
We warmly welcome visitors and all God’s children into our Sunday services, where strangers become friends every week.
Our passion is in celebrating our diversity, from age to sexual orientation to race. We’re known for it – it’s our signature value.
We will stand with those oppressed by discrimination and poverty, and in helping them in concrete ways to overcome.
This is our heartbeat – loving God with all we have, and serving ALL of our neighbors through creative ministries and outreach.
“Presbyterian” means “ruled by elders.” Our elders make up “the session.” The session of First Presbyterian Church is comprised of nine elders and our church’s pastor, who serves as the moderator. The session is responsible for the mission and governance of the church, meaning it is the session’s responsibility to provide for the worship, ministry, education, fellowship, mission, service, and life of the congregation.
Elders are chosen from the membership of the congregation. Each year, the Nominating Committee chooses from among the men and women (young and old) of the church those members they feel are called to serve in this leadership role. Their nominations are then presented before the congregation for election. Once elected, the Elders are ordained to their role. Active elders may serve one three-year term, with the opportunity to serve a consecutive three-year term if re-elected.
Deacons are church leaders ordained to the particular ministry of offering care. Each deacon has a “flock” of members with whom they connect offering support, care and any needs one has. Our Deacons’ Shop is also managed by the deacons as well as an Annual Christmas Ministry with a full breakfast, gifts and a surprise appearance by Santa Claus. Our diaconate is comprised of six deacons, elected to one three-year term, with the option of serving a consecutive three-year term if re-elected.
Trustees oversee the use, maintenance and care of the facility and grounds as well as the stewardship of large gifts given to the church. Our trustees ensure that those gifts are used to the glory of God. Our board of trustees is comprised of six members, elected to a three-year term, with the option of serving a consecutive three-year term if re-elected.
The Vision of the Finance Committee is for First Presbyterian Church Bowling Green to have reliable and sustained financial resources and monetary gifts, properly accounted, invested and expended which are sufficient to support the ministry and work of our Congregation.
Our Mission is to accomplish that vision by:
First Presbyterian Church of Bowling Green is a Christian community focused on glorifying God by being:
Our worship and our downtown facility are creatively traditional – our commitment to mission and service is innovative and relentless. We strive, in all facets of our common life and mission, to be a church “where Christ welcomes all.”
We are a community of believers who worship and serve God in a changing world. Our congregation fosters relationships with Bowling Green University faculty, students and staff. We welcome and affirm persons of every race, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, ethnicity, family status, economic status, and physical, mental, or emotional ability into full participation in our faith community.
We are planning the Fellowship Hall decorations for our upcoming Choral Scholars dinner, and could use some additional items to
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Jeff is a native of Mansfield, Ohio where his parents, his sister and her family (including his much beloved
niece and nephew), and his extended family still live. After graduation he left Mansfield and spent six years at Kent State University achieving both a Bachelor in English Literature (2004) and a Master in English Literature (2006). It was also at Kent where he met Brianne (nee Phelps) in the fall of 2004.
Jeff and Bri were married on June 23, 2007 and began their first decade of life together in Pittsburgh. During this time, Jeff completed his Master of Divinity (2009) and Master of Sacred Theology (2010) degrees, both from PTS. He delayed entrance into ordained ministry in order to begin a PhD in Systematic Theology program at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA).
In his spare time, Jeff juggles a number of hobbies, all of which support his general self-care and sense of well- being. These include: pickling/fermenting (mostly pickles and sauerkraut), brewing beer, roasting 100% organic and fair-trade coffee beans, making beef jerky, walking his dog Brutus, reading, lawn care/gardening, listening to
interesting podcast (he’s always open to suggestions!), watching movies, and binging way too much streaming TV. A once avid biker, the local rails-to-trails has his daydreaming about taking the habit back up. He’s also dabbled in stand-up comedy, even being paid a few bucks to do this a time or two.
David is a “cradle Presbyterian.” Both parents were elders and church professionals. He grew up in the shadows of Union Presbyterian Theologica Seminary in Richmond, Va. He never stood a chance!
He met Ann Marie, his wife, (who is also a Presbyterian minister) at Western Carolina University where he majored in Recreation Leadership. He received his M.Div. from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1986 and has pastored churches in Tennessee, Kentucky and he moved to Ohio to serve as the Executive Director of Toledo Campus Ministry for 6 years before coming home to FPC BG.
