Children’s Music

In an effort to be responsive to the needs of our families, we’re excited to let you know about an upcoming change to Faith Formation/Children’s Music.

We’re hoping to make a change that will make both programs stronger.  We received great feedback from the survey, and we’re excited to meet the needs of our families. 

Starting on Sunday, January 11, Children’s Music will return to Sunday practices from 11:00 to 11:30 am. Children’s music is for anyone in grades K-6. Practice will take place in the Angel Choir room. Children’s Music time will also include learning bells and percussion this Spring! This will happen during the fellowship time after the service, which we hope will give parents a little time to catch up each week.

Faith Formation will continue to happen on Wednesday after school from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. We are excited to try a NEW curriculum called Disciples and Dragons—a role-playing spin-off of the popular game Dungeons and Dragons. This curriculum is play-based, and we’re excited to see it in action! While the building is under construction, our faith formation will happen at Centenary United Methodist Church. Faith Formation will begin again on Wednesday, January 14 along with Wonderful Wednesday dinners. Kristin is away at Duke from January 3-10 for the beginning of her next trimester.

Looking forward to a great Spring with all of our families!

—Kristin Ream and Aaron Wilburn

PRISM

Sunday mornings, 9:00 AM, in the Library

Welcome 2026!  We have resumed our PRISM discussion classes, continuing our discussion of Everybody Always. More amazing stories from the author Bob Goff. We meet at 9:00 am in the church library AND virtually through our normal RingCentral link:

https://v.ringcentral.com/join/574555072

—John Weigand

Faith Formation Survey:

We’re at an exciting moment of change in the faith formation program, and we want to make sure that we’re listening to the best ways to support families as we move forward. In cooperation with Wallace, Ellen, Aaron, Philip and Joy Ellen and Kristin created a survey to get some actual data for driving this bus :).

We would love to have your HONEST feedback on this survey so that we can have the right information to move forward! We’re at a moment where we’ve got a little bit of time to dream about what might be possible, and we would love to know your dreams as we begin planning for the new year!

Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/4qnCblf

Christmas Eve-Eve Rehearsal

All students in grades k-8 included in the 4:30 Christmas Eve service, please attend a dress rehearsal from 4-6pm on December 23rd. We’ll run through the service a few times and make sure everyone knows what’s happening! Parents- this is a perfect time to get your last-minute wrapping done!

Winter Youth Retreat

What’s better than winter break? Starting winter break with your church family for a 24 hour youth retreat! Students in grades 7-12 are eligible. Meet at church at 4pm on Friday Dec 19, return to church by 5pm Saturday Dec 20th. Cost $50, covers food and lodging! Please make your payment online: www.granpres.org/give and choose “youth trips” from the dropdown menu.

Wonderful Wednesday Carpool Karaoke Dec 17th!

It’s the third annual carpool karaoke and you want to be a part of this! Wonderful Wednesday spreads joy and love to our homebound congregation singing Christmas Carols at their doorsteps. Come join for wonderful Wednesday dinner at 5:30 and be ready to hit the road at 6pm. Your carpool team can expect to make 5ish stops for the night. The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear!!

From the Pastor

This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent and a new liturgical year.  Advent is a season of waiting and watching.  And this year, our theme will be What Can’t Wait?

We’ll be guided along the way with some wonderful resources from A Sanctified Art, including a beautiful  Advent devotional with daily reflections, Scripture readings, poetry, artwork, and action prompts.  

A digital version of the devotional is available at www.granpres.org/advent.  We have also printed a limited number of hard copies which are available at the entrance to the sanctuary.

I hope you find it helpful in making this Advent season more meaningful.   

Grace & Peace—

Wallace 

Hey all! The time is here to register for the youth retreat! AKA: 24 hours of youth group fun and the BEST Way to start your winter break!

We’re leaving from the church parking lot at 4pm, going to Kirkmont retreat center, and we’ll return Saturday by 5pm.

Please pay your $50 contribution here: https://onrealm.org/granpres/-/form/give/now, choose Youth Trip from the drop-down menu.

P.S.if you have not done the youth registration... you need to do it for real for real: www.granpres.org/registration

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Complaints? Talk to Kristin.

