News and Events
Doug Scott is guest pianist Sunday, March 11 (3/11/12)
Taking Action Against Alzheimer's Event is January 26 (1/12/12)
Lisa Waldron Earns National Volunteer Award (9/27/11)
What is a Paschal Candle? (3/30/11)
The Meaning of Giving at Hemphill (3/15/11)
9-Year-Olds Show Leadership in Giving (11/19/10)
"Faces and Places of Mission" (9/10/10)
Dr. Barbara Rossing to Present Bible Study to PW (9/8/10)
One O'Clock Lab Band Kicks Off Concert Series (9/8/10)
"Countering the Rapture in the Left Behind Belt": Barbara Rossing (9/8/10)
Mission at FPC: Haiti (8/31/10)
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)
Doug Scott will be guest pianist at Sunday's 9 a.m. Jazz Service, March 11
At Sunday’s 9 am Jazz Service, our guest pianist will be Douglas Scott, well known as a composer, arranger, soloist, accompanist, and orchestral musician. Mr. Scott received his first appointment as a church organist at the age of 12. He is currently organist at Grosse Île Presbyterian Church, where he worked closely with Karl Travis for eight years. He earned the bachelor of music degree with highest honors from Michigan State University in 1978. His principal teachers were Ralph Votapek, piano; David Liptak, composition; and Wendell Westcott, composition and carillon. Mr. Scott frequently appears as soloist, in recital and with orchestra. Recently he has appeared as organ soloist in the Respheghi "Church Windows", the Saint-Saens Organ Symphony and the Jongen Symphony Concertante; as harpischord soloist in the Bach Brandenburg Concerto #5; and as piano soloist in the Rachmaninoff Rhapsody ("Paginini Variations"), Beethoven Choral Fantasy, Saint-Saens "Carnival of the Animals" and the Dohnanyi "Varations on a Nursery Rhyme". Mr. Scott has recently performed solo recitals in the Metro Detroit area for the Tuesday Musicale, the Dearborn Symphony and the Grosse Île Musicale. He performs as an orchestral musician on piano, celeste, harpsichord and organ with the Southern Great Lakes Symphony, the Dearborn Symphony and the Warren Symphony. He also performs with several chamber ensembles, jazz ensembles and choral groups.
"Taking Action Against Alzheimer's" Presentation is January 26
On January 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the Great Hall, Jaimie Cobb of the James L. West Center will present a free workshop, “Taking Action Against Alzheimer’s,” which will assist present caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s or related dementias and will also empower others in a caring community to be loving support to the family. Jaimie will share information that will give participants a better understanding of the disease, help them differentiate between normal aging and Alzheimer’s, and expose myths about the illness. She will also share strategies and resources as to where to go to get answers and help.
If you are presently caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia, you need to be there. If you are concerned about your own health or that of another, you will want to be there. And, if you know that 2011 data indicates 5.4 million Americans (1 in 8 people age 65 and older, 43% of people age 85 and older, and even 4% of Americans under the age of 65) currently have Alzheimer’s, you will realize that this workshop could be important for you, too. All research indicates that early detection and early treatment extends memory and lives.
Lisa Waldron Earns National Volunteer Award
Lisa Waldron, a church member since 1981 and a volunteer with the adult day care center at First Presbyterian (now the James L. West Center) for the last 25 years, recently received the Volunteer Award from the National Adult Day Services 
Association (NADSA). The award “recognizes and celebrates outstanding contributions by a volunteer in an adult day center. The individual demonstrates exceptional commitment and exemplifies the spirit of service for the center.”
Lisa and her dog, Halley Berry, take time each week to visit with clients. Halley does tricks and Lisa chats, prays and leads Bible study.
“Having a dog is an ice breaker. I put her down and let the people babysit her. They focus on her, watch her tricks, and it helps them relax,” Lisa said. “I’ve never kept track of the time I’ve spent at the West Center. I can talk to the clients about anything that’s on my mind, and I even practice Busy Women’s Bible Study lessons with them!”
Lisa began volunteering after church member Teresa Hocker, who is executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association in Fort Worth, asked her to help out with the adult day care center which First Presbyterian was operating in a room near the gym. She went, intending to participate for a few weeks, but she continued volunteering even as the program grew and the West Center was built. In her time she has brought three dogs and two parrots with her.
One of the greatest lessons Lisa has learned is how to plan for the care of a loved one with Alzheimer’s. Through her volunteering, she says, she has realized that love and compassion are necessary for that task, and she has become an advocate for adult day care as a stepping stone to long-term care.
