a real possibility. However, as time went on and with some parental nudging, I brought the topic up to Trish Brown, the interim director of Children, Tween and Family Ministry, and eventually it got to former associate director of traditional worship Laura Rabenold, who really ran with the idea and got me set up.


First Presbyterian Church members are living God’s love in all kinds of ways. One of them is Sydney Wilcoxson, the Emmaus High School student who is directing our children’s choirs. Here’s her story, in her own words.


I am a senior at Emmaus High School and the director of the children’s choirs here at First Presbyterian Church of Allentown. In school I am involved in a variety of clubs and music ensembles, including Emmaus’ Chorale and Select Choir.


I have been part of FPCA for as long as I can remember. From church school to


youth ministry and choirs, I have been an active member of First Presbyterian.


Te idea of directing the children’s choirs came to me through former traditional worship director John Richardson and my dad, who had brought the initial suggestion to my attention. At the time, while I was interested, I didn’t see it as


SERVE NOW Opportunities to share your gifts of time, talent, and treasure


CHURCH MAINTENANCE Join efforts to help keep our campus safe, functional, and beautiful. Consider adopting an area or plugging into volunteer maintenance efforts. For more information, contact the church at office@fpcallentown.org or call 610-395-3781, or contact Chris Dunbar at 610-437-5621 or ctdunbar@rcn.com.


INTERNATIONAL/NATIONAL MISSION TEAM Support FPCA’s worldwide mission efforts through our covenant relationships in Amar, Syria, and Cupar, Scotland, as well as initiatives like medical mission trips to Honduras and projects aligned with denominational organizations such as Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Contact Karen Ensley at 610-393-9909, klephoto@hotmail.com, or Afaf Khoury at 610-703-4784, afaf.khoury@gmail.com


HOMELESS SHELTERING With winter approaching, there’s an urgent need for emergency sheltering for Allentown’s hundreds of homeless. Support efforts to develop sheltering facilities by planning to buy


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an FPCA cookbook or contacting the Local Mission Team for information on how to become personally involved: Contact Charley Underwood at horsedriver@hotmail.com or Helen Underwood at helenunderwood@hotmail.com or call them at 610-393-2469.


QUILTING AND CRAFT GROUP MINISTRY Join this vibrant group of quilters and crafters who produce many beautiful crafts for a variety of ministries. The group meets Wednesday mornings into early afternoon. For more information contact Emma Rath at 610-434-9247, emmalrath1@gmail.com, or Sandy Meenen at 610-366-1315, smeenen@ptd.net.


PLANNED GIVING Explore ways to give a lasting gift to support FPCA’s ministries such as supporting our Endowment Fund and becoming a founding member of the newly formed Barker Society. Contact the Planned Giving Team at plannedgiving@fpcallentown.org.


For more information on how you can get involved, please contact the church at office@fpcallentown.org.


Tis finally gave me the opportunity to discern how I could help our church. I saw many things changing around me, and I was scared of the prospect of losing what I had grown up knowing and loving. I prayed to God to help our church, but things did not seem to be getting any better. But when I was called to direct these choirs, I truly believe it was God telling me that while he is watching out for us all in these times of change, he also gave me the ability to be that help I sought and that it was time to use that gift.


Now that we have begun practices and had our first performances, it is clearer than ever that these children will truly be a light to our congregation.


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