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Changing perspectives on God’s global work
First Pres recently hosted Perspectives, which brought together Christ-followers from a number of local churches to learn about what God is doing around the world and how we can join that work. We asked one of the participants, Laura Atkins, about the experience. What...
Blog Archive
6 new additions to our resource library
We've added some new additions to the church library. Go check them out! Books for Adults Screen Kids by Gary Chapman & Arlene Pellicane. "Today, children spend more time interacting with screens and less time playing outside or interacting with family. Screen...
Kindness isn’t random: Show affection for others by looking at Jesus
Who is the kindest person you know? What is it about them that makes you think of them as kind? I suspect if you dig into those questions, the people who come to mind will be those who are intimately connected to Jesus. That’s because kindness is one evidence of a...
Navigating a winter season: Find support with Stephen Ministry during personal challenges
In addition to the cold weather outside, many people experience winters in their personal lives. A recent loss through death, divorce or relocation may leave them feeling lonely. A hospitalization, a cancer diagnosis or ongoing medical problems may leave them feeling...
Embracing Authenticity: What Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year and the Jesus have in common
Every year, Merriam-Webster chooses a few words that defined the year based on the number of searches the dictionary publisher records in its online dictionary. For instance, in 2020, the word of the year was “pandemic” (of course) and in 2021, it was “vaccine.” The...
2 ways you can be more loving
As I’ve continued to think about what it would look like for my relationship with the Lord to be “renewed,” one obvious attribute would be I’d become more loving. I say this is obvious because the great command is for us to love God with all that we are. So, of...
Helping our neighbors in need
It is that time of year when we want to help our neighbors in need. This year we will have two opportunities. On Friday, Dec. 22, we host our regular Soup Kitchen. We will be preparing a special Christmas meal and would like to give out Christmas gifts. If you would...
Why are people leaving churches in America?
The theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer noted that whenever you're lonely, there's always a church. There's always a church. You can find it just about any place. But not everybody wants to take advantage of that, do they? Why not? I mean, there's so much access. It's so...
How remembering your baptism can help you stay close to God
Do you remember your baptism? It's unlikely that you do if you were baptized as an infant. If, like me, you were baptized as an older child or teenager, you may remember a few details. And even if your baptism was only a few years ago, you probably don't think about...
Photos: First Pres at Harrisonburg’s Skeleton Fest
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance's annual Skeleton Fest drew thousands to downtown Harrisonburg on Oct. 7, and we were there with seven decorated cars and some friendly faces to hand out candy and other treats. Here are some photos from the event.
A gift of time: Pastor Billy’s reflections on his summer sabbatical
Associate Pastor Billy Craig recently returned from a three-month, summer sabbatical when he could rest and study. We asked him about his time and how it has fueled his ministry going forward. How did you pursue rest and refreshment during your sabbatical? Stepping...