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First Presbyterian 1793 Toward a Church as Generous and Just as God’s Grace

Open Hearts ~ Open Minds ~ Open Doors

Matthew Brown Sunday

March 29 *******

Palm Sunday April 5

*** Youth Choir

sings ***

Youth Bake-Off *******

Maundy Thurs-day Tenebrae

Service April 9

******* Easter Family Movie Night

April 10 *******

Easter Sunday

April 12 ***

Easter Egg Hunt 9:30 a.m.

*** Worship with special music:

brass and tympani

10:30 a.m. *******

March 2020

Christianity is fundamentally a story about where we’re going: into the company of God’s grace, in the harmony of the restored creation, through the mercy of God’s incarnate love. Church means giving up the fantasy that we can find fulfillment and righteousness alone. It means doing things at inconvenient times with eccentric people in sometimes clumsy ways – because life is a team game, and on judgement day God will have nothing to say to us if we think we can come without others. – Samuel Wells, Church of England priest and theologian.

Father Sam Wells reminds us that the Christian journey is a team game, a community of diverse individuals moving forward together to make a difference by following Jesus. We can’t live our faith alone. In an era when we do our best to make things comfortable and convenient, Wells reminds us that we are called to do things at inconvenient times with “eccentric” people in clumsy ways.

The transformation of our church building has sometimes been a clumsy, disruptive, process that has caused inconvenience for many members and friends of FPC 1793. It has often been a messy, dirty, dusty process. Church leaders, members and staff along with architects, engineers, general contractors, our project superintendent, subcontractors (including carpenters, excavators, roofers, electricians, plumbers, drywallers, plasterers, painters, plumbers), inspectors and more have both created and lived through chaos together. Like Christianity, renovation has been a team game that no single person could have accomplished alone.

The Ash Wednesday Potluck Dinner and Communion Service was a team game on February 26. Some 60 people enjoyed a meaningful evening sharing food and conversation. Many worshipped with ashes on their foreheads as we celebrated the Lord’s Supper and began our Lenten journey toward Easter on April 12.

Lent is a time for reflecting on the meaning of life as we renew and strengthen our faith in God. The forty days of Lent recall the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the desert, as he was tempted/tested by Satan. The English word Lent is a shortened form of the Old English term lencten (lengthen), meaning "spring season.” Days have grown longer with more daylight since December 21 and days will continue to lengthen until the summer solstice on June 20, 2020.

Lent is a time for physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation. God renews hearts, minds, spirits, bodies and even buildings too. You are encouraged to be with our “Christian team” during the Sundays of Lent at 10:30 morning worship. Join us for Palm Sunday on April 5 and Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Communion on April 9.

Please remember to move your clocks forward by one hour on the evening of Saturday, March 7. Daylight Saving Time returns. We “spring ahead” for Sunday, March 8, and gain an extra hour of daylight.

May God bless you and strengthen your faith for every hour of every day through Lent and beyond. - Steve Smith, Pastor

“Church is a Team Game”

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Sunday Morning Book Study- 9:30 a.m.

Contact David Leslie or Jenna in the church office for more information about our Adult Book Study. Copies of 12 Lies That Hold America Captive are available in the church office. All are welcome to join in the Sunday discussions, as we proceed chapter by chapter. If you have a suggestion for upcoming books or topics, please share them with David or Jenna.

Pacific Crest Trail-Thru Hike 2019 Adam Weaver and Dylan Pilger (grandson of Betty Carney) have accomplished another thru-hike, this time on the Pacific Crest Trail. It took from April-September 12, 2019. The Pacific Crest Trail is 2,650 miles long and covers three states: California, Oregon, and Washington. The starting location is the US/Mexico border in Campo, California. The ending location is the US/Canada border at Monument 78. The highest point on the trail is 13,153 feet. Starting in very hot desert conditions to record-breaking snowfalls in the Sierra Mountains, at times the men faced up to 14 feet of snow and crossed high, rushing waters. They met many other hikers and “trail angels,” who take care of the trail and leave supplies. As an Eagle Scout, Dylan made time to hike a mountain that is dedicated to the founder of scouting and the Boy Scouts of America, Mt. Baden-Powell, which has an elevation of 9.406 feet. Their next hike will be the Continental Divide, which covers 5 states and 3,100 miles. They will leave in March 2021 to begin in New Mexico and end in Montana at the US/Canada border. They would like to thank FPC friends for all your thoughts and prayers.

