WEB-The Celtic Cross

October 16, 2026

It was a joyful worship celebration last Sunday afternoon as the Presbytery of Philadelphia officially installed Pastor Emma as our pastor at FPC Pottstown!

If you couldn't be with us in person, the service was livestreamed. You can watch it any time on our YouTube channel, https://youtube.com/live/avnLiDgE0K0?feature=share

Upcoming Congregational Meeting

Proposed Change to the Number of Deacons

At our congregational meeting on October 25, we will consider a change to our bylaws that would reduce the number of deacons at First Presbyterian Church from 24 to 18.

Why make this change? Our current structure requires the Nominating Committee to find 10 people each year to fill eight three-year deacon positions and two one-year youth positions. Adjusting the size of the diaconate would better align our leadership structure with the size of our congregation while allowing us to continue providing meaningful care and support to our members.

For perspective, other Presbyterian congregations in our area have smaller diaconates relative to their membership:

Swarthmore Presbyterian: 21 deacons / 650+ members
St. John’s Presbyterian (Devon): 5 deacons / 180+ members
Lansdowne Presbyterian: 9 deacons / 125+ members
Doylestown Presbyterian: 19 deacons / 1,200+ members
Valley Forge Presbyterian: 8 deacons / 80+ members

This change would happen gradually. We are not asking any current deacon to step down early. Instead, beginning with the class of 2030, we would elect six deacons rather than eight each year, continuing at that pace until the diaconate reaches 18 members. The Deacons and Session have discussed how to support and sustain the ministry of the diaconate with fewer members, and we are confident that this transition is manageable.

Our goal is to create a sustainable leadership structure that supports the important ministry of the deacons for years to come.

Join us for a special Reformation Sunday worship service on October 25! We’ll celebrate our Presbyterian heritage with music, tradition, and a little Scottish flair. A bagpiper will provide pre-service music, then lead the choir and congregation into the sanctuary together at the start of worship. Before the service, we invite everyone to gather in the Community Room and Welcome Area so we can process in together. Feel free to wear your favorite tartan or plaid as we celebrate our Reformed tradition!

Click to add a name

Click to nominate

Advent is a season filled with voices. Prophets speak of a hope that is still to come. Angels announce good news. Women proclaim what God is doing in and through them. And, as we hear the story again, we are invited to find our own voices within it.

But Advent is also a season when there is no shortage of things asking for our attention: familiar songs, holiday movies, family traditions, advertisements, expectations, and the noise of the world around us. In the midst of it all, whose voices are we listening to?

This Advent, we will listen again to the story of Christ’s birth through the voices of those who witnessed, announced, questioned, celebrated, and carried it into the world. We will listen for what each voice reveals about the coming of the Messiah—and wonder what we might hear if we listen differently this year.

Because the story of Advent has been told countless times, but perhaps there is still something new to hear.

For this year's devotional booklet, you will choose one prompt—or follow your own question—and write a short reflection (250 words). Tell us a story, share a memory, or simply reflect on a voice that has helped you hear the good news.

For now, please sign up using the link below if you are interested in contributing to the booklet. All details and prompts will be emailed to you once you sign up.

Link to sign up