Rev. Sarah Bird Kneff Pastor sarah@1stprescolumbia.org Susie Baxter Director of
rfosterfpc@gmail.com Carroll Kilgore Business Administrator ckilgorefpc@gmail.com
A Note from Susie Baxter
As I close out this chapter of my life, I would like to take a moment to thank you, the congregation, for your unwavering support for the past twenty-three ½ years. It has been a true blessing and privilege to serve here. I will be forever grateful to Bill and Nancy Williamson for seeing something in me all those years ago that led me on this walk with you.
From Sunday school classrooms to Vacation Bible School, from Women’s Retreats to special events, I am truly thankful for every volunteer, teacher,
parent, and child that has been a part of my ministry here. Your dedication, encouragement, and love have meant more than words could ever express.
To the staff, I will miss you all immensely. We are more than coworkers; we are a family! We have been through many ups and downs and a lot of transitions, but we persevered! The one thing that I hope you learned from me and will continue to do in my absence is to speak up for yourselves and always have each other’s back, you are the backbone of this church and the people that keep it humming. I love each one of you!
Though my title may be changing, my love for this church and for each of you remain strong. I will be stepping away for awhile to give my replacement time to spread their wings and establish themselves, but I will eventually return as a regular member worshipping with you. So, this is not goodbye, it is that I will see you later.
In closing, the one thing that I hope you all remember about me in the years to come, is how much I loved your children and how much I loved teaching them about the love of Jesus.
With deep appreciation and love,
Susie Baxter
Committee Highlights
Congregational Life
Thank you to everyone who helped with Wednesday Night Suppers, Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Sunday Fellowship, Susie Baxter’s Retirement Celebration, and all the little (and big!) things in between. We’re so grateful for your time, energy, and love. Mark your calendars we’re planning a joint New Member Picnic and Back-toSchool Bash in August! Stay tuned for details.
Property
Discipleship
The Discipleship Committee is excited for Vacation Bible School, coming up June 16th–19th! It will be a joyful week of faith, fun, and fellowship for our children. We are still in need of volunteers and hope you will prayerfully consider giving your time and talent to help make this week a success. Volunteers are essential to creating a meaningful and memorable experience for our kids. Don’t forget— June 6th is the deadline for both child and volunteer registration. Visit our church website or scan the QR code below to sign up today!
The Property Committee members embrace the challenges of maintaining and improving our beautiful church infrastructure to ensure a safe and enjoyable facility for our members and guests. As we entered 2025, we identified general maintenance priorities, physical improvements such as painting and improving lighting, and major improvements or repairs such as repairing the boiler and resurfacing the High Street parking lot, for example. As always, the committee encourages recommendations and ideas from our church family. We strive to anticipate issues and needs and will be working on meaningful projects such as repairing the access to the children's play-lot, painting the front entrance railings, and more. The sub-committees consist of the grounds, gifts and Church Security Team. Our meetings are the first Tuesday of each month at 01:30 PM in the Chapel.
Missions Spotlight
A Letter from Tete Province, Mozambique
Dear FPC Columbia,
I serve as a Trustee of The Outreach Foundation and help to coordinate our Holistic Evangelism Project in Tete Province, Mozambique On behalf of The Outreach Foundation and all of us who are involved in the Tete Province project, I want to thank FPC Columbia for the wonderful $26,675 gift we received from the church.
Sebber Banda and Betsy Hunt enjoyed their visit to First Columbia and your warm hospitality Sebber is doing a great job of leading our project She has been working with us for over 20 years and I praise the Lord for her talents and dedication She and her family are well. Her son, Adam, is pursuing a master's degree in engineering in Zambia and her daughter, Nancy, is in college in Australia Sebber misses being able to see them regularly, but they enjoy keeping up by social media and video calls
We had a very productive 2024 in Tete Province and have exciting plans for 2025. We hope to drill 13 wells, build 3 churches, two schools, a teachers' house, a building to house our skills training for evangelists, and a manse for a new pastor being assigned to Tete Province We will also offer a full complement of leadership training seminars for the lay leaders of our 80+ churches that are served by only 3 pastors Your gift will help us achieve these ambitious goals, and the support is greatly appreciated!
