At 121 Carver Ave. in Brandon, First Presbyterian Church of Brandon is known for a 9:30 a.m. Sunday gathering in its sanctuary and on Facebook Live. Biblically based preaching, a Praise Ensemble, and music led by people in the congregation shape the worship. Around that Sunday rhythm, the church provides study and care for children and adults while extending practical service through meals, an outdoor pantry, family shelter, recovery groups, and mission partnerships in Brandon and beyond.
The church is a family of faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus is its foundation for life and living, and worship is intended to build relationship with God, give life perspective and order, and strengthen a growing faith. Four practical commitments connect those beliefs to everyday life: sharing, serving, developing, and empowering.
A 9:30 Gathering Built Around Scripture
Every Sunday at 9:30 a.m., the congregation meets as the Body of Christ in praise and thanksgiving. Rev. Dr. Michael McCormack leads biblically based messages, while the Praise Ensemble leads participatory worship. People may join in the sanctuary or participate through Facebook Live. The church emphasizes opportunities to become involved in worship and grow deeper in faith.
Holy Communion is part of the church's worship life. Worship leaders, ushers, acolytes, the flower and banner committees, and the pew committee also contribute. Special services are held during Lent and Advent. The church understands worship as building a relationship with God, giving life perspective and order, and demonstrating a faith that is alive and growing.
Four core values shape the congregation's life:
- Sharing: Accept and embrace everyone who enters as Christ accepts people.
- Serving: Encourage and equip people to serve Christ.
- Developing: Provide opportunities for spiritual growth and discipleship.
- Empowering: Offer ministry within the church and mission in the community and beyond.
These commitments extend beyond Sunday worship. People are welcomed regardless of their circumstances, and the church's facilities provide space for recovery, learning, comfort, and fellowship. Mission ventures and partnerships with other congregations and charitable organizations carry that welcome beyond the church walls.
Children and Youth Have a Place in the 9:30 Service
Visitors can expect a warm greeting. Ushers help newcomers find their way, offer a packet for new guests, and answer questions. Children are included throughout worship rather than treated as an afterthought. Age appropriate materials are available for children from ages 3 through 10.
The nursery serves children from birth through age 3. Qualified caregivers provide a clean, safe, well equipped, and structured environment. It is open from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Sundays, allowing families to arrive before worship and remain afterward when needed.
Time for Young Disciples is part of the 9:30 service. Children from preschool through first grade are dismissed for Preschool Praise in the room next to the nursery. Children in second grade and above receive worship bags and return to sit with their families for the rest of the service. Young children may also participate in age appropriate worship activities rather than leaving the service.
Children's Sunday School follows Time for Young Disciples. Kindergarten through third grade meet in CDC Room 204, while fourth through sixth grade meet in CDC Room 202. Preschool children remain in the preschool room by the nursery during the Sunday School hour. The preschool's mission is to nurture a child's sense of wonder about their place in God's world.
The youth ministry is open to students in grades 6 through 12. Most Sunday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. include recreation, dinner, faith, and fellowship. Youth also take part in retreats, mission trips, service projects, confirmation, Youth Sunday, picnics, Christmas caroling, and local outreach. Their mission statement identifies them as people of hope who serve and accept everyone through faith in Jesus.
CJAM, the children's music ministry for grades 2 through 5, meets Wednesdays from 4:50 to 6:15 p.m. Participants learn and play hand chimes, sing traditional praise and fun Christian songs, and share a pizza dinner. Faithful Friends also brings children together monthly for fellowship, food, crafts, and games, with seasonal activities tied to holidays. Vacation Bible School offers another summer opportunity for children and families to grow in faith together.
The sanctuary includes a hearing loop for people whose hearing aids or implants have a manual telecoil, also called a T-coil. This system is intended to make the spoken message easier to follow.
Adult Study Meets in Rooms, Homes, and Online
Adult discipleship is designed as a lifelong adventure. The church offers different groups for different ages, backgrounds, and interests, with an emphasis on learning Scripture together and developing faith within a community.
- Adult Sunday School: Sunday, 8:30 to 9:15 a.m., in CDC Room 104.
- The Living Word: Sunday, 10:45 to 11:45 a.m., in CDC Room 103.
- Everyday Christianity: Sunday, 10:45 to 11:45 a.m., in CDC Room 102 and on Zoom.
- Fireflies: Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to noon, in CDC Room 105 and on Zoom.
