January 2021

Superbowl Subs: Unfortunately, the First Baptist Super Sub Sunday will not be taking place this January, 2021.

Christmas Joy offering: We had a Christmas Joy special offering in December. The theme this year was ‘The Perfect Gift’. One of the most powerful things that Christians claim is that God saw the great needs of the world and offered a perfect gift in response, a gift that brought God and humanity closer together. God’s perfect gift, Jesus Christ. “Emmanuel, God is with us!” our Advent dream proclaims, as God joins in human life, and draws us together as a result. “God is with us” shows God values togetherness and relationship with us, leading us to value togetherness and relationship with one another. When we are all together — and even when we are apart.

During these past months, many of us weren’t able to be together in person, but we have always been together in spirit, and in faith. We have missed seeing faces we love — up close and personal, but the physical distance has also revealed, for us, the importance of those things which bring us together, even when we are physically far apart.

We offered our gifts during this Advent Season to the Christmas Joy Offering because God shows us the power and importance of being together, of “being with.” We might not be able to meet face to face with those who need the support that our gifts provide, be we are very much still together. We see the potential of students of color who will become our leaders and we seek to come alongside them, to encourage them, to be together with them. And we see church workers who have critical financial needs and we come alongside them, to assist them — we are with them. And we see the witness of the whole Church, either gathered in buildings or connected home to home, member to member, sharing what we have, together. We thank God for being “with us” through the gift of Jesus and for joining us together as the Church and, through our gifts, with those who have need.

If you give electronically and wish to donate to the Christmas Joy offering electronically, email Linda Bracht at the church email address (firstprespy211@yahoo.com); if you would like to send a check, please make it payable to ‘First Presbyterian Church’.

December 2020

We will have a Christmas Joy special offering on December 20th. The theme this year is ‘The Perfect Gift’. One of the most powerful things that Christians claim is that God saw the great needs of the world and offered a perfect gift in response, a gift that brought God and humanity closer together. God’s perfect gift, Jesus Christ. “Emmanuel, God is with us!” our Advent dream proclaims, as God joins in human life, and draws us together as a result. “God is with us” shows God values togetherness and relationship with us, leading us to value togetherness and relationship with one another. When we are all together — and even when we are apart.

During these past months, many of us weren’t able to be together in person, but we have always been together in spirit, and in faith. We have missed seeing faces we love — up close and personal, but the physical distance has also revealed, for us, the importance of those things which bring us together, even when we are physically far apart.

We offer our gifts during this Advent Season to the Christmas Joy Offering because God shows us the power and importance of being together, of “being with.” We might not be able to meet face to face with those who need the support that our gifts provide, be we are very much still together. We see the potential of students of color who will become our leaders and we seek to come alongside them, to encourage them, to be together with them. And we see church workers who have critical financial needs and we come alongside them, to assist them — we are with them. And we see the witness of the whole Church, either gathered in buildings or connected home to home, member to member, sharing what we have, together. We thank God for being “with us” through the gift of Jesus and for joining us together as the Church and, through our gifts, with those who have need.

Please click here to see the article on where the Christmas Joy Offering has gone in the past years – very touching stories!!!!

If you give electronically and wish to donate to the Christmas Joy offering electronically, email Linda Bracht at the church email address (firstprespy211@yahoo.com); if you would like to send a check, please make it payable to ‘First Presbyterian Church’.

November 2020

Let us continue to pray for those in need: Draw all people together, gracious God, and make us your house. Let our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing create a home and a wholeness for people in need, especially those suffering from the impacts of the current crisis, so that the whole human family will know your love. Amen.