Weekly News — September 30, 2026

Contents

News

• Quick Glance At The Calendar
• Planting Seeds - Stewardship 2027 - New
• Matthew 25 September Update - New
• New Member Class - New
• Community Trick or Treat - New
• Decorating for Outreach Event - New
• Fabric Missions Sweet Dreams Sales - New
• Parking At First Pres
• New Volunteer Opportunity
• Children's Choir Registration
• Domestic Violence Center Of Chester Country Gift Card Campaign - until October 15
• Fall Stewardship Project For Kids & Youth
• Bibles For Third Grade Students
• Nursery Families Play Date
• Nominating Committee
• Connection Groups
• First Pres Travelers - Joshua

Prayers

Quick Glance At The Calendar - October

10/10: Nursery Families Play Date

10/11: New Member Class

10/11: Fabric Missions Sale

10/15: Deadline for gift cards for Domestic Violence Center Of Chester Country

10/18: Deadline for nominating Ruling Elders & Deacons

10/18: Decorating for Trick or Treat

10/23: Community Trick or Treat

Planting Seeds - Stewardship 2027

We are beginning our season of Stewardship, and our theme this year is "Planting Seeds". From new Connection groups, continued ministry with all of our generations, a new college ministry partnership, and strategic planning, there are seeds of faith being nurtured, and new seeds of faith being planted.

Below is a link to our 2027 Stewardship Booklet where you will find all of the information about our Planting Seeds Campaign. There are pledge cards in the pews, and pledge cards and a stewardship letter are being mailed as we speak. You can also pledge online here: Online Pledge

If you were unable to join us in worship this past Sunday we invite you to listen to Pastor Andrew's sermon on generosity, and to prayerfully consider how you will participate in our 2027 Stewardship campaign.

We give thanks to all of the ways you steward your time, your talents, and your resources to support the mission that God is calling us to.

Matthew 25 September Update

Thanks to your generosity, during September First Pres was able to assist 50 households experiencing a housing or utility crisis. In total, $14,610 in aid was given, with an average disbursement of about $290 per family. Your gifts went to a home health aide whose hours were reduced, a WCU student struggling with rent, and multiple families affected by disability and serious health issues. Thank you for these gifts which make such an impact in so many lives.

New Members Class

If you’d like to find out more about membership at First Pres, plan to attend the lunch and class on Sunday, October 11 at 12 noon. Sign up with Elizabeth Hess (ehess@firstpreswc.com).

Community Trick or Treat

This annual event will be Friday, October 23, from 6:00–7:30pm, and we’re excited to welcome hundreds of people from our church and the wider community. To make the evening a success, we need dozens of volunteers! There are lots of ways to help—from decorating and greeting guests to answering doors and pitching in wherever you’re needed. If you’d like to be part of the fun, please use the link below, the sign up tab on the church website, or contact Elizabeth Hess at ehess@firstpreswc.com. We’re also collecting candy donations and hope to gather several hundred bags; a donation bin will be available in Fellowship Hall. Thank you for helping us make this a fun and welcoming evening for our whole community! 

Decorating for Outreach Event

On Sunday, October 18 at 11:45am, we’ll be decorating the hallways, Herron Lounge and classroom/office doors for that Friday’s Trick or Treat. This is a quick and fun all-ages opportunity to serve. If you and/or your family can decorate, please contact Elizabeth Hess (ehess@firstpreswc.com) or use the sign up tab on the church website.

Fabric Missions Sweet Dreams Sales

Please mark your calendars for our upcoming Fabric Missions Sweet Dreams Sales - Sunday, October 11, and Sunday, December 6. The sales will be in Fellowship Hall from 8:30 to 12 noon.  Sweet Dreams provides a quilt to all babies baptized in our church. We also provide cat beds to the local SPCA.  We are extremely grateful for the past support from the congregation and hope that you will, once again, consider supporting this valuable mission. Thank you.

Parking at First Pres

Parking in the borough has been more challenging lately due to street closures and changes in parking payment hours. Here is what we understand to be the most updated information:

Sunday parking:

• Road work pauses
• Lot 9 (Miner & Darlington) and street parking are free all day
• Justice Center parking (Floors 4-7) - $3 per hour
• Bicentennial Garage (High St) - free all day

Parking during the week:

• The 50 and 100 blocks of Miner St are closed M-F to parking from now until October 9 for road work
• Lot 9 is $1.75/hr with a 12-hour maximum.

If you have questions about parking, please call the church office and we can either get you more specific information or help trouble-shoot for a particular program or need. Thank you for bearing with these changes! 

New Volunteer Opportunity

The church is blessed with several part-time volunteer receptionists and we'd love to have some more volunteers serve in this role! This job includes greeting visitors to the church, answering the phones, and some light administrative work as needed. Training will be provided. If you would like to try this out 2-4 hours a week or even once a month, there is a spot for you! To find out more about becoming a volunteer receptionist, please email Ministry Administrator, Karin Khan at kkhan@firstpreswc.com.

