Posted on 21 Feb 2011 . 1 comment
1816: Rev. Bourne Serves as an Anti-Slavery Witness
Black History Month is the appropriate time to recall this church’s first protest against slavery; it was expressed in the call to the ministry and the support of one of the first Presbyterian ministers to denounce “the soul damning sin” of human bondage.
The February 27, 1816 entry into the minutes of the vestry [today’s Session and Deacons] of “The English Speaking Church in Germantown” [today’s FPCG] noted that ”Presbytery being informed that a Mr. Bourne is preaching in the congregation in Germantown without being introduced to the vacancy by a Committee appointed for the purpose of introducing strangers to our vacancies, and that the said Mr. Bourne has been deposed from the office of the Gospel ministry by the Presbytery to which he formerly belonged, it was on motion resolved that the preaching of said Mr. Bourne in the Germantown congregation is deemed irregular.”
In 1815, 195 years ago, this church called the Rev. George Bourne of South River, Virginia, to the pulpit. Before his arrival in Germantown, however, he was expelled from the ministry by the Presbytery of Lexington, Virginia, for his denunciation of slavery.
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Posted on 14 Feb 2011 . 1 comment
There are many free services offered by the Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry.
> Did you know that you can file your federal and state tax returns for free?
> Do you know that qualified PA residents can get help with their heating and utility costs?
Free Filing Federal and State Tax Returns
If your household income is less than $60,000 you can come to GACM to file a federal and state tax return for free!
In today’s economy more people are looking to squeeze every dollar out of their tax returns. Unfortunately, however, they find themselves in an environment in which tax filing can be confusing and difficult. What’s worse, all too many tax filing services require fees and many offer Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) which strip millions in fees each year from the earned-income tax credits paid to working parents ultimately reducing the amount of their tax return.
Let Germantown Ave Crisis Ministry (GACM) help you get the most out of everything you do. Using The Benefit Bank (TBB), a counselor assisted, web-based program that connects low-to-moderate income wage earners with access to tax credits and public benefits GACM can file your Federal and State tax returns for free! E File and get your refund in as little as 7 days. Contact GACM, 215-843-2340 to schedule an appointment or walk in for service any Friday between 1 and 4pm. Is Sunday better? Contact Eileen Jones to schedule an appointment following worship.
Click here to learn about LIHEAP and how it can help you pay your heating bills
Posted on 07 Feb 2011 . 10 comments
Feb 13th: Gathering to End Gun Violence
Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. -Matthew 5:9
I write this just days following the horrific and senseless shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and nineteen other people in Tucson, Arizona. I am numb! It seems that we are hearing about these types of terrible tragedies more and more frequently. What can we do?
As people of faith, we condemn violence and hatred. We grieve with the families of those whose lives are lost. We pray for victims who have been wounded. We sympathize with the family of the perpetrator and even try to understand why someone would take such violent action against another.
As people of faith we also need to do more. Recently a new organization has been founded in our northwest section of Philadelphia. The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown is one of among various faith organizations who have come together to form Neighborhood Partners To End Gun Violence. The purpose of this group is not about eliminating guns or even seeking legislative action but about reducing gun violence.
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Posted on 17 Jan 2011 . 3 comments
Meet FPCG’s New Volunteer Coordinator
With the last name of Valentine, Madeleine Valentine gets a lot of kidding. But there’s no kidding about the woman who has taken on the daunting task of the church’s Volunteer Coordinator. Long before the vote by the Session naming Madeleine to the position, she was already well known for her willingness to serve wherever needed.
As elder, she was the chair of the Congregational Development Committee (they oversee the meals prepared for lunches and brunches at the church, among other things!). Madeleine organized the food offerings for the Celebration of Germantown and was the inspiration and hard worker for this year’s Christmas dinner. But it was Madeleine’s idea to have the silent auction for the last two years as a way for raising additional money to under-gird the budget.
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Posted on 10 Jan 2011 . 11 comments
by Chris Scott
The game of basketball has always been a passion for me. There is nothing more enjoyable to watch a group of people play as one and paint a masterpiece of a good basketball game.
It was in 2005 when I decided I wanted to create my own masterpiece. With the help of Director of Christian Ed, Christian Heyer-Rivera, we decided to form the Disciples Basketball team a team for players 18 and under.
In the first season, we had 8 players and finished the season 2-7. One of the victories came via forfeit. I was a young coach and we were a young team but the foundation was set for a successful program.
Fast forward to today. The Disciples are preparing for another season.
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