Spring Concert Series

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Celebrate the coming of spring and join us for some amazing concerts this spring here at First Pres and other locations!

Spring Equinox: Sound & Voice Celebration - concert at St. John's Cathedral, Los Angeles

Spring Equinox: Sounds & Voice Celebration

Saturday, March 21, 7:30 pm • St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral

Register here »

 

Gospel Forever: A Tribute to Music Legend

Saturday, March 28, 2:30 pm • First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica

Register here »

Kaleidoscope: Glass, Giddens & More

Sunday, April 12, 2:00 pm • First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica

Register here »

Verdi Chorus - Verdi in España

Verdi in España

Saturday, April 18, 7:30 pm / Sunday, April 19, 4:00 pm
First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica

Register here »

Backroads of the Americas: A Spanish Guitar Journey by Diego Garcia

Backroads of the Americas: A Spanish Guitar Journey by Diego Garcia

Thursday, April 23, 7:00 pm • First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica

Register here »

Lent & Easter Events at First Pres 2026

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Come join us for Lent and Holy Week at First Pres! Here are all our services, schedules, and events during the season:

Ash Wednesday Soup Supper and Worship Service

Wednesday, February 18, 6:00 pm

We begin our Lenten journey together as a community of all ages with a potluck Soup Supper and then all are invited to gather around God’s inclusive table for communion and to receive the imposition of ashes.

Register here »

Holden Evening Prayer Soup Supper and Worship Service

Thursday, March 19, 6:00 pm

Holden Evening Prayer is a reflective service of music, sung prayer and Communion marking the halfway point in our Lenten journey. We begin as a community of all ages with a potluck Soup Supper and then all are invited to gather for worship and prayer.

Register here »

Palm leaves with bright sunlight
Palm Sunday Worship

Sunday, March 29 at 10:00 am

Celebrate Palm Sunday with our Palms Procession and special music by our JUBILATE! Children’s Choir.

Maundy Thursday Worship

Thursday, April 2 at 7:00 pm

Maundy Thursday is a service of Communion and Tenebrae where we follow Jesus through the stories and experiences of Holy Week.

Click here to watch the livestream service.

Good Friday Worship at First United Methodist Church of Santa Monica

Friday, April 3 at 7:00 pm

Standing with the disciples at the foot of the cross, we pray for the whole world as Christ’s death offers life to all. All are welcome at First United Methodist Church of Santa Monica together with the congregations of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica.

Click here to watch the livestream service.

Easter lilies and pink spring flowers in garden
Easter Sunday Worship

Sunday, April 5 at 10:00 am

Celebrate the risen Christ! After worship, enjoy an Easter potluck brunch and kids Easter egg hunt.

Click here to watch the livestream service.

Register for the potluck »

Ethical Holiday Shopping Swaps | A Message from Jen Philbin

One way to counter the injustice of empire is by being more intentional about where our money goes this holiday season. As Black Friday approaches, I want to provide some shopping swaps for those looking for more conscious alternatives to big name companies. Changing our spending habits can take a bit more effort, but it’s worth it to know we’re being good stewards of our resources. 

Here are a few sites I recommend: 

Good.Store gives 100% of their proceeds to charity. You heard me! 100%! John and Hank Green started this project as a way to raise funds to build the Maternal Center of Excellence in Sierra Leone (which opens in 2026). Purchases from this site go toward supporting projects like the maternal health center and more that make the world a better place. The quality of their products is exceptional and everything is fair trade. It’s really good stuff. 

For phone and tech needs, you can use BackMarket.com. They are a slow tech company that recycles and fixes up used phones. Any problems that pop up, I send the phone back for free repairs and their customer service is excellent. It may take some adjusting, but half the price of a new phone and not at the cost of the workers who made them is worth it. 

For more options: @cutoffthespigot is an Instagram page with more suggestions for ethical swaps. There are great alternatives for all kinds of categories, from children’s clothes to streaming services. 

Happy shopping!

– Jen Philbin
Director of Children’s, Youth, and Family Ministries

Join us for Christmas At First Pres

Join us for our Christmas services and celebrations at First Pres!
Our Advent services are as follows:

Advent Lessons and Carols
Sunday, December 7 at 10:00 a.m.

Shine Children’s Christmas Pageant in Worship
Sunday, December 14 at 10:00 a.m.

Christmas Festival
Sunday, December 14 at 11:15 a.m.

Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
Wednesday, December 24 at 6:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve Fellowship
Wednesday, December 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Interfaith Lunch With Beth Shir Shalom

Sunday, November 23 at Noon in the Ren Room

Following our last Interfaith discussion on “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, our next conversation will center on The Declaration of Independenceby Thomas Jefferson.  All are welcome for lunch and reflection on one of America’s most important texts.

Click here to download the faith250 resource for this event.

Trans 101 With Jen Philbin & Interfaith Council

TRANS 101: Spiritual Transformation & Community Education

Join Jen Philbin and the Santa Monica Area Interfaith Council (SMAIC) for “Trans 101: Spiritual Transformation and Community Education,” a learning and dialogue-based workshop designed to deepen understanding and strengthen community.

This interactive session explores the spiritual, emotional, and social dimensions of gender identity and transition. Participants will gain insights into the experiences of transgender and gender-diverse individuals, learn inclusive language and practices, and reflect on how faith communities can serve as safe, affirming spaces for all.

Through stories, shared reflection, and guided discussion, we will explore transformation as both a spiritual journey and a communal responsibility—inviting us to grow in compassion, awareness, and authentic connection.

Please register here if you plan to attend.

Thank you for supporting Jen as they start their journey of creating workshops to further understanding and compassion toward the Trans Community.

LA Children’s Chorus in Worship

We are excited to have the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus singing in worship on Sunday, November 2. The GRAMMY® Award-winning Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC) provides choral music education of the highest quality to young people who represent richly diverse racial, economic, and cultural backgrounds. Learn more about them here!

First Pres In Westside Food Bank Hunger Walk!

Be a part of the First Pres Hunger Walk Team and help us raise awareness and end hunger in our community. First Pres is a sponsor of this year’s Westside Food Bank Hunger Walk and, under the leadership of Patrick Chiang, we are forming a team to participate in the walk.

Click here to sign up to donate, walk, or do both. Our goal is to raise $7,000, and with our sponsorship, we’re already more than halfway there. But we also want to have a large team of walkers to show our support for the Westside Food Bank.

Solemates Shoes For Kids & Youth

Once again First Pres is teaming up with One Voice to provide shoes for children and youth in Compton and Inglewood. We are donating 25 pairs of shoes for children from preschool through high school. Typically, shoes cost $60 – $80 for each child/youth.

Click here to support this important mission project!

Even though we will be blessing the shoes we purchase during our October 26th service, this fund is designated for Solemates  and we use it for more shoes every year.

Interfaith Sukkot Dinner with Beth Shir Shalom

Everyone is invited to an Interfaith Sukkot Dinner with our friends at Beth Shir Shalom! Come learn more about the Sukkah, a temporary structure put up during the holiday of Sukkot that draws us into the depth and meaning of the Jewish story.

DATE: Sunday, October 12th

TIME: 5pm – 7pm

LOCATION: Beth Shir Shaloom

1827 California Ave Santa Monica, CA 90403 | Get Directions

REGISTER HERE

Learn more about Beth Shir Shalom here.