Blog | The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown

Sabbatical Reflections

Posted on 27 Apr 2010 . 2 comments

The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying: Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land shall observe a sabbath for the Lord. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in their yield; but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of complete rest for the land, a sabbath for the Lord: you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. You shall not reap the after-growth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your unpruned vine: it shall be a year of complete rest for the land. - Leviticus 25:1-5

This is one biblical reference to a sabbatical which is meant to be a time for rest and renewal. The word sabbatical comes from Latin, Greek and Hebrew words which literally mean “ceasing.”

This is what I will be doing for the next few months as I leave you: ceasing my ministry among you and renewing my soul.

Thanks to the Eli Lily Foundation I have been awarded a grant that is allowing me to live out a dream sabbatical as I refocus my ministry through the lens of a camera. This is how I defined my time away in the proposal I submitted to the folks at Lily, who ask that this not be a time of work or continuing education but a time of renewal and rejuvenation.

Meet A Member: Mary Smith

Posted on 19 Apr 2010 . 1 comment

Mary Smith is in the unique position of being both a somewhat recent member as well as a longtime member of First Church.

Her original uniting with the congregation was in 1994. However, after retiring, Mary left Philadelphia for 4 years when she moved back to her hometown of Windsor North Carolina, where her son lives.

Mary worshiped at the First Presbyterian Church of Greenville where she made good friends and involved herself in church work and fund raising for local and world charities. In 2008 she moved back to the excitement and cultural life of our city and rejoined our membership in 2009.

How Is God Using You?

Posted on 12 Apr 2010 . 1 comment

Tell us how YOUR life is impacting others

Fifty days after Easter on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ’s followers and the Church was born as they spread the gospel!

In celebration here at FPCG, in the weeks following Pentecost this year, we want to highlight the ways the gospel is being spread through our members in their lives outside of the church.

If you would be interested in giving a 30 minute presentation about your sense of vocation whether it be through your job or a volunteer or service activity in which you’re involved, please contact Rev. Kevin Porter at 215-843-8811.