I have many things to be thankful for during the holiday season and beyond. Our friends at FPC 1793 top the list. Several doctors told us that I had the best-case scenario of a bad thing. Healing

from my surgeries was made even easier knowing that our friends at church cared and were praying for me. Thank you to all who called and sent cards, texts, emails, and prayers!

Cindy Faulk

Thanks for all the cards and notes I’ve received in memory of my daughter,

Marianne Nuzzo. She was a good Christian woman so she is in Heaven with the Lord. The

love and support of my church family is greatly appreciated.

In Christ’s love,

Gen Russell

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Having survived the winter and the prognostication of the Northern PA rodent, we find ourselves in the season of Lent. Many thanks to the choir members who continue to dedicate their time to provide inspirational music for our worship experience. We have begun preparations for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Easter. The renovation continues and we are anxiously awaiting the day when we can start moving into our new homes. I recently re-watched the Tom Hanks movie, “The Money Pit.” There were definitely some similar moments between the movie and our experience during renovation, like a few weeks ago when the sound system didn’t work due to a damaged speaker wire and the entire organ and choir loft covered in plaster dust. Hopefully we will also come to a happy ending. I continue to be concerned about the cur-rent condition of our pipe organ, and the plaster dust didn’t help. We continue to experience more air leakage and notes that don’t play, or sounds that play when they shouldn’t. Below are some photos of some of the conditions inside the pipe chamber. It’s time to address the situation. Soli Deo Gloria Matthew Boice

Our Allegheny Pipe Organ Technician making adjustments in a very cramped space.

One of the several leaks in wind chests.

The wind chest is like the bag on a

bagpipe. It maintains constant

air pressure to a rank of pipes.

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Some of the wiring. Certainly not up to code.

More brittle wiring.

Some pipes stuffed with paper towels to keep them from playing.

Otherwise they would play constantly.

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Kids’ Night Continues

When: Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Where: FPC Sanctuary Who: Kids ages 5 and up

The Youth Choir performs on Palm Sunday (April 5th)

and again in May!

Palm Sunday Bake-Off Registration

April 5 following Worship

Please return to FPC office or offering plate.

Name: ________________________________

What category will you be entering?

Cakes Pies

Cookies Candy

1793-themed

(old-fashioned recipes welcome!)

Palm Sunday Bake-off April 5th after Worship

o That’s right– it’s back! Middle school youth from FPC are hungry to taste, judge, and auction off your prized baked goods! All proceeds will benefit One Great Hour of Sharing, which focuses on hunger initiatives and disaster relief through the Presbyterian Church USA. If you’d like to join the bake-off competition, please respond to the forthcoming Sign Up Genius or return the form below to the church office via mail or offering plate. Our young people hope to taste your wares on April 5! Auction will take place after church in the Sanctuary, led by auctioneer Brian McMahon. (Don’t forget to bring your wallets and check-books!)

Easter Movie Night

When: Good Friday, April 10 Make an Easter surprise in the kitchen at 6:30 p.m.; Movie begins at 7:00 p.m.

Where: FPC Social Hall Who: Everyone is welcome What to bring: pillows, sleeping bags, floor mats, etc. to stay cozy on the tile floor; snacks to share

FPC’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held Easter morning, April 12, at 9:30 a.m.

Bring your own basket or bag to collect eggs from the W&J lawn near FPC.

Location details will be forthcoming. We hope to see you before Easter Worship!

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FPC 1793 Restoration Project Nears Completion of Phase One

Thanks to the generosity of the members and friends of FPC 1793, our building and grounds have

received a profound functional and cosmetic face lift. Without your kind financial contributions, none

this would have been possible. The Renovation Committee is very grateful for your faithfulness.

The entry addition and exterior site changes are complete, except for front sidewalk repairs, the

sidewalk to Strawberry Alley and the landscaping. The entry to the new addition, accessible from the

parking lot by both ramp and steps, is inviting and appears proportionate to our other architecture.

The second floor of the CE/Office building has received a three-color paint scheme after extensive

plaster and drywall finishing, installation of new light fixtures and application of the AC duct grills. The

new music room is expansive. The hallways are bright and unobstructed. The two accessible

restrooms now have ceramic wall tile and hard flooring. They are awaiting a drop ceiling. This ceiling is

similar to the new ceiling already added in the Fellowship Hall. Classroom and office door installation

will begin sometime after March 9th, followed by carpeting.

