FPC connects
The Chimes nline
Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta
SUNDAY Schedule Sunday, November 18 • Prayer breakfast for Homeless persons - 6:30 am, Fifield Hall • Communion Service 8:15 am, Winship Chapel • The Mustard Seed Bookstore 9:00 am - 1:00 pm • Cherub Choir - 9:30 am • Worship Service - 9:00 am, Sanctuary • Sunday School for Children and Youth - 10:05 am • Sunday School - 10:05 am • Worship Service - 11:15 am, Sanctuary • Fellowship Hour - 12:15 pm Reception Room
Sunday, November 25 • Prayer breakfast for Homeless persons - 6:30 am, Fifield Hall • Communion Service 8:15 am, Winship Chapel • The Mustard Seed Bookstore 9:00 am - 1:00 pm • Cherub Choir - 9:30 am • Worship Service - 9:00 am, Sanctuary • Sunday School - 10:05 am • Worship Service - 11:15 am, Sanctuary • Fellowship Hour - 12:15 pm Reception Room
November 18 & 25, 2012 Christ at the Center
O
n November 14, Atlanta’s favorite actor Tom Key presents two of Truman Capote’s most loved stories in our sanctuary at 7pm - “The Thanksgiving V i s i t o r ” a n d “A Nov. 18 - George Wirth Christmas Memory.” to preach These two stories will begin to tilt us toward the Thanksgiving and Advent-Christmas season, and that is also the purpose of our sermon on Sunday, November 18. The text is taken from II Corinthians 9:615, one of the Apostle Paul’s greatest letters of encouragement, wherein he writes with an attitude of gratitude: “You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us: for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God”...thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” I hope that Paul’s enthusiastic affirmation of the spirit of thanksgiving will be an inspiration to all of us as we move into this wonder-full season as a church family. And I also pray that we will sense the Lord’s presence in our hearts and in our homes during the weeks ahead, praying together “God is great and God is good - let us thank Him for our food...and for all of His many blessings!” “Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices, Who wondrous things hath done, in whom this world rejoices” (Martin Rinkart, c 1636)
A
t a recent Church breakfast our speaker, a very busy CEO, talked about how he wanted and needed to “walk more slowly and Nov. 25 - Craig Goodrich bow more often.” to preach With our own lives being so busy, I think we all understand the need to slow down, but bowing more? What might that mean? The Sunday after Thanksgiving is Christ the King Sunday. Christ the King. The rose window in our sanctuary shows Jesus high and lifted up, enthroned in glory, surrounded by angels whose focus is solely on him. He is in the center. And so our Church theme for many years has been “Christ at the Center” of our individual lives and our lives together as a community of grace. But He is not just at the center. He is Lord and King, “the alpha and omega” …. who is and was and is to come.” (Revelation 1: 8). So let me ask you, what does it mean to you that Christ is Lord and King? What does it mean for the way we live our lives and what does it mean for our world? Each week we pray “thy kingdom come.” Do we really understand what we are praying? This Sunday I hope you will join us as we worship the King together. The sermon title is “The Way of the King.” You know, maybe we do need to bow more often.
Faithfully yours,
Grace and courage to you,
George B. Wirth
Craig