Stewardship 2025
This year’s theme is “Growing in Faith + Generosity: It Take All of Us!” Our campaign runs from the kick-off event on October 19 and will conclude on November 16. We began the campaign with a good old-fashioned potluck in Fellowship Hall. It was a wonderful time of fellowship with good food, great conversation, special music, and personal insights from the congregation, as we prepared to support the coming year’s finances towards our ministry and work together in the world.
From our Stewardship Kickoff Gathering on Sunday, October 19
I'd like to share a few words about the Amazing Grace of Fellowship I have found in this Church Family. In the “Before Times,” pre-Pandemic, I was a part-time participant in this Church. Several years ago, I had transferred my Church Letter from National Presbyterian in DC but tended to be a back bencher here in the upper balcony. Literally & figuratively sitting as far away from the pulpit as I could.
I was raised in the faith at First Presbyterian Church in Quincy, Florida and even served on the Pulpit Search Committee as a Youth Representative. But life transitions and responsibilities seemed to intervene over time.
There was great suffering and loss during the pandemic. I had my own health scare when a nurse giving me a vaccination shot noted a discoloration on the back of my upper arm. She strongly advised me to seek medical attention and, thankfully, her intervention led to an early discovery of the Melanoma and successful treatment.
That episode led to deep introspection about my life's journey and purpose. We were all feeling isolated and separated during the pandemic and I just needed less me time and more we time.
Mihee and Andy threw me a spiritual lifeline with their Wednesday Bible Study on Zoom. It was a wonderful chance to grow in fellowship with them and other members of the Church. They focused on that Sunday's Scripture and graciously welcomed our thoughts and reactions. Through theological and historical references they gave us insight into how they formed their sermons with the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit.
As a quick aside, before Ted Foster's Memorial Service yesterday I found this pamphlet of reflections on the Pandemic upstairs just outside the Nursery. It captures the gratitude of Mihee, Andy, Miss Good and many others as they recount the abundant blessings in the Life of the Church during this rough time.
As the pandemic ebbed, I joined the Church Softball Team and got to witness our very own Shohei Ohtani - Andy Kort - in action. Hitting home runs and making heroic plays in the field.
I signed up for field trips. And had a lovely visit with Mary Smith (our new Clerk of Session) during a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
I joined The Fellowship of the Bean. Where we sip coffee and solve the world's problems.
I accepted a call to join the Session.
And most recently, I joined the Choir under Jill's great direction and Grace's beautiful accompaniment. I have strategically found a spot between Doug and Rob so I can chase their notes.
I am so deeply grateful to this Church Family for giving me their love and support.
— Pat Woodward
When Chuck asked me to speak about meaningful experiences at FPC, I thought about experiences around connection — how our time, our gifts, and our presence bring us closer to one another and closer to God’s work in the world.
Over the past 20 plus years that I have been a member of FPC, I’ve been reminded again and again how our church is not just a building, but a living, breathing community of faith. One of the most unexpected ways I’ve seen this is through… pickleball.
Yes, pickleball! What started as a casual monthly gatherings of church members interested in playing pickleball together has become true fellowship. We learn about one another’s families, offered encouragement, and prayers when needed for illness or injury.
Then, there’s the beautiful work our church has done walking alongside refugee families who are starting new lives. Meeting these families — learning their stories, helping them furnish homes, navigate schools and employment, and find belonging — has reminded me that stewardship is not just generosity; it’s hospitality. It’s opening our hearts and our homes to those who need a place to land, and in doing so, discovering that we receive far more than we give.
Our partnership with another community church to support one particular family from Afghanistan has also been a powerful witness to what happens when we work together. Different congregations, different traditions, yet united by the mission to love our neighbor. That partnership showed me that when we pool our resources and our compassion, we can truly become the hands and feet of Christ.
Finally, two years ago, I had the incredible privilege of chaperoning our youth including my daughter on a pilgrimage to Iona, Scotland — a small island with a big spiritual tradition. There, we joined another church from London, England, for a shared journey of worship, service, and reflection. Building connections with our youth and watching them connect with youth from the other side of the ocean was a reminder about the importance of passing our faith on to the next generation.
Each of these experiences — from the pickleball court to a Scottish pilgrimage — is a story of connection, of fellowship, and of what happens when we invest in our church’s mission.
— Mary Stuart Kempton
My family has been part of First Pres for five years and became members three years ago. Shortly after joining, my husband Brett and I began serving as ushers. We still laugh about how the “call for ushers” notice in the bulletin kept growing each week until it was nearly an inch tall! We continue to usher about once a month, and our six-year-old often joins us—our proud “junior usher.”
In October, we took part in this year’s Pride Parade. Our four-year-old loved marching and handing out our church’s swag—freezer packs! The social justice mission of First Pres is deeply meaningful to our family. It’s important to us that we show our neighbors and friends God’s love, and that we teach our children that God’s love—and our love—is for everyone. Everyone means everyone.
Last spring, our son Axel secretly planted two pumpkin seeds in our front flower garden. We didn’t even know they were there until the vines began to sprout—and by then it was too late to mow them down! Those two little seeds grew into twenty-four pumpkins. Axel took full responsibility for watering them and decided to sell them for $5 each this October. He earned $70 and chose to give $7 to the Lighthouse Mission, one of our church’s partners. The rest is going toward a “big toy,” possibly a Hot Wheels launcher.
As the Communications Elder, I’ve had the joy of working with our committee and the session to share the ongoing work and stories of our church.
We give to support these ministries and to set an example of generosity for our children. Our family is grateful to be part of a church that not only lives out God’s love in our community but helps our children learn what generosity and inclusion truly mean.