A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: WAITING AND WATCHING Happy New Year! This Sunday marks the beginning of a new year on the Christian calendar, with the first Sunday of Advent. I’m bringing this up for two reasons. First, I figured any excuse to put this most recent year behind...

A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: with both supplication and thanksgiving In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he says, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” There’s actually quite a bit of theological significance in...

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BETHLEHEM’S DISCIPLESHIP CLASSES & RACIAL JUSTICE MINISTRY Rev. J.C. Austin’s special message of June 6: Opposing Racial Injustice Spotlight Newsletter Article: “More Than Good Intentions” Links to videos of previous Discipleship classes are at the bottom of this page. We are undertaking an active response to...

A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: A BIT DIFFERENTLY It is hard to believe it, but Thanksgiving is two weeks from today, and Advent begins the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend! As we head into what will obviously be a very different kind of holiday season,  I want to talk about...

A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: THE EXPERIMENTS CONTINUE On Wednesday night, we held our most recent in-person outdoor service, this time a special service to pray for healing for our nation amidst all the social concerns and political divisions that we are experiencing, especially in the context of a...