FPC Updates

Join us on Sunday, October 4

Adult Education at 8:45am.
Join us as we explore the gospel of Luke.
All are welcome! Join us via zoom at 8:45!
If you would like to join any of our zoom meetings please contact
Miriam or Glenn.

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Sunday School for Children at 9:15am
Pre-K through 5^th Graders:
Join for singing, Bible story, conversation and prayer.
Join us via zoom at 9:15!

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Worship Service at 10am.
We will be live streaming on Facebook
Click here to connect on Sunday.
(additional information below, if needed)
You will find the bulletin for Sunday here.
Communion is being celebrated. You are invited to bring something
to eat and something to drink when you join us for on-line worship.
Using elements familiar to them,
Jesus used bread and wine for his Last Supper with his disciples.
If you’re unable to have juice and bread,
bring something familiar to you.

Offering of Our Gifts
You can mail offering to: FPC, 362 State St, Albany, NY 12210
Or go on line to donate (www.firstpresalbany.org/donate/)
Thank you for your continued support of FPC ministries.

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Virtual Youth Group- 6th graders-12th graders - at 11am/after worship

During this time of Spiritual Formation we may:

play games
build relationship with each other
reflect on the worship service
try different spiritual practices/types of prayer
make meaning of the world around us
explore and tell our individual stories
co-create service projects
develop youth leadership

Join us via Zoom (invite below and by email) at 11:00!
Email info@firstpresalbany.org to be added to the YG list or YG parent list.

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Our recorded worship services and bulletins are also available on our website.

Please send any prayer requests to Glenn so that we can include them in worship on Sunday.

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INSTRUCTIONS Facebook Live Streaming: we’ll normally start broadcasting about 3 to 5 minutes before the service (so 9:55–9:57) with Trevor’s prelude. Any time after that go the main Facebook page for First Presbyterian Church of Albany. Very close to the top (or maybe just by scrolling down slightly) you’ll see the video with the words “Live now” or something similar. Click on the video and it will open into a larger window and play. So just stay on the First Pres home page, no need to go into Events or any other sub-page.
HELPFUL TIP: if you don’t see the livestream on the home page, refresh / reload your browser screen. Don’t hesitate to call Dwight Cheu at 518.469.1544 if you have any problems.

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This Sunday, October 4, is World Communion Sunday. We invite you to prepare your tables and your hearts this week. Please prepare a slice or small loaf of bread, corn tortilla, or rice cake or what is sacramental and joyful to share and a cup or small cups of juice -- perhaps grape or cranberry -- or wine, with or without alcohol, or coffee, or coconut water all of which are used in worship in different places.

In addition, you are invited to spend this week praying for a country in the world which is not your own. Often on this occasion we celebrate the “world” in a particularly generic “global” way rather than actually thinking about real places. For the days leading to World Communion Sunday choose one country to pray for – it may be in the news or may be one that you have visited or may be part of your ethnic heritage or may be one with a cuisine you find delicious or a writer or artist who inspires you. There is no right or wrong choice. Read an online article on this country – its history, its products, its religious heritage, the challenges it faces right now, certainly including how it stands in this pandemic. Learn a word in one of its languages – maybe peace or gratitude or blessing. Google translate is a helpful resource and includes an audio pronunciation feature. You might even find a recipe to make sometime this week. Hold this country and its people in your prayers this week.

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This offering is on Peacemaking and World Communion Sunday, October 4.

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Needed: Caring Adults unafraid to be goofy, vulnerable, and compassionate!
Youth Group relies on the help of dedicated Adult Volunteers— Is God calling you to be one? Accompany our middle schoolers and high schoolers as we play, pray, serve, and worship. We currently meet virtually on Sundays after worship at 11am. We will be scheduling other socially distanced in-person opportunities (such as the Washington Park Neighborhood Association clean up this Sunday). Volunteers will be on a shared, rotating schedule that we will create together. Background checks, training and ongoing support for all volunteers working with youth. Please call (712-986-6010) or email Molly.

