A PC(USA) church serving Jesus Christ & our neighbors in Portsmouth, OH since 1875
WORSHIP
Worship with us on Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
- in the building,
- by listening to the service on WIOI (106.7FM 1010AM),
- or by watching the live stream on our YouTube channel (search for Second Presbyterian Church Portsmouth, OH).
The time we spend in worship feels utterly unlike any other time in our week - peaceful, calming, nonanxious. Our beautiful old sanctuary brings us deep peace; the traditional hymns, choir, and organ keep us connected to our roots; and thoughtful sermons provoke us to think about things like faith and life and service from a new perspective. We leave feeling like we've drawn closer to God.
Following worship, we enjoy a light coffee hour together in the parlor (10:30 a.m.-ish) and then a multigenerational discussion group Sunday School class where we talk about everything from the sermon to current events in the world to current events in our lives (11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.-ish). (Usually this is a sermon post-mortem.)
In addition, bulletins can be mailed or emailed to any who would like to have a copy in their hands. (We normally drop them off at the post office by noon on Thursday.) Please call (740-353-4159) or email (secondpres@yahoo.com) to be added to our list!
If you're looking for a place to worship, there's a place for you with us.
(Thanks to friend of Second Pres Jon Burton for the photo of the sanctuary.)
God's Pantry
God’s Pantry (our 40+ year-old choice-based food pantry) is open on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Wednesdays of each month from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (One visit per month.)
Ours is a choice-based pantry where our neighbors can shop for items using points determined by household size.
Emergency food available is available through the church office on days when the Pantry is closed. (Emergency food counts as that month's visit.)
Please contact the church office at 740-353-4159 if you have questions, are interested in donating, or would like to know about volunteer opportunities.
Serving Our Neighbors
Update from God’s Pantry: In April, we served a total of 279 people from 155 households including 90 seniors, 145 adults, and 44 children. Many thanks to those who volunteer their time in this critical ministry and all those who support it financially!
(In March 2025, we served 274 people from 143 households including 89 seniors, 139 adults, and 46 children.)
Our most recent quarterly check from Kroger Community Rewards arrived: $177.27 from 36 households. (Thank you to our new households!)
(The last check was $178.98 from 34 households.)
Please round up at the checkout, and pick God’s Pantry at Second Pres as your "Community Reward Program" (BB589) choice.
Partners in the Pantry - Socks & Shoes
Pastor Thayer Wallace and our friends from Central Church Portsmouth are distributing (new) socks and (new and gently used) shoes to our neighbors in need when God's Pantry is open.
If you have questions, please call the Central Church office at 740-353-5846.
2025 -- 150th anniversary!
SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Anniversary Festivities (February 2025 - round 1)
Thanks to everyone who joined us for the kickoff event for our 150th Anniversary Season of Celebration on Sun, Feb 9 – that’s the exact date of our official organization/charter date in 1875. (It was a Tuesday in 1875, but providentially, it's a Sunday in 2025!)
It was especially a delight to be joined by Pastor Ron Johnson and our friends from First Pres, our Mother church, and to hear from First Pres elder Julia Wisniewski about the Second Pres "origin story" from the First Pres perspective. And it was a joy to have Rev. Emily Krause Corzine from the Presbytery of Scioto Valley with us as well. (See the collage of pictures at the top of the page.)
Folks who joined us were able to take a little piece of Second Pres home with them in the form of a roof tile and a cookbook from the Women's Association.
And Pastor Allison appreciated help from the youth to pack the first of our 150 emergency clean-up buckets as our anniversary service project.
Anniversary Festivities (June 2025 - round 2)
We are knee-deep in planning for our 2025 SESQUICENTENNIAL (150TH) CELEBRATION!
It all started back in 1875 with 1 pastor and 172 members from First Pres taking a leap of faith ... and here we are, 150 years later, still serving Jesus and our neighbors!
We're planning 4 days of anniversary festivities in June (when the weather is more pleasant for traveling than in February)!
