As Christians, our beliefs are rooted in the beatitudes: Blessed are the poor, the dispirited, the bereft, the meek, those who hunger for food or for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted (Matthew 5:1-12). We cannot, therefore, be reserved in our witness to God’s Kingdom, living as we do in a world that values wealth, profits from war, and persecutes prophetic dissent. Our calling is not to be silent but to be like a city built upon a hill, to be the salt of the earth, to be the light of the world.

Durham Holiday Parade

Saturday, December 13 at 10am

Come watch the parade from the sanctuary steps, as we hand out hot chocolate. Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather.

Christmas Caroling

Saturday, December 13 at 2:00pm

Let’s join together to spread holiday cheer with folks from congregations and communities while we sing carols with a spirit of hope, peace, joy and love at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Durham.

We can lift each other up with cheer and bonding when we sing to elevate our kindred spirits.

Contact Sue McLaurin for more information.

This Sunday, we welcome a Co-Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Rev. Anthony Larson, to our pulpit. (First Pres. is a PC USA church.) Rev. Larson will be preaching about Grace: Our Word and Our Resistance, which is also the central theme of an upcoming book. We are thrilled to have him with us, and we hope you’ll join us October 26 at 11am, in person or online.

Explore the strengths and gifts of poetry to connect us to our faith. We will read selected poems and discuss what they disclose about central themes such as the nature of God, the good, human frailty, social harms, and social justice.  Poetry beginners and old hands are all welcome. This is a poetry reading group, not a writing group, so no special skills in poetic expression are required. Our leader, Madge McKeithen, led such a group for 15 years through the New York Public Library, and she taught creative writing for 25 years at the New School in New York. We will gather names of people interested in reading poetry together and then discern the frequency and time slot that works best. If you are interested, please contact Susan Dunlap, [email protected].

The flower ministry of FPC offers a meaningful way to donate flowers for the sanctuary in memory or in honor of a loved one, or in celebration of a special occasion. Each Sunday, the flower arrangements bring the colors and beauty of nature to our worship service. Following worship, our deacons divide the flowers and deliver smaller arrangements to members who are ill or grieving, or unable to attend church, as a way of sharing with them a part of our worship service. Ninth Street Flowers creates the beautiful arrangements each Sunday.

If you would like to be a donor of flowers for worship in 2025, please sign up by clicking below. Donations can be made by an individual, a family, or jointly by multiple individuals or families on open dates. 

The Youth Stock Brunch is coming up, and you’re invited!

In this second year, we have made some changes. Like last year, FPC youth who participated in three of our summer trips — the Appalachia Service Project trip to Perry County, KY, the CROSS Missions trip to Charlotte, and the Montreat Youth Conference — are throwing a brunch, showing pictures and telling stories from their experiences.  

New this year, the whole church is invited, not just those who have bought stock in the trip. The brunch and presentations are Sunday, August 24, 9:30-10:30 am in Watts-Hill Hall.  

To RSVP, please email John Weicher at [email protected] by Sunday, August 17 so we can properly prepare. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out via the same method.