by Carol Burns | Dec 27, 2019
The poet W.H. Auden summed up how many people view the week after Christmas in his poem, For the Time Being. As he sits in the aftermath of Christmas celebrations, he reflects: Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree, putting the decorations back into...
by Carol Burns | Dec 20, 2019
Christmas is almost here! The busyness of the season is in full swing, I know, and that is certainly the case here at First Pres over the next few days. But in the midst of that busyness, I hope that you will both seek and find time for reflection, celebration, and...
by Carol Burns | Dec 12, 2019
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: AN EXPERIENCE OF HOPE Advent has become an increasingly unusual season in the Christian church because it stands in significant contrast to the way in which the general culture prepares for Christmas. In terms of our theology and...
by Carol Burns | Dec 6, 2019
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: GROWING IN STRENGTH This Sunday we will be receiving new members at both the Contemporary and Traditional services. It’s always a wonderful and special service when we welcome new members into the life and ministry of this...
by Carol Burns | Nov 27, 2019
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: ALREADY BEGINNING TO HAPPEN When I was a child, Advent always made a lot more sense to me than Lent. In the Christian church, we typically talk about Advent as a season of waiting, and that’s exactly what Advent felt like: waiting for...
by Carol Burns | Nov 22, 2019
A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY This coming Sunday is the last Sunday of the Christian year; “New Year’s Day” on the Christian calendar is the first Sunday of Advent, which is December 1 this year. But it is not simply the last Sunday of the...