- Women's Monday Group: Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., on Zoom.
Beyond the scheduled classes, several groups build fellowship around particular seasons of life. CUPIDS, Couples United Prayerfully in Devoted Service, brings married couples together twice a month for food, study, fellowship, shared prayer, and support for other couples. Occasional outings and mission activities extend that fellowship beyond the meeting itself.
SAGE, Senior Adults Giving Everywhere, serves people age 55 and above. The Health Ministry Team and interested members plan at least four gatherings each quarter, combining health and wellness programs, conversations with local experts, and field trips with fellowship.
Meet And Eat creates small groups of five or six couples and singles. Groups meet for lunch or dinner, get reorganized every three months, and welcome visitors. The arrangement makes it easier for newcomers and longtime friends to build relationships in a modest group rather than a large gathering.
Sunrisers meets for prayer breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Tuesdays in Mauldin Hall. Devotion, breakfast, prayer concerns, and sending cards are part of its rhythm. Men and women also gather for Bible study, while a New Member Class introduces the Presbyterian Church, its ministries, and ways to participate in the congregation.
First Crafters meets from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the second Friday of most months in CDC Room 104. Sewing, quilting, embroidery, needlepoint, crochet, knitting, card making, jewelry making, and other creative interests are welcome. Participants bring their own lunches and share both completed projects and works in progress.
The church library supports Bible study, personal reflection, and life transitions. Its Stephen Ministry section includes titles on choosing nursing homes, coping with tragedy, Alzheimer's disease, and finding words that offer comfort. The collection is intended both for study and for encouragement.
Music Carries the Whole Church
Music is a broad ministry rather than a single ensemble. The Chancel Choir provides a traditional choral dimension, while the Praise Ensemble includes singers and instrumentalists. Guitar, drums, flute, violin, trumpet, and other instruments support congregational singing. The church also has an adult Handbell Choir, children and youth choirs, and Children's Chimes.
Dr. Keenan Boswell serves as Praise Ensemble Director and Organist. He works to bring people together to sing and play songs of gratitude to God, with room for varied musical gifts and active participation. Kathryn Webb Thorson directs the Chancel Choir, bringing experience in vocal and instrumental music education and church choirs to the congregation's worship.
Young people can participate in music through hand chimes, children's choirs, youth choirs, and the Sign Choir, which offers praise through sign language. This variety gives children, youth, and adults different ways to participate in the church's musical life. The congregation also maintains a broad sermon archive for hearing messages beyond the Sunday gathering.
Stephen Ministry Pairs Skill With Confidentiality
Stephen Ministry provides confidential emotional and spiritual support through trained lay caregivers. Its leaders emphasize effective listening, confidentiality, understanding the pressures surrounding hospitalization, recognizing feelings, and connecting people with community resources. Those serving in the ministry continue to receive education and supervision support after their initial training.
First Presbyterian Church of Brandon began participating in Stephen Ministry in 1989. Stephen Leaders train additional people in the skills of Christian care, and the church's continuing emphasis is one of confidential, individual support offered with warmth and care.
The Health Ministry Team is part of Member Care and is composed of pastors, nurses, and other caregivers. It serves as an information resource and supports projects focused on crisis intervention, disease prevention, health promotion, education and training, and social events. Faith Community Nurses contribute nursing and health education to the church's care ministry.
Member Care also coordinates coffee hours, celebrations, receptions, memorial services, and other expressions of hospitality. Its goal is to meet varied needs while helping people and guests feel included in the life of the congregation.
The Veterans History Project records interviews with people who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. By preserving their experiences, the project honors military service and keeps firsthand stories available within the church's ministry.
Hot Meals and an Outdoor Pantry Serve Brandon
Every Wednesday from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m., volunteers prepare almost 100 hot, nutritious Meals on Wheels. The meals are delivered to neighbors in the community who cannot prepare meals for themselves. The work links the congregation's time, cooking, driving, delivery, and fellowship directly to a recurring need in Brandon.
The Little Free Outdoor Pantry sits between the Morgan Street entrance and the Family Promise Day Center. It offers a limited supply of canned goods, hygiene items, and paper goods at any time. No questions are asked, and anyone in need may take what is available. Those with food to share may leave what they can. A collection box in the narthex on the first Sunday of each month supports the pantry.
The pantry follows a simple principle: give what you can and take what you need. Its purpose is not to replace a full food bank, but to provide immediate help with a few essential items and create a visible point of neighbor-to-neighbor care.
