WEEKLY ENEWS
May 2020
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Weekly Update for May 29, 2020
Posted May 29, 2020This Sunday is Pentecost, and we will celebrate the birth of the Christian Church and the power of the Holy Spirit with ONE ONLINE service at 11am. This service will be a time to open ourselves to God’s creative new future. We invite you to wear red – even if you are still in your pajamas! And please send Caroline Goodman pictures of you and your family wearing red at cgoodman@fpcspartanburg.org so that we can share with others how you are celebrating this holy day.
In the “spirit” of trying something new, I encourage you to give the Facebook Live version of our livestream a try. You will find the same video that you see and hear on the website and YouTube, but with the added benefit of being able to see the names of those who are watching with you. You can even pass the peace right there in a Facebook comment. Several people have recently commented to me about how much they appreciate the sense of community that creates during the service. Facebook also allows you to Cast or AirPlay video to a bigger screen, or you can stick with what you are doing for the TV and just open the video in Facebook on your phone or tablet (with the volume all the way down) at the same time. -
Weekly Update for May 22, 2020
Posted May 22, 2020This long weekend, we remember and celebrate those who gave their lives in the military. We will have only one service this Sunday at 11am, and we will welcome the vocalists from the MorningSong Band into the Sanctuary for a beautiful a cappella piece that I’m sure you will love! I hope that you will continue to be vigilant in your efforts to keep each other safe during this pandemic, even as we enter into this holiday weekend.
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Weekly Update for May 15, 2020
Posted May 15, 2020As our society begins to reopen, please be assured your staff and Session are hard at work making plans to reintroduce in -person ministry when it becomes safe to begin that gradual process. At this time, we will continue our current practices of online ministry and worship.
At the May meeting of Session, the Health Committee will advise on the factors to be considered. We will be taking a cautious approach, wanting to ensure to the best of our ability, that we protect the most vulnerable in our community. We are also consulting Presbytery, sister congregations, and guidelines from the CDC and local government agencies as to the timing and nature of returning together. The safety of our congregation is of the utmost importance to us, and we hope you understand that in-person worship will be included in the last phase of our reopening process.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me. I pray God’s presence and the peace of Christ be with you and all you love in this time. -
Weekly Update for May 8, 2020
Posted May 08, 2020This weekend we give thanks to those who have been the mother figures in our lives, even as many of us have to remain physically distant from them. We pray for all those who are living in isolation right now, and we give thanks for all of those who are seeking to help in these trying times. Let us all do our parts as we continue to avoid unnecessary outings, wear our masks whenever we go out, maintain proper distances, clean common surfaces, and, of course, wash hands. I know we are all growing weary of all of this, but this is how we care for those most vulnerable right now. Thanks be to God for those who have cared for us throughout our lives, and may we learn from their good examples!
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Weekly Update for May 1, 2020
Posted May 01, 2020The generosity and concern of the First Pres. Family is truly amazing! Over the past few weeks, our congregation has generously given to provide a hotel room and food for our SPIHN week as well as fund 8 weeks of food bags from the Hub City Farmers Market to 12 families in need. Because of all who gave, we have exceeded what we need to help in these ministry areas, raising over $2,200 for SPIHN and $5,500 for Hub City Farm Bags. Thank you for looking out for our neighbors in need during this time!
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Weekly Update for April 24, 2020
Posted Apr 24, 2020This week, Joanne Hull will be preaching in both worship services, exploring 1 Peter 2:2-10. Join us for either (or both!) services and don’t miss Sunday School and Godly Play for the younger kids between services.
And check out the revised listing of community Zoom times for everyone. Each online gathering has its own purpose and content, but all will also allow for plenty of time to connect with other members of our church family.
Don’t forget about the Hardship Survey that the Deacons are doing as part of Tom Evans’s continuing research from his sabbatical. More information on that is below. -
Weekly Update for April 17, 2020
Posted Apr 17, 2020It was a glorious Easter, even though we had to celebrate it apart! It lifted all of our spirits to see how many of you joined us for Easter worship and how so many of you celebrated the resurrection in your own special ways as well! If you missed any of the services (including Robert and Hattie Bannan’s sweet sunrise devotion on Easter), it is well worth going to the worship archives and watching them! Click the + to expand the April 2020 services, to access services more than 7 days ago.
