NOTE: Most Ministry Teams will be recessing until January 2019. Please check with your team's moderator for any questions, prior to the January meetings.

Giddings-Lovejoy Presbytery Office Holiday Schedule

The office will be closed December 24, 25, 31 and January 1 to spend time with family for the holiday season. We will be accessible by email, albeit it with a delayed response, during this time.

Volunteering at Food Banks

A Christmas Gift to those in Need

Food banks in the Feeding America network are run by experts in the field – and they’re ready to bring you into the fold. The best part: Spending a few hours sorting, packing or stacking food can make an enormous difference for the food banks and the families they serve.

Feeding America volunteers share their skills and make a huge impact. Every volunteer experience is a little different, for example, food banks could need your help sorting and packing food, gardening, or educating the community. Each experience is critical in helping get healthy meals to families facing hunger. Learn more here on how you can help .

Uprooting Hunger - Hunger Action Team

The next sixteen months the presbytery will work toward establishing Certified Hunger Action Congregations. This  handoutwill be helpful to your congregation, as we journey together in the year + ahead. If you have any questions, email:  [email protected]

Celebration of Ministry

You are all invited to participate in the final worship service of Elm Street Presbyterian Church, which is closing at the end of this year after 99 years of faithful ministry. The service will be on Sunday, December 30, 2018 at 1 PM, with The Rev. George Humbert preaching. A reception will be held in the fellowship hall immediately after the service. Join us in giving thanks to God for the ministry of Elm Street Church, and join us in prayer for its members and community. The address is 101 W Elm St, Alton, IL 62002.

Retirement Celebration for Rev. John Higgins

The family and friends of the John Knox Presbyterian Church would like to invite you to the retirement celebration of Rev. John Higgins. Pastor John will deliver his last sermon at John Knox on Sunday, December 30, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. ( There will be no Sunday School that morning.)  The John Knox Presbyterian Church is located at 13200 New Halls Ferry Road, Florissant, MO 63033. Directions can be found here. A reception will follow immediately after church. 

Pastor Higgins has served John Knox Presbyterian for 16 1/2 years. The congregation welcomes all to his reception, giving you, the members and friends of the Presbytery the opportunity to say thank you to John, to remember him for his leadership, his friendship, and his love.  

Blue Christmas Services

This time of year can be difficult if you have lost family and friends. Several churches in our presbytery will have services for those who will be struggling with these emotions. Please share these locations with anyone who might need support through the holiday season.

* Thursday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Oak Hill Presbyterian. Directions found here.

*Thursday, December 20 at 7 p.m. - Boeuff Presbyterian. Directions found here. Flyer found here.

*Friday, December 21 at 6:30 p.m. - Westminster Presbyterian - St. Louis, will join with Union Avenue Christian Church (UACC) and Pilgrim Congregational Church, for service at UACC. Directions found here .

* Saturday, December 22 at 3 p.m. - Westminster Presbyterian - Belleville. Directions found here.

Christmas Eve Services

Most of our congregations will be holding Christmas Eve Services. If you are searching for one in your area, please search our Church Pages Here.

If you are still unsure, please let us know by emailing: [email protected] and we will assist you.

FREE Pancake Breakfast

Monday, December 24th from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.

FREE Pancake Breakfast at Fisk Presbyterian Church

(Provided by Presbyterian Men)

Directions found here.

Feed Hungry UKirk College Students

UKirk - Support Presbyterian campus ministry in St. Louis with homemade Sunday dinner! UKirk gathers on Sunday evenings at Trinity Presbyterian - 6800 Washington Ave - for dinner, fellowship, and worship. (We gather to be fed in body and spirit!)

Dinner begins around 7:15 (once students have arrived) and worship begins around 8 p.m.

Full details and to sign up to participate in this ministry, click here.

First Presbyterian Church in Union, Missouri was organized as the Union Church on October 13, 1833 by William S. Potts. There were four charter members. In an 1836 letter written by Elijah Lovejoy, he states, "I left the last of September to attend the meeting of our Presbytery and Synod at Union, a place sixty miles west of this. I expect to be absent about four to six weeks." The brick church was at the corner of State and Church Streets and also served as a schoolhouse. It was deeded to the Presbyterians in 1843 and worship services were held there until 1865. The current property was deeded to the trustees of First Presbyterian Church in 1867. The first building was demolished in 1950 and a new structure was dedicated a year later. The church's first recorded pastor, Joseph F. Fenton (1842 - 1881), helped establish more than a dozen new Presbyterian churches in east central Missouri, including at Bay, Gerald, Kirkwood, Newport, Pacific, Steelville and Washington.