w w w.fpcnorfolk.org w w w.RememberHimBlog.com FiRst impact 1

Abraham Heschel once said that the entire Old Testament could be summarized in a single word: “Remember.” Indeed, what makes our faith unique amongst all world religions is the insistance that salvation comes not from what we do, but from what has been done for us. The central task of the Christian faith is to remember what Christ did for us, and to

live our lives in remembrance of His life, death and resurrection.

On September 9th, we begin a new church life series called simply “Remember.” Throughout the year, we will focus on a small number of critical passages, and we will challenge you to memorize those verses so that we can remember what has been done for us.

Our first passage and mini-series will focus on the Ten Commandments. Though they have great cultural presence, their substance has been mostly forgotten (how many people can even name all ten?). Remembering these commandments is more than a discipline; it is a path to life as God designed it. We may discover that the life we’ve always wanted is just ten steps away.

Invite a friend and join us on September 9th as we kick off this new year!

REMEMBER

IN THIS ISSUE

From Where I Stand 2

FIRST News 3

Local Missions 4

Global Missions 5

Children & Families 6

Adult Discipleship 72012 Nicaragua Mission Story Page 5

by Jim Wood

Don’t miss our all-church family picnic on Sunday, September 16th! From 4 to 7 pm, we will gather at 600 Talbot Hall Drive in Norfolk for one of the biggest highlights of our church year.

There’s so much to look forward to, from excellent food, music, games for kids and families, cotton candy, Inflatables, and yes, back by popular demand...a dunk booth.If your last name begins with A-C, please bring a desert; if your last name begins with D-Z, please bring a side. Anyone interested in volunteering, please contact Joe Folk at jffolk@cox.net. For directions please visit our website, www.fpcnorfolk.org. For all other questions, contact Eliza Marks at elizamarks@verizon.net.

Fun Times Ahead — Church Picnic on September 16th

2 FiRst impact w w w.RememberHimBlog.com w w w.fpcnorfolk.org

GETTING CloSER! Growing In This Love Capital Campaign Update

by Ron Gates, Long Range Planning Committee Chairman

It is remarkable to witness the sacrificial giving that has accompanied the Growing In This Love capital campaign, originally started in 2005 to raise the funds to expand the ministries and facilities of First Presbyterian Church. To date, we have received gifts and pledges totaling $11,244,000 toward our goal of $11,500,000. Our loan is now below

$505,000. Two years ago we owed $1.27 million on our loan. The generosity and sacrifice are humbling.

During a previous Capital Campaign Briefing, Jim Wood reminded us that: “Our goal is to retire the debt so as not to limit the depth and breadth of our full ministry to each other, to our community, and beyond. Our purpose is strong and the vision

remains clear – to bring others to the saving love of Jesus Christ. Not by the few, but by many . . . for the love of Christ urges us on.”

Many of you have extended your pledge and/or contributions into our Growing In This Love capital campaign. We thank you for your contributions and prayers. If you have made a pledge, and not yet fulfilled it, we encourage you to fulfill it as soon as possible. Money given now will help finish paying off the loan.

If you have not made a pledge, we encourage you to prayerfully consider whether God is leading you to participate. Your participation is still very much needed. Please pick up a Growing In This Love Commitment card at the Welcome Desk or make a commitment online at www.fpcnorfolk.org (look for Growing In This Love under the Give Tab). As we share in the use of our wonderful building, so, too, we share in the responsibility to pay for it.

by Ron Gates

Our purpose is strong and the vision remains clear – to bring others to the saving love of Jesus Christ.

Bible Change: NRSV to NIV

When our new church life series, Remember, begins on September 9th, it will be accompanied by a change in our official Bible translation.

Our congregation is shifting from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) to the New International Version (NIV). This means our pew Bibles will change, readings will be in the NIV in worship, and the NIV will be the translation we reference generally in classes, publications, etc.

Please note that this change is not related to the quality of the NRSV; the NRSV remains an excellent translation of the original texts. There are two main reasons for this change.

First, the Remember series calls for a significant amount of Scripture memorization, and we want our family of faith to be able to all memorize the same words. The NIV is

the best-selling contemporary translation by far and is the overwhelming Bible of preference for most of our members. Switching to the NIV would allow more of our members to bring their personal Bibles with them to worship, and allow the words spoken on Sunday morning to match those read at home the other days of the week.

Second, the NIV offers significantly better resources than the NRSV for our family of faith. The NIV has excellent children, teen, and study Bibles. It’s available on web and app based programs like www.biblegateway.com and the Glo Bible. It offers excellent, inexpensive Bibles that we can give away for free to those wanting a Bible for the first time.

We hope this shift will be a blessing to you and your family and make God’s Word ever more accessible!

FRom WHeRe i stand

w w w.fpcnorfolk.org w w w.RememberHimBlog.com FiRst impact 3

GENERoSITy, Moving Toward Life

that is Truly Lifeby Andrew Callan

A generous life is designed to be experienced in community and by definition the very act of generosity usually involves one or more people.

I invite you to pick up a copy of a FREE Generosity Devotional from the Welcome Desk starting Sunday, September 23, 2012.

