Mission at FPC: Presbyterian Women (7/26/10)
"Room"-inations (6/23/10)
"Thinking, Feeling, Doing": A New-to-FPC Enneagram Workshop June 19 (6/8/10)
Mission By The Numbers (6/8/10)
FPC To Host A Pair of Lectures By Dr. Adrian Bird (2/15/10)
Valentine's Dance Planned (1/20/10)
Meet the Parking Lot Project Staff (1/20/10)
Parking Lot Project Begins, Part 2 (1/15/10)
Parking Lot Project Begins, Part 1 (1/8/10)
Sara Hickman To Perform Benefit Concert (9/18/09)
An Evening With David M. Bailey (8/3/09)
FPC at the Fort Worth Cats (7/29/09)

Mission at FPC: Presbyterian Women

First Presbyterian Church’s Presbyterian Women take part in and support many mission-related activities throughout the course of the year, upholding one of the points of the denomination’s Presbyterian Women purpose statement: to support the mission of the church worldwide.

According to Chairwoman Mary Alice Harry, each circle (a group which meets twice monthly) makes a love gift at the beginning of each year which becomes the organization’s operating budget. Operating costs are minimal, and the balance goes to support mission and a quarterly pledge to Grace Presbytery which, in turn, is donated to national Presbyterian Women mission activities. At the end of the year, the executive committee determines how much money is left and designates gifts to various mission activities, usually in amounts of at least $1,000. Recent donations have gone toward medicines for Haiti mission trips, WOW!, the Daggett Elementary meals program, Kids’ Connection and Room in the Inn. Also, all proceeds from the sale of the PW Cookbook go to support First HAND and Tumaini la Watoto, an orphanage in Kenya for children with HIV/AIDS run by FPC member James Mereka.

“We’re really very supportive of our own programs,” Harry said. “We’re very involved with Room in the Inn and we support WOW!, First HAND and many other of our church’s mission efforts. Whenever any opportunity comes up and there’s a need, people look to us because we’re willing to help.”

Other current and past activities by the Presbyterian Women include:

• Making fringed blankets for the Presbyterian Night Shelter
• Making heart-shaped pillows for heart and breast cancer patients
• Making layettes for babies at JPS Hospital
• Making stockings for the annual Christmas Party for the Blind
• Making mosquito netting to combat malaria
• Making muslin dolls for use by children in therapeutic settings
• Hosting YWCA bi-monthly birthday parties and providing Christmas gifts for children who wouldn’t get those luxuries
• Making and filling shower bags for teenage boys in a halfway house
• Volunteering at events like Homeless Connect, where 70% of the volunteers were from Presbyterian Women

In addition to local mission, FPC’s Presbyterian Women give to the larger group’s birthday and thank offerings which fund work in women’s rights, HIV/AIDS and education. Forty percent of the thank offering is used to support hospitals and community health programs, while the remaining 60% is used for new ideas for mission. The birthday fund supports as many as five new projects – domestic and international – each year. Recipients work on projects related to health, education, economic development and the needs of women and children.

Harry says that the Presbyterian Women benefit from those who have remembered the group in their wills. “Foundations support our activities so we don’t have to touch our pledges,” she said, noting that 80-85% of the group’s pledges go to Presbytery or mission.

While the Presbyterian Women as a group support many of the church’s visible programs, members individually or in small groups can be found working with all of the church’s mission outreach opportunities.

"Room"-inations

Room in the Inn, a program where homeless men are housed on Monday nights during the hottest and coldest month of the year, will resume on July 5. As always, volunteers are needed and welcomed. Contact Donna Laminack to volunteer or to learn more. The following was written by Martha Brooks after the winter session.

"OK," we said to each other last December when we were asked to volunteer at Room in the INn. "We can come at 3 p.m. to help set up (which meant get out the mattresses, make the beds, put out towels, lay out a package of toiletries and put the finishing touch of a sweet treat on each pillow) ... We'll come for the first two Mondays, just to get things started.

