Dear Friends, Each time I record a Sunday worship service or a Tuesday or Thursday devotional,

I picture you. I know where many of you sit in church, so I see you there, next to those who ordinarily sit beside you in the pew or in the choir. How I look forward to being able to see you again in worship in person! That day will come, but is not here yet.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (RSV, 12:12). These words are good counsel for us as we continue to show our love for one another by staying physically apart.

On April 23rd, the Presbytery of New Covenant signed on to a letter with other area Christian denominations stating that in-person gatherings for worship should not take place at least through the end of May. The letter also states that deciding when to resume in-person worship will be evaluated based on information about the rate of new [Covid-19] cases and the availability of testing.

This is not what we wish but it is the wise, responsible, and loving course to take. Staying home (as much as possible) and staying well is the best way we can show our love for our family members, fellow church members, and all our fellow children of God. On an April 23rd call with government and health leaders, we faith leaders heard from Harris County health officials that the virus numbers in Harris County are continuing to escalate. This is disturbing news. At the same time, residents of Harris County (and other nearby counties that make up our metropolitan area) are to be commended on our adherence to the stay home mandate. The coronavirus has not spread among us as rapidly as it has in other major metropolitan areas, saving lives, lowering its impact on each of us, and not overwhelming our health system. This is testimony to the good job that we have done of social distancing. As hard as it is, health officers caution that it is too soon to re-open.

During this unprecedented time, we are blessed to have technology that allows us to worship virtually and stay in touch and hear one another’s voices. It is not the same, but God is present with us no matter where we are and God's love continues to bind us to one another. As the Apostle Paul says, we need to bear this tribulation with patience, knowing that our sacrifices today will lead to our remaining healthy and able to gather to celebrate God's goodness in the future. My deepest prayer is that all of us - and all those whom we love - will escape the ravages of this highly contagious virus. A childhood friend of mine died from the disease last week. Someone posted on Facebook, “Beverly's death should show us that this virus can hit anyone.”

All of us are dealing with the hardships of this period differently. I invite you to write something – you may think of it as a devotional - of approximately three hundred words to share with the congregation. Let us know how you are dealing with the stress of the pandemic and the strain of our having to be apart from one another. If there is a scripture that has been particularly helpful to you, please include it. If there is a special prayer or ritual (as simple as a daily walk in the neighborhood or a regular time to call a friend or family member) that you have used, please share that with us. Please mail or

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At FirstFirst Presbyterian Church of Pasadena, Texas May 2020

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1 Letter from Rev. Fair 2 Staff Contacts

Services OnlineNat’l Day of PrayerPledge Update

3 PCM NeedsAmazon Smile

4 Brunch & Book GroupLibrary NewsDevotional Entries

5 Garden UpdateChurch OfficersMission StatementMow TeamsECP New SignMay Birthdays

6 Intercessory PrayersHealth Concerns

Celebrations

Military Concerns

While all church and school

activities are suspended due to Covid-19,

view SUNDAY WORSHIP

and TUESDAY/THURSDAY

DEVOTIONALS at

fpcpasadena.org

God be with you till we meet again.

First Presbyterian Church 4647 Preston Avenue

Pasadena, Texas 77505

STAFF:

Rev. Dr. Fairfax Fair Pastor 734-548-5333 revfair@fpcpasadena.org

Rev. Patrick Abrams Parish Associate

Barbara Davis Office Manager Notary Public 713-443-5529 office@fpcpasadena.org

Kimberly Waggett Financial Secretary Notary Public 713-828-0153 kimberly@fpcpasadena.org

Amanda Baker Office Assistant 832-262-7443 office2@fpcpasadena.org

Carrie Reed Early Childhood Program Director carrie@fpcpasadena.org

Marilyn Wilkins Music Director mwilk15@sbcglobal.net

Ron Ollis Organist william.ollis@sjcd.edu

Jamie Taylor Handbell Director jamielt31995@gmail.com

Maria Morales Custodian

HOW TO REACH US: Office Hours: 9:00 - 4:00 pm Monday - Thursday Closed Friday

Phone: 281-991-8700 Fax 281-991-9886

www.fpcpasadena.org

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Sunday Services and Devotionals OnlineFollowing CDC guidelines and PC(USA) recommendations, Worship,

Early Childhood Program, gatherings, and other activities are suspended at First Presbyterian Church until further notice.

We may not be able to meet in person, but we may still worship together virtually. If you have a smart phone or computer, go to:

www.fpcpasadena.org/virtual-worship-and-devotionals/on Sundays to hear an abbreviated Worship Service and on Tuesdays and Thursdays to hear devotionals.

For those of you without an email on church record, a copy of the Sunday sermon and bulletin will be mailed to your home. Please contact Barbara at 713-443-5529 with address changes.

