First Presbyterian Church News (Clarksville, TN)

Seasons' Adult Day Care is currently searching for a worker for Monday-Thursday, 9:00-2:00. If you are interested, please contact Ann Waddle. 

Children are invited to Faith Focus with their families each Wednesday! Dinner starts at 5:00 pm in Fellowship Hall. Then activities for children and youth follow on the fourth floor.  5:00 Dinner 5:30-6:00 PreK-2 Music and Movement                  3rd-5th/MS and HS Group Games 6:00-6:30   PreK-2 Group Games 3rd-5th Music and Movement MS/HS Guided Reflection/Bible Study

Join us for Open Studio at Makers' Corner (215 Foster St.) on 2nd and 4th Saturdays. This is a time set aside for people to work on art projects begun in classes or at home. Bring any project you are working on--knitting, painting, etc.--and work in fellowship with others!

Join us for a congregational lunch in Fellowship Hall after worship on Sunday, September 10! The menu is Italian-themed this month. No charge - all are welcome. 

Our Kickoff last week was amazing! Join us this Wednesday at 5:00 in Fellowship Hall for the next program, including complimentary dinner, Rhonda presenting on "God and Our Evolving Work", children's activities, discussion, testimony, and a "Practicing Our Faith Exercise" for your week. Hear about Rhonda's past as a microbiologist, mom, and now lay pastor and how God is with us as our callings change over time. 

Choose from among you those who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom… (Acts 6:3) Our church has a talented, intelligent, creative, dedicated group of leaders. I have been deeply gratified and humbled by the opportunity to serve alongside the  elders , committee chairs, and staff who serve our congregation. As we continue to meet the challenges of this era in our history, we continue to need strong leaders to step forward to serve.  The Elder Nominating Committee will begin meeting in early September to choose 5 persons to  nominate  to the congregation for election as Ruling  Elders  at our Annual Congregational Meeting on October 29. The  nominations  include 4  elders  for a three-year term, and 1 youth  elder  for a one-year term.  Our Elder Nominating  Committee for 2023-2024 will be chaired by Elder Hershel Basham (Session, Class of 2023). Members of the committee also include Elder Todd Harvey (Session, Class of 2024; Chair-elect for 2024-2025), James McNiel (Youth Elder), and

A special dinner, hosted by Charene Watson, will be held on Friday September 29, at 6:00pm to celebrate our new members! It is for new members, staff, and current Session members. Please RSVP by contacting Charene Watson or the church office.

Our Presbyterian Women Circles are starting up again soon!  During the school year (September - May), we have 2 circles to choose from, each meeting on the 2 nd  Tuesday of the month in the library.  The Martha Circle meets at 12:30, and the Night Circle meets at 7:00.  This year our study is called  Sacred Encounters:  The Power and Presence of Jesus Christ in Luke-Acts .  If you have questions or are interested in joining one of our groups, contact Rhonda Banasiak.

The Worship Committee is looking for anyone who may be interested in helping to prepare the Communion elements on the first Sundays of each month.  If we have enough people, the commitment would be only a few Sundays a year.  If you are interested, please contact Rhonda Banasiak.

Please join the Congregational Care Committee in sending cards of warm wishes this month to David Morgan and Lew Metts.

Handbell Choir will begin on September 6 at 6:30 PM in the Handbell Room on the 2nd floor. We will have practice from 6:30 to 7:15 each Wednesday evening. If you'd like to try handbells for the first time, connect with Carolyn Riggins. Prior musical training is not required! 

We're thankful for Paul and Nicholas Cox for hosting the Youth in Action Kickoff last Saturday night! A great time was had by all. Be on the lookout for the September youth newsletter for upcoming events.

Join us for some favorite tunes and history during the upcoming "Give Me that Old Time Religion" sermon series. Each week, we will explore a different hymn that was written in the 1800’s and how it connects to us today. After all, the 1800’s was just the start of our church’s story! Learn the stories about each of these hymns and the themes that make each so beloved still today. 9/10:  “Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine!” 9/17:  “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” 9/24:  “Just as I Am, without One Plea” 10/8:  “When Peace like a River (It Is Well with My Soul)” 10/15:  “Shall We Gather at the River” 10/22:  “I Love to Tell the Story”

Please consider supporting the Loaves and Fishes fundraiser at Applebee's on Tuesday, September 12. 50% of all sales from the special menu during the 11 am to 11 pm window will be donated to Loaves and Fishes. Dine-in, to-go, and online orders are included. 

The Hospitality Committee intends to create a cozy welcome area right under the bulletin board when you walk in through the church office door. It will feature  coffee, flyers, and information about the church. Hopefully this will provide a nice space for visitors, parents with little ones, or anyone passing through the hallway to sit, relax, and learn more about FPC.   We need an aesthetically pleasing, long table, such as the one pictured below. If you have something similar to this that you would like to donate, please reach out to Dianne York. We appreciate it! 

