Food Sunday, August 3

You may bring donations of saltine crackers, kid friendly snack food, and white rice (1 or 2 lb bags) to church on Sunday, August 3. You may also bring items to the church office until Friday, August 1. Our neighbors in need are very grateful for your donations! Many thanks for your thoughtfulness and generosity!

Summer Fellowship Outings

Summer is almost over! We hope you’ll plan to join us for our last fun fellowship outing for the season. This is open to anyone who would like to attend – all ages and stages of our church family! Please RSVP to Whitney Booth Lockard (whitney@firstpresathens.org) so we can keep a headcount and feel free to reach out with questions.

Tuesday, August 5 at 7:00 p.m. Trivia at Mellow Mushroom (320 E. Clayton St.)

Bring your knowledge and competitive spirit for team trivia!

New Member FirstThings Class

Join us for our next FirstThings gathering on Sunday, August 10 from 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This will be a time to get better acquainted, to meet the church staff, and to talk about what makes First Presbyterian Church unique. To RSVP, please call the church office (706-543-4338) or e-mail Joli Winstanley at frontdesk@firstpresathens.org by Tuesday, August 5.

The schedule for the upcoming class is:

Sunday, August 10, 11:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Moses Waddel Room

“First Things” Informational class, lunch provided.

Sunday, August 17, 9:00 a.m. - Church Parlor

New Member Coffee/Called Session Meeting to meet and be received into membership by Session (our governing board).

Sunday, August 17, 10:00 a.m. - Worship Service 

New members will be introduced to the congregation.

FPC Women's Retreat

Plans are coming together for the 2025 FPC Women’s Retreat this September 12-14 at Lake Cherokee above Seneca, SC. Join us for a weekend of rest, study, reflection, and fellowship! Cost is $100 per person and space is limited!

Email Rev. Whitney Booth Lockard to reserve your spot or if you have any questions.

Summer Choir

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to the sing in the choir, but have never done so, this may be a chance to give choir a “test drive.” If you would like to sing but can’t make the commitment to Wednesday night rehearsals during the regular season, this is the time to join the choir. Through August 17, we will meet in the choir room at 9:15 a.m. on Sundays to rehearse music for that morning’s service. Singers may join for any single Sunday or for as many as they wish, even for the whole summer. There is no obligation, but we do hope some will decide they enjoy singing in the choir enough to continue in the fall. Although this choir is made up mostly of adults, youth and children are also welcome. For more information, contact John Coble at jcoble@firstpresathens.org.

Save These Dates!

Sunday, August 17 at 11:00 a.m.: Fall Kickoff Potluck (following our last 10:00 a.m. service of the summer) in Fellowship Hall. The church will provide fried chicken and beverages. Please bring a side dish to share (crockpots welcome) and join us for a time of fellowship as we begin a new season together and welcome our new members! Sunday School classes, Children and Youth Ministries, and Presbyterian Women Circles will be in the Atrium providing information about their Fall plans.

Potluck instructions: in hopes of covering our tables with a nice variety of dishes, we ask that you bring something in the category that corresponds with the first letter of your last name:

A-G: starchy sides (pasta, potatoes, etc…)

H-M: vegetable sides

N-R: salad

S-Z: desserts

Wednesday, August 20 at 6:30 p.m., Room 202: Chancel Choir Rehearsal begins. The Chancel Choir sings in worship services and special services, including Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and Maundy Thursday, and occasionally presents major choral works with orchestra. Contact Dr. John Coble (jcoble@firstpresathens.org) for more information and to join.

Sunday, August 24, 9:45-10:45 a.m.: Sunday School for all ages resumes! Children’s Choir Rehearsals begin in the afternoon.

Children’s Ministry Parents Meeting (12:05 p.m. in the Children’s Ministry Suite): Children and their families are invited to meet after worship to enjoy a treat and get some information for the upcoming year.

Youth Kickoff with Parents (5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall): Youth and their parents are invited to gather and learn about plans for the year and enjoy a meal together.

Sunday, September 7 (5:30-7:30 p.m.): First Youth Group of the Year

Donate to the Church History Display

The Education Commission is creating a permanent church history display in our library. It will include framed historical photos and artifacts from our church's 200+ year history. We are collecting donations of the following items during the month of August in the office:

-black or dark brown picture frames in great condition (wall or tabletop, with or without mats) for photos sized 3x5, 4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, 20x24 in. 

-a picture of our youth group before the 1990s

-a picture of a baptism or wedding in our sanctuary from long ago

-Vintage Presbyterian pins

-Christening gown from decades past

-Church gloves, hat, or other accessory that would have been worn to church in decades past

Questions? Email Karen Phillips at shutterstitch@gmail.com.

Compassion Kits Available in the Atrium!

During VBS, we packed bags filled with snacks, water & other essentials to give out to our neighbors in need. Take 1 or 2 bags to keep in your car or office and share the love of Christ with others in our community! These bags can be found in a blue bucket in the Atrium, near the entrance to the Fellowship Hall.

Click here to read the Summer Newsletter, Summer@First.