New Member FirstThings Class Rescheduled

Sunday, November 1

Rescheduled: New Members First Things Class

Join us for our next FirstThings gathering on Sunday, November 1 from 12:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. This will be a time to get better acquainted, meet the church staff, and talk about what makes First Presbyterian Church of Athens unique. 

On Sunday, November 15, new members will meet with the Session (our governing board) at 10:00 a.m. to be received into membership and will be introduced to the congregation at the 11:00 a.m. service. To RSVP, please call the church office (706-543-4338) or e-mail Rev. Whitney Booth Lockard at whitney@firstpresathens.org.

Food Sunday

 November 1

You may bring donations of pork ‘n beans, canned sweet peas, and hamburger helpers to church on Sunday, November 1. You may also bring items to the church office until Friday, October 30. Our neighbors in need are very grateful for your donations! Many thanks for your thoughtfulness and generosity.

All Saints' Concert

November 1, 4:00 p.m.

Gabriel Fauré Requiem Concert

November 1, 4:00 p.m.

The First Presbyterian Church Chancel Choir will perform Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, with guest instrumentalists Rachael Fischer, violin, and Elizabeth Bennett Veal, harp. This concert is free and open to the public, and is presented by the Wayne F. Middendorf Memorial Concert Series.

Wed@First + LIFT Dinner

November 4

Wed@First is a monthly gathering for mid-week intergenerational fellowship and growth at FPC. LIFT stands for Living in Faith Together. One of the great gifts unique to the church is the opportunity to grow alongside people from different generations and LIFT presents us with monthly gatherings for fellowship, study, and fun – all around the dinner table with friends of different ages.

The theme for this fall is “Stewardship of Time and Talents”. We will gather for LIFT on November 4 (Million Dollar Spaghetti night), and December 2 (baked potato and soup bar) from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and all are invited to participate!

Please RSVP for dinner online on Realm or by contacting the church office (e-mail frontdesk@firstpresathens.org or call 706-543-4338) by Mondays at 12:00 p.m. Price is $12/person and a $45/family max (complimentary for children 5 and under).

"Footsteps of Paul" Trip Interest Lunch

November 8, 12:15 p.m.

As a result of their study of Acts last Spring, members of the Bible Basics class are exploring the possibility of a group trip to Greece and possibly Ephesus in the Fall of 2027 or Spring of 2028. If you are interested in learning more about how this trip is coming together, please join us for a light lunch and an opportunity for discussion and exchange of ideas at 12:15 p.m. on November 8 in Moses Waddel Room. Please RSVP to Elaine Johnson (Elaine@firstpresathens.org) by November 3 so that we can have lunch for you! If you are interested but cannot attend, please email Elaine by the same date, so that you can be included in informational updates as we move forward. 

Project Safe Work Day

November 8, 2:00 p.m.

Join us to support Project Safe by helping to sort clothes, clean shelves, and tidy up the thrift store. Project Safe works to end domestic violence through crisis intervention, supportive services, advocacy, prevention, and education. For more information, please contact Kate Johnson at kateejohnson456@gmail.com The Project Safe thrift store is located at 995 Hawthorne Ave #7, Athens, GA 30606 (in the former Bell’s Shopping Center).

Holiday Meals on Wheels Drivers Needed

Every Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day volunteers from First Presbyterian Church deliver nutritional meals to homebound seniors. Volunteers meet at the Athens Community Council on Aging at 135 Hoyt St. at 10:00 a.m. The routes take 30 minutes to an hour to complete.

If you are interested in delivering meals, please contact Mary Burton at marybu1325@gmail.com. Since this is a popular family event, please be sure to sign up early.

Generosity Sunday

November 15

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it -- the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1

“Stewardship is an act of joyful worship.” This has been the theme of our ongoing conversation about the faithful and financial practice of stewardship in support of our mission at First Presbyterian Church of Athens. Psalm 24 is clear in its declaration that all that we have is indeed a gift from God; the parable of the talents in the 25th chapter of Matthew tells us that we are to use those gifts to advance the kingdom on earth. The worship is in the giving, not the gift. On Generosity Sunday, we will present our estimates of giving as an act of faith and finance. We commit to making monetary gifts and we commit our lives as living gifts to God. Thank you for prayerfully considering this opportunity as an act of worship to support the life and mission of First Presbyterian Church.

On the morning of Sunday, November 15, we'll dedicate our Thanksgiving Food Bags for the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank. If you haven't yet picked up your reusable bag, you may pick up a bag from the Atrium or the church office or bring your own. The shopping list will be included with the reusable bag and printed in the bulletin. Alternatively, you may make a gift to the church of $50 and mark it "Thanksgiving Food Bags."

In worship that morning, we'll dedicate our commitments of time, talent, and treasure to the work of the Lord at FPC for the year 2027. Commitment cards are being mailed out, but if you haven't received one before the 15th, you can fill one out online here.

On that Sunday at 12 noon, we'll celebrate God's generosity with an all-church potluck in the Fellowship Hall. The church will provide baked ham and beverages - please bring a dish to share (crockpots are welcome). 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: salads

S-Z: desserts

Come celebrate God's abundant love and generosity with us at FPC!

Advent Devotional Writers Wanted

Advent Devotional Writers Wanted

Advent is a season of preparation for the coming Christ. Though it is still months away, we are already preparing to prepare! This year, we hope to offer a beloved tradition of collaboratively creating our own FPC Advent devotion and we are looking for writers who are interested in contributing! We will offer prompts and directions a bit closer to the season, but if you would like to be one of our writers, please email Rev. Whitney Booth Lockard (whitney@firstpresathens.org) and let her know. We hope you’ll consider sharing your words with our congregation as we observe this sacred season together.

FPC Women's Winter Retreat

Save the Date for the Women’s Retreat!

Save the date for the next FPC Women’s Retreat on January 8-10, 2027 at Lake Cherokee, SC. Join us for a weekend of rest, study, reflection, and fellowship! Email Rev. Whitney Booth Lockard (whitney@firstpresathens.org) to reserve your spot or if you have any questions.