Weekly Announcements
Update on Masking
Following the most recent announcement from the CDC regarding masking and social distancing, the Session approved the following three-part guideline:
We all can be thankful that things are improving. Let us continue to pray for safety and good health while the impact of the pandemic still compromises the wellbeing of so many around our country and the world
- Masking is no longer mandatory throughout the building but is strongly recommended for safety's sake, especially if you have not been fully vaccinated and/or will be around children other than your own.
- The entire building will now be open. Again, masking is not mandatory but is strongly recommended for safety's sake, especially if you have not been fully vaccinated and/or will be around children other than your own.
- Social distancing is still mandatory in the Sanctuary due to the length of exposure when we gather for worship. In other parts of the building, social distancing is not mandatory but is strongly recommended, as best as it can be followed, for safety's sake, especially if you have not been fully vaccinated and/or will be around children other than your own.
We all can be thankful that things are improving. Let us continue to pray for safety and good health while the impact of the pandemic still compromises the wellbeing of so many around our country and the world
Join us for In-Person Worship
As of Sunday, May 9, advanced registration is no longer required to attend worship in the Sanctuary or Fellowship Hall. However, all other guidelines and safety measures will still be practiced. Please review the information below as you and your family prepare to attend on Sunday.
By attending in-person worship, you and your family covenant to adhere to all guidelines and measures that are included in this communication so as to protect the safety and wellbeing of our church family. There may be additional procedures that need to be implemented following our reopening; the Session and the Task Force appreciate your cooperation as we navigate these uncertain times.
- Social distancing is still mandatory in the sanctuary due to the length of exposure when we gather for worship. In other parts of the building, social distancing is not mandatory, but is strongly recommended, as best as it can be followed, for safety's sake, especially if you have not been fully vaccinated and/or will be around children other than your own.
- When entering the worship space, an usher will guide you to where you will sit so that physical distancing is practiced and maintained. Families and individuals will not have a choice as to the exact seat for which they will sit. Families will be seated together, at a minimum of 6 feet from the next family unit.
- Please take your temperature prior to coming to the church on Sunday morning. If your temperature is 100.0 or higher please stay at home.
- If you are experiencing other symptoms such as fatigue, headache, sore throat, cough, difficulty breathing, or inability to taste and/or smell, please stay home.
- Masking is no longer mandatory throughout the building, but is strongly recommended for safety's sake, especially if you have not been fully vaccinated and/or will be around children other than your own.
- Restroom capacity is limited to one person at a time.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be available.
- While the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall will be open for worship, other areas of the building may not be open in order to maintain proper sanitization.
By attending in-person worship, you and your family covenant to adhere to all guidelines and measures that are included in this communication so as to protect the safety and wellbeing of our church family. There may be additional procedures that need to be implemented following our reopening; the Session and the Task Force appreciate your cooperation as we navigate these uncertain times.
Farewell Reception for Rev. Fred Lyon
Please join us for a reception in celebration of Interim Senior Pastor, Rev. Fred Lyon, following the 10:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday, June 27, in the front circle drive. Light refreshments will be served and cards or notes of well wishes will also be collected at this time. Let us give God the glory for Fred’s faithful and inspiring leadership among us for the last year!
In-Person Sunday School
In-person Sunday School Classes will continue this Sunday! Please note the room each class has been assigned and how to exit the room to head to worship. Classes will meet at 9:00 a.m., prior to worship, unless otherwise noted below.
If there are questions about accessing lessons, please be in touch with your Sunday School class’s point person(s) to hear if and how remote lessons are being offered now that in-person learning is resuming.
Classes and Locations
Nursery (up to age 4) - Nursery classroom, lower level
Pre-K and Kindergarten - Pre-K/K classroom (across from Nursery), lower level
1st - 5th graders - Children's Wing, upstairs
6th-12th graders - *All Youth will meet in the PAD for Sunday School
Salt - Parlor
Journey - Session Room
Connections - Connections Classroom (to enter and exit the building by way of the doors by the Columbarium)
Seekers - Seekers' Classroom
Henderlite Bible Class - Chapel (when headed to worship, use the patio outdoors to lessen traffic in the hallway where there is less opportunity to social distance)
Thanks to everyone for their patience and support of this reopening of the Sunday School ministry!
If there are questions about accessing lessons, please be in touch with your Sunday School class’s point person(s) to hear if and how remote lessons are being offered now that in-person learning is resuming.
