Volume LXX, No. 31 | August 2, 2020
Worship at First
Sunday, August 2

Morning Worship
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Tell God He Can Wait!
“If God is With Us”
Dr. Derek W.H. Thomas


Evening Worship
6:00 p.m.
Thy Kingdom Come
“The Most Countercultural Trait in a Cancel Culture”
Dr. Gabriel N.E. Fluhrer


We will be live-streaming our services on Sunday
at 8:30, 11:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m.
For those who do not have internet capabilities, the morning sermon is also broadcast on 1320 AM radio at 11:00 a.m.



Bulletins will be available by noon on Fridays.

New Intern Introduction

This COVID season has required many adjustments from everyone. From how we meet, to how we work, to how we recreate, it seems nothing has gone untouched. One of the ways that our ministry here has had to shift was to change the timeline of our intern hiring. We were just about to start the interview process when our world turned upside down. I remember remarking to Dr. Thomas that we should probably put hiring new interns on hold until we got to the other side of this; however he was adamant: “Men still need to be trained for ministry, even at a time like this. Maybe even more so at a time like this!” And so, in May, our Session unanimously voted to hire three more interns into our pastoral internship program: Troy Cash, Josh Fleming, and Richard Mounce.  

Troy comes to us from the East Tennessee area where he once served with fellow intern, Josh Adair. Troy has sensed a calling to ministry for some time and is excited to pursue that calling in a more formal way through this internship. He is married to Samantha, and they have one child with another on the way. Troy will be serving as the intern to Pastoral Care. 

Josh is coming to us from Alabama where he has been serving in ministry at Marannook Christian Camp for the past four-and-a-half years, where he has had regular discipleship contact with campers of all school ages, but especially college-aged students. This will serve Josh well here as he becomes the intern for our College Ministry. He is married to Stephanie, and they have three young children. 

Richard may be familiar to some of you as a local football and baseball standout. He began pursuing ministry after being saved when he was 19. Richard comes to us from the Raleigh, North Carolina, area where he has spent the last seven years training for ministry. He is our first intern in the process of pursuing a Ph.D. Richard is married to Katie, and they have four young children, including the youngest who is just a couple months old. Richard will be serving as the intern to the Young Professionals.

If you would like to hear more about these gentlemen and their stories, check out our First Focus Podcast: Season 2, Episode 13. We are incredibly excited to get these men on board and are confident they will continue the tradition of excellence our interns have created in the pastoral intern program.


Josh Squires
Minister of Counseling

2020 Summer Lectures

Our speaker for this Sunday, August 2, Dr. Joel R. Beeke (Ph.D., Westminster Seminary), is President and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, and a pastor of the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He serves as editor of Puritan Reformed Journal and Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, and is editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books. He is also a frequent speaker at Reformed conferences around the world and is a prolific author. Dr. Beeke will be speaking on “What is Jesus Doing Today with the Puritans?” 
First Fridays Organ Concert Live Stream

Friday, August 7, 12:30 p.m.

Ryan Greene, Organ Scholar

Recent high school graduate, Ryan Greene, will play his final recital as a First Presbyterian Church Organ Scholar before leaving for Rochester, New York to begin undergraduate studies in organ at the Eastman School of Music.
Tithing, Pledges, & Other Giving

Until all normal events resume on our campus, we will continue to offer the options of:
  1. mailing your tithe check or envelope to our address (1324 Marion Street, Columbia, SC 29201);
  2. put in offering plates at the back and other designated areas of each of our three Sunday services locations if you attend one of the services; or 
  3. give online here.
If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Craft at mcraft@firstprescolumbia.org. Thank you.

Church Re-Entry Note

We are thankful for the many who have joined us for in-person worship services the last four weeks. The Elders on the Session invite everyone to attend in-person worship services based on the current CDC and South Carolina DHEC guidelines. All who come and pass the screening will be welcomed. Please register for services on the First Presbyterian Church RSVP portal on the church website and app.

The Flowers in the Sanctuary 

The flowers in the Family Life Center are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Larry Hunnicutt by his family.
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