Thurs, June 5 (7 pm) – Organ recital with Jared Johnson + reception
A son of Second Pres, Jed is serving as Canon Director of Music at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, CA
Fri, June 6 (7 pm) – Choral concert + reception
Coordinated by Second Pres Director of Music, Dr. Stanley Workman, the Chancel Choir (and friends) will perform Rutter’s “Gloria” and a selection of Second Pres Greatest Hit anthems
Sat, June 7 (10 am – 2 pm) – Community Open House
Start out under the tent and sign our guest book, participate in our ambitious 150 bucket packing service project, and create some tile art (using old roof tiles), then make your way into the building to look around, listen to live music, and add to our living timeline
Sun, June 8 (9:30 am) – Pentecost worship service with communion and special (brass!) music followed by lunch in the dining room
See the brochure HERE for more details.
RSVP electronically HERE.
Anniversary Service Project
We're off to a great start to our goal of packing 150 emergency clean-up buckets through World Service to celebrate our 150 years!
BUT we've still got a ways to go ... can you help us out? HERE's the bucket list items.
One industrious shopper visited 4 places and filled her bucket for $45. CWS estimates the value of the buckets as $75 each. Any size donation will get us that much closer to our goal!
Besides donations dropped off or sent to the church, we can take online donations through our website and PayPal. More info here: https://secondpres-portsmouth.org/giving.
Items are due by Sun, June 1. (We'll pack them at our Anniversary Open House on Sat, June 7.)
holy week 2025
Holy Week at Second Pres
Thank you for worshiping with us during Holy Week this year. We pray it was a time for you to draw closer to God and a step deeper into your faith.
Palm/Passion Sunday begins Holy Week, and you can watch that service HERE.
Our Maundy Thursday service was shared at First Pres with Pleasant Green Baptist Church, and it can be viewed on the First Pres Facebook page.
You can watch our Good Friday service, full of readings and musical meditations, HERE.
We marked Holy Saturday by releasing a recording from last year's Good Friday presentation of Bach's monumental masterpiece, ST JOHN PASSION (2024): https://youtu.be/MGaQPJO0z2c.
And you can watch our Easter Sunday service (with communion) HERE.
SSU Spring Semester Concert
Thank you to all those who attended the Shawnee State University Choir Concert at Second Pres on Sun, April 27 at 7 pm!
For those who weren't able to be with us, here's the live stream:
https://youtube.com/live/fQ3j-YTsxfw?feature=share
And here's the program:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rKDsiaz_k0Az_50iHpfCwU8JOw6fXMWD/view?usp=sharing
The Great Anniversary Decluttering of 2025!
"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
April and May
The Great Anniversary Decluttering of 2025!
In preparation for our Church’s 150th Anniversary Celebration in June, we are organizing a month of decluttering, organization, and cleaning!
(Have you seen the dumpster yet?)
Beginning April 21st through May 21, each week we will focus on a different area of the building. During the week prior, we will announce the exact dates, times, and information about that week’s activities. We are asking everyone able to participate in all or any part of this big project!
April 21-27 - 2nd floor
April 28-May 4 - 1st floor
May 5-11 - Basement
May 12-18 - Outside
See John Huston if you're interested in pitching in!
Amazing (Decluttering) Race - SSU edition
Second Pres 150th Anniversary Lunch (Feb 8, 2025)
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Coffee & Conversation
The Coffee & Conversation group is now meeting on Tuesdays at 10 am the Lofts Coffee Company (842 Gallia St Portsmouth, Ohio).
Every week, a group of folks from Second and other churches meet for coffee and conversation to discuss life, faith, current events, and whatever else is on their hearts and minds.
There’s a chair for you around the table!
God's Pantry
Can you help our choice-based food pantry that’s been in operation for 40+ years?
Choose us as your Kroger Community Rewards organization, and when you shop with your rewards card, the people we serve benefit!
Our NPO (Non-Profit Organization) number is BB589 – “GOD’S PANTRY SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.”
And make sure you say, “Please round that up!” when you check out!