Classes and Locations
Nursery (up to age 4) - Nursery classroom, lower level
Pre-K and Kindergarten - Pre-K/K classroom (across from Nursery), lower level
1st - 5th graders - Children's Wing, upstairs
6th-12th graders - *All Youth will meet in the PAD for Sunday School
Salt - Parlor
Journey - Session Room
Connections - Connections Classroom (to enter and exit the building by way of the doors by the Columbarium)
Seekers - Seekers' Classroom
Henderlite Bible Class - Chapel (when headed to worship, use the patio outdoors to lessen traffic in the hallway where there is less opportunity to social distance)
Thanks to everyone for their patience and support of this reopening of the Sunday School ministry!
Sunday School Video Lesson
Please join us online as Claude Hathcock presents this week’s Sunday School video lesson titled, “Healed by Faith.” The video lesson will premiere at 9:00 a.m. and will be available on-demand following the initial broadcast. You can find this video, along with our pastoral and staff videos, at www.fpcgastonia.org/videos.
Second Sunday Intergenerational Breakfasts
We hope you enjoyed our first intergenerational breakfast last Sunday! Be sure to join us on July 11 for our next opportunity to gather together! Adults, youth, and children will meet in the Fellowship Hall Portico where we will share a COVID-safe breakfast, fellowship, and participate in a lesson led by church staff. We look forward to seeing you then!
Meals on Wheels
The Meals on Wheels Ministry is seeking volunteers to help with deliveries once (or more) a month. Deliveries only take about an hour, and food is dropped off at the door during the pandemic. Volunteers can pick any day to make deliveries. Once chosen, deliveries will be made on the same day each month. Dates can be exchanged with other volunteers should the need arise. Please contact Betsy Summer for more information.
Caring Cupboard
We invite you to check out our newly installed Caring Cupboard, located outside the Chapel portico entrance. This special cupboard will provide non-perishable food and toiletry items for our neighbors in need. If you see that our stock is running low, add a few pantry staples of your own! Non-perishable foods can include, but are not necessarily limited to: canned meats, canned vegetables of all varieties, fruit (in cans or plastic packaging), canned pastas (like ravioli, beefaroni, etc.), canned tomato sauce, boxed pasta (like spaghetti), canned soups and stews, macaroni-and-cheese boxes, rice, peanut butter and jelly (no glass jars, please!), granola bars, cereal. These small donations will help to fill in the gaps for families and individuals in our community.
Thank you to Kathryn Cupp, a student at Stuart Cramer High School, for making this project possible.
Thank you to Kathryn Cupp, a student at Stuart Cramer High School, for making this project possible.
Wild and Wacky Wednesday
Join us for our second Wild and Wacky Wednesday on June 30 at Darby Acres Farm! This trip is for children who are preschool-aged to those who have completed 5th grade. We will meet at the Fellowship Hall at 1:00 p.m. and drive to the farm for our 2:00 p.m. tour. Please be sure to indicate on the sign-up if your child would like to do the pony ride while we’re there! We’ll be back at the church around 3:45 p.m. The cost is $5/person and the deadline to register is June 21.
Youth Pop-up event - Kayaking Trip
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All youth are invited to join us on Sunday, June 27, as we kayak part of the Catawba River with the Catawba Riverkeepers! We will leave from the Fellowship Hall at 2:00 p.m. and should return to the church around 5 p.m. The cost is $15/youth (please bring cash or a check to the church by the day of the event). Be sure to wear clothes that can get wet and shoes with a heel strap, and bring a water bottle! Visit www.fpcgastonia.org/youth to reserve your spot!
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Sign Up for VBS!
Come join us on our quest for Discovery on Adventure Island! Vacation Bible School will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Gastonia from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. on Monday, August 2, through Thursday, August 5, 2021. Register your child (Nursery - 5th Grade) below for a week of fun as we journey on our quest for God's great light! Interested in helping out with VBS? You can register too! Click the link below.
Sunday School Teachers Needed!
We are still in need of a few more Sunday School teachers so that we can provide strong, consistent faith formation opportunities for all of our age groups. Currently, we still need 2-3 teachers for our PreK/Kindergarten class, and we also need 2-3 teachers for our 6th and 7th grade class. If you are unable to commit to teaching one of these classes but would still like to volunteer with our Sunday School classes, you can sign up to be a Sunday School Floater or someone who is able to step in and be an extra adult in a classroom when one of our teachers is absent.
If you feel called to serve the church and our children in one of these ways, or if you know someone who might be interested in this opportunity, please let Susannah Bryant (sbryant@fpcgastonia.org) know! Thank you so much for your continued support of faith formation in our church!
If you feel called to serve the church and our children in one of these ways, or if you know someone who might be interested in this opportunity, please let Susannah Bryant (sbryant@fpcgastonia.org) know! Thank you so much for your continued support of faith formation in our church!
Join Our Livestream Team
Are you interested in video or audio engineering? Do you have any tech skills you would like to share with our congregation? Or would you like to learn a new skill?
