PRISM

Sunday mornings, 9:00 AM, in the church library

or virtually on RingCentral: https://v.ringcentral.com/join/574555072

New series beginning Sunday, February 8

Do You Recognize Your Hometown Anymore?Author Beth Macy was born and raised in Ohio five decades ago and struggled with that question. She has a deep-seated love for the community of her youth despite being from a family that dealt with alcoholism and poverty. Yet after beating the odds and becoming an acclaimed journalist and writer in Virginia, she has witnessed a "fracturing" of her hometown. Her recent book, Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America, examines this decades-long decline through multiple lenses, including changes in education, media, federal and state funding and policies, urban and rural competition, race and gender issues, political acrimony, the opioid epidemic, among others.

The PRISM class will be embarking on a 14-week discussion of Paper Girl which will hit close to home, because the issues of Beth Macy's hometown are the issues of practically every hometown. Joining the discussion will be a handful of individuals with lived and professional experience with the topics raised in Paper Girl. Based on the premise that understanding and insight can be fostered through respectful social discourse and candor, this series will be timely and important.

—John Weigand

Mark Your Calendars for VBS June 1-5, 2026!

Registration begins March 23 and continues through May 1. Cost is $35 per child, family cap at $70.

This year’s theme is Snowball Mountain Challenge!

Kids will become Challengers, gearing up for frosty games, snowy surprises, and hands-on lessons about resilience and faith. With a unique winter theme and solid theology at its core, this VBS delivers joy and meaning in equal measure, teaching kids that "I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 NRSV).

We’re also bringing back After-VBS, which will be for First Presbyterian kids from 12pm to 4pm.

Time to Register for Montreat!

Students that will be incoming freshman through outgoing seniors are encouraged to register for Montreat!  We will head to what several have called “Presbyterian Mecca” June 14-20th of this year.  This youth focused conference trip is tailored specifically for High Schoolers and it is an incredible opportunity to connect with other youth throughout our denomination! Teens from all over the country are present, and weeks have an average of 800 high schoolers in attendance.

We’re staying at an incredible Airbnb in Black Mountain.

Registration is easy, please fill out this form and pay your $100 deposit by Jan 31.  (I need to register with Montreat!) 

Wonderful Wednesday Returns:

Wonderful Wednesday is back January 14th! This intergenerational gathering is truly what church is all about- a time for us to break bread together with glad and sincere hearts. After dinner there is a short lesson time, this spring we will be focusing on the stories that the kids are learning in Faith Formation time. We’re excited to look at a new perspective on some of the most beloved stories of scripture; and maybe even learn some new stories too!

Disciples and Dragons:

We are super excited to launch a NEW and exciting curriculum for grades K-6 faith formation! Starting Wednesday, January 14 after school until 5:30, we’ll play our way through scripture. Disciples and Dragons is a role-playing game spin off of the popular Dungeons and Dragons. These thoughtful lessons complied by an Episcopal Priest, Joe Kennedy, are designed to engage kids into the world of scripture in a new way- through imagination and play. We’re looking forward to this new adventure and invite any in grades K-6 to come along on our quest. Are you a former D&D player? Kristin is also interested in drafting DM’s! Contact Kristin with any questions: kream@granpres.org.

Children’s Music

In an effort to be responsive to the needs of our families, we’re excited to let you know about an upcoming change to Faith Formation/Children’s Music.

We’re hoping to make a change that will make both programs stronger.  We received great feedback from the survey, and we’re excited to meet the needs of our families. 

Starting on Sunday, January 11, Children’s Music will return to Sunday practices from 11:00 to 11:30 am. Children’s music is for anyone in grades K-6. Practice will take place in the Angel Choir room. Children’s Music time will also include learning bells and percussion this Spring! This will happen during the fellowship time after the service, which we hope will give parents a little time to catch up each week.

Faith Formation will continue to happen on Wednesday after school from 4:00 to 5:30 pm. We are excited to try a NEW curriculum called Disciples and Dragons—a role-playing spin-off of the popular game Dungeons and Dragons. This curriculum is play-based, and we’re excited to see it in action! While the building is under construction, our faith formation will happen at Centenary United Methodist Church. Faith Formation will begin again on Wednesday, January 14 along with Wonderful Wednesday dinners. Kristin is away at Duke from January 3-10 for the beginning of her next trimester.

Looking forward to a great Spring with all of our families!

—Kristin Ream and Aaron Wilburn

PRISM

Sunday mornings, 9:00 AM, in the Library

Welcome 2026!  We have resumed our PRISM discussion classes, continuing our discussion of Everybody Always. More amazing stories from the author Bob Goff. We meet at 9:00 am in the church library AND virtually through our normal RingCentral link:

https://v.ringcentral.com/join/574555072

—John Weigand

Faith Formation Survey:

We’re at an exciting moment of change in the faith formation program, and we want to make sure that we’re listening to the best ways to support families as we move forward. In cooperation with Wallace, Ellen, Aaron, Philip and Joy Ellen and Kristin created a survey to get some actual data for driving this bus :).

