First Presbyterian Church News (Clarksville, TN)

The Green Team will meet online on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 5:00 pm. We are looking forward to planning and hearing from TN Interfaith Power & Light representatives Josh Richardson and Dan Joranko. Let Hannah Cruse know if you'd like to attend.

Empty Bowls benefits Loaves and Fishes, Mana Cafe, and Urban Ministries.  The next Empty Bowls event will be on Tuesday, February 20 from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. The meal will include soup, bread, drinks, dessert, and a hand painted bowl. You get to pick out your bowl! Tickets for $15 are available at the church office or after Sunday worship in the vestibule. You can also purchase them online at  emptybowlsclarksville.com .

At our Session meetings each month, different committees report to the Session about what they accomplished the previous year and some goals for the upcoming year. We also share our areas of greatest need. Each month, we are going to highlight those committees so that the congregation will know what our committees are up to!  Congregational Care Committee Accomplishments: presenting prayer books for newly baptized babies ordering a rose in the sanctuary for newborn babies providing meals or food gift cards for members who are sick or in need sending cards and Starbuck’s gift cards to our college students sending an inspirational Christian book to our recent college and high school graduates sending notes and cards to the sick and those in need of sympathy sending cards to those with joyful occasions and visiting members in assisted care Our greatest need:  We always welcome new members! People who like to cook meals for others People who would like to visit our sick or homebound

La Gonavans must make a life-or-death journey to the mainland of Haiti to procure what their island cannot produce. They face unsafe boats, robbers, and kidnappers along the way. Though resilient and independent, they are suffering due to rising dangers and inflation. Please hold the people of La Gonave in your heart and mind. We are partners with them through joy and pain. Visit www.lagonavepartners.org for more information. 

Dwell Ministries young adults are invited to box up meals after Second Sunday Lunch on Feb. 11 and hand them out to the hungry at the Downtown Commons. Plan to stay until 12:30 or 1:00 pm. This is a great opportunity to reduce food waste and help those in need.

The Green Team is about to ramp up for spring and summer 2024. We will be working on the Teaching Garden across the street from Fellowship Hall and potentially other projects. If you would like to come to our planning meetings or service days, please contact Hannah Cruse or Ann Waddle.

We are looking for ambassadors to represent FPC at Art Walk--an ArtsConnect event every first Thursday from 5 to 8 pm in the Chapel. We will work with your schedule. All that is required is a friendly face and willingness to interact with visitors. Contact Kris Foust if interested; thank you!

Shower Love provides haircuts, toiletries, showers, etc. to the unhoused of Clarksville each month at Loaves and Fishes. If you would like to donate or volunteer on January 22 from 9 to 11 am, please contact Margaret Adames or the church office.

Habitat's ReStore ( 404 Madison St. ) is taking donations of household goods, furniture, tools, and building supplies for families who lost their homes in the tornado. They are also looking for new mattresses. If you have any resources, please let them or Ann Waddle know.

  Empty Bowls Painting After Second Sunday Lunch Plan to stay and Paint a bowl or two at the Second Sunday Lunch on January 14!  We still need 25 more bowls to complete our needs for our Empty Bowls fundraiser happening at the end of February.  Thanks to the generosity of Morgan Construction the bowls are paid for; they just need to be painted. Eat lunch and then channel your inner Picasso and paint a bowl or two!  Empty Bowls raises awareness about hunger in the community and supports local agencies addressing food insecurity.

On December 24, we will collect the Christmas Joy Offering. When you give to the Christmas Joy Offering, you share your love with the leaders of our Church – past, present, and future – who point us to God. Your gifts provide assistance for current and retired church workers and their families with critical financial needs and provide support to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color.

Our community is in great need as they heal and rebuild after the tornado that struck this past weekend. Along with prayers, please consider offering donations to the Irene Center for Hope, which will use the funds to provide shelter and necessities to those in need. At the link below, use the "Donations" pull down option under "Fund" and add "Tornado" as the note in the memo line. https://www.fpcclarksville.org/give We can use volunteers to help with clerical work as we process tornado relief paperwork. We are working 10-2 at the church now during tornado relief. 99% is virtual, but we have to print, document, and create files.

This month, Agriculture Program Coordinator Jean Thony Joseph and his Veterinary Agent, Frantz Toussaint will travel to the mainland to procure new goats for the Goat Program. This program service nine rural partner communities. Upon enrollment, widows, widowers, and school children receive training, a pregnant goat to raise, and ongoing support. Pictured above is a mobile veterinary clinic. Jean Thony and Frantz visit remote communities to check on program goats and other livestock. These clinics provide education, medications, wound care, and vaccinations.

Join us Saturday, December 16 at 10am in the Fellowship Hall to assemble food boxes. The whole family, including children, can join in this mission project for our neighbors. After packing the boxes, we will deliver them to some seniors from the Crisis Call Center and families from Liberty Elementary School. Please let Sara Little know if you are able to deliver any extra boxes in addition to the ones you packed. This year, we will be providing 60 boxes total. If you would like to contribute additional food, please bring your donations to the Fellowship Hall by December 15. We need: peanut butter, tuna, pasta, canned fruits and vegetables. You may also give monetary donations for food. Thank you!

Seasons Adult Day Care  has a wish list! If you would like to help them out, please bring any of the following items to 215 Foster St. Monday-Thursday 9am-2pm or drop them at the church office during office hours. Seasons is thankful for their FPC family!  Dish detergent Laundry detergent Bottled water Gift cards to Sanctuary on Main, restaurants, grocery stores Seasonal decor Treats - we love to party! 

In realizing that the holidays can be difficult for some, the church is once again providing literature that we hope will help guide you through the season. We have subjects ranging from grieving during the holidays to holiday depression. These pieces of literature are located on the table outside the church office. Feel free to take what you need free of charge. Please reach out to us if you need support. 

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 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.

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!