Ann Marie and David have three sons, three daughters-in-law, three grandchildren and one dog.
Tammy is a NW Ohio native and graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Tiffin University in 1986.
She is married to her husband, Tim. Together they have 2 sons (Tim II and Thomas), 2 daughters-in-law and a very rambunctious and loving grandson.
She has worked at First Presbyterian Church, BG for the past 24 ½ years. Tammy loves her job and the people she works with! And although her goal in life was never to be a church Office Administrator, she can’t imagine working anyplace else. She feels that this is what God has called her to do and where she is to be.
Tammy loves John Wayne movies, reading, camping, cooking, and baking. Her biggest joy in life is her family but especially her grandson, Timothy. She and her husband will be downsizing soon and that is proving to be quite the challenge in her life at this moment.
Amanda is an Ohio native growing up in Mid-West Ohio in Logan County where she was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Bellefontaine Ohio and always active in Youth Ministry. She attended BGSU where she earned a Bachelor’s in Education (2012), a Master of Arts (2013) in Curriculum and Teaching, and a Master of Education (2020) in Cross-Cultural and International Education. During all her degrees she actively attended First Pres and fell in love with the congregation, its mission, and even became a youth leader.
Between her two master’s degrees she spent 4 years teaching English and living in Jochiwion, South Korea where she was a youth leader and the English Worship leader at a local church there. And she spent the last two years working at Kirkmont Center as their AmeriCorps VISTA member.
Amanda’s passions are community outreach, cross-cultural understanding, and supporting others on their faith journeys. Amanda is excited to serve First Pres and the Bowling Green community in this new position.
In her free time Amanda likes to read, bake, craft, play table top games, go to Cafés, and hang out with her cat Nabi. (Nah-be)
Heather grew up in Bowling Green, active in the First Presbyterian Church youth group. As a young pianist in BG, Heather accompanied the choirs at BGHS and then BGSU, and had her concerto debut with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra.
She and her husband, Ted, moved to New York and away from music in college, taught math for a few years, and returned to music at the Eastman Conservatory for a Masters in Collaborative Piano. Along the way, she taught yoga, knit many hats, and swam competitively.
A few moves and two children later, Heather is back in Bowling Green and is on BGSU faculty as a pianist and accompanist. She is glad to be back at First Pres!
Fernando Hernandez moved from Donna, Texas to Bowling Green, OH in 2001 in order to visit his father and find work. He has worked at CJ Brick’s Green House and with the BG Police, as well as with GKN Drive Line. He began working at FPC BG in February 2019. He is most happy when he is spending time with their kids and playing soccer.
Mikel was a former radio and TV broadcast employee, who has a heart… and smarts.
Mikel loves to help those in true need, with nothing given in return. He thinks this has to do with growing up in several small towns in Wisconsin, and meeting many people that were in need. Mikel is a Deacon, but was doing Deacon duties before they got this title.
Mikel also wants to encourage marginalized people to look into our church home, as Mikel is non-binary, and has found a good home within First Presbyterian Church of Bowling Green.
Aaron is in his second year as the choir director at First Presbyterian Church.
Originally from Lakewood, Ohio, Aaron graduated in 2020 from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor’s in Music Education, specializing in choral music. Throughout his time at BGSU, Aaron got the opportunity to travel the country singing with the BGSU choirs, and learn from some of the best music professors in the state. He was also the President of the BGSU Men’s Chorus, as well as the President of Ten40 Acappella, the male a cappella group on campus.
He brings a variety of vocal music experience, having competed in choir competitions, the International Barbershop Competition, and the International Championship of Collegiate Acappella!
Aaron is also the choir director and head of the vocal music department at Anthony Wayne High School.
We are a loving and caring community of faith, located in the heart of Bowling Green, Ohio where Christ Welcomes All. As thoughtful followers of Christ committed to empathy, reflection and outreach, we gather together for worship, fellowship and service. We include all ages in our ministries. We have a deep love for music, mission and social justice, with a highly devoted congregation welcoming and caring deeply for all people within and beyond its walls.
Our congregation is one of the nearly 13,000 similar congregations spread across the United States that, together, make up the Presbyterian Church (USA).