Our T&T Book Club has returned in 2026! From March 1 through April 12, we’ll meet every other week after 11 am worship to discuss the book Jesus and the Disinherited by Black minister, theologian, and Civil Rights leader, Howard Thurman. If you’d like to join us and are in need of a copy of the book, please let us know at youngadults@fpcphila.org!

Join the Band of Boomers for an afternoon at the The Arden Theater Company (40 N. 2nd Street) on Saturday, February 28 @ 2 PM to see Good Bones, the Philadelphia premiere of the newest play by James Ijames, 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Fat Ham, about community, change, and the soul of our cities.

Synopsis
A new sports stadium is being built in the middle of a neighborhood. Aisha returns to her hometown to help the developers revitalize the place she grew up in and starts working with a local contractor who has a different vision for its future. 

Special ticket pricing: $17.50
Only 20 tickets are available so please RSVP to boomers@fpcphila.org!

Our midweek Lenten study will explore the biblical book of Revelation. Join us on Wednesdays through March 25 on Zoom at 12:15 as we spend this season passing through heaven’s open door into a world of wonder and possibility. This study will be led by our seminary intern Dr. Kristofer Stinson and is open to all regardless of familiarity with Revelation or the Bible. Please register to receive the Zoom link! 

Dr. Kenyatta Gilbert, Dean of the Howard University School of Divinity, is a nationally recognized scholar on African American preaching. He will be guest preaching at First Church on Sunday, February 22, and all are invited after fellowship hour to join Dr. Gilbert in a conversation in the MacColl Room, moderated by Delores Brisbon, ranging from Black preaching and theological education to civil rights and social justice.

T&Ts are heading to Reading Terminal Market on Saturday, February 21st at 10:45 AM, first for a 45-minute tour led by City Food Tours, and then for time to share food together. If you are interested in meeting us at RTM that day, please let us know at youngadults@fpcphila.org, so we can reserve you a spot on the tour!

Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent.  First Church will hold services with imposition of ashes at 12 noon and 7:00 PM.  The evening service will be live streamed.

On street parking is available with placard.

FPC T&Ts and GenXers will gather together on Tuesday, February 17th at 6:30 PM at Ocean City Restaurant in Chinatown (234 N. 9th St), where we will enjoy dinner together. We’d love to have you join us! If you’re interested in being part of our dinner, please RSVP to Laura Colee.

Our congregation has been invited to visit Mother Bethel AME Church and tour the Richard Allen Museum in its lower level. Richard Allen founded the AME denomination and, in 1791, purchased the land on which Mother Bethel sits, making it the oldest continuously owned parcel of land held by Black people in the United States and sacred not only to the AME church but as a part of Black history in the United States. In November 2025, Reverend Carolyn C. Cavaness made history when she was appointed as the first woman pastor in the 237 years of the church. Please join us to meet our neighbors and recognize the legacy and ongoing importance of Mother Bethel. Please register to let us know if you’re coming!  

A few important notes about logistics:

• Mother Bethel AME Church is at 419 S. 6th Street; to arrive promptly by 12:30 pm, please plan to leave for Mother Bethel directly after the 11 am worship service. Mother Bethel will serve refreshments, so there will not be a traditional fellowship hour at First Church on this date.

• If you drive to First Church, please be on the lookout for those needing a ride!  A signup sheet for drivers and those in need of a ride to coordinate among themselves will be posted near the office – please fill your car!

• If you prefer to take public transportation, you can use (among other options) SEPTA Bus 12 from Locust & 21st Streets to Pine & 7th Streets or SEPTA Bus 9, 21, or 42 from 21st & Chestnut Streets to 6th & Chestnut Streets. Regular fare is $2.90, which can be paid in various ways, including by tapping a credit card or mobile payment app.

Parents will gather in the MacColl Room after the Celebration! service to find community, engage in meaningful discussion, and form connections with other parents here at First Church. Come to share, learn, and spend time with other parents while the children are cared for at Sunday School or in the nursery.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with an unforgettable evening where music, wine, and history intertwine. Journey through Northern Italy’s rich Baroque heritage with a curated wine and cheese pairing inspired by the region’s culinary treasures, set to live music on a magnificent historic Italian pipe organ from Verona (1750).