“This is a wonderful award, totally unexpected. I’m excited about it, but what excites me most is the chance to get up and talk about adult day care and raise awareness of how beneficial a program like one at the James L. West Center can be. I love these people. To do something for 25 years without even thinking about it, I must really enjoy it,” Lisa exclaimed.
To see the CBS11 story on Lisa, click here.
This Sunday we introduce into the sanctuary and into the chapel a Paschal Candle. It is the tall candle sitting next to the baptismal font. What is a Paschal Candle, and why did we get one?
The word "paschal" comes from "pesakh", the Hebrew word for 
the Jewish Passover. Jesus went to Jerusalem to observe the Passover feast. While in Jerusalem he held his last supper and was crucified.
This year, for the first time, our church will hold a Paschal Vigil – otherwise called the Easter Vigil – the night before Easter. As the service begins we will light the Paschal Candle. It will remain lit for the remainder of the vigil.
Easter morning the candle will sit next to the Lord’s Table. It will be lit on Easter and each Sunday of Eastertide (the 6 Sundays until Pentecost). This reminds us of the 50 days the resurrected Christ remained with his disciples. On Pentecost, when we celebrate the Spirit’s coming upon the church, the candle will be moved away from the Lord’s Table to the baptismal font. It will remain unlit adjacent to the font until next Easter, when it is lit again. The Paschal Candle sits next to the font to connect Easter with baptism, to connect Christ’s death and resurrection with our baptism and hope for eternal life. So, each time we baptize, we will light the Paschal Candle. So we light the Paschal Candle on the Sundays of Eastertide, and for baptisms.
There is yet one more occasion to light the Paschal Candle: funerals and memorial services. We light it then to remember what Paul wrote in Romans, that “we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” In baptism, we die with Christ and are risen to new life with him.
The Paschal Candle will impact our worship and faith. It will deepen our hope in God for years to come.
The Meaning of Service at Hemphill
By Robin Sloane
Each week our food and clothing ministry on Hemphill serves more than 300 people. Why should the stories that they share as they wait quietly in line, surprise me? And why should I be surprised that the common thread running through the words of those we serve is their faith in the Lord and his goodness.
One woman smiled when spoken to but quickly broke down in 
tears, saying that her husband had just died. Gauging from her age, her husband died at a young age. How to face such grief? She believed that God was with her in her suffering. We prayed and I pray for her still.
Another woman related that she’d walked to our food pantry from her apartment on Seminary. She was trying to turn her life around after having been in prison. Her boyfriend had presented himself for day labor every day since the first of December and had only worked three days. I swallowed hard and urged her to look for a church near her apartment to which she could commit, and that she must remember that every person in the pews had a story and had faltered. I told her to commit to them and let them commit to her and help her in her walk. She responded that she and her boyfriend sometimes attended church and even that Sunday her boyfriend had suggested that they go but that she hadn’t wanted to because they’d be late. Far ahead of my words, the Lord had been at work in her life.
One day last fall a woman revealed that her husband had left her and that her children, one in college and one a high school student, were struggling with it. She’d lost her well-paid job and didn’t know how they’d survive. As we walked to her car, she apologized for the new SUV, saying that it was about to be repossessed. We talked at length as she gathered up strength to go home and demonstrate to her children her faith in the Lord in this very difficult time.
Another woman shared that her father had been a pretty strict man and she’d raised her children the way she’d been raised. . One day the Holy Spirit spoke to her and told her that she had to change the way she raised her children. She drew her children together, apologized and became a new kind of mother to them. Her quiet telling of this story rang with the authenticity of a woman who had faced herself before her Lord.
On a mobile pantry day, there was an older man in the line. He told me about his family, that his mother had raised five boys, all of whom went on to be productive men. He told me that the Lord had given him the gift of being an “emotional dump” for those around him. All his life, people had brought their problems to him, and the Lord had given him the grace to listen and help without being overwhelmed by what he heard.
Among the hundreds of people who come to this ministry, those hardest hit by sorrow or care can scarcely raise their eyes when greeted. It has been several months, but there was one young woman who never lifted her head, never responded to words of welcome... Somewhere else, I trust that the Lord sent someone to share her burden.
In this ministry, we encounter needs and appearances that can confuse us. We must remember that God is already at work in the hearts of the people we serve. When life’s solutions are all used up, we have comfort to share when we speak God’s reality. We are called to serve alongside our Lord, true servants to his people, offering His words and lovingly-prepared sacks of groceries.