Wednesday is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. As a church, we have committed to be an Earth Care Congregation, and though we cannot have the celebration we had originally planned for Wednesday, we will be thinking about God’s creation in worship and in Tom’s Wednesday Bible Study. So take some time during this week of being stuck at home to look out your window or step out your back door and enjoy the beauty of spring bursting forth around us! -
Weekly Update for Good Friday (April 10, 2020)
Posted Apr 10, 2020It is Good Friday, the most solemn day of the year, when we remember how Jesus died on the cross for us. But Easter is coming! Holy Week is very different for all of us this year, but perhaps it will help us to experience the mystery and the wonder of this time in whole new ways. Please note that, even though we are all worshipping from our homes, we will all worship together in one service on Easter Sunday at 11am. There will be no services at 8:45am, but roll out of bed early as Robert Bannan leads is in a brief Sunrise Service at 6:45am.
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Weekly Update for Holy Week - April 3, 2020
Posted Apr 03, 2020Dear Siblings in Christ,
This Sunday in Palm Sunday, beginning Holy Week, the most sacred time in the church year, And even though our Holy Week will look very different this year as we maintain our physical distance, we hope that you will make a point to still join together for worship via our livestreamed services throughout the week. Holy Week services will still happen online, and we have some special ways for you to participate in Holy Week from home. Read below for details about all of our Holy Week services as well as other ways we can be in community, learning, prayer, and service during these strange times for our world.
Peace,
Craig Foster
Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Communications -
Did you have trouble with the worship livestream on Sunday?
Posted Apr 02, 2020The AV Team of the church makes every effort to make sure that the worship livestreams deliver a worship experience that invites you into the service from wherever you are. That said, internet service providers are being taxed in unprecedented ways right now with the immense amount of streaming video we are now using with Zoom calls and livestreamed services for churches everywhere (not to mention tons of Netfilx, Hulu, etc.). So even when things go out from the church perfectly, there can be difficulties on the receive end, and we know that those are just as frustrating. Here are a few things you can do on your end to prevent and address problems you may have accessing the livestreams.
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Zoom Tips, Security & Privacy
Posted Apr 02, 2020As the Zoom videoconferencing platform has grown by about 30x during this pandemic, it has naturally come under more intense scrutiny. The church is monitoring reports and updates about Zoom's security and privacy, but at this time we still believe that it is the easiest and best on-road to online community that we can currently offer our congregation. Read more for tips on how to best start using Zoom to connect to online events at the church and a blog post from Zoom about the recent security and privacy concerns.
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Weekly Update for March 27, 2020
Posted Mar 27, 2020I have loved seeing so many of you on various Zoom gatherings over the past week. I’ve especially been thankful to see some of our more senior members who have been restricted to retirement homes without visitors but have been courageous enough to try meeting with people in a new way. It has been great to see your faces and hear your voices.
There is a Daily Community Time at 2pm every weekday on Zoom. Give it a try! Just click the link and follow the directions on pretty much any computer, tablet or smartphone that has a webcam, microphone (often built into the webcam), and speakers. -
Weekly Update for March 20, 2020
Posted Mar 20, 2020Grace and peace to all of you! As we begin to settle into this new normal of social distancing for as long as we have to keep it up, we at the church are changing how we do things, but we are not slowing down our ministry! I hope you have all received Tom Evan’s updates about worship and activities at the church. See below for all the ways your church is still active during this time and all the ways that you can join in.
Please note that all in-person gatherings and activities at the church, including worship, have been suspended until circumstances change. But the worship leadership will still lead you in worship from home every Sunday, and we invite you to be adventurous and open to engaging in worship, fellowship, learning, giving, and serving in new ways during this time. And don’t just be passive watchers! Join fully in worship by singing, praying, saying responses, etc. and join in the conversations in Zoom events. As with most things, you get out what you put in! Have you ever wanted to lift your hands in praise or prayer, shout “AMEN” in the middle of a sermon, dance, or sing inappropriately loud, but you were worried what the other “Frozen Chosen” in worship would think? Well, now’s your chance to let it all go in worship to God! -
Join us for Worship – and Community – Online
Posted Mar 18, 2020For the safety of all our members and to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we are moving entirely to online worship services until circumstances change. Additionally, we are also working on a number of other ways to connect with each other during this time of social distancing...
