What's Going on at FPC-H?

Many thanks!

2009-10-05T21:35:00.001-07:00

This last Sunda, along with so many events in the past 14 months, were history making! We welcomed our friends from Cotton Memorial Presby. Church to be with us in worshiping God on world-wide Communion Sunday.

Then we joined together in the Fellowship Hall, and for the first time ever, we broke bread together and ate together.

Thank you, one and all, for a beautiful going away reception. Your love and faith were truly on display.

This is my last blog posting. Hard to believe!

God speed!

Peace!

Your former interim pastor,

The Rev. Dr. Brett Webb-Mitchell

Welcome Rev. Walter Fauntroy!

2009-09-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've never been here for the Royster Series before, though I know quite a few of the past speakers/preachers personally, so this is my first and only time of aiding in the program portion of the series. That being said/written, let me say what a joy and privilege it has been to welcome Rev. Walter Fauntroy of Washington, D.C. to the pulpit of First Presbyterian Church of Henderson. While there are other Baptist preachers who have been behind the pulpit of the Church, this has been an historic event, because Rev. Fauntroy is the first African American speaker in all the years of the series.

If you have not had a chance to hear this honorable gentleman preach, please do come tonight (Monday, Sept. 28th), and hear this awesome preacher bring the Word of God to the people of Henderson and Vance County.

Peace!

Pastor Brett

Congregational Meeting: Calling Keith Benze!

2009-09-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

The PNC did a wonderful job on Sunday, Sept. 20th, 2009, in presenting the news of the next called minister of FPC: Mr. Keith Benze. He and his wife, Cheryl, are from the Raleigh area. This is Keith's first called ministry, so his ordination is going to be on Sunday, Oct. 18th, at First Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC.

Welcome, Keith, to First Presbyterian Church!

Peace,

Pastor Brett!

Along with School, the Church Goes Into Full Swing Programmatically...

2009-09-14T05:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday said it all: Rally Day!

I've come to understand in the South that Rally Day is the day Sunday school officially starts off with a "Bang!"

S.O.M.E. followed later that day, with people lining up at the door by 11:30, and the Boy Scout troop helping in the act of feeding those who were hungry.

And the Royster Series parts are all coming together.

"Ready, Set...Go!"

Peace,

Pastor Brett

The coming Royster Series preparation work is in full swing!

2009-09-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

During my writing sabbatical last week, and then again this week, I've been busy with the preparation work for the upcoming Royster series, featuring the Rev. Walter Fauntroy.

This is all quite exciting.

Elder Raynah Adams is the main person in charge. He is constant contact with Rev. Fauntroy. And like years past, Elder Phil Hanny is working hard on posters to be distributed around the area next week.

Choirs are getting lined up for singing, soloists are excited, hosts for dinners and lunches are in place...this is going to be an historic event, right at First Presbyterian Church of Henderson, NC!

Let us pray for God to continue to do amazing things...do I hear an AMEN?

Peace,

Pastor Brett

The Emergency Men's Shelter

2009-08-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

I write this blog entry from my desk at St. Benedict's Monastery. I've been reflecting upon the good and right action of the Church in welcoming the space that was formerly known as the Boy Scouts' room into the emergency men's shelter of Vance County. The room is currently a mess from not being used, and will be easy to clean up. It is prime for this new service project and outreach of the Church: providing shelter for the strangers who will come our way, looking for a room in the "inn," this time the "inn" being the Church.

It was said at one of the community meetings with ministers and town-leaders that we are always sending our youth "out" to do mission projects. Henderson has, itself, enough possible projects going on that we should be welcoming others to help us in being Christ in the world in providing food, shelter, and clothes.

There is more in the way of empty, unused rooms in the Church, and there are more needs of the people of Henderson and Vance County.

May our work in being Christ in the world lead us to do more from the bounty that God has given us.

Following Christ with you, the People of First Presby. Church...

Pastor Brett

Emergency Men's Shelter and FPC! A New Outreach Ministry

2009-08-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

FPC, along with the Ministers Community Partnership and the town of Henderson, are officially set to open up an emergency men's shelter in the old Boy Scouts' room at FPC on November 1, 2009. Session gave its approval during our last Session meeting on Monday, August 17, 2009, to open the shelter to the wider community. The vote had a considerable amount of enthusiasm as well, because people understood how much this new ministerial outreach would be meeting the needs of others in the Henderson-Vance-Granville community.

