First Presbyterian Church News (Clarksville, TN)

Amos, What Do You See? This week, Amos sees the Lord standing beside the altar in the sanctuary, striking the capitals on the pillars until the whole building collapses, shaking even the foundations.  He hears a hymn--usually a source of encouragement--but this time it contains an ominous warning.  Finally, in the last vision of the book, he sees a sieve.  With the sieve, God is cleaning the grain: sifting out every stray piece of chaff, all the stones and pebbles of every size, and every bit of dirt.  The cleaning requires removal and destruction of the debris. Israel's response, to the bitter end, is to ridicule the prophet.  They treat him like Henny Penny--echoing his words, but mixed with laughter: "the sky is falling, the sky is falling."  They ignore him.  They think he is a boy crying wolf. But Amos has seen what he has seen.  Disaster may not fall today or tomorrow, but it will come, especially if Israel does not take the warning to hear...

NOTICE!  Following the recommendation of our COVID-19 Task Force and based on the most recent CDC recommendation, Session has modified our COVID guidelines as follows: Masks are required indoors for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, so long as the Level of Community Transmission in Montgomery County remains high. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view Masks will be available at the sanctuary entrance for anyone who needs one.  We will continue to monitor and update the congregation as the situation warrants.  No other additional restrictions have been implemented at this time. 

Youth Community Nights have been going so well this summer that we are hosting another on Friday,  August 27 , at 6:00.  Location TBA but will either be in the church or at the AOC. Stay tuned for more details. This time, the evening will be music-themed, led by Hannah Cruse (FPC Music Director). The youth will get to participate in various music-making activities and even start the creative process of song-writing together! We cannot stress enough...No prior musical experience or interest required! We will provide a wide range of ways for each kid to get involved. We will also have regular games, snacks, and hang time!  Text your youth director, Rebecca Maurer, (call the office or search on Realm for contact info)  if you have any questions.  And while you wait, stay in the loop by joining our  FB group . Share this post with your friends, please! :-D

Paperless Bulletin:  August 1, 2021 Scripture   Reading :  Amos 9 Sermon   Preview :  "A Sieve" Online Invitation to Worship :   Youtube  or  Facebook Hymns & Music :  Music Spotlight Liturgy Explanations :  "Why do we worship this way?" Give   to the Church :   Make an Offering Get Involved:  Events This Week The Pink Sheet :  Prayer Requests & Praises

Sunday, August 1 9:00 a.m.   Friendship & Brotherhood S.S. Class (3rd floor of Education Wing) Men's Brotherhood S.S. Class 10:00 a.m.  Morning Worship & Communion Children's Church & Sunday School (after Scripture reading; nursery available) PreK-4 in Chapel 5th-8th Grade in Parlor Tuesday, August 3 5:00 p.m.  Yoga (in Fellowship Hall) Wednesday, August 4 10:00 a.m.  Bible Study with Pastor Greg In-person (in the Library) Or on  Zoom Meeting ID: 231 246 359 Password: 007472   7:00 p.m.  Biblical History Class with Pastor Greg Please register in advance on  Eventbrite Join on  Zoom   Meeting ID: 945 1988 3554 Passcode: 148088 Thursday, August 5 8:30 a.m.   Yoga (in Fellowship Hall)

Many thanks to all involved in the Haiti Conference on July 23-24! (Special thanks to Ann Waddle for organizing the volunteers.) The pictures below show partners from Clarksville, Jacksonville, and Atlanta convening to discuss the under-construction middle school in LaGonave.  We had 50 participants (including 12 virtual) from 16+ churches! These were families in Haiti, getting state test scores from the schools-at the same time we were meeting to discuss the wonderful results!

A huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers, parents, and kiddos who participated in Vacation Bible School! Special thanks to Dianne York for organizing the camp.  Our "Knights of North Castle" went on a triumphant quest for the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). Check out these action shots from the week -- smiles all around!

HYMNS #41 "O Worship the King, All Glorious Above!" (LYONS)   Composer Sir Robert Grant was born and died in India—a country that by this time had long played a major role in the British Empire....Though it was first published in England, the tune has been more popular in North American than there...  READ MORE #74 "When God Restored Our Common Life" (RESIGNATION)  The text was written by Ruth C. Duck (b. 1947–) and published in 1992. Robin Knowles Wallace (Prof. at Methodist Theological School in Ohio) comments, “[Duck's] hymn texts and worship resources call for a world that looks more like God’s vision for the world, with flourishing nature, especially birds, and flourishing human relationships based on justice, mercy, and love.” You may recognize the tune with the words "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need," which first appeared in the Southern Harmony collection.  A significant source of the shape-note tunes found in today’s hymnals is Walker’s The So...

Our heartfelt condolences to Thomas, Sean, Brian, and the family and friends of  Karen Goggin , who passed away in a tragic, multi-vehicle automobile accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina. We also offer our prayers for the families of two others who died in the same accident, and for all those who were injured.  Cards of condolence may be sent to Tom Goggin, whose address can be found in Realm or can be provided through the church office at 931-645-6551. Howard and Dotti Cross, at the passing of Howard's son,  Robert Dennis Cross , from heart surgery complications in West Virginia. Roxanne   Lueck and Bob and family upon the death of Roxanne's father. Dan Aiken , his wife Karen, daughter Christina, and son-in-law Jeff as they mourn the passing of Dan's brother,  Gary , from complications of MS. Please be in prayer this week for Bessie Costanza , as she recovers from a recent surgery. (The church office can provide a mailing address...