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UPDATE: Our Church Response to COVID-19
Posted Mar 13, 2020We appreciate your patience and understanding as we respond to the ever-evolving situation regarding the COVID-19 virus. In consultation with the Health Committee and other Presbyterian congregations, as well as looking to government agencies for their recommendations, your FPC church staff has decided to discontinue all church events, activities, meetings, and gatherings through the end of March, with TWO exceptions:
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Weekly Update for March 13, 2020
Posted Mar 13, 2020Grace and peace to all of you! I know there is a lot of concern globally about the COVID-19 pandemic. Hopefully, you all received yesterday’s email about the steps our church is taking. You can find it on the church website here.
We are moving though the season of Lent, exploring together the intersections of worship and life through sermons and daily devotions. Whether you are with us in person on Sunday or via the livestream, I hope that you join us for worship on Sunday as Joanne delves into the story of the Samaritan woman in MorningSong and Tom explores the Proclamation of the Word in the Chapel and Sanctuary. -
Our Church Response to COVID-19
Posted Mar 12, 2020We are closely following the CDC's recommendations and will lean on them to decide if we need to discontinue group events. Currently, we plan to conduct our ministry as usual while taking some prudent precautions. A few of those are listed below.
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Weekly Update for March 6, 2020
Posted Mar 06, 2020Thank you all for your generosity as part of Witness Season. Together, we have been able to raise $42,078! With another $25,000 of matching funds coming in from an anonymous outside donor, that makes the total $67,078 toward establishing and staffing a mathematics lab at Cleveland Academy of Leadership! Thank you!
As we continue our efforts to end child poverty in Spartanburg, please take note of the Lunch n’ Learn on Tuesday (registration deadline TODAY) and the 2nd Annual Poverty Summit in April. -
Weekly Update for February 28, 2020
Posted Feb 28, 2020It has been an amazing week at FPC. Last Saturday we got to celebrate the wedding of Joanne Hull and Eddie Donald. If you missed it (or just want to see it again) you can find it here. We also celebrated Witness Season and have exceeded our goal! You can read more about that below or watch any of the Witness Season programs on the church website. People gave more than their money on Sunday, too, through our Ecumenical Blood Drive. Then on Wednesday we entered into the season of Lent through our Ash Wednesday Service. Thank you to so many people who gave of themselves in so many ways to make all of this possible!
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Weekly Update for February 21, 2020
Posted Feb 21, 2020This Sunday is Witness Season Sunday, and we welcome Bill Barnet to our church during the Sunday School hour to share with us a little more about the community we are trying to enrich through our work with Cleveland Academy of Leadership. He will be speaking at 10am on Sunday in Fogartie Hall, and all adult Sunday School classes are invited! Can’t come? Look for the livestream at https://fpcspartanburg.org/give/witness-season/witness-season-programs.
Hopefully you all already know that we are trying to raise $25,000 towards creating a mathematics lab at Cleveland, and the good news is that an anonymous donor from outside the church has promised to match what the church contributes. So your giving can go a very long way to help end the cycles of poverty through education in our city’s Northside. So far we have raised $6,500 toward our $25,000 goal. So please give generously! More information, including videos explaining more about the need and hopes for this math lab can be found at www.fpcspartanburg.org/witness-season. You may also give online there. We also need volunteers at Cleveland. If you are interested, please contact Mary Elizabeth Evans (meevans@spart7.org).
But even before we get to Witness Season Sunday, our own Rev. Joanne Hull is getting married to Eddie Donald at 4pm in the Sanctuary on Saturday (TOMORROW)! And you are all invited! Tartans and kilts are welcomed, but not required. Though there will not be a nursery, children who can sit through the 45-minute service are invited, and there will be a children’s sermon and activity bags especially for them. A reception will follow in Fogartie Hall. Come be a part of the celebration! -
Weekly Update for February 14, 2020
Posted Feb 14, 2020Our Witness Season project to help build a Mathematics Lab at Cleveland Academy of Leadership is well underway. School principal Marquice Clark and our own Jennifer Parker have done a great job helping us to understand the challenges that the children of Cleveland face, as well as the real hope to be able to change their lives and their futures. If you missed either of those programs, they can be found here. Mark your calendars for the next two Witness Season presentation on Wednesday and next Sunday morning (see info below), and please give generously to this important cause!
