Weekly News — October 14, 2026

Contents

News

• Quick Glance At The Calendar
• Planting Seeds - Stewardship 2027
• 2026 State of the Church - NEW
• Volunteer Receptionists Needed
• Domestic Violence Center Of Chester County Gift Card Campaign - until tomorrow - October 15
• West Chester Chili Cook Off - Parking - UPDATED
• Christmas at Pocopson - NEW
• Christmas for Migrant Families - NEW
• Gathering for Dementia Support - NEW
• Nominating Committee
• October Moms Group
• Decorating for Outreach Event
• Community Trick or Treat
• Youth Glow-In-The-Dark Murder Mystery Halloween Party - NEW
• Fall Stewardship Project For Kids & Youth
• Silent Book Club West Chester - NEW

Prayers

Quick Glance At The Calendar - October/November

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

10/18: Deadline for nominating Ruling Elders & Deacons

10/18: Decorating for Trick or Treat

10/18: October Moms Group

10/23: Community Trick or Treat

10/25: Youth Glow-In-The-Dark Murder Mystery Halloween Party

11/8: State of The Church

11/14: Silent Book Club West Chester

Planting Seeds - Stewardship 2027

We are beginning our season of Stewardship, and our theme this year is "Planting Seeds".

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 have been mailed to homes. You can also pledge online here: Online Pledge

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.

2026 State of The Church

Mark your calendars for the 2026 State of the Church on Sunday November 8 at 10am between the 9am and 10:45am services. This will be an opportunity for Pastor Andrew to reflect on the previous year and share what’s on the horizon. God has done so much with and through our church in the past year, and we are hopeful for what God has in store for us in 2027 and beyond. Come, reflect, and let us look forward together as a family of faith.

Volunteer Receptionists Needed. Is that you?

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.

Domestic Violence Center Of Chester County Gift Card Campaign - tomorrow is the last day!

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 until tomorrow, 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. Thanks!

West Chester Chili Cook-Off - Parking

As some of you might know, the West Chester Chili Cook Off was rescheduled to this Sunday, October 18, due to rain last Sunday. The event will take place on West Gay Street from 12-4pm. Road closures and parking restrictions may impact access to the church, so please plan accordingly.

This event falls under the Borough's new All Special Events policy which dictates that events taking place within the Town Center District, that require use of the main public roads, will engage a $20 fee per car at all Borough owned garages and surface lots. The fee will begin two hours prior to the start of the event the day of the event (10am) and will end at the time the event ends. This does not, however, apply to the Justice Center garage on Market Street, which will be charging their normal rate.

Christmas at Pocopson

It seems early to be thinking of our Christmas list, but it is the perfect time to support the residents of Pocopson Home. Once again, the Giving Tree ministry will support an early gift giving campaign ONLY for Pocopson Home residents. This year we are blessed to bring some Christmas cheer to 50 residents. Ornaments with gift wishes are on a tree in Fellowship Hall October 11-25. Choose an ornament and write your name on the tracking sheet. Return your wrapped gift on October 25 or during our regular Giving Tree Campaign in November.

As of now, there are still 30 gift requests for Pocopson Home left on the tree in Fellowship Hall. Please stop in after the service and fill a resident’s Christmas wish! Thank you for your support!

Christmas for Migrant Families

We hope you will join us this year to share in the joy of Christmas with neighboring families in need. Christmas for Migrant Families at First Pres  has been a large part of our Christmas tradition for more than 30 years, sharing our faith and our blessings with the poorest families served by the Chester County Migrant Ministry in Kennett Square, PA. This year even more in than in the past, this community is struggling. We would love your support for this important ministry. We are seeking:


• Family Sponsors - yourself or with your family or group. Adopt one individual or a whole family.
• Gift Cards - all gifts will be in the form of store gift cards which gives the parents the joy of shopping for their children themselves. Sponsors will receive a form containing the names of their family, ages, and some of their needs and wishes, and even some of the stores easily accessible to them for shopping.
• Monetary contributions are always welcome - you may send checks directly to the church with the designation of Christmas for Migrant Families

Deadline for dropping off gift cards at church is December 6, 2026. Please email Nancy Haughton at nancy.k.haughton@gmail.com if you have any questions about sponsoring a family or just need more information about this ministry.

Gathering for Dementia Support

Our church is exploring the possibility of starting a meet-up for those who live with or care for someone with dementia. The group would be a place to connect with others going through similar experiences and share strategies. Day, location, and frequency would be determined by group members. If you’re interested in learning more, please contact Pastor Caroline.

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.

October Moms Group

First Pres moms are going to meet at church this Sunday, October 18, at noon to help with Trick or Treat decorating and then go out for lunch together! We are looking forward a fun time of serving the church and then relaxing over some great food. Contact the church office with any questions.

Decorating for Outreach Event

We are in need of lots of hands to help decorate this Sunday, October 18 at 11:45am. We’ll be decorating the hallways, the 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.

Community Trick or Treat - Volunteers needed!

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 are in need of lots of bags of candy! A donation bin is available in Fellowship Hall. Thank you for helping us make this a fun and welcoming evening for our whole community! 

Glow-In-The-Dark Murder Mystery Halloween Party

On Sunday, October 25, from 4-6pm., we will have a Glow-in-the-Dark Murder Mystery Halloween Party during Youth Group! No need to register; just show up in a Halloween costume and feel free to make it glow in the dark. We will supply the glow sticks!

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. Our goal is to raise $300 to pay for someone to receive the medical care they need through Lifetime Vision and regain their eyesight! Information for parents can be found in the packet below. Talk to Sara Pantazes with any questions. 

Silent Book Club West Chester

On November 14 from 10am-12pm, First Pres & Mistral French & Fast will be hosting Silent Book Club. Silent Book Club is a free BYOB (Bring Your Own Book) gathering for readers in West Chester and nearby areas. Bring along your current read, e-book, audiobook, or any beloved page-turner, settle into a calm shared space, and connect with fellow book lovers. Quiet, screen-free joy is the goal. Silent crafting is also welcomed, so feel free to bring your knitting, sketchbook, journal, or other supplies.

For this meetup, please bring donations for the First Presbyterian Church's community pantry if you are able to do so. They’re most in need of personal care items — toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, toilet paper, and feminine care items. Please use the below link to reserve a spot!

Thursday First Pres Prayers

This Month’s Prayer Request:

God of changing seasons, we thank you for the abundance and beauty in your creation. Let all have what they need to be nourished in body and in spirit. Bless the West Chester Food Cupboard, Wednesday Lunches, and all those places in our community and throughout the world that feed your people. We ask this in Christ’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.