CURRENT NEWS AND ACTIVITIES
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Sunday School begins September 12.
Our choir needs and welcomes new voices. If you find joy in praising the Lord with song, you’ll definitely find a place in our music ministry! We invite you to enrich our worship through music—singing, playing an instrument, ringing the bells. We need more voices! Rehearsals resume September 8. The sanctuary choir meets Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The bell choir practices Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact Denis Brunelle, 885-2323, music@fpcnewport.org
The
annual International Dinner. On September 25,
international students from Boston area schools and some
others from beyond the USA will spend the day touring
Newport and then come to FPC for a potluck dinner and a
time of fellowship and witness. If you would like to help
with the dinner, please contact Outreach Committee chairman
Dave Tenney (683-0192 or datenney@yahoo.com)
ONE
PRAYER. Join fellow
believers in prayer for the ministries and ministers of our
local churches, as well as for the movement of God here on
Aquidneck Island. Next gathering is Sunday,
September 26, 6:00 p.m., at
Evangelical Friends Church, 70 Bliss Mine Road, Middletown.
Progressive
Dinner.
Back by popular demand, this once-a-year event offers
travel, adventure, great food and plenty of fun! Mark your
calendar for
Saturday, October 9.
More details soon.
Dinner Club. 
This
is a great way to get to know your fellow worshippers
all year long. Many lasting friendships have begun
through our FPC Dinner Club. In September, we'll sign
up to form new six-month groups for October through
March. We always need substitutes, so please let the
church secretary (847-1749) know if you are interested
in joining on an occasional basis. Watch for more
details.
FPC Soup Kitchen. Our next monthly meal for those who are hungry in our community will be Wednesday, October 6. Volunteers are needed to help prepare, serve and clean up. When you travel, please save the travel-size toiletries left for you; bring them to church and place in the marked box in the Fellowship Hall for our soup kitchen guests.
Welcoming
Children to the Lord’s Table.
Sunday, September 26, 4 p.m., in the sanctuary, Pastor
Maxwell will lead a class for for all children (grades 2
through 5) and their families to come together and
understand the significance of Holy Communion. Participants
are invited to join our congregation in Holy Communion on
World Communion Sunday, October 3. Please contact the
church office to register for this program.
We
honor our church family members in the military.
Please continue to pray for those among our church family
who are serving overseas.
CDs
of Worship Services
are now available. If you are unable to attend services and
would like to listen, please contact a deacon or the church
office.
New Hymnals. Our new hymnals, The Worship Hymnal by LifeWay Publishing were dedicated Palm Sunday. We are getting close to our goal of 400 hymnals given by members of the congregation in memory of loved ones or to the glory of God. Please contact the church office if you would like to purchase one of the remaining hymnals. Old hymnals are available to members of the congregaton.
Cookbooks. More than 240 great recipes from FPC cooks. Contact the church office or sign the order form in the Fellowship Hall and we'll see that you get a copy. Only $10.00.
Salvation Army needs help. We need one or two more volunteers to make the weekly "bread pick-up". Every Wednesday morning we pick up baked goods generously donated by Shaw's, BJ's and other local markets, and deliver them to the Salvation Army for distribution to needy families. If you can help, call Ralph Thomas at 8488-2718. To help with the Salvation Army's Sunday soup kitchen, use the sign-up sheet on the Committee's bulletin board in the fellowship hall and show up at the headquarters on Memorial Boulevard. The FPC team leader will introduce you to the other volunteers and get you started.
Devotionals. Our new devotional for 2010 is provided by "Our Daily Bread," by RBC minitsries (www.rbc.org). The quarterly devotionals can be found in the back of the Sanctuary and at the Calvert Street entrance.
Church family directories. An updated edition of the directory is available. If you are unable to attend Sunday worship services and would like a copy, please contact the church office. Electronic copies are also available.
Deacons' request. If you have a financial, spiritual, or other need, or know of someone who does, please alert us. You may use the yellow cards in the pew racks or call the church office. Our Deacons Fund has provided help to local social service agencies as well as members of our congregation. We receive requests every week, and will be most grateful for special offerings you can make using the pew envelopes. If you know of someone in our congregation who is celebrating a special event or needing encouragement, let Carol Greene know and then she’ll send a card from the Deacons. Her phone number is 619-4522. If you have a small, operating cassette player with cord, please let us know. With these, several members who cannot make it to church would still be able to listen to the semons.