And a huge thank you to all of you who donated over 300 food items for TOTAL Ministries as part of FPC’s Boy Scout Troop 2 Scouting for Food project last Sunday! -
Weekly Update for February 7, 2020
Posted Feb 07, 2020We hope you all weathered yesterday’s storms without injury or damage. We know some of you may still be without power. The locker rooms in the Family Life Center will be available for hot showers until 4:30pm on Friday and from 8:30-11:30am on Saturday. Please note that the basketball court is NOT open, due to damage to the roof in yesterday’s storms. Please be careful if you venture out, as there are still downed trees and power lines as well as non-functioning traffic signals in many places.
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Weekly Update for January 31, 2020
Posted Jan 31, 2020Dear Blessed Family of First Presbyterian,
As you enjoy your weekend, be sure to count the blessings that God bestows upon you each and every day.
Every day that God grants us breath is a profound moment to be a part of the most magnificent universe there is!
The gift of today comes with a joyous task: to share the light of God’s love with another. So, whether it is a friend from long ago, a stranger on the street, or your loved ones at home, take this day to bless someone with the Love of God. This Sunday in worship, we will learn all about God’s blessings in the beatitudes.
Read Matthew 5:1-12 as your prayer this evening and read through the list below of all the ways God is working through us all!
Your friend in Christ,
Tom
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Weekly Update for January 24, 2020
Posted Jan 24, 2020This Sunday is another wonderful celebration of God’s calling as we will ordain and install remaining elders and deacons in MorningSong, and commission our Dominican Republic Mission Team in the Sanctuary. The DR Mission Team departs next Saturday, February 1.
Then Sunday evening, even more members of our congregation respond to God’s call as we welcome guests from Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network onto our campus for a week.
And then on Wednesday, we get to celebrate the ministry of Jane Mullins as she moves to the next stage of God’s call for her life.
Thanks be to God for all of these people who are answering God’s call to serve in Spartanburg, the DR, and elsewhere! Please be in prayer for them as they seek to show God’s love and care to all. -
Weekly Update for January 17, 2020
Posted Jan 17, 2020This is a long weekend for many as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There are lots of events planned in our community this weekend and Monday. Whether you join in one of the events listed below or find some other way to serve and to break down the barriers of racism and other prejudice, please find your way to make this world a better place this long weekend! Please note that, with the exception of the Poverty Simulation, the church will be closed on Monday.
This weekend we also commission Susan Oldham for service as a Commissioned Ruling Elder. Please join us at the 11am Sanctuary service for this celebration. There will be a reception in the Perrin Room following the service.
We also still need a few people to help with SPIHN starting January 26. See the “Service Opportunities” section below for details. -
Weekly Update for January 10, 2020
Posted Jan 10, 2020This Sunday we will ordain and install deacons and elders who will serve and lead our congregation over the next three years. Join us in celebrating their calling and faithful response in the 11am Sanctuary Worship Service.
As you begin the year, we invite you to find new ways to serve our Lord and our neighbors. Prayerfully consider the opportunities found in Ministry Finder and the others listed under “Service Opportunities” below, for it is often in service to others that we experience God’s presence most clearly!
We also invite you to continue the pattern of Bible reading that many of you began during Advent (or start a new discipline now!) as you read through the New Testament and Psalms, the Old Testament, or both during 2020. See www.fpcspartanburg.org/Bible for more information. -
Weekly Update for January 3, 2020
Posted Jan 03, 2020Dear Friends,
Most of your Christmas decorations are probably coming down or have already been packed away. You are watching football bowl games. The after-Christmas shopping is over. The kids may have started to drive you crazy. You might still be traveling. Is Christmas still alive in you? Or has the spirit of Christmas evaporated as the last few days have passed? How do we keep the joy, hope, love, and peace of Christmas flowing? Come worship with us this Sunday as we continue to celebrate Christmas on Epiphany and discover how you can keep the spirit of Christmas alive in your life.
There are still a few of us here this week, keeping Christmas alive at FPC, so here’s what is happening around the church house:
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Weekly Update for December 27, 2019
Posted Dec 27, 2019Merry Christmas! It was great to see so many of you on Christmas Eve, whether it was amid children dressed as shepherds, angels, and wisemen, or bathed in candlelight. We hope you are having a wonderful and safe Christmas.
This Sunday, we will have only one worship service, at 11:00am in the Sanctuary with Dr. Lewis Johnson preaching. There will be no Sunday School this Sunday.
