Professor Marci A. Hamilton of the University of Pennsylvania continues our Conversations Worth Having topic on Religious Liberty on Sundays at 12:40 PM:

• October 11 - The Religious Freedom Restoration Act and LGBTQ Rights

• October 18 - Parental Rights, Children's Rights, and Religious Liberty

• October 25 - What To Do About Extreme Religious Liberty and  Christian Nationalism

Our informal monthly meetup resumes on Sunday, October 11, in the MacColl room following the Celebration Service. Join other parents of young families to grab bagels and coffee, and get to know one another in fellowship.  Childcare will be provided during this time in the nursery and/or in the Sunday School classroom. If you have any additional questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Becky Yep.

On October 11 we will have the Blessings of the Animals Service as part of our 9:00 am Celebration! service. Please bring your pet (leashed or in a carrier), a photo of your pet, or your favorite stuffed animal to be blessed. This service will be held in the sanctuary.

The Band of Boomers event is rescheduled for October 8!

Let's come together for beverages and snacks and share our summer stories at Sassafras, A classic, cozy spot in the heart of Old City (48 S. 2nd Street).

Can a work of fiction shine a light on current event events, perhaps even more truly than works of non-fiction? Patricia Grace King, winner of the 2026 Drue Heinz Literature Prize offers us a chance to consider this question more deeply. On October 7, we have the unique opportunity to hear Patricia from her award-winning book, Those Who Vanish. Following her reading, we will have a facilitated conversation about the stories in her book and what they say to us about immigration. Books will be available for purchase at the event!

Taking place during the decades-long civil conflict, Those Who Vanish follows the stories of Guatemalan citizens and North American expats set on a collision course by war. Set in a world of daily disappearances, the collection addresses a vital question: When all certainties are snatched away, what remains of lives, of memory, of faith? 

Join our regular brunch outing on Sunday, October 4th after the 11 AM service. We’ll be going to Bluestone Cafe on 20th and Walnut Streets. If you’d like to join us, please RSVP to Laura (youngadults@fpcphila.org), so we can include you on a reservation!

The History and Evolution of Religious Liberty 250 Years After the Declaration of Independence

Religious freedom is a foundational principle for our city and our commonwealth, and later for our nation.  But does it have limits?  Does your freedom to practice religion extend to limiting my freedoms?  Does religious freedom supersede the social responsibility of a community to care for the vulnerable?

Professor Marci A. Hamilton of the University of Pennsylvania will help us to grapple with such questions, beginning with our Saturday seminar, and the continuing the conversation on subsequent Sunday afternoons. She will compare and contrast the Founders' views on religious liberty and the push today by the religious right to obtain extreme religious liberty.

Conversations Worth Having is our regular lecture series honoring the late George and Mary Schneider, which holds the premise that Christians and people of other faiths should be able to talk about challenging topics by approaching them with expert guidance and impeccable scholarship.

Registration is required. A light lunch will be provided.  Child care will be made available upon request.

On-street parking is available with placard.

Follow-up discussion with Professor Hamilton will be held on Sundays at 12:40 PM (registration not required):

• October 11 - The Religious Freedom Restoration Act and LGBTQ Rights

• October 18 - Parental Rights, Children's Rights, and Religious Liberty

• October 25 - What To Do About Extreme Religious Liberty and  Christian Nationalism

Join our T&Ts after worship on Sunday, September 27 as we explore the Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park. We’ll try noodles, skewers, dumplings, and other delicious treats from the many vendors there. Make sure you bring cash! If you’d like to join us, please RSVP to Laura so we can coordinate rides together.

On Sunday, September 27th at 12:45 PM, everyone is invited to join our fpcQ brunch at Rosy’s Taco Bar (2220 Walnut St). This event is sponsored by the fpcQ affinity group and absolutely everyone is welcome to join. If you’re interested in joining us, please RSVP to Laura Colee (laura.colee@fpcphila.org).

First Church Children’s Sunday School returns, beginning on Sunday, September 27th! This year, we are introducing two age-specific classes to better meet the needs of our growing kids’ ministry:

• Our Old Buttonwood Class is for children roughly ages 2–8 and it will gather in our Fellowship space.

