Our Blog

Dear friends: August 19

I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but 2020 has changed a lot about our lives. Some of those changes have found their way back to normal, but there are some things that are forever different. We now can order our groceries from Walmart or have an appointment with our doctor over a video call. Here at First Pres, we find cameras in worship spaces and search YouTube to rewatch the beautiful anthem we loved so much from last Easter. Things are different and new and, dare I say, wonderful!

You may have seen a the phrase, “Digital Campus,” here or there the past few months.  We are talking about how we are being the Church in a new way. Of course, it all started in 2020 in response to a pandemic where we found a way to meet one another in digital spaces like Zoom calls and worship on our televisions. Half a decade later we are exploring what it means to continue to be community in those spaces, and that is where the Digital Campus is finding life. What does it look like if being a part of the church is more than watching a livestream worship service on the church website or Facebook?

Being a part of the First Pres community offers us a myriad of opportunities, and the Digital Campus is looking for ways to offer us a chance to stay connected to every aspect of the life and mission of First Pres through technology and creativity. We have a few years of livestreaming worship services under our belt, and we are always looking for ways to make that experience better! We started offering Bible in Depth as a hybrid faith formation opportunity a few years ago, and our first online class since the COVID shut-down just wrapped up last week.

Worship and Bible studies in the online space is a great start, but that isn’t a full church-life experience. Being the church also means friendship, fellowship, prayer, and service to the greater community. These are the areas that Digital Campus is looking to explore.

I hope you will look for places you might be able to step onto the First Pres Digital Campus and find the full First Pres community and mission.

Blessings,
Eric Varnon
Engagement Coordinator

Dear friends: August 5

Greetings All, 

Here is a brief report on church engagement as we look forward to fall and the beginning of the school year. 

So far this year, 38 new members have joined First Pres, for a current total of 1,685 on the roll. If we consider the various categories of engagement that are tracked both formally and informally at First Pres, we might argue that the size of the community exceeds 3,000. This estimate includes friends of the church who engage regularly in various ways, including many who connect though Community Crossroads but do not formally join the roll. 

First Pres does a physical headcount of weekly worship attendance, and results for the first half of the year are trending favorably. To have a third of the roll membership count in attendance is generally seen as an indicator of congregational vitality, and currently our number sits at 764, or 45%. As we head into the higher-attendance season, perhaps we will reach the 2025 full-year average of 792. 

Many good things are happening in terms of engagement. Next week, Eric Varnon will conclude an online-only Bible study on the “I am” statements of Jesus, which proved a success. He continues to work with the Communications team to develop new digital content including upcoming online-only and hybrid educational opportunities for the fall semester. Recently you may have noticed online passing of the peace, and virtual participation by First Presbyterian Church of Lake Charles, LA during worship. 

First Connections is our visitor and new member class that has met, spring and fall, for many years now. Please be on the lookout for upcoming announcements about this class which will meet during the church school hour on Sundays in September. And remember that all are invited, even if you have already been at First Pres for a while now. Among other topics, we will present ways to connect at First Pres; familiarize students with the various physical spaces on our campuses; and discuss the spiritual discipline of generosity and affirm its importance in church life. 

As always, I am interested in your thoughts on how we engage as a community. I would love to hear from you.

Peace to you and yours!  

Chris Bartley
Sr. Director, Engagement & Programs