The church will close at 5pm on December 31 and will be closed all day on January 1. We will open back up on January 2 for you to start on your New Year’s resolutions in the church gym! -
Weekly Update for December 20, 2019
Posted Dec 20, 2019The season of Advent is drawing to a close and Christmas is almost upon us! Note that Christmas Eve services are at 4pm, 6pm, and 11pm on Tuesday. We hope to see everyone at the Christmas Eve services, but if you are not able to be there in person, they will be livestreamed at www.fpcspartanburg.org/live. If you are traveling for the holiday, we wish you safe travels. Blessings to those amid the joys and challenges of gathering with loved ones, and blessings also to those who are missing loved ones this season.
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Weekly Update for December 13, 2019
Posted Dec 13, 2019This Sunday we enter the third week of Advent, and on Sunday we will celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent with the Moravian Love Feast in the Chapel. If you have not been to this special service, you are in for a real treat and a very meaningful way to enter into this Advent season. See below for service times and much more happening in the life of the church!
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Weekly Update for December 6, 2019
Posted Dec 06, 2019The season of Advent is in full swing! Join us for Handel’s Messiah this Sunday, and stick around for the Family Advent Celebration! After that, be sure to pick up something for the White Gifts Service on Wednesday and read below for many more ways to enrich your faith and discipleship this Advent!
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Weekly Update for November 27, 2019
Posted Nov 27, 2019Happy Thanksgiving! We pray for safe travels and happy times for those who are visiting with loved ones. Don’t forget that even when you travel you ca... -
Weekly Update for November 22, 2019
Posted Nov 22, 2019Gratitude is one of the central doctrines of our Christian faith, especially within the Reformed Tradition. We live our lives in the way of Jesus, not... -
Weekly Update for November 15, 2019
Posted Nov 15, 2019This Sunday we will worship together as one body of Christ at 11:00am in the Sanctuary as we ordain Robert Bannan to the Ministry of Word and Sacramen... -
Weekly Update for November 8, 2019
Posted Nov 08, 2019This is Veterans Day weekend, and we give thanks to those who have faithfully served our country in the military. This weekend we will also dedicate o... -
Weekly Update for November 1, 2019
Posted Nov 01, 2019Last Sunday was truly amazing! The Kirkin’ services were as stirring as ever, and the Concert of Hope was a powerful and eye-opening experience that r... -
Weekly Update for October 25, 2019
Posted Oct 25, 2019This Sunday we celebrate Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans and Stewardship Sunday, have the Concert of Hope, and welcome SPIHN guests to our church.All services ... -
Weekly Update for October 18, 2019
Posted Oct 18, 2019Fall is finally upon us! Lots of things are just around the corner at the church, so be sure to read below to see important deadlines and your opportu... -
Weekly Update for October 11, 2019
Posted Oct 11, 2019There are some important deadlines coming up in the next week (and even today!). So don’t miss out on your chances to be involved in these ministries ... -
Weekly Update for October 4, 2019
Posted Oct 04, 2019This Sunday is all about broadening our connections as a faith community. First of all, it is World Communion Sunday, a time when we not only remember... -
Weekly Update for September 27, 2019
Posted Sep 27, 2019The church year is off to a fabulous start! Our congregation is building the body of Christ through ministry, mission, and programs. Please look caref... -
Weekly Update for September 20, 2019
Posted Sep 20, 2019Today we send off our Cuba Mission Team and our Church Retreat participants. We pray for safe travels and a sense of God’s abiding presence for those ... -
Weekly Update for September 13, 2019
Posted Sep 13, 2019We had a great Rally Day and first Wednesdays at First over the past week, and everything is off to a great start for the year. If you didn’t find you... -
Weekly Update for September 6, 2019
Posted Sep 06, 2019This Sunday we return to our regular Sunday schedule, with the MorningSong and Chapel services at 8:45am, Sunday School at 9:45am, and the Sanctuary s... -
Weekly Update for August 30, 2019
Posted Aug 30, 2019This Sunday we will have only one combined worship service at 10:30am in the Sanctuary. There will be no Sunday School or youth group on Sunday. We ho... -
Weekly Update for August 23, 2019
Posted Aug 23, 2019This Sunday we celebrate the end of summer and the return to school with one last Summer Sizzle, and this one will be the biggest of them all! The wea... -
Weekly Update for August 16, 2019
