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...
The Harrisonburg International Festival brought the community to our downtown Harrisonburg neighborhood, and we were there with activities and refreshments.
We are grateful for the following covenant partners who have answered the call to serve as leaders at First Pres for a three-year term starting in January 2025. Until then, they will be trained, and you can pray for them as they prepare to fill these roles. Elders...
A group of high-school students from First Pres recently returned from a week in Kermit, West Virginia, where they participated in numerous service projects with Christian Help Mingo, which serves the low- to no-income population in the heart of Appalachia,...
As the Open Doors outreach to homeless people in our community begins a new phase soon, we want to recognize those from First Pres who have helped during the past 15 years. Over the past 15 years or so, First Pres has served as one of the shelter locations for...
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...
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...
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...
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...
As part of the tithe we take on the last Sunday of the month, a portion of those funds are sent to widows and orphans from our sister church in Jimma, Ethiopia. We received an update to how those funds were used recently for three big purposes. First, medical...