Sunday, September 27, we will collect money and packaged and unrefrigerated "protein" foods for the Samaritans food pantry. Please bring your donations and place them in the Narthex Box that day. Examples of "protein" foods include canned tuna, chicken breast, spam, beans (not green beans!) and chili. Some foods such as these also come in foil packaging. Please do not donate refrigerated or frozen items found in the meat and seafood section of your grocery store. The Samarita

Hello, friends, This is a short pastoral blog post to let you know that I have notified session that I wish to resign my position here as your pastor. In scripture there is a difference between clock or calendar time and God's time. Sometimes the Greek word for God's time is translated season. For personal reasons, it is the right season for Mary and me to move to Baltimore and be closer to our family. We're looking forward to the next season of our life. We're sad to le

The Garvin County Choral Society has begun rehearsing for its Christmas production. GCCS will be singing Gloria by John Rutter, Gloria by Michael Trotta and a selection of Alfred Burt carols. The concert will be accompanied by brass, percussion and organ and some of our own singers will participate. The performance will be Sunday, December 13, at 4:00pm at First Presbyterian Church of Pauls Valley. Singers of all ages from high school age up are welcome. The choir gathers and

Join your friends this Sunday, September 27, for "Nacho Average Bible Bingo," a fun time learning facts from the Bible. There will be a nacho bar to build-your-own plate and drinks will be provided. Youth of all ages are welcome to the delicious competition following the Sunday worship service.

Come and explore how God’s people use song in moments of liberation, tribulation, and transformation to witness God’s new creation being revealed in their midst. This is the focus of our next study, "Sing a New Song," in the Adult Sunday School. Music makes space for God’s holy mystery. Songs and hymns remain with us throughout a life of discipleship, as music reinforces memory and inspires in ways words cannot. Even if singing is not one’s chosen form of self-expression, the

Due to unexpected circumstances, the choir retreat had to be rescheduled. Music Director Steve Kennedy and the choir will gather on Saturday, September 12, from 10:00am to about 12:30pm at the church to rehearse music to be used in worship up to and including the Advent season. This is the perfect time to try out the choir ministry. Each newcomer will be placed in the right group by the part he or she sings and everyone is allowed to make mistakes on the way toward learning t

The Nora Sparks Warren Library fills a special need each day at Pauls Valley Junior High by providing snacks for about 60 kids. Let's help them help the kids refuel each afternoon by donating all kinds of snacks. The library staff is requesting non-refrigerated individual servings of crackers, cookies, dried fruit, etc. The more nutritious, the better.

A new church directory is ready! The handy booklet provides contact information for your church family and friends. Members and active attenders are welcome to pick up an updated Church Directory before or after worship services in the first few Sundays of September. The directory is available both in the Narthex and the Annex, or you can come by the office during office hours. Take one per family, and please sign or initial the “Recipient” list so we can ensure each family

Dear Presbyterian Church Family, I would like to officially announce the re-launch of the church’s library. It has been organized in categories from History, Commentary, and Theology to Daily Devotionals and Prayers. We have a wide variety of books for every level of interest. One of my latest finds is a book of daily reflections: "Day by Day with the Early Church Fathers" by Christopher Hudson. It contains short, insightful readings for every day of the year. I have enjoyed

Summer break was good, but the choir members move back into full service mode starting the week after Labor Day. Ronnie and Peggy got on Route 66 and saw many memorable sights of Americana as part of the 100th anniversary of the "Mother Road." RexAnn took in some sports performances of her grandkids. Mary and Steve shared their talents by presenting a musical on the high school's stage. If you're interested in getting in on the music of our church, please join us on Sunday mo

Saturday, August 29, is a big day for our church choir. ... And if you've always wondered what it's like to be part of a church's music ministry, JOIN US and find out. Music Director Steven Kennedy will walk choir members through various new and some familiar songs that will assist in our worship services for the fall season and through Advent. We will explore songs for Communion, All Saints Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The gathering is set for 10:00am to 2:00pm at the

There will be no Children's Worship on Sunday, September 6, due to Labor Day Weekend. Children's Worship will begin its regular schedule on Sunday, September 13. Children from 4 years of age to those entering the third grade are welcome to come. At this time, we will probably meet in the conference room, on the balcony level at the top of the Bradley Ave entrance staircase. Things we need: I will occasionally need a "2nd adult." Let me know if you would like to volunteer. As

Join us as we celebrate the start of a new school year with a fun day at the pool! Kristi Drennan is again our host. Get in on the fun on Saturday, August 15, from 11:00am until the last one leaves. Don't forget to bring: Sunscreen Towel Life jacket, if needed Come ready for swimming, food, and lots of fun with friends. We can’t wait to see everyone there! For directions, contact the church office.

The focus of the League of Questioneers is to be able to construct good questions of the Bible. We're like engineers of questions: we're questioneers. We've been asking question since we got started and found that a lot of the questions orbited around prediction, prophecy, and predestination. Since then, we've been tracing Bible stories about prediction, prophets, and prophecy in roughly canonical order (the stories come in books-of-the-Bible order). It has been fascinati

Next up for the adult Sunday School study is "Honoring God's Diversity." God calls us to honor diversity that God has created in our world by diving deep beyond just accepting diversity. When we recognize and celebrate the different gifts, abilities, and voices in all creation, we honor the diversity in the world that God has created. God embraces our differences as God created all in the image of God’s own diversity. Honoring God’s diversity helps us see those who are margin

Did you know there is a group of people who deliver meals to members of our congregation in need throughout the year? Our team of caring cooks are themselves in need of various kinds of food storage and cooking containers. Let's support this appreciated ministry by donating these supplies via the narthex collection box. Please donate NEW and UNUSED paper or plastic containers of various sizes, oven-ready aluminum foil tins, and insulated sacks with handles to carry the food.

August is an exciting month for our choir, and we can’t wait to share what we have in store! We begin August with our full choir leading music at the communion service on August 2. We are especially thrilled to be accompanied by Libby Patton on the flute—we are so excited to have her join us for this special service! As always, we love highlighting the diverse talents in our community. If you would like to share a musical gift—vocal or instrumental—please reach out to our Mus

I’m sure many of you have questions about the water abatement project in our basement. For many years our basement has had issues with flooding. Several years ago the Session created a plan to solve this problem. The plan consists of three phases. The first phase was coating the outside basement walls and grading the grounds to carry water away from the building. This phase was completed a couple of years ago. Phase two is installing a drainage system in the basement floo

Our choir reconvenes Wednesday at 5:30pm to prepare for Communion Sunday on August 2. Come have fun singing and preparing to be part of our worship time together. All skill levels welcome.

Learn about the Operation Christmas Child shoebox ministry of Samaritan's Purse by hearing the personal story of special guest Christy Mardini, a one-time shoebox recipient. This presentation will be at 6:00pm Thursday, July 23, at Beaty Baptist Church, 32090 Airline Road, Pauls Valley. Refreshments will be served.