First Presbyterian

The annual meeting will be January 31, 2021, following the 9:30 a.m. worship service at 10:45 a.m. The purposes of the meeting are 1) receive the Annual Report, 2) elect the 2021 Nominating Committee, 3) receive an update from the KLC Transformation Committee, 4) review the Financial Statement of 2020, 5) review the Operating Budget for 2021, 6) approve the 2021 Terms of Call for Rev. Dr. Brent O. Johnston, 7) review and receive the 2020 Statistical and Necrology reports. If you are unable to attend and would like a copy of the Annual Report mailed to you, please contact the office by phone or e-mail. A separate letter has been sent to members with more information on multiple ways to participate in the meeting. 

CAN LISTENING TO VOICES OF OTHER RELIGIONS AND FAITH COMMUNITIES LEAD US TO A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING AND PRACTICE OF OUR FAITH  TRADITION?

On Sundays we will study and discuss other faiths and our own with a new lens seeking to understand other traditions and deepening our own faith traditions. Facilitated by Pat Welker. For questions, please call Pat at (720) 273-2124. Due to the Congregational Annual Meeting on January 31, the final class has been postposed to February 7, 2021.

ALL SESSIONS WILL BE ON ZOOM.

The week before Jan. 3 an invitation to the congregation was sent by Pastor Brent with the code to enter the Zoom meeting. Classes begin at 10:45 a.m. and conclude at 11:45. (Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, and Feb 7). You may enter the meeting at 10:40 and all meetings will begin right on time. We are covering 7 weeks of material in 5 weeks, so time is critical. 

An email attachment packet of information will accompany the invitation so you may have information about the class and a syllabus. Each week you will receive a reminder link to enter the class that week. If you feel the church office does not have the correct email for you, please email or call the office and make the correction. Please obtain a copy of Barbara Brown Taylor’s book “HOLY ENVY.” Available on Amazon (e-books for about $10.00).

https://firstchurchwichita.org/media/sermons/view/150th-anniversary-documentary

Click on the link below for the latest announcements.

https://firstchurchwichita.org/assets/documents/Weekly_News_Update_1-21-21.pdf

There will only be one Worship service each week at 9:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary both in-person and live streaming through May 2021. (In order to maintain social distancing during worship, please do not sit in the pews that are roped off.)

• The Session voted to suspend all meetings and on-site activities, except for Sunday Worship and the Community Breakfast (as limited below).
  • The volunteers who make the Community Breakfast possible will be allowed to operate inside the building.
  • The Community Breakfast guests will continue to be served outside of the building.
• Member key cards will be active only during office hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday. If you need access at some other time, please call or text our Facilities Manager, Roy Yarbrough at 516-4772.
• Sunday Worship services continue to require the following protocols be adhered to: face masks are required, maintain social distancing, the west entrance is the only open entrance to the building, temperatures of all participants will be taken, the collection plates will NOT be passed but instead will be placed at the doors, and there will be no congregational singing during services.
• The Session has discussed the issues created by COVID-19 at every meeting since March 2020. They will continue to evaluate the situation and act accordingly each month. 

Matthew 25 Church Initiative:

At the September meeting of Session, we became a Matthew 25 Church, committing to congregational vitality, addressing issues of poverty and race.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Brent