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...
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...
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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
A group of 14 middle-schoolers recently attended Modgnik, a retreat that helps students discover how Jesus' kingdom is different than the ways of the world. Kathryn Hendricksen, one of the parents who mentored the 10 girls during the weekend, sent us this reflection...