Home / About / Our People / Staff STAFF Home / About / Our People / Staff / Austin DeSpain Youth Associate austind@firstpres.com (806) 373-4242

Home / About / Our People / Staff STAFF Home / About / Our People / Staff / Doyle Askew Operations Manager Doyle Askew has been the Operations Manager at First Pres for over 31 years. He and his wife enjoy spending time with their five grandkids. Doyle loves the members and staff at First Pres. He feels like this is where God wants him to serve. Doyle’s favorite verse is Psalm 23, and he loves Mexican food! doylea@firstpres.com (806) 350-5206

Home / About / Our People / Staff STAFF Home / About / Our People / Staff / Amanda Olson Financial Assistant Eric and Amanda married in 2004 and spent the first 15 years of married life serving children and youth at Frontier Camp (Grapeland, TX). They have three lovely children, son Noah (17), daughter Esther (15) and son Titus (13). Amanda’s favorite verses are John 1:1-5, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Amanda is excited to help share this same Light with others through the ministry here at First Pres. amandao@firstpres.com (806) 350-5209

CIRCLE OF SERVICE Home / Ministries / Missions Three Circles of Service within Local Missions whole church The first circle spreads wide and far. It involves the entire church working in the larger Amarillo community in citywide missions, All of our church serving in events like our Saturdays of Service. Where we, as a church go all over Amarillo to serve and show the love of Christ. In the past, we have been at the church making teacher gifts for San Jacinto’s and Opportunity School’s teachers, at Heal the City cleaning, at Colorful Closets organizing, and even tearing down a building. We also join with other churches for our 4Amarillo Mission. In the past, we have assisted at Square Mile’s Urban Farms in the mornings, co-hosted Vacation Bible School in afternoons at Margaret Wills and another VBS in the evenings at San Jacinto. We also serve and disperse by making bags for shelterless individuals throughout our community and much, much more. We are a large body of believers spreading the love of Christ all over town. small group Then the second circle: the importance is the same, but the focus narrows into small groups and smaller projects: For example, the Women's Class hosted a moment for mom’s for San Jacinto’s pre-k kids, the B-12 class has served at Faith City Mission, the Parlor Sunday School Class has served at the High Plains Food Bank, the Berean Class worked on the cleaning the grounds of the church and the Kaleidoscope class has served kids at Opportunity School. A smaller group of members, building community among themselves and demonstrating our church cares by supporting smaller local organizations and serving in smaller group projects like these: Small-Group Projects individual Finally, the third circle, just as important as the other two, but more laser-like in focus. In this circle, church members serve as family units or individuals. Here are some ideas for you or your family to serve: bring your neighbor’s kids with yours to our Vacation Bible School attend a Future Leaders Lunch Club at San Jacinto and play connect four Work at Square Mile’s urban farm and visit with neighbors as they walk by take flowers to a shut-in take a meal to the family with the new baby make teacher appreciation gifts with San Jacinto moms play rock, paper scissors with a Sam Houston Middle schoolers at WyldLife read to a child at Opportunity School. This is the level where relationships are formed and Jesus can be shared. Where love takes on flesh and walks with people. Murray's House Right on 6th street in the heart of the San Jacinto neighborhood sits First Pres's newest service endeavor. It is soon to be a hub of service for individuals, small groups, and the church as a whole. Stay tuned for all the amazing things to come! Small-Group Service - Deacon Day Two Saturdays were spent serving a widow in need. The Deacons weatherproofed and painted windows, pulled weeds, tore down a dilapidated fence and replaced it with a brand new one. MISSIONS LOCAL SUPPORT SERVE NOW OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve Whole Church Service First Pres' deacons bagged a little love for the whole church to share with individuals in Amarillo without shelter this winter. 150 baggies filled with socks, chapstick, crackers, masks, and more were distributed.

