First Presbyterian Church — Local services in Columbia

Giving funds to Cooperative Ministries is not meeting the needs of the underprivileged, homeless. It's like just donating funds to an organization because they state they take up donations, vehicles or anything else of a high value. USC privileged students needs are met underprivledged non students needs aren't. It is set up to keep middle class further ahead while the underprivileged are left behind, overlooked, forgotten, given grudgingly with a ruthless attitude. Not all are welcome, because if a homeless person go to pull the door handles they may have just been met by somebody that'll rather talk to them very briefly to dismiss them. The Lord is not pleased with how churches such as First Presbyterian, The First Baptist or any other church for that matter is operating despite of the churches giving funds. Doing God's work shouldn't start...

Going to a different church every Sunday across this state and First Presbyterian has a special weight to it. Evening service, I was early and not confident to enter such a palace, but was greeted. A beautiful interior. I sat upstairs in the cozy pews. Front row to a wonderful view of the chimes, the choir, the sermon, and the church goers below. It was quiet. A place I’ve often tied to stress and being unassimilated, for once, I felt at rest.

The choir was wonderful, allowing a reminisce of my life through my mind. The sermon was certainly long, but well spoken. Rather than the usual 1-4 verses covered, it felt like the entire book and scene was covered and...

I have been attending First Presbyterian Church for about a year and a half. Dr. Derek Thomas is a fantastic senior pastor, although he will be leaving soon to a well-deserved retirement.

First Pres is an old-fashioned Reformed Presbyterian church without many of the modern trappings (no praise band, music from an organ and sometimes an orchestra, mostly hymns written pre-1900), but it focuses on solid Scriptural teaching and a strong sense of community and corporate worship. I never thought I'd enjoy this type of church, having grown up Southern Baptist, but...