Each month, we alternate donating non-perishable food items and/or hygiene items to two of our local mission partners: Home Sweet Home Ministries and The Salvation Army. Donations change month to month and will be posted to this page. Donations can be brought Sunday mornings or M-F, 8:30am-3pm during office hours. Donations can be placed in the shopping carts available at both the Hershey and College Avenue entrances.

For the month of March, donations will go to Home Sweet Home Ministries.

Their urgent needs are: 

• Bottled Water
• Napkins
• Individual Bags of Chips
• Little Debbie Desserts
• Coffee
• Coffee Creamer
• Styrofoam Cups
• Body wash (Men's, Women's, and Kid's)
• Adult gloves
• Blankets

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OFFERS MUSICAL ENRICHMENT TO CHILDREN, YOUTH AND ADULTS. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO GET INVOLVED!

This is for children K-5th grade. Music and singing skills are taught to present the Gospel through song. Hand chimes, Orff instruments, rhythm games, and music games help teach musical concepts. Learning God's word is integral to each rehearsal. Rehearsals are on Sunday, 12-12:45pm.

CHANCEL CHOIR

This is a mixed choir with a wide range of repertoire, classical to contemporary. Leads 8:30am worship. Rehearsals are Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30pm.

YOUTH HANDBELLS

Open to Jr. and Sr. High youth. No experience is necessary. Rehearsals are on Sundays at 5pm, just prior to Youth Group.

ADULT HANDBELLS

Four and half octaves of bells and three octaves of chimes keep this group busy. No prior ringing experience is necessary. Rehearsals are on Tuesdays, from 6:45-7:45pm.

PRAISE TEAM

Our 11am worship service is centered around contemporary Christian music. Music leadership is comprised of song leaders, drums, keyboard and guitars. If this is your passion, speak with Phil Enge.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
If an organized choir is not “your thing” but you want to participate through music, we always welcome instrumentalists of all sorts to play in groups, on the occasional anthem, or to play solos for preludes or offertory music. Vocal soloists are welcome, too.

Per Capita Assessment
Per capita is an annual per member apportionment assessed by the General Assembly and by many synods and presbyteries, to enable Presbyterians mutually and equitably to share the ecclesiastical and administrative costs of sustaining our witness to Christ through the Presbyterian Church (USA). Our Per Capita payment is split 26% to the General Assembly, 11% to the Synod of Lincoln Trails and 63% to the Presbytery of Great Rivers. Our church pays 100% of the assessment and asks members to make individual contributions to offset the assessment.

Unified Mission Budget
We provide financial support for denominational mission efforts other than general and administrative costs supported by the per capita assessment. Of this amount, 42.5% is allocated to Presbyterian Mission Agency, 5.0% is allocated to the Synod of Lincoln Trails, and 52.5% is allocated to the Presbytery of Great Rivers.

Presbyterian Special Offerings
In addition to the per capita and unified mission budget amounts allocated in our church’s annual operating budget, we also participate in the four annual special offerings promoted by the PC(USA). We promote and collect the offerings, and pass through the amounts collected. 

The four special offerings are:

One Great Hour of Sharing
For over 70 years, One Great Hour of Sharing has provided Presbyterians a way to share God’s love with our neighbors in need around the world. The three programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing - Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People - all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need. From initial disaster response to ongoing community development, their work fits together to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope. Typically received during the season of Lent, each gift to One Great Hour of Sharing supports efforts to relieve hunger through the Presbyterian Hunger Program, promote development through the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People, and assist in areas of disaster through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

Pentecost
The Pentecost Offering unites us in a church-wide effort to support young people and inspire them to share their faith, ideas, and unique gifts with the church and the world. Psalm 71 testifies that a foundation of faith established during childhood helps ensure lifelong faith and service. The patterns and lessons established during these formative years continue to bear fruit throughout a person's life. By receiving the Pentecost Offering, you are nurturing the faith of those who are the church to come — children, youth, and young adults. A gift to the Pentecost Offering helps the church encourage, develop, and support its young people, and also address the needs of at-risk children. 40% of the Pentecost offering can be retained by individual congregations wanting to make an impact in the lives of young people within their own community. The remaining 60% is used to support children-at-risk, youth, and young adults through ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

Peace & Global Witness
The Peace & Global Witness Offering encourages the church to cast off anxiety and fear, discord and division, and embrace our reconciling God's mission to those around the corner and around the world. Through the Peace & Global Witness Offering, congregations are encouraged and equipped to find and address the anxiety and discord that is prevalent throughout this broken and sinful world. A gift to the Peace & Global Witness Offering enables the church to promote the Peace of Christ by addressing systems of conflict and injustice across the world. Individual congregations are encouraged to utilize up to 25% of this Offering to connect with the global witness of Christ's peace. Mid councils retain an additional 25% for ministries of peace and reconciliation. The remaining 50% is used by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, including our own, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness.

Christmas Joy
By giving to the Christmas Joy Offering, you honor God's gift of Jesus Christ by providing assistance to current and retired church workers in their time of need and developing our future leaders at Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. God has blessed the Church with incredible leadership in every time and place, but those leaders often need to be supported by their communities as well. This Offering addresses the support needed by some of our leaders, including supporting leadership development for communities of color and providing support for Presbyterian church workers in their time of need. The Christmas Joy Offering has been a cherished Presbyterian tradition since the 1930s. The Offering distributes gifts equally to the Assistance Program of the Board of Pensions and to Presbyterian-related schools and colleges equipping communities of color. The Assistance Program provides critical financial support to church workers and their families. Presbyterian-related schools and colleges provide education and leadership development while nurturing racial and ethnic heritage. This has been a Presbyterian commitment for nearly 140 years.