The PB and J Ministry makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Nativity Catholic Church's ministry. Nativity distributes sandwiches each month to shelters and food pantries serving families in the community. Another recurring response is the 3 Cents a Meal offering on the third Sunday of each month, which distributes donations equally among Beth-El, the Little Free Outdoor Pantry, and ECHO.
Quarterly Shelter and Recovery Groups
First Presbyterian hosts families for Family Promise on a quarterly basis by providing shelter and meals. Family Promise is a cooperative effort among local churches that helps families experiencing homelessness work toward lasting independence and move beyond a cycle of poverty. The Brandon congregation contributes building space, meals, and volunteer support to that shared work.
The church's rooms also support recovery and support meetings, including Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, Co-Dependents Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Debtors Anonymous. A hospice support group is another part of this community ministry.
This use of the church's facilities reflects a broad understanding of hospitality. Spaces used for worship, learning, prayer, and fellowship also help people find recovery support, companionship, and practical help within Brandon.
Mission Extends from Brandon to Broader Partnerships
The Mission and Outreach Team supports local and international ministry. Its partnerships combine donated resources, volunteer labor, advocacy, fundraising, and hands-on service. At Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, support includes school supplies, Christmas gifts, operational equipment, dental services, and volunteers who help distribute food.
International and regional partnerships broaden that work. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance responds to natural disasters, while Heifer International supports sustainable food sources for families in communities experiencing poverty. Every other year, a Heifer Living Gift Market raises awareness and funds. The church also supports Cedarkirk Camp, where retreats and spiritual growth can occur.
Quarterly special offerings direct support toward needs selected by the congregation. Mission giving also includes the Beth-El partnership, the outdoor pantry, ECHO, Meals on Wheels, Family Promise, PB and J Ministry, and other local organizations. This work connects Sunday worship to direct service in Brandon and collaborative ministry farther away.
The Gil Evans Memorial Scholarship Fund supports a graduating high school senior who has been active in the church. Half of the selection is based on the student's goals and plan for college, technical school, military service, or another accredited path after graduation; half reflects participation in church and youth activities. Financial need may be considered if a tiebreaker is needed. The endowed fund is separate from the church's operating budget, and voluntary additional gifts can increase the award or number of recipients.
Flower Ministry dedications can honor, remember, or celebrate someone special. Flowers may be delivered to someone unable to attend after the service upon request, with recurring opportunities associated with Easter lilies and Christmas Eve poinsettias.
Generosity Supports Welcome, Facilities, and Mission
An offering is collected during worship, but giving is not required. Offerings support the operation of the church facility as well as local and international outreach and mission. The church connects generosity with more than money: time, talents, listening, encouragement, and service are also ways to participate in its mission.
Online giving is available through Realm, while checks can also be mailed to the church office. Stewardship is presented as a way of honoring the kingdom of God through the responsible use of time, talents, and financial resources.
The Buildings and Properties team maintains the church's buildings and grounds so that worship, events, and community groups can have a clean, safe, and welcoming setting. Volunteers regularly work behind the scenes, and churchwide work days bring members together for larger maintenance projects.
Presbyterian Leadership and a Place to Belong
Rev. Dr. Michael McCormack joined the church's staff in the fall of 2015 and serves as Pastor and Head of Staff. Rev. Dr. Earl Smith serves as Pastor Emeritus. The Session, the Presbyterian governing body made up of church members, includes elders serving in discipleship, stewardship, personnel, mission, member care, worship and music, and finance. Those responsibilities include Lauren King, David Leach, Elizabeth McNair, Bill Newton, Pat Ogden, Cheryl Rogers, and Nancy Staley.
Music leadership includes Dr. Keenan Boswell as Praise Ensemble Director and Organist and Kathryn Webb Thorson as Chancel Choir Director. Together with the Session, they support a congregation in which teaching, pastoral care, worship, administration, family discipleship, and mission are shared responsibilities.
Membership is not required to worship or participate. New Member Class offers an introduction to Presbyterian beliefs, the church's ministries, and ways to become involved, while members vote on important matters in the church's life.
Together, these ministries connect First Presbyterian Church of Brandon's worship with formation across generations, confidential care, practical hospitality, and mission carried from Carver Avenue into Brandon and beyond. The church remains centered on Jesus Christ and open to people seeking worship, fellowship, learning, and service.