Announcements
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Important Capital Project Update and Safety Reminders
We are continuing foundation work for the new Commons. Work also continues on the North Drive, and the temporary walkway is in place for Sunday access from the Midtown Plaza parking deck. Please watch your step and take caution as you are using this walkway.
Please note, for ease of entry, we have added an accessibility ramp on the 16th Street entrance near the Vestry.
You will also note that a construction fence has been erected outside the Sanctuary on Peachtree Street as we begin access and aesthetic improvements in this space. This will temporarily close the main Narthex entrance to the sanctuary from Peachtree Street.
Please see below for more details on these impacts. To give you a preview of what the construction team is hard at work building, see renderings of our future spaces on the temporary walls in Fifield Hall, Founder’s Hall, and the North hallway.
Safety remains our top priority for staff, congregation, students, guests, and all campus visitors during our ongoing construction project.
For your safety, it is critical that ONLY authorized construction personnel enter the construction zone – including the North Drive and designated parking areas.
The main Peachtree Street Narthex entrance to the Sanctuary is now closed.
Sanctuary access from the exterior of the building will be available through the 16th Street Narthex entrance. The Peachtree Street Founder’s Hall entrance will be open on Sundays only.
Interior entrances to the sanctuary will remain open throughout the week and weekend.
North Drive Closed:
The North Drive by Fifield Hall is now closed for construction until Summer 2025. We have also lost some of our parking lot spaces nearest to North Drive.
The construction gate to the North Drive may be periodically opened for construction purposes. Do NOT enter the North Drive or construction parking areas under any circumstances.
While the North Drive is closed, pedestrian access from the Midtown Plaza parking deck to the North entrance and the temporary toilets will remain accessible on Sundays only.
Weekday Parking Lot Access:
Preschool drop-off and pickup is now routed through the Arts Center Way parking lot. PMO drop-off and pickup will happen along 16th Street.
You will not be allowed to enter or exit the parking lot during carpool times (weekdays from approximately 8:45 – 9:15 a.m. and 12:50 – 3:00 p.m.).
If you are visiting campus during the week, it is highly recommended that you park in the church parking deck across Peachtree Street. Please bring your parking ticket to the security desk for a validation sticker. A security officer escort to the parking deck will be available upon request.
If you choose to park in the parking lot, be advised that all cars will be required to wait for the carpool line to be cleared before they are allowed to enter or exit the lot.
Our security and facilities team will be outside during carpool enforcing these rules for the safety of our children.
Help Build First Presbyterian's 48th Habitat House
On Saturday, February 15th, volunteers began building FPC’s 48th Habitat house! After six more Saturdays of work (March 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, and April 5th) the house will be complete and ready for healthcare supervisor Kendra Dawes and her 13-year-old daughter Imahn to move in.
The construction of Ms. Dawes’ home is made possible by the repeated generous gift of an anonymous donor and the work of volunteers from First Pres and partner churches: Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Cascade United Methodist Church, Haygood Memorial United Methodist Church, and St. Benedict Catholic Church.
Working on a Habitat house is a most-rewarding experience and one you will want to repeat. Volunteering forms, develops, and strengthens friendships and enables home-owning families to thrive for generations to come. Each workday includes a nutritious lunch and all tools being furnished by Habitat.
To learn more about and work on this Habitat build, visit https://vhub.at/firstpres.
If you would like more information, contact Bill Earnest at williammearnest@yahoo.com or (404)351-8030.
Arts Ministry
Lenten Art Talks
The FPC Arts Council announces Lenten Art Talks 2025, Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. from March 16-April 6. On March 9, Chris Holmes will give the opening lecture, with Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson from Emory's Candler School of Theology as the closing speaker on April 13. In addition to the First in Focus Curriculum for Lent, the Lenten Art Talks offer an exploration of personal reflection and sacrifice with great works of art.
Please join us in Winship Chapel for Lenten Art Talks 2025.
