Worship God – Serve Others – Make Disciples
First Presbyterian Church is committed to sharing the gospel in word and deed with our community and the world. Through local and global missions, our goal is to share the love of Christ with others by using our facilities, time, talents, and monetary gifts to serve others, strengthen our church’s witness, and project our mission into the community and world.
Local Missions
Revival
Revival is a fellowship and ministry space located at 303 W. Washington Street, across the street from our sanctuary. As with all our facilities, Revival is a tool for ministry, and community groups are welcome to gather here.
Many local non-profit groups use Revival to serve others. These include: Hearts for the Homeless, Family Resource Center, Women’s Resource Center, Limestone County Churches Involved, Hospice of Athens, DHR, Empty Bowls, and community blood drives. In 2023, the facility was used to facilitate monthly Shower Days organized by Hearts for the Homeless and Beyond Blessed.
Click here for more information on Revival and forms requesting its use.
The Potter’s Hand
The Potter’s Hand is a community pottery studio sponsored by First Presbyterian Church and located in the church basement. The studio is open on Wednesday mornings.
The Potter’s Hand sells their pottery at various community markets and events. Profits from pottery sales are donated to the Family Resource Center, the Presbyterian Home for Children, Hospice Camp Hope, Hearts for Homeless, Empty Bowls project, and more.
Alabama-Limestone County Family Resource Center
The Family Resource Center is a non-profit, donor-supported, community organization supports local families with mentoring on financial, employment, child/parent relationships, housing, and social service issues. FPC support to the Family Resource Center includes monetary gifts and fundraisers, volunteer work from congregation members, and assistance to the Center’s Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets and Teen Christmas Program. In 2022, we sponsored nine families to provide Christmas gifts and grocery gift certificates.
Limestone County Churches Involved (LCCI)
LCCI is a community organization of local churches that help people with emergency needs. Assistance includes food, utilities, transportation, and medical expenses. FPC supports LCCI with food collection each Communion Sunday, designated gifts, donations to the school backpack program, and proceeds from fundraisers, such as the Empty Bowls Luncheon.
Empty Bowls
The Athens-Limestone Empty Bowls Project hosts an annual fundraiser luncheon at Revival. The luncheon includes a soup meal donated from local restaurants and a handmade ceramic bowl to remind patrons that there are those in our community whose bowl may be empty.
The proceeds help local organizations that work to alleviate hunger and food insecurity in the area. In 2023, Empty Bowls funds were divided among Limestone County Churches Involved (LCCI), the Full Tummy Project, Hearts for Homeless, and Beyond Blessed.
Full Tummy Project of Athens and Limestone County
The Full Tummy Project is a non-profit organization and partnership among area churches and community organizations. Full Tummy provides kids with a bag of food for the weekend to bridge the gap for those who may depend on school lunches as their primary meals for the week. FPC supports Fully Tummy by providing weekly bags of food to Athens Elementary during the school year.
Additional Local Missions Supported by FPC:
- Hearts for the Homeless
- Beyond Blessed
- United Way of Athens-Limestone County
- Boys and Girls Club
- Hospice of Limestone County
- The Vine Counseling
State, National and Global Missions
Camp Maranatha
Camp Maranatha on Lake Guntersville provides youth and families with an opportunity to connect with God in his creation. In 2022, FPC participated in a matching gift program at Camp Maranatha for the Chase Epps Fund, toward maintenance, upgrade, and support of camp families.
Presbyterian Home for Children
The Presbyterian Home for Children is a ministry of the Presbyterian Churches of Alabama. The organization cares for teenage girls who have experienced abuse and/or neglect, and boys and girls of all ages and their female caregivers who find themselves homeless because of poverty, abuse, or abandonment. FPC assists the Home through designated gifts and collection of items for their thrift shop.
Ministerio de Fe/Faith Ministry (MdF/FM)
Faith Ministry is a non-profit Christian ministry, serving families in need living in the city of Reynosa and the town of Miguel Alemán, both in the border state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. FPC supports the ministry through designated giving, fundraising, Christmas Fiestas, and an annual mission trip to build a house for a family in Reynosa. In years that we’re not able to physically visit Reynosa, FPC provides funds for a house.
