Repent
Prayer by Kathy Escobar, author of Turning Over Tables
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Lenten Study Series
Turning Over Tables by Kathy Escobar
Every Sunday after worship
February 22 - March 29 | 10:45 - 11:45 a.m.
First Pres Sanctuary
This year, our church will use the season of Lent to facilitate conversation navigating how, together, we can turn the tables and build a world where justice, healing, and equity reign supreme.
With keen insight and unwavering conviction, visionary pastor Kathy Escobar guides us on a Lenten journey inspired by the ways of Jesus to dismantle the systems that perpetuate inequality and injustice. From flipping the moneychangers’ tables in the temple to uplifting the poor and marginalized, Jesus’ actions and words turn the world’s idea of power on its head. With each week of Lent, we'll dig deeper into Jesus’ challenge to the pervasive influence of privilege and oppression that have dominated since ancient times.
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Just a quick note: Feel free to join in the study series any time, even if you've not attended prior discussions! | |
| Although it's not necessary to read Turning Over Tables to participate in the Lenten study series, feel free to purchase a copy. Any number of outlets are selling Turning Over Tables; and for your convenience, we've provided several links where you can buy hard copies or eBooks. In case your budget needs to prioritize other expenses, we'll have a few extra complimentary copies on hand. | |
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Saturday, March 14, 2026 | 10:30 a.m.
Mineshaft Oshkosh | 2041 S. Koeller Street, Oshkosh
Don't miss out on this scrumptious event! This is a "no-host" event. Please call the restaurant (920.252.4940) for menu and pricing or visit their website (Mineshaft website).
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RSVPs requested by Thursday, March 12th
Breakfast with Friends Online RSVP Form
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1st & 3rd Tuesday Each Month
Tuesday, Mach 17, 2026 | Noon – 1:30 p.m.
First Pres Multipurpose Room #103
Join us for a great gathering where we’ll study the Bible as a community. You'll be welcomed in our friendly environment as we share our thoughts! Don't forget to bring your Bible, your lunch, and your enthusiasm to learn more about God's teachings.
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Saturday, March 28, 2026 | 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
First Pres Magnolia Hall
In addition to a hot, healthy meal, the Community Breakfast provides the opportunity for the community to develop new friendships and offer an encouraging word to one another.
So, please help spread the word that this is the place to be whether you’re seeking assistance, looking to help, or simply want to be part of a community that cares. Together, we’re not just sharing a meal; we’re nurturing the roots of our community. Can’t wait to see you at breakfast!
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Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026
Following Worship (approximately 10:30 a.m.)
First Pres Magnolia Hall
After the Easter Sunday Worship service, everyone is warmly invited to join us for a light Easter brunch in Magnolia Hall. If you have some time to spare, come enjoy a lovely brunch and connect with both old and new friends! And don’t worry about bringing a dish to share; we’ll take care of everything!
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To help us with planning, please RSVP by Wednesday, April 1, 2026. If you’re unsure about coming and can’t RSVP, that's absolutely fine! Just stop by, and you’ll be welcomed with a friendly smile.
Easter Brunch Online RSVP Form
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Serving Up Fellowship:
First Presbyterian's Inaugural Ping Pong Tournament
On February 15, 2026, Magnolia Hall was transformed into a high-energy arena for our first-ever FPCO Ping Pong Tournament. It was a day filled with incredible rallies, shared stories, and the kind of community spirit that makes our congregation so special!
With 16 contestants stepping up to the tables, the competition was spirited from the very first serve. We were truly blessed by the abundance of our potluck; the counters were overflowing with delicious dishes brought by our faith community, ensuring no one went home hungry. A special thank you goes out to Rosangela for her wonderful work in designing and providing the prizes that made our victory celebrations even more meaningful.
The Winners' Circle
After a day of intense matches and masterful comebacks, we are proud to recognize our top players:
- 1st Place (Champion): Otacilio
- 2nd Place: Pastor Deb
- 3rd Place: Wilson
- 4th Place: Ken
- Consolation Winner: Ray
- Consolation Runner-up: Carmen
Congratulations to all our winners and to everyone who picked up a paddle to join the fun!
If you missed out on the ping pong action, don't worry—we have plenty more fellowship on the horizon. Be sure to keep an eye out for our upcoming events, including a bingo afternoon in late spring and a cornhole/bags tournament in the fall.
Thank you to everyone who shared a dish, cheered from the sidelines, or competed in the brackets. We can’t wait to see you at the next one!
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The battle for the paddle.
Pastor Deb vs. Otacilio for the
2026 Championship!
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| They came, they saw, they conquered the table. Otacilio (1st) and Pastor Deb (2nd) showing off their new hardware. | |
| From left to right, our heavy hitters: Ken (4th), Carmen (Consolation Runner-Up), Pastor Deb (2nd), Otacilio (1st), and Wilson (3rd). Not pictured but certainly celebrated: our Consolation Winner, Ray! | |
| The road to the top! Here’s how the 2026 Ping Pong Championship unfolded from start to finish. | | |
Second chances and epic rallies.
