The month of October begins our Campaign To Support Our Church. 2020 will go down as one of the most unique and challenging years of our church’s history. Instead of despair, we found focus, resiliency, innovation, and a sense of togetherness despite the challenge of social distance.
We have added a “Donate” tab to our menu bar on the top of the page. This now allows the church to benefit from your financial support by accepting credit cards for payment. You will be asked to register just once by filling in your information and then you will see a page that will allow you to provide your credit card information (encrypted) to allow the church to benefit from your generous support. Thank you.
First Presbyterian Church - Is Open!
We resumed Worship Services in the sanctuary in September, while continuing to stream the live service on Facebook and YouTube - all at 10:00 AM Sunday mornings.
Those of you who have compromised immune systems or are in a vulnerable population group are encouraged to stay at home and watch from there.
If you would like to attend in person, this is how you do your part to love your neighbor at church:
1. You must reserve a spot by contacting Sam Clem or the church office.
2. You must wear a mask for the entire service.
3. You must be screened at the sanctuary doors with a temperature check and a questionnaire. Please leave plenty of time for this to happen before worship starts. Elder Dr. Bill Engle will be conducting the screenings. If it's raining, bring an umbrella in case you need to stand in line. If you have a temp, cough, or have been exposed to Covid, please just stay home.
4. You must be conscious of leaving six feet between you and the next person in line or in the aisles.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Pastor Karen or any elder.
Office Hours: Heidi is in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings.
Our Food Pantry will remain open Monday and Thursday of each week. To stay in the loop, everyone is encouraged to sign up to receive emails at stauntonfirst@gmail.com.
Current Activities:
Or https://www.youtube.com/channel UCKHIfTGhCeY9LqfE7xftS1A
 Weddings Interested in having your wedding at First Presbyterian Church? Please see our updated guidelines here. Most of the following activities are not happening in person for now due to the pandemic (except for Worship, on a limited basis per the above). Many church activities are now provided online - please see the top of our web page for details on our online activities and continued Food Pantry hours. Thank you! 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 Visit the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic Website - > http://www.synatlantic.org/ | December 2020 Letter from the Pastor Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The Black Friday ads started popping up early, with November kind of becoming a Blackfridayathon. My son Luke, who’s the comedian of the family, said: “That’s not real Black Friday. I miss traditional Black Friday. You know, the Biblical Black Friday.” That’s funny. It also pretty much sums up our comfort zone. Mine as well as yours, beloved. We do love our Christmas traditions. All of them. You know where this is going. For Christmastime this year, 2020 is cramping our style. However. Here are some things that are going on that will enable all of us to experience some comfort: 1. Advent bags. The church will distribute a special advent bag to the First Church family in-state. These bags will contain items for you to have daily reminders and encouragement this season. (If you live out of state, Pastor Karen will be contacting you with an alternative plan.) 2. Wednesday Evening Vespers. You will be encouraged to tune into Facebook Wednesday nights at 7:00 pm for a brief candlelight advent meditation and prayer. 3. The Angel Tree. Our Mission folks will soon let you know how to adopt a person or a family for Christmas, and where to drop off the presents. 4. Yes Virginia, there is a Christmas Eve. Not even 2020 can cancel Christmas. We are doing abbreviated decorations and an abbreviated service at 5:00 pm. Certainly the “No Singing” safety edict hits us all particularly hard at this time. Rest assured Renee and Otto will supply us with some rich alternatives. 5. Do something radically Christian. Love your enemy. Tip the tab. Push the snow off a stranger’s car. Make a goody bag and drop it off at a nursing home with instructions to the staff to give it to a resident who doesn’t have family. Send Christmas cards to the prison that say “any inmate” and write a long note about Jesus’ love. Reach out to someone in the church you don’t know very well – or whose politics are different from yours and make a plan with them for a simple encounter – a walk in the park; a FaceTime coffee. Together we are the body of Christ, and now more than ever, the song we sing must be Love. Blessings beloved, and Merry Christmas, Pastor Karen |