Mission

The members, family and friends of First Presbyterian Church take as their Mission:

Proclaiming the good news of God's reconciling love through our Lord Jesus Christ


  • Supporting and encouraging one another in our faith journeys through prayer, worship, Bible study, teaching and fellowship under the guidance of the Holy Spirit
  • Ministering to the needs of the suffering, locally and globally, through personal and corporate action and financial resources
  • First Presbyterian Church -- welcoming both seekers and believers to the Reformed Tradition in Southern Appalachia

Church Street Cafe

Church Street Café is a mission outreach to our neighbors, offering a nutritious meal, free of charge, on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 5:00 pm. Four church teams rotate serving meals, building friendship and fellowship in the community. All are welcome!

Annual Mission Yard Sale

The Mission Yard Sale is a tradition of our church which began on the first Saturday in October, 1994, and has continued the first Saturday in October each year. With more than $300,000 earned through the years to help support various local, regional or international non-profit organizations, our purpose remains the same. On the first Saturday in October each year, the Mission Yard Sale brings the church, the community, families and friends together to visit, shop, share, fellowship and reflect God’s love to those in need.

 

For our 26th Annual Mission Yard Sale, October 5, 2019, we some new things, and the final results were, once again, amazing! From the bakery, gift baskets, lunch, face painting, lemonade stand, popcorn, plants, music and more, the 2019 total was approximately $15,000. This year’s MYS recipient, Safe Space, is a shelter for victims of domestic violence, serving Jefferson, Cocke and Sevier Counties. 

Special Offerings

Five-Cents-A-Meal Program of Holston Presbytery: This offering is collected on the last Sunday of each month and sent to Holston Presbytery for the Local Hunger Relief Project.


One Great Hour of Sharing of the PC(USA): The three programs supported by this Offering - Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People - all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need. From initial disaster response to ongoing community development, their work fits together to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope. We receive this special offering on Easter Sunday.


Pentecost Offering of the PC(USA): This Offering unites us in a church-wide effort to support young people and inspire them to share their faith, ideas, and unique gifts with the church and the world. Psalm 71 testifies that a foundation of faith established during childhood helps ensure lifelong faith and service. The patterns and lessons established during these formative years continue to bear fruit throughout a person's life. By receiving the Pentecost Offering, you are nurturing the faith of those who are the church to come —  children, youth, and young adults. We receive this special offering on Pentecost Sunday.


Peace and Global Witness Offering of the PC(USA): This Offering encourages the church to cast off anxiety and fear, discord and division, and embrace our reconciling God's mission to those around the corner and around the world. Through this Offering, congregations are encouraged and equipped to find and address the anxiety and discord that is prevalent throughout this broken and sinful world. We receive this special offering on World Communion Sunday.


Christmas Joy Offering of the PC(USA): God has blessed the Church with incredible leadership in every time and place, but those leaders often need to be supported by their communities as well. This Offering addresses the support needed by some of our leaders, including supporting leadership development for communities of color, and providing support for Presbyterian church workers in their time of need. We receive this special offering on the Fourth Sunday of Advent.