Well, we stayed ... and stayed ... and stayed through all the Mondays. Stayed to help with the rest of the setup. Stayed to greet guests. Stayed to share a meal. Stayed to help clean up. Stayed for games and conversation with guests and hosts. 

RITI has been a community building experience for us. We have met church members we didn't know and worked alongside those we do. It's not been all wor, for gales of laughter broke out on a regular basis. It seems work and laughter go together to get the job done.

To offer hospitality -- a clean bed, a tasty meal, a hot shower -- amid warmth and welcoming simply changes one, guest and host alike.

When guests and hosts sit at a table, something extraordinary happens. Perspectives change. Long-held opinions fade.

What learnings did we take from this winter's sessions? Well, we find that we are more alike than different. Homelessness becomes personalized. Boundaries widen. There really is something to this "welcoming the stranger."

If you have not yet been involved, come see for yourself. There are all sizes of tasks and room for all.

"Thinking, Feeling, Doing": A New-to-FPC Enneagram Workshop June 19

All of us move through life thinking, feeling, and doing, but each Enneagram number does this differently. Every number is most comfortable in either the heart (feeling), the head (thinking), or the gut (doing), and each accesses the other modalities in a preferred pattern. Unless we become aware of these patterns, our habitual way of “doing life” cannot only control us, but can become self-sabotaging. The classic example is the “TWO” who responds to “feeling” by “doing,” while repressing “thinking,” thus giving too quickly, and sometimes inappropriately, and ending up burned-out and unhelpful. Had that giver learned to think “Thinking, Feeling, Doing” first and apply some healthy limitations to self-giving, burnout might not happen. This workshop provides valuable wake up calls that can guide all to better choices through learning to strengthen the repressed center.

•  9 a.m.-4 p.m., Room 237 (the small media room)
• Breakfast and lunch are included in the $50 charge.  
• Reserve your space by e-mailing or calling Carol Toombs at ctoombs@fpcfw.org or 817-335-1231.

This specific workshop requires that you know your number; it would be beneficial if you have worked with your number for a while.

Mission by the Numbers

• Distributed 34,125 pounds of food to 1,214 families through First HAND and the mobile food pantry;
• Distributed 2,927 articles of clothing to 546 individuals;
• Distributed 570 packed meals to Daggett Elementary School students who otherwise go hungry over the weekend;
• 41 volunteers treated 48 disadvantaged children to an all-day camp at Camp Carter;
• Seven volunteers prepared and served 51 meals to residents at the Samaritan House;
• 26 volunteers gave their time to serve food and mentor children at the Presbyterian Night Shelter;
• Volunteers completed nine prayer shawls to be given to homebound church members;

And this is just a sampling! To become involved in these or any of the church’s mission activities, contact Aaron York at 817-335-1231 or ayork@fpcfw.org.

FPC To Host A Pair of Lectures By Dr. Adrian Bird (2/15/10)

Our 2010 Guest Lecturer is Dr. Adrian Bird from Columbia, S.C. Dr. Bird is well known to many at FPC as he is the husband of our former Associate Pastor Julie Walkup Bird. Upon leaving FPC Adrian and Julie spent a year as mission workers in Kerala, India.

After their year in India, Adrian completed a PhD at New College (University of Edinburgh) in Scotland. Since his graduation he has published a book as well as several articles and essays.

His lectures on Saturday, March 6 (9-11:30 a.m.) are titled: The (New) Encounter of Christianity in India and The Critical Challenge of Dalit Theology. The lectures are free and open to the public.

To register please go to www.fpcfw.org, select the calendar feature, open registrations. You may also register by e-mailing Celeste in the church office (cfalter@fpcfw.org) or calling her at 817-335-1231, x261.

There will also be a meet and greet reception with both Adrian and Julie from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, March 5 in the West Concourse.

No registration is required for casual reception with light refreshments.

For more information about the lectures please feel free to contact Dr. Michael Waschevski in the church office. 

