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Photos: Live Nativity in downtown Harrisonburg
Here are some scenes from the Live Nativity at the First Pres Courtyard in downtown Harrisonburg. We enjoyed meeting so many of our neighbors as we celebrate Christmas together. Special thanks to the Pugh family and the Hannah family, whose contributions in memory of...
Blog Archive
Honoring a Bright Light: The Story Behind the New Star at First Pres’ Live Nativity
During First Pres’ live nativity last year, Wayne Hannah noticed a missing “character.” The wise men were there, and the shepherds, and of course Mary and Joseph and a baby doll for Jesus. But above them? No star. So Wayne got to work designing one with the help of...
Photos: Music Sunday and cookies kick off Advent and Christmas at First Pres
One of our traditions to start the Advent and Christmas season at First Pres is by holding our most musical (and sweet) Sunday of the year. On Music Sunday, we hear the Christmas story in music and scripture. Between the two services, we enjoy Christmas cookies...
Mission team brings hope and healing to flood-stricken North Carolina
As floodwaters rose, an elderly man near Hendersonville, North Carolina, carried his wheelchair-bound wife through waist-deep waters and placed her in a canoe with neighbors. He returned to his flooded house and clung to life until the water began to recede. For the...
Where to go if you need some perspective
There is something about sitting in the sanctuary and being in worship that puts things in perspective. Maybe you've experienced it, or maybe you need to. The Psalmist did. He starts Psalm 73 proclaiming God's goodness, but then quickly adds a "but": He almost slipped...
During the election, how are you praying: with joy or anxiety?
It's Election week. How are you praying? With anxiety? Or joy? Paul writes in Philippians 1:3 that he always prays “with joy.” That convicts me, because on my good days I can say I pray with gratitude, but most days I pray with anxiety and not with joy. With the...
Unplug to put things in perspective
I was recently in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho where I’d joined my brothers for their mule deer hunt. Being in the mountains and being disconnected from the news – family, church, community and the world alike, as we had no cell service – put things in...
An update from our sister church in Ethiopia
We recently received an update from Solomon at our sister church in Ethiopia. Here is the letter he sent. As you may know, September marks the start of the new year in Ethiopia, as well as the opening of schools for student registration. We took this opportunity to...
Instead of worrying, think about these things
What’s on your mind these days? If you’re like me, there’s probably at least one thing that has you worried, at least a little. But over and over in the Bible, we get the message, though, that we should not fear, that we should not worry. But how? In Mindscape: What...
37 new books added to the library in September
Take a look! We have more than three dozen new additions to our church library! These 37 books are on display, so you can't miss them. Come on up to the library and check them out. You can’t miss them: They have bright yellow "new" stickers on their spines. Click here...
Photos: Chili Cookoff & Nerf Battle
Thanks to everyone who competed in our first chili cookoff at the First Pres Courtyard. Here are some scenes from the cookoff and the kids' Nerf battle.