As I look back at our work in 2024, I want to share some photos with you. The first one is a completed church in the village of Pista. The villagers cleared the land, provided stones for the foundation, molded the bricks, and supplied the labor for the construction We helped them with items they could not afford such as concrete, roofing sheets and building supervision
The second attached photo is a rural primary school we recently completed. Children will walk for miles to go to this school which has morning sessions and afternoon sessions They would also offer an evening session, but there is no electricity The children know that education is the key to making a better life and make it a priority.
The third photo is of a teachers' house in the village of Nvudzi These simple but sturdy houses are designed like a triplex and provide housing for the principal's family and 2-4 single teachers This housing is a replacement for mud walled huts with grass roofs and is a huge incentive to attract teachers to live in the rural villages
Thank you once again for the generous gift from the church, and your partnership to help us build God's kingdom in Tete Province, Mozambique.
Zikomo kwambiri (thank you very much in the local dialect), Berry Long
Church in Pista
Rural Primary School
Teacher’s House in Nvudzi
FPC MUSIC
Thank you to the Choirs of First Presbyterian Church!
Lent and Easter seasons have been busy for music at FPC. Our Choirs sing and play for services (where they are visible) and attend rehearsals (behind-the-scenes).
Since Ash Wednesday,
The FPC Handbell Choir played for 2 services and had 8 midweek rehearsals
The FPC Choristers sang for 3 services and had 7 midweek rehearsals
The FPC Chancel Choir sang for 15 services and had 12 midweek rehearsals
When you see a Choir member, remember to say thank you for their un-seen time. Thanks be to God!
Finding the Flow
The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.
from A Simple Path by Mother Teresa
Iamsogratefulforthesewords.Theydeliverapracticalmessage,andtheyflow,almost musically.Oneelementjoinsthenext,leadstothenext,guidesusgracefullytothenext. Prayerseemsinevitableaftersilence.Peaceisgoingtocome,afterservicetoothers.These aren'tempty,prettywords,althoughthewaytheywerechosenandputtogetheris beautiful.
Wearecenteredwhenwepayattentiontohowthingsareconnected.Weneedchallenge andaffirmation;wefindthesethroughconnections,onetothenext,andongoing.Godisin theseconnections.
Ifyouhavefiveminutes,IhopeyouwilllistentothisincrediblechoralpiecebyLatvian composerPeterisVasks,whichusesthewordsofMotherTeresa(above).Singerssayitis"as ifeachphraseweredesignedforourlungs".Vaskssaysitisasilentmeditation.Music,a silentmeditation?Yes,hewrotesoundsthatmakesilence.Everythingfitstogether,andwe areenrichedandfilled.
Peacetoyou, NancyGReiser DirectorofMusicMinistry
Link to choral piece by
Peteris Vasks
Palm Sunday and Easter Egg Hunt 2025
Palm Sunday
Our church gathered for a wonderful Palm Sunday service, marking the beginning of Holy Week with joy and reverence. The worship service began with our children participating in a heartfelt Palm Sunday procession. With bright smiles and palm branches waving high, they joyfully walked into the sanctuary, reenacting Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This beautifully reminded us of the hope and excitement that filled the streets of Jerusalem so many years ago.
Easter Egg Hunt
Following the Palm Sunday worship service, our congregation gathered for the annual Easter Egg Hunt, graciously hosted by Neelley and John King. Children of all ages eagerly searched for hidden eggs scattered across the lawn, their laughter and excitement filling the spring afternoon with joy.
We are grateful to our youth for thoughtfully hiding the Easter eggs, making the event both fun and memorable for everyone. We also extend our thanks to the Congregational Life Committee for providing delicious refreshments, and to all who donated eggs to help make the day possible. It was a meaningful Sunday, filled with worship, fellowship, and the joy of being together as a church family.
Easter Egg Hunt
A Joyful Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday was a joyful and spirit-filled day at First Presbyterian Church! We were honored to welcome back Rev. Dr. Bill Williamson, who faithfully served as our congregation’s pastor for 20 years, to the pulpit while Pastor Sarah was on maternity leave. His presence brought both a sense of homecoming and deep reflection as we celebrated the resurrection of Christ. Between our two worship services, the congregation gathered on the side lawn for a beautiful Easter fellowship. With refreshments in hand, we shared in joyful conversation, adorned our new Easter cross with fresh blooms, and celebrated the hope and new life that Easter brings. It was a glorious day — full of gratitude, connection, and celebration. A heartfelt thank you to all who helped prepare our sanctuary, organized the fellowship, and made the morning so meaningful. Christ is risen indeed!
