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...
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...
A place to love to learn and learn to love
Last week, while moving my son into college, the chaplain described Grove City College as a place “to love to learn and learn to love.” That line really grabbed me because that is the kind of place I want First Pres to be. I want us to be a place where people who...
Inspiring biographies to help us persevere in faith
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of...
Photos: Easter at First Pres
We came together as a community to mark the final week of Jesus' life, reflect on His sacrifice and then the celebrate the resurrection. Here are some highlights.
3 books that can help you love the Bible more
We know that the Bible is God's word to us and that we need to read it, but sometimes it's a challenge. Our newly renovated church library features some books that can help. Here are three. Read It, See It, Say It, Sing It: Knowing and Loving the Bible In Hunter...
What is Lent, and why do we observe it?
It’s Lent. But what does that mean? Lent starts with Ash Wednesday and continues for 40 days (excluding Sundays) until Easter. It’s a period of preparation for when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Here are some common questions about the season. Why is Lent 40...
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...
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...