eChimes for August 7 & 14

FPC connects

The Chimes nline

Newsletter of First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta

SUNDAY Schedule Sunday, August 7 Summer Communion • Prayer breakfast for Homeless persons - 6:30 am, Fifield Hall • Communion Service 8:30 am, Winship Chapel • Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am • Worship Service - 10:15 am, Sanctuary • Fellowship Hour - 11:15 pm, Fifield Hall

Sunday, August 14

August 7 & 14, 2011 Christ at the Center

his poem by Robert Browning Hamilton helps to set the stage for our Summer Communion Sunday meditation “Blessed and Broken.” Our text is taken from the Road to Emmaus story in the 24th chapter of Luke, where Jesus walks with two of His followers after the resurrection and how He is revealed to them when He “blessed and broke” the bread. Please read the entire chapter and we will explore together on Sunday how the sorrow and pain of Jesus’ crucifixion were redeemed by the joy and power of his resurrection. I look forward to seeing you in worship, and hope that you will invite your family and friends to come on along as well!

Faithfully Yours,

George B. Wirth

• Prayer breakfast for Homeless persons - 6:30 am, Fifield Hall • Communion Service 8:30 am, Winship Chapel • Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am • Worship Service - 10:15 am, Sanctuary • Fellowship Hour - 11:15 pm, Fifield Hall

Summer/September Preaching Schedule August 7th - Dr. George Wirth August 14th - Rev. Caleb Clarke August 21st - Rev. Lindsay Armstrong August 28th - Dr. George Wirth September 4th - Rev. Chris Moore-Keish September 11th - Dr. Tom Tewell

“Blessed and Broken” Communion Meditation

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September 18th - Dr. George Wirth September 25th - Dr. George Wirth

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n the early 1940’s a novel

by Thomas Wolfe was published entitled You Can’t Go Home Again.

The theme of that book was that the passage of time and August 14 - Caleb Clarke to preach memory prevents one from returning to a previous way of life and any attempts to relive youthful memories will always fail. But, Mary and I look forward to doing just that on Sunday August 14th thanks to a kind offer to preach by Dr. Wirth and your session. For both of us being at 1st Pres. is for us precisely that: coming home again.

I know things have changed but that is not always a bad thing. We know that change is sometimes important and we might even seek it but it never comes easy. One central truth in our Christian faith is that we are called by God to change. Apostle Paul was always writing to the new churches that they were to be growing and changing as they lived out a life of faith. In his letter to the Ephesians Paul called for everyone to “put off the old self…and be clothed with the new self.”

Paul believed that God was calling us to be brand new not just better.

I want to explore that idea with you as we worship together on August the 14th.

I walked a mile with pleasure, She chatted all the way, But left me none the wiser, For all she had to say.

I walked a mile August 7 - George Wirth to preach with sorrow, And ne’er a word said she: But, oh the things I learned from her When sorrow walked with me.

Caleb Clarke

The Chimes Care, Growth & Events

Prayers for THOSE IN MILITARY SERVICE This is a list of known servicemen/women in our Church family.

To add names, please call 404.228.7719.

Pray for: Chaplain Capt. Jamison Bowman ABE3 Gregory Bridges Sgt. Isaiah Bridges Lt. Col. Bradford W. Cousar LCPL Austin W.P. Eskew First Airman Kevin Lee Captain Alexandria Victoria Miller Captain John Warren Robey Captain Gabriel Rulewicz Ensign David B. Sibley USN Commander Ryan Tewell Col. Roderick G. Turner III MC2 Tyler Wilson

Pastoral Care Report (As of July 6, 2011)

Recuperating: Scott Patterson, Dottie Hitchcock Deaths: We extend our deepest sympathy and lift up in prayer: John, Cyrus and David Strickler (and their families) following the death of their mother, our long-time member, Elizabeth “Chi Chi” Strickler, on June 22nd; Steele and Melody Hays & family following the death of Steele’s father, Judge Steele Hays, on June 22nd in Little Rock, Arkansas; George Lancaster upon the death of his mother, Sarah Dyer Lancaster, on June 23rd in Nashville, TN.

COME-ON-ALONG AUGUST 18th!

The MILLENNIUM G AT E M U S E U M

f your family, or any you know, has children who are dealing with loss, RAINBOWS can help.

RAINBOWS is a weekly support group program for children and youth who have experienced traumatic change, usually due to divorce, abandonment or death. Parents and guardians also meet in a group to consider what is happening in their families from the child’s point of view.

This program is open to the community, so spread the word. For more information, or to register, call Sue Anthony at 404-257-9388, or the Pastoral Care office at 404-228-7719.

