How much time do you have to share your blessings?

Every bit matters. Here is a list of upcoming ways to love your neighbor, please pick what fits your time and talents.  Interested? Want to know more? Email Ellen. Let’s make it happen!

• Election Day Bake Sale – November 5.  All proceeds benefit FPC’s Presbyterian Women’s annual gift to the Presbyterian Women of the wider church, PC (U.S.A.) which supports education and medical mission sites worldwide.

Also, donations will be made to Presbyterian Disaster Relief currently on the ground in hurricane-torn states.  Please drop off donated baked goods by 4 pm. November 4 AND come shop November 5!

• Packing Party - November 22, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.  Help pack Christmas bags for young adults who have aged out of Foster Care.  This is a one-time event.

• “Giving Tree” – Grab a tag off the tree in Heritage Hall on Nov. 3, 10, and 17. These gifts will be part of the Christmas bags mentioned above.

• Help Organize – put your “decently and in order” skills to work. Starting Strong AND The YES Club needs volunteers to organize their clothes/items closet. Time and date can be arranged with your schedule.

• Serve Meals – we need a volunteer to serve lunch alongside Sue Barton and Sandy Rinehart each Thursday from 11:15 – 1 p.m. at the Salvation Army.  Can you only do one or two weeks a month?  That works too!

• FPC Turkey Trot Team – November 28.  Come to Heritage Hall 30 minutes before the run begins.  We’ll gather, share a blessing, grab an FPCTTT souvenir, and then join the run as you wish.  Everyone is welcome whether you participate in the run or not.

The “Giving Tree” is back!  On November 3, 10 and 17, the tree will be in Heritage Hall.

Starting Strong will be creating “gift bags” for young adults. They would like to surprise each individual with a $25 Walmart Gift Card and a Christmas decoration in each bag. Please stop by the tree and grab a tag.  All cards and decorations will be delivered on November 18. Thank you for making these gift bags special!

Would you like to help pack these holiday “gift bags”? Starting Strong is looking for 4 volunteers to pack Christmas bags on November 22. Are you available? Let’s do this! Contact Ellen at eclark@granpres.org to sign up.

Our congregation donated $2000 to the Licking County Food Pantry Network. 

This large donation came from our Trivia Night/Silent Auction event!!

Rise Against Hunger – Where did the meals go?

We heard this week that the 10,000 meals we packaged on September 22 went to war torn Ukraine. Thank you to all who made this happen.

Calling all runners, walkers, strollers and everyone else.

Last year, 40 FPC folks gathered in Heritage Hall before the race. We had a short devotion and were anointed with a special Turkey Trot souvenir. We are gathering again this year for the Second Annual FPC Turkey Trot Team.  Come to Heritage Hall on November 28, before the race begins. There will be a meaningful blessing and another special souvenir.  Let’s support St. Lukes and this important event together, to raise money for the Licking County Food Pantry Network. 

What an informative two days!

The keynote speaker was Ruby Payne, author of Bridges Out of Poverty.

Her topic covered the Autonomic Nervous System and its response to trauma.  People experiencing poverty experience trauma.  Workshops I attended included “Economic Development that Benefits Everyone: Poverty Reduction is a Key Strategy”, “Deepening Your Impact:  Beating Poverty with a Two-Generational Approach” and “Collective Community Impact with 100% Community Model”.  We also toured a renovated high school that houses over 200 unsheltered men and women while empowering residents by teaching job skills, interview coaching, and providing healthcare services to name a few.  What we learned was that poverty can be addressed in our communities in healthy, productive ways.  The bottom line is, we all benefit when this happens.

Starting Strong is already planning for Christmas.

To provide for over 60 young adults (in several counties), they have to start early.

They are in need of 60 Walmart $25 gift cards, combined with a Christmas decoration for holiday cheer, to distribute to young adults who have aged out of Foster Care.  We can help make this happen!  The FPC Giving Tree will be in Heritage Hall through Nov. 10.  You can also learn more about what type of decoration they are hoping for.  Stop by and help make the holidays special!

THREE EASY WAYS TO BE INVOLVED

Read below for more information.

The Blessing Box is in need of fall supplies.  Our storage shelves are getting a little empty.  Please scroll down and see what items are needed.  If you are at the grocery this week, grab an item for the Blessing Box.  Thank you!!

Also, Community Dinners are going strong.  Our church prepares and serves at least 100 meals every other week.  One thing we need is desserts!  If you like to bake, consider making cookies, brownies, cakes, you name it!  You can drop your goodies in the FPC kitchen, labeled “Community Dinners”.  We’ll take it from there.  And, thank you!! 

SAVE THE DATE – FPC will once again support the Licking County Food Pantry with an FPC Turkey Trot Team.  On November 28, we’ll gather in Heritage Hall before the race begins.  We’ll share a blessing and pick up your “fun token” for participating.  You can run, walk, or stroll at your own pace.  Last year, over 40 of us participated.  Let’s do it again!

Hurricane Helene caused a huge amount of damage to many beloved places in the south.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is one way that you can help!

Heavy on all our hearts this season is the damage and loss caused by this hurricane seasons. Many of us know people who have been in harm’s way and are displaced. Montreat Conference Center which has blessed so many of us was not unscathed by the destruction in western North Carolina. During times of disaster, it is good to remember that if you donate to One Great Hour of Sharing each spring, then YOU are there, on the ground immediately, whenever disaster strikes anywhere in the world. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is funded by OGHS to respond usually within hours, working through church partners.

