Saturday, June 6, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. - Noon | First Pres Parking Lot
June has arrived, and we’re all set for this year’s Great Plant Exchange! Here’s what you need to know:
Indoor and outdoor plants - free to a loving home!
Meet friends & exchange gardening tips
Drop off your extra flowers and plants to share with others
Donate plants in non-returnable containers
Pick up something new for your own garden
You don't have to bring a plant to take one home!
Non-invasive plants only!
So, stop on by the First Pres Great Plant Exchange, where there is something for everyone; and then head over to the Oshkosh Farmer's Market!
Brown Bag Bible Exploration
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | Noon – 1:30 p.m. | First Pres Multipurpose Room #103
Come and be part of an amazing gathering where we will delve into the Bible together. You will be welcomed with open arms in our friendly environment as we exchange our ideas! Don't forget to bring your Bible, your lunch, and your excitement to deepen your understanding of God’s teachings.
Outdoor Worship Service
Sunday, June 21, 2026 | 9:30 a.m.| First Pres Campus
Join us as we worship outdoors, enjoying God’s creation. And “creation” is just the word to describe this service as Pastor Deb continues the “Creation Care” series. She’ll be focusing on “Holy Creatures: Love Our Wild Neightbors” during the outdoor service. Just a reminder – do bring a lawn chair!
While we won’t be streaming the outdoor service on June 21st, we have some online worship options available at our sister churches. Simply click on the links below.
Saturday, June 27, 2026 | 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. | First Pres Magnolia Hall
The Community Breakfast not only serves a warm and healthy meal but also offers a great opportunity for folks in the community to make new friends and share encouraging words with one another.
We’d love your help in getting the word out that this is the ideal place for anyone looking for support, wanting to help out, or just hoping to be part of a caring community. Together, we’re not just sharing a meal; we’re building the roots of our community. We can’t wait to see you at breakfast!
Worth
Mentioning
Congratulations Addi Davila and Eli Davila!
Congratulations to Addi and Eli on their graduations!
Addi has completed her high school courses and is planning to attend Fox Valley Tech in the fall. She's excited to explore all of the class and career options that will be at her disposal.
Eli graduated from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in philosophy. He is currently living in Wilmington and serving as the general manager of a downtown bar. He plans to attend graduate school with a goal of having a public policy career.
Once more, congratulations, Addi and Eli! The world needs your respective unique skills and talents – go forth and make a difference! Best wishes and God’s blessings for all the exciting things yet to come for each of you!
Volunteer Sign-Up Open
First Pres is excited to, once again, have a community organization table at Oshkosh Pride 2026 on Saturday, June 27th (12:00 – 6:00 p.m.) at the Oshkosh Arena! If you’re interested in volunteering to spend an hour or two at our table, chatting with Pride attendees, just give Pastor Deb a call!
Stewardship
What do you cherish about First Presbyterian Church of Oshkosh? What is God inviting us to accomplish together? As we envision new possibilities for ministry and mission, what talents can you share with God and our broader community? Our efforts depend not just on the financial contributions and pledges from each member of our congregation, but also on your active involvement in the life of our church. As you reflect on your giving and engagement, consider how you might express your love for the church and the community by offering your time, skills, and resources. Let’s dream big about what we can achieve together!
Church Office Closure
The church office will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2026, in observance of Independence Day.
Happy Pride
Greetings of Love & Support to Celebrate This Special Occasion
Uplifting LGBTQIA+ Voices
Pride Month is an entire month dedicated to the uplifting of LGBTQIA2S+ voices, celebration of LGBTQIA2S+ culture, and the support of LGBTQIA2S+ rights. Throughout the month of June, nationwide, there are parades, protests, drag performances, live theater, as well as memorials and celebrations of life for members of the community who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS. It is part political activism, part celebration of all the LGBTQIA2S+ community has achieved over the years.
We celebrate in June to coincide with the catalyst of the Gay Liberation Movement that was the Stonewall Uprising. In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, police raided a popular gay bar in New York City's West Village, The Stonewall Inn. This was commonplace for the time; but on this particular evening, the patrons of the bar fought back, starting the Stonewall Riots, which went on for days. The Stonewall Inn was declared a historic landmark by the city of New York in 2015 and later named a national monument by President Barack Obama in 2016.
Though the LGBTQIA2S+ community continues to face an uphill battle, there is still much to celebrate. According to the Library of Congress, the month recognizes the impact that the community has had on U.S. history. President Bill Clinton first designated it as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month on June 11, 1999, with President Barack Obama proclaiming it Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month 10 years later.
Unfortunately, everywhere you turn these days, a culture war continues to unfold seeking to dehumanize and marginalize LGBTQIA2S+ people. As people of faith, there is nothing more central and basic than this premise: Love God, Love your neighbor. You might not know what these letters mean, LGBTQIA2S+, though we’d encourage you to learn with Blair Imani; however, what you do know is that every person is created in God's image. Let us do what we can to make our community and country safe for all God’s children.