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RAINBOWS SCHEDULE Thursday evenings, Sept. 29 - Nov. 17 and Jan. 5 - Feb. 23 Gather for brown bag supper: 6:00 pm Groups: 6:45-7:45 2011-12 session begins September 29.

Groups are forming now.

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August 7 & 14

COME-ON-ALONG TO The MILLENNIUM GATE MUSEUM DATE: Thursday, August 18, 2011 TIME: Meet at 2nd Ponce de Leon Baptist Church at 9:30 a.m.

COST: $10.00 plus lunch paid individually Did you know there is a 12,000 sq. ft. museum inside that beautiful little “L’Arc de Triomphe”-looking building in the middle of Atlantic Station?

Join us for a guided tour of this jewel of a museum showcasing Atlanta’s history,architecture and culture. Then we will lunch at one of the many fine restaurants in the area.

Call Pat Kimbrell (404.228.7719) for reservations, and if you need a ride from one of the Hi-Rises, please call Julia Brooke (404.438.7344).

The Chimes PROGRAMS & events

Summer Fellowship FPC EVENTS 2011

we ’ re not done yet !

AUGUST Saturday, August 6 Whitewater Rafting Trip Contact: Lindsay Armstrong 404-228-7713

“The things that you see, hear, feel and smell are indescribable.” “I have been changed forever.”

“There is just no way to put it into words. Being there transforms your perspective and sharpens your world view.”

CHristian education

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hese are a few of the comments heard in the hallways of FPC, as people return from mission trips or exotic vacations. They have visited a place and come back changed.

Just as immersion in a different location profoundly shapes us, journeying through God’s word changes us forever. We hear Scripture, sermons and Sunday School lessons with new ears. We see friends, relatives, work challenges, neighbors, strangers and even the news of the day with different eyes. As time away from the everyday routine leaves us rested and refreshed, studying scripture leaves us spiritually renewed, focused and grounded.

Studying God’s word is a time of

Sunday, August 14 - 11:15 a.m.

Ice Cream Social FPC Preschool playground Contact: Katharine Hamer 404-228-7712 Sunday, August 28 - 4:00 p.m.

FPC Potluck Picnic GlenLake Park Pavilion, Decatur Contact: Katharine Hamer 404-228-7712

getting way that helps us maintain perspective, gain appreciation, deepen trust and understanding, grow in discipline, be amazed, and widen our ability to reach out.

This fall, you are invited to journey through God’s word. To date, over 500 FPC members have completed the four year Disciple Bible Study program, and new classes are being formed right now. Alternatively, FPC begins the EfM Bible Study series this fall. Underwritten by the Stembler Ministry, EfM is a four year program of study and conversation with daily readings and weekly meetings for nine months of each year. Over the course of four years, members of EfM groups examine Old Testament, New Testament, Church History, and Theology.

As one EfM participant at a neighboring Atlanta church shares, “The EfM course gave me a ‘voice’ in which to

hon¬estly reflect and make sense of my faith journey in all aspects of my life.”

Summer is winding down, and hopefully, you have been able to get away for at least a few days of vacation or mission trip. Just as important is your upcoming year’s journey through God’s Word. Check the FPC web-site or call Lindsay Armstrong (404.228.7713) for details on Disciple, EfM or additional Bible studies or Book Clubs. Just as we return excited or refreshed by a visit to a place that changes us forever, journeying through God’s word transforms us now and into eternity. It is a form of of getting away that helps us maintain perspective, gain appreciation, deepen trust and understanding, grow in discipline, be amazed, and widen our ability to reach out. Join us this fall and throughout the year.

August 7 & 14

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The Chimes

POT LUCK PICNIC Sunday, August 28 4:00 pm

Summer is a time for taking a break from our usual hectic routines. Come relax with your FPC family in Piedmont Park as we gather for a pot-luck picnic. We’ll provide a main dish.

Bring sides, desserts, and drinks to share.

Sunday, August 28 @ 4:00 pm GlenLake Park Pavilion, Decatur N o t i c e

o f

S p e c i a l

Congr e gationa l M e e ting The Session has called a special congregational meeting for Sunday August 7 immediately following the 10:15 morning worship service. The purpose of the meeting, which will be in the Sanctuary, is to vote on the Reverend Hardy Kim’s request that the congregation dissolve his call. Rev. Kim has accepted a call from the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago to be an associate pastor there. Following the congregational meeting there will be a reception during which gratitude and best wishes can be expressed to Rev. Kim and his family.

Are YOU TRAVELING THIS SUMMER? Don’t forget to take us along.

Worship with us live from any place in the world. http://www.firstpresatl.org or www.firstpresbyterian.tv Sundays 9:00 a.m. & 11:15 a.m.

10:15 a.m. this summer

Wa n te d

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SERIOUS SINNERS ONLY. Old, white male seeks 10-12 black, white, technicolor male or female sinners to study The Word. 34 weeks, Wednesdays 9:30 am – 12:00 pm, starting Wednesday September 7, 2011.

