First Presbyterian Church of Monroe, NY

Welcome to the First Presbyterian Church of Monroe, NY

Screening of "The First Grader"

On Saturday, May 19 at 6:30pm, the Rotary will host a special screening of: "The First Grader" at Sapphire Elementary School Theater, 159 Harriman Heights Road, Harriman, NY.

Tickets are $5.00 each. All proceeds to benefit Monroe-Woodbury High School scholarships.

Confirmation Sunday

This coming Sunday, May 20, is Confirmation Sunday. Six young people will profess their faith during the 10:00am service: Bridget Boateng; Rudolph Boateng; Sean M. Costa; Paige Drews; Morgan J. Gray; and Kelly E. Leach.

The 5th, 6th and 7th grade Sunday School students will remain in church during the service.

Please join us for this special service. We wish all of our confirmands congratulations and God's continued blessings.

Warwick Valley Chorale 2012 Spring Concerts

The Warwick Valley Chorale proudly present their 71st annual Spring Concert on Friday, May 18, 2012 (in Goshen) and again on Sunday, May 20, 2012 (in Warwick). Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted to support the Chorale.

Under the direction of Stanley Curtis as Conductor, with Gail Johnson as Accompanist, the chorale will present "American Reflections". Featured selections include "Missa Exultate" by Gordon Young, "Missa Festiva" by John Leavitt, "New Millennium Suite" by Gwyneth Walker, "God Bless America" by Irving Berlin, "God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood, plus several additional pieces.

The Chorale is excited and honored to have been invited to perform Gwyneth Walker's "New Millennium Suite" plus the patriotic selections from our program at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall on June 5, 2012!

The concert will be presented on Friday, May 18, 2012, at 7:30pm at the Goshen United Methodist Church, 115 Main Street, Goshen, NY, and on Sunday, May 20, 2012, at7:30pm at the Warwick Reformed Church, 16 Maple Avenue, Warwick, NY.

For further information, please call 845-222-9809 or visit our website at www.warwickvalleychorale.org .

News from Holmes Presbyterian Camp

Here is some information about the summer programs and upcoming events at Holmes Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center.

Alumni & Volunteer Family Work Day - Saturday, May 19, 2012, 7:30am - 5:00pm: Come join us for a fun filled day of service!!! Put your faith into action!!! Meet new people, learn to work with others as you assist Holmes in preparing our facilities for the upcoming summer! There's a job for every age and ability!! More information about specific projects and what to bring will be provided when you RSVP. We hope to see you here!!! Light Breakfast will be served at 7:30am so we can begin work at 8:00am. Lunch will be served on the job. After 5:00pm clean up and enjoy dinner ($10 donation)! RSVP to Holmes@HolmesCamp.org or call (845) 878-6383 so we know you are coming.

Summer Camp Open House - May 20, 2012: Not sure what camp is all about or can't spend enough time at camp? Come join us for a fun filled afternoon exploring camp! Watch www.holmescamp.org for details.

Summer Camp: Summer Camp is just around the corner. The programs this summer at Holmes Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center have something for everyone - exciting games, creative Bible study and worship, fun swimming and boating at the lake, new friends, cookouts, campfires and conversations that will help you discover "The Secrets of the Kingdom" through the parables of Jesus! Don't miss out on the fun and fellowship! Many camps fill early so register today! If you have any questions, please contact the Holmes office by email at Holmes@HolmesCamp.org or by phone at (845) 878-6383.

S.A.L.T. / L.I.T.E.: Are you a youth entering 10th grade or a High School Graduate who would like to develop your leadership skills? Sign up for Holmes Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center's Service and Leadership Training (S.A.L.T.) or Leaders in Training Experience (L.I.T.E.) programs. S.A.L.T. campers will have the opportunity to serve the greater camp community while learning skills in teambuilding, problem solving, communication and servant hood. L.I.T.E. campers will spend one week in leadership training, the second week will be spent learning counseling, support staff, archery, challenge course or lifeguarding skills. With successful completion of the program, L.I.T.E. campers are invited to volunteer as junior counselors or lifeguards. For more information on this and all of Holmes' programs, visit us online at www.holmescamp.org If you have any questions, contact the Holmes office by email at Holmes@HolmesCamp.org or by phone (845) 878-6383.

Night Owl Camp: Are you a Junior High or Senior High who likes to stay up late and sleep until noon? Holmes Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center may have just what you are looking for....Night Owl Camp! You will eat breakfast at "lunch time", eat lunch at "dinner time", cookout dinner at 10pm and worship under the stars at 2am appreciating God's creation of nighttime. If you have any questions, visit us online at www.holmescamp.org or contact the Holmes office at Holmes@HolmesCamp.org or (845) 878-6383.

Friends Day - Saturday, July 28, 2012, 12:00pm: A special Saturday at camp when old and new friends come together to celebrate special times and memories at Holmes. We gather for lunch at 12pm then there is a special program. After the program, enjoy a time to swim, boat, do arts and crafts, hike, sing songs and end the day with a cookout and worship. Watch www.holmescamp.org for details.

Your donations count! Did you know that your donations keep the cost of summer camps as low as possible? Your gifts make a great difference. You can donate to the Holmes Campership Fund (gifts go to reduce the cost for individual campers) or you can donate to Holmes Camp to support our ministry year round.

Cars for Camp: Do you have a car or van or truck that you are considering trading in for something smaller? Did you miss out on Cash for Clunkers? Your car or van or truck which still runs will be warmly received at Holmes. Your gift is tax deductible based on the Blue Book values for similar vehicles. Call Holmes 845-878-6383 to make arrangements.

Holmes Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center is located at 60 Denton Lake Rd. Holmes, NY 12531.

End of Sunday School

Sunday School will be ending on Sunday, June 3, 2012. The children will be celebrating with Ice Cream Parties in their classrooms.

PreK will join K-2 class, and 5th-7th will join 3rd-4th class.

It's Chicken BBQ Time

It's Chicken BBQ time at FPC. The Annual Chicken BBQ will be held on Saturday, June 16, from 3:00-7:00pm. Cost is $12.00/adults, $6.00/children 12 and under, and free/children 5 and under.

We need lots of help to make this annual event a success. If you can be helpful, please see Lauren in the church office. Please watch the Sunday Bulletins for more information.

PW Scholarship Applications

Applications for the PW scholarship are now being accepted. The deadline is July 1, 2012.

Please pick-up applications in the office.

New Church Directories

Copies of the new church directories are available in the church office.

One copy per photo is free to the individual or family who participated. Otherwise there is a $5.00 charge.

New Online Journal - Unbound

The PC(USA) has a new online journal, Unbound, which serves the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, the Compasssion, Peace and Justice Ministries, the UN and Washington offices, and a few other groups. It is an earlier incarnation was the journal Church and Society.

The lead article this month is: Peace Church Beta: What if we left Just War theory behind? You can access the journal online at http://justiceunbound.org/

Food Pantry Needs

The Food Pantry is in need of the following items: shampoo; soap; toothpaste; toothbrushes; and other personal care items.

If you can be helpful in this area, please contact the church office, or bring the items and leave them on the benches in the hall adjacent to the church office.

Thank you for your support