Welcome
Welcome to the First Presbyterian Church of Urbana! We believe that everyone who enters these doors is God’s guest. This is a safe place, to search for and find God, to ask questions along with others who know that the life of faith is not about having all the answers, and to open doors to paths that might be familiar and some that might be entirely new. Read more …
PCUSA News
- Synod of the Covenant’s Equipping Preachers webinar looks at helping congregations slow down in a fast-paced worldJune 7, 2023 With help from Hartmut Rosa’s book “Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the World,” the Rev. Dr. Wes Avram, the senior pastor at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, and the director of the church’s Center for Faith and Life spoke Wednesday as part of the Synod of the Covenant’s Equipping […]
- Three Presbyterian entities offer an informational webinar on balancing church assets and liabilitiesJune 7, 2023 Understanding what your congregation has and what it owes is important. So is timing, said the presenters of “Assets and Liabilities: Managing your Church’s Balance Sheet,” a May 23 webinar.
- New York City’s response to the asylum crisis builds on Broadway Presbyterian Church’s modelJune 7, 2023 Broadway Presbyterian Church, a 100-member congregation across the street from Columbia University in Manhattan, is playing an oversized role in the creation of a faith-based shelter program announced Monday by New York Mayor Eric Adams. Watch Adams’ announcement and press conference here.
- It’s not too late to register for this month’s Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ Worship & Music ConferenceJune 6, 2023 Organizers of “Thirst No More,” the Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ intergenerational Worship & Music Conference, say there’s still time and space to register for the popular conference held each year at Montreat Conference Center.
Trinity Sunday - Sunday, June 14, 2023
Worship – In-person and Streaming in the Sanctuary at 9:30 a.m.
We Welcome to the Pulpit Sunday the Rev. Deborah Chassy-Slack, a minister member of the Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois and Staff Chaplain with Carle Hospice in Champaign.
Relaxation of COVID-19 Mitigation Measures: Assuming our Community Level remains low, masking is optional. Those who wish to continue masking are most certainly welcome to do so, with the support and understanding of all of us. If, however, you are not feeling well, we still encourage you to remain home and enjoy the live stream of the worship service.
Celebration of Communion Online: Session has authorized those worshipping with us online to celebrate communion at home.
● We invite you to prepare a special place in your home for communion, where you can participate and watch the service online.
● We invite you to place a Bible there, a candle or two, a cross, if you have it. Place the bread on a plate ready to share, and grape juice, or wine, or another festive beverage.
● We invite you to print out the bulletin for joining the service on Facebook or Zoom.
● If you need gluten-free, please let us know in the office. We have gluten-free wafers and will be happy to see that you have them.
Celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Communion: We celebrate an open communion believing that Jesus Christ has invited not only members of this congregation, but all others who wish to know the presence of Christ and to share in the community of faith. All are welcome to partake of this sacrament of grace.
The Church Office is usually open Mondays – Wednesdays, and Fridays 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Tracy works from home on Thurs.) Tracy will be taking the day off on Monday, June 12, so the office will be closed that day.
Join Us for Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Worship, in-person in the Sanctuary and streamed online.
1. Facebook:
www.facebook.com/FirstPresChurchUrbana/
Scroll down to the post from that morning
2. Zoom click on: zoom.us/j/8144246357
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
3. Landline or phone that is not a smart phone:
1 (312) 626-6799.
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
Midday Prayer is on Summer Break
Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, June 11 after church – Fun Fellowship & Membership Committee wants to cook breakfast for you! We will host a pancake breakfast – complete with pancakes, fruit, and sausages! RSVP to the church office (office@firstpresurbana.org or 217-367-8357) by THURSDAY, JUNE 8 so we have an idea of how much to make. A sign-up sheet is in the Narthex, this Sunday.
Food & More Program Item of the Month: For June the item is deodorant. Please place donations in the Food & More box near the church office.