SENIOR ADULTS Home / Ministries / Adults / Senior Adults Fellowship and fun with the NUFFs! (None Under Fifty-Five) We've made it to 55 years or beyond, and are so thankful to be full of energy with time to enjoy what life has to offer! Enjoy a special group of fun-loving folks through devotionals, programs, and enjoyable outings. Lunch is always a hot meal with warm relationships and opportunities to make lots of new friends. We have our own Steering Committee that plans monthly meetings and social activities. The group frequently visits many different places of interest throughout the Texas Panhandle. Guests are always welcome, so please join us! The NUFFs meet at 10:30 a.m. (come at 10:15 a.m. for coffee & fellowship) on the second Thursday of every month in the First Presbyterian Church Parlor. Each month, in addition to hymns and a devotional, we have a program that is always entertaining and informative. Programs are followed by a catered lunch for $7.00 per person. ADULTS Women Men Famliy & Adult Singles Senior Adults OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve

FEATURED MISSIONARY Home / Ministries / Missions Worship Grow Connect Meet this month's Featured missionaries Craig Brown Nashville, Tennessee Serve LOCAL SUPPORT US & WORLD SUPPORT SERVE NOW Craig Brown is from Dallas, Texas. He attended Vanderbilt University and Covenant Seminary in St. Louis. Our church is supporting the efforts Craig is leading to plant a Presbyterian Church in East Nashville. Craig has spoken at one of our All Church Retreats and helped us in trying to reposition Covenant Presbyterian a few years ago. Redeemer Fellowship Nashville is planning to move its Sunday morning worship services to the Edgehill community. This repositioning will provide an accessible central location from which we can fortify and expand the fruitful ministry taking place in both south Nashville and Downtown. We are launching new City Groups the week after Easter and will be going through Life Explored. These groups serve the dual purpose of both discipleship and evangelism. Interceding, investing, and inviting into the experience and extension of God’s love is our passion and mission for the Spring. Thank you for keeping Craig and his efforts to reach people for Christ in your prayers.

Home / About / Our People / Staff STAFF Home / About / Our People / Staff / Elisa Maher Women's Ministry Assistant Elisa loves Jesus & joyfully fills the role of Women’s Ministry Assistant. She is energetic, a community builder & caring listener. Elisa joined the FPC youth group in 1989. Elisa holds: a Bachelor of International Business Administration, from Texas A&M University; Language Studies, Insituto de Lenguas, La Plata Argentina, 2001-2003; & a Certificate in Resiliency Coach, USAF, 2013. Her professional & volunteer experiences include work with the Navigators in Argentina. Squadron Command Spouse Leadership, mentoring student pilots spouses, training for Key Spouses, & Resiliency Training. Parent Teacher Association, filling roles of Assistant Accountant, Hospitality Chair, Gratitude Chair and Vice President. elisam@firstpres.com (806) 350-4242

Setting Up Automatic Draft Giving Home / Giving Automatic Draft Set Up Download Form Fill out online form As our culture continues the process of living in a more cashless society, First Pres wants to provide you with the option of paying your tithe electronically with an automatic draft payment or a credit card payment. You have the option of giving two different ways - with your credit or debit card, or from your checking or savings account. We have taken the proper care to ensure your transactions are safe and secure. Below, you can download our EFT(electronic funds transfer) Authorization form, print it, sign it, and send it in to the Business office with a canceled check. You can also follow the link to the online form to give us your draft information.

Home / About / Our People / Staff STAFF Home / About / Our People / Staff / Murray Gossett Associate Pastor Murray Gossett is the Associate Pastor of Outreach and Adults at First Pres. He's been on staff here for over 30 years. Murray is married to the former Jeri Albertson of Amarillo. They have five children. Murray attended Highland Park High School, SMU, and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He was a High School pastor at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas from 1980-1990. Murray loves working at First Pres because of the Christ - centered, grace - focused body of believers. Murray is also a basketball fan and coaches at a local Christian school. His favorite author is John Stott, and he read all of his books during his sabbatical last summer. Murray's favorite passage is Paul’s prayer in Eph 3:14-21 --- it shows us what to pray for! The Gossett's theme when raising triplets was Mother Teresa’s quote “ I know God will not give me more that I am able, but I wish He would not trust me so much." Jeri and Murray will add their 6th grandchild in October 2023! murrayg@firstpres.com (806) 350-5203

