Community
Adult Sunday School
Information to come..
Youth
Here at First Presbyterian Church, we seek to create safe and welcoming spaces for teenagers to build community and explore faith together. In addition to their full involvement in the wider life of our congregation, youth meet twice monthly for youth groups, participate in weekly Sunday School classes, and volunteer regularly with local organizations. Throughout the year we also have retreats and mission trips where youth can engage faith and life in new and different ways. Confirmation classes are offered every other year for students in 8th grade and up. If you would like more information about youth ministry at FPC, please contact the church office.
Godly Play
This year we will have two Godly Play Classrooms. One classroom will be for 3-6-year-olds and the other will be for
7-11-year-olds. Parents can drop off their child at 9:45 am in the children’s library for music & movement. Godly Play Sunday school starts at 10:00 am, and parents should plan to pick their child up at the children’s classroom at 10:45 am.
Location: CE Rooms 210 & 211
Contact: Essie Koenig-Reinke
Phone: 505-764-2903
Email: essie.kr@firstpresabq.org
FPC Men’s Fellowship Breafast Meeting:
We invite the men of FPC - and friends of the church - to join together on the first Tuesday of each month at
7:30 am for fellowship and prayer. Our December meeting for the Men’s Fellowship Breakfast will take place on December 6th at 7:30 am in Fellowship Hall at FPC. We are asking that those who plan to attend please sign up on the roster in the church office. This way, we will have breakfast enough for all who come.
First Presbyterian Men’s Spring Retreat:
Christian men get away, for a time filled with prayer, devotion, study, mission, fellowship, and good eats. The retreat commences on a Friday and adjourns after a post-worship breakfast on Sunday.
Notification is provided in mid-winter by Bulletin, Messenger, postcard, and this website. We retreat:
• To share and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ
• To strengthen men’s relationship with God
• To involve men more in our church and its many activities
• To create and sustain a place for men in our church
• To further define men’s role with Christ
• To strengthen men’s role within the family
• To identify common interests among the men of our church
• To develop stronger bonds with men in our church
• To encourage more men to come to church
• To help grow our church and the ministry of Jesus Christ in our world
Sunbonnet Mission Shop
Our unique gift shop of hand-crafted items is located in the Commons Area by the north entrance of the church.
We are open on Sunday mornings from 9:45 am - 11:00 am and 12:00 pm- 12:30 pm and during regular church office hours by appointment. The Sunbonnet Mission Shop is sponsored by the Presbyterian Women of FPC and all proceeds go to missions.
Menual School
Located at Menaul School. Young people from all over the world receive a good education in a Christian atmosphere. Formerly supported by the Mission Board of the Presbyterian Church, now partially dependent on friends for support. Menual is a day school for Middle and High School students.
Presbyterian Women
Our Purpose:
Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study, to support the mission of the church worldwide, to work for justice and peace, and to build an inclusive, caring community of women that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and witness to the promise of God's kingdom.
The women of First Presbyterian Church gather for a Women's Retreat every Fall. Watch for more information forthcoming in the "Messenger Light" Newsletter.
Our Circles:
Our circles meet each month at the church and use the PC(USA) Women's "Horizon Bible Study".
-
Kerygma - meets in the Kerygma Room at 12:30 p.m., every second Monday August through May.
-
Sarah Circle - meets in the Kerygma Room at 12:30 p.m., every third Sunday August through May.
Leon Lake - Director of Music
Leon Lake is an international recitalist, vocal coach, and conductor from West Texas. Mr. Lake first attended South Plains College where he studied voice with Ruby Moultrie, and piano with Wilma Ryan and Dr. Hye-Gyung Ji. Mr. Lake continued his studies at Southern Methodist University where he studied voice with Barbara Hill-Moore.
Jessie Wenchieh Lo- Organist
Dr. Jessie Wenchieh Lo is a Taiwanese American performing artist, recording artist, music educator, and music director. She is a pianist, organist, clarinetist and singer, who has performed in Austria, Belarus, Brazil, China, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, San Marino, Taiwan, and in the United States.
CHANCEL CHOIR
Chancel Choir, which begins the first Wednesday in September, invites singers devoted to choral art and willing to commit to a weekly Wednesday rehearsal. As a formal mixed ensemble focused on four-part harmony it covers the broadest variety of repertoire from Medieval and Renaissance polyphony to the finest works of modern composers.
Chancel Choir offers a cantata or major work at special music worship services. It also provides the music for major seasonal services such as Christmas and Holy Week.
Chancel Choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m. and prepares to sing at 10:30 a.m. for each Sunday’s 11 o’clock worship.
FELLOWSHIP CHOIR
Fellowship Choir, which begins the second Sunday in September, welcomes singers of any skill level willing to arrive early on Sundays for an on-the-spot rehearsal at our early worship service in Fellowship Hall. The informal ensemble nevertheless covers a wide variety of styles in mixed ensemble music (from unison to three part harmony).
Fellowship Choir sings at 8:30 worship and rehearses in the Choir Room on Sundays from 8:00-8:25 a.m.
A Child's Garden was established in 1971 as a non-sectarian community outreach program of First Presbyterian Church. The founding mothers, who were members of the church (many of them with young children,) shared a vision to provide a school experience for young children that acknowledged the development of the whole child--social, emotional, physical, cognitive and affective domains of development.
First Presbyterian Church Deacons
The office of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of sympathy, witness, and service after the example of Jesus Christ, as defined in the Book of Order (G-2.0201)
Our Deacons provide spiritual assistance to members of our church community.
