Fifth Street Saints,
As Christmas quickly approaches, it is important for us to remember what this season is meant to represent. We live in a secular society, and it is very easy for us to get caught up in the secular festivities and take no time to meditate on what it really means that our God humbled Himself to such a lowly state as to suffer the pains and trials of an earthly life that our sins we commit on so regular a basis will not be counted against us.
Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. While this goal should drive our every action and thought year-round, this season offers us a particular opportunity to reflect on how we are serving Him.
Below are a few general announcements as well as endeavors our Fifth Street Presbyterian Church brothers and sisters are involved in as we strive to glorify Him regardless of how meager these endeavors may be. This community He has placed us in is important. If we are to build one another up as Scripture commands, we must be in each other’s lives. Let these events encourage you to get involved with one another or strengthen your resolve where you are already involved.
Parking Concerns
If you have been to the church during the day this semester, you likely have noticed TJC students parked in undesignated areas not specifically marked for their parking. The diaconate has brought this to the attention of multiple TJC faculty members. As a result, they have been more diligent in issuing tickets. This presents a possibility that one of our members or visitors will be inadvertently issued a ticket. If this happens, please place the ticket and your license plate number in the “Financial” mail slot on the church office and the ticket will be cleared with TJC by a Deacon. Please help anyone not familiar with this communication, or with the office, if you see this happen to them.
Rose City Classical Academy
It is hard to believe, but a full semester of RCCA is complete. It was a joy and it was a struggle, but nothing great is ever easy. The progress amongst the students in these few months was staggering. At the end of semester assembly, the grammar students (ages 6-8) recited poems, scripture, and sang hymns from memory. The logic students (ages 10-13) presented their analyses of assigned readings for the semester.
The momentum is building. The administration, school board, and all founding members look forward to building an institution that will train Christian warriors for the next generation and glorify God in our community.
The administrator and school board are actively speaking to prospective students as well as seeking donations to continue building the school.
If you would like more information, the school website is rosecityclassical.com.
Upcoming Dates:
First Day of Next Semester: 01/05/2026
January Interest Meeting: 01/19/2026
Men’s Discipleship Night
Men’s Discipleship Night has been combined with Grill Night. The men meet in the kitchen on the first Tuesday of the month, grill some meat, and discuss important topics over their “kill.” This is an important time of fellowship for the men to sharpen one another and help our families grow in the faith. The men are currently working through Calvin’s Institutes and discussing their reading during this time.
Next Meeting: Tuesday 01/06/2026 6 PM at FSPC, with discussion focusing on Chapters 5-10 of Volume 1 of the Institutes
Trail Life
In November, the boys met for training on gun safety, followed by a morning of clay shooting.
Next Meeting: TBD
Book Study
This group just finished going through The Great Siege, Malta 1565 by Ernle Bradford. The group usually meets in one of the homes in the Green Acres area. This is a great night of fellowship centered around the discussion of a book. The books are not limited to theology, but are always reviewed with an eye to how they can be used to glorify God, and/or understand the world and time He has placed us in.
The next book and meeting date are TBD, but if you would like to be added to the GroupMe for future updates, please contact Daniel Alders.
Community Bulletin Boards
We want to encourage the successes and efforts of our young people at FSPC and encourage community involvement in their events and performances. To that end, one of the bulletin boards in the fellowship hall is now used to announce upcoming activities our families are involved in.
Any parents who would like to share schedules of their children's upcoming events or share photos of their children in action during those events are encouraged to contact Lisa Rawls at Rawlslisa@gmail.com.
We have already seen a marked increase in church members attending events in which their own families are not involved! Let’s continue to support our young people by reviewing the board regularly and attending upcoming events when you can.
Men’s Writing Group
In months past, there was discussion about starting a men’s writing group. While the details have yet to be fleshed out, the idea was for each man to pick a topic on which they would write an educational essay with an eye on how our theology bears upon the topic. The essay could then be presented to the group. This would be an opportunity for us to sharpen one another, not only on our writing and presentation skills, but also to enable one another to think deeper about the faith we all share.
Despite several men expressing interest in this project, we have yet to get the ball rolling on it. If anyone has a particular topic they would like to write about and present to the group, please contact a church officer.