Susie’s Retirement Celebration Susie’s Retirement Celebration
On the afternoon of May 4th, our congregation gathered at Antrim to celebrate the retirement of our beloved Susie Baxter. It was a joyful and heartfelt occasion, filled with laughter, fellowship, lawn games, and sweet treats that were enjoyed by all. The setting was perfect, and the spirit of the day reflected the deep love and gratitude we feel for Susie and her incredible contributions over the past 23 years.
Susie served our church with unwavering dedication and compassion. Her leadership shaped our community in countless ways, and her kindness and faith in Christ touched generations. As we shared stories, played games, and enjoyed one another’s company, it was clear just how deeply Susie has impacted our lives.
We are thankful to everyone who helped bring this special celebration to life. It was a fitting tribute to someone who has given so much to others. While we will miss her in her official role, Susie’s legacy of love and faith will continue to guide and inspire us for years to come.
Susie’s Retirement Celebration
A Note from FPC Library
Our Library and Your Children
by Cathy McDonald
One of the most daunting tasks in our roles as parents is ensuring that our children develop a strong faith in God to lead them through life. There are several books in our library that you might find helpful as your children begin to ask the hard questions about God and Christianity. These include “Giving Good Gifts: The Spiritual Journey of Parenthood” by George Conway, “106 Questions That Children Ask about Our World” by Daryl Lucas or “Teaching Your Child About God.”
So, you are a grandparent, not a parent. You might like “Games that Grandmas Play: Life Lessons on Christian Faith and Grandchildren” by Joan Jacobs. And what better way to get your grandchildren interested in Christian reading than by introducing them to the “Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis. Our Library has copies of all of the volumes in this series.
Or, if there is a recent loss or family crisis, “Talking to Your Children About Loss” might be helpful. To find more titles, search “Your Books” using the tag “children” in the 1st Pres collection on librarything.com. Directions for the online catalog and a print catalog are in our Library.
J.O.Y. Fellowship Highlights
The J O Y (Just Older Youth) Fellowship ended the year on a high note with a visit from guest speaker Sam Kennedy III. He gave an engaging talk on regenerative agriculture, sharing insights on caring for the land in sustainable ways. The presentation was followed by a delicious lunch and time for fellowship, making for a warm and memorable close to the season.
I wish to thank the J.O.Y. Committee for their generous commitment to the J.O.Y. Ministry. Presbys can’t accomplish anything without a committee, and I’m lucky to have these dedicated ladies Celia Ridley, Amy Overton, Jean Mac Ball, Karen Vest, Terri Flynn, Dawn High, Brenda Callahan, and Cindy Fox to make J.O.Y. the success it is God is at work in J O Y
Blessings,
BethPatton
Class of 2025 Senior Spotlight
Stay Connected with Our Church Family Through the Instant Church Directory App
We want to remind everyone about a wonderful tool that helps us stay connected as a church family the Instant Church Directory App!
This easy-to-use app is available to all members of our congregation and provides a secure and convenient way to access important church information anytime, anywhere. To get started, scan the QR code below.
What Can You Find in the App?
With the Instant Church Directory, you’ll have quick access to:
Names and photos of fellow members
Addresses – perfect for sending a card or planning a visit
Phone numbers – just a tap away from a friendly call or text
Email addresses – great for staying in touch or sharing encouragement
Birthdays and anniversaries – so you never miss a chance to celebrate!
A list of our church staff, including their email addresses, so you can reach out as needed
It’s a fantastic way to strengthen relationships and stay informed about your church community — whether you’re new to the congregation or have been here for years.
Need Help?
If you need assistance downloading, setting up, or navigating the app, Ashton Prince is here to help! Feel free to reach out to her via:
Email: communications@1stprescolumbia.org
Phone: (931) 388-1985
She’ll be happy to walk you through the process and make sure you’re all set up to use this valuable resource.
Let’s stay connected, informed, and involved download the Instant Church Directory App today!
Important Announcements
June 6th: VBS Registration Deadline
June 8th: Summer Worship Begins
9:15-10:00 Adult Sunday School, 10:30 Worship
June 16th-19th: VBS
June 23rd: Church Office Closed (Honoring Juneteenth)
July 6th: Mission Trip Commissioning
July 6th-12th: Mission Trip to Asheville, NC
September 1st: Church Office Closed (Labor Day)
September 7th: Genesis Sunday, Two Services Resume
Liturgists & Ushers Schedules
Ushers: Liturgists:
