Habitat for Humanity

First Presbyterian has enjoyed a long association with Habitat for Humanity of Spartanburg. In the summer of 2007, our congregation provided major volunteer and financial support for the construction of our 15th Habitat House. This house is the first of a new neighborhood development on W. Henry St.

To learn more about Habitat, contact Robby Kociscko through the Mission office at 208-2132.

Christmas in Action

Twice each year, our congregation joins churches from across the county to devote one day to home repair in area neighborhoods. These blitz builds provide vital assistance to families in need of housing support, and participants enjoy a day of fellowship and gratifying work. This fall we will work on Spartanburg’s Southside on Saturday, Oct. 13.

The Spring 2007 Christmas
 in Action work team gives
 thanks for a day of fellowship
 and good work.

Billy Howell prepares a feast
for the Spring 2007 Christmas
in Action work team.

To get in on the action, contact Daniel Thompson through the Mission office at 208-2132.

Mobile Meals has its history rooted deeply in First Presbyterian Church. During the mid-1970s Jayne McQueen and Kay Green approached the church Session with the idea of serving meals to some of the homebound in Spartanburg with the help of church volunteers. The tremendous need for home-delivered meals in Spartanburg County soon became apparent, and McQueen accepted the challenge to start a county-wide program.

Mobile Meals currently serves over 2,000 meals per day throughout the entire county. In addition to staff, over 2,000 volunteers prepare and deliver these meals each day. Many members of First Presbyterian participate in the daily work of Mobile Meals, and the church is proud to house this critical ministry on the church campus.

For more information about Mobile Meals, or to become a volunteer, please call the Mobile Meals office at 573-7684.

Lack of education is a root cause of poverty in Spartanburg, and high school graduation is a key indicator for a person’s economic stability throughout life. After-school programs for elementary age children significantly increase students’ opportunities for success in school. Committed to addressing needs at their source, we engage in several missions focused on our community’s children and their education.

Tutoring: First Presbyterian partners with Pine St. and Park Hills Elementary Schools to provide tutoring and afterschool activities for students. Volunteers coach children in basic reading, writing, and math skills. Mentoring relationships are formed by connecting volunteers with individual students over an extended period of time.

Boys & Girls Clubs: Our congregation also supports the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Upstate at Cleveland and Arcadia Elementary Schools. The Boys & Girls Club in Spartanburg is recognized as a leader in providing academic and character development programming for children throughout the county. The measurements employed by the Club to determine student and program success set a high and achievable standard for participants.

Arcadia Outreach: The majority of the children in the Arcadia community of Spartanburg are of Latino ancestry. As a part of Foothills Presbytery’s Hispanic Ministry, five area Presbyterian churches, including First Presbyterian, provide an annual summer Vacation Bible School for children at Arcadia Elementary School. We also partner with Wofford College, Arcadia United Methodist Church, and St. James United Methodist Church to bus Arcadia children to Wofford to learn about higher education and to help them recognize university learning as an achievable goal for themselves.

To participate in these important missions to our children, contact the Mission office at 208-2132.

Mother’s Day Out is a program for crib, toddler, and two year olds. Weekday School is for three’s and four’s. We offer a thirty-five week program from late August to mid-May. Our school hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00am–12:00noon.

The First Presbyterian Weekday School is guided by a child-centered, Christian philosophy of education. We believe that our first responsibility is to the needs of children – for love, self-respect, and experience with caring teachers. We are committed to providing positive and secure environment that encourages sharing, honesty, kindness, fair play, tolerance, and good choices. We believe that each child should come to know that God loves him or her unconditionally as a unique creation: a child of God.

Our Philosophy supports program goals designed to develop a child’s full potential – intellectually, spiritually, socially, emotionally, and physically. By nurturing, instead of forcing, we attempt to help children adjust to new situations, to interact with other children and adults in ever-more effective ways, to communicate their developing knowledge and values skillfully and confidently, and to develop a wide-range of physical skills. We believe children should be taught at their level of readiness and in accordance with their needs and interests.

Our Philosophy of education holds that children can become more competent and confident while also becoming more excited about life and learning as they grow into better thinkers, doers, and believers. First Presbyterian Church WDS/MDO admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic background.

Tuition and Fees:
A yearly registration fee is required to register your child in the Preschool program. Registration fees are not refundable. Tuition is due the first of every month.

You may find more information about our Handbook, Registration Information, Curriculum for 3's, and Curriculum for 4's by clicking on the links.

REGISTRATION for the 2008-2009 School Year has begun. Click here for more information.

For further information about either the Weekday School or Mother's Day Out Programs, please contact the School Office at 208-2148 or 208-2149.

Director:     Sally White

Secretary:  Gwynne Sanford