Save the Date: JUNE 12th!
Pentecost Sunday, June 12 will be very special at First Church this year. We are urging as many former members of the church to return as possible.
Already a large group of former young people who were taught by Bill and Bea Gardner are planning to be here- last year some came from as far away as Alaska!
We invite you to spend Holy Week with us, at The First Presbyterian Church in Germantown. Don’t move through this holiest of seasons as though it were just any time of year...Live as people of faith and take this time to get closer to our Lord.
Maundy Thursday (4/21) at 6:30pm. Celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and a shared pot-luck meal together in Longstreth auditorium.
Good Friday Candlelight Tenabrae service (4/22) at 7:30pm. Join us as we follow Jesus to the horror of the Cross through this deeply moving and meaningful Tenabrae service.
Easter Festival (4/23) from 11:00am-2:00pm. This annual festival is fun for all ages and a great opportunity for us to serve the children and families in our community. Activities include games, Easter eggs, crafts, and a telling of the Easter story especially for children. You won’t want to miss it! Check out photos from last year
Resurrection Sunday & “Invite a Friend” to Church (4/24). Prelude Music begins at 9:40am, worship is at 10:00am, and a special coffee hour follows at 11:15am.
I assure you that Easter Sunday will be far more meaningful as together we live the week with Jesus through these services. We look forward to seeing you at church this week!
Opportunities to Give
Food Collection
Let’s pack a punch in this month’s food collection with PROTEIN PRODUCTS like tuna, salmon, beef stew, peanut butter and legumes, etc. Did you know in 2010 nearly 1 in 2 children in Philadelphia received food from a food pantry? More than half-a-million people in the five county Philadelphia region now rely on food stamps to buy groceries. And more than half of food pantries in the area did not have enough food to meet demand, a fact Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry knows first-hand. (Philadelphia Coalition against Hunger)
Cents-Ability
The Mission & Outreach Committee invites everyone to support the Cents-Ability program, a small step that has a big impact in the battle against hunger and poverty. Last year our coins amounted to $1,284. With your help we can surpass that this year.
FPCG Hosts Education Forum
Join Superintendent of the Philadelphia Public Schools, Dr. Arlene Ackerman on Wednesday, March 23rd at FPCG for a community forum about the state of our public schools. Bring your thoughts, questions, and commitment to our community.
Chat and Chew
with Dr. Arlene Ackerman
5:30pm
Wednesday, March 23rd
The face of public education is continuing to change in the School District of Philadelphia. Come out and meet, greet, and fellowship with the Superintendent.
Your attendance will help show support for your child, their school, and your community!
“The Basement” serves community youth
by Christian Heyer-Rivera
We invite you to celebrate with us as you read how the center has moved forward with significant growth and achievements in the last 9 months!
Summer Outreach
After a brief period of infrastructure strengthening through staff acquisition and development, “The Basement” opened it doors in July to senior high students in the Germantown neighborhood. Every Wednesday and Friday from 6:30-8:30pm this past summer, the center served as a safe place for young people to gather, play, exercise, eat and build significant relationships. It did not take long in the summer months for young people to make the center a regular part of their weekly schedule.
In total, over 70 African American young people made their way into “The Basement”, and we consistently hosted around fifteen to twenty regular attending senior high-aged youth each time the doors of the center were open. The participants who attended were members of the Germantown community, although only a few were actually students at Germantown High School, our target school. The majority of our young people in the summer months attended high school outside the area.
Outreach Continues
The Basement continues to grow and develop, and has been serving youth during the school year as well. To volunteer, or learn how you can support this vital community outreach, contact Christian Heyer-Rivera at 267-972-5662.