Children's Choir Registration

Come sing, learn, and have fun together this fall! Our Children’s Choir welcomes young singers to grow in confidence, make new friends, and discover the joy of making music while praising God. No prior choir experience is needed - just a love for singing. We’d love to have your child join us for a fun and meaningful season of music on Wednesday afternoons at 5:15pm. Use the below link to register today and be part of the choir this fall! 

Domestic Violence Center Of Chester Country (DVCCC)

Gift Card Campaign - until October 15

Presbyterian Women of First Pres has supported the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC) for many years and will be running a gift card campaign running until October 15. 

Due to a lack of storage space at their locations, they would most graciously appreciate gift cards to local supermarkets, as well as Walmart and Target. Please consider helping these families by supporting this on-going need. You may do so as follows:

• Place Cards in the Sunday Offering Plate marked for DVCCC
• Take them to Claire Kramer or Pete Galloway during weekly office hours
• Drop them in the locked mailbox at the office entrance
• Send them by mail to the church (be aware of possible delivery delays)


Please clearly label your envelope with your name (or mark as Anon), DVCCC, and the amount of the card. The mission of the DVCCC is to provide intervention, education, outreach, advocacy, and programs to prevent, reduce, and remedy domestic in Chester County. DVCCC is committed to empowering survivors of domestic abuse through providing information and supporting them as they reclaim their lives. They provide services at their main, confidentially located site and satellite sites in Coatesville, Kennett Square, Oxford, and Phoenixville. Services are available in English and Spanish. All services are free and confidential.

Fall Stewardship Project for Kids & Youth

It's time for the Sight Squad to get working! We hope many First Pres families have identified tasks their kids can do at home to earn money and that kids are ready to bring that money to church to give to God. We will be talking about this project as a group during Sunday School this weekend to encourage kids to participate and let them know more about how the money they give will benefit others. Information for parents can be found in the packet below. Talk to Sara Pantazes with any questions. 

Bibles for Third Grade Students

Every fall, First Pres gifts a Bible to the church’s 3rd graders to encourage them to continue growing in their faith. If you would like a 3rd grader in your life to receive a Bible, please contact Sara Pantazes by calling the church office or emailing Sara (spantazes@firstpreswc.com) by October 4. The Bibles will be presented in worship on October 18, but children do not need to be present in worship to receive one.

Nursery Families Play Date

First Pres is excited to invite all families with Nursery aged kids (preschool and under) to get together for a play date! Hosted by Pastor Andrew, his wife Megan, and their preschooler, we'll be gathering at Marshall Square Park on Saturday, October 10 from 9 -10:30am. A nut-free snack will be provided. If it rains, our back-up location is Fellowship Hall at church. We hope to see many of our Nursery families there for a fun time of playing and fellowship! 

Nominating Committee

As we look ahead, we invite you to think about those in our congregation who might be called to serve as ruling elders or deacons. Who comes to mind as someone with a caring heart, a spirit of service, and gifts to share? Please share their names with the Nominating Committee by filling out the nominating cards in the pews or by using the link below. Deadline is October 18. Thank you.

Connection Groups

We're excited to announce that Connection Groups are launching this fall at First Pres! These groups will meet monthly from October through May, with the option to continue on afterward. Finding community is an important part of our faith journey, and these groups are a great way to build genuine relationships within our church family. There's a variety to choose from, so visit the sign-up link on our website or here below to learn more about each one and discover the group that's right for you. If you have questions or you're not sure what would be a good fit, reach out to Elizabeth Hess or Sara Pantazes.

First Pres Travelers - Joshua

Join the Travelers to see Joshua at the Sight & Sound Theater, Nov. 12th at 11am. Show ticket price is $71.70 (fees included). Optional Smorgasbord Lunch at the adjacent Hershey Farm Restaurant.  Cost for the lunch is $30.95 (food, fees, and tip).

For additional information or to register, please contact Thom & Irene at psuthom@verizon.net

Thursday First Pres Prayers

This Month’s Prayer Request:

God of harvest and changing seasons, we give you thanks for the bounty of your blessings. We pray this month for all who hunger for physical or spiritual food. We pray for those who serve at the West Chester Food Cupboard and all who seek sustenance there. We pray for those hungry for your good news, that they might feel the Gospel meet them in places of emptiness. Help us to live as a people fed with your good word, that we may pour out your abundance upon all. We ask this in your Son’s name, Amen.

Each week we pray for our congregation at 12:00pm on Thursdays.

Set an alarm or schedule it in your calendar to join us! You don’t need to only pray for the topic of the week, but you can continue to pray for previous topics as well or anything that God lays on your heart.

For those who would like to set up time to meet one-on-one with someone to navigate a time of transition or difficulty, Stephen Ministers are here to help.

Prayer Requests

If you would like to add a prayer (in joy or in time of need) to our Prayer Band, complete the website form, send an email, or call the church at the number below.

First Presbyterian Church | 130 W. Miner Street | 610-696-0554

GIVE | Visit firstpreswc.com

Thank you for your gifts supporting the mission and ministries of First Pres.