Starting in December- Children stay in worship First Sunday of the Month

We are making a slight change in the Rest of the Story starting in the month of December. We want to invite children to stay in the worship service just once a month, the Sunday that we do communion. We will still have children’s activity bags for during worship, and there will still be a children’s moment.

Children to sit with families THIS Sunday!

Families! This Sunday is going to be a packed house at First Presbyterian Granville! We’re welcoming the Illuminati Choir this week, and are anticipating quite a crowd. We will not have the prayer ground or any tables this week, so we’re asking for children to sit with families this Sunday only!

Hallelujah: The Bible and Handel’s Messiah

Sunday mornings, beginning November 16, 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM, in the Library

Handel’s oratorio, Messiah, is one of the best-loved musical compositions of all time. Our Chancel Choir will be performing portions of it on Sunday, December 21.

To prepare for this, a four-week series, led by Wallace Bubar and Philip Everingham, will look at the Advent and Christmas portions of the Messiah.  It will help us deepen our appreciation of the music, as well as the Scripture passages on which it is based.

Sundays, 9:00 AM, Library or online at

https://v.ringcentral.com/join/574555072 

This fall we’re reading and discussing Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People by Bob Goff.  Goff provides an uplifting perspective for a world where negativity and divisiveness seem to be ever more common.

Sundays, beginning September 14, 9:00 AM, Library or online

We will resume our Sunday morning tradition on September 14, when we will begin reading Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People by acclaimed author, speaker, and lawyer Bob Goff. Goff is an interesting fellow who practices what he preaches and provides an uplifting perspective for a world where negativity and divisiveness seem to be ever more common. His book is humorous, inspirational, and really just a "little hard to believe." John Weigand has ordered a number of copies of the book, so let him know if you would like one. The chapters are very readable and should stimulate plenty of discussion. Consider inviting someone to join us either in person or online.  

Interested in joining 1st Presbyterian?

Want to know more about the ministries that we partner with? A New Member Info Class will be offered from Sept. 21 to Oct 5, after worship, meeting in the Library. Rsvp to Pastor Wallace.

Thank you for saying encouraging words, sending beautiful cards and surrounding me with heartfelt hugs.

It has been a spirit-filled time, rich with new friendships and relationships. I have loved serving and growing with you. I look forward to what comes next for us in North Carolina, and I will miss you terribly at the same time. Please continue to support Kristin and Ellen as they assume additional responsibilities during this transitional period.

With joy, Jenni

Join the fun and celebration as we "kick off" the new program year this Sunday, Sept. 7th!

Our worship at 10 am will focus on how faith as small as a mustard seed can do GREAT, BIG things! After worship, meet on the side lawn for cake, fellowship, gaga ball, and 4-square! We will have shade tents, tables, and chairs set up for those who prefer to observe the fun.

Tuesday mornings, September 9-October 21, 10:00 to 11:00 AM, in the Library

Join us in a seven-week study of Ecclesiastes, led by Wallace Bubar. The book of Ecclesiastes is one of the most puzzling books in the Bible. The author speaks with a distinctive voice, sometimes wry, sometimes skeptical, and sometimes cynical. It raises a lot of important questions—about faith, about work, about the meaning of life. John C. Purdy writes, “Ecclesiastes belongs in the Bible in the same way that the blues belong in the canon of American music. Who would want to banish the blues and hear only Bach and Beethoven and Bernstein?” Let’s explore it together.

In the baptism of infants and children we bear witness to the truth: God’s love claims people even before they are able to respond in faith.

At Granville First Presbyterian Church, we take seriously our promise to nurture baptized children in the Christian life. One way we make our commitment visible to children as they grow is by providing them with their own printed copy of God’s word. Please pray for our 3rd graders (Jack, Sawyer, Mae, Lily, and Theo); may their faith continue to grow, and may they grow a love of reading God's word.

This Sunday we will "Bless the School Year" during worship.

Each child, youth, college student and school staffer will receive a gift that can be clipped to their backpack.

We will ask for God's blessing and peace to surround our schools and students.

After the Children's Message, we will write sidewalk chalk prayers outside for our community.

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY DINNERS

Beginning September 3, 2025

This year we will meet at Centenary Methodist Church (5:30-6:30 pm). Though our church building is under renovation, we still have the opportunity to be together to break bread, pray, sing praises, and laugh together. HOORAY! Please, please RSVP so we can set a place for you! We welcome helpers for meal planning.