It's time for our regular youth programs to get started again at First Pres. Here are some highlights. Sunday Morning Discipleship Starting, on Sunday, Aug. 27, our discipleship groups and Sunday school classes are back between the worship services (10:15-11 a.m.)....
Most of your posts on social media probably point out all your best moments. Rarely do any of us post our worst moments. Given that our instinct is to highlight the best and downplay the worst, we really should see the Gospel-writers inclusion of Peter’s denials of...
Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. These traits, listed in Galatians 5, make up the fruit of the (Holy) Spirit, the evidence of being followers of Jesus. Who doesn’t want to have these attributes defining their...
One of the most important tasks and opportunities of covenant partners at First Pres is to select the three to six at-large members of the Nominating Committee each year. These members of the 2023 Nominating Committee will be elected by you in February. The Nominating...
If you were to guess, what is the all-time most popular Christmas song in the world? The one that has been translated into more languages than any other? It is a song called the “Magnificat” and it is sung by Mary as recorded in Luke 1:46-55. Now I’ve done multiple...
What a mess! In the thick of reading through the Old Testament accounts of the various kings who ruled God’s people, the bleakness of a life without God is on full display. Over and over, you read that king after king “did what was evil in God’s sight,” and that those...
Skyrocketing prices for homes and rent has caused a housing crunch across the country in Harrisonburg, where city leaders are looking for ways to alleviate the need. Habitat for Humanity's central Valley chapter is working on the problem by "putting God's love into...
It's summer-vacation season, but when it comes to our walk with Jesus, there's no such thing as time off. So, we want to help you stay connected even as you head out of town for a summer trip. Here are some ideas. Tune in to the First Pres livestream We livestream...
Have you had one of those energy drinks? They are high on caffeine and, apparently, other ingredients intended to keep you awake. I don’t recommend them. Especially if it is 7 p.m. and you are planning to go to bed. I recently was able to spend a whole evening with...
I’ve been thinking about love from a biblical point of view. Now, the Bible has a lot to say about love, and I’m particularly struck by the assertion of 1 John 4:16 that “God is love.” I’m struck by it because while it reads like a statement of fact, it is actually an...