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FAQ

bullet  Where can I park?

bullet  Where is the Baucom Parlor?

bullet  Who picks the hymns for    worship services?

bullet  I want to help. How do I get
   on a committee?

bullet  How do I join the choir?

bullet  What is "predestination,"    anyway?


bullet  What's the difference between a "Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)" and one that's "in America"?


bullet  When do we celebrate    communion, and who may    participate?


bullet  How can I get a DVD or CD
   of a particular service?


bullet  How do I get a library card?


Where can I park?


A limited number of spaces are available in the lot between the sanctuary and the Stock Building. Please honor the handicapped signs posted, and if you park in the portion of the lot closest to Hargett Street, please pull through and let other churchgoers park behind you. This makes room for people who are carrying small children to the nursery or for those unable to walk more than a few yards.

On Sundays, you may park free of charge in the city parking deck at the corner of Morgan & McDowell or in the News & Observer lot across Hargett Street from the Stock building. Refer to the parking information on this site for details.


Where is the Baucom Parlor? top  >


It's across the hallway from the Salisbury Street door at the back right corner of the church. After services, coffee is served there and, after greeting church members at the sanctuary exits, the ministers come to greet visitors.


Who picks the hymns for worship services? top  >


The minister selects the hymns to be sung, usually in accordance with the theme of that day's sermon. Choral anthems are chosen by the Director of Music.


I want to help. How do I get on a committee? top  >


Call the church office or speak to a minister or officer to convey your interest. Committees are described on our Committees page, and moderators are listed occasionally in the church newsletter, First Press.



How do I join the choir?  top  >


Terrific! We always welcome new choristers. Send e-mail to , or call him at the church office.

Also, see the choir information posted on the Music page. Rehearsal times are listed there. The choir for adults is called the Chancel Choir.



What is "predestination," anyway?  top  >


The term is closely associated with Presbyterians and is widely misunderstood as some sort of fatalism. It is a theological concept associated with John Calvin that seeks to resolve some of the quandaries that come up when thinking about God's free will and grace and our own choices.

For Calvin, the point of the doctrine of predestination was to remind us that God is free and gracious. There is nothing that we can do to earn God's favor. Rather, our salvation comes from God alone. We are able to choose God because God first chose us.

Read more about this at the following links to the Presbyterian Church (USA) Web site:
www.pcusa.org/today/archive/believe/wpb8509.htm
and
www.pcusa.org/today/archive/believe/wpb9703.htm



What's the difference between a "Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)" and one that's "in America"?  top  >


American Presbyterian churches often identify themselves as being affiliates either of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), or PCUSA, or of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Both represent large organizations of member Presbyterian churches, and the two branches of Presbyterianism they espouse have some differences, although these differences may be hard to spot at a given church. The PCUSA Web site explains, "The Presbyterian church in the United States has split and parts have reunited several times. Currently the largest group is the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which has its national offices in Louisville, KY. It was formed in 1983 as a result of reunion between the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (PCUS), the so-called 'southern branch,' and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (UPCUSA), the so-called 'northern branch.'"

In general, churches affiliated with the PCA hold relatively conservative beliefs, such as the inerrancy of scripture. The PCA Web site contains more information about history and beliefs: click here to read more.

PCA and PCUSA are not the only two organized Presbyterian churches in the United States, but they are perhaps the most prominent. PCUSA is the largest.


When do we celebrate communion, and who may participate?  top  >


We celebrate the sacrament of communion (or "the Lord's Supper") near the beginning of each quarter and at other special times (such as Christmas Eve or Good Friday). All believers who trust in Christ for their salvation may participate. Children are welcome to participate, with their parents' guidance.

Members unable to come to church may call the church office to request that communion be brought to them at home or at a healthcare facility. Teams of elders go out on the Sunday afternoon of the quarterly celebration to distribute the elements to the homebound.

At FPC, we observe a "unison" partaking of the communion elements, which means that the elders distribute each element to all members of the congregation, and then the pastor instructs everyone to consume it in unison.



How can I get a DVD or CD of a particular service?  top  >


Call or e-mail the church office, specifying the date of the service. DVDs are available for $10 and CDs for $5. From this site, you may download selected texts or MP3 files of sermons; check our sermon archives.



How do I get a library card?  top  >


You don't need one. Just sign the card inside the book cover and have the volunteer stamp your book with the due date. See our Library page for more information about the library.