National Day of PrayerMay 7, 2020, Thursday

Just as we placed our Easter flowers on the cross erected at the front of the church, we will bring our prayers on or before May 7, the National Day of Prayer. Two ways to leave your prayer:

Write the name or prayer on a ribbon with a ballpoint pen and tie it to the cross. Write the name or prayer on paper, place in small plastic bag, tie on with a twist-tie.

All without congregating - Stay safe and well

Giving to the Church - The church’s bills and commitments continue. Please keep current on your pledges and giving to the church. You may mail checks to the church office, drop them in the secure mailbox at the church, or contribute online, at our website, using PayPal. Through the efforts of Office Assistant, Amanda Baker, members can now use PayPal without paying any fees.

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email (office@fpcpasadena.org) your writings to the office. If you have done drawings or other art that can be photographed and included, please send that, too. If you have children at home, please encourage them to participate. We will collate everything for distribution to the congregation. Together even when we are physically apart, we love and support one another.

Know you are all in my prayers. Please reach out by phone or email if you or someone else you know of has a pastoral need. And keep the faith. We will get through this, for God is with us every step along the way.

Peace and prayers,

The Rev. Dr. Fairfax F. Fair, pastor

FPC Staff is working and available.

Contacts listed below:

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Pasadena Community Ministries Needs Our Help! With the high unemployment rate, the demand for food is greater than ever. At the April stated Session meeting, held by conference call, the Session approved an appeal to the membership for monetary donations to PCM. Mail or drop a check in the secure mailbox at church with the designation PCM. Cash donations allow PCM to purchase items in short supply. Another option is that if you have non-perishable food or paper goods to donate, Zion Lutheran Church at 5050 E. Sam Houston Pkwy. S is hosting a community wide food drive to benefit PCM this Saturday, April 25th, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Zion Lutheran is located between Crenshaw and Preston on the southbound frontage road of the Beltway. You can drive through to drop off your donations.

Any donation, large or small, will help those in need during the coronavirus outbreak.

Shopping from home these days? Have we got a deal for you! Shop at AmazonSmile and earn money for the church.

AmazonSmile at smile.amazon.com has a charitable donation option and First Presbyterian Church of Pasadena is on their list! This is thanks to Amanda Baker (Office Assistant) who worked to obtain this non-profit status for our church on Amazon!How it works - from Amazon:

“Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice - First Presbyterian Church of PasadenaAmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com"

Using your same Amazon account information - ! Go to smile.amazon.com, choose one of the following options

1. Automatically signs in to your Amazon account if your information is saved on your computer2. Enter your same Amazon username and password3. Create an Amazon account

! Under the Amazon Search Bar (at the top), see Supporting:! Click on Supporting: enter First Presbyterian Church of Pasadena

! Save as a bookmark for all of your future Amazon orders.

! This charitable option is only available on smile.amazon.com so don’t forget to save as a bookmark!

That is all there is to it! Now every time you make an eligible product purchase using smile.amazon.com a donation will be generated and sent to our church!

Share this information with Friends and Family members!Thank You and Happy Shopping

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Library News…

While the building has been closed, work has continued on the library. The catalog cards for books that were deselected have been removed from the metal card files. New books have been added to the collection that will be available for check out when the building reopens. These can be found on the metal cart in the back of the library. Some of the new to the library titles include:Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff – This was a runaway

New York Time's bestseller! Can a simple concept shift your entire world? Bob certainty thinks so. When it comes to loving your neighbors, instead of focusing on having the "right answers" or checking the "right boxes," what if you decide to simply do love? To shamelessly show love and grace to those around you—what would that look like? Not the kind of love that stops at thoughts and feelings, Bob's love takes action. Bob believes Love Does.

Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church by Rachel Held Evans - Like millions of her millennial peers, Rachel Held Evans didn't want to go to church anymore. The hypocrisy, the politics, the gargantuan building budgets, the scandals—church culture seemed so far removed from Jesus. Yet, despite her cynicism and misgivings, something kept drawing her back to Church. And so she set out on a journey to understand Church and to find her place in it.

Eternity Is Now in Session: A Radical Rediscovery of What Jesus Really Taught about Salvation, Eternity, and Getting to the Good Place by John Ortberg - Bestselling author John Ortberg dispels the myth that eternal life is something way out in outer space that we can only hope to experience after we die―and that being saved is merely about meeting the minimal entrance requirements for getting into heaven.

10 Minutes in the Word: Proverbs – Given by Maurice and Joyce Barclay - Embrace your time with the Lord, no matter how busy you are!10 Minutes in the Word: Proverbs offers tangible reminders of God’s wisdom and meaningful reflections in just 10 minutes. For the days when you need help discerning direction, 10 Minutes in the Word: Proverbs is the perfect way to engage with God.

