Recap of the Feb 2 Annual Meeting of First Presbyterian Church
Dear Friends in Christ,
What a joyful day February 2 was in the life of First Presbyterian Church of Athens! Early that morning, we welcomed 13 new members into the life of the church. Their photos and brief biographies are attached; please pray for them and greet them by name the next time you see them.
Following the 11:00 a.m. worship service, the Fellowship Hall was full of food, laughter, and conversation as we enjoyed a delicious potluck luncheon. What talented and generous chefs we have within our congregation! A special thank you to our Fellowship and Evangelism Commission and our church staff for all of the behind the scenes work they did to make it all happen!
Once our hearts and bellies were full, we convened the annual meeting of the congregation. We received the report of the Nominations and Elections Committee and elected the slate they presented of eight women and men to serve a three-year term on the session, and we elected three members-at-large to serve on the 2025 Nominations and Elections Committee. Any institution is only as strong as its leadership, and we are truly blessed with wise and faithful leaders at First Presbyterian Church!
We received the 2024 Financial Report and heard a presentation from the session about the 2025 operating budget. There is excellent news regarding the loan balance, but concern regarding steady income amid rising costs in the operating budget. Please review the attached report carefully; you will be hearing more from the session about this in the months ahead.
As I said in my remarks, the annual report and annual meeting is not just a collection of facts and figures and “keeping the lights on.”
It’s a love story.
It’s a love story about Christ’s love for his church. It’s a love story about our love for our neighbors. It’s a love story about the ways in which you have continued to bless and support and strengthen this ministry. Without you, without your love, without your joy, without your generous contributions of time and talent and treasure, none of this would have happened. So thank you, and even more, thank God for you!
May the peace of Christ be with you and yours,
Ryan
Dr. Ryan J. Baer, Senior Pastor