Missions

This annual holiday assistance mission allows our generous congregation to provide Christmas gifts for Lincoln County children in need. A tree is decorated with numbered angel tags that have a child's first name, age, and gender, along with a wish-list. Donors can choose a tag and shop from the child’s list, which may include toys, clothing, shoes or gift cards. The distribution of the gifts is several weeks before Christmas.

The goal of this supplemental food program is to ensure that kids have access to healthy meals outside of school. Volunteers order, organize, and pack the food into the backpacks and deliver them to Head Start, a local child advocacy organization. Although the focus is on providing food for the children for the weekend, we also provide boxed holiday meals for their families at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

In conjunction with the Center for Aging in Huntsville, AL, we offer a Balance and Coordination Program targeting the elderly and other individuals at risk of falling. This service is offered to the public free of charge on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 1:00 PM. Although the classes target the elderly, all ages are welcome. Classes meet in the First Presbyterian Church Family Life Center.

The gymnasium at First Presbyterian Church is the place to be on Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 PM if you enjoy playing basketball. The activity is open to anyone and the play is always competitive and challenging. The players divide into teams on their own and call their own fouls. There are always members of our congregation to supervise and support. We are blessed to have members of our congregation provide snacks for everyone. The average participation is 20+ players who range in age from Middle School to adults who can be 60+. Just coming to watch is encouraged. Come and see!

Fair Trade coffee is served from our kitchen for all church events. This is a Presbyterian project that forms a partnership between congregations and farming families, helping them stay on their land, care for the environment, and support their families.

First Presbyterian Church has many financial assistance programs. These include Cents-Ability, a hunger relief project of the Presbytery of Middle TN, Junior’s House Child Advocacy Center, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, “Souper Bowl” hunger relief offering, and local utility assistance. We also have ways to help those with needs beyond utility assistance. Sunday School offerings are used to provide financial support for missionaries.

Our Child Care Center has been providing exceptional child care and education for preschoolers for more than 30 years. With a primary objective of making learning fun, the center is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:15 AM -2:15 PM.

Good Sam helps families in need. First Presbyterian Church Fayetteville assists in this program by collecting peanut butter every third Sunday (“Peanut Butter Sunday”). We also provide volunteer workers several weeks during each year.

Helping Hands is a food ministry directed toward families when they experience medical or other crises. The Congregational Care Committee coordinates the delivery of home-cooked meals as a physical expression of the congregation’s love and care.

In November each year The Host of Christmas Past takes over the Fayetteville city center, and our church cemetery stroll draws large crowds to learn about those laid to rest in the historic First Presbyterian Church cemetery. It is a wonderful volunteer opportunity, especially for those with a love of history and a flair for storytelling.

Living Waters for the World (LWW) is a ministry of the Synod of Living Waters of the Presbyterian Church USA. LWW works to introduce water filtration systems and plans for communities and neighborhoods in areas where safe drinking/cooking water is in short supply. In 2007 First Presbyterian Church partnered with Fayetteville’s Rotary Club to send a team to Guastatoya, Guatemala for installation, maintenance and operation of a water filtration system (installed and operating since 2008). Since this first installation, several teams have returned to Guatemala to do check-ups, maintenance, education and new installations.

Individuals, families, and groups within the church bring in shoe boxes filled with items from wish/want lists provided by the OCC organization. They are then sent to be distributed overseas.

Pickleball, which can be enjoyed by all ages, genders, and ability levels, is offered every Monday and Thursday from 5:30-7:30 PM in our Gym. There are two courts, and the games are usually played as doubles with players swapping partners after each game. The competition and exercise are great, but the social interaction is what is the most fun and rewarding. No equipment is needed since the church has everything needed to start playing. Come and play.

First Presbyterian Church coordinates with various organizations to engage adults and youth in mission work outside our community. Groups have worked in places such as Pine Ridge, SD; the Cumberland Mountains, AK; Bayou La Batre, AL; and Long Beach, MS (Hurricane Katrina relief). We have also participated in projects such as repairing tornado-damaged homes in Alabama, gleaning produce from local farmers with The Society for St. Andrew, and helping out at our local Child Advocacy Center.