May 2018 NEWS Pastor Drew s Views: Get Ready for Summer and beyond! I am really looking forward to a new sermon series beginning April 22 nd called Weird God s Way. It s based on the book by Craig Groeschel. I encourage you to get and read the book. This will be a great series leading into the summer months. I hope we all will commit to growing our faith together! Jesus Christ demonstrated for us that God doesn t want normal. In fact, you might call Jesus the weirdest person to ever live! Love you enemies? Pray for those who persecute you? Turn the other cheek? That s weird! Yes, it is weird, but God s Way. It s weird, but it will change the world. Let s be weird together! Pastor Drew Philippians 1:3-6 Website: www.fpcgriffin.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/fpcgriffin
Mission, Outreach, & Evangelism Jesus said Go, so let s GO! Here are some opportunities to serve together with unconditional agape love (sign ups in the Narthex or just call the church office): Rushton s Hope OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD (OCC) SHOEBOXES CONTINUE COLLECTING ITEMS FOR THE SHOEBOXES! Samaritan s Purse has a calendar of items to collect each month. January was Hats, Gloves and Scarves. February was Accessories, which includes: sunglasses, hair ties and/or clips, and princess crowns. (Remember: little girls, ages 2-4 and 5-9, love the princess crowns.) March was Quality Crafts: for example, knit hats, drawstring bags, finger puppets. April was stuffed animals. May is hygiene items: toothbrush, hairbrush, comb, washcloth, soap, Remember: no liquids (shampoo, lotions) and no toothpaste. WE NEED YOU! We are cooking and serving a meal for 300+ people on Sat. 5/5 at Rushton s Hope. It will be an easy recipe meal. We need folks willing to purchase ingredients and cook 1-2 pans of food, and also deliver the food to Rushton s Hope. Sign ups in the Narthex or call the church office. We will also serve at Rushton s Hope on June 2 nd, but not prepare the meal that day. Mark your calendar to serve! The mission and Outreach committee is thankful to report that our 2016 and 2017 commitments have been met. We are now current in our giving for 2018. The session voted last year to change the percentage of our giving from 10% to 5%. The committee agreed to ask our session to return to 10% at the March session meeting. The session voted not to do that at the present time. We will make our request again in the Fall. The committee is doing their annual review of the financial spending of the groups we support. Decisions about which missions to support will be on going. These are the organizations that FPC currently supports through giving: 4 Loaves & 2 Fish Food Pantry Habitat for Humanity, Griffin Serge (George & Martha Mixon) Christian Women s Center Spalding Samaritans Young Life Young Lives Rushton s Hopes BackPack Food 4 Kids Thornwell Homes Cru (Ralph Elliott) Frontier Fellowship International Messengers (Doug & Roberta Moore) Mission Hope (Mike Reinsel/Ben Mathes) Ideas are being discussed for a future Outreach event and the possibility of a Missions conference in the more distant future. We welcome input and ideas from the congregation!! Pray for the church! Co-chair Ina Jones Abundant Life Soup Kitchen We will serve together again at the soup kitchen on Tuesday, May 15th from 11 a.m. 1 p.m. If you haven t tried this yet, it is a great opportunity to serve in our community with the love of Christ and also get the word out about who we are. Cereal Sunday The first Sunday of each month, FPC Griffin has the honor to participate in "CEREAL SUNDAY". We ask members to bring bags or boxes of dry cereal and place them in the grocery cart located in the Narthex, near the wing of the Children's hall. This FOOD PANTRY ministry provides many poor and homeless individuals a nutritious meal that can either be eaten dry or with milk. Please bring cereal on May 6th. In April, we delivered 32 boxes of cereal and 6 granola bars to the food pantry. Thanks for donating supplies to Futral Road School. They were thrilled. It s a great way to love our neighbor! Futral Road School 2 3