The Communications Ministry is looking for volunteers to join our Livestream team! Interested parties would be responsible for volunteering one Sunday (or more) a month to assist with running video cameras, adding slides to the production, or monitoring sound. Prior experience is not necessary, but a general technical knowledge helps! Training will be provided!
If you are interested, please contact Celeste Crowe at ccrowe@fpcgastonia.org for more information!
The Communications Ministry is looking for volunteers to join our Livestream team! Interested parties would be responsible for volunteering one Sunday (or more) a month to assist with running video cameras, adding slides to the production, or monitoring sound. Prior experience is not necessary, but a general technical knowledge helps! Training will be provided!
If you are interested, please contact Celeste Crowe at ccrowe@fpcgastonia.org for more information!
Calendar Updates
We are currently in the process of transitioning management of the calendar from Celeste Crowe to our new Receptionist, Saundra McCray. Please begin sending all calendar requests to Saundra at smccray@fpcgastonia.org. If you have any questions, please copy Celeste at ccrowe@fpcgastonia.org when submitting your request.
First Press Deadline
Do you have something you would like to include in the church newsletter? The submission deadline for the July edition of the First Press is Friday, June 25. Please send photos, articles, or information to Celeste Crowe at ccrowe@fpcgastonia.org.
Donate your old Iphone
Do you have an unused iPhone? The Communications Ministry has a use for it! iPhones can be used as additional cameras for our Livestream setup, giving us the availability to capture a wider variety of shots during the service. If you have an iPhone you no longer need and would like to donate, please contact Celeste Crowe at ccrowe@fpcgastonia.org.
Please note that Samsung and Android phones are not compatible with the system and cannot be used.
Please note that Samsung and Android phones are not compatible with the system and cannot be used.
Communion Comittee Seeking Volunteers
Greetings from the Communion Committee!
Welcome back! I know it has been a challenging year, but I am thankful that we are beginning to return to normal. Many thanks to Dottie Lafar for her years of service leading the Communion Committee.
I am creating a Communion Committee for the 2021-2022 calendar years. It is a fairly simple service, as we will be using the prepackaged communion sacraments for the foreseeable future. The job will entail: thawing the bread on Friday, arriving early on Sunday to place it and the grape juice on the altar, filling the baskets with the pre-packaged sacraments, and cleaning it up after the service. Easy!!
If you feel called to join this easy and fulfilling ministry, please contact Amy Spencer.
Welcome back! I know it has been a challenging year, but I am thankful that we are beginning to return to normal. Many thanks to Dottie Lafar for her years of service leading the Communion Committee.
I am creating a Communion Committee for the 2021-2022 calendar years. It is a fairly simple service, as we will be using the prepackaged communion sacraments for the foreseeable future. The job will entail: thawing the bread on Friday, arriving early on Sunday to place it and the grape juice on the altar, filling the baskets with the pre-packaged sacraments, and cleaning it up after the service. Easy!!
If you feel called to join this easy and fulfilling ministry, please contact Amy Spencer.
FPC App Updates
On April 1, we began phasing out the old FPC mobile app, instead transitioning to using the FPC directory app exclusively.
For several months, we have maintained using both apps which, apart from the member directory, offer many of the same features and capabilities. After close examination of both applications, the Communications Ministry determined that the FPC mobile app offered less functionality, was more difficult to maintain and update, and was less cost effective than the FPC directory app. For this reason, we have decided to discontinue service of the FPC mobile app and solely promote the FPC directory app instead.
To download and access the FPC directory app: Visit the Appstore on your device and search for “Universal Church Directory.” Once downloaded, you will be prompted to enter your unique identifier. This code is unique to each family unit, and offers secure access to the online directory. If you do not know your unique identifier, please contact Celeste Crowe (ccrowe@fpcgastonia.org) or Trip Stewart (tstewart@fpcgastonia.org) to receive it.
Thank you for your patience as we make this transition! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Celeste Crowe for more information.
For several months, we have maintained using both apps which, apart from the member directory, offer many of the same features and capabilities. After close examination of both applications, the Communications Ministry determined that the FPC mobile app offered less functionality, was more difficult to maintain and update, and was less cost effective than the FPC directory app. For this reason, we have decided to discontinue service of the FPC mobile app and solely promote the FPC directory app instead.
To download and access the FPC directory app: Visit the Appstore on your device and search for “Universal Church Directory.” Once downloaded, you will be prompted to enter your unique identifier. This code is unique to each family unit, and offers secure access to the online directory. If you do not know your unique identifier, please contact Celeste Crowe (ccrowe@fpcgastonia.org) or Trip Stewart (tstewart@fpcgastonia.org) to receive it.
Thank you for your patience as we make this transition! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Celeste Crowe for more information.
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