Valentine's Dance Planned (1/20/10)

 The Fellowship Committee will host a Valentine's Dance on Friday, February 5, from 7-9 p.m. in the Great Hall. The event is free of charge and desserts and coffee will be served.  

Meet The Parking Lot Project Staff (1/20/10)

The parking lot project which is about to begin will provide a welcoming gateway that gives better access to visitors and members and increased visibility on Summit Avenue, and Steele-Freeman has named three veterans of the church’s recently completed new building project to oversee its progress.

Darrell Benton, Byrnie Taylor, Eustaquio Rivera and Jonathan Little are our Steele-Freeman liaisons, and you’ll likely see them a lot over the duration of the project.

Returning for the project is Benton, the executive vice president, who has worked for Steele-Freeman since 1996. He has a total of 34 years’ experience in the management and contruction of commercial facilities including schools, municipal, manufacturing, industrial, jails and warehouse and retail facilities. His responsibilities include day-to-day, onsite management of project managers and field supervisory staff. He has been involved with the Association of General Contractors since 1986, serving on the Board of Directors as President and as Vice President of the West Texas Chapter from 1986-1994.

His previous experience includes Benton Construction, Inc., of Abilene (owner), Bennett Construction Corp. of Brownwood (chief estimator), Chaparral Building Systems of Abilene (manager), and Lone Star Construction of Abilene (partner). 

New for this project is Taylor, the project manager, who joined Steele-Freeman in 2009 and has a total of 25 years’ experience in civil design, construction and management of private developments and commercial facilities. His responsibilities include day-to-day, onsite management of projects, project oversight, conducting project meetings, scope review, buyout, permitting, scheduling, budgeting, procurement, quality control, safety, review and processing shop drawings, submittals, RFI’s, schedules, and cost proposals. In addition, he has experience in new construction, additions, renovations and remodels.  

Previously, Taylor has worked in Fort Worth at Landcon Excavating, LLC (owner), Hoe Works Excavation & Utilities(vice president), Tri Dal Excavation (foreman), Dunaway & Associates (civil designer/PM), Carter & Burgess, Inc. (civil designer), and K.E.F. Inc. (draftsman/civil designer).

Returning for this project is Jonathan Little, the assistant project manager, who has been with Steele-Freeman nearly five years. His responsibilities include assistance in onsite management of the project, review and processing shop drawings, submittals, RFI’s and the closeout process toward the end of the job. 

Returning for the project is Eustaquio Rivera, the foreman, who has worked in construction for 20 years, including four years at Steele-Freeman. He began working in the field by building and installing residential cabinets. His expertise is cabinets, concrete forms, millwork, rough and finish carpentry and machine operation. He has worked on animal shelters, schools, churches, and police stations. 

  Parking Lot Project Begins, Part 2 (1/15/10)  

With the selection of a contractor and final details being resolved, the construction of a parking lot that will meet the needs of First Presbyterian Church’s members and visitors is right around the corner.

In the early stages of the project, the most noticeable progress will be the demolition of the former First HAND building at 1000 Summit Ave. and Oncor’s underground relocation of the power lines. When the dust settles from the building demolition and the waste is hauled away, Steele-Freeman will use that location as a staging area for equipment.   

Bob Adams wrote in the Winter 2008 NACBA Ledger that before any human contact is made with a visitor, the church’s exterior has already formed an impression. In keeping with this observation, the most prominent features of the project will be landscaping with plentiful trees and crepe myrtles, the addition of new monument signs that will feature similar architecture and typefaces as our existing ones and brick pavers in the shape of a cross connecting the parking lot with the main entrance to the sanctuary. The project will also include irrigation and site walls along Summit Avenue. 

The trees and signage will readily indicate that one has arrived at First Presbyterian Church and serve as a pleasant, welcoming gateway to the church buildings. The brick pavers will serve as a reminder that the church’s main purpose is worship and help people prepare to do so as they approach the building.  