Some of these services include, visiting members in the hospital, making phone calls to homebound members, providing home communion, organizing pastoral care visits, providing greeters for Sunday worship and providing receptions for funerals or memorial services. They host special events such as our 90th birthday celebration for members of the community 90+ years young.
Session and Elders
Ruling Elder Defined
As there were in Old Testament times elders for the government of the people, so the New Testament church provide persons with particular gifts to share in discernment of God's Spirit and governance of God's people. Accordingly, Presbyterian congregations elect persons of wisdom and maturity of faith, who have demonstrated skills in leadership and being compassionate in spirit. Ruling elders are so named not because they "lord it over" the congregation (Matt. 20:25), but because they are chosen by the congregation to pay attention and determine its faithfulness to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life. Ruling elders, together with teaching elders, exercise leadership, government, spiritual attentiveness, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of the congregation as well as the whole church, including relationships with other faith traditions. When elected by the congregation, they serve faithfully as members of the session.
Each Elder serves on a Committee of Session.
The Clerk of Session for 2025 is Christina Meyer
Board of Deacons:
Class of 2025 - Jean Cates, Margaret Cunningham, Paul Cunningham, Emily Foor, Araceli Palafox, Pat Rechard.
Class of 2026 - Marie Miller, Eric Moshier, Rob Rechard, Andy Seiller, Linda Seiller, Julie Taylor, Judy Woods.
Class of 2027: Kim Denton-Hill, Jesse May, Patti May, Billie Pyzel, Samina Mal.
Committees are an integral part of the church, made up of dedicated members of the church community who serve in leadership roles which contribute to the success of the church's ministry and mission.
Following is a list of our current committees, the Elders that serve on each committee, and some of the ways in which they contribute:
The Building and Grounds Committee
Moderator - Joe MacLeod
This committee is responsible for effective management, maintenance, use and acquisition of property, facilities and equipment. These costs include service contracts (pest control, custodial uniforms, tree service, elevator maintenance, etc.), the repair and maintenance of the church's mechanical, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, overall maintenance of the church (paint, custodial equipment and supplies, grounds equipment and supply) and the costs of utilities (electricity, gas and water).
The Christian Education and Youth Committee
Co-Moderator - Cristy Dockter
Co-Moderator- Becky Dees
This committee is responsible for planning, purchasing and implementing curricula and programs for classes involving all age groups at First Presbyterian Church. This extends from the nursery age to senior adult members and friends of the congregation. It includes the adult classes such as Social Concerns, Through the Bible and Disciple Bible Study. The funds allocated to this committee also support Vacation Bible School and the purchase of supplies for worship packets for children to use during services.
The Church in Mission Committee
Moderator - Carol Marr
The Church in Mission Committee seeks to discover the mission needs and opportunities within God’s community and to facilitate involvement of members and friends to promote God’s love through service. This committee provides support, funding and volunteer time to many worthy causes, include Habitat For Humanity, A Child's Garden, Family Promise of Albuquerque, Menaul School, Menaul Historical Library, Meals on Wheels, St. Martin’s Hospitality Center, among others.
The Congregational Nominating Committee
Moderator - Maddy Matteucci
The mission of the Congregational Nominating Committee is to seek out members of the congregation who are called to be leaders and officers of the church. The Administrative Budget allotted to this committee supports the administrative costs associated with this mission.
The Community Life Committee
Moderator - Micaela Briggs
The mission of the Community Life Committee is to engage our members and our neighbors in meaningful and enjoyable events, both within our congregation and in our larger community so that all may experience God’s love and concern through Christian hospitality: including congregational activities such as Isotopes baseball games, Neighborhood Clean-up Days, speaker programs, retreats, Archives, publicity and advertising.
This Committee also promotes and welcomes new members into the First Church family. With the support of the Membership Coordinator, visitors receive notes, emails, or phone calls expressing appreciation for their participation in worship and offering to provide more information on the ministries and missions of First Church. The committee then seeks to help new members get established in the church by following up on their areas of interest. In addition, the committee also reviews the rolls of the church and seeks to help those who have become inactive to become more involved in the church.
The Personnel Committee
Moderator - Anna Medendorp,
The cost of maintaining quality staff leadership at First Presbyterian Church requires a major part of each year's budget. Included in these costs are: salaries and wages, the employer paid benefits package (medical, death and disability insurance coverage and 403(b) contribution) through the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and training/continuation of education allowances for support and program staff.
The Financial Stewardship Committee
Moderator - Stephen Rhoades
This committee's main duties are conducting an annual stewardship/generosity campaign, recommending the balanced annual operating budget to Session, and reviewing and reporting to Session the monthly financial reports. They are also responsible for reviewing the annual budget of A Child's Garden and reporting their monthly finances; recommending to Session the use(s) of unspecified gifts and ensuring that designated funds are used for the purpose for which they were given; recommending a certified public accounting firm to conduct the annual audit and reviewing the audit; and finally communicating with the congregation about the financial status of First Presbyterian Church.
The Worship and Music Committee
Moderator - Ann Farris
This committee’s main duties are to help facilitate planning worship along with the church Pastoral staff. The annual budget of our church for worshipcovers the communion supplies, honorariums for guest preachers, office and liturgical supplies for our ministers, paraments, robe dry cleaning, subscriptions and postage.
Our music program relies on our organist and choir directors, the weekly commitment level of the Whitechapel Bell Choir, Children, Youth, Family, and Chancel Choir members, and a staff that realizes the value of life and growth of this church through its music. Expenses in the music budget include the repair and maintenance of the organs, other instruments, sheet music and ensembles.
Join Us in Making a Difference