Featuring works by Northern Italian Baroque masters—including Frescobaldi, Fontana, Vivaldi, Tartini, and Corelli—this immersive concert highlights the expressive beauty of the era. Performers include Bálint Karosi, on the historic Italian pipe organ, and Isabella Seula Lee, Baroque violin.

🎶 Authentic 18th-century Italian organ from Verona ca. 1750
🍷 Wine & cheese included with admission
💘 A perfect Valentine’s Day experience

Limited to 60 guests.
Tickets: $50 per person (includes wine and cheese)
($40 for FPC Members with promocode “FPCMEMBER”)

The event will be held in Old Buttonwood Hall; please enter on 21st Street. On-street parking is available with placard.

Join us for an intimate evening celebrating love, music, and the timeless flavors of Northern Italy!

Join our seminary intern Dr. Kristofer Stinson for a two-week series on the faith and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkien. The study will take place on two Sundays, February 1 and February 8 at 12:40 pm in the MacColl room. This series will explore Tolkien’s own faith as well as the faith found within Middle-Earth. We will be asking two important questions: 1) What did faith mean for J.R.R. Tolkien? and 2) What did J.R.R. Tolkien mean for faith? In the process, we will cover such topics as joy and hard hope, courage and despair, pity, power, and Providence. While no previous knowledge is required or expected for this class, there will be plenty of hobbits, dwarves, elves, and dragons for fans of all ages!

Our T&T Book Club has returned in 2026! We are planning to meet after 11 am worship on Sunday, February 8 to begin discussing the book Jesus and the Disinherited by Black minister, theologian, and Civil Rights leader, Howard Thurman. If you’d like to join us and are in need of a copy of the book, please let us know at youngadults@fpcphila.org!

The Session has set Sunday, February 8, as the date of our Annual Meeting.  The meeting will be held in Old Buttonwood Hall at 10 AM. All members are encouraged to attend. The meeting will be live-streamed for those unable to attend, but members must be present to vote.

The congregation will receive the 2025 Annual Report and hear and act on the recommendations of the Nominating Committee to elect officers and members of the church’s Nominating Committee for 2026.  All members are encouraged to attend.  At the conclusion of the meeting, our officers will be present to answer any questions about the work of the church during a coffee fellowship before our second service.

Please take time before the meeting to review the Annual Report and additional materials available here.

The Missions Committee is coordinating a winter clothing drive for our unhoused community. We will be collecting clothing to support two of our partners, Sunshine House and PhillyHouse. Donate new and gently used men’s and women’s coats, other winter clothing (hats, gloves, and scarves), and men’s t-shirts, socks, and underwear.

From January 11 through February 8 donations can be dropped off at a designated locations in the sanctuary and Old Buttonwood Hall. For more information contact the Missions Committee.

Philly House is a program for men that provides temporary housing and comprehensive services to support transitions to long-term housing. Sunshine House is a community outreach center that supports individuals experiencing housing insecurity located in the Kensington neighborhood.

Please join the FPC Peace & Justice Group on Wednesday, February 4, at 12 noon as we gather peacefully in front of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Philadelphia Field Office at 8th & Filbert Streets to hold a prayer vigil in support of immigrant respect and safety. This is part of a 40-week series of prayer vigils initiated by the New Sanctuary Movement (NSM) of Philadelphia and sponsored by various Philadelphia faith communities. NSM builds community across faith, ethnicity, and class in their work to end injustices against immigrants regardless of immigration status and to express radical welcome for all.

This vigil will be led by clergy from First Presbyterian Church, and will include words of inspiration taken from Scripture, song, and prayer. It will last approximately 45 minutes.

Join First Church T&Ts for our regular brunch outing on Sunday, January 18th at 12:45 PM. We’ll gather in Old Buttonwood following the 11 am service and walk together to Hart of Catering & Cafe on 21st & Sansom. If you’d like to join us, please RSVP to Laura so we can include you on a reservation!