FPC Brunch & Book Group News The FPC Brunch & Book Group is open to all youth and adults who love to read and share ideas with others.

We meet in the Fellowship Hall, from 10 am to noon.Our upcoming Saturday gatherings are temporarily suspended with hope to meet next as follows:

July 18, 2020 The Library Book

by Susan Orlean

August 15, 2020 Cemetery Road

by Greg Isles

June 20, 2020 The Giver of Stars

by Jojo Moyes

August 19, 2020 A Transcontinental Affair

by Jodi Daynard

Let us know how you are doing…Rev. Fair suggested in her opening letter (see pages 1 & 2), we are arranging a devotional of sorts to distribute to the congregation on how we are dealing with the hardships of this period. This devotional will include stories, poems, special prayers, scriptures, art/drawings, particular rituals, phone calls with family and friends, etc…Send your writings - of approximately three hundred words - by mail to church at 4647 Preston Ave, Pasadena, TX 77505; or email to office@fpcpasadena.org. As Fairfax said, “Together even when we are physically apart, we love and support one another.”

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New sign for the Early Childhood Program! Be sure to notice the new sign for ECP located on Preston. This sign has needed an update for many years and now with the help of many it has arrived! Carrie Reed (ECP Director) and Craig Wilkins (Artwin Graphics) designed the sign; Marilyn Wilkins (Music Director and owner of Artwin Graphics) made the sign; and Mark Corder, David Kirkpatrick, and Danny Slaven installed the sign. It takes a village - and we are thankful!

The building may be closed, but the garden is thriving. Thanks to our master gardener, Roy, and his team.

FPC Elders Class of 2020 Luis AlvarezBrett CoeJeanie FallsTom Hoffman

Class of 2021 Margaret BardinImelda CarrilloDonna GilchrestDanny Slaven

Class of 2022 Cindy BerridgeJames JacksonRoy KreitzJim Tinney

FPC Deacons Class of 2020 Faith AlvarezDonna CoeBrian DavisGeorge Yeargin

Class of 2021 Glenda KuceraPat McPhailKaren SchimnowskiAnn Wright

Class of 2022 Sandy BoriackRhonda HaskinsLeah PalmerCarol Parks

Mission Statement“Our mission is to live and share the good news of God’s love, grace, and mercy in Jesus Christ, to equip people for discipleship and service, and to work for social justice and peace.”

Birthdays

M a yMia Dickman JennyWren Berridge John Christopher Susan Robinson Joan Giber=ni Phil Hilson Emily McPhail Jamie Jamison Barry Webb Joannie King BreC Coe Jim Keith Dalton Burke Jennifer Guillory Cheryl Jones Mickey Wharry Mark Clemmons Kathy Eads Jimmy Gilchrest Steve Haskins

1 7 8 8 9

10 10 11 11 12 13 18 20 23 23 25 30 30 31 31

THANKS to our Mow Teams for keeping our church grounds well maintained and looking good! Mow teams are led by:

James Jackson, Dan Slaven,Mark Corder, & Marvin Clark.

First Presbyterian Church 4647 Preston Avenue Pasadena, TX 77505

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The Intercessory Prayer Group invites you to pray for the following members: Curtis & Cathy Shepherd; Dale & Lou Anne Sinor; Dan & Melba Slaven; Kevin Smith; Ben & Linda Spigener; Trixi & Jerry Spires; Benny Sprague; Brad & Carolyn Stratton; Tom Swan; Granville Sydnor; Liz Sydnor; James & Karen Taylor; Jamie Taylor; Joe Taylor; Jim & Phyllis Tinney; Carol Tompkins; Iliana, Alfredo & Chico Vela; Kimberly & Michael Waggett; Carrie Walker; Michael & Susan Wallace; Robbie, Sharon, Will, & Alyssa Wallace; Theresa Walmsley; Bruce Walters; Gayle Warzon; Barry & Joy Webb; Shaun & Ashley Webb & family; Bill & Jackie Welch; Mickey & Chére Wharry; JanetSue Whetzel; Marilyn Wilkins; Roger Williams

Our Thoughts and Prayers are with…Members known to have health concerns or who are currently or recently have been hospitalized: Louis McCaleb Jimmy Gilchrest Bill McPhail Luis Alvarez Donna Morrison Dave Askine Jane Christopher Everyone struggling with Covid-19 diagnosis or symptoms.Please inform the church office of any updates on members who are sick, in the hospital, or in any assisted care facility.Celebrations…pray for Danny & Melba Slaven - new granddaughter, Mary Margaret Lavinia Brown - new great-grandson, Jesse ThomasThose serving in or with the Military: Teresa Haltom Chris Haltom Blake Persons Jameson Pate Zachary Guillory Juvencio Bertrand