Chamber Music Athens
Concerts@First presents Chamber Music Athens, UGA’s premier national chamber music festival, making its Atlanta debut on Friday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. Guest artists perform alongside UGA musicians in gems of the chamber music repertoire. Guests include Atlanta Symphony Orchestra violinists David Coucheron (concertmaster) and Kenn Wagner as well as First Presbyterian Director of the Arts and Organist, Thomas Bara. UGA faculty performers feature recent additions to the UGA faculty, cellist James Kim (award winner, 2024 Naumburg Competition), saxophonist Brandon Quarles, and pianist Alan Woo, with Chamber Music Athens co-directors Michael Heald (violin) and Liza Stepanova (piano) alongside Elizabeth Knight (mezzo-soprano), D. Ray McClellan (clarinet), Maggie Snyder (viola), and UGA top string students. The program journeys around the world featuring Schumann’s glorious Piano Quintet, Prokofiev Overture on Hebrew Themes, Manuel De Falla El amor brujo, and more.
To learn more about Chamber Music Athens and for complete program information, please visit www.chambermusicathens.org
Tickets: $20 general admission, $15 FPC members, FREE for students and seniors
Meet Daniel Sundaram, Outstanding Wirth Music Scholarship Recipient
Daniel Sundaram has been studying in our School of Fine Arts since fall of 2023 when he won one of five scholarships awarded to talented young high school musicians. Joseph Skerik, violist of Emory University’s Vega String Quartet, is enjoying coaching Daniel through the SFA. An indicator of Joseph’s excellent instruction and Daniel’s diligence is that he was accepted into the GA All State 9th and 10th grade orchestra, a rare feat for a freshman.
Be sure to look for Daniel the next time the orchestra plays at FPC. He will be sitting with Florrie Johnson, a long-time member of the group who enjoys playing along side such a talented young man with a great attitude. Daniel likes playing in the FPC sanctuary with its amazing acoustics and is the youngest member of the orchestra.
Daniel’s versatility and enthusiasm are also appreciated by his instructors and coaches at Westminster. In addition to playing in the school orchestra, he is on the soccer team and has a passion for physics. His goal for viola is “to enjoy playing it and getting better. The (FPC SFA) teachers and staff are amazing and have helped me learn a lot!”
By Florrie Johnson and Suzanne Shull
The Wirth Scholarship Committee awards more than $7,000 a year to promising young classical musicians. FPC and private donors help provide funding.
FPC Spring Symphony Experience
May 1st
For those who have come to our Symphony Experience and enjoyed dinner with friends we will be unable to offer that feature due to current renovations. However, we will be able to attend the special chamber music concert on stage before the concert. This is an event that happens only a few times during the season. Our seats will be in mid orchestra right and are only $48 for this concert.
Tom Bara and Suzanne Shull will be helping to enhance your concert experience as usual, and we will be contacting you with that information by April 17th. In the meantime follow these links to the ASO website: Master Season Concert and Preconcert Chamber Music.
The schedule on Thursday, May 1, 2025 is:
6:45 Chamber Music on Stage
8:00 Master Season Concert
Diavolo Della Notte Overture (Devil of the Night) by Giovanni Bottesini
Violin Concerto No. 1 by Niccolo Paganini
Fountains of Rome by Ottorino Respighi
Pines of Rome by Ottorino Respighi
After concert Q & A with a member of the orchestra.
For more information, email concerts@firstpresatl.org or call 404-228-7753.
Children’s Ministry
First Communion 2025
One of the most important and memorable events in a child’s spiritual formation is when he or she first participates in the Lord’s Supper. At FPC, we recognize and celebrate First Communion with children in their First-Grade year. You and your child are invited to participate in our First Communion Class on Sunday, March 16th in the Chapel. We will meet during the Sunday School hour (10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.). The goal of this class is for our Children to learn about the meaning of the Sacraments. We encourage attendance and ask that at least one parent attend with their child. The class will be led by one of our FPC pastors. Finally, a date will be set in May for the children to take communion together with the congregation at either the 9:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. service. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER for the class. As we get closer to the date I will send more information. (If your child missed out on taking the First Communion Class over the last few years, and isn't in the first grade, please feel free to register your child.)