The Consolation Bracket in all its glory!
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Making Housing a Human Right
Mama Nyayier (SAY… nya-eer) knows that the casualties of war are not only those on the front lines. Those who remain behind also fight for survival.
As a girl in South Sudan, Mama Nyayier had a good life until civil war broke out in 2013, exposing her to unimaginable horrors. Countless lives were lost to the armed conflict, including her father and nearly all of her nine siblings. Everywhere across the fledgling nation, farms, homes and livelihoods were being destroyed, while abductions, detentions and gender-based violence were everyday occurrences.
Added to that, an unrelenting onslaught of natural disasters followed, causing the United Nations to declare famine in parts of South Sudan, with 100,000 people experiencing starvation and another million on the brink of death. Millions of desperate residents were displaced from their homes and fled to internal settlements and refugee camps in neighboring countries. Read more.
If you feel called to offer support to One Great Hour of Sharing, please send in your offering by Sunday, April 5, 2026. Thank you for your generosity!
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Join us for an evening of singing songs of hope, justice, and resistance as we prepare for the Path to Palm Sunday gathering on March 29.
Our Community Collaboration Sing Alongs bring people together across congregations and the wider community to raise our voices for justice and compassion.
We will sing protest and movement songs, both old and new, using selections from the Singing Resistance Songbook and the Justice Choir Songbook.
No musical experience is necessary. If you can sing in the shower, you can sing with us. All are welcome.
Music leaders for the evening will be Travis Worth and Dorothy Zerbe, who will guide us through songs that have sustained movements for justice across generations.
This is a space for community, courage, and hope as we prepare our voices for the Path to Palm Sunday gathering. Come sing with us.
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Stable Minds Support
Monday, March 9 and 16, 2026 | 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
BEAMING Ranch | 2692 County Road GG | Neenah
Registration: 920.851.6160 | incbeaming@gmail.com
The Stable Minds Support Equine Programs use the healing power of horses to help enrich the quality of life for adults and seniors who have early- to moderate-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other forms of memory loss.
What's included:
- Time with horses: grooming, walking, bonding
- Light physical movement and coordination
- Arts & crafts, music, and educational presentations
- Connection and fun in a safe, social setting
The BEAMING Ranch embraces diversity, they promote inclusion, and they celebrate those with diverse abilities. It is a safe, nonjudgmental community gathering space where all are welcome.
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Traveling Oshkosh Memory Café
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Copper Hall | 203 Otter Avenue, Oshkosh
The Fox Valley Symphony will be there with their 'In Harmony' program to share a musical adventure for all to enjoy and participate in. This is a one-of-a-kind experience that will make you smile and move your bodies for the afternoon!
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Hygiene Drive Donation Bin
By the Community Crossroads Bulletin Board
Donation Hours: | Thursday mornings: 8:00 - 11:30 a.m. | Sundays: before and after worship
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Spice It Up Food Drive:
Oshkosh Area Community Pantry
2551 Jackson Street, Oshkosh
Donation Hours:
Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3: 30 p.m.
This month... let’s SPICE up the OACP shelves and make a difference in the lives of their guests!
Some examples of items they’re looking for include:
ketchup * mustard * mayonnaise * salad dressings * salsas * BBQ sauces
stir fry sauces * hot sauces * pickles/relish * minced garlic * taco seasoning * chili seasoning
oregano * thyme * basil * red pepper flakes * cinnamon * Cajun seasoning
They, of course, can still use any donations whether it be food or monetary, but this month they are encouraging donors to pick up some of their favorite spices and condiments to help spice things up at OACP!
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A PC(USA) statement on the escalating war with Iran
Sustained diplomacy, accountability and multilateral engagement are what’s needed
March 2, 2026 | Office of Public Witness| Presbyterian News Service
We are deeply troubled by the expanding military assault on Iran and the widening regional war it now threatens to become. As Christians shaped by the reconciling love of Jesus Christ, we grieve every life lost and every family now living in terror. Decisions of war and peace are measured not in political claims but in human lives.
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has repeatedly affirmed that war must never be entered into lightly. Military force must be a last resort, and international disputes must be addressed through sustained diplomacy, accountability, and multilateral engagement grounded in international law. Our General Assemblies have called for negotiated agreements that constrain nuclear proliferation, reduce regional tensions, and prioritize civilian protection.
We are gravely alarmed that this expanding military campaign is already resulting in civilian casualties and retaliatory strikes across the region. Reports that civilian infrastructure, including schools, has been struck heighten our alarm and underscore the devastating human cost of escalation. The people of Iran, many already living under repression and economic hardship, will bear the brunt of destruction, displacement, and fear. Families across neighboring countries now face renewed instability and the prospect of a widening war. Read more.
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| | First Presbyterian Church is a member of More Light Presbyterians, a coalition of churches whose mission is to work for the full participation of the LBGTQ community in the life, ministry, and witness of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in society. | |
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Accessibility at First Pres
There is an elevator available for access to all levels of the First Pres church building, and the spaces are navigable by wheelchair.
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