We would love to have your HONEST feedback on this survey so that we can have the right information to move forward! We’re at a moment where we’ve got a little bit of time to dream about what might be possible, and we would love to know your dreams as we begin planning for the new year!

Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/4qnCblf

Christmas Eve-Eve Rehearsal

All students in grades k-8 included in the 4:30 Christmas Eve service, please attend a dress rehearsal from 4-6pm on December 23rd. We’ll run through the service a few times and make sure everyone knows what’s happening! Parents- this is a perfect time to get your last-minute wrapping done!

Winter Youth Retreat

What’s better than winter break? Starting winter break with your church family for a 24 hour youth retreat! Students in grades 7-12 are eligible. Meet at church at 4pm on Friday Dec 19, return to church by 5pm Saturday Dec 20th. Cost $50, covers food and lodging! Please make your payment online: www.granpres.org/give and choose “youth trips” from the dropdown menu.

Wonderful Wednesday Carpool Karaoke Dec 17th!

It’s the third annual carpool karaoke and you want to be a part of this! Wonderful Wednesday spreads joy and love to our homebound congregation singing Christmas Carols at their doorsteps. Come join for wonderful Wednesday dinner at 5:30 and be ready to hit the road at 6pm. Your carpool team can expect to make 5ish stops for the night. The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear!!

From the Pastor

This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent and a new liturgical year.  Advent is a season of waiting and watching.  And this year, our theme will be What Can’t Wait?

We’ll be guided along the way with some wonderful resources from A Sanctified Art, including a beautiful  Advent devotional with daily reflections, Scripture readings, poetry, artwork, and action prompts.  

A digital version of the devotional is available at www.granpres.org/advent.  We have also printed a limited number of hard copies which are available at the entrance to the sanctuary.

I hope you find it helpful in making this Advent season more meaningful.   

Grace & Peace—

Wallace 

Hey all! The time is here to register for the youth retreat! AKA: 24 hours of youth group fun and the BEST Way to start your winter break!

We’re leaving from the church parking lot at 4pm, going to Kirkmont retreat center, and we’ll return Saturday by 5pm.

Please pay your $50 contribution here: https://onrealm.org/granpres/-/form/give/now, choose Youth Trip from the drop-down menu.

P.S.if you have not done the youth registration... you need to do it for real for real: www.granpres.org/registration

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Complaints? Talk to Kristin.

Starting in December- Children stay in worship First Sunday of the Month

We are making a slight change in the Rest of the Story starting in the month of December. We want to invite children to stay in the worship service just once a month, the Sunday that we do communion. We will still have children’s activity bags for during worship, and there will still be a children’s moment.

Children to sit with families THIS Sunday!

Families! This Sunday is going to be a packed house at First Presbyterian Granville! We’re welcoming the Illuminati Choir this week, and are anticipating quite a crowd. We will not have the prayer ground or any tables this week, so we’re asking for children to sit with families this Sunday only!

Hallelujah: The Bible and Handel’s Messiah

Sunday mornings, beginning November 16, 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM, in the Library

Handel’s oratorio, Messiah, is one of the best-loved musical compositions of all time. Our Chancel Choir will be performing portions of it on Sunday, December 21.

To prepare for this, a four-week series, led by Wallace Bubar and Philip Everingham, will look at the Advent and Christmas portions of the Messiah.  It will help us deepen our appreciation of the music, as well as the Scripture passages on which it is based.

Sundays, 9:00 AM, Library or online at

https://v.ringcentral.com/join/574555072 

This fall we’re reading and discussing Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People by Bob Goff.  Goff provides an uplifting perspective for a world where negativity and divisiveness seem to be ever more common.

Sundays, beginning September 14, 9:00 AM, Library or online

We will resume our Sunday morning tradition on September 14, when we will begin reading Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People by acclaimed author, speaker, and lawyer Bob Goff. Goff is an interesting fellow who practices what he preaches and provides an uplifting perspective for a world where negativity and divisiveness seem to be ever more common. His book is humorous, inspirational, and really just a "little hard to believe." John Weigand has ordered a number of copies of the book, so let him know if you would like one. The chapters are very readable and should stimulate plenty of discussion. Consider inviting someone to join us either in person or online.  

Interested in joining 1st Presbyterian?

Want to know more about the ministries that we partner with? A New Member Info Class will be offered from Sept. 21 to Oct 5, after worship, meeting in the Library. Rsvp to Pastor Wallace.

Thank you for saying encouraging words, sending beautiful cards and surrounding me with heartfelt hugs.

It has been a spirit-filled time, rich with new friendships and relationships. I have loved serving and growing with you. I look forward to what comes next for us in North Carolina, and I will miss you terribly at the same time. Please continue to support Kristin and Ellen as they assume additional responsibilities during this transitional period.

With joy, Jenni