mission

Presbyterian student fellowship

Leaving your hometown can be quite an adjustment and finding a new place to worship in an unfamiliar town can be a daunting task. First Presbyterian would like to invite you to be part of our family while you are here in Morgantown.

In partnership with the Presbyterian Student Fellowship at WVU, we sponsor a variety of social groups, activities, and discussion groups designed to interest all ages including activities tailored to the needs and concerns unique to students. This pamphlet contains information on some of our regular opportunities for religious and social interaction.

We understand how important it is for you to have a "home away from home," so please feel free to stop by the church to sample some of our activities as well as join us on Sundays for worship.

Kenyan sister church

Ongoing efforts to broaden the Kenyan Sister Church Relationship with the Nyamachaki Church include:

	Pen pal letter exchanges between the people from the Nyamachaki and First Presbyterian churches, creating personal friendship to cultivate.
	An Adult Ed Series including a special representative from our Presbytery to share the origin and development of the Partnership with the Nyeri Presbytery. Other special speakers with expertise in African language, religion, culture and health were also part of this series.
	Our plans to invite a representative of the Nyeri Presbytery to come to FPC, Morgantown for an extended visit were realized in 2003. We believed that to really increase our investment in the Sister Church relationship, we needed to have a direct, face-to-face relationship with someone from there. Phoebe Gachau actively ministered to us in a variety of ways while here, thereby giving us time to get acquainted, learn about their church, and learn how the Kenyan Presbyterians express their faith. Our own faith was be enriched by such an experience.
	We continue to raise funds to support special projects on which the Nyeri Presbytery is working. This portion of our plans gives us a means of responding to the important physical, social and educational needs of the Nyeri community.

Pancake breakfast

A pancake breakfast, served every Sunday morning from 8:00-9:30 am in Westminster Hall, was begun in 1998 to serve the less fortunate in the greater Morgantown area. A meal of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, cold cereal, orange juice, coffee and tea is served, free of charge, to approximately 70 individuals every week. This is the only Sunday morning meal served in the local area. The individuals that take advantage of the church's hospitality range from single males and females to entire families.Funding for the meals is generated from donations made by church members; these donations are separate from church pledges. Individuals are asked to donate $60 to cover the expenses for one Sunday's meal. The donors that sponsor a meal are recognized in the Sunday bulletin.

Members of the church serve the meal each Sunday on a team basis. Eight teams, comprised of 5-7 members each, serve on Sunday every two months. Team members range in age from 8 to 75, making this a truly intergenerational mission project.

Habitat for Humanity

For further information contact: Mon County Habitat for Humanity 292-0914

Stephen Ministry

The Stephen Ministry program at First Presbyterian Church is:

	A special ministry in which one Christian reaches out to another in time of need.
	A structured program of training and preparation for a caring relationship.
	An opportunity to reach out to others – the lonely, the depressed, the inactive, the bereaved, new people in town, those hospitalized and convalescing, the divorced, the aged.
	An on-going helping relationship with scheduled regularity, dependability, and confidentiality.
	A meaningful way for our church to use more fully our many talents in sharing one another’s burdens and joys.

Stephen Ministers are:

	Lay men and women for our congregation who have developed their gifts for bringing the concern and care of Christ’s community to people in need.
	People who come from all walks of life, age ranges and backgrounds.
	Care and sharing Christians desiring to offer their help/support to others in time of need.
	Trained Christians having developed their helping skills through intensive course work.
	Dedicated Christians commissioned by our church to confidential, in-depth caring

Stephen Ministry Contacts:

Suzanne Gainer 599-8300
Mavis Grant-Lilley 599-2352
George Lilley 599-2352
Beth Madison 296-6421
Lloyd Slaughter 599-4431

Bread for the World

Information about Bread for the World can be found at the following web address: http://www.bread.org/

First Presbyterian Church, Morgantown is a covenant member of Bread for the World. Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy group with numerous members from a wide array of religious faiths that advocates for policies to eliminate hunger and promote social justice. These have included both domestic and international issues. Each year, our congregation takes time to write letters to our congressional representatives to express our concern for key legislation selected by Bread for the World. In addition, we keep up to date on these issues throughout the legislative session to follow the progress of these issues. During 2000, we have written letters to support the Hunger Relief Act and the debt relief package for the poorest Third World nations.

Please visit the Bread for the World web page for up to date
information on these issues, http://www.bread.org/

Intergenerational Exercise

Intergenerational Exercise meets at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays for one and a half hours. We have met in Westminister Hall except in the summer when members complained about the heat. We have been meeting since then at Pzazz Dance Studio in Sabraton.We do floor exercises for stretch and strength. We then do some barre exercises to get a feeling of centering and strengthening our legs. Finally, we do floor patterns consisting of balance, turns and jumps. We also practice for Presby Dancers.

For more information, please contact Shirley Schreiber at 292-3180.