Now the real work begins. In the coming weeks and months, people from all the surrounding churches will be asked to provide volunteer help in working overnight at the shelter, provide financial means for the shelter's operation, provide food daily, and meet other requests. The shelter will be in operation for 180 days of the year, usually during the coldest period of the year.

We praise God for this opportunity to meet the needs of others. For it is in meeting the needs of the stranger among us that we meet and serve Christ.

Peace!

Pastor Brett

Elder Phil Hanny, the Rev. Paul Baxley, Joel Rice on WIZS Radio Show Today

2009-08-06T14:54:00.000-07:00

Phil Hanny was on WIZS's "Town Talk" today, talking about hunger, homelessness, and especially the need of an emergency men's shelter in the area.

The Session of the FPC-H gave its o.k. in exploring the possibility of the shelter and the community is considering the placement of the emergency men's shelter underneath Fellowship Hall of our church, but supported by the community of Henderson and Vance County.

Go to www.wizs.com by clicking here. Then go to "town talk," and go onto the "town talk audio 08-06-09"

The work of Christ goes onward!

Peace,

Pastor Brett

A Prayer for Peace: Hiroshima, 64 Years Later

2009-08-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I had the opportunity to be in Japan on this date: August 6th, 1945. Sixty four years ago we, the USA, dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.

We followed this bomb with a nuclear bomb on Nagasaki, Japan on Aug. 9th.

Countless lives were loss at the initial bombing, followed by years of people dying from sickness related to the after-effects of the bombing.

The world changed as well.

What Einstein thought was a marvel to producing energy was--and he was well aware of it--a possible source of horrors.

Let us lift up prayers for those whose lives were lost, for the lives of those effected, and pray that a nuclear bomb will never be detonated again.

Peace,

Pastor Brett

Moving Congregation

2009-08-04T10:21:00.001-07:00

We are a congregation on the move at FPC-H...literally!

A week ago, before we began singing the Gloria Patri, I asked the congregation to move down front since most of the congregation gathered on the upper left hand corner (stage left) of the sanctuary. Reluctantly people moved.

Imagine my surprise and joy and humor when I walked into church before worship, and as I strode forward before stopping at the Lord's Supper table to give thanks to God for the opportunity to worship, the congregation had ALL moved to the left side (stage left) of the sanctuary. I laughed outwardly and inwardly.

A church that moves together stays together...yes?

Peace!

Pastor Brett

Holy Communion

2009-08-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

It was a busy week at FPC-H, especially with our work in figuring out how to open an emergency men's shelter, providing for the community.

In the middle of the business of the Church came the celebration of Holy Communion. This is what was fun today: celebrating Holy Communion both at FPC, and then at Cotton Memorial Presbyterian Church.

What was instructive was this: we are both reliant upon the bread of life for our work, for our lives. We share Christ in common, and so much more.

Thanks be to God!

Peace,

Pastor Brett

A Busy Weekend

2009-07-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

What a week and weekend of interesting events in the life of the church. First, the Mission Trip folks came back to Henderson with lots of stories to tell and re-live with the Church. We look forward to hearing about all that you did, said, and learned on this trip!

Secondly, Kathy Gerber and I found ourselves in the Emergency Rooms of two different hospital systems. I spent Thursday morning being treated for a snake bite (copperhead) at the UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill, and Kathy spent Thursday afternoon being treated for a broken arm (left arm) at Maria Parham. Both of us are on the mend, but ouch!

Let's stay healthy out there!

Peace,

Pastor Brett

Claiming Calvin, Claiming our Roots

2009-07-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day to re-learn what makes us "unique" as people of the Reformed and reforming tradition of which we are part of as Presbyterians. Starting with the call to worship, itself a Psalm--and Calvin and Calvinists understood the centrality of Psalms in worship--and then singing "I Greet Thee ,Who My Sure Redeemer Art," followed by Mike McKoon's children's sermon that focused on John Calvin, complete with Calvin masks and all, gave us a kind reminder of our roots. We Presbyterians, like so many other churches shaped in and by the Reformed tradition, are inheritors of the work of John Calvin.

Hope everyone enjoyed the lessons throughout the day of our Calvin forbears.

Peace,

Pastor Brett

Happy Birthday Dear John!