As we read through this four week devotional starting Monday, October 1st, it’s my prayer that you will grow in your knowledge and appreciation of the biblical message of generosity. Daily activities and reflection questions for journaling will help guide you through a transformational experience into the life that is truly life (1 Timothy 6:19).

Want to learn more? Contact Andrew Callan at andrew@fpcnorfolk.org or 625-1697 ext. 319.

New Church Officers

On August 12, at our congregational meeting, FPC elected our 2015 class of elders, class of deacons, and our newest trustee.

Office of Deacon – Class of 2015Dana Carroll

Peggy MackeyDeanna Nisbet

Emily WashingtonJudy Zook

Officer of Elder – Class of 2015Carolyn BuzekKaren Campo

Jim DilleRon Gates

Jeanne PerinJim Slaughter

Trustee – Class of 2015Hal Barge

We are excited to welcome our incoming leaders, and we ask for prayers for them as they listen to the Spirit and guide our family of faith.

FiRst news

Regent University Urban Interns

You may notice some new residents in one of our church’s houses beginning this month. Three Regent University Divinity School students will be interning at our church and living in dorm rooms on the recently remodeled second floor of the Northminster house! Their names are Lonnie S. Duckett Jr., Samantha Mazzola and William Wells.

We are so excited and blessed to have these students with us. This partnership with Regent is a ground breaking and innovative way of allowing these students to participate in urban missions as part of their education.

It is a great gift to partner with Regent’s Divinity School in this venture, and I hope we will be as great a gift to Lonnie, Samantha and William as they will be to us. Please be in prayer for them as they begin this next exciting stage of their seminary experience with our congregation.

...three very talented graduate students will be living in the Northminster House, attending school and dedicating time to urban ministry.

by Jim Wood

4 FiRst impact w w w.RememberHimBlog.com w w w.fpcnorfolk.org

One of my favorite people, Paul Berry dropped by my office to make a small request. For those of you

who may not know, Paul refers to himself as being ‘homelessly-challenged’ at one time. He now lives in an apartment and is warm and cozy. He says however that he never wants to forget from where he came. It is for that reason that it was on his mind to see if we could collect some

reason that it was on his mind to see if we could collect some shoes for the homeless. What a

wonderful idea, I thought. What we need most is washed tennis shoes sizes 9-12 or any other type of men’s shoes in those sizes.

Make certain that they are still in good shape and clean.

Please leave your donations in the shopping cart in The Common, and thank you in advance.

micaH 6:8 — LocaL missionsGreat Turnout for International oDU Students

by Sheryl Wood

Thank you so much for your huge display of generosity by bringing in filled bags to be given to the international students. You all brought in 44 bags. How wonderful! At the luncheon on Aug. 25th, there were 105 students and 45 hosts. It was a fabulous day and many lifetime relationships were

started. Please e-mail me (sheryl@fpcnorfolk.org ) and let me know that you would like to become more involved with the international students during the year. There are many wonderful opportunities coming up. It truly is a win/win situation!

For lIFE with youby Toby DeBause

This has been a busy year for Crisis Pregnancy Center. CPC continues to grow and reach more women in record numbers. The number of women this ministry serves has increased every year for the last six years (1,711

women served in 2011) and abortions have been going down each year during this same period. Much has been done to stimulate growth during these years (1 Cor. 3:6). I will not give a summary of all our efforts, but I’d like to remind you of a few initiatives that have taken place within the last year. Our second medical clinic, offering life-revealing ultrasound services, was opened last summer in Virginia Beach. We also completely revamped our client website, and continue to make a huge investment every month in a Google mobile phone advertising campaign that made a significant impact as soon as it was launched. All of these initiatives, along with operating another medical clinic, two satellite pregnancy resource centers and a Helpline call center are all a blessing. Thank you so much for the many ways that you help us here at CPC. Your gifts and prayers are very appreciated.

The Homeless Need your Shoesby Sheryl Wood

I also wanted to tell you to please save the date November 16. That is when we will be having our campout at ODU to raise money for the Dwelling Place which is a shelter for homeless families. We had a great turnout last year! Let’s do the same thing this year!

w w w.fpcnorfolk.org w w w.RememberHimBlog.com FiRst impact 5

BeYond tHe 757 — GLoBaL missionsNicaragua 2012 Pilgimage Huge Success

A team of 18 people returned on August 11, 2012 from a very successful mission trip to Jenitaga, Nicaragua. While there, the team completed a house/clubhouse that was four years in the making. A massive painting party took place to finish up the house.

There was a fabulous mural on one of the walls that a person who works with Young Life paint-ed. A heart-warming dedication for the home/clubhouse with many songs, games, cake filled the room with much laughter! A group of women also taught lessons and crafts to some of the Young Life leaders who then shared the same lesson with students at a school later on in the day. At the school our team also played volleyball, soccer and taught gymnastics to the students. It was an incredible visit that once again showed how glorious it is to discover the body of Christ all around the world.

If you have been considering a pilgrimage to Kenya, if there is a tug at your heart as you listen to the stories of so many who have made this pilgrimage before you, perhaps 2012 is the year to just do it! There will be a team leaving in late October. Will you be on the plane with them?

