STEWARDSHIP 2025
There are pieces of advice that seem to hang around like the scent of spilled beer in a football stadium. No matter how hard you try to get away from it, it always seems to linger. For me those lingering words of advice have been you’ll never be ready.
When I wondered if the time was right for Katie and I to get married, a friend said to me:
You’ll never be ready.
When we thought about waiting to have kids, our parents said to us:
You’ll never be ready.
When I was deciding whether I was prepared to lead this congregation, a mentor said to me:
You’ll never be ready
And they were right.
If I had waited until I was ready, I would have never become a husband, a father, or one of your pastors.
The same is true for us at First Presbyterian.
When I wondered if the time was right for Katie and I to get married, a friend said to me:
You’ll never be ready.
When we thought about waiting to have kids, our parents said to us:
You’ll never be ready.
When I was deciding whether I was prepared to lead this congregation, a mentor said to me:
You’ll never be ready
And they were right.
If I had waited until I was ready, I would have never become a husband, a father, or one of your pastors.
The same is true for us at First Presbyterian.
In 2024, if we had waited for when the time was right, we may have missed out on:
On October 20th, our church leaders will be making their commitments known during worship followed by an invitation to the entire congregation to do the same on October 27th. Pledge cards can be returned on those days, mailed into the church office, or a digital pledge card can be filled out below.
Grace + Peace,
Rev. J. Michael East
- Sending over $130,000 to local, national, and international mission partners
- Collecting 9,187 diapers for families in need at Center for Children and Families and Norman Coalition for Refugee Support
- Increasing worship attendance by 6.5%
- Welcoming nearly 3,000 online views of our worship services
- Hosting nine guest scholars and lecturers from institutions such as: Austin Theological Seminary, the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University, Emanuel Synagogue, and the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City.
- Sending the largest youth delegation to the Oklahoma Presbyterian Youth Retreat.
On October 20th, our church leaders will be making their commitments known during worship followed by an invitation to the entire congregation to do the same on October 27th. Pledge cards can be returned on those days, mailed into the church office, or a digital pledge card can be filled out below.
Grace + Peace,
Rev. J. Michael East