Christian Education What's Happening in Hope Town? Last month, we went with Mary Magdalene to the empty tomb. What an exciting month! This month is no less exciting as we witness the arrival of the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus promised. Wind! Fire! Faith! The disciples have spent some time with the risen Christ and He has been teaching them. He tells them, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you be heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." And they waited. Together they waited. But you don't have to wait. Come see what happened when a great rushing wind entered their house and what seemed to be tongues of fire rested on them! I know it sounds amazing. You don't want to miss a single Sunday in May! Come see how the disciples are transformed. What does it mean to be a witness of Christ? Congregational Care Potluck Supper May Potluck Supper Wednesday, May 9 at 6p.m. It s BINGO night! Ivan will be here to call BINGO for us. $1 per card. All proceeds will go to missions. Prizes for winners, including tickets to Stone Mountain! This will be our last potluck until the fall. The Men s Golf Outing is scheduled for Monday, May 14. It will be at Sun City beginning at 9:00 am. Mark your calendars now. More details to follow. May Church-wide Memory Verse "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 Taking Care of God s Family Please call the Church Office, Tim Brown or Debbie Hammond if you know of someone in the congregation who may need a call, visit. Note: Younger children can memorize "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses." 1 st and 3 rd 1st & 3rd is moving to Mondays starting in May. We will meet the 1 st and 3 rd Mondays at 8 a.m. at Chick-fil-a (Taylor Street). Join us this month on May 7th & 21st for fellowship, a short devotional and prayer. Join us on Sunday, May 6 for Men s Breakfast at 9 a.m. in the Activities Center. This will be a great opportunity for pancakes and fellowship! Here is a list of our members who are not able to get out and about. Remember them in your prayers, send them a card, give them a call, drop by to visit. Let s don t forget them! Darlene Chipman Pruitt Health Monroe 4796 Highway 42 North Forsyth, GA 31209 Richard & Jane Gaston 1809 Maple Drive Joyce Jones 1203 Oxford Drive Ione Kelly 3223 Newnan Rd., P-9 Donna Krepps 1705 Oak Knoll Road Marty Lang 201 Crosstown Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269 Anne Mixon Brightmoor Assisted Living 3223 Newnan Rd. Michael & Maggie Rockholt 1211 Pebble rock Road Hampton, GA 30228 Richard Turner 929 Springer Drive Louise Upole Brightmoor Assisted Living 3223 Newnan Rd, Room M9 4 5
Facilities Youth & Young Adults YYA is having a BLAST! If you do not believe me, check out the Youth and Young Adult bulletin board outside the Traylor Fellowship Classroom. There you will find action shots of our kids playing life-sized Hungry, Hungry, Hippos, our youth taking a "Walk of Faith", and our young adults on a tour of 1888 Mills. Join in on the fun! The Facilities committee wants to thank each individual who participated in the work week. Several projects were completed and our church has benefitted from it. Many Sunday school rooms are much cleaner and better organized, making them more comfortable and pleasing. Also, there were several projects performed that most members will never see. But regardless, they will benefit each of us. We will give you a total number of individuals who participated and what activities that were performed in next month's newsletter. Remember, there is a "Facilities Wish List" note book in the main office to review is you so choose to assist us financially, or with your talents if you are so led. Thanks again. We can't do it without YOU! Michael Biddle BLAST (grades K-5) is on the 1st Sunday on every month from 4:00-5:00. PYF (grades 6-12) is every Sunday from 5:00-7:00. YYA (young adults-young at heart) be on the lookout for the next Saturday Night Fellowship event. Doug I am thinking that maybe we should let our kids in on the fun this time. Matthew 18:20 -For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Children Our App is available on Android & Apple devices!! Calling all KIDS! What? - BLAST When? - May 6th Blast What Time? - 4:00-5:00 It s going to be...well, you know...a BLAST! For Kindergarten through 5th grade Download The First Presbyterian Griffin App: http://www.livingforthejoy.com/app_download/fpg Thanks to Ed Springer, Jr. for our app! Sports Camp is on! Mark your calendars for June 11-14 at FPC. More details to come. Invite your neighbors, friends, and family for a great week! 6 7
