Our T&T Book Club has returned! We’ll gather to discuss Getting Involved with God: Rediscovering the Old Testament by Duke Divinity school professor Ellen Davis, starting Sunday, November 1st at 12:40 PM. 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!

Halloween at First Presbyterian! On October 31, 2026 at 8:00 PM, Concerts@First presents a Halloween screening of Robert Wiene’s legendary silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), accompanied live on First Presbyterian’s epic Reuter organ by organist Kalle Toivio, returning to Philadelphia for this haunting and atmospheric performance. Experience one of the masterpieces of Expressionist cinema as its eerie images and unforgettable story come alive with live organ improvisation. Costumes are welcome! Tickets are $25, and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

T&Ts and GenX are teaming up to show off our robust, intergenerational trivia knowledge at Tuesday night Quizzo. We’ll be gathering at Founding Fathers (1612 South Street) at 7:45 pm on Tuesday, October 21st. Everyone 21+ is welcome to attend! Please RSVP to Laura so we can look out for you!

Professor Marci A. Hamilton of the University of Pennsylvania concludes our Conversations Worth Having topic on Religious Liberty in our final session: What To Do About Extreme Religious Liberty and  Christian Nationalism

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

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

The Missions Committee will be hosting a Fall Missions Fair on October 18th in Old Buttonwood Hall. We have invited a number of mission partners to join us for the fellowship hour after the 9 AM and 11 AM services. Please join us after the service that day to see how you can support our Mission partners directly.

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!