Posted Aug 16, 2019TODAY is the deadline to sign up for the Church Retreat in beautiful Montreat, NC on September 20-22. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy time togeth... -
Weekly Update for August 9, 2019
Posted Aug 09, 2019This week saw off our SPIHN families off on Sunday morning and also concluded our final CAST week for the summer. Thank you to all the people whose ef... -
Weekly Update for August 2, 2019
Posted Aug 02, 2019This Sunday we welcome Dr. Tom Evans back from his sabbatical, and eagerly await hearing what he has learned and discovered during his time away. Tom ... -
Weekly Update for July 26, 2019
Posted Jul 26, 2019As July winds down, we are finally blessed with some lovely days and comfortable nights that beckon us outside to enjoy God’s beautiful world. I’ve ha... -
Weekly Update for July 19, 2019
Posted Jul 23, 2019July is always the month when it is most noticeable that so many of you are vacationing. Tom is continuing his Sabbatical travels out west, and ... -
Weekly Update for July 12, 2019
Posted Jul 12, 2019Following up on the visit of Pastor Luc last Sunday, we have a number of opportunities to hear about missions, both local and international, this week... -
Weekly Update for July 3, 2019
Posted Jul 03, 2019Happy Fourth of July! We hope you have an enjoyable and safe celebration of our nation’s independence. Please note that all church facilities, includi... -
Weekly Update for June 28, 2019
Posted Jun 28, 2019Our first youth mission team has been doing good and important work in Aiken, SC this week. Check out this article in the Aiken Stand... -
Weekly Update for June 21, 2019
Posted Jun 21, 2019This Sunday is our second Summer Sizzle, and it will be a chance for you to enjoy coffee and fellowship in the Social Hall as you peruse the table... -
Weekly Update for June 14, 2019
Posted Jun 14, 2019We had an amazing week of Vacation Bible School this week, as the children explored how God “is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or ima... -
Weekly Update for June 7, 2019
Posted Jun 07, 2019This Sunday is Pentecost! We have two special services planned that incorporate the Summer Choir and the MorningSong Music Team as well as people from... -
Weekly Update for May 31, 2019
Posted May 31, 2019This Sunday we begin a new sermon series exploring how we can use the Bible to draw near to God. The two tracks of our Summer Sunday School Series... -
Weekly Update for May 24, 2019
Posted May 24, 2019This Sunday we begin our Summer Worship Schedule. See times below. This weekend the Chamber Singers will be in Charleston. On Saturday a... -
Weekly Update for May 17, 2019
Posted May 17, 2019This Sunday is very full as we celebrate our high school graduates, Christi Brown’s last Sunday on staff, and take part in an ecumenical blood dri... -
Weekly Update for May 10, 2019
Posted May 10, 2019Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and mother-figures out there, and our prayers are with those for whom Mother’s Day can be a source of pain ... -
Weekly Update for May 3, 2019
Posted May 03, 2019Last Sunday was a joyous time of celebration as we installed the Rev. Leslie Lang as our new Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Missions. This... -
Weekly Update for April 26, 2019
Posted Apr 26, 2019Holy Week and Easter were truly amazing this year. Thank you to all the many hands, voices, and hearts that, through your talents and your very ... -
Weekly Update for Holy Week (April 17, 2019)
Posted Apr 17, 2019It is Holy Week and our weekly email is going out a couple of days early as a gentle reminder of the services coming up on Maundy Thursday, Good ... -
Weekly Update for Holy Week (April 12, 2019)
Posted Apr 12, 2019This Sunday is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. See the full Holy Week schedule below, and make time this week for personal devotion an... -
Weekly Update for April 5, 2019
Posted Apr 05, 2019Our Faith Summit of Child Poverty is next Wednesday and Thursday, April 10-11! Please make sure you sign up for the portions of the event you plan... -
Weekly Update for March 28, 2019
Posted Mar 28, 2019Spring Break has begun for many area families. Safe travels to those who are traveling, and don’t forget that you can worship with us wherever yo... -
Weekly Update for March 22, 2019
Posted Mar 22, 2019This Sunday is Confirmation Sunday, and we will welcome this year’s Confirmation Class into full membership in the church during our 11am Wors... -
Welcome the Rev. Leslie Lang
Posted Mar 18, 2019First Presbyterian Church is pleased to welcome the Rev. Leslie Ann Lang as our new Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Missions. Leslie will begin ... -
Weekly Update for March 15, 2019
Posted Mar 15, 2019This is a very special Sunday as we as a congregation vote on whether to extend a call to be our Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Missions, o... -
