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Support Initiatives from the Creation Care Subcommittee
June 25, 2020 
PLASTIC FREE JULY: We have seen photos of beaches strewn with plastic trash, and we have heard about the 8 million tons of plastic that go into the ocean every year. Here is something we can do about it, together! We can make a commitment to a Plastic Free July. Commit to either cut down on single-use plastic, or eliminate certain plastic items (grocery bags, water bottles, straws, for example), or you can go all the way and commit to eliminating all plastic. As a church, we can make a difference! If you have any questions or want to sign up to participate, contact Cris Rivera or call 919-225-4228.
The Creation Care Subcommittee of the Stewardship Committee is also encouraging members of the congregation to sign a petition that was endorsed by the Session at their June 22 meeting in support of Mayor Steve Schewel’s efforts to negotiate a better Operating Agreement for the City with Duke Energy to help Durham transition to 100% renewable energy. The negotiations begin this summer and having strong community support will strengthen the City’s position. You can See the petition for more details and sign on.
Church Office observes Independence Day Holiday
June 25, 2020 
The church office will be CLOSED Friday, July 3 in observance of the Independence Day (July 4) holiday.
PRAYER: God of righteousness and grace, as our nation celebrates this Independence Day, remind us of our complete dependence upon you. … We ask you to keep this nation, and all nations, under your care, that we may be peoples who are at peace, and who are a blessing to others on this earth. Grant our nation’s leaders wisdom, that there would be times of peace and justice in our land and in our world. … – Rear Admiral Mark L. Tidd (2012 )
Confessional Statement from FPC Pastors
June 03, 2020 
Dear friends,
Following the tragic and brutal murder of George Floyd last week, as well as the recent senseless killings of Breonna Taylor and Amaud Arbery, in addition to the endless numbers of incidents of racially motivated killings in our past, we, your pastors, join our voices in lament over the tight hold racism has over our nation. Every system in our country is poisoned by the sin of racism, including the church. We have much for which to confess. We claim as our own the confessional statement below from our siblings in Christ at First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. These are words we will say repeatedly and prayerfully, and we invite you to join your voices with ours in confession to those we have wronged, through our action and our inaction:
To every black and brown member of this congregation, and to this community and city we share: we confess that we are part of sinful and broken systems that hurt you. We confess that we have perpetuated bias and prejudice. We confess this in our own lives and in our ministries. We repent of the superiority and hate we have harbored, and we prostrate ourselves before the Lord who requires us, in the words of the prophet Micah, “to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.” We know we have work to do. We know that we have to listen and learn. And we know that in order for there to be real change in our world, we must share the struggle for justice as our own and stand up even when we are scared and even when it comes at a cost.
To every member of this church: as your pastors, we reject indifference (“It’s not my problem”), we reject our quick claims of innocence (“I’m not a racist”), and we reject willful helplessness (“I can’t do anything”) when it comes to racism in our lives, our ministries, the church we love, our city and nation. We commit to doing the work we need to do to become anti-racist. We commit to being an ally and partner in the work for racial justice and racial equity. And we hope you will join us.
One way to do that is to join in the 21-Day Race Equity Challenge put together by our friends at Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. They have invited others to participate in this challenge, which involves daily reading selections, video watching, and other opportunities to listen and learn. We have committed to this and hope that you will as well. Click on the link above for more information and to sign up.
We have a long way to go, but we will go together, and we will go by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit. May our hearts be open to wherever God leads us.
With deep and abiding love and hope,
Mindy Douglas, Pastor
Susan Dunlap, Parish Associate
John Weicher, Associate Pastor
NC Council of Churches’ Statement on Systemic Racism
June 03, 2020 
Click here to read the North Carolina Council of Churches’ response to recent protests and recurring acts of racism in our nation.
MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVED
May 24, 2020 
The Church Office will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. While the church building remains closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, administrative staff will be available at the church on Tuesday, May 26 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Please call or email the staff before coming to the church. Have a safe holiday!
Join us for Sunday Worship from wherever you are …
April 11, 2020 
We invite you to watch our Sunday worship (led by our pastoral staff) by clicking here at 11:00 a.m. You can use this worship guide to participate in the worship from wherever you are.
Holy Week: We are gathering virtual!
April 07, 2020 
Thank you for journeying with us this Holy Week!
First Presbyterian Church of Durham has been offering 10-minute online evening prayer services this week via FaceTime Live, which requires you to access the church’s FACEBOOK page. NOTE: You do not need a FACEBOOK account or have to log in to a FACEBOOK account to join these services online. Simply click here to view days and times of the prayer services, Easter worship, and more! Click on each separate link to access the service on the specific days and times indicated.
Sunday School’s Gone Virtual
April 02, 2020 
Join us for faith formation for adults each Sunday, across a variety of topics…
- Faith & Community – This summer we are reading and discussing From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the 21st Century (2020) by William Darity and Kirsten Mullen. The class is held on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Interested persons, friends, and guests of FPC must REGISTER in order to join the class via Zoom. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the discussion.
- Journeys – This class is currently discussing Falling Upward, by Richard Rohr. Most of us tend to think of the second half of life as largely about getting old, dealing with health issues, and letting go of life, but the whole thesis of this book is exactly the opposite. What looks like falling down can largely be experienced as “falling upward.” In fact, it is not a loss but somehow actually a gain, as we have all seen with elders who have come to their fullness. Sundays, 10 am. Contact Eric Wiebe, Andy Henry, or the church office for more information on this virtual class.
- Lectionary – This class discusses the weekly lectionary texts, Sundays, 10 am. Contact David Smith or the church office for access to this virtual class.
- SCRATCH – Mary Berry, Abi Bissette, Emily Durham and other members of the Scratch group lead a time of check-in and support, as well as a devotional, Sundays, 8 pm. Contact a class leader or the church office for access to this virtual class.
- Women’s Spirituality Group – This summer this class is joining the Faith and Community Class via Zoom at 10 am. on Sundays. Be in touch with Leah Graves if you need to connect with class members.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH – ARE YOU CONNECTED? If you are not receiving a separate weekly email connecting you to FPC online activities for children and youth, contact John Weicher or Natalie Wolf to be added to the list.
Coping and Staying Connected
March 21, 2020 
Dear friends,
As COVID-19 continues to affect people and countries all over the world and grow in presence in our own region, I encourage you to find as many ways possible to keep hope and peace in your life. As I said on March 15, we are in uncharted waters. But we are not alone.
A Word from Pastor Mindy Douglas
March 13, 2020 
| What a joy it is to have the opportunity to worship together. However, the time has come in the COVID-19 pandemic to recommend that we cancel worship and all Sunday events until further notice. The good news is we still have many alternative ways to gather as a community for prayer, reflection, study, and worship. We have options available to us for gatherings in smaller groups, in outdoor spaces, and using video conferencing.
Therefore, beginning immediately, we will: Our staff is working diligently to determine how we will continue to care for vulnerable populations, including our members and walk-in ministry neighbors. If you are interested in being on a phone tree or being available to help in some way during this time of uncertainty, please let us know at the office. If you have special needs or concerns, please let us know that as well. God has gifted us with this amazing community of faith and support. We are called in times such as these to be ready to stand together in love, fighting fear with our confidence and hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you would normally write a check in support of FPC’s mission and ministry and drop it in the plate on Sunday, please consider dropping it in the mail instead (305 East Main St, Durham 27701) or making a donation online (click). Your support and stewardship will still be needed even though we aren’t meeting in person for worship. Thank you. |