The Young Adults ministry recognizes and celebrates the vital role of young adults in the growth and future of the church. Whether you're navigating your 20s or settling into your 30s, single or married, with or without children, this group meets you where you are. This is the place to build lasting relationships with a caring support system. In addition to Sunday School, First Pres offers several mission and fellowship opportunities for adults ages 22-39(ish) throughout the year.

A Place at the Table

A cohort who gathers monthly to explore faithful purpose and direction within the context of community. You belong and you have gifts to share!

WHO: Young adults in their late college through early first-career years (ages 20-25ish) who desire to explore meaning and purpose within a faith context in a small group setting.

WHAT: A monthly gathering that will focus on accompanying young adults along their discernment journey and teaching sustainable practices for discernment

(What is Discernment?: Discernment is an iterative process in which people, in conversation with a community and the Sacred, determine what action is required of them to take their most faithful next step toward a life of meaning and purpose” (FTE))

WHERE/WHEN: Monthly dinners at First Presbyterian Church on Sunday evenings (October-April), one half-day retreat on a Saturday morning in February (more details to TBA). One-on-one check-ins with leader(s) occasionally based on each person’s schedule.

Tentative Dates[1] (All Dinners will be from 6:30-8:30pm)

  • Sunday, October 27th
  • Sunday, November 24th
  • December- NO formal meeting
  • Sunday, January 26th
  • Saturday, February 22nd (10am-2pm)
  • Sunday, March 23rd
  • Sunday, April 27th

WHY: Young adulthood is tough! You may be right on that cusp of graduating from college and worried about what will be next, or you are in that early phase of adjusting to the “real world” and it not being what you imagined or expected. You have questions about community, direction, and purpose in your life. It’s a tough place to navigate, and you find yourself wondering “Does everyone else have this figured out? Am I missing something?” We want to provide a place at the table to explore these questions together. God calls us into community to be fellow travelers along this journey of life.

MORE QUESTIONS?: Please feel free to contact Rev. Leslie Lang, Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Missions at First Presbyterian Church.

[1] Will finalize once the group has been selected


 

Benefits of membership in A Place at the Table cohort:

  • $300 stipend at the end of the program
  • Relationships with faith and community leaders who will serve as facilitators and conversation partners
  • Community with other young adults in a similar phase of life
  • Introduction to practices and tools for ongoing discernment in your life
  • Optional access to subsidized or free coaching
  • Access to books, printed materials, and other helpful resources
  • Nice FREE meals every month (and free coffee for check-ins!)


Expectations:

  • Those who participate in A Place at the Table are expected to prioritize the monthly gatherings: 5 on Sunday evenings and one Saturday half-day retreat, all of which will include a shared meal. Receiving your stipend is contingent on attending at least 5 of the 6 required gatherings
  • You will have one-on-one check-ins with Leslie Lang or another facilitator twice throughout the program. These will be scheduled around everyone’s availability.
  • If you have a conflict on a particulate date, you are expected to notify Leslie Lang as soon as possible, even before the program begins, so that potential schedule changes can be made.
  • We want members to recognize that you will get out of this experience what you are willing to put into it. You are encouraged to engage with others in your cohort and/or your leader outside of the assigned gathering times.


 

Other Stipulations:

  • Participants must be upcoming Juniors, Seniors, or recent college graduates to participate. Applications will be due in the summer before the gatherings begin in the fall.
  • Although much of the leadership comes from the PCUSA and out of First Presbyterian Church Spartanburg, membership is open to any young adult who identifies as Christian.
  • In keeping with the PCUSA’s affirmation that the Holy Spirit calls all people to serve in leadership roles in the church, A Place at the Table wishes to reflect radical inclusivity and hospitality in our spaces. We really do believe that all have a place at the table, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, background, etc. Participants must agree to be respectful of others who may hold different beliefs than they do.