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.

You are invited to our winter 2025 FPC Kids’ Night! On Friday, December 5, from 5-8 PM, we are inviting kids to join us at First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia for pizza, snacks, crafts, games, and a movie. While the kids hang out with us, their grown-ups are able to have a night to themselves.

Here’s the info for the event:

• The event is for children 2 years old and up.

• There will be a maximum of 20 children at the event.

• We will have 3-4 certified adults leading the event, including Pastor Laura.

• This event is free for FPC members and regular attendees.

If you’re interested in having your child/children attend the Kids Night event, please register!

Our mission partner Child Houses is hosting an event at First Church on December 3 from 5-7 PM to learn about the latest chapter in Child Houses’ work.

Child Houses invites you to experience the warmth of Syrian hospitality — and to be part of a mission rooted in one simple truth: Every child deserves the love and safety of family.

At Family is a Gift, you’ll step into the heart of a Syrian home: welcomed with tea, mezze, and music, surrounded by stories and traditions that make strangers feel like family.

The event is free; RSVP is required. Learn more here.

Join First Church T&Ts for our regular brunch outing on Sunday, November 30 after the 11 AM service. We’ll be going to Hart of Catering & Cafe on 21st and Sansom. If you’d like to join us, please RSVP to Laura (youngadults@fpcphila.org), so we can include you on a reservation!

The Women of Wit & Wisdom will meet on November 20 at 10 AM in the MacColl Room for morning coffee/tea and the opportunity to hear Cindy Jarvis and Laura Colee talk about their trips in Spain, where Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have all been an important part of the country's history.  Cindy went on an interfaith pilgrimage last spring, and Laura took a spiritual pilgrimage on an ancient pilgrimage path, through the different communities and cultures in Spain. Both will have slides to show and it promises to be a fascinating program!

Join First Church congregants at the Kimmel Center for a performance of the Galilee Chamber Orchestra—the first professional orchestra in Israel comprised of Jewish and Arab musicians. Their orchestra aims to bridge the divide between Arab and Jewish communities in Israel through music and to serve as a worldwide model for cooperation based on cultural exchange, dialogue and partnership. At their Philadelphia performance, you will be able to hear this ensemble’s special harmony in a concert featuring Mendelssohn's “Scottish” Symphony and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488.

First Church has reserved a block of tickets for this event. If you are interested in reserving a ticket, please contact Laura Colee.

Join First Church T&Ts as we gather on Thursday, November 13 at 6:30 PM at Village Whiskey (118 S. 20th St) for our Spirits & Sorrow Theology on Tap, where we’ll be discussing loss and grief from a theological perspective. Pastor Laura and seminary graduate Ethan Park will lead our conversation. All are welcome! Please RSVP to Laura (youngadults@fpcphila.org) so we can look out for you!

Parents of young children are invited to join us for a new series of monthly programs to be held at 10 AM, immediately following the Celebration Service, while the children are at Sunday School or in the nursery.

We hope to provide a space for parents to have informal but meaningful dialogue on a broad range of topics related to parenting in the modern Christian faith.  These sessions may be peer-lead or facilitated, depending on the specific topic.

In November we’ll explore how mainstream media’s portrayal of Christianity differs from our faith practices. This conversation will be facilitated by Cindy Jarvis. Come to share, learn, and spend time with other parents while the children are at Sunday School or in the nursery.