FPCA Holds


All-Church Picnic Sunday, September 27, was a beautiful summer-like day when a few hundred of our church family gathered on the lawn for a Welcome Back picnic to kick off the new church year


Confirmands and leaders participate in an ice-breaker activity at the Confirmation Fall Retreat in September.


Te pastors had approached FPCA’s all-church event committee to plan the event. It had been years since we have had a churchwide picnic.


Youth Kick


Off Year Retreats, service, and good-old- fashioned fun launch 2019-2020 programs KATHY SCHMIED


Youth Ministry kicked off the fall with a lock-in complete with Youth Choir rehearsal, robing and folder assignments, a delicious homemade dinner, icebreakers, games, ice cream sundaes, sleep, Sunday morning faith formation classes, worship, and an all- church picnic. How much more fun can be packed into 17 hours? Just in case you might be thinking it’s all downhill from here … we have lots more on the calendar.


Every week, our youth in grades 6 to 12 have the opportunity to participate in middle school and high school faith formation classes, Confirmation Class,


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Sunday-morning worship, and — returning in late afternoon — youth handbell and choir rehearsals followed by Youth Fellowship.


Tirteen high school youth are participating in Confirmation Class this year, and they hit the ground running with an amazing fall retreat at Kenbrook Camp, where they got to know each other and see where they are headed in confirmation this year. All are looking forward to a year of exploring what they believe.


Youth at FPCA are especially committed to serving in our local community. October put both our hands and feet to work as we traipsed through Allentown on the CROP Walk to raise hunger awareness, and we lent a hand on Service Day. On October 18, we locked ourselves in on Friday night, baked 18 dozen cookies, and then woke up to go help St. Stephen’s Outreach Center set up a Trunk or Treat for children and families in that neighborhood. (Te cookies were for the party afterward). Our annual Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat canned food drive with our neighbors residing in Madison at the Lakes will enable us to support the Allentown Ecumenical Food Bank. Tween and Middle School Youth


and parents supported the Daybreak ministry by helping to serve and clean up at the Daybreak Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser.


But it’s not all service. Johnsonburg Camp offers middle school and high school retreats an hour away right around Tanksgiving — and are we thankful. We have the opportunity get to know youth from other churches and hear new ideas and perspectives. And did I say there’s a zip line and great food?


None of this happens without your support. We are blessed with adult leaders who faithfully spend time with our children and youth. DIG shepherds and station leaders, In “B” Tween advisors, Confirmation advisors and sponsors, middle school and high school Sunday morning leaders, Youth Fellowship advisors, Youth Choir adult support … all of these folks care deeply about our young people. Tey invest in each child and youth, getting to know them, talking with them about what’s going on in their lives, discussing matters of faith, and sharing life’s ups and downs. Each adult has responded to God’s call to “Live Christ’s Love” by loving as Jesus has loved. For them and their commitment, we are truly grateful.


Tere was an abundance of hot dogs, sides, salads, and desserts shared by all. Te children played on the playground, decorated the church driveway with chalk drawings, and blew lots of bubbles. Tere was a welcome-home banner for church members and friends to sign and a photo booth to capture people’s pictures as a way to remember the day. Afterward,


the banner and photos were hung in the well traveled hallway between the church office and atrium for passersby to view.


More all-church events are being planned, so stay tuned for the next opportunity to gather in fellowship with your church family of all ages. Upcoming all-church events include Breakfast at the Manger on Saturday, December 7, and the ever-popular Chili and Soup Cook-off on Friday, January 31.


—Amanda Deal Mack


Tax-Advantaged Donations:


Give More, Pay Less The end of the tax year is nearing, so doing a little planning now can save you money


As an example, if you have an IRA and are 70½ or older, you must take a required minimum distribution (RMD) from that account and pay taxes on it. However, if you make a charitable contribution directly from your RMD to the church, you pay no taxes on the amount—it reduces your taxable income right off the top and counts toward your required minimum distribution.


Many members use this method of fulfilling their annual pledge or making a gift to the FPCA Endowment Fund while saving taxes at the same time.


If you give appreciated stocks to the church, you realize a double tax benefit. You will receive a deduction for the current market value of the securities, and you are not taxed on the capital gains.


For example, let’s say you own 100 shares of a stock that you bought for $10 each and their price over the years has increased to $50. Tat means the stocks had a total value of $1,000 when you bought them and are now worth $5,000. When you sell them, you have made a profit of $4,000, which is called capital gains. Te capital gains tax on $4,000 would be $600, which you would now owe.


As an alternative in this example, you could give the $5,000 (which cost you $1,000) as a gift to the church, supporting the church’s ministries while saving the $600 you would otherwise pay in taxes.


Find out more about tax-advantaged giving. Contact Larry Deal, FPCA business administrator, by calling the church office at 610-395-3781 or email plannedgiving@ fpcallentown.org.


—John Rowley 11


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