LARRY BATES

Congratulations

Larry Bates is the recipient of the Eleanor Gaunder Teaching Award, sponsored by the UNA Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, an academic honor society. The award is named after Gaunder, a professor of English at UNA, recognized for her outstanding teaching. Bates, who received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Auburn University, is in his 19th year at UNA. He served two terms on the Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology, which oversees all psychology licensees in the state. Bates was honored during a ceremony in the Guillot University Center.

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FIRST CHRISTIAN CENTENNIAL 1917-2017

Centennial Update

September 20, 2017

What a joyful and wonderful weekend we have enjoyed! Your centennial committee has been blessed to serve you, and we leave you with these thoughts to ponder. For 100 years this church has met and worshipped, witnessing in many ways to the Lordship of Christ here in Florence, Alabama --reaching out in widening circles of service in our town, our region, our nation, and to the uttermost parts of the world. We have worked together, rejoiced together, wept together, loved one another and sometimes agreed to disagree. But we have always been God’s people.

Like a tree nurtured by earth and water, we have received strength and love from God’s care. We have grown – putting down deep roots of faith – putting out new shoots – reaching out to be a source of shade in the heat of a broken world – trying to reflect the One who has blessed us so bountifully. We have matured and brought fourth fruits with which to feed the needs of a people hungry for God’s word, hungry for a sign that God does love and wants only good for His creation. We have put forth leaves in Christ, “leaves for the healing of the nations”.  Our purpose and mission is far from being done, even after 100 years! So now, we have rededicated this church – this body of Christ in the world – to renewed effort, rejoicing in the beauty of God’s love and resolving again to be a movement for wholeness in our fragmented world.  Amen

~From your Centennial Committee.

 

 

 

August 23, 2017

What a fabulous day we had on Sunday! The worship service was great, filled with a stirring message and awesome music. Then our luncheon was packed and the displays were very meaningful. Our youth did a super job of questioning Kay about our history, and we all learned new things about our beginnings, and realized how far we have come as servants of God and followers of Christ. It was a day we will long remember!

As we look toward our anniversary, please sign up for our catered lunch, September 16th at noon. There is no charge, but we do need to know how many to plan for. About fifteen minutes before noon that day, we will have a symbolic tree planting and rededication of our congregation. That service will be outside, weather permitting, at 11:15 a.m. We hope all of you will attend as we commit ourselves again to be a blessing to this community in which we live.

Plan to attend our Anniversary worship service on September 17 at 10 a.m. There will be no Sunday school that day, but there will be a lovely reception after worship. There will be time to meet and greet visitors (there will be many) and mingle with old and new friends. This is an exciting time in the life of our church family. Come and enjoy all of it!! ~~Centennial Committee