This year, we continue to unite in our call to end gun violence as we come together for Wear Orange. We honor the communities shattered by gun violence. Nearly 130 people are shot and killed every day in the United States, not to mention the hundreds more who are wounded and the countless others whose lives have been changed by gun violence.
We deserve more than to live in a country where firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. But as incidents of gun violence have grown, so too has the movement to stop it. By participating in Wear Orange online and in your community, we will organize, advocate, and rally for safer communities. Together, we can build a future free from gun violence.
The Inspiration for Wear Orange
On January 21, 2013, Hadiya Pendleton marched in President Obama’s second inaugural parade. One week later, Hadiya was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. Soon after this tragedy, Hadiya’s childhood friends decided to commemorate her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others.
Wear Orange began on June 2, 2015—what would have been Hadiya’s 18th birthday. Since then, Wear Orange has expanded to a period of three days each year: National Gun Violence Awareness Day (the first Friday in June) and Wear Orange Weekend (the accompanying weekend).
The color orange has a long and proud history in the gun violence prevention movement. Whether worn by Hadiya’s loved ones in Chicago, by hunters in the woods of Montana, or by activists like Erica Ford in New York — who spearheaded “orange as the color of peace” — orange honors the countless lives touched by gun violence every day in the United States.
Every year, Wear Orange expands, as gun violence survivors, community partners, and gun safety advocates hold events and honor people impacted by gun violence with everything from community beautification projects to food drives, community gatherings, and more.
Pride in the Park
Thursday, June 11, 2026 | 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Menominee Park | 576 Pratt Trail, Oshkosh
Hosted by the Northeast Wisconsin Rainbow Collective (NEW-RC), Pride in the Park is a family-friendly LGBTQIA2S+ celebration with free food, yard games, and friendly faces! And speaking of friendly faces - don't be surprised when you see some of our First Pres folks lending a hand at the grills!
Join us to celebrate Pride Month and the NEW-RC anniversary!
Oshkosh Vagabond Network Free Store
Saturday, June 20, 2026 | Starting at 2:00 p.m.
Sun Dial at Opera House Square | 315 N. Main Street, Oshkosh
This “pop-up” shop is a grassroots mutual aid event. It provides direct relief – including clothing, personal care items, hygiene products, and food – entirely for free to anyone in the community, “no questions asked”.
If you’re not familiar with the OVN, it’s a mutual aid organization based in Oshkosh. Their mission is to support the people of Oshkosh, particularly those who are working class, low-income, unhoused, or otherwise marginalized.
Oshkosh Pride 2026
Saturday, June 27, 2026 | 12:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Oshkosh Arena | 1212 South Main Street, Oshkosh
Join us for a vibrant celebration of love, identity, and community! And don’t forget to stop by the First Pres table to say ‘hi’. This is a free, family-friendly event full of fun! Let’s celebrate Pride loud, proud, and together!
Inclusive Summer Activities for Adults with Disabilities
If you or someone you know are looking for fun, inclusive summer activities around Winnebago County for adults with disabilities, check out these resources:
Adaptive Adventures with the Oshkosh Rec Department
Adaptive Recreation - Options for Independent Living
Provides access to hiking, fishing, hunting, biking, wheelchair basketball, softball, tennis and bowling, state park access, accessible playgrounds, and more
Offers lists of accessible hiking trails, fishing piers, beaches, campsites, and kayak launches. Many state properties host adaptive equipment for outdoor recreation. Their fleet includes adaptive kayaks, beach wheelchairs, outdoor wheelchairs, cross-county sit skis and beach access mats.
Life is complicated in today's world, and it's hard to put faith and context into our daily lives. The PC(USA) offers a variety of podcasts that offer insightful discussions and move us to deeper dives into our faith. Explore the podcasts at your convenience and see which ones speak to you!
A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast
This podcast is a collaboration between the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program and Unbound, the Interactive Journal on Christian Justice.
In each episode, the hosts give thoughtful responses to questions submitted by listeners on issues of faith, social justice and church life. The podcasts also highlight relevant policies, resources, and guests from around the PC(USA).
Along the Road
Ministry in the church can be life-giving and life-changing and; in the midst of it, we all need faithful companions along the road. Along the Road is a podcast on faith and leadership for ministry leaders of the PC(USA).
Be inspired, hear the stories of others, and practice the tools of faith and leadership through conversations that nourish, enrich, and aid in the formation of leaders in the church. Congregational leaders, particularly ruling elders and deacons, will experience practices to connect faith to everyday life through the short "Nourish" episodes.
Around the Table
A podcast is for everyone, because there's room at the table for everyone.
This initiative will engage faith communities and parents and caregivers in innovative practices of sharing stories that grow intergenerational communities to support household faith formation.
New Way
This podcast explores the connections between people, their communities, and the ways that context shapes faith.