Best Places on Campus to Bring Your Parents! Twice Is Nice Thrift Shop has just received accolades from The Daily Illini’s Buzz Community for being one of the Best Places on Campus to Bring Your Parents. We are the first place listed in the online article. The authors loved the friendly volunteers; funky, historic atmosphere and earth stewardship. Thank you for sharing our Facebook posts, bringing new customers to the shop, getting the word out, bringing in donations and volunteering. It’s because of your support that we can fulfill our missions! Read the article: dailyillini.com/buzz-stories/2023/05/22/best-places-to-bring-parents/
The shop always accepts gently-used, good condition clothing, household items office supplies, electronics, and other donations, which can be dropped off any time the shop is open: Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Special Offering for Malawi Disaster Assistance: Our partners at Jeanes CCAP invite us to join them in providing food, household supplies and other necessities to families in southern Malawi who have been displaced by flooding in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy. Jeanes CCAP has three prayer houses in the Zomba district. A group of 13 villages (the Namaslima villages) have particularly been hit hard by the storm, with 540 families affected and 1,500 homes damaged or washed away. More than 3,000 villagers are now living in seven temporary camps that have been established, some on school campuses. Compounding the problem, a deadly cholera outbreak looms; children cannot attend classes because their schools are being used as shelter for flood victims; and crops have been washed away. The Government of Malawi has declared a state of natural disaster in the ten most-affected districts. As international humanitarian partners, including the Red Cross and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, coordinate their responses, Jeanes CCAP is working to provide local assistance and has mobilized its congregants who are motivated to contribute to the church what little they have. The response has been overwhelming such that Jeanes has been able to provide immediate lifesaving food assistance by distributing maize flour, peas, beans, rice, sugar and salt for porridge, potatoes, cassava, and kitchen equipment, plus second-hand clothes. First Pres Urbana has also responded quickly by sending $5,000 to support the purchase of food and other necessities for those living in the camps, with $2,500 coming from Malawi Mission Fund and $2,500 from the Lucille Carlyle Mission Fund. Because the Kessler Fund has been earmarked to support the partnership’s ongoing programs over the next five years, funds have not been taken from that particular fund. Our Session has authorized a special offering to collect additional funds to send to Malawi for this effort. Please consider making a donation to the Malawi Special Offering to support the partnership in urgently helping displaced families.
Sunday, May 21, 2023
Worship – 9:30 a.m. Sanctuary and Streaming Online
We Welcome to the Pulpit Sunday: Judi Geistlinger. Judi is a longtime resident of Champaign with her husband Jay, and two twenty-something kids: Ted and Beth. Judi works full-time teaching computer workshops at the U of I. Judi is currently also serving as commissioned lay pastor for worship at First Presbyterian, Champaign. Previously, Judi served five years as pastor of a small country church in Indiana.
Scriptures for Sunday:
First Reading: Acts 1:6-14
Second Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11
Gospel Reading: John 17:1-11
Join Us for Sunday 9:30 a.m. Worship!
1. Facebook: www.facebook.com/FirstPresChurchUrbana/
Scroll down to the post from that morning
2. Zoom click on: zoom.us/j/8144246357
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
3. Landline or phone that is not a smart phone:
1 (312) 626-6799.
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
Graduation Reception: Following worship we will celebrate our high school graduate with a reception in the Narthex.
Calling All Graduates: Will you or someone in your family be graduating? Please send information describing their degree, school/college/university, and plans for the future to the church office by Wednesday for the following Sunday.
Thanks to Skylar and Childcare Workers Needed: This Sunday, May 21, is the last one for our long-time Childcare Coordinator, Skylar. She has been with us for over six years. She has been a blessing to us in many ways! She ran the ‘nursery’ (all ages) with skill and good humor. Also, she has been the second adult for the late elementary and middle school class, participating right along, which was a huge help. She did Zoom Sunday School with us, as well.
We are looking for two childcare workers. One needs to be over 21, the other can be 17. Without staff we will not be able to keep the nursery open. If you know of anyone, please let Cindy S. know.
Food & More Program Item of the Month: For May the item is Canned Salmon. Please place donations in the Food & More box near the church office.
Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, June 11 after church – Fun FM wants to cook breakfast for you! We will host a pancake breakfast – complete with pancakes, fruit, and sausages! RSVP to the church office (office@firstpresurbana.org or 217-367-8357) so we have an idea of how much to make.
Special Offering for Malawi Disaster Assistance: Our partners at Jeanes CCAP invite us to join them in providing food, household supplies and other necessities to families in southern Malawi who have been displaced by flooding in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy. Jeanes CCAP has three prayer houses in the Zomba district. A group of 13 villages (the Namaslima villages) have particularly been hit hard by the storm, with 540 families affected and 1,500 homes damaged or washed away. More than 3,000 villagers are now living in seven temporary camps that have been established, some on school campuses. Compounding the problem, a deadly cholera outbreak looms; children cannot attend classes because their schools are being used as shelter for flood victims; and crops have been washed away. The Government of Malawi has declared a state of natural disaster in the ten most-affected districts. As international humanitarian partners, including the Red Cross and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, coordinate their responses, Jeanes CCAP is working to provide local assistance and has mobilized its congregants who are motivated to contribute to the church what little they have. The response has been overwhelming such that Jeanes has been able to provide immediate lifesaving food assistance by distributing maize flour, peas, beans, rice, sugar and salt for porridge, potatoes, cassava, and kitchen equipment, plus second-hand clothes. First Pres Urbana has also responded quickly by sending $5,000 to support the purchase of food and other necessities for those living in the camps, with $2,500 coming from Malawi Mission Fund and $2,500 from the Lucille Carlyle Mission Fund. Because the Kessler Fund has been earmarked to support the partnership’s ongoing programs over the next five years, funds have not been taken from that particular fund. Our Session has authorized a special offering to collect additional funds to send to Malawi for this effort. Please consider making a donation to the Malawi Special Offering to support the partnership in urgently helping displaced families.