First floor renovation is behind the second floor by about a week of work due to extensive plaster

deterioration remediation. The hallways will receive a drop ceiling installation to cover AC lines and

wiring installations. This floor consists of four Sunday School rooms, an accessible restroom, and a

conference/meeting room. The elevator and machinery room are programmed and ready for

inspection.

The contingency line item of $99,000 in the original project scope of $2,083,000 will essentially be

spent at the completion of this project. This is due largely to a recently discovered, unexpected need to

replace more plaster walls in the CE/Office building. This is added to the previous foundation issues

and parking lot soft ground abatement. Required electrical changes and lighting are at issue as well.

Consequently there are fewer funds than what

hoped for to address our wish list of Sanctuary

projects. We do plan to address the plaster and

painting, new floor covering and improved

lighting. We will visit a church that chose to

transition from an all one-color scheme to a

multi-colored palette to highlight trim and

moldings. Please recall that FPC 1793 for most

of its history did not have an only white interior.

For practical reasons and the uncertain timing

of moving back into the CE/Office Building, none

of these Sanctuary upgrades has been

scheduled.

The Renovation Committee

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Jessica Ames—3 Elizabeth Dames—5 Robert Kimutis—7 Karley Young—7 Mark Worley—8 Tillie Simpson—8 Meghan Budinger—13 Chris Day

James Baudin—15 Brad Shelton—17 Lorry McMahon—21 Mary Jo Podgurski—24 Miriam Caldwell—30 Alex Leslie – 30 Linda Shipe—30

William Allison, Jr.— 2 Zachary Dames— 2 Patrick Kimutis— 3 Kathleen Mitchell— 3 Robert Suwak— 3 Stephen Allison— 4 Elizabeth Shaffer - 5 Ella Berry— 12 Ralph Amos— 13 Nan Cameron— 14 Scott Leslie— 14 Telford Thomas 14

Kim Smith— 17 Brad Smith— 18 Andrew Callan— 18 Jeremy Shelton— 19 William Campbell— 20 Tyler and Olivia Koskoski-20 Edwina Cameron— 24 Jean Wylie— 24 William Shelton— 25 Rebecca Smiley— 28

William McCormick — 4 Colleen Allison — 5 Pam Moore — 6 Jeanne Clapp — 11 Mary Jo Patrick-Hatfield— 14 Karen Wicker — 14 Rick Baker — 16 Thomas Vreeland — 17 Fred Pozzuto — 18

Gen Russell — 19 Douglas Corwin, Jr. — 23 Jennifer Ames — 24 Richard Cameron, Sr. — 24 Larry Simpson — 26 Christopher Stockdale — 26 Carol Kyrimes — 27

If you would like to be on the VBS Planning Team, please reach out to Jenna Bigley,

Director of Christian Education. This team will soon be choosing dates for a

summer VBS event at FPC 1793 and we need your input! We will also need plenty of

volunteers and supply donations as summer approaches, so keep an eye out for the many

ways you can help us create a faith-filled summer at FPC!

Matthew Brown Sunday: March 29

We encourage you to join us for Worship on Sunday, March 29, when Matthew Brown Fellows from W&J College will lead the service. They will speak about their experience serving with community agencies in Washington, such as Turning Point, Presbyterian Senior Care, and Citizens Library. Another exciting topic will be the Fellows’ January 2020 mission trip to Nevada, where the group, led by Rev. Dr. Steve Smith and Jenna Bigley, volunteered with Las Vegas Rescue Mission and Three Square, a food security and rescue program that is the largest of its kind in the region. The Fellows also met with a local Holocaust survivor and the daughter of two survivors to hear their March 29 will be a great opportunity for FPC friends to meet and talk with the 13 Matthew Brown Fellows who are giving so much to Washington and the agencies to which they’re dedicated.

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First Presbyterian Church 1793

100 East Wheeling Street

Washington, PA 15301

Return Service Requested

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 49 WASH., PA

Contact Us

100 East Wheeling Street Washington, PA 15301

724-225-5415 fpcwash@comcast.net

@FPC1793 Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

www.fpc1793.org