9-Year-Olds Show Leadership in Giving
Mission activities and compassion for others is part of the culture at First Pres, readily visible through the work of youth and adults on Habitat homes, First HAND, and mission trips. Recently, however, a pair of 9-year-old girls spearheaded a very successful fundraising effort for the South Central Alliance of Churches’ annual Thanksgiving Basket drive, showing that the mission culture includes even the church’s younger members.
Delaney Pavell and Jordan Newquist, acting on the suggestion
of their coach (Delaney’s father, Mike), rallied the other 12 members of their youth soccer team and together raised $1,600 for the project by obtaining sponsors for a walk-a-thon. The team walked laps at the TCU track, with a goal of everyone completing 45 laps. Everyone managed to walk between 25 and 32 laps, combining walking with snack and water breaks. After the money was collected, the entire team went to the grocery store to purchase the contents of 45 Thanksgiving baskets, and the remaining funds were donated to the South Central Alliance to use toward purchasing turkeys.
“I thought it’d be a good idea to help kids who don’t have money or poor families have a meal for Thanksgiving. I wanted to raise money so people don’t starve to death,” Jordan said. “My favorite part was taking a break after we finished. I’m proud because I walked about 7 miles!”
Delaney’s favorite part was the walking, music and food, but the best part may not have happened yet: “In a few days we’re going to hand out the bags to the families. I’m looking forward to that because we’ll actually give it to the people and see who gets the food we worked hard to buy,” she said.
Jordan and Delaney’s project was inspired by an organization called SLANT 45: Service Learning Adventures in North Texas. According to the organization’s website, “SLANT 45 is an historic youth education program that offers profound challenges and rewards to its young participants. SLANT 45 was named after an actual football play used by Daryl Johnston and Emmitt Smith for the Dallas Cowboys. From now through December 2010, in what will be one of the largest communitywide service-learning projects in U.S. history, an estimated 20,000 elementary-age students will log a combined 45,000 hours of service across North Texas that will change the face of the region for generations. These children, representing all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and every corner of North Texas, will undertake projects large and small.”
According to Andrea Pavell, Mike wanted the team to take on a service project, but he wanted to make sure it was something they could do themselves. Because of SLANT 45, they decided on a goal of $45 for 45 laps for each team member.
“They had some pretty outlandish ideas to start with, so we had to talk them into something more realistic, but they really took to this project,” she said. “We helped them lay out the plan, and we wanted them to follow it from beginning to end so they could see how their work turns out. That’s really the beauty of this project: they worked so hard to raise the money and then they’ll be able to look the people they helped in the eye. The whole team should be really proud of what they did.”
First Presbyterian to Host “Faces and Places of Mission” September 26
Pastors, Elders, Mission Committees, Presbyterian Women and anyone else interested in the mission works of the PC(USA) are invited to hear stories and have discussions with guest speaker Chris McReynolds, a mission co-worker currently in Mexico, at “Faces and Places of Mission” hosted by First, Fort Worth, on Sunday, September 26, from 4-5:30 p.m. in the church’s Great Hall. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear stories from a Presbyterian missionary in the international mission field.
Each participating congregation is asked to share finger food for 20 so that hosting future gatherings will not be burdensome to any.
Please RSVP to Linda Wynne (817-335-1231, x258) by Friday, September 24. Childcare is available by advance reservation. Please call Kathy Jauch (817-335-1231, x256) no later than Thursday, September 23, to make arrangements.
Dr. Barbara Rossing Presents Bible Study to PW
For an altogether different take on the book of Revelation than popular culture puts forth, plan to attend First Fort Worth Presbyterian Women's Tuesday Together at 10:30 a.m. on September 21, when Dr. Barbara Rossing, pastor, professor and author of the 2010 Horizons Bible study, will introduce an enlivening study.
Coming as she does from a perspective that offers hope and healing for the world, rather than prognostications on the end of it, Dr. Rossing, a noted authority on Revelation, asserts that this book "takes us on a journey into the heart of God's own dream for our world," and points to the beautiful images of renewal and healing that are found along the way - the river of life, the tree of life, the shepherding Lamb who wipes away our tears - as symbols that empower and encourage us to bring God's dream to fruition. She states, "This book was not written to terrify people but to wake them up, to encourage them and to sustain their hope. Hope is the most important message of Revelation."
Lunch will be served at 12:30 ($7) and Dr. Rossing will be available immediately afterward for a question and answer period.
Please RSVP for lunch by Noon on Friday, September 10. Call 817-335-1231 to make your lunch reservation or for more information.