2009-07-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

Today is the day of celebrating John Calvin's birth.

An interesting article caught a little bit of the man in the NYT.com today, suggesting the following about Calvin's calling, which is similar to the Apostle Paul:

Although he confessed these failings, his best efforts at correction and reconciliation never extirpated them. What always came first was his conviction of a calling, the calling of a prophet, in his case modeled on Paul, the evangelist, the interpreter, the planter of churches, the negotiator of differences, the disciplinarian of congregations.

Today, such single-mindedness, especially if religious, seems unbalanced or baffling. It can be appreciated only when it drives a political, artistic or intellectual rebel struggling against long odds.

That is the special value of Professor Gordon’s detailed portrait of Calvin as a man in constant motion, beleaguered by political and religious turmoil, a leader who “never controlled his agenda.” The political independence of a militarily weak Geneva was always precarious. Factions within the city were rife. European Protestantism was disunited, torn by bitter quarrels over the meaning of the Lord’s Supper and threatened by the revived power of the Catholic Hapsburgs.

Click here for more.

Happy Birthday, John!

Peace,

Pastor Brett

John Calvin's Birthday is This Friday

2009-07-07T08:33:00.001-07:00

In honor of the founder or Presbyterianism, who believed in the full diversity and inclusion of all in the Church, these profound words of Calvin seem to be pertinent to our mission at FPC-H:

"It is the common habit of mankind that the more closely men are bound together by the ties of kinship, of acquaintanceship, or of neighborhood, the more responsibilities for one another they share. This does not offend God; for his providence, as it were, leads us to it. But I say: we ought to embrace the whole human race without exception in a single feeling of love; here there is no distinction between barbarian and Greek, worthy and unworthy, friend and enemy, since all should be contemplated in God, not in themselves. When we turn aside from such contemplation, it is no wonder we become entangled in many errors. Therefore, if we rightly direct our love, we must first turn our eyes not to man, the sight of whom would more often engender hate than love, but to God, who bids us extend to all men the love we bear to him, that this may be an unchanging principle: Whatever the character of the man, we must yet love him because we love God," - John Calvin, whose 500th birthday is this coming Friday.

Peace,

Pastor Brett

The Spirit at Worship

2009-07-05T17:58:00.000-07:00

The Spirit of God was moving--and is moving--in the lives of the people of Cotton Memorial and First Presbyterian Church, both of Henderson, NC. We witnessed to the love of God for all the people of God, regardless of race, gender, age, or sexual orientation.

The sermon was about the importance of the prophetic Jesus! And then the twist was focusing on the prophets among us today.

Thank God for times of worship like this.

Peace,

Pastor Brett

A BIG Thank You to One and All!

2009-06-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

On Sunday afternoon, we started yet one more new annual (hopefully) event: cleaning up the Church. After worship and a super potluck--First Presbyterian Church knows how to do potlucks--14-20 of the parishioners stayed to clean up the place in which the people of God gather to worship, to learn, to fellowship, and to serve one another. One team tackled the kitchen, another team tackled the lounge and library, yet one more group clipped the bushes in the back near the entry way to the choir room, a cluster of people tackled the weeds near the columbarium, and still yet one more horde of people cut back and cleaned up the very front of the Church grounds itself. We worked for around 90 min. to 2 hours before the sun got the best of us...after all, it was the latter part of June.

What was novel about this whole enterprise was the recognition of how much we created a sense of community together in our cleaning, pruning, clipping, and weeding. It was the people of Christ gathered working, laughing, gossiping, commiserating, cajoling, and smiling together.

A BIG thank you to all who came and helped out.

And for those who couldn't because of time constraints, don't worry: I think another one of these gatherings will be planned for the fall.

Peace!

Pastor Brett

Who We Are, Where We Are, and Whose We Are

2009-06-17T21:08:00.001-07:00

The last two mid-month meals have been "most excellent," a witty phrase and popular term in the vernacular of this contemporary age. In other words, I heard it on t.v. somewhere.

In May, we talked about the survey the Church took in November 2008. While much has changed in the Church since November, it was helpful to talk about the survey results in great depth and detail. Reading surveys is a tricky business. Even with a Ph.D. in education, and a year's worth of statistics under my belt, I am in awe of the science of statistics and surveys.

