First Presbyterian Church News (Clarksville, TN)

Art Walk on December 7 will feature art by Seasons' Adult Day Care! Come by and visit with our talented crew. Items will be for sale, and we will be taking orders for Christmas gift tags as well as greeting cards.

Join us for a service of  Lessons and Carols  on  Sunday, Dec. 10 at 4:00 .  Dinner  will follow in the fellowship hall!  Meats, dressing, rolls and drinks will be provided by the church. We ask the congregation bring side dishes that can serve 10-12.  If your last name begins with  A-L , please bring a  dessert . M-Q , please bring a  salad . R-Z , please bring a  vegetable dish . Bring all dishes pre-cut  so that our servers don't have to do extra prep work. Put your name on every   item you bring because folks frequently have identical bake ware, etc. Thank you, and we look forward to this delicious meal! 

Take note of the new parking policy!  The Irene Center, through Metropolis, will start collecting parking fees after the New Year. Parking is FREE on Sunday mornings. You will need to setup a Metropolis account on your phone for free parking at other times. When you attend a meeting, Bible Study, choir practice, or just stop by for a while, please scan the QR code in the parking lot. Then before you leave, scan the QR code in the office. If you have trouble with QR codes in general or can’t get it set up, please reach out to Ann Waddle or the church office.

Both the Learning Center and Preschool will have Christmas Spirit Week on Dec. 11 through 14! Join the Preschool for Open House on the 13th at 11 am.  We will have Christmas caroling in the sanctuary along with delicious treats, artwork, and a Book Fair.  The  Scholastic Book Fair  will take place between Dec. 10 through 13. The last day of classes for the Learning Center and the Preschool is December 14th.  The last day is a half-day for the Learning Center. Preschool will not have "extended day" (12:00-2:00) on the 13th or 14th. 

FPC has established an Education Fund for the purpose of promoting, encouraging, and supporting our education programs at the church. We serve children from age one in our Preschool to K-12 in our Learning Center and young adults in our Seasons program. Donations to the Education Fund will help us grow this ministry of the church and will enable us to assist families in financial need with scholarships from time to time. (Please put the word "Education" on the memo line of your check or in the gift memo field online.) https://fpcclarksville.org/give Thank you! 

The Annual Children's Christmas Pageant is coming up on December 10th during the 10:00am service. The Sunday School classes will practice during worship on Dec. 3 and then warmup on Dec. 10 at 9:30 in the Chapel. Contact Emily Vaughn with any questions. 

The FPC Youth will be shopping for local children from Liberty Elementary and Moore Elementary on Dec. 10 after worship. Members of the congregation can give donations for shopping directly to Emily Vaughn or Paul Cox.

It’s time for the Candy Cane Olympics! The FPC Youth are excited to invite our Pre-K and Elementary students to this fun event on December 10th from 3:30-5:30 pm at the AOC. It will take place during Lessons and Carols, followed by dinner with everyone in Fellowship Hall. Contact Emily Vaughn with any questions. 

Join us on December 13th from 5 to 6:30 pm for a multigenerational Christmas play and dinner during our Faith Focus Wednesday night event. No prior experience or practice needed. Show up, get a part and dress the role to share the Christmas story in a new and fun filled way.

Seasons' Adult Day Care is sorry to say goodbye to Andrea! She will be teaching in CMCSS. So we are hiring an assistant for Mon-Thurs 9-2:30. Be ready for fun; we go for coffee almost daily, visit shops and the museum, and do lots of cooking! Contact Ann Waddle if interested. 

Shower Love will be on Monday, Dec. 18th, 9:00-11:00 am. Because Austin’s Beauty School is on Christmas Break, we are looking for volunteer hairdressers. Please have them contact Margaret Adames or the church office if interested. Thanks! 

  With the holidays fast approaching, we are aware that these next several weeks can be difficult for some individuals and families.  Blue is a reminder that some people experience heartache and pain, even at Christmas.  The Christmas season can be a time of deep sadness and loneliness for those who feel cut off from the feeling of joy and happiness typically associated with the holidays. This feeling of loss may result from the death of a loved  one, divorce, illness, job loss, or any of a number of other reasons.  During our "Blue Christmas" service on December 17 ,  we will offer anointing with the sign of the cross and prayers for healing and wholeness.  For each person who comes forward--either on their own account or to request prayer for someone else--we will offer prayers for a joy that surpasses all understanding, a source of comfort that is substantial enough to sustain us during the most difficult times of life. 

