FIRST PRES 2024 WRAP UP
Praise God for the great things He has done! As we joyfully reflect on God’s miracles in 2024, let us marvel at the ways He is winning hearts and transforming lives. First Presbyterian Church of Orlando stands as a beacon of faith, community, and unwavering commitment to God’s call. The priority of our congregation to Live Missionally has manifested in extraordinary ways! Let’s take a look:
GROWTH & SERVICE
In 2024, we welcomed 72 new Covenant Partners into our vibrant community of Belonging in God’s presence, with His people, and in the places He’s called us. We’re celebrating a thriving and ever-growing Church Family of 3,148 Covenant Partners!
248 faithful volunteers graciously dedicated their time and talents to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus as He propels His Kingdom work through us! The work of First Pres couldn’t happen without them… or YOU! Learn how you can get involved in this treasured community today!
PARTNERSHIPS
The impact of our church extended beyond our city, as we partnered with approximately 37 Missions organizations and 29 missionaries to be the love and hope of Christ to the marginalized, less fortunate, hurting and lost. With Missions allocations totalling $637,239 in 2024, the Relentless Generosity of our congregation shines bright on our world in need of Jesus.
An additional $111,446 in Good Samaritan funds were allocated to Covenant Partners and friends of First Pres who were in need of temporary financial assistance in 2024! Thank YOU for making this ministry possible!
STUDENTS
Our Weekday School staff of 24 faithful servants disciple and love 121 children each day, which includes 33 families who call First Pres home. Their passion for our tiny First Pres-ers and commitment to “learning through play” give our kids a solid foundation in academics and the Word — which makes every day the best day!
Our valued partnership with The Christ School, provides a world-class, Christ-centered TK-8 education for 536 students on our campus daily. The vision and mission of our Church Family make it all possible!
FELLOWSHIP
Our Sunday morning Fellowship Hour is rich with relationship, accompanied by yummy refreshments. A total of 10,000 cups of coffee and 5,546 cups of hot chocolate or lemonade were served in 2024 to our delighted friends and family.
We came together in confession and thanksgiving for Christ’s atoning work on the cross through the holy sacrament of communion where 1,536 ounces of juice and 106 loaves of bread were served.
FAMILY LIFE
In 2024, LifeFest brought together 230 participants, fostering faith, fun, and fellowship! Similarly, 50 couples attended our biennial Marriage Retreat!
134 students attended Camp Twain, experiencing spiritual growth and positive relationships.
We served over 2,000 slices of pizza to feed our Tribe & Peak students this year!
Over 300 (yes, 300!) children participated in SHINE for joyous discipleship, friendships, and activities focused on Jesus. 138 children attended Deep Dive this summer. Our nursery welcomed 15 new babies, and 22 children became Covenant Partners through Confirmation!
WORSHIP ARTS
We sang 165 hymns in Traditional Worship, led by 88 members of Adult, Youth, and Children’s choirs. Registration is open now for you to join our choirs in an ongoing or project-based capacity. Let your voice be heard as you glorify the Lord and lead His people in song!
CARE
A testament to our commitment to care for others, 104 prayer shawls were created, prayed over, and delivered to provide comfort, and 192 flower arrangements were delivered to those recovering in hospitals and nursing facilities.
We offered 15 counseling scholarships in 2024. In addition, 198 prayer warriors interceded on behalf of our Church Family through our weekly prayer request list and during the 24 Hours of Prayer vigil.
BEHIND THE SCENES
The efforts of our Creative/AV team facilitated online worship for 49,818 First Pres friends from 31 states and 7 different countries! In addition, we’re honored to serve as a light and resource to 61,000 individuals through our website.
As you may assume, it requires a small but mighty army to serve our community well. In 2024, we partnered with 101 employees with over 909 cumulative years of experience at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando. Our longest-tenured employee has been with us for an incredible 32 years, with 5 other employees serving with us for over 25 years!
These stats are a celebration of the big and small ways God worked in and through First Pres in the past year. As we celebrate His miracles and the heart of our church in 2024, we recognize that each statistic represents a life touched, a soul transformed, and a community strengthened. Through the Relentless Generosity of our congregation and our commitment to Christ’s love and truth, we’ve witnessed an outpouring of faith and service that is truly humbling.
Moving forward, may these victories attune our hearts even more toward God’s call on our lives, and propel us forward — together.
In 2025, we’ll embody the vision of Belonging that brings us closer to God and each other as we live out our faith in the world around us. During worship, we’ll deep dive into the Transformational Testimonies of our brothers and sisters at First Pres and our forefathers of the Bible. We’ll also take steps to lean into our strategy re-envisioning based on the 2024 congregational survey results — with an emphasis on deep relationships of affection and accountability.
As we close a strong and joyous 2024, we extend a very Happy New Year to you and yours!
God is calling YOU to be a part His victories through First Pres in 2025!
Contact our Connect Team to explore formation opportunities, groups of belonging, ways to serve, and ways to give.
#WeAreFirstPres
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
Matthew 22:37-40