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• Music by Bob Crist

About Our Church

First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca is a mature congregation growing younger in an exuberant love for our Lord Jesus Christ, striving to live God’s love in our neighborhoods, community and the world through out work, our activities and our lives. We explore life’s questions and our journeys of faith, accepting and nurturing these diverse pathways believing that God works through all things for good.

Ithaca First is located in Mid-Michigan, in the City of Ithaca, a two-hour drive from most Lower Peninsula attractions. Gratiot County is agriculturally based and host to Alma College 10 miles from the church. Our 96 active members continue to stretch and explore opportunities to serve the Lord and their neighbors. Over the past seven years our team ministry has experienced 100% increase in participation:

The Generosity Team oversees stewardship and has seen an increase in giving that has moved our budget into the black for the second consecutive year.

The Mission and Outreach Team has grown the Ithaca Food Pantry into a community supported program and a difference-maker in the lives of patrons and volunteers alike.

The Fellowship and Caring Team created a calendar of monthly congregational activities enjoyed by members of all ages, highlighted by our Themed Dinners.

The Building and Grounds Team successfully directed a $40,000 campaign in 2008 fund roof repairs without debt!

The Worship and Spirituality Team works to enrich Sunday worship, plan special services and collaborate with other churches on community services.

We have an active Board of Deacons and multiple Women’s Circles.

We are a mature congregation growing younger! We don’t always act our age and rejoice in fellowship as we celebrate God’s love and mystery.

Ithaca First is blessed with gifts, skills and abilities that enable us to get things done, whether responding to the physical and spiritual needs of a member or wrestling with a budget. We share our gifts abundantly, be it professional skills or a favorite recipe. We have grown our spiritual and organizational leadership and rallied the gifts and talents of the congregation into community outreach that includes Treasured Toddlers, a community play/support time for pre-K children and their parents, and participation in the community-wide Vacation Bible School. We’ve deployed surveys and interactive events that engage the entire congregation in exploring the possibilities and potential of this congregation and the individuals in it. We’ve endured trials and tribulations and tests of our spiritual strength, not only surviving, but thriving on the experience; persistent in abiding by God’s will in God’s time.

Spiritual experiences and growth are Biblically grounded in three distinct study groups. The Sunday group discusses scripture as it relates to living our personal lives. Tuesday group discusses lectionary passages for up-coming Sunday, looking at historical context and finding the common thread running through the texts. A short-term study called “Bible and Wine” discusses current issues through a Biblical faith context.

“What you do for the least of these, you do for me.” — Matthew 25

Our dedication to the physical needs of the church and committee is grounded in this scripture. We are committed to maintaining an old building in the shadow of the county courthouse and jail as a witness of God’s presence and a welcome to the prisoner and the stranger, and to our ministry to the poor and hungry through the housing and administrative support for the Ithaca Food Pantry, a community collaborative. We reflect Jesus’ command to go out into the world as disciples through weekly Mission Yearbook for Prayer selections, and most recently played host to a minister from Slovakia as part of the Synod’s Ecumenical Mission Partner.