A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: PLEDGE DEDICATION SUNDAY For the last few weeks in worship, we’ve been exploring the mission priorities that the Session has identified for First Pres over the next couple of years: engaging new people and nurturing their faith and discipleship; ministry with children, youth, and...
As you know, this year our annual stewardship campaign is focused on the mission priorities the Session has identified for our congregation over the next few years, and on an ambitious and exciting plan to help us answer God’s call to us through those priorities. If you haven’t already received...
Focusing on our mission priorities This Sunday is the second week of a four-part sermon series focused on the mission priorities that the Session has established for First Pres over the next few years. We’re doing this series during this year’s stewardship season because the Session is also calling the...
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: BUILDING OUR CAPACITY Last week I spent three days at the “Stewardship Kaleidoscope” conference of the Presbyterian Church (USA). I’ve taught and/or spoken at the conference since it was created about a decade ago, and it is still one of my favorite dimensions of...
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY What unites us is greater than what divides us The first Sunday in October is celebrated by many different Christian denominations as World Communion Sunday. We observe World Communion Sunday as a way of lifting up Christian unity and the commonality...
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: Recap of Congregational Meeting and Town Hall As you know, we held a Congregational Meeting last Sunday in which the congregation elected Polly Beste to an unexpired term on the Session and Sally Ross to an open term on the Congregational Nominating Committee. Please...
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: An Inquiring Faith One of the four Core Values we have identified for First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem is having “an inquiring faith.” In one sense, that shouldn’t be a surprising value for Christians to have. As I mentioned in the sermon series I...
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: Special Schedule on Sunday, September 22 The Session has called a special meeting of the congregation and corporation of First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem for next Sunday, September 22, at 10 a.m. for three reasons. The first is to act on a report from...
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: Worshiping Around the Meal Table I’ve never been good about choosing favorites: a favorite movie, book, food, musician, etc. So much depends on my mood, season of life, and other factors. For me, it’s more like having a short list of things that are...
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: Enjoying the waning days of summer Even though students are back in school in Bethlehem, and people mostly wear white whenever they feel like it these days, it really doesn’t feel like the end of summer to me until Labor Day weekend. It’s like...