You are invited to join FPC in our worship services and events during the Christmas 2023 season!  Sunday, Dec. 3, 10 am - First Sunday of Advent Sunday, Dec. 10, 10 am - Children's Christmas Pageant during Worship Sunday, Dec. 10, 4 pm - Service of Lessons and Carols with Dinner afterwards Wednesday, Dec. 13, 5 pm - Multigenerational Christmas Play with Dinner in Fellowship Hall Sunday, Dec. 17, 10 am - Blue Christmas Service Sunday, Dec. 24, 10 am - Worship Sunday, Dec. 24, 6 pm - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 

Sermon Series: "Immanuel" Advent is about waiting, and we find it very hard to wait. But Advent is also about preparation while we wait. Beyond the busyness of Christmas preparation, the most important preparation is the preparation for God's presence that goes on in our hearts. As Tish Harrison Warren reminds us, "Throughout its history, the church has observed Advent as a preparation not only for the first coming of Christ in his incarnation but also for his second coming at the last day. It's also about a third coming: the coming of Christ to meet us in our present moment, to make us holy by his Word and Sacrament." For Advent 2023, FPC is exploring all the "tenses" of Advent preparation, recognizing that God has been present with us in our past, that God is present with us now, and that God will be present with us in the future. Most of all, this year we will approach Advent as a prayer for God's promised presence:  "God....be with us.

Memorial Poinsettias  will once again be used to decorate the sanctuary for the Christmas season. If you are interested in having a poinsettia in honor of a loved one, we ask that you donate any amount to "Memorial Gifts" on our giving page   and let the church know your loved one’s name by emailing  fpcclarksville@gmail.com  or calling 931-645-6551  before noon on   December 13 .   Names of those in memoriam or in honor of along with donors will be listed in the  December 17 & 24  bulletins.  

Artists, crafters, and friends... you are invited to hang out at Open Studio, located at 215 Foster St (Makers' Corner), this Saturday from 2 to 4 pm. Bring any artistic project you're working on and enjoy good company and snacks.

This class will introduce participants to the creative technique of adding hand applied color to black and white digital photographs. Using a variety of media, participants will create one-of-a-kind images that transform into personal expressions. This workshop will be both for returning students who took the HC Workshop with me on 9/9 AND new students who are new to this process. REGISTER HERE Retired APSU art professor Susan Bryant will introduce participants to the creative possibilities available with the combination black and white photographs with hand-applied color. Using a variety of color media, participants will create one-of-a-kind images that transform the prints into personal expressions! All levels of experience are welcome. Supplies will be provided (the coloring material; pan pastels and PrismaColor pencils) but you may bring your own pencils (PrismaColor recommended). They come in packs of 24 up to 132 and are available at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Dick Blick, and Amazon

On Nov. 15 at Faith Focus, Pastor Greg will lead a conversation with past Confirmands and Confirmation Class teachers about how their faith has evolved, when they feel most thankful, and their top tips for living gratefully. Don't miss this chance to soak up collective wisdom from our church members. Dinner is at 5 with the presentation and discussion around 5:45 in Fellowship Hall.

Faith and Fellowship will meet on Sunday, Dec. 3 from 2 to 4 pm at the home of Lynda and Hershel Basham. Please contact Lynda if you are interested in attending the evening's meal and Bible study. The series for this year is "What Inspires Us?" December's topic will be "People Who Inspire Us: Christmas." The next meeting will be on January 28, 2024.

Join us for a Service of  Lessons and Carols , where we watch and wait for the birth of Christ, on  Sunday, December 10 at 4:00 p.m. The prelude, played by our Bell Choir, will begin about 10 minutes early. Look forward to choral anthems and hymns with harp, flute, and cello! Dinner will follow at 5:30 or right after the service in Fellowship Hall. 

Youth are invited to a Bonfire Party from 3:30 to 6:00 pm on November 12 at the home of Charlie and Kris Foust! RSVP with Emily Vaughn.

Help the Worship Committee on Tuesday, November 28 decorate the church for the Advent and Christmas season! We will be decorating outside at 2 pm and inside at 5:30 pm. If it is raining, the alternative outside time is Thursday, November 30 at 2pm. We will have a fun time making the church look beautiful. Hope you can join us! 

On Wednesday Nov. 8, Roger Khan and Dr. Shabeer Abubucker will share about their Islamic faith and embracing other cultures. You won't want to miss their fascinating insight about religious and cultural tolerance in Islam, shaping our bias, prejudice, and assumptions, as well as how external influences shape our perspectives. Come to dinner at 5 pm and stay for the presentation & discussion from 5:45 to 6:30.  Roger Khan is first and foremost a Servant of God. He recently turned 48 years old and has a renewed focus in the last half of his life on Faith, Family and Community. Roger is a husband of 20 years to wife Sarika and father of 3 children ages 4 to 8. In addition to owning and running Smokin' Chicken in Clarksville, Roger is a faith leader within the local Muslim community as well as current President of the Islamic Center of Clarksville and Director/Principal of the Islamic Sunday School.

You are invited to the home of Raena and Blake Tindle on Nov. 19 from 4:30 to 7 pm for Friendsgiving, with potluck dinner and games! RSVP to Hannah Cruse no later than Nov. 15 so we will know how many tables to set up/how much food to bring and can send you parking instructions. Limited space available. Celebrate the holidays with your friends from FPC!