Old First Reformed UCC

06/15/2026

We learned on Sunday that our Director of Music is going to need to take a summer sick leave, effective immediately. We are looking for a musician (organist or pianist) who would like a 10 am Sunday gig, starting as soon as possible and going through Labor Day.

It's a simple Protestant worship service that lasts about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Musically, we are looking for a Prelude, Postlude, Offertory and accompaniment of 3 hymns. Choir is on summer break, but there maybe individuals who want to offer Special Music, and they might ask for the guest musician's assistance.)

If you are interested (or know someone who might be interested), please contact the Rev. Michael Caine : 215.922.4566 or [email protected].

06/15/2026

THIS COMING SUNDAY (June 21, 2026):
We begin summer worship's early hour -- at 10 am (until the Sunday after Labor Day).
Join us early and get more of the rest of your day for enjoying the city in this celebratory season...

05/28/2026

Join fellow community members this Saturday, May 30th, at the Inaugural Senior Resource Fair, hosted by Councilmember O'Rourke's Office!

There will be Grocery Giveaways, Workshops, Vendors, and Fitness Classes, all geared towards older Philadelphians.

The event is free and open to the public. More information in the comments.

05/26/2026

Billi C. asked us to share this. If you need more info., contact her….

05/17/2026

A group of Old Firsters enjoyed an informative tour of the Museum of the American Revolution after lunch at National Mechanics. We spied an image of Old First’s original building among the museum’s collection

05/12/2026

"Happiness"
by Jane Kenyon

(as shared in the SALT* e-newsletter)

There’s just no accounting for happiness,
or the way it turns up like a prodigal
who comes back to the dust at your feet
having squandered a fortune far away.

And how can you not forgive?
You make a feast in honor of what
was lost, and take from its place the finest
garment, which you saved for an occasion
you could not imagine, and you weep night and day
to know that you were not abandoned,
that happiness saved its most extreme form
for you alone.

No, happiness is the uncle you never
knew about, who flies a single-engine plane
onto the grassy landing strip, hitchhikes
into town, and inquires at every door
until he finds you asleep midafternoon,
as you so often are during the unmerciful
hours of your despair.

It comes to the monk in his cell.
It comes to the woman sweeping the street
with a birch broom, to the child
whose mother has passed out from drink.
It comes to the lover, to the dog chewing
a sock, to the pusher, to the basket maker,
and to the clerk stacking cans of carrots
in the night.

It even comes to the boulder
in the perpetual shade of pine barrens,
to rain falling on the open sea,
to the wineglass, weary of holding wine.

04/24/2026

We're in the process of renewing our Mission & Vision Statement for Outreach Ministries (we've accomplished much; what more does God want from us?). These commitments from a pastoral letter from the Southern New England Conference Minister reminded me of Mission & Vision goals...

04/23/2026

We have spoken about how White Christian Nationalism isn't Christianity so much as a antithetical movement that uses Christian symbolry / language / form to disguise what it's really up to. The proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing. Here's a real life example of why and how the White Christian Nationalist movement is out of the wide bounds of what can be considered the church...

https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/04/21/cities-church-and-its-white-christian-nationalism-deserve-scrutiny/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRW8MNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFObnFCaEUycW9LOUpjcm5ac3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHr6XmjryCRsvEHBG4z6OWFkyMKVfjduZGgMwdw8wf6F0wRryZfJj30rJcVtB_aem_vk-2eW01GGNiKSP419SL7g

Cities Church is not your run-of-the-mill Jesus-loving Christian church.