What’s happening Now at FPCD

The Second Presbyterian Church in Chicago’s South Loop district is on the National Register of Historic Places and famous for its 21 significant stained glass windows, including nine made by Tiffany. Presbyterian Women is organizing a visit to this beautifully preserved church in the afternoon, with a morning visit to nearby Glessner House. Second Pres features exquisite wood and plaster ornamentation, chandeliers and an impressive choir loft. The docent tour will include the windows, as well as the Arts and Crafts interior elements. Glessner House, also a National Historic Landmark, is a cultural center and museum showcasing architectural design and celebrating the cultural arts from the late 1800s to the present day. Designed by American architect Henry Hobson Richardson, it was completed in 1887 and marked a radical departure from traditional Victorian architecture. It served as a source of inspiration for some of the greatest architects of all time, including Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe and a young Frank Lloyd Wright. We will have a short time to eat a bring-your-own bag lunch around noon. The cost is $30. Sign up in the Friendly Office. For more information, contact Mary Getz.

Interested in Helping Prepare for Our Church’s 150th Anniversary Celebration? As May begins, so does the countdown to the celebration of the century-and-a-half that is the life of First Presbyterian Church. Will you help us make the celebration not just an event, but also a recommitment and renewal of our ministry? Join the planning and fun as the preparation begins. All are welcome! Contact Pastor Suzan at shawkinson@firstpresdf.org to sign up to help!

In a few weeks, we’ll bid a fond farewell to our friend and the Director of Faith Formation and Mission, Thom Cunningham. As Thom transitions into his new leadership role as the Executive Director of Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE), we think about the lasting legacy he has given us. That legacy is simply this: love. Love has always been at the core of Thom’s 34 years of leadership at FPCD. Thom has dedicated his life as a Christian educator to living out his mantra: “God is good. All the time.” He has nurtured love and faith in the hearts he has touched and has had the privilege of supporting mission efforts that bring hope, education, and spiritual growth to communities in need. To continue Thom’s legacy of love and to honor his departure, FPCD is establishing “The Thom Cunningham Mission Fund.” This fund will provide ongoing support for major missions Thom helped to grow into lasting partnerships, Yucatan Presbyterian Ministries in Mexico and Atebubu Ministries in Ghana, in addition to future mission and Christian education undertakings. We cannot think of a better way to honor Thom than to expand the reach of the church, touching more lives and spreading God’s grace where it is needed most. Along with a gift of support for the missions (see "Give Now" page), we are preparing a video of photos and gratitude for Thom. Still photos and written messages may be submitted via email to production@firstpresdf.org. You may record videos on your phone with a brief message of appreciation and blessing and send them to production@firstpresdf.org. Submissions of more than 25 seconds will be curated and edited by our video technician, and longer messages will be forwarded to Thom separately.