Call 404-285-8468 and ask for Jack or call 404-228-7713 and ask for Lindsay.

Mention Disciple 1.

Signed William M. Earnest, Clerk of Session

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August 7 & 14

Are you connected?

The Chimes

C h r i stmas

e Th

i n

Children

Christmas Pageant

J ul y

’s

The

Christmas Committee The ChristmasPageant Pageant is FIRST looking for a few seamstresses to PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ATLANTA DECEMBER 9, 2007 this help make costumes summer.

If you are interested, please contact Kelly Shea-Miller for more information kshea_miller@yahoo.com (770) 454 8890.

New Orleans Mission Trip f o r n e w m e mb e r s FPC Atlanta New Member Mission Trip October 2-8, 2011

Join us as we share in the hands-on work of rebuilding homes in New Orleans, learn about the situation in the Gulf Coast, get a taste of bayou cooking, and share in relaxed fellowship with other FPC members and volunteers from around the country. You don’t need to be skilled in construction; Project Homecoming is set up for volunteers of all skill levels. And the cost of everything for this trip is only $300 per person!

We really hope that you will consider getting involved in a project that promises to be as fun as it is meaningful.

Contact Rose Emily Bermudez, FPC’s Mission Staff Liaison (404.228.7733 or reb@childspringintl.org) so that we can talk about how you can be a part of this amazing new journey.

The month of June was a very busy one at Midtown Assistance Center. With the help of the our great volunteers, MAC was able to prevent the evictions of 68 households, prevent 73 utilities from disconnection, helped 106 individuals get to work, helped 105 families with groceries and provided 55 men with clothing for new jobs, all totaling to an amount of over $60,000.

Currently Midtown Assistance Center is in desparate need of food for our food pantry. Since children our out of school, the summer is the busiest time of the year for food pantries throughout the country. Any donations of food would be greatly appreciated! On behalf of the MAC staff, board, and volunteers, we thank you for your continued support!

MC is also in need of volunteers to work with clients, and volunteers to help with data entry. If you are interested, please contact the office at mac@midtownassistancectr.org . Thanks!

Be a Bridge-builder!

The Partnership Ministry of First Presbyterian Church and Hillside Presbyterian Church is looking for volunteers who are willing to make a difference in our community by joining its planning committee. The planning committee has the important role of setting dates, organizing activities and working with our partners in the following important areas: • Criminal Justice • Refugee Resettlement • International Mission in Jamaica • Presbyterian Women Outreach projects Our first planning meeting will take place on Monday, August 22 at 6:00pm in the Fellowship Hall at Hillside Presbyterian Church in Decatur. Please plan to join us as we move forward into 2012, celebrating ten years of partnership! For more information please contact Rev. Connie Lee at 404-228-7741 or 404-2893092 or Darryl Payne at 404-298-5920 or email to fpc_hillside@bellsouth.net.

August 7 & 14

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The Chimes nursery/preschool & elementary

youth FINAL YOUTH MISSION TRIP OF 2011!

YOUTH FAMILY MISSION TRIP TO ROATAN, HONDURAS – JULY 23-30, 2011!

Please pray for the 24 youth and families that are going to Roatan, Honduras for our Youth Family Mission Trip. This year we are building a home for a family in the Colone District. It is very exciting to help provide shelter for a family that does not have a home.

Big Breaking news!

FPC welcomes a new Director of Elementary and Family Ministries!

At the unanimous and enthusiastic recommendation of the Director of Elementary and Family Ministries Search Committee, FPC is pleased to announce that Lauren Patrus will be our new Director of Elementary and Family Ministries, beginning August 15.

We are setting up many opportunities to begin getting to know her, so stay tuned to the weekly elementary newsletters. The details will be there.

Calling All Volunteers!!

Both the elementary and nursery/preschool ministries need volunteers for the summer and the 2011-2012 program year. If you are interested in teaching Sunday school, volunteering with LOGOS on Wednesday nights, participating as part of the committees, or rotating on the halls please contact Katharine Hamer at khamer@ firstpresatl.org for Nursery/ Preschool or Morgan Moore at mmoore@firstpresatl.org or Joel Moore at jmoore@firstpresatl.org for Elementary.

We look forward to seeing you at the FPC summer fellowship opportunities! Be sure to check out the schedule on page 3 of this Chimes for upcoming events!!

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August 7 & 14

One, l! r o f All e for al nd On

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YOUTH INVITED TO ALL CHURCH EVENTS! Be sure to watch the Chimes for more details and how to sign up!

Saturday, August 6 Whitewater Rafting Trip

Sunday, August 14 - 11:15 a.m.