Weekly Update for March 8, 2019
Posted Mar 08, 2019The season of Lent has begun. In addition to our usual array of Lent and Holy Week worship services, we are making available several Lenten ... -
Weekly Update for March 1, 2019
Posted Mar 01, 2019This Sunday we welcome Dr. Tom Evans back from sabbatical as we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday. Tom will be preaching in MorningSong and the ... -
Weekly Update for February 22, 2019
Posted Feb 22, 2019This Sunday is Witness Season Sunday, Rick Turner will be with us in worship and in a combined adult Sunday School class in Fogartie Hall this ... -
Weekly Update for February 15, 2019
Posted Feb 15, 2019This Sunday there is a Men’s Breakfast and a Blood Drive. Both of these are important opportunities you won’t want to miss. See below for more ... -
Weekly Update for February 8, 2019
Posted Feb 08, 2019Our Dominican Republic Mission Team has had a great week of service and will be returning home tomorrow. Please pray for safe travel... -
Weekly Update for February 1, 2019
Posted Feb 01, 2019This weekend over 70 members and friends of FPC will be traveling for spiritual growth and service. Today, about 40 women will head up to Kanuga ... -
Weekly Update for January 25, 2019
Posted Jan 25, 2019This is a special Sunday for two groups within our church. During the Sunday School hour our Third Grade Sunday School class will be presented to... -
Weekly Update for January 18, 2019
Posted Jan 18, 2019This weekend kicks off the Unity Week Celebration in Spartanburg, as we celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A... -
Weekly Update for January 11, 2019
Posted Jan 11, 2019Sunday Night Youth Fellowship resumes this Sunday with a new format, separate times for Mid and Sr. Highs, and a new location (the Youth Rooms). ... -
Weekly Update for January 4, 2019
Posted Jan 04, 2019Happy New Year and 11th Day of Christmas! This Sunday is Epiphany when we celebrate the coming of the wise men and the revelation of Christ ... -
Weekly Update for December 28, 2018
Posted Dec 28, 2018Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Christmas isn’t over yet in the church, and we get to celebrate all the way until Epiphany on January 6. ... -
Weekly Update for the Week of Christmas (December 21, 2018)
Posted Dec 21, 2018It’s almost Christmas, and there’s much happening at the church. See below for information about service times on Sunday and Monday. Also please pay a... -
Weekly Update for the Third Week of Advent (December 14, 2018)
Posted Dec 14, 2018We have a very full Sunday ahead of us after last week’s cancellation of services because of winter weather. And it is a Sunday full of spe... -
Weekly Update for the Second Week of Advent (December 7, 2018)
Posted Dec 07, 2018Come see the beautiful new pulpit, font, and table in the Sanctuary! There is still a little bit of detail left to do on the baptismal font, but I t... -
Weekly Update for the First Week of Advent (November 30, 2018)
Posted Nov 30, 2018The Advent Season of waiting and watching for the coming of the Messiah begins this Sunday, and there are lots of things happening this Sunday to help... -
Weekly Update for November 21, 2018
Posted Nov 21, 2018Happy Thanksgiving! We hope that you have a joyful and safe celebration of all of God’s blessings in your life!Please note that the church will be clo... -
Weekly Update for November 16, 2018
Posted Nov 16, 2018Gratitude to God is central to our lives of Christian Discipleship. We follow in God’s ways, not to earn our salvation. That has already been given to... -
Weekly Update for November 9, 2018
Posted Nov 09, 2018This Sunday is Youth Sunday, and youth will be leading each of our three Sunday morning worship services. This is always an exciting and encouraging c... -
Weekly Update for November 2, 2018
Posted Nov 02, 2018This Sunday we are remembering those beloved members of our First Pres family who have gone on to the Church Triumphant. In the Chapel and Sanctuary, ... -
Weekly Update for October 26, 2018
Posted Oct 26, 2018This Sunday is Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans. This annual service features a procession of tartans and bagpipes and drums and celebrates not only the Scottis... -
Weekly Update for October 19, 2018
Posted Oct 19, 2018Mark your calendars for Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans in just over a week on Sunday, October 28! And don’t miss out on church basketball sign-ups. Registrati... -
Weekly Update for October 12, 2018
Posted Oct 12, 2018There are lots of opportunities just around the corner for missions, fellowship, growth in faith, and worship just around the corner. Read on and fins... -
Weekly Update for October 5, 2018
Posted Oct 05, 2018This Sunday is a very special Sunday around the world, as we celebrate our unity in Christ at the table. We will also begin a special time of fellowsh...