As you consider and pray about whether this is the place for you to be the hands and feet of Christ this year, ponder these things the team will do while on the ground in Kenya:

At the hospital you will make morning rounds with an attending physician or pastoral counselor. You will also sit in on a Mother-to-Child prenatal class, which is a critical step in educating HIV+ mothers to prevent virus transmission at birth.

Another important place to visit is the Holy Family Center AIDS clinic. HFC is responsible for testing, treating and monitoring nearly 4,000 HIV+ patients. Approximately 350 HIV+ children are also under the care of HFC, many of whom have been orphaned by AIDS. You will love and encourage these dear children. Reading a story, helping them color or draw or even just listening will allow you to share God’s compassion with a very special child.

HFC’s home visits are often the highlight of a visit to Kenya. You will be joining with HFC social workers and community health care volunteers in visiting patients and their families.

Work and minister at the Joy Children’s Home in Ngarariga, Kenya, and be blessed by the lost who have been found.

If you would like more information, please contact Rudy Miller at kateandrudy@yahoo.com.

Remember that Kenya is a third-world country and many locations and sites will shock your senses. Be physically prepared to walk long distances often through rough terrain.

AFRICA BoUND: october 27 — November 11, 2012

6 FiRst impact w w w.RememberHimBlog.com w w w.fpcnorfolk.org

cHiLdRen and FamiLies

Thanks for your patience while our nursery undergoes minor renovations. Please bring your babies (birth to 23-month-olds) to the main Children’s Check-In located outside our main Preschool wing.

w w w.fpcnorfolk.org w w w.RememberHimBlog.com FiRst impact 7

Small Group Meet UpSunday, September 9

We want to get to know you and talk to you about getting connected to a small group. Our small groups are a fantastic way to connect in

community and grow in faith.

Come and check us out... have a conversation...and learn more about our small group ministry. We’ll meet you in the Armstrong Chapel following any of the worship services.

Want more information about small groups? Contact Valena Hoy at valena@fpcnorfolk.org.

adULt discipLesHip

INSTITUTE oF DISCIPlESHIPExplore Classes: • FPC 101 on Sunday, Oct. 7th – An informal gathering with our pastors to learn more about our church, denomination and faith. • PilgrimageWeekendonOct.25th-28th–AWalktoRemember

Grow Classes: •WednesdayNightIDbeginsSept.26th–SurveyoftheOldTestament

Discover Classes: • SundayMornings–

• TuesdayMorningMonthlyWomen’sStudybeginsSept.18th–Ruth:RedeemedandRenewed •WednesdayMorningWomen’sBibleStudybeginsSept.5th–Nehemiah:StandingFirminToughTimes •ThursdayEveningWomen’sStudybeginsSept.20th-BethMoore’sTheLawofLove:Deuteronomy

Please visit our website or contact Kristine@fpcnorfolk.org for more information.

Stories of Encounter at RememberHimBlog.com

The spiritual practice of remembering is important for any relationship and it is especially true in our relationship with God. The act of remembering

someone’s goodness helps to build trust which allows bonds of intimacy to develop.

This Fall, as we study the Ten Commandments, let us not forget that these commands are preceded by a call to remember. “I am the Lord who brought you out of . . . ”

What has the Lord brought you out of? Please consider contacting Kristine Rand to share your story so that your remembrance can serve to encourage others as they journey closer to Christ. Our stories will be shared through a blog at www.rememberHimBlog.com.

Start Date Time Title Description 9/9 9:30 1 Corinthians Man’s Knowledge vs. God’s Wisdom 9/9 9:30 Jonah Layers from the heart of a prodigal prophet 9/9 9:30 Covenant Class Meets at The Center, Second Floor 9/9 11:00 The Gospel in Exodus The words of Moses are relevant today 9/9 11:00 Fellow Journeyers Faith lessons from the Promised Land 9/16 11:00 Love and Respect Couples’ Life Class

8 FiRst impact w w w.RememberHimBlog.com w w w.fpcnorfolk.org

see you at the Fpc norfolk picnic september 16th from 4 to 8 p.m.!

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 218

Norfolk, VA

First Presbyterian ChurCh820 Colonial Avenue • Norfolk, VA 23507

www.fpcnorfolk.org • 757.625.1697

tHe LoFt open HoUseCome see what our library has for you!

Sunday, September 9th8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Take a tour, meet our staff,

have some refreshment, and peruse our references, periodicals,

texts, DVDs, best sellers plus the youth and children’s corners.

Book sale, Free Hymnals and more!

2012 Fpc men’s RetReat October 12 - 14

God calls us to live fruitful lives as Christians. Jesus clearly taught that we do that by loving one another as He loves us. The Bible provides us with specific guidance for how to lead lives of influence, significance and meaning...lives that make an impact for God’s kingdom.

The 2012 FPC Men’s Retreat will explore “The Path to Impact.” Come share a great time of fellowship, fun and learning from October 12-14 at Hampton Inn in Corolla, NC. Registration includes room, three meals on Saturday, one meal Sunday, snacks galore, and books/materials.

Register online by october 9th!