Ice Cream Social Sunday, August 28 - 4:00 p.m.

FPC Potluck Picnic UPCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUTH! Youth Leadership Team Lunch and Planning Meeting – August 14 Youth Teacher/Leader Lunch and Orientation – August 21 Youth-Parent Kick-Off Lunch – August 28

The Chimes adult sunday school

S u m m e r a d u lt S u n d ay S c h o o l

August 7: “Christian Views on the News – Mental Health Budget Cuts” Alan Harris and Charles Black August 14 Sept. 11th Memorial Concert Listen and Learn Will & Kate Breytspraak

The Fourth Fisherman

August 21 “The Fourth Fisherman” Joe Kissack

3 Fishermen Who Look Lost, 1 American Who Is CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

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fter making his fortune telling the stories of others in shows like Seinfeld, Walker Texas Ranger, Married with Children and Mad About You, former Columbia Tri-Star Television syndication executive Joe Kissack discovered he was at the center of his next story.

In October 2005, a few days shy of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, fishermen Salvador Ordonez, Lucio Rendon and Jesus Vidana packed four days’ worth of food and water into a 27foot motorboat.

No one heard from them until the next August, when Taiwanese mariners rescued them off the coast of Australia, nearly 6,000 miles from home. The poverty-stricken sailors had been adrift in the Pacific Ocean for almost 10 months; they were lost at sea longer than anyone in recorded history.

Simultaneously, the seemingly successful Kissack had been drifting through a nightmare on land. “On the outside, it looked like I was perfect,” he said. On the inside, “I didn’t want to live.”

Hitting rock bottom, Kissack had a watershed moment when he felt led

by God to reach out to the shipwreck survivors. Their story was one of faith and hope; Kissack wanted to tell it. “I’m going to do whatever it takes to get that story told,” he vowed. Unexpectedly but willingly he spent every dime he had because of that commitment.

“No one has ever heard, told, or possibly imagined a story like it.”

-The New Yorker What he also didn’t expect was his story powerfully connecting with theirs.

So, how are three fishermen going to save another man’s marriage and change his life? Kissack’s new book explains: “The Fourth Fisherman: How Three Mexican Fishermen Changed My Life and Saved My Marriage.” Kissack himself will also tell the story and sign books at FPC on Sunday, August 21 from 9:00 – 10:00 am in Fifield Hall.

All are welcome.

“It’s a miracle…people said. But no one knew just how incredible the story would get.” – GQ Magazine

August 28 “A Look at FPC’s History” Bill Lyons September 4 “Stories in Stained Glass” Bill Lyons

The Internationals Class August 7 – Grace Botchway, an Atlanta caregiver, will discuss her life in Ghana and Italy.

August 14 – Bradley Thomas will describe the inspiring international program “Fresh Start for All Nations.”

Sundays, Room 327 9:00 – 10:00 am

www.firstpresatl.org/adultsundays

August 7 & 14

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The Chimes

“Without music, life is a journey through a desert”

The FPC School of Performing Arts would like to thank the Fine Arts Committee for its generous donation to our scholarship fund. Both need and talent based scholarships are available. If you are interested in our music lessons or classes, please contact Kate Breytspraak, Director www.firstpresatl.org/pspa (404) 228-7762

The Mustard Seed will reopen on Wednesday, August 17. Stop in to see our wonderful new merchandise.

The Mustard Seed

Sundays 9-12 (404) 201-6442 info@themustardseedbookstore.com

The d rd See t Mus a ens reop 7! t1 Augus

Music for August 7 Prelude

Anthem Comm Resp

Comm Solo Ben Resp Postlude

Concerto No. 1 – Mozart “Largo” from Xerxes – Handel Ave verum corpus – Elgar Sanctus, Agnus Dei, Nunc Dimittis The Gift of Love –Ivan Segovia Three Fold Amen “Allegretto” from Royal Water Music – G. F. Handel

Music for August 14 Prelude

Anthem Offertory

Postlude

Baroque Suite – arr. Drummond Wolff Kate Breytspraak, soprano Allegro – Leon Boellmann Sue Mitchell-Wallace Rigaudon – Andre Campra

The Chimes Bi-weekly Newsletter of

First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta 1328 Peachtree Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30309-3209 HOW TO CONTACT US Phone/404-892-8461 Fax/404-228-7760 E-mail: youbelong@firstpresatl.org Web: www.firstpresatl.org WORSHIP Sunday Communion Service - 8:30 am Sunday Worship Services -9:00 am & 11:15 am Sunday School 10:05 am WEEKLY BROADCASTS Sundays live at 9:00 am & 11:15 am On demand anytime www.firstpresatl.org/servicesonline AIB Cable Network (Comcast Channel 5; Smyrna Channel 22) Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m.