Dear friends, In recent days, the tumultuous impacts of the coronavirus have left a sense that the usual certainties and patterns of life have undergone a shaking of the foundations.  This has been compounded by an appalling act of violence in the killing of George Floyd, and the many protests that have happened in its wake, as well as the recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.  Though we have seen over the years too many of these killings, there was something uniquely chilling in the image of a man’s knee on another’s neck, something that echoed the years and even centuries of oppression, bereft of any sense of common humanity. W.E.B. DuBois, an American sociologist and the first African-American to earn a Harvard doctorate, studied the African-American community in the Philadelphia of his day.  He noted in 1899 [...]

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All churches in the Presbytery were provided with a $1,000 mission grant to use to help with the COVID-19 response. FPC has selected Rose Heaven to be our recipient, but please don’t let the blessings stop there. You are invited to participate in this gift by putting together hygiene kits. Each kit needs to be in a to go bag and include: soap, razor, travel size shampoo and conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste (optional comb & socks). Drop off your kits on Thursdays from 12:30-3:30 pm via non-contact collection at the Church office door on 13th street, or contact Brenna (bdykman@firstpresportland.org) to arrange pickup. [...]

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Dear friends, During this uncertain time, First Presbyterian is offering new ways to connect with our church  community.  While apart, we are still the church.  With God and with each other, we are not alone. Over the last month, as people have not been able to come to church, we have brought church to them. After a full month of being only an online church, we have learned how important it is in the midst of the pandemic to still be the church. Over these past weeks, our church attendance by streaming has been growing, in recent weeks with more than our usual attendance, and including friends and visitors near and far! This time of sheltering at home has unleashed for many a fierce longing to connect to one another and to our spiritual lives – to the Source of [...]

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Grace and peace to you, I will lift up my eyes unto the hills; from whence does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth… In these days of so much change, we hold fast to our faith to strengthen and sustain us. You all are much in my thoughts, and I’m encouraged in hearing how you are faring in these times of staying home. I want to update you on some of the things happening at church: On Wednesday, the church governing board, the Session, met in a Zoom virtual meeting to discuss a number of important issues. Here are the key decisions from that meeting: All worship services during the month of April will be livestreamed only, and we will continue to worship by streaming “until the way be clear.” They appointed [...]

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