One O'Clock Lab Band Kicks Off 2010-11 Concert Series
The 2010-11 Concert Series begins September 16 at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall when the University of North Texas’s Grammy nominated One O Clock Lab Band takes the stage.
The One O’Clock Lab Band is the premiere ensemble of UNT’s jazz studies program. The band has performed and toured throughout the world, including Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Thailand and the Netherlands. UNT offered the nation’s first bachelor’s degree program in jazz studies in 1947, and the university’s graduate jazz studies program is consistently rated among the nation’s best. The One O’Clock Lab Band is a large jazz ensemble which includes five saxophones, five trumpets, five trombones, guitar, piano, bass, drums and percussion players, under the direction of Steve Wiest. To learn more about the band, visit www.jazz.unt.edu.
"Countering 'the Rapture' in the Left-Behind Belt": Dr. Barbara Rossing to Speak September 20
When 60 Minutes did a segment on the popular Left Behind series and the fundamentalist theology behind it, Dr. Barbara Rossing, professor of New Testament at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, was the voice they chose to represent mainstream Christianity's viewpoint. She was the right choice to state the rebuttal, as she is the noted authority on the book of Revelation and on the genres of Biblical prophecy and ancient world apocalyptic writings.
Rossing will speak at First, Fort Worth, on September 20. She will speak to clergy in the Great Hall at 10:30 a.m. and to the public at 7 p.m.
Her remarks will clarify the actual function of prophecy and apocalyptic writings in Biblical times, to undercut the reasoning behind the 'Armageddon' understanding of Revelation, and to offer an interpretation of the book that is full of hope and love, rather than fear and wrath. She preaches a sort of rapture in reverse, pointing out that it is God who comes to earth to live among the nations in the New Jerusalem (the realization of God's vision for what life on earth is intended to be), rather than humanity that is lifted up or left behind. She states, "Revelation offers a vision of God's healing love for the world – a love that will not be left behind."
There will be a time for questions and answers after her presentation and a book signing immediately following. Dr Rossing is the author of The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in the Book of Revelation. Please plan to attend this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as she shares "the wonderful, crucial story of God's faithfulness" and the hope such faithfulness inspires.
You may register online at www.fpcfw.org and clicking “Calendar” or by calling the church office at 817-335-1231.
First Presbyterian Church’s mission involvement in Haiti stretches back years. Groups from our church had been providing medical assistance and supplies and working with the people of Leogane to improve buildings and infrastructure long before this spring’s earthquake.
Immediately after that event, members of the congregation went to Haiti to help in any way they could and, more recently, in April, a group of seven went to help rebuild parts of L’Hôpital Ste. Croix. John Bosshart, Dale Gasch, Bill Gordon, Steve Mercer, Robert Smith and Bob and Robin Sloane went to Leogane to convert a patient ward in the part of the hospital that survived the quake into a guest house. Much of the rubble has been cleared and there is some construction in Leogane, but most of the people are still in camps. The hospital no longer offers inpatient services because that part of the facility was destroyed, and no revenue comes in from patient fees because healthcare has been deemed free by the Haitian government.
“With only limited revenue coming in from donations, it was important that the guest house be rebuilt to jump start a revenue stream to rebuild the hospital,” Bob Sloane explained. “It was originally for small groups, with only 14 beds, but now it offers 26 beds and it’s a really good place to stay. They have a good cook and offer three meals daily and a place to sleep for only about $50 a night. They took in $16,000 the month after our group left. The Japanese Red Cross stays there, and there are lots of various groups and people around, which makes it interesting at mealtimes.”
The FPC group brought lots of tools, such as saws, a pressure washer and screwdrivers, and left them there to allow future maintenance. Also, the group brought and installed high quality locks to ensure that all of the guest rooms are secure. Other projects the group tackled included plumbing (the repair and installation of faucets, drains, shower heads, sinks and toilets), making shower curtains, hanging ceiling fans, painting and building containment walls to provide security at the entrances to the compound.
The group worked hard all week and just finished its final projects on the last day. Bob Sloane reported that on a return trip he made in July all of their work was still functioning.
First Presbyterian Church’s continued commitment to mission in Haiti is just one example of our worldwide mission work. Locally and globally, the church participates in dozens of mission projects to help improve the way of life and opportunities of people in need.
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 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.
How does First Presbyterian’s mission activity affect the community? Here are some of the activities in which our volunteers participated during May:
- 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. Whe
n 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 p
roject 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.