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Youth Group Fall Fun Night!
Sunday, Oct 12, in the church parking lot
6:00pm Food and games
7:30pm Movie Nightmare Before Christmas
NO SCHOOL Mon Oct 13, so let's hang out on Sunday night! We will enjoy the fall air and each other's company--masked and social distanced of course. Wear something cozy and bring a blanket! We'll pop some corn and enjoy the movie al fresco with hot cocoa. Mask required. Please bring a camp chair if you have one. If you have more than one, bring along to share. Please let Molly know by email who's coming so she knows how much pizza to order.

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FPC invites you to join us for an online Finger Labyrinth Walk and Meditation every Thursday at 12:30pm in October! The sessions will be led by Pastor Miriam, Certified Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator. This time is open to all, whether you’ve walked a labyrinth in the past or not. We ask that you register for each event. Please have a Finger Labyrinth available - you can download a paper version if you don't have your own or Jamie in the church office. Join us!

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VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Do you want to help New York voters plan to vote early, vote by mail, or vote on Election Day?

The One Person, One Vote Coalition’s GOTV virtual call center will be answering calls from NY voters in Albany, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties in October on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10A – 2P and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4P – 8P.

Call center volunteers will be trained to help callers navigate voting information and put a voting plan together. Volunteers are requested to work at least one 4-hour shift each week. For more information on how to volunteer in the GOTV call center, visit http://bit.ly/1p1vgotv or email landapril@gmail.com.

We are the One Person, One Vote Coalition: The Capital Area Urban League, The Albany African American Clergy United For Empowerment, Centro Civico, The League of Women Voters Albany County, The Capital Area Council of Churches, The Capital District Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Team Esteem on the Hill Y.E.P., Team H.E.R.O., & NAACP Albany County

We live in a world fraught with causes to support. Yet the point
of

stewardship isn’t about causes, important as they may be. Jesus surprised his disciples with this principle. The story of Mary and the expensive perfume in Mark 14:3–9 is one example. During a visit to the home of Simon the Leper, a woman emerges with a year’s wages worth of precious perfume and pours it on Jesus. Some of the disciples grumbled, imagining all it could have accomplished for the poor. But Jesus wanted to focus their attention on the heart of the giver. This woman showed her deep love for Jesus through the use of her resources. The disciples missed the point. When we make God our highest priority, our desire is to honor God. This releases a spirit of love, which releases resources to meet real needs.

In 2 Corinthians 8:8, Paul addresses this same concept when challenging the early Macedonian church: “I am not commanding you, but want to test the sincerity of your love.” Generosity, even amidst poverty, reveals our love for God (2 Cor. 8:2).
- Dave Briggs

Thursday, 10/1 7:00am Men's Bible Study
12:30pm Finger Labyrinth Walk and Meditation
4:30pm Anti-Racism Task Force

Sunday, 10/4   8:45am Adult Education
9:15am Children’s Education
10:00am      Worship Service via Facebook
   11:00am Virtual Youth Group

Tuesday, 10/6 9:00am Men's Bible Study
4:30pm Social Justice & Peacemaking Committee Meeting
7:00pm Membership Committee Meeting

Wednes., 10/7 11:00am Staff Meeting

Thursday, 10/8    7:00am Men's Bible Study
   12:30pm Finger Labyrinth Walk and Meditation

Friday, 10/9 4:00pm   Christian Education Committee

Sunday, 10/11   8:45am Adult Education
9:15am Children’s Education
10:00am      Worship Service via Facebook
   11:00am Virtual Youth Group

Monday, 10/12 1:00pm Covenant Group

Tuesday, 10/13   9:00am Men's Bible Study
12:00pm Endowment Sub Committee

Wednes., 10/14 7:30pm Dads' Small Group

Thursday, 10/15 7:00am Men's Bible Study
4:30pm Anti-Racism Task Force

Sunday, 10/18   8:45am Adult Education
9:15am Children’s Education
10:00am      Worship Service via Facebook
   11:00am Virtual Youth Group

Tuesday, 10/20 9:00am Men's Bible Study
7:00pm Session Meeting

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A Message from the Stewardship Team

Calendar