Old First Presbyterian Church

We are getting ready for you…welcome to worship at 11am today!!!

We are getting ready for you…welcome to worship at 11am today!!!

[09/12/21]   Hello friends. Join us for worship
At church today! If you are fully vaccinated, masked and feeling well please join us for worship at 11 am at 1751 Sacramento Street. Otherwise join for our month long “experirment” in live streaming. You can find a link and down load a bulletin at www.oldfirst.com.
Peace Pastor Maggi

Just had communion- this is where I first served communion and now the first timeI have been served in a year and half- we are all connected!

Just had communion- this is where I first served communion and now the first timeI have been served in a year and half- we are all connected!

I am worshing at Central Presbyterian in Eugene, Oregon. This is where I became a Presbyterian, an Elder and they sent me off to ministry over 30+ years ago. Thankful to be here. Yes, pastors go to church on vacation!

I am worshing at Central Presbyterian in Eugene, Oregon. This is where I became a Presbyterian, an Elder and they sent me off to ministry over 30+ years ago. Thankful to be here. Yes, pastors go to church on vacation!

This book return came in the mail this week - a decade over due. There are no fines at Old First- just grace. Welcome back, welcome home…
Peace , Pastor Maggi

This book return came in the mail this week - a decade over due. There are no fines at Old First- just grace. Welcome back, welcome home…
Peace , Pastor Maggi

Look who I”found” in the building yesterday-G. who was helping with take away community meals, I worked at the food pantry in the am and E. picked up and delivered food left from the pantry. There is so much compassion and care thst still is being done these days on the corner Van Ness and Sacramento. This is Gods love lived out. Proud to be your pastor Old First!

Look who I”found” in the building yesterday-G. who was helping with take away community meals, I worked at the food pantry in the am and E. picked up and delivered food left from the pantry. There is so much compassion and care thst still is being done these days on the corner Van Ness and Sacramento. This is Gods love lived out. Proud to be your pastor Old First!

Old First will resume in-person worship with health safety protocols in place beginning Sunday, September 12, at 11:00 am. Worship will also continue to be available on-line via livestream.

We invite those who have been fully vaccinated to join us in person at the church. Because protecting each other’s health is a primary part of Old First’s mission – Jesus’ call to love one another – we will wear masks for the whole service, use hand-sanitizer, and observe social distancing. Though there will be no coffee hour, you’ll be able to greet and talk with others after worship in the open air on the corner of Van Ness Avenue and Sacramento Street.

We invite those who are not vaccinated, are unwell, or are unable to come to worship to join us on-line for the livestream experience. In the right-hand sidebar column on the homepage of our website, you will find links to sign up for Old First’s E-mails and to visit Old First’s YouTube channel.

Pastor Maggi asks us to keep those involved in worship in our prayers as Old First finds the way forward.

Old First will resume in-person worship with health safety protocols in place beginning Sunday, September 12, at 11:00 am. Worship will also continue to be available on-line via livestream.

We invite those who have been fully vaccinated to join us in person at the church. Because protecting each other’s health is a primary part of Old First’s mission – Jesus’ call to love one another – we will wear masks for the whole service, use hand-sanitizer, and observe social distancing. Though there will be no coffee hour, you’ll be able to greet and talk with others after worship in the open air on the corner of Van Ness Avenue and Sacramento Street.

We invite those who are not vaccinated, are unwell, or are unable to come to worship to join us on-line for the livestream experience. In the right-hand sidebar column on the homepage of our website, you will find links to sign up for Old First’s E-mails and to visit Old First’s YouTube channel.

Pastor Maggi asks us to keep those involved in worship in our prayers as Old First finds the way forward.

[08/18/21]   We believe in relationships.
We believe in asking hard questions,
in showing up for one another,
and in sitting together through the pain.
We believe in listening with grace,
learning with curiosity,
and apologizing with sincerity.
We believe in asking for help,
saying what we need,
and trusting that no degree of vulnerability
could strip us of God’s love.
We believe in trying our best
and offering grace
when our best is not enough.
And we believe that God is in all relationships—
modeling for us the value of community
through the relationships of the Trinity.
So we love today,
and we strive to love
even more tomorrow.
Let it be so. Amen.
By Lisa Garritty