• Our Whitefield Class is for children roughly ages 9 and up and it will gather in the Whitefield Room in the First Church basement.

Both groups will meet on Sunday mornings, after our Celebration Service, from 9:50–10:30 AM and explore Bible themes at just the right level for their age.

We will primarily be using curriculum from Godly Play, Illustrated Ministry, and re:Form, which explore stories from the Old and New Testament with age-appropriate learning. Both groups will be telling Bible stories, making crafts, playing games, and learning about how to share Christ’s love to the world.

We also invite parents to fill out our 2026–2027 Sunday School Registration Form during the first few weeks of Children’s Sunday School so we can best care for your kids in class.

We can’t wait to see all of our young friends back in the classroom—and to welcome new faces, too!

The opposition of evangelicals to homosexuality has long believed to be  an inherent feature of their faith, rooted in their unyielding beliefs about the Bible.  In his book Born Again Queer, our guest speaker the Reverend Dr. William Stell upends this article of faith. Arguing that the antigay majority in evangelicalism has been less dominant and more vulnerable than previously thought, Stell describes a network of authors, ministers, and professors—all veterans of major evangelical institutions—who worked in the 1970s and 1980s to persuade Christians that their churches should affirm the relationships and ministries of gay and lesbian members.

William Stell is a Faculty Fellow in the Department of Religious Studies at New York University.  Dr. Stell joins us on September 20 as part of his book tour.

Thanks to the large amount of interest generated from our previous Parent Coffee Chats, we are hosting a family-friendly Interfaith Seminar immediately after the Celebration Service on September 20. A facilitator from Interfaith Philadelphia will spend 90 minutes helping us explore different faiths and cultures, leveraging children's literature to evoke curiosity and understanding. She will also provide resources to empower parents to continue these important conversations within their families beyond this single session. Registration is recommended so that we can get a headcount for the program materials and snacks. Please reach out to Becky Yep with any questions.

Mark your calendars for the WWW September lunch on Thursday, September 17th at noon in the MacColl Room. A tasty lunch will be provided; you bring the conversation and fellowship!

RSVP to Diane Rogers at womenwitwisdom@fpcphila.com. Do come!

As we continue to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Professor William Ewald of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School will join us on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 12:40 PM to speak with our congregation members about First Church member and Founding Father, James Wilson.

James Wilson was well ahead of his peers in understanding the importance of human equality in the American Revolution. Wilson intended to draw an explicit link among the Declaration, human equality and the Constitution, which no other delegate did during any ratification debates. During the Pennsylvania debates over whether or not to ratify the Constitution, Wilson quoted the entire second sentence of the Declaration of Independence and added, “[T]his is the broad basis on which our independence was placed; on the same certain and solid foundation this system [of the US Constitution] is erected.”

The Deacons are hosting our annual Welcome Back Brunch on September 13 at 10 AM between the worship services. The brunch will be potluck/covered dish style so that folks across our congregation may share their cooking or baking skills! Sign up at fellowship hour or sign up online to bring a main dish, a salad/side, or a dessert. Contact Katie Wu with questions.

The Deacons invite everyone to an ice cream social in Old Buttonwood Hall immediately following the 10 AM worship service. Please join us!

Volunteers are needed on Sunday, August 16th in Old Buttonwood Hall for a Casserole Extravaganza at 11:45 AM (after the 10 AM combined worship service). This popular volunteer activity provides an opportunity to bond with fellow casserole-assemblers while serving our neighbors in West Philadelphia. We put together 30 to 40 casseroles for the University City Hospitality Coalition (UCHC), which provides free meals for those experiencing food insecurity. Join us for a time of fellowship and service! Contact Laura Colee to volunteer.

Join our regular brunch outing on Sunday, August 9 after the 10 AM service (~11:45 AM). We’ll be going to Pub & Kitchen (1946 Lombard Street). Please RSVP to Laura if you’d like to join so we can make a reservation!

Join us for a day of sun and fun at the beach with our friends from fpcQ and the Twenties & Thirties group on Saturday, August 1st from 12 noon to 5 PM in Atlantic City! We’ll gather at Larry & Mete’s condo on the southern end of AC and head out to the beach.  Please bring your beach gear, some snacks to share, and your own beverages for a day of relaxation. Please let Larry know if you can join us!

