Advent 2025

First Presbyterian Church

of Philipstown

(FPCP)

"The Church of the Open Door"

Knowing that all community is a gift of God,

we affirm there can be no exclusiveness about the body of Christ.

We welcome into our community and membership all people of God, regardless of ethnic heritage, national origin, age, gender,

marital status, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic standing;

and we encourage the full participation of all

in the life of our congregation.

Adopted by the session, March 9, 1995

Join us for the First Sunday of Advent

November 30, 2025

worship at 10:30 am

(in person or on zoom)

Rev. Ekama Eni will be in the pulpit, Tom McCoy at the piano, our choir will be singing, Dianne Waterman will be the reader, and the Taylor Family will be lighting the Advent Wreath.

All are Welcome!

Advent 2025: Sensing the Way Through Advent

The Advent season is full of so many different stimuli. The world around us becomes, or is already transformed with the bells and whistles and stuff of Christmas and other light-filled holidays or just really basic consumerism stuffed existing it can be easy to forget or to be overwhelmed. The world around us operates on the notion that we are not stimulated enough and provides us with what it sells to us as cures for our inadequacies. But there has to be a different way to wait?

Humans have been gifted with the five senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing (to varying degrees) and with them every day we endeavor to understand and exist in the world. There’s nothing more human than feeling, than sensing, not in an overwhelming way but in a way that invites us into taking the time to truly experience the fullness of what it means to be human. After all, Jesus was a human among us, and as did our parents, his mother too waited for his arrival, amidst her changing and tumultuous world.

In this waiting season, we will engage the five senses alongside the hope, peace, joy and love that awaits us in the coming of Christ.

ADVENT BIBLE STUDY:

3 Sunday evenings at 5:00 pm, led by Rev. Ekama, on the Advent scriptures from the Gospel of Matthew.

November 30, December 7 and 14. All are welcome!

Click HERE to email Pastor Ekama

Stewardship Campaign for 2026

Our theme of "Love you Church" was introduced by Lynn. Click on her photo to read her remarks.

Use the link below to access your Estimate of Giving form

Click HERE for the 2026 Estimate of Giving Form

With gratitude for a life well lived.

A Celebration of Life service for

Joan Crouch

is scheduled for

Saturday, December 6, 2025 at noon.

QR code is up and running again!

Our church's QR code to donate via PayPal had been malfunctioning and required us to set up a new one. The cards in the pews and the QR code on the back of the bulletin, as well as the one pictured here and on our website, are now up and running.

We're sorry for any inconvenience towards your opportunities to donate. (And thanks Andy Reid for many hours to fix this!)

PHILIPSTOWN FOOD PANTRY

serving those in need in our local community

845-612-2040

Food Pantry Coordinator, Kirsti "Kiko" Lattu

Photo of our local preschoolers delivering donations from their Food Drive!

The Food Pantry is now accepting food donations

and doing set-up on Fridays 12:30- 2:00 pm

The Food Pantry is open on Saturdays

8:30 - 10 am

Last Saturday, we served nearly 90 households reaching almost 200 Philipstown neighbors of all ages, in a steady flow of clients from 8-10am - with a little extra help from Girl Scouts giving out pies:)

Turkeys, chickens and pies ($1700) - paid by donations of gift cards and funds from the Girl Scouts’ 2nd annual pie run. Plenty for all- thanks to the generosity of our community (Our Lady of Loretto, Lake Valhalla, Garrison School- all grades!, the Montessori school … and so many others who walked in and out too fast to thank them properly)

click here to contact the Food Pantry

Photos from last Sunday...

Our young people made Advent Wreaths

Our Community Stands for Democracy!

Every Saturday from 10:30-11:30 am, some of our church family and many from the community gather at the corner of Main Street and 9D in support of Liberty and Justice for All.

All are welcome to stand with those gathered or to honk in support if you're driving by!

Email the church office

Our Session and Deacons 2025

Elders (L. to R.)

Mitch Dul, Lynn Brown, Carolyn Llewellyn, Cathy Carnevale, Laura Reid, Diana Geller, Ana Silverlinck

Deacons (L. to R.)

Dianne Waterman, Ron Sopyla, Rose Inman, Leslie Leonard, Rachel Emig, Bev Taylor, and

Glyn Nixon

Are there interests you would like to see addressed? Topics? Events?Bible Study? Other times and days? Or for more info about the ongoing groups, please contact us, using the link below:

Did you know that we have an email Prayer Chain?

Email your prayer requests and a group of people will be praying for your concern. Also email if you'd like to join the group and add your voice to the prayers!

Email the prayer chain