What did we learn? Well, for example, there was a sharp break between those who want contemporary worship, and those who don't: 126% believe we need more emphasis on contemporary worship styles, music and language, while 33% are satisfied, and another 26% thinks it receives too much attention (p. 7). Likewise, on p. 2 there were 9% who thought contemporary worship should be strengthened. What does this mean? There is a large group in the Church who want contemporary worship while there is an equally large group who struggle with it. That's important! We probably should include more contemporary worship styles and music.

Likewise, there was an indication that issues regarding "spirituality" should be increased and strengthened (20% on p. 2). That is significant! Since the survey, we've included Midday Prayers during Lent and Eastertide, and will have a healing worship service in July.

Likewise, a resounding 83% believe that the pastor should "prepare and preach inspiring sermons" (p. 5). I'm trying my best to provide this.

There were more interesting insights into the life of our Church in the survey, and I'd be glad to go over those with anyone who is interested. Gary Daeke (Elder) and I had a great time discussing the statistics, and see it as helpful in where the Church is going in the future.

Tonight we talked about Henderson and Vance County, and talked about the strengths and weaknesses, and opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the area. There were several lessons we learned today after watching a rose-colored glass DVD of Henderson, produced by the Chamber of Commerce of Henderson:

1. we are becoming a "browner" community: more people who speak Spanish as their first language are moving into the area, and they are not all Catholic, but include non-denominational Protestants as well;

2. 60% of the homes in the area are rented. This is very large compared to other towns and cities our size;

3. We are "importing poverty" into the area, with many people who are poor moving into the area because of housing (rental) possibilities, along with access to federal and state programs for food, medical care, and other resources;

4. no new industries are moving into the area in the near future, even though we are part of Triangle North, modeled on RDU;

5. drop out rate in high school is high, as is crime in this area.

6. many people have moved out of the area because of the quality of the schools, even though they work in the area. For example, many of the professionals at the nearby hospital live in Durham or Raleigh or Chapel Hill and commute each and every day;

7. We have a lot of retirees around Kerr Lake, and Kerr Lake is a positive draw.

So what does that tell us about our church?

1. people who are moving into the area, and will most likely be part of our church family will be from Central or South America, speaking Spanish as their first tongue;

2. poverty in Vance County is a reality and something we will have to address, and many of those who are poor are African American, and they are our neighbors;

3. we will have to be creative in figuring out how we will grow numerically in an area in which there is little to no growth of those who would have come to FPC-H in the past.

4. Preaching, writing newsletter columns, and other points of references in the life of the Church will change slightly as we become a more racially diverse body;

5. there is still a community of people with developmental disabilities and others with mental illness who need our assistance and who wish to come and be part of our worship.

As I looked around the room of 22 people last night I realized that few if any of us live in a house or apartment right around the corner or a block away from the church building. It dawned on me then: We are not necessarily a community or neighborhood church. We are a downtown church that many of us drive a good distance to come to, and then leave when worship or an activity is over.

So what would the congregation of FPC-H look like were it a neighborhood church?

My hunch? It would look slightly different than we look today.

Thanks to Elder Gary Daeke for his sharing his expertise in this area.

Our eyes, ears, hearts, minds, senses are open. We are aware of the opportunities and threats to Henderson and Vance County at large, and our Church in particular. I see this all as an opportunity to open wide the doors of the Church in welcoming all who desire to follow Jesus, especially our neighbors right around the corner and down the street.

What do you think?

Peace,

Pastor Brett

Returning Home

2009-06-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

It is good to be back at FPC-H! My Continuing Education time in the desert of New Mexico was enriching in many ways. One Elder asked me if I came back with some new insights? Answering "Yes," he said "Then it was a good Continuing Education experience."

And what new insight did I have from my 120+ mile pilgrimage in northern New Mexico? A new found appreciation for how each of us pilgrims walk in following Jesus, the Pilgrim God. On the pilgrimage, I came to know who was in front of me by the very stride or strut in their walk. Some people walk with a real saunter, while others simply gallop. There was a sway in some people's walk--a kind of elegance--while others were more military in their footsteps, simply soldiering on as we would do 17-20 miles each day.

On our pilgrimage of faith at FPC-H, I am coming to appreciate each person's style of being a pilgrim in the roadway of life. Some people strut in their walk of faith, while others saunter along the way, simply smelling the roses. Some walk arm in arm with others in faith, inviting others to come along and be with them on the pilgrimage.