Parent's Morning Out Registration
2025-2026
It's time to register for FPC's Parent's Morning Out Program for the upcoming school year! We are so excited to be able to offer PMO to all of our wonderful families! PMO is offered Monday - Friday 9am-1pm for children age 8 weeks to 35 months. The 2025/2026 school year kicks off Monday, August 18, 2025 and will end Friday, May 22, 2026. We require a $150, non refundable deposit, to reserve your spot for the 2025-2026 school year.
$3,150.00 - 2 days a week
$1660.00 - 1 day a week.
Please reach out to Katie Covington with any questions. kcovington@firstpresatl.org.
2025 VBS, Save the Date!
Join us this summer on the ultimate Alaskan adventure, where the northern lights shine over majestic mountains, racing rivers, and sparkling glaciers. As we trek the tundra, our children will discover how easy it is to lose sight of what's true in our wild world today. They will learn Jesus is a faithful friend we can always trust. He's our True North!
Registration Details:
June 2nd - June 6th, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
$85 - Register by March 31
$95 - Register April 1 - April 30
$105 - Register May 1 - May 31
(Register after May 10 - No VBS T-shirt)
Aftercare: Monday - Thursday 12:15pm - 4:00 p.m. $110 a day or $400 for Mon. - Thurs. All children must be potty trained to attend VBS.
Please reach out to Katie Covington with any questions. kcovington@firstpresatl.org
Community Ministries
Mental Health & De-escalation Training
Community Ministries is hosting a Zoom training on March 19th, from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., for those interested in learning about de-escalation and the mental health challenges within our own communities. The training will be led by the Director of Community Ministries, Tricia Passuth LCSW. All are welcome to attend!
To register, click this link!
Community Ministries Jean Drive
Support our neighbors by donating jeans! At First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, we are dedicated to supporting our unhoused neighbors, and one of the best ways to help is by donating used or new jeans. Jeans are a highly valued item because they are durable, warm, and can be worn multiple times without showing wear. Many of our neighbors rely on them for comfort and protection.
Donations can be dropped off:
Sunday between 8:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.
Monday - Thursday between 9:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m. in the designated bins located in the Smith Building Lobby.
Sizes: We need a mixture of both men’s and women's sizes to best address our neighbors needs.
Faith Formation
New Sunday School Class
The Word Class (formerly called Choir and Friends Class) will begin meeting again, every Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. starting February 2nd in Room 224! The class is self-led and will begin where we left off before the pandemic, in I and II Chronicles. All are invited to join us as we dig deeper in God's Word.
Church 101
Would you like to be more connected to the life of the church? In a small group setting, we will help you identify one way to grow in faith, one way to give back and one way to stay grounded at FPC Atlanta.
Join Rev. Dr. Barry Gaeddert and Rev. Saranell Hartman for 3 - week series at 10:00 - 10:45 a.m., March 16, 23, and 30 in Room 230.
For more information contact Saranell at 404-228-7747 or shartman@firstpresatl.org or Barry at 404-228-7718 bgaeddert@firstpresatl.org.
Early Christianity and the Roman World
Early Christianity and the Roman World. Chris Holmes and Eric Moore will host three "lunch and learn" offerings for those who are interested in learning more about the place of early Christianity within the ancient Roman world. This class will introduce some of the broad cultural, historical, and religious backgrounds to the New Testament and early Christianity. March 2, 16, and 23, 12:15–1:30 p.m. in Fifield Hall. Suggested donation of $10/person for lunch each day.
Contact Chris Holmes (cholmes@firstpresatl.org) for more information and click here to register!
Word Before Work
Each Wednesday in Lent, we'll gather 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. to reflect on the previous Sunday worship and sermon and to pray for one another. You are invited to join us on 3rd floor of Smith Building in Rooker Group Counseling Room. Most Wednesdays the preacher from Sunday will join as well. Katie Sundermeier will facilitate.
