Food Sunday

June 1

You may bring donations of Cold Breakfast Cereal, Hamburger or Tuna Helper, and White Rice in 1-2 lb bags to church next Sunday, June 1. You may also bring food to church office until Friday, May 30. Thanks for your donations in May- our neighbors in need are grateful!

Summer Fellowship Outings

Summer is here! We hope you’ll plan to join us for some (or all!) of these fun fellowship outings. Each of these is open to anyone who would like to attend – all ages and stages of our church family! Please RSVP to Whitney (whitney@firstpresathens.org) so we can keep a headcount and feel free to reach out with questions.

Friday, May 30 at 6:30 p.m., Movie in the Park@Wire Park (1725 Electric Ave, Watkinsville)

Come watch “Finding Nemo” on the big screen. BYO chairs/blankets and enjoy food/drink from the many surrounding eateries.

Tuesday, June 3 at 8:00 a.m. Morning Walk at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia

Meet outside the Visitors Center. Please contact Shannon Ferguson if you plan to join (shannonferguson828@gmail.com).

Tuesday, June 10 at 5:30 p.m. Downtown Dinner, Ted’s Most Best (254 W. Washington St.)

Bring the whole family and head downtown for food, drink, and fun!

Saturday June 21 at 9:00 a.m. Kayaking on the Broad River 

$35 per person. Please e-mail Whitney to sign up by June 16. 

Saturday, June 28 at 8:30 a.m. Biking on the Greenway

Bikers (all ages and abilities welcome!) can meet at the Sandy Creek Nature Center parking lot (205 Old Commerce Road). Bring your own bike, helmet, and water bottle. Please contact Karen Phillips if you plan to join at shutterstitch@gmail.com.

Saturday, July 19 at 6:05 p.m. Gwinnett Stripers v. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Triple-A baseball), Coolray Field (Lawrenceville, GA)

 $15 per person. Please e-mail Whitney by July 1 to claim your spot!

Thursday, July 24 at 5:30 p.m. Downtown Dinner, Creature Comforts Brewing Company (271 W. Hancock Ave)

Food truck, beverages, and fun for everyone!

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!

Pentecost Offering June 8

Psalm 71 testifies that a foundation of faith established during childhood helps ensure lifelong faith and service. By donating to the Pentecost Offering, you are nurturing the faith of those who are the church to come — children, youth, and young adults.

This year, your Mission and Outreach Commission has selected the Clarke County Mentor Program (CCMP) to receive a portion of the Pentecost offering (40%). Their mission is “to recruit, train, and support community volunteers to mentor Clarke County School District children in order to help them reach their full potential.” Starting with a group of only 30 people in 1991, today CCMP serves hundreds of children in Athens-Clarke County with mentors from our local community and the University of Georgia. The remaining 60% is used to support children at risk, youth and young adults through ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.

Please mail your check to the church office, or go to our website firstpresathens.org/giving, then select “Pentecost Offer” under “Select a Fund.” Thank you for your generosity!

"Everybody Hurts (Sometimes)"

For three Sundays in June, the Congregational Care Commission will be offering a 3-week series called “Everybody Hurts (Sometimes)”. This series is back-by-popular-demand and will focus on three unique areas of human experience that are painful and challenging – we will hear personal stories, professional perspectives, and offer resources for continued healing.

The topics this year are: Suicide Prevention (June 15), Caregiving (June 22), and Aging (June 29). We will meet in the Moses Waddel Room from 11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. each of those weeks, and light breakfast items will be available. Please reach out to Whitney with any questions (whitney@firstpresathens.org) -- we hope you will plan to join us for these important conversations.

Nursery and Children’s + Youth Sunday school will be offered during that time.

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. Beginning Sunday, May 25, 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.

Come to the Well: Exploring God’s Love Through Stories of Water

Save the date for our intergenerational VBS! All ages are welcome - there will be activities for kids, youth, and adults! Dates are July 13-16, 5:00-7:30 p.m. Dinner is provided. The cost is $25 per person to help provide materials and resources for our mission projects throughout the week. Payment can be made via our website (firstpresathens.org/giving, please select “VBS Fund” under “select a fund”) or mailed to the church office. You are invited to come to the well - all are welcome!

Please register at tinyurl.com/2025cometothewell. Questions? Contact Hannah Knight, Director of Children and Youth Ministries, at hannah@firstpresathens.org.

--------

We need volunteers! If you can help us with art, recreation, worship, dinner, check-in/out, leading our littlest ones, or other tasks as needed, we’d be so grateful! Please visit tinyurl.com/FPCVBS25 to sign up.

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