New Church Office Hours The office hours have changed to 9:00 am-12:00 pm, 12:30-2:00 pm Monday-Friday, closing for lunch for 30 minutes each day between 12-12:30 pm.

PW—Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign  The folks from First Presbyterian will be ringing bells for the Salvation Army’s 2019 Red Kettle Campaign. We will be at the North Coalter Street Food Lion on Friday, November 22, 10:00 am-4:00 pm. Please come by to help us kick off this important program for our community.

Perishable Food Offering Sunday, November 24  A perishable food offering will be collected for the Valley Mission this Sunday, November 24. Please bring your fresh, frozen, or refrigerated foods to worship with you on that day.

Congregational Meeting to elect officers Sunday, December 1, immediately after Worship.

Weddings
Interested in having your wedding at First Presbyterian Church?  Please see our updated guidelines here.

Sunday Worship
Book Study Class: 9:45 am (snacks at 9:30 am) - Library
Adult Sunday School  10:00-10:45 am (now meeting in church parlor)
Youth Sunday School  10:00-10:45 am
Elementary Sunday School  10:00-10:45
Church Nursery: 10:30 am-12:30 pm
Chancel Choir Rehearsal: 10:30 am 
Morning Worship: 11:00 am
Youth Group 12-2 pm (alternates with Youth Sunday School, please call to check times)
 
Wednesdays 
Bible Study: Wednesdays at 10:00 am in the Library 
Chancel Choir Rehearsal: 7:30 pm 
 
This week's Bulletin-> Click here

Please welcome our new Music Director and Organist!  -> Click here

This month's Newsletter -> Click here

Visit the Shenandoah Presbytery Website -> http://shenpres.org/

Visit the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic Website - > http://www.synatlantic.org/

This month's birthdays - > Click here


FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
STEWARDSHIP 2020 
THANK YOU

THANK YOU to all who have made financial commitments to the Glory of God and to the work and worship of First Presbyterian for 2020.

As of October 18th, our financial commitments total $175,390.00, with 31 households submitting pledges for 2020.  We have achieved 78% of our goal,
or we can consider we are 22% away from our goal of $224,000.00.

THANK YOU to those who have made commitments and re-commitments of time, talent, and energy to the work and worship of First Presbyterian for 2020.

We have received 12 individual Time, Talent, and Energy Commitment cards.
All have committed to prayers.  Commitments for service in mission/outreach, music and worship, and in leadership have been received and are being shared with appropriate programs for acknowledgement and follow-up.

THANK YOU to those who attended and participated in our Stewardship Commitment Luncheon and THANK YOU to those who helped prepare, serve, and clean up. 

Our Stewardship Commitment Luncheon on Sunday, Oct.13th, was a time of fellowship and an opportunity for questions and answers for the 35 in attendance.  The discussion was helpful for those of us tasked with the development and monitoring of the budget, and hopefully helpful to all those in attendance.

THANK YOU to those who are continuing to pray for guidance in the way they are called to be a part of the work and worship of First Presbyterian now and in the year 2020.

Our Stewardship season continues.  What wondrous works we can achieve when we join together as good stewards of our time, talent, and treasure to carry out the work and worship of First Presbyterian in this community and beyond.    

 THANK YOU


 
Pastor’s Letter

November 2019

“COME YE THANKFUL PEOPLE, COME!”

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     The first pilgrims didn’t have it easy, as you probably remember from your history class.  But maybe you don’t know how wide the eyes of these Separatists, as they were known in England, were open going into this new endeavor:

     “There was nothing blithe about their assumptions, no matter how well they were girded with religious faith. “Friend,” wrote one of the passengers during the long delays before setting out, “if we ever make a plantation, God works a miracle; especially considering how scant we shall be of victuals, and un-united amongst ourselves.”1

      “And un-united amongst ourselves.”  One of the few things that cushions a hard time is good comrades – for us, folks who can stay focused on love of God AND love of neighbor in a time of division and fear.  Many times of division occur because of fear.  Even the disciples were subject to divisions.

      If we will be more than conscious of the times we live in, it will help us to recognize that we’re subject to the same fraught emotions as the pilgrims and the disciples.
    And even with that, God loves us.  And even with that, we have so much to be thankful for.  And even with that, what we have in common far outweighs our differences.  
      
    As we come into a month heavy with secular elections, church decisions, and family gatherings, it will help us if we remember all three of those “even with thats” and let them bind us together.  What calls us together is a call to gratitude: “Come, ye thankful people come.”  

      As we move through these days, “the best of times and the worst of times,” let’s all try to make it the most loving of times for each other.

     Tertullian, known as the first theologian, wrote of the witness of Christians to outsiders as this: “Look...how they love one another...”2

      Come you thankful people, let us demonstrate to the world how we love one another, especially in a time of division and fear.

Your sister in the journey,

Pastor Karen

1.(Verlyn Klinkenborg, December 2011 issue of American History,  

2. Tertullian, 240 AD “Apologeticus”  Carthage, Africa