Another part of the project is the addition of improved lighting in the parking lots and at building entrances to ensure safety and security. The parking lot light poles will feature brackets to hang a full complement of welcome banners for everyday, Advent and Lent.

The new rolled down curb in front of the sanctuary will be a welcome addition for members and visitors alike. This change will help those in wheelchairs or those whose mobility is hindered reach the sanctuary without having to negotiate a curb.  

Finally, the traffic flow will be two-way in the parking lots with space to negotiate through the lots, in contrast with the narrow, one-way lanes in the current layout. 

 Parking Lot Project Begins, Part 1 (1/8/10)

We belong to a special congregation. Perhaps you noticed the Star-Telegram’s November 30 article  describing our church as one of two growing mainline downtown congregations in Fort Worth. An old adage has it that downtown congregations needs four things to prosper, 4 P’s: preaching, program, purpose, and parking. 

We have four capable preachers, a broad and impressive array of programs, a passionate mission purpose, but heretofore we have lacked adequate and attractive parking. Sufficient and welcoming parking makes an important contribution to a church’s evangelism efforts. Church development consultant Bob Adams writes in the Winter 2008 NACBA Ledger that before any human contact is made with a visitor, the church’s exterior has already formed an impression. He asks, “How easy is it to drive onto your campus and find convenient parking close to your buildings? What is the condition of the parking lots, sidewalks and landscaping?”

Good news! A contractor has been selected and the First HAND building is slated for demolition in early January as our new parking lot project gets under way. The end result will be a welcoming gateway that gives better access to visitors and members and increased visibility on Summit Avenue. Our exterior will be as warm and welcoming as our interior. Our entire physical setting will enable our practice of open-hearted Christian hospitality. 

The parking lot project will be completed in three phases, beginning with the section north of Texas Street (see diagram). This phasing will ensure adequate parking for worship services and other church activities for the duration of the construction.

Six contractors were invited to bid on the project and three submitted bids. The project was awarded to the lowest bidder, Steele-Freeman. 

The parking lot project is being paid for by Trustee-designated funds. In winter 2006, the Albany Ranch, which was a part of the Bomar Beneficial Trust, was sold by the JP Morgan Chase bank trustees for about $18.3 million. This principal addition to the Trust, representing 50 percent of that total, increased the income distribution. In 2007, the church Trustees decided that the additional income from the Trust could be used in the future by the church to make the loan payments after the new building was completed. During the following 20 months, income from the Trust accumulated and was unused while the building was under construction. 

Although it was in the original master plan, the parking lot project, along with other phases, was removed from the building project completed in 2008 in order to cut costs. The Trustees decided in 2009 to designate funds from the unused Trust income to redevelop the church’s parking lots. This money has been earning interest during the parking lot planning process.

The Bomar Beneficial Trust was established by W.P. Bomar Jr. upon his death in 1991. His will created three trusts, which are managed by JP Morgan Chase. The money available comes from interest, not the principal of the original amount, and is divided evenly between the church and another recipient of Mr. Bomar’s choosing.

The parking lot construction received a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Downtown Review Board on September 9 and was approved by the Session at its September 20 meeting. The project has been guided by the Building Committee. Members are: Burch Waldron, Chair; Michele Goodwin; John Melcher; Danny Simpson; Mike Turner and staff resource Dana Fickling.

Sara Hickman to Perform Concert to Benefit Presbyterian Night Shelter (Sept. 18, 2009)

Acclaimed recording artist Sara Hickman will perform two benefit concerts at First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth, 1000 Penn Street, on Oct. 10, 2009. Proceeds will benefit the Presbyterian Night Shelter.

The first show, at 11 a.m. in the church’s Great Hall, will feature songs for children, while the second, at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall, will feature her adult music.

Tickets are $10 for the children’s show and $25 for the adult show and can be purchased online at www.fpcfw.org or www.pns-tc.org, or at the church. Tickets sold online will include a 1.99% transaction fee and a $4.15 convenience fee (convenience fee is per transaction, not per ticket). Half of the convenience fee will be donated to the Night Shelter. Tickets sold in person must be purchased by cash or check.