COLUMBARIUM Home / Ministries / Columbarium MINISTRIES Adults Care College Age First Pres Kids Library/Resources Missions Music Studies and Groups Youth Columbarium OTHER INTERESTS Studies and Groups Worship Grow Connect Serve The Columbarium First Presbyterian Church has been the focal point shaping the spiritual life of individuals and families for more than 125 years. The seasons of life are celebrated – from birth, baptism, worship, marriage, spiritual growth, and finally death in the Lord. Christians are promised that death is never the final word. With this truth, we can celebrate and honor the lives of members in the very location where we most often shared the love of Jesus Christ together. Ninety years after opening our present building at 11th Avenue and Harrison Street, the east courtyard will be enhanced with a columbarium surrounded by a beautiful prayer garden. A columbarium features a wall of niches that accommodate urns containing the earthly remains of any member or former member of the church and their families.* There could be no more fitting place for the remains of a Christian than a columbarium within the grounds of one’s own church. The surrounding prayer garden is a quiet, peaceful setting in which to remember, meditate, pray, or comfort the bereaved. Inurnment services and other worship occasions may be conducted in the garden. Strong and enduring building materials complement the rich history of the people who built the church and its fine Neo-Gothic architecture. As we are called to be good stewards in this life and for generations to come, land use is minimized. *Eligibility for inurnment is outlined in the Columbarium Policies. A columbarium offers an affordable alternative to traditional burial. The fee of $2,500 or $3,000 per niche accommodating two urns includes a granite memorial front with names of the inurned, dates of birth and death, the costs of opening and closing for inurnment, and continuing care. Other final arrangements for cremation and properly fitting urns may be made with funeral homes. Packets containing full information, Policies, and an application are available by email at columbarium@firstpres.com , at firstpres.com, or in the church office. Karen Jordan (806-341-1794) is the moderator of the Columbarium Committee that manages the columbarium. The J. Gregg Jordan Memorial Prayer Garden in the completely re-landscaped cloister accommodates the columbaria and provides a secure area with the installation of a wrought iron fence in the outer arches of the colonnade. Two gates, open in normal operating hours or for special events, are closed and locked at other times. The locked gates can be opened from the inside in an emergency. Protected on three sides by the church building, the garden gives some protection from adverse weather for inurnment services and other small worship services. Benches will offer a place to sit in solitude, to visit, relax, reflect, or comfort loved ones. Inurnment fees over and above the cost of construction will endow ongoing maintenance and care of the columbaria and garden. Columbarium Policies Application Form Niche Inscription Form Click on the above buttons to find our policies, application form, and niche inscription form. Once you have filled out the Application Form and Niche Inscription Form, you can email it to us .

Home / About / Our People / Staff STAFF Home / About / Our People / Staff / Brady Clark Director of Urban Missions bradyc@firstpres.com (806) 373-4242

Based on Matthew 28:18-20 and Colossians 3:17, we see all of life, whatever we are doing and wherever God takes us, as joining God in the work He is doing. We do this with the gifts He gives us, to the best of our abilities, all to glorify His name! - Rev. Dr. Murray Gossett Click here to see the missionaries and organizations we support locally. If you want to help, but you're not exactly sure how or where you'd like to serve, use our tool below to help. Click here to see the missionaries we support across the U.S. and around the world. Click here to let us know where you'd like to serve. Click here to get a better understanding of our overall picture of how missional living works at the local level. Wonder what it's like to serve? Here are some pictures and videos that show some simple service ideas and some of our past serving events. Each month, we feature a different missionary, giving you their names, updates, and current prayer requests.