Youth-in-Action Contact: Emily Vaughn Students in grades 4-12 are invited to participate in youth group activities. Our youth group focuses on serving our church and community, deepening personal faith, and engaging in fellowship opportunities to build and strengthen relationships with one another and Christ. Meeting schedules are posted in the weekly bulletin and newsletters.

Children's Sunday School Contact: Emily Vaughn or Brandi Goodwin Beginning in September, we will form two classes for Sunday School during the church hour, following the Children’s Moment.  The children will participate in a 20-minute lesson based on the liturgy read during the service. Lessons will include opportunities for children to learn about the Bible and apply their learning through hands-on activities and cooperative play. These classes will typically be structured in the following groups but could change based on attendance and the needs of the children. Developing Faith Class: Pre K - Second Grade  Strengthening Faith Class: Third - Sixth Grade  Confirming Faith Class: T his class will meet when there are children entering their Confirmation year and will be determined yearly based on children choosing to be confirmed.

FuelKids' Vision: To end child hunger in our community. FUEL is a local mission which provides food to school children who might not otherwise have much to eat over the weekends. We bag this food and then Liberty Elementary School discreetly puts it in each child's backpack on Fridays.  Our children and youth will be helping to bag up the food items this year. If you would like to support this wonderful mission, you may include FUEL on the memo of your donation. Give Here.  You may also provide food items. Just remember that these are going to small children who may not have adult support or kitchen resources. All items need to be wrapped as individual servings and openable without a tool (like a can opener, scissors, etc.). Assume the food will not be refrigerated or heated. Nutrition is also key, so focus on protein, fruit, and whole grains. FUEL donation examples: Milk in boxes (similar to juice boxes but with shelf stable milk) Carnation Instant Breakfast Drinks (liquid) P

First Presbyterian Church DOES have talent! You're going to witness some of the amazing things our members can do at FPC's Got Talent on Sunday evening, September 24 from 6 to 8 pm. Come to the Fellowship Hall with a minimum donation of $5 per person 8 yrs old and up. Popcorn, desserts, tea, lemonade, and coffee will be provided. If YOU would like to showcase your talent (or just have questions about the event), contact Carolyn Riggins no later than  September 3 at 8 pm. Music, dance, skits, and other entertaining skills are perfect candidates for the performance.  NO NURSERY available. 

Makers' Corner plans to host a K nitting  Circle on Saturday, August 26 from 2-4 pm. This will be free and open to any  knitters  (or folks who embroider or crochet, etc.) We hope to do this regularly and will be able to decide those details after the first meeting. Join us for a few peaceful hours of knitting, background music, and conversation!

Love to sing in the shower, hum while washing dishes, belt your favorite song in the car?  Give choir a try this fall!  Our first rehearsal is on Wednesday, August 30 at 7:15 in the choir room on the second floor. We will completely understand if you cannot attend every rehearsal or performance--just do what you can!  We believe that music-making is transformational. Musical participation expresses our love for God, affirms and teaches our beliefs, strengthens faithful relationships, exposes our strengths and growing edges in a safe space, and inspires discipleship beyond these church walls. All ages are welcome to join us in choir, bell choir, or come talk to our directors Hannah Cruse and Carolyn Riggins about contributing your artistic talents in other ways.

MINISTRIES Wednesday Night Faith Focus Contact: Hannah Cruse or Dianne York " Faith Focus ", funded by a Lilly Endowment grant through the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, aims to be a congregational boots-on-the-ground laboratory for connecting our worship and work. We will explore together what it means to put our faith into action. Come out on Wed, Aug. 30 from 5 to 6:30 pm in Fellowship Hall for dinner, a presentation from the Steering Committee, group discussion, and a "Practicing Our Faith" send-off exercise! Music Ministries Contact: Hannah Cruse or Carolyn Riggins We believe that music-making is transformational. Musical participation expresses our love for God, affirms and teaches our beliefs, strengthens faithful relationships, exposes our strengths and growing edges in a safe space, and inspires discipleship beyond these church walls. All ages are welcome to join us in choir, bell choir , or come talk to our director about contributing your artistic

Attend ArtsConnect on Thursday, September 28 at 6:00 pm in the FPC Chapel to watch the provocative documentary about a frequently banned author, then join our discussion about books, taboos, and book bans. Judy Blume Forever documents the life and legacy of trailblazing author Judy Blume. Known for her radical honesty, Judy Blume’s books revolutionized the way millions of readers understood themselves, their adolescence, and their sexuality. Her fearless mission to openly discuss taboo subjects paved the way to real debate and conversation around book banning, censorship, and teen sexual discovery. Trailer: