As we launch 150 days into our Sesquicentennial Year Celebration, join us for many opportunities to
journey, gather, fellowship and grow.
Continually check this page and scroll down
for new ways to connect!
To begin, join us in committing to say
this special Sesquicentennial Prayer every day.
journey, gather, fellowship and grow.
Continually check this page and scroll down
for new ways to connect!
To begin, join us in committing to say
this special Sesquicentennial Prayer every day.
150 Calendar
Ongoing Opportunities
Month of July | Psalm Stroll!
Our stroll hits the halfway point this month. Psalm 75 is our selection for July 18. As you
look back on your readings so far, did you notice that two Psalms are almost identical twins?
The second of the pair is Psalm 53. Can you find the other? Hint: search in mid-May. Do
you notice any very subtle differences between the two? Why would the Bible include two Psalms that are very nearly the same? If you haven't started strolling yet, July is a great time to get going. It's never too late to dive into scripture.
July _______________________________________
1, Psalm 58; 2, Psalm 59; 3, Psalm 60; 4, Psalm 61; 5, Psalm 62; 6, Psalm 63; 7, Psalm 64;
8, Psalm 65; 9, Psalm 66; 10, Psalm 67; 11, Psalm 68; 12, Psalm 69; 13, Psalm 70;
14, Psalm 71; 15, Psalm 72; 16, Psalm 73; 17, Psalm 74; 18, Psalm 75; 19, Psalms 76-77;
20, Psalm 78; 21, Psalm 79; 22, Psalm 80; 23, Psalm 81; 24, Psalm 82; 25, Psalm 83;
26, Psalm 84; 27, Psalm 85; 28, Psalm 86; 29, Psalm 87; 30, Psalms 88; 31, Psalms 89-90.
look back on your readings so far, did you notice that two Psalms are almost identical twins?
The second of the pair is Psalm 53. Can you find the other? Hint: search in mid-May. Do
you notice any very subtle differences between the two? Why would the Bible include two Psalms that are very nearly the same? If you haven't started strolling yet, July is a great time to get going. It's never too late to dive into scripture.
July _______________________________________
1, Psalm 58; 2, Psalm 59; 3, Psalm 60; 4, Psalm 61; 5, Psalm 62; 6, Psalm 63; 7, Psalm 64;
8, Psalm 65; 9, Psalm 66; 10, Psalm 67; 11, Psalm 68; 12, Psalm 69; 13, Psalm 70;
14, Psalm 71; 15, Psalm 72; 16, Psalm 73; 17, Psalm 74; 18, Psalm 75; 19, Psalms 76-77;
20, Psalm 78; 21, Psalm 79; 22, Psalm 80; 23, Psalm 81; 24, Psalm 82; 25, Psalm 83;
26, Psalm 84; 27, Psalm 85; 28, Psalm 86; 29, Psalm 87; 30, Psalms 88; 31, Psalms 89-90.
Saturday, July 10 | 8:30AM | Lake Wilson Walk
Sometimes a little good fellowship and high heart rates are good for the soul. With the recent renovations at Lake Wilson, this seemed fit to be in the midst of God’s creation for an early morning round. This 2.24 mile loop has hills and includes a walk over a beautiful bridge across the lake. Join Casey on a birthday walk as part of this Sesquicenten-nial Celebration!
Yes, if she can get up with the boys on her birthday, you can, too! What better way to celebrate!
We will open in prayer, grab a group picture, enjoy time of fellowship and end with refresh-ments and thanks. Meet at the main start of the trail which is connected to the parking lot nearest the new restrooms. We will depart at 8:35AM so don’t be late!
Yes, if she can get up with the boys on her birthday, you can, too! What better way to celebrate!
We will open in prayer, grab a group picture, enjoy time of fellowship and end with refresh-ments and thanks. Meet at the main start of the trail which is connected to the parking lot nearest the new restrooms. We will depart at 8:35AM so don’t be late!
Sunday, July 11 | 4PM | FCC Congregational Meeting
This month, FCC begins our Consultation Process in partnership with the Center for Congregational Health. In this process, we will be guided as we reflect upon our past, evaluate the present, and prepare for the future.
Our first congregational event, set for Sunday, July 11th at 4pm, will be to meet our Consultant, Charity Roberson. Rev. Roberson is on the staff of the CCH and has led numerous congregations in similar evaluating and planning journeys. She brings enormous expertise in understanding and presenting current congrega-tional trends and will tailor our conversations to fit FCC’s particular circumstances.
Rev. Roberson’s work will be guided by a committee of members from the church: Kathy Daughety, Theresa Mathis, Carol Steffa, Todd Brame, Christy Proctor, Bob Kendall, Brittany Fulghum, Tish Scott, Steffanie Sharp and Gary Walling.
It is hoped that every member of the church will be able to join us on July 11th as we launch this crucial adventure. This first meeting will be held in the Fellowship Hall, or members may participate by Zoom. The funds for our Consultation have been made available as part of the FCC Sabbatical Grant awarded by the Lilly Foundation.
Our first congregational event, set for Sunday, July 11th at 4pm, will be to meet our Consultant, Charity Roberson. Rev. Roberson is on the staff of the CCH and has led numerous congregations in similar evaluating and planning journeys. She brings enormous expertise in understanding and presenting current congrega-tional trends and will tailor our conversations to fit FCC’s particular circumstances.
Rev. Roberson’s work will be guided by a committee of members from the church: Kathy Daughety, Theresa Mathis, Carol Steffa, Todd Brame, Christy Proctor, Bob Kendall, Brittany Fulghum, Tish Scott, Steffanie Sharp and Gary Walling.
It is hoped that every member of the church will be able to join us on July 11th as we launch this crucial adventure. This first meeting will be held in the Fellowship Hall, or members may participate by Zoom. The funds for our Consultation have been made available as part of the FCC Sabbatical Grant awarded by the Lilly Foundation.
Monday, July 12| 7PM |Psalms+Psundaes Seminar w/ Rev Carla Aday
Rev. Carla Aday, senior minister at Country Club Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri, will join us for a group ZOOM in the Fellowship Hall on Monday, July 12, at 7 p.m. to lead us in our stroll through Psalms. The session begins with dessert Psundaes (ice cream topped with Psalms) starting at 6:30 p.m.
If you can't make it, join ZOOM at 7:00 from home.
How far will you go to learn more about Psalms?
All the way to Kansas City?
Rev. Aday will be ready to greet us!
If you can't make it, join ZOOM at 7:00 from home.
How far will you go to learn more about Psalms?
All the way to Kansas City?
Rev. Aday will be ready to greet us!
Wednesday, July 14 | Noon | Sounds of Summer Concert
Mr. Joyner and Mr. Ruffin will be sharing works of Purcell, Schubert, Caplet, Rossini, Hogan and Johnson.
Matthew Joyner is the Director of Choirs at Ralph L. Fike High School where he teaches mixed chorus and the Fike Vocal Ensemble.
He graduated with his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from East Carolina University. There he was a member of the world-renowned choir, the ECU Chamber Singers, and an active member in the ECU Opera Theatre. He has sung under major clinicians such as Simon Carrington and John Rutter, and also performed the roles of Lord Tolloller in Arthur Sullivan's Iolanthe and Mr. Erlansen in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. Joyner is also a sought after tenor soloist for recitals and church services, most recently singing the solo in Camille Saint-Saën's Oratorio de Noël. He made his Wilson theater debut as the Doctor/Escapologist in 2019's summer musical, Matilda: The Musical, and has music directed the Playhouse's production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: The Musical (October 2019) and ACT for Youth's production of A Little Princess: The Musical (February 2020).
He is an active member of NAfME (National Association for Music Education), NCMEA (North Carolina Music Educator's Association), ACDA (American Choral Director's Association), and Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Society.
Matthew Joyner is the Director of Choirs at Ralph L. Fike High School where he teaches mixed chorus and the Fike Vocal Ensemble.
He graduated with his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from East Carolina University. There he was a member of the world-renowned choir, the ECU Chamber Singers, and an active member in the ECU Opera Theatre. He has sung under major clinicians such as Simon Carrington and John Rutter, and also performed the roles of Lord Tolloller in Arthur Sullivan's Iolanthe and Mr. Erlansen in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. Joyner is also a sought after tenor soloist for recitals and church services, most recently singing the solo in Camille Saint-Saën's Oratorio de Noël. He made his Wilson theater debut as the Doctor/Escapologist in 2019's summer musical, Matilda: The Musical, and has music directed the Playhouse's production of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: The Musical (October 2019) and ACT for Youth's production of A Little Princess: The Musical (February 2020).
He is an active member of NAfME (National Association for Music Education), NCMEA (North Carolina Music Educator's Association), ACDA (American Choral Director's Association), and Pi Kappa Lambda Honors Society.
Dexter Ruffin is a native of Wilson, North Carolina. As a young boy, at the age of nine, he taught himself to play the piano by ear. His remarkable talent was soon discovered and he was given professional training by Nancy Ping-Robbins of Wilson, Dr. Henry Doskey of the East Carolina University School of Music, and Eric Larsen at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he received a B.A. degree in Piano Performance in (year). Dexter won the “Student of the Year” award in 2002, presented by the community of Wilson. In 2006 he won the North Carolina School of the Arts Concerto Competition performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Dexter has performed for numerous audiences on numerous occasions. He recalls a particularly memorable incident where he featured Liszt’s Liebestraum on a program. During the reception that followed the program, an elderly woman approached him and stated she had heard, in person, the famous Polish pianist, Ignace Jan Paderewski, play that same piece. Dexter had studied Paderwski, but this incident made the nineteenth century pianist seem more real.
Well-read and attuned to music history and the history of piano playing, Dexter has a broad understanding and deep appreciation for the art. His music education, he states, connects him to the great composers and pianists of the past. He finds their contributions an endless source of inspiration.
Mr. Ruffin currently serves as Music Minister at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Wilson. He attended the Baltimore International Piano Festival in 2019 where the legendary Leon Fleisher was present and where he won first prize. In 2020, he won the Concerto Competition hosted by the East Carolina University School of Music.
Dexter has performed for numerous audiences on numerous occasions. He recalls a particularly memorable incident where he featured Liszt’s Liebestraum on a program. During the reception that followed the program, an elderly woman approached him and stated she had heard, in person, the famous Polish pianist, Ignace Jan Paderewski, play that same piece. Dexter had studied Paderwski, but this incident made the nineteenth century pianist seem more real.
Well-read and attuned to music history and the history of piano playing, Dexter has a broad understanding and deep appreciation for the art. His music education, he states, connects him to the great composers and pianists of the past. He finds their contributions an endless source of inspiration.
Mr. Ruffin currently serves as Music Minister at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Wilson. He attended the Baltimore International Piano Festival in 2019 where the legendary Leon Fleisher was present and where he won first prize. In 2020, he won the Concerto Competition hosted by the East Carolina University School of Music.
Thursday, July 22| 5:30-6:30 | FCC Rocks
As part of our Sesquicentennial Journey, FCC is committing to share 150 messages of hope via 150 rocks during this time! Come and join us on the second floor of the Education Building! NO painting experience necessary! There will be a congregation member on site each of these times to help show you all that is needed! Come and join us!
Wednesday, July 28 | NOON | Sounds of Summer Concert
The Craven Brass Quintet offers a unique musical repertoire ranging from Baroque to Blues. The Quintet’s music library includes brass compositions form the Baroque era, the early American period, the Civil War, the Big Band era, New Orleans Dixieland and Ragtime, traditional Bavarian and German music and music for the Holiday seasons.
The Quintet is regularly booked to perform for numerous events both locally and across the State of North Carolina. Events include weddings, patriotic ceremonies, receptions, graduations, military ceremonial events, worship services and a variety of special events.
In the twenty years the Craven Brass Quintet has been performing it has received rave reviews for its quality performances, versatility and enjoyable performances. The members of the Quintet are dedicated to the preservation of brass music and to the performance of that music in a manner that is enjoyable to the listener as well as the performer.
The CRAVEN BRASS QUINTET is comprised of: two trumpets, Dan Jones and Joe Brinson; French Horn, Andrew Howell; Trombone, Max Mascia; and Tuba, Brian McBride.
The Quintet is regularly booked to perform for numerous events both locally and across the State of North Carolina. Events include weddings, patriotic ceremonies, receptions, graduations, military ceremonial events, worship services and a variety of special events.
In the twenty years the Craven Brass Quintet has been performing it has received rave reviews for its quality performances, versatility and enjoyable performances. The members of the Quintet are dedicated to the preservation of brass music and to the performance of that music in a manner that is enjoyable to the listener as well as the performer.
The CRAVEN BRASS QUINTET is comprised of: two trumpets, Dan Jones and Joe Brinson; French Horn, Andrew Howell; Trombone, Max Mascia; and Tuba, Brian McBride.
Thursday, July 29 | 5:30-6:30 | FCC Rocks
As part of our Sesquicentennial Journey, FCC is committing to share 150 messages of hope via 150 rocks during this time! Come and join us on the second floor of the Education Building! NO painting experience necessary! There will be a congregation member on site each of these times to help show you all that is needed! Come and join us!
September 24-26, 2021 | Celebration Weekend
This Celebration Weekend will be the culminating series of events to this long journey of celebration! If you have found yourself distanced from FCC or have moved away, we invite you to come back to FCC Wilson for just a few days.
Friday, September 24 | 7PM | Music for Hope Concert "Hope Rises"
Members of the Wilson area Community will come together in song in the 9th Annual Music for Hope Concert. Raising awareness for Hope Station, this free concert raises money for the longstanding issue of homelessness in our area. Following the concert, join us for a light reception where you can meet the musicians.
Saturday, September 25 | 5:30PM *(tickets required)
Join us for the Sesquicentennial Banquet at Barton College where members from far and wide can reconnect! This catered meal will allow everyone to come and freely enjoy the fellowship and time together.
Sunday, September 26 | 10AM | Closing Worship Service
This worship service will include the premiere of four commissioned works of music. This includes two praise songs from renown musician, Andra Moran; a choral benediction by renown composer, Dr. Robert Lau and a choral introit by our Minister of Music, Casey Childers.
Following the worship service, we will gather on the lawn and take an aerial footage "150" picture featuring all of our current and past congregation members! We will also host a light reception closing the weekend of celebrations.
Friday, September 24 | 7PM | Music for Hope Concert "Hope Rises"
Members of the Wilson area Community will come together in song in the 9th Annual Music for Hope Concert. Raising awareness for Hope Station, this free concert raises money for the longstanding issue of homelessness in our area. Following the concert, join us for a light reception where you can meet the musicians.
Saturday, September 25 | 5:30PM *(tickets required)
Join us for the Sesquicentennial Banquet at Barton College where members from far and wide can reconnect! This catered meal will allow everyone to come and freely enjoy the fellowship and time together.
Sunday, September 26 | 10AM | Closing Worship Service
This worship service will include the premiere of four commissioned works of music. This includes two praise songs from renown musician, Andra Moran; a choral benediction by renown composer, Dr. Robert Lau and a choral introit by our Minister of Music, Casey Childers.
Following the worship service, we will gather on the lawn and take an aerial footage "150" picture featuring all of our current and past congregation members! We will also host a light reception closing the weekend of celebrations.