Learning to be mindful, and respectful, of each other's walk is part of the ministry of our Church. And people who come and visit us are watching to see if they can simply walk--or roll--with us forward unto the kingdom of God.

Peace!

Pastor Brett

Empathy

2009-05-04T22:44:00.001-07:00

A long time a go I came to understand the difference between sympathy and empathy: while sympathy has a more romantic tinge to it, empathy has a sense of standing in solidarity with each other.

What I experience at First Presby. Church is empathy.

And it is at funerals and amid the news of sudden death we are often our best.

We empathize with each other, stand or sit in solidarity with each other.

And that is a gift of grace, to be with each other in joy and sorrow, in sickness and in health (to use a line from a wedding).

Thank you, First Presbyterian Church for this gift.

Peace, Pastor Brett

p.s., I will be off on vacation for a week. Thank you!

Midday Prayer Midweek: A Still Point in a Turning World

2009-04-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

One of the parts of life that I truly like about our Church is Midday prayer midweek--Wednesday--in the sanctuary. Using the Midday Prayer order in the Book of Common Worship, 6-10 of us gather for 20 minutes to pray, using the words of Scripture and usually a reading from a book by my friend Henri Nouwen as our guide. The meal afterward continues the sense of community that has begun to surround our gathering.

An invitation: if you are free on Wed. afternoon, please come to Midday prayer! Take 20 min. of your day and discover what Eliot called the "still point of our turning world."

Peace!

Pastor Brett

An Active Church

2009-04-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

On Wed. night, we were one open, active, lively church! We gathered for great Middle Eastern food in the Fellowship Hall and watched a slide show of pictures taken from my latest foray into the Holy Land. The food was great! And the audience super! Thank you all!

And downstairs we had the ESL gathering, with 19 children who showed up.

Meanwhile, over in the sanctuary there were hand bells ringing and choir rehearsing.

We are an active, open, lively church. It is great fun to see all the lights burning, the rooms being used, and ministry happening!

It is also the Church alive when all the lights are off and we are busy in the neighborhoods surrounding the Church building. That too is a sign of life.

We are an alive, open, welcoming, and active Church!

Praise God!

Pastor Brett

Easter Monday

2009-04-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

We have now entered the next 50 days of Eastertide. Like Advent, Christmas, and Lent, this is a "tide" of days, commonly referred to in the church as Eastertide.

And on this Monday of Eastertide, I must admit I am humbled by the awesome people we are surrounded by at First Presbyterian Church.

* A big shout out to the Church staff: Kathy, Kristy, and Clifton! Thanks for all your help in the last week or so.
* A big shout out to Elder Phil Hanny, Karen Hanny, and Peggy Stocks for their incredible work and artistry.
* A big shout out to Elders Raynah Adams and Mike McKoon for great worship, as well as Karen and the choirs!

Thanks for the wonderful memories of Holy Week, which will continue to set us on an incredible course on our pilgrimage through Eastertide!

Peace!

Pastor Brett

Amazing Palm Sunday

2009-04-06T10:27:00.001-07:00

There was a lot of planning and preparation that went into Palm Sunday this week, and it seems to have paid off in people's experience of worshiping God:
* Karen Hanny made a beautiful new banner and pendants that adorned the wall where Christmas wreaths usually hang during Advent;
* the hand bell choir, children's voices, and adult choir were wonderful during the anthem;
* Karen Reardon played beautiful music in spite of our soloist calling in ill at 7 this morning;
* Rev. Marshall preached a fiery Palm Sunday sermon;
* Holy Communion was shared by all...

Praise God!

Now we are on our pilgrimage path, following the Pilgrim God to Maundy Thursday, to Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday!

Peace!

Pastor Brett

Busy Sunday

2009-03-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

I was amazed at all the activities we had going on concurrently at First Presbyterian Church of Henderson this past Sunday:
* in the sanctuary we were worshipping God;
* downstairs, the young children were having their own program of activities;
* in the kitchen, people were preparing for the upcoming covered-dish luncheon;
* at Camp Don Lee, Mike McKoon and Jonathan Care were with a group of our middle-school aged young people for a retreat!

We are a very busy church, doing the work of God in all kinds of ways.

Keep it going!

Peace!

Pastor Brett