LEARNING CENTER 📚 Tutoring is offered in all academic areas. Contact the office at reports.alc@gmail.com or 931-648-2665 to schedule. Space and times are limited. 📓FPC Learning Center offers a Learning Mentor program for CMCSS students. For more information click here .    📋Registration for the FPC-LC 2021-2022 Academic Year is ongoing and a few spaces are still available. Request a meeting to register with FPC Learning Center by calling 931-648-2665 or emailing reports.alc@gmail.com . You may also schedule an information meeting and a tour of the classrooms. For more information about FPC Learning Center see our brochure here . 

We are excited to present a series of fun Worship Concerts at  the  Downtown Commons ! Hang out at the  next concert, provided by   Grace Community Church  on August 25 , starting at 6:00 p.m.   Community of Hope, First Nazarene  will lead the following concert o n September 22.  Everyone is invited to come early and bring family, friends and their own chairs and blankets (but please leave pets at home!)  Call for more information at 931.245.3366 or email info@downtowncommons.org.

The   Expungement Event  will occur on  Saturday, August 14   at Loaves and Fishes . We began this program several years ago, pausing last year due to COVID. This year, local attorneys as well as students from Belmont and Nashville School of  Law  will be on hand to assist people who want to clean up their record. Local judges will also be available to sign paperwork that day.  VOLUNTEER (click here)  to welcome clients and guide them through the process, from attorney to judge!

 Sermon Series:  Responding to the Divine Invitation The Bible contains a set of personal invitations from God to us to live a full, abundant, free life -- to enter into life eternal.  All we need to do is respond!  The primary invitation is to enter into relationship with God, our Creator.  All of these biblical invitations reach their fulfillment in the personal invitation to a life-giving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  In the gospels Jesus invites those who want that life-giving relationship to respond to his invitation and call.  Join us in August for a new series of sermons to help us R.S.V.P. to those invitations. August 8      Psalm 66:1-20 & John 1:35-51      Come and See August 15    Isaiah 28:9-13 & Matthew 11:25-30    Come and Rest August 22      Matthew 19:16-22 & John 12:20-26      Come and Follow August 29  ...

In the month of August, please join the Congregational Care Committee in sending cards of kindness to our following members: Jay and Diane Bowland  and  Don and Marita Beck Sign into Realm to get their mailing addresses, or call the church office at  (931) 645-6551!

A Basket of Summer Fruit  Amos 8:2-3  ...“Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass them by.  The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day,” says the Lord God; “the dead bodies shall be many, cast out in every place. Be silent!” Once again, what seems at first to be a scene of prosperity and plenty, a sign of progress and the conclusion of a successful harvest, is overshadowed by the oppression of the poor and economic injustice.  With Amos's southern drawl the Hebrew word for "a basket of ripe fruit" (probably figs) and "the end" or a "cutting off" sound the same.  You may think all is well, Amos warns, because the economic engine is still spinning, but the grim reaper's scythe is there in the harvest photo.  This week's oracles come as a warning to those who cannot slow down, who are obsessed with work and with the al...

Our heartfelt condolences to Thomas, Sean, Brian, and the family and friends of  Karen Goggin , who passed away in a tragic, multi-vehicle automobile accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina. We also offer our prayers for the families of two others who died in the same accident, and for all those who were injured. Howard and Dotti Cross, at the passing of Howard's son,  Robert Dennis Cross , from heart surgery complications in West Virginia. Roxanne and Bob Lueck and family upon the death of Roxanne's father. Dan Aiken, his wife Karen, daughter Christina, and son-in-law Jeff as they mourn the passing of Dan's brother,  Gary , from complications of MS. Please be in prayer this week for Bessie Costanza , as she recovers from a recent surgery. (The church office can provide a mailing address if you would like to send cards of encouragement.) Continue to pray for Florence Bailey, Don and Marita Beck, Jay and Diane Bowland, Sara Br...

HYMNS #840 "It Is Well With My Soul" (VILLE DU HAVRE) "When peace, like a river, attendeth my way..."   With this hymn comes one of the most heartrending stories in the annals of hymnody. The author, an active Presbyterian layman who had just lost four daughters in a tragic shipwreck, wrote it while sailing to Paris to meet his wife, who had survived. The tune was named for the ship that sank... READ MORE #345 "In An Age of Twisted Values" (CHURCH UNITED) One of the ways Christians can show firm allegiance to the country where they live and express care for its well-being is to ensure that they are mindful of the broad range of human needs within that society. This hymn is a strong reminder of the values that need such attention... READ MORE #542 "God Be with You Till We Meet Again" (GOD BE WITH YOU) After writing the first stanza of his "Christian Good-bye," the author sent it to two composers, one celebrated and one unknown, to see ho...