Presbyterian Women

First Presbyterian Church

Kissimmee, Florida

The purpose of PW:

Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves:

· To nurture our faith through prayer and Bible Study,

· To support the mission of the church worldwide,

· To work for justice and peace, and

· To build an inclusive, caring community of women that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and witnesses to the promise of God’s kingdom.

Who PW are:

We are all the women of each Presbyterian congregation who attempt a daily witnessing to our faith. Nationally, we have a membership of 300,000 plus. We are Caucasian American, Native American, European American, African American, Asian American, Hispanic/Latin American, and Middle Eastern American.

We function at our local congregation level, at a several-county Presbytery level, at a several-state Synod level, and nationally. No matter what the level, Presbyterian women function democratically… an elected Coordinating Team organizing the projects.

Our Presbytery, Central Florida Presbytery District Four includes 91 churches and 88 local PW groups, with some 31,000 participants. We gather annually in January for business and fellowship.

We are part of the Synod of South Atlantic. It includes Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. We gather every third year in the fall near Brunswick’s Epworth-by-the-Sea conference center for Bible study and fellowship. Nationally, we gather every third year in the summer, usually in Louisville, Kentucky.

What PW do:

Nationally, we give (beyond our regular church commitment), approximately one and a half million dollars to the General Assembly through our Mission Pledge.

Nationally, we give (beyond our regular church commitment), approximately four million dollars each year to two special offerings: the Birthday Offering in April and the Thank Offering, (Health related Ministries), in November. These offerings are designated for projects at home and abroad.

We, Kissimmee PW, also raise money for local projects.

Nationally, we support three colleges (Agnes Scott in Decatur, GA, Eckerd in St. Petersburg, FL, and Presbyterian college in Clinton, SC).

Nationally, we give to the world’s family, supporting 531 missionaries in 101 countries and maintaining mission partnerships with 164 churches worldwide.

Our PW Circles:

The First Presbyterian Church has two PW Circles: the Faith Circle and the Bethany Circle. The circles have Bible study and fellowship. The Faith Circle meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 10:00 AM. The Bethany Circle meets on the second Monday of every month at 7:30 PM. Simply, the daytime circle is for women who wish to attend in the daytime and the evening circle is for women who wish to attend in the evening. There is a “Gathering” meeting (combing both circles) the fourth Monday of every month at 1:00 PM.