Social Action and Advocacy

First Presbyterian Church is not just a Sunday experience, though our worship service is truly a mirror of who we are! After looking in that mirror on Sundays, we head out to heal a broken world.

Sometimes we do that by visiting far-off lands on missions of peace, and sometimes we do that by raising our voices for peace and social justice a few blocks away from our church. Sometimes we build houses, and other times we cook up great meals.
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A sampling of FirstPres groups
working to mend a broken world:

• Cool Planet
The focus of this group is to bring environmental awareness into our worship, our daily spirit, and our everyday lives.

• Peace and Justice
First Presbyterian is a Sanctuary church offering shelter to those in need. We work to promote and practice Justice in all aspects of our community and lives.

• More Light
Our mission is to provide an affirming and nurturing atmosphere for gays and lesbians in service and in our community.

• Breaking Bread Meals
Our church is just one local community of faith partnering with InnVision to provide hot meals in our Fellowship Hall to those in need.

• Food Closet
Each Sunday we collect food stuffs--tuna, beans, soups; bags of rice and pasta; veggies and fruit from our gardens and other hearty foods--in the narthex of our church to help stock the shelves of our local Food Closet.

• Christmas for Others
During Advent we work with the Ecumenical Hunger Project of East Palo Alto to collect and distribute gifts of food, household goods and toys that fulfill the wishes of low-income families in our area.
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Organizations that are particularly meaningful
to many people within our community of faith:

• Micah's Call

Launched with some angel funding from First Presbyterian, this online community helps members "do justice, love kindly, and walk humbly with God." Come and join us!

• Peninsula Peace & Justice
PPJC is dedicated to building coalitions among progressive organizations. Their efforts have led to the formation of broad-based coalitions fighting against U.S. military intervention, corporate globalization, the death penalty and many, many other issues.

• United Campus Christian Ministry
First Presbyterian Church is proud to sponsor United Campus Christian Ministry at Stanford and San Jose State. We welcome students from all local colleges and universities to become fully part of our community of faith.

• South Bay Sanctuary Covenant
SBSC is an ecumenical group of churches, religious groups and concerned individuals from Redwood City to Los Gatos that advocates for Central American refugees here and in their countries of origin.

• Innvision
InnVision provides temporary, longer-term and permanent housing with supportive services for men, women and families on the peninsula.

• Peninsula Interfaith Action
PIA helps people create more affordable housing, better neighborhood schools, adequate access to health care, improved economic opportunities, safer communities, and improved quality of life in local communities.

• Council of Churches
The mission of the Council of Churches of Santa Clara County is to express the justice and compassion of Jesus through five areas of commitment: nurturing spiritual formation, building peace, fostering community, sustaining creation, and promoting economic justice.

• The Presbytery of San Jose
Connecting congregations in the counties of Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz, California.

• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) numbers 2.3 million members in all 50 states and Puerto Rick and includes over 11,000 congregations.
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Groups housed on the FirstPres campus:

• Kara
A center offering compassionate peer support and education to individuals, families and organizations coping with death and dying. Services include individual peer counseling, support groups, onsite support for school s and organizations, and education programs on end-of-life issues.

• Eden Housing
Eden Housing provides housing and services designed to meet the needs of lower income, seniors and disabled people.

• The Learning Center
TLC is a small, high-quality daycare center and preschool providing a developmentally appropriate program for children between the ages of six months and kindergarten.

• Peninsula Bridge
Peninsula Bridge promotes academic and personal success for motivated middle school students from under-resourced communities.

• Rebuilding Alliance
This NGO rebuilds homes, schools and communities in areas of conflict through cooperative civic action that puts those who are affected at the heart of the process.

• Alcoholics Anonymous
Local chapter meets in the church lounge Mondays at noon, Tuesdays at 6pm, and Thursdays at 6pm and 7pm.

• Workaholics Anonymous
Local chapter meets in the church lounge on Fridays at 6:30pm.

1140 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 • 650.325.5659