Worship The Good Shepherd gives us words that plant seeds In the hearts of others. A wise mother once said "One of three things will happen when you face trials." James 1:2 God will take it away. John 11:4 God will lead you through it. 1 Peter 1:6-7 1 Corinthians 10:13 God will lift you up into His loving arms. Hebrews 12:1-2 James 1:12 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY Administration & Personnel The Director of Children and Youth Search is off to a great start. We have an approved job description and the Search Team has begun to meet. We are praying that God will bring us His choice a.s.a.p. but, of course, we don t want to rush. Please help spread the word and pray. We will keep you posted. The FPC Sunday morning summer schedule will begin on June 3 rd and go through July 29 th : 9 a.m. Prayer at the cross 9:15 10:15 Fellowship on the porch 9:30 10:15 Sunday School for all ages 10:30 Worship Thanks Dear FPC Church Family, To say we are thankful is an understatement. We are so overwhelmed by your kindness, prayers, and thoughtful gifts. FPC has blessed our family in so many ways and will always hold a very special place in our hearts. You all showed us what church should be like and all the churches in our future have huge shoes to fill. Thank you for praying, seeking after the Lord, and loving Griffin. Most of all, thank you for being Christ s love to us. We will forever love you. Blessings, Seth, Emily, Xander & Shep To the people of the church; Just a note to say thank you for the lovely Easter lily Ina brought to me on Monday. It is gorgeous, and I so appreciate it. Ina and I had a nice visit. I trust you all are doing well. I am; just getting a little older. Thanks goodness!! I miss you all and hope to see you soon Thank you again. Ione Kelly 8 9
Dates & Stuff 5/2/1981 - Vince & Karen Kiley 5/3/1959 - Marion & Elsie Musser 5/3 - George & Karlene Hollender 5/15/1982 - Ralph & Ina Jones 5/16 - Kameron & Christine Hamby 4 - Andy Musser 4 - Johnna Johnson 5 - Jane Gaston 8 - Hayden Norris 10 - Sylvia Hollums 10 - Rachel Tingle 13 - Ina Jones 17 - Connie Kendrick 18 - Chip Reahard 28 - Tiffany Doran 31 - Marion Musser Communion Servers May 6th Russell Johnson, Capt. Bob Gordon Wendi Kirby Gary Hollums John Craig Joh n Allison Ina Jones Ralph Jones Stewart Esary Sid Esary We serve in May Elder in Charge Russell Jones Communion Servers May 20 (Pentecost) by intinction Stewart Esary, Capt. Doug Tingle, Jr. Louis Thacker Bill Day Tim Brown Russell Johnson Jim Skinner May Children s Message May 6 - no children s message May 13 - Drew Elling May 20 - Cindy Baynham May 27 - Wendi Kirby May Ushers Stewart Esary, Capt. Sid Esary Karlene Hollender George Hollender Bob Bugg, Alt. Communion will be served on May 6th and Pentecost Sunday, May 20th. Church Nursery Volunteers (age 2-4 year olds) May May 6 - Bob & Kim Slaughter May 13 - Christine Hamby & Judy Hamilton May 20 - Ruth & John Allison May 27 - Trey & Tara Jones Church Hour Nursery Age Limits The nursery during the church hour is for children in Pre-K and below. No child older than 4 should be in there. This is for the safety of our toddlers. Thanks for your cooperation, Your CE Ministry Team Session meetings The next Session prayer meeting will be Sunday, May 13th, at 9:15 a.m. The next regular Session meeting will be Sunday, May 20th, after worship. Note: the business meeting has been changed to the 3rd Sunday this month because of Memorial Day. Just a reminder The church leadership team/staff meets most Tuesday mornings from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm. The office closes at noon every Friday. 10 11
1349 Macon Road The Women of the Church Bible Study The Women of the Church will meet Monday, May 14 at 10:15 am in the Fellowship Class Room. We will be studying Lesson Nine starting on page 82 of Study Book. Scriptures to be used are Hebrews 6:9-12; 13:24-25; 12:1-2; 11:35-40. We hope every one will be able to attend as this will be our last meeting of this church year. We will not meet in June, July and August. Hope you have a wonderful summer. We will have a picnic lunch for our last meeting of this year after the lesson is taught. Please bring small dish of some type finger food to share. Tell your drivers and family that we will be eating at church and so will be later than usual.