Wednesdays: March 12, March 19, March 26, April 2nd, April 9th, & April 16th
Faith & Fellowship
A new women’s Bible study group, Faith & Fellowship, is beginning 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday mornings in Women’s Bible Study Room. Rev. Saranell Hartman, Associate Pastor of Engagement will lead us in a 8 week study of Philippians. We will start February 26 and end on May 21.
If you are interested contact, Michelle Garren at michele.garren@gmail.com.
20s and 30s Spring Retreat
Registration is officially live for our first-ever 20s & 30s Spring Retreat on March 28th-30th at Lake Keowee, SC. Join us for a refreshing weekend of spiritual renewal, deep fellowship, and rest in the beauty of God’s creation. This is a perfect opportunity to step away from the busyness of life, connect with community, and grow in faith together. Registration is $80 per person, which includes most meals. Children are welcome, and carpooling is encouraged. Sign up today clicking this link.
Lectio for Lent
Join the "Reading the Bible Together" group to pratice lectio divina, an ancient practice for reading Scripture, during Lent. Lectio for Lent will meet at 11:00 a.m. on Zoom on Thursdays, March 13–April 17.
Contact Chris Holmes, cholmes@firstpresatl.org, for more information.
Maundy Thursday Dinner
Save the date for the Maundy Thursday Dinner and Communion on April 17th at 6:00 p.m. Join us at one of nine locations around the city as we share a potluck dinner, followed by communion. We invite you and your family to choose a location near you and be part of this special evening.
First Presbyterian Preschool
Preschool Early Applications 2025-2026
Applications are now open for First Presbyterian Preschool 2025-2026 for current students, siblings, PMO children and church members! Secure your spot by clicking here!
Global Mission
What in the World?
God is active and working in Jamaica and FPC Atlanta is joining in what God is doing! We have a confirmed agreement between FPC and the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands to continue our mission relationship. Once very active, this partnership became inactive over several years, but great efforts by both partners are taking place to renew it. The Mt. Olivet Boys home will remain a featured part of the partnership. An exploratory trip to Jamaica is planned for summer 2025. FPC currently has active partnerships with Cuba, Haiti, Kenya, Refugees in Atlanta and we are in discernment for a new partnership with Guatemala.
If you would like to know more about any of these opportunities including upcoming trips to visit our partners, please contact Rev. Barry Gaeddert (bgaeddert@firstpresatl.org).
Volunteer Opportunities with Refugees
You’re invited to serve members of Atlanta’s refugee community through one of FPC’s Global Mission partnerships: Memorial Drive Ministries, The Amani Women’s Sewing Center, Friends of Refugees, or Inspire After-school program. Volunteer your time and share your love with those new to our country on the path toward becoming new Americans. Some volunteer opportunities include:
ESL volunteer Instructor/one-on-one tutor
Sewing instructors or sewing machine maintenance
Transportation help
Family literacy partners
Childcare, holding babies
Tutor for middle school students
Training is provided, hours are flexible, the need is massive.
To be connected to any of these, please contact Rev. Barry Gaeddert (bgaeddert@firstpresatl.org)
Youth Ministry
Youth Group
All 6th through 12th graders are invited to Youth Group, every Sunday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Fifield Hall! We’ll gather for dinner, epic games, age- specific small groups, and tons of fun! Throughout the year our Youth Group program offers various opportunities for building relationships and spiritual connection, including several message series, special holiday celebrations, and community service nights. Please RSVP at www.firstpresatl.org/youth-ministry prior to each Youth Group gathering to ensure ample food for dinner.
Youth Sunday
Join us for Youth Sunday, the Sunday after Easter, April 27th, as our incredible youth lead us in worship! Students in 6th–12th grade are invited to participate in this special tradition, sharing their gifts in worship, music, and leadership across all three services. Seniors will have the opportunity to preach, and all youth are encouraged to take part as liturgists or especially in the 11:00 a.m. youth processional. All youth and their families are also invited to a light brunch at 10:00 a.m. in Fifield Hall. It will be a meaningful morning honoring our students and celebrating their journeys of faith in the life of our church.