 Here is the PDA report from October 3, following Hurricane Helene:

PDA is part of a large and dedicated community of disaster response organizations. PDA has three initial deployment teams in Tampa Bay Presbytery, Holston Presbytery (Eastern Tennessee), and Western North Carolina Presbytery.  Two additional deployments are scheduled to Northeast Georgia Presbytery and Foothills Presbytery (South Carolina).

In addition, PDA has sent six initial assistance grants to six Presbyteries to support unmet immediate needs and two church damage grants.  We anticipate additional grant requests.

Please continue to pray for survivors, those who have experienced loss of loved ones, and responders. Know that your support of PDA is addressing immediate needs and will provide the necessary resources to support the long-term recovery, which will take many years.

 To learn more about the Presbyterian response and to donate to PDA, you can go to this website:  https://pda.pcusa.org/  You can also donate to our church and mark your gift “PDA” or “hurricane.”

Of course, please continue to pray for all those who are affected by these events and for those who are working to rescue and assist.

Please see the list below for donations to help our neighbors this fall.

Bring any donation to Heritage Hall.  And, THANK YOU! *Please make sure all cans have “pop tops”.

• Fruit Cups and Canned Vegetables

• Canned Pastas

• Peanut Butter

• Jerky

• Canned or Bagged Tuna or Chicken

• Gatorade, Juice Boxes, Boost Drinks

• Hotel Sized Toiletries

• Hand/Feet Warmers

• Gloves, Warm Socks

• Diapers/Wipes

• Feminine Products

Starting Strong supports a young woman attending OSU Main Campus.

Our church has committed to sending her a care package once a month.  People have been so generous that we only have 3 months left open; January, February, and May.  If you’d like to know more, contact Ellen at eclark@granpres.org. 

Hurricane Helene, 2024

One of the blessings of being a connectional church is that in times of disaster, we are on the scene, on the ground immediately, through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. You can read more at this link, and you can make a donation which will go 100% directly to affected areas through local church partners.

https://pda.pcusa.org/situation/hurricane-helene/

Thank YOu!

To all who shared their time coming together with other churches, at Second Presbyterian, Newark!  We were able to complete 10,000 freeze dried meals in just about an hour.  Everyone used their gifts from lifting heavy boxes, filling bags with nutrients, weighing and sealing those bags, running them to the packing station, packing the food, filling up empty supplies, setting up and cleaning up!  What a beautiful way to be together on a Sunday afternoon, living out Matthew 25.  Thanks be to God for this time.

Our Presbyterian Women (PW) helped pack 50 lunches for the Holy Trinity Drop-In Center, Newark. 

Thank you PW for nurturing this church in so many ways!

This Year, 1500 Trees is sponsoring 25 live trees for the village Christmas decorations.

Every year the trees line Granville streets with white lights and special messages. Our church agreed to sponsor 10 of the 25.  Different groups such as the Chancel Choir, Youth Choir, Bells, Senior High Youth, Wonderful Wednesday, Club56/Team 78, Mission and more will buy and decorate a tree and pay for the planting.  These live trees will become part of the Chakoian Legacy Forest at Watkins High School.  Thank you, 1500 Trees, for caring for this earth in such creative ways.

September 22 is the Day, 1pm-3pm(ish) is the time

Let’s meet at Second Presbyterian and pack 10,000 meals.  These freeze-dried meals will be distributed worldwide. FPC filled ½ the church gym last year and we had a great time together.  This hands-on event is perfect for ages 4th grade and older.  Come, serve, and fellowship together.  Email Ellen with questions and sign up. 

Thank you to everyone who delivered food to the Salvation Army this summer (and longer!) providing fresh produce for those with food insecurity.

Sharing the Harvest volunteers gathered food from the Granville Farmer’s Market every Saturday.

Men’s Bible Study collects food every Wednesday from area merchants.  This has been their hands-on ministry for several years.

On September 18, Melissa Anderson, Director of the Coalition of Care

( COC co-founders are from FPC) will be giving us an update on this community organization.  She will speak at our Wonderful Wednesday dinner.

Come at 5:30 for dinner and stay for Melissa’s presentation at 6.  Please rsvp to the church office so we have a place set for everyone!  If you can’t get here for dinner, join us at 6.

FPC is planning on participating for the fifth year at this annual event! 

Together, with Second Presbyterian Newark, we will assemble 10,000 dry packed meals. Last year, we had over FPC 30 members attend, from age 8 - 80. Come join us this year for a community experience, feeding the hungry and loving our neighbors. It will be held at Second Presbyterian in Newark on September 22, from 1-3 pm -ish.

Please see the link below to volunteer.

We have several openings and would love your help.  Instructions can be found on the Blessing Box table in Heritage Hall or email Ellen at eclark@granpres.org.  Be watching for items to donate as the weather gets cooler.  THANK YOU for supporting this ministry we’ve shared with First Presbyterian, Newark for over 3 years!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4CA9AC29A0F58-blessing

Our annual “summer is over, the program year begins” event

(formerly known as Rally Day) is September 8, right after worship.

Our message this year is “We Are Blessed to be a Blessing”. Come enjoy great brunch items (provided by all our music folks), enjoy time together, and give thanks for all the blessings we have in this congregation. Our blessings support each other and reach out into the community. Courtney Swisher is putting together a video that encapsulates this well. There will be live music, laughter, reflection, gratitude, and community. Please, join us all on September 8, Heritage Hall, after worship!