Help for Haiti: And after the earthquake … a sound of sheer silence.
Then there came a voice … that said, "What are you doing here?"
(1 Kings 19:12–13)
The scale of the disaster facing Haiti after the Aug. 14 earthquake is becoming clearer. The quake and its aftershocks have left almost 1,300 people dead, thousands more injured and an unknown number of people are still missing. At least 13,000 homes were destroyed and roads, bridges and communication systems have been severely damaged. This catastrophe comes on top of Haiti’s ongoing struggles with endemic hunger and poverty, COVID-19 and continuing civil unrest, and as Tropical Storm Grace bears down on the region.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is providing emergency relief and short-term recovery in the impacted areas through our established local partners and in collaboration with ACT Alliance and its members. The PC(USA), through PDA and together with regional World Mission colleagues, will remain active throughout the entire recovery process, accompanying our partners in the area as they determine long-term program needs and providing financial support for rebuilding and resilience.
The needs for the response will be great. God’s people are once again called on to stand in the "GAP" — Give. Act. Pray.
GIVE. ACT. PRAY.
GIVE: Gifts can be made online, by phone at (800) 872-3283, or by check, which can be mailed to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700.
ACT: Learn how you and your congregation can help families who have lost everything in the devastation. Stay informed and like us on Facebook, download resources and share updates with your congregation.
PRAY: As this earthquake continues to cause destruction and loss of life, please pray with us that the communities affected by this event and those offering assistance will be strengthened, have their needs met and be reminded of the hope found in God.

Help for Haiti: And after the earthquake … a sound of sheer silence.
Then there came a voice … that said, "What are you doing here?"
(1 Kings 19:12–13)
The scale of the disaster facing Haiti after the Aug. 14 earthquake is becoming clearer. The quake and its aftershocks have left almost 1,300 people dead, thousands more injured and an unknown number of people are still missing. At least 13,000 homes were destroyed and roads, bridges and communication systems have been severely damaged. This catastrophe comes on top of Haiti’s ongoing struggles with endemic hunger and poverty, COVID-19 and continuing civil unrest, and as Tropical Storm Grace bears down on the region.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is providing emergency relief and short-term recovery in the impacted areas through our established local partners and in collaboration with ACT Alliance and its members. The PC(USA), through PDA and together with regional World Mission colleagues, will remain active throughout the entire recovery process, accompanying our partners in the area as they determine long-term program needs and providing financial support for rebuilding and resilience.
The needs for the response will be great. God’s people are once again called on to stand in the "GAP" — Give. Act. Pray.
GIVE. ACT. PRAY.
GIVE: Gifts can be made online, by phone at (800) 872-3283, or by check, which can be mailed to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700.
ACT: Learn how you and your congregation can help families who have lost everything in the devastation. Stay informed and like us on Facebook, download resources and share updates with your congregation.
PRAY: As this earthquake continues to cause destruction and loss of life, please pray with us that the communities affected by this event and those offering assistance will be strengthened, have their needs met and be reminded of the hope found in God.

It was great to be back with leaders in the sanctuary for our experimental live worship today. Hopefully, soon we can all be together again! Maggi talked to us about bread.

Where are you from? (PREVIEW)

Preview: "I've Been Meaning to Ask... Where Are You From?"

I invite you to watch this short preview of the video by Dr. Raj Nadella that opens up this week's theme “I've Been Meaning to Ask... Where Are You From?" The team of A Sanctified Art has developed this theme to find a way through and out of these isolating and divisive time of Covid-19. -Pastor Maggi Henderson

PS: To watch the full 6-minute video, simply visit our website: oldfirst.org -Maggi

https://vimeo.com/542955641

Where are you from? (PREVIEW) This is a short preview of a longer video vignette in which Dr. Raj Nadella responds to the question, "Where are you from?" This video is part of our…

"I've Been Meaning to Ask..." The New Worship Series
from A Sanctified Art Begins This Sunday

This coming Sunday we will begin a new worship series from the theologians and artists of A Sanctified Art. The series is called "I've Been Meaning to Ask... A Series for Curiosity, Compassion & Connection."

"I've Been Meaning to Ask..." The New Worship Series
from A Sanctified Art Begins This Sunday

This coming Sunday we will begin a new worship series from the theologians and artists of A Sanctified Art. The series is called "I've Been Meaning to Ask... A Series for Curiosity, Compassion & Connection."

[08/04/21]   This is 3/3 of the Brief Statement of Faith. Enjoy, Pastor Maggi
We trust in God the Holy Spirit,
everywhere the giver and renewer of life.
The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith,
sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor,
and binds us together with all believers
in the one body of Christ, the Church.
The same Spirit
who inspired the prophets and apostles
rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture,
engages us through the Word proclaimed,
claims us in the waters of baptism,
feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation,
and calls women and men to all ministries of the church.
In a broken and fearful world
the Spirit gives us courage
to pray without ceasing,
to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior,
to unmask idolatries in Church and culture,
to hear the voices of peoples long silenced,
and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace.
In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit,
we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks
and to live holy and joyful lives,
even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth,
praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
With believers in every time and place,
we rejoice that nothing in life or in death
can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Happy Birthday to our wonderful pastor Maggi!

Happy Birthday to our wonderful pastor Maggi!

‘Wait on the Lord and be of good courage’

Check out this letter from the PC(USA)'s Stated Clerk, J. Herbert Nelson: thoughtful and timely.