Join us in the MacColl room on Sunday, January 18 at 10:00 AM after the Celebration! Service for our Monthly Parent Coffee (& Bagel) Chat! For January, we'll debrief and reflect on our experiences from the holiday season, in an informal, adults-only environment (children will be cared for at Sunday School). These peer-led, family-focused fellowship sessions will continue on a regular basis throughout the new year, as we look to touch on topics such as Interfaith Education, Addressing Doubt, and Talking to Your Kids About Suffering. We hope you will be able to join our community, engage in meaningful discussion, and form connections with other parents here at First Pres.

First Church Deacons are looking forward to bringing our congregations from the Celebration! and Traditional services together on Sunday, January 11 at 10 AM at our Epiphany Fellowship Hour. Food will be served in between the services so our entire congregation can mingle and usher in the Epiphany season.

Young families, both caregivers and children, are invited to join us for a Family Movie Night at First Church on Saturday, January 10th starting at 4:00 pm. We’ll have pizza, popcorn, and drinks, plus a movie, for the family in Old Buttonwood. Come spend time with other families and children at First Church! Please let Laura know if you’re interested in joining, so we know how much pizza to order.

Please join us for a joyous Service of Lessons and Carols for Christmas Eve.

On-street parking is available with placard. This service will be live streamed.

Christmas Eve Family Worship for all ages. Communion will be served.

On-street parking is available with placard.

Our T&T Christmas Party with White Elephant Gift Exchange will be held on Friday, December 19 starting at 6:30 PM at Sydney Cardy’s house (22nd & Arch). We'll gather together for festive desserts and adult beverages. Everyone is welcome to bring a small wrapped gift to share in our White Elephant gift exchange (we’ll have extras too if you forget!). If you’d like to join us, please RSVP to Laura so we can send you the building info!

A Service of the Longest Night will be held in the church sanctuary.  This is a winter service of hope and healing that encourages those going through times of sorrow and grief during the holidays.  This service will have special music and liturgy while allowing you space “to be.”  We hope you will join us as we worship God during this special time.

On-street parking is available with placard.

Celebrate the Advent season with a stirring concert of Baroque masterworks at First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia on Saturday, December 13. The First Presbyterian Choir and Period Orchestra, led by Bálint Karosi on harpsichord, present two Advent Cantatas by J. S. Bach—Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62 and Meine Seele erhebt den Herren, BWV 10—alongside Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s Magnificat, H. 73. Also featured is our historic 1783 Peter Iben Cabinet organ in Handel's Organ Concerto Op. 7 No. 2 with Bálint Karosi as soloist. Soloists include Adrienne Lotto (soprano), Robin Bier (alto), Bradley King (tenor), and Andrew Beuninger & Nick Fahrenkrug (bass).

Tickets $20 ($10 for members and students)
Click here for tickets!

• First Church members: use promo code "FPCMEMBER"

• Students: use promo code "STUDENT"

On-street parking is available with placard!

Our Gen X Affinity group (folks roughly born between 1965 and 1980) are gathering for a Gen X Christmas Potluck on Friday, December 12th, starting at 6:30 pm, at Ed Wang’s house (17th & Locust). If you’d like to attend, please RSVP with the dish you’d like to share to Ed Wang.

The Welcoming Center, a new mission partner, will be hosting a community event called Language Café: Our Voices in Community in Old Buttonwood Hall on December 7 from 3-5 PM. The Welcoming Center provides services to our immigrant communities in and around the city. Join us to spend time engaging with conversation, eating, and playing games to help others who wish to practice their English-speaking skills. For more information and to register to the event, please register!

Join us in the MacColl Room at 12:40 PM, when Music Director Balint Karosi will lead “Preaching the Gospel Through Music: Theology and Music in Cantatas for Advent BWV 10 and 62.” The presentation and discussion will focus on the musical language and theology through these Bach cantatas before the Advent concert on December 13.

Join the Band of Boomers for our Christmas party at the home of Diane and Jon Rogers.

2026 promises to be a big year for our City of Brotherly Love, so our main menu once again salutes Philly.  Everything you love about a Cheesesteak Sandwich (steak or chicken) will be served, with a twist: as cozy casseroles (WIT or WIT-OUT fixins).

Please plan to bring your favorite appetizer or dessert and choice of beverage. 

Please email your RSVP to boomers@fpcphila.org.