Hickman grew up in Houston. She wrote her first song at age 8, performed it on stage, and won an award from the Daughters of the American Revolution. She attended the High School for Performing & Visual Arts as a vocal major and earned a bachelor of arts degree in fine arts from the University of North Texas. During her career, she has released more than a dozen albums for adults and children and has appeared on The Tonight Show and on VH1 as a host and a performer.

Hickman has been awarded the prestigious Humana Women Helping Women award for her  contributions to such organizations as Safe Place, Habitat for Humanity, House the Homeless, the SPCA, the Race for the Cure, and many other animal and human rights organizations. She was also made an honorary member of the National Association of Music Therapy for her music therapy work.

Other positions include the board of directors of NARAS (The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, i.e. the Grammies), an advisory board member for ARTS and the Honorary Chair for Humana’s WOMEN HELPING WOMEN Awards Ceremony and Convention. She was also Honorary Chair of the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and was invited to be Honorary Chair for the Austin Race for the Cure.

Also, she has been featured in national commercials for Daisy Sour Cream, Southwest Airlines, Fannie Mae and many others.

An Evening With David M. Bailey (August 3, 2009)

The Youth Committee of First Presbyterian Church will host singer/songwriter David M. Bailey in a free concert on Sunday, September 13 at 7 p.m..

All are welcome to attend and hear David's message of faith, hope and love.

The son of Presbyterian missionaries, David spent his childhood in Beirut, Lebanon. He learned his first chords in 7th grade, went on to study classical guitar and soon began writing his own songs, a passion he would nourish for years to come.

The Lebanese civil war forced him to complete high school at a boarding school in Germany (BFA Academy). He spent weekends as a street musician and formed a small ensemble that toured in churches behind the Iron Curtain and Central Europe.

In college, he played extensively in an original acoustic duo, but then put his guitar away and entered corporate America. Ten years later, doctors told David he had a malignant brain tumor and would be dead in a few months.

David left his corporate job and returned to his first love of songwriting and performing. Over a lifetime, he has shared his hope and music with thousands of listeners: Now a 12-year survivor with 18 albums to his name and performances in 21 countries and 44 states, David and his music continue to challenge us all to find faith and treasure the beauty of each new day.

Strong melodies and intricate finger picking help deliver keen, witty and insightful lyrics about three of his favorite themes: faith, hope and love, Hailed by one reviewer as a “prophet with a guitar,” David’s voice is one that resonates with surprising depth and clarity among audiences of all ages – kids, their parents and their parent’s parents enjoy the same concert!

David's story has been featured on CBS News/48 Hours, 60 Minutes, NPR, Presbyterians Today and dozens of newspapers and magazines across the country. While spending most of his time in his own niche of church and medical venues, he does step out into a wide variety of other venues including youth conferences (Montreat, NWMC), retreats, seminaries (Pittsburgh, Louisville), colleges, corporate events and more.

In May 2003, he won the prestigious Kerrville NewFolk songwriting competition and has since shared the stage with many others. From Beirut to Budapest, from Pittsburgh to Portland, and on hundreds of stages in between, he has inspired and entertained thousands of listeners and maintains a relentless tour schedule year-round.

When not on the road, David spends his time at home in Charlottesville, Va., with his greatest joys: his amazing wife, Leslie, and terrific teenage children, Kelcey and Cameron.

 Join FPC at the Fort Worth Cats Game August 16 (July 30, 2009)

The combined First Presbyterian Church choirs will sing the national anthem at the Fort Worth Cats' game against the Wichita Wingnuts on August 16.

An all-church tailgate begins at 5 p.m., sponsored by the Fellowship Committee. We’ll bring the meat, condiments, chips and drinks, you bring fruit and desserts!

The choirs will sing the National Anthem at 6 p.m. The game begins at 6:05 p.m.

Choir members are admitted free. Discount tickets ($12) for church members are available in the church office.