‘Wait on the Lord and be of good courage’ Over the past several months, churches across the country have enjoyed a return to in-person worship as millions of people began receiving vaccinations against the COVID-19 virus. Many churches have relaxed guidelines completely while others have continued to practice social distancing and other mea...

Old First Member George Becker, MD, Summarizes Report of Post-Vaccination Covid-19 Cases from NEJM

We are blessed to have George Becker, M.D. as a member of our church and a part of the committee working on resumption of in-person worship. At one of our recent meetings George spoke so clearly we asked him to sum up his thoughts for the whole church. I hope it is as clarifying to you as it was to me. –Maggi Henderson

"This is a bit of bad news mitigated by good news.
"The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine published an article describing breakthrough Covid-19 infections in two persons (age 51 and 65) who had been fully vaccinated [“Brief Report: Vaccine Breakthrough Infections with SARS-CoV-2 Variants,” NEJM, June 10, 2021]. These persons, from a cohort of 417, presented with symptoms of fatigue, congestion and runny nose, headache and in one case anosmia [loss of smell] and sore throat. While symptomatic they tested positive for Covid-19 active infection. In each case the symptoms resolved, with no specific treatment other than rest, within five to seven days. Both persons returned to baseline physical health.
"So what does this mean for us? First, it is clear that being fully vaccinated does not prevent a re-infection with Covid-19. That’s the bad news. Second, it seems highly likely that being fully vaccinated provides substantial protection from the Covid-19 virus and its mutants. If infected, one can expect a mild and short-lived disease course. One would not expect to die! That’s the good news.
"Given these data, some persons may choose to wear a mask in group gatherings inside despite recent CDC guidelines suggesting that it is reasonably safe not to do so if fully vaccinated. Persons who have not been fully vaccinated should, inside and out, wear a mask and practice appropriate social distancing." ―George B̶ecker, M.D.

Old First Member George Becker, MD, Summarizes Report of Post-Vaccination Covid-19 Cases from NEJM

We are blessed to have George Becker, M.D. as a member of our church and a part of the committee working on resumption of in-person worship. At one of our recent meetings George spoke so clearly we asked him to sum up his thoughts for the whole church. I hope it is as clarifying to you as it was to me. –Maggi Henderson

"This is a bit of bad news mitigated by good news.
"The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine published an article describing breakthrough Covid-19 infections in two persons (age 51 and 65) who had been fully vaccinated [“Brief Report: Vaccine Breakthrough Infections with SARS-CoV-2 Variants,” NEJM, June 10, 2021]. These persons, from a cohort of 417, presented with symptoms of fatigue, congestion and runny nose, headache and in one case anosmia [loss of smell] and sore throat. While symptomatic they tested positive for Covid-19 active infection. In each case the symptoms resolved, with no specific treatment other than rest, within five to seven days. Both persons returned to baseline physical health.
"So what does this mean for us? First, it is clear that being fully vaccinated does not prevent a re-infection with Covid-19. That’s the bad news. Second, it seems highly likely that being fully vaccinated provides substantial protection from the Covid-19 virus and its mutants. If infected, one can expect a mild and short-lived disease course. One would not expect to die! That’s the good news.
"Given these data, some persons may choose to wear a mask in group gatherings inside despite recent CDC guidelines suggesting that it is reasonably safe not to do so if fully vaccinated. Persons who have not been fully vaccinated should, inside and out, wear a mask and practice appropriate social distancing." ―George B̶ecker, M.D.

This is a really interesting article about lawn sign activism: https://achurchforstarvingartists.blog/2021/07/26/lawn-signs-wont-change-the-world/?fbclid=IwAR2RGdh7o9TKgfa7tzblePhRdxQ6Vtiz2xQAC_fSLSVbVZFZSPOBviedFIU

This is a really interesting article about lawn sign activism: https://achurchforstarvingartists.blog/2021/07/26/lawn-signs-wont-change-the-world/?fbclid=IwAR2RGdh7o9TKgfa7tzblePhRdxQ6Vtiz2xQAC_fSLSVbVZFZSPOBviedFIU

[07/25/21]   Good Sunday Morning! Wanted to remind you that you can always get our worship service by going to Old First Presbyterians U tube channel. Pastor Maggi

[07/25/21]   Brief Statement of Faith, part 2 out of 3
We trust in God,
whom Jesus called Abba, Father.
In sovereign love God created the world good
and makes everyone equally in God’s image
male and female, of every race and people,
to live as one community.
But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator.
Ignoring God’s commandments,
we violate the image of God in others and ourselves,
accept lies as truth,
exploit neighbor and nature,
and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care.
We deserve God’s condemnation.
Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation.
In everlasting love,
the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people
to bless all families of the earth.
Hearing their cry,
God delivered the children of Israel
from the house of bo***ge.
Loving us still,
God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant.
Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child,
like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home,