First Presbyterian Church, Waukon IA

06/07/2026

"Though decades and generations have passed, though pastors have come and gone, that same Spirit continues drawing us together for worship, fellowship, and service to friend, neighbor, and stranger. Though the landscape around us looks different, the love of God in Christ Jesus most definitely has not changed."

The old photograph bears a simple label: “Scene at Waukon.” So it’s unlikely that the photographer specifically intended to capture First Presbyterian Church. Nevertheless he (or she) froze a long-…

06/01/2026

"Our outlook on the future thus plays out as a mindset: Anticipation as worry, or anticipation as hope. Or perhaps more accurately, a natural and understandable mixture of both worry and hope. Be careful, though, of the temptation to worry. Your mindset of worry focuses on your fears, on worst-case scenarios. A mindset of worry fuels anxiety and stress; it drains energy and your ability to be present in the moment. Whereas a mindset of hope focuses on opportunities – on God making all things new, on the Holy Spirit making all things green and lush with growth."

If you are of a certain age, then you well remember singer Carly Simon’s hit song of 1971, “Anticipation.” Its lyric refrain, “Anticipation is making me wait,” even made its way into a years-long s…

05/17/2026

Pastor Grant finished his Easter sermon series this morning with reflections on the apostle Paul's encounter with Jesus and on the Lord's ascension into heaven.

The apostle Paul once was known as “Saul.” Bearing that name, he was a ruthless persecutor of Christians – until the Risen Christ appeared to him. Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascu…

05/10/2026

Today is a day to honor the unyielding love and care for others we call “motherhood” and “womanhood,” wherever we have found it and in whatever ways your Spirit cultivates it within each of us.

Caring God, thank you for revealing your love in so many magnificent ways, and this day in particular, we pray in gratitude for our mothers and for all the women who have joined with you in the won…

05/10/2026

With Mary Magdalene we pray: Thank you, blessed Lord, for holy vision that allows us to see you clearly in both the expected and the unexpected. Spirit of the living God, blot out the iniquity of thinking that we are separated from the Lord’s abiding presence.

With Simon Peter we pray: How blessed we are, merciful God, by your gift of repentance, by the Spirit’s conviction of brokenness and assurance of pardon. In every new opportunity, in all fresh starts, we experience the joy of resurrection.

On that first Easter morning, Mary Magdalene felt lost and alone. She had loved Jesus with a holy passion, but now Mary’s deep affection for her beloved felt estranged. Then suddenly her fortunes c…

05/04/2026

Weary and bewildered on that first Easter morning, the Lord’s disciples were at their breaking point:

+ Close the doors before the world that threatens and destroys constantly.

+ Slam shut the gates against those who come incessantly, because they bring lethal trouble undoubtedly.

+ Roll the stone in the face of the Savior who knocks persistently and loves unconditionally.

The Lord’s resurrection was still “breaking news.” The empty tomb remained the talk of the town. And the apostles – filled with anxiety, their fear of human enemies proving far stronger than any ho…

04/28/2026

The Presbyterian Women will be making frozen, bake-at-home rhubarb pies on Friday, May 8, and Tuesday, May 12. Each pie costs $15. To place your order, contact Gloria Krambeer at 563-568-3182 or Fern Rissman at 563-379-2828.

04/26/2026

Snippets of Pastor Grant’s pastoral reflections from this morning’s worship –

+ On the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:28-31) – “The road was long; the day was late, still hot and dusty though shadows were lengthening. Two men were fleeing the city of sorrow, the city of hearsay, the city of hopes and dreams too outlandish for belief. On this third day of their sorrow and loss, exhaustion and weariness are collecting their physical and emotional tolls …, and their hearts and minds are in no condition to trust the truth of what others had seen.”

+ Along the shoreline in Galilee (John 21:4-12) – “The disciples return to a familiar lake, back to places infused of home and everyday routine, back to spaces where things ought to be familiar – before Jesus comes to remake heaven’s fallen, broken, and fearful creation. A new covenant, literally written in blood, that demands less and yet infinitely more is rocking their world. … That morning’s shore breakfast brought the dawn of a new day, and no one would ever see a sunrise without remembering the garden, the empty tomb, the inaugural day of eternal life.”

Mere hours after the first reports of Jesus’s resurrection fuel the rumor mill and stir anxious doubt, two of the Lord’s disciples are traveling by foot the 7-mile trek from Jerusalem to Emmaus. To…

04/19/2026

"The heavenly host did plenty of heavy lifting during Jesus’s time on earth ... . And those same angels remain hard at work in kindness for you and me."

I am reading to you from the Gospel of Matthew. By the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, listen for God’s Good News – But the angel said to the women, [Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, who t…

04/15/2026

There’s still time to register for a free, half-day faith formation class, “An Introduction to the Bible,” which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday, April 18, at the church.

Led by Elder Lee Ann Knudson, a member of our Faith Formation and Outreach team and coordinator of congregational life, the class is designed for those new to the Bible as well as those who’ve been avid readers for years.

Topics include learning and conversation about —
+ the various books of the Old and New testaments, their sources, and why the Bible orders them the way it does;

+ the various translations and kinds of the Bible and deciding which best speaks to you;

+ how “study” differs from “reading” and how to use resources and reference books to enhance your study.

If you would like to attend, please contact Lee Ann by voice at 563-568-2981 or by email at [email protected]. The class is open to teenagers and adults of all faith traditions.