Join our regular brunch outing on Sunday, July 19, after the 10 AM service (~11:45 AM)! We’ll be going to Hart of Catering & Cafe at 21st & Sansom. Please RSVP to Laura if you’d like to join so we can make a reservation!

All Gen Xers (born between 1965-1980ish) are invited to join us for our July FPC Gen X Brunch after worship on Sunday, July 12! The group will be heading to Wilder (2009 Sansom) after 10 AM worship. If you’re interested in joining, please RSVP to Matthew Arlyck.

On July 12, join us for our Hymn Sing service at 10 AM as we sing God’s praises together!  Hymns requests will be taken from our blue hymnal.

Join us on Thursday, July 9 for some minigolf at Puttshack (1625 Chestnut Street)! See how well you can compete against other T&Ts at Puttshack’s tech-infused course. If you’d like to join us, please RSVP so we can include you in the reservation!

DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT FORECAST, THE ORGAN RECITAL IS CANCELED:

Join organist Bálint Karosi for Let Freedom Ring, a celebratory Independence Day recital on Friday, July 3 at 3 PM at the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia.

Performed on the church’s distinguished American-made Reuter organ, the program commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States through a rich and colorful survey of American organ music. Works by Horatio Parker, Dudley Buck, Charles Ives, and Florence Price will explore the many voices of the American musical tradition, from hymn-inspired grandeur and transcendental lyricism to bold modernism.

The recital will also feature live improvisations by Bálint Karosi on audience-submitted themes, continuing the historic American tradition of spontaneous organ performance.

Let Freedom Ring celebrates the organ as one of America’s great civic and sacred instruments in the historic city where the nation first declared its independence!

Join us for a guided tour of First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, on Monday, June 29 from 11 am to 2 pm. Each 20-25 minute tour will offer an intimate glimpse into one of America's most historic congregations. 

Established in 1698—nearly 80 years before the nation's founding—First Church has served as the birthplace of organized Presbyterianism in America, counting three signers of the Declaration of Independence and two Constitutional Convention delegates among its early members. The current building at 21st & Walnut, erected in 1872 by Second Church (with whom First Church reunited in 1949), is a cruciform sanctuary filled with remarkable artistry: Tiffany Studios windows, a majestic Reuter organ with over 5,000 pipes, the "Prophet Windows" depicting Old Testament figures, and a Steinway grand piano once played by Ignace Paderewski. In addition to the Reuter organ in the gallery, First Presbyterian is home to three European antique organs. In the sanctuary stands a Dutch cabinet organ built by Ibe Peters Iben in Emden, Germany, in 1783, incorporating metal pipework and carved figures dating from the seventeenth century. Old Buttonwood Hall houses an antique Italian organ from around 1750 by an anonymous builder from Verona, Italy. The third instrument, dating from 1741, is located in the Music Director’s office on the second floor.

Visitors will also encounter the Washington Chandelier from President George Washington’s house and a 1791 letter from Vice President John Adams. Tours begin in the sanctuary and will explore both the architectural splendor and the congregation’s enduring legacy of faith, from the Great Awakening to the present day. Tours will be led by congregant and author, Michael B. Smith.

The Missions Committee is hosting a Missions Fair on June 28 in Old Buttonwood Hall. We have invited many of our partners join fellowship hour after both the 9 and 11 AM services to talk about ways that you can support their organizations. This will include Habitat for Humanity, The Common Place, the Welcoming Center, Christian Association at University of Pennsylvania, PhillyHouse, William Way, Interfaith Philadelphia, The Attic Youth Center, Stand with Iraqi Christians (SWIC), Camp Sojourner, and Tango Therapy Project. As before, there will be a raffle with three winners who will be able to choose which of our partners will be given a $100 contribution. Please join us!

Join us as a group of T&Ts volunteer with Books Through Bars on Saturday, June 27 from 11 AM to 1 PM.   We will be filling requests for reading materials for incarcerated individuals in PA and throughout the tri-state area.  If you’d like to join us, please RSPV to Laura Colee!