Food Bank. The Deacons collects food items for the local food bank. Needed items include: spaghetti sauce, tuna fish, dry milk, beef stew, soups, macaroni & cheese, peanut butter, jelly, and any meal-ready canned goods. Thank you for your generous help in meeting the needs in our community.
Help us protect our beautiful house of worship. Please be sure doors are locked, and all lights and AV equipment turned off, especially on evenings during the week. Thank you.
Inquirer's Class. If you are interested in learning more about FPC's history, activities and witness? Are you considering becoming a member of FPC? Contact our church office about a one-time class with Dr. Maxwell.
Ongoing Women's Activities.
- Sarah Circle will begin a special study of Psalm 119. Sweeter than Chocolate! by Pam Gillaspie. Sarah Circle will begin morning and evening small groups after Labor Day. New participants are welcome! Contacgt Laurie Aseltine for more information at 846-1617 or WLAseltine@msn.com.
- Naomi Circle and Deborah circle will resume meetings in September.
- Sewing Group meets Monday mornings at 10:00 a.m. in the James House. We turn button-front shirts into hospital jonnies for those less fortunate. Please join us friendly conversation and good works. We need more used shirts, too!
- Sweet Hour of Prayer. A small group of ladies gather every Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. for prayer. They invite others to join this special time.
- Secret Pals are signing up new members for 2010-2011. Contact Marge at 846-9271.
Ongoing Men's Activities.
- Promise Keepers. This men's group meets Saturday morning from 8-9:30 a.m. in the Hometime Room to enjoy Christian Fellowship, topical discussion and prayer. For topics of discussion, see the Men's Fellowship page.
- The men prepared lunches for the "Rebuilding Together Greater Newport" volunteers in April. The volunteers were working on a house at 24 Channing Street.
- Iron Sharpens Iron conference. Two well-known keynote speakers highlighted this year's May conference, in Worcester, MA. Noted author and radio host Hank Hanegraff and Don Davis, chaplain of the New England Patriots.
Project Linus. Project Linus is a volunteer non-profit organization that provides love, security, warmth and comfort to children (age 0-18) who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. They do this through gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.” All styles are welcome, including quilts, tied comforters, fleece blankets, crocheted or knitted afghans, and receiving blankets in child-friendly colors. Please use new and washable materials to create a blanket of any size—lap to twin. The RI chapter delivers 175 blankets monthly to Hasbro Children’s Hospital and other hospitals in RI. Have a question? Need a pattern? Want help starting or finishing your quilt? Contact Robyn.
Prayers. Please pray for our nation and for our troops who are overseas, and offer thanksgiving for those who have returned home. Pray for our local and distant missions. Also, please help provide for needs within our church family. Please alert us of a need you or someone you know has (such as meal provisions, home repair or visitation) by using the yellow card found in the pews or by calling a deacon. The information will remain confidential.
Small Groups Ministry
This ministry is to help members of the congregation find and be a part of an active small group. In our small groups you will connect more deeply with others at FPC and grow in prayer, Bible study, service, support and accountability. You will have the opportunity to be known and cared about. People grow faster spiritually in a caring, interactive group where they feel free to ask their real questions and sense the support of the group. For more details, please contact Ken and Hilary Hartlaub at 624-1402, Dick and Cindy Price at 619-0048, Marge Silvia at 847-8394, or Dave and Daryl Kolator at 846-8224.
Library. Please return items as promptly as possible and place them in the cabinet under the display shelf in the Fellowship Hall. The Overdue or Missing list is growing! Please help by returning any overdue items you may have at home.
Operation Christmas Child. Participate in Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse. Throughout September and October, our Sunday school classes and church members and friends collect items and place them in a wrapped shoebox. Suggestions: toys: small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small hand-held electronic toys (with extra batteries). Pens, pencils, sharpeners, crayons, markers, stamp and inkpads, coloring books, writing paper, solar calculators, etc. Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, comb, washcloth, etc. Hard candies, gum, sunglasses, flashlights, ball caps, socks, T-shirts, toy jewelry, hair clips, watches, etc. We will dedicate the boxes during the worship service on 7 November.
Newsletter. Please send news to the church secretary by September 20 for the October issue of the Anchor.