s Café; is a member of the

Mission Team, and coordinates the Backpack Buddies program for First Presbyterian Church. Her “pet” project with Bob has been expanding their country home to be a mini-farm devoted to rescue animals of all kinds. “Second Chance Ranch” is ever-growing, but currently hosts three goats, a donkey, a mini-pony, five dogs, and one cat. The Spinners are committed to providing a safe haven for animals that have been neglected, abused, or abandoned. Lori is looking forward to participating in Session as another way to serve the church community at First Presbyte-rian, and is humbled and honored for the opportunity.

Russell Willerton Russell Willerton moved to Statesboro in July 2018 to take the position of chair in the Department of Writing and Linguistics at Georgia Southern. Russell married Cecily in 1998, and Owen was born in 2003. The Willertons moved from Boise, Idaho, after 13 years there. Russell and Cecily were raised in the churches of Christ, and both graduated from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX (Russell's hometown). In Boise, they were members of two independent evangelical churches for several years. Their last five or so years in Boise were spent as members of Boise First United Methodist Church, the Cathedral of the Rockies. The Willertons joined First Presbyterian Church for its focus on serving the community.

A Congregational Meeting will be held September 13 via Zoom to elect Elders.

See page 4 for link

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The First News Presbytery News

A Note From Austin

Hello Everyone!

This is Austin Seymour. I am very excited to start this new year with your youth. I am looking forward to building our relationships and our relationship with God.

I wanted to share a few things about myself. I am a junior at Georgia Southern University, and I am a biology major. Soc-cer is one of my most favorite ways to relax, and I am even a volunteer as a soccer coach at Statesboro-Bulloch County Parks and Rec.

We will be meeting on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month via Zoom at 10am. The first day we are meeting is September 13th.

We do have a church-wide Rally Day Zoom this coming Sunday, September 6 to kick off the new Sunday School year. This starts at 9am. Be sure to join us!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Austin

youth@fpcstatesboro.org

UKirk Starts Year With

Film Discussion UKirk, FPC’s Bible Study for college-aged students, will

begin their year with discussions of short films.

Led by Sarah Beasley, students will meet on the second

and fourth Thursday’s at 6 pm. They will be watching

short films and engaging in discussions found on

https://www.theworkofthepeople.com/film_series .

UKirk Zoom

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The First News

Presbytery News

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats Is

September Book Club Selection

Join the Book Club For All Seasons on

September 21 for a discussion, led by

Marci Schriver, on The Art of Hearing

Heartbeats, by Jan-Philipp Sendker.

Amazon calls this book, “a love story,

a haunting fable and an enchanting

mystery set in Burma.” It was also

selected as an Amazon Best Book of

the Month.

The plot centers around Julia Win

whose attorney father suddenly goes

missing. In searching for him, she

finds an old love letter from her father

to a Burmese woman. She travels to Burma to unravel the mystery

and uncovers a tale of hardship, resilience and passion.

The book club will meet via Zoom on Monday, September 21 at 2

pm. Contact FPC for the Zoom link.

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The First News

Joseph Leiter 9/02

Dana Nevil 9/03

Derek Stoddard 9/03

Meghan Gerig 9/07

Diane Herndon 9/08

Lynda Webb 9/09

Edwin Presley 9/10

Walt Strickland 9/12

Samuel Nevil 9/14

Phil Waldrop 9/14

Helen Winstead 9/14

Carolyn Broucek 9/16

Adam Gerig 9/16

Frank McDonald 9/16

JD Dunn 9/17

Susan Parrish 9/19

Carter Copeland 9/20

Aubrey Stoddard 9/20

Ed Bayens 9/21

Duke Miles 9/24

Gayle Gunter 9/29

Christopher Desiderio 9/20

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Church Staff

Ministers: All Members of the Church

Pastor: Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman

Christian Education Director: Susan Parrish

Youth Director: Austin Seymour

Music Director: Ronn Alford

Organists: Duke Miles & Glenn Haynes

Office Administrator: June Bryant-Hackle

Ruling Elders

Clerk of Session: Eileen Bayens

Administration Committee: Andrew Allen (20) & Ann Henderson (22)

Christian Education Committee: Stacey Basquin (20) & Doty Dunn (21)

Facilities Committee: Carlita Slatky (21) and Matt Gerig (22)

Mission Committee: Patti Moore (21) & Mike Herndon (22)

Congregational Care Committee: Charlotte Wynn (20) & Lynda Webb (20)

Worship Committee: Bill Mase (21) & Jim LoBue (22)

Service Committee: Doty Dunn (21) and Stacey Basquin (20)

Let’s Stay Connected On the web: www.fpcstatesboro.org

Facebook: First Presbyterian Church Statesboro

UKirk Georgia Southern

Instagram: First Presbyterian Church

UKirk Georgia Southern

FPC Statesboro Youth

Subscribe To Our Podcast

bit.ly/fpcspodcast

or find us on

Google and Apple podcasts

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First Presbyterian Church 1215 Fair Road

Statesboro, Georgia 30458

Our Shared Mission

The mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Statesboro, Georgia, is

to be a Christ-centered family of believers called and committed to

worshipping, growing spiritually, and sharing God’s love and grace.

Included within this mission is to be witnesses to the new thing God is

doing in the world in Christ: breaking down barriers of every kind, bringing forth life in the

face of death, reconciling the world to God and people to each other. As we work toward

attaining these goals we worship together in song and prayer, study the scriptures, serve our

neighbors, and grow in the Spirit of unity and peace.