A Downtown Congregation on East Mobile Street

First Presbyterian Church of Florence sits on East Mobile Street in the heart of downtown Florence, Alabama, across from the Shoals Theatre. The church building has been part of this neighborhood for generations, and the congregation describes itself as a historic but evolving downtown church, rooted in traditional Presbyterian worship while looking forward to what God is doing next. The congregation's motto, "Learning to Live Together in Christ," is also a working mission statement that shows up in three short phrases printed across their materials: Thinking with Christ's Mind, Loving with Christ's Heart, and Serving with Christ's Hands.

The congregation has joined the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Matthew 25 movement, a denominational invitation for churches committed to building congregational vitality, dismantling structural racism, and eradicating poverty. Locally, that commitment shows up in places that have nothing to do with a sanctuary: the Shoals Community Soup Kitchen, where members serve a Saturday meal, the Help Center, the Caring Place, the Gleaning Project, and the Dream Center.

Sunday Mornings from Coffee Café to Worship

A Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Florence is built to give families time to settle in. The Coffee Café opens at 9:00 a.m., giving people a chance to talk before the Sunday school hour. At 9:45 a.m. the children's, youth, and adult Sunday school classes begin, and a staffed nursery is available for the youngest visitors. The Chancel Choir rehearses at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary, and at 11:00 a.m. the congregation gathers for worship.

The service itself is grounded in traditional Presbyterian worship, with music, teaching, and prayer at its center. Members describe a liturgy shaped by the rhythms of the Reformed tradition. The order typically includes a children's message, choral and congregational singing, scripture readings, a sermon, prayers of the people, and a benediction. The Chancel Choir sings each week under Music Director Rebecca Rockhill, who brings a background in high school show choirs and teaches at the University of North Alabama. Her work blends traditional hymns with pieces that make the music both rooted and accessible.

For those who cannot attend in person, the worship service is livestreamed on Facebook Live, and recordings of recent services - including Christmas Eve, Advent, and Epiphany services - are posted on the church's YouTube channel.

Children from Birth Through Sixth Grade

The Children's Ministry serves children from birth through sixth grade. Children's Director Julie Bunt, a University of North Alabama graduate in Early Childhood Education, leads a program built around three words: wonder, discovery, and passion. The goal is to help children see God for who He is and to see themselves the way God sees them, so that they can think with Christ's mind, love with Christ's heart, serve with Christ's hands, and learn to live together in Christ.

On Sunday mornings, children begin with the Chancel Choir at 11:00 a.m. worship and are invited forward for a children's message before heading to their own Sunday school classes at 9:45 a.m. Younger children engage Bible stories through a worship-focused curriculum, compare those stories to their own lives, develop Bible skills, and explore the major themes that run through both Testaments. The connection between Old and New Testament, and between the Bible and faith lived out today, is an intentional thread throughout the year.

Each summer the ministry offers Vacation Bible School, and the church also hosts a Children's Back to School party and a Rally Day with a Blessing of the Backpacks as the school year begins.

Music That Carries the Service

Music is a centerpiece of worship at First Presbyterian Church Florence. The Chancel Choir rehearses each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and sings for the 11:00 a.m. service. Under Rebecca Rockhill's leadership, the choir offers a mix of traditional anthems and pieces that are a little more unexpected, all chosen to support the congregation's singing and the sermon's theme.

Sermon series in recent seasons have included "Hymns My Mama Taught Me and What They Say about our Faith," an exploration of the theology embedded in familiar hymns, and "If Jesus is the Answer, What are the Questions?" a study of the questions people actually bring to faith - about identity, purpose, suffering, and hope. Rev. Dr. Kip Laxson, the Senior Minister, teaches these series in a conversational style, often inviting questions rather than offering neat answers.

Beyond Sunday mornings, the church occasionally shares short video reflections called "Faith Lift with Pastor Kip," posted to the YouTube channel for anyone who wants a brief midweek word.

All Saints College Ministry in the Shoals

First Presbyterian Church Florence is one of seven churches in the Shoals area that partner together in All Saints College Ministry, a multi-denominational ministry serving college students centered on love, unity, community, inclusion, and service. The University of North Alabama is the main campus served by the network, and All Saints also draws students from nearby schools in the area.

The partnership means that the church's reach into the college community is shared rather than siloed. Programs for students, including the All Saints College Ministry gatherings and the UNA Career Closet donation event (a drive to stock gently used professional clothing for students heading into interviews), are planned across the seven congregations. First Presbyterian hosts some of these events on its East Mobile Street campus.

For older youth in the congregation itself, EPIC Youth Party nights bring middle and high school students together on Sunday evenings from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., and the youth group hosts events like a Back to School Lake Party each summer.

Learning Together Through the Week

Midweek programming at First Presbyterian Church Florence focuses on Bible study and adult learning. The Ladies Bible Study meets Tuesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. on the church campus, and a separate Institute of Religious Studies gathers on Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. for a multi-week series. Recent Institute topics have included "The Shroud of Turin and other famous Religious Relics," a five-week exploration of how physical objects and pilgrimage sites have shaped Christian devotion over the centuries.

Members also have the option of gathering for Sunday school each week at 9:45 a.m., with adult classes that dig into scripture in a more conversational format. The combination of Sunday morning, Tuesday Bible study, and Thursday adult education gives adults three regular touchpoints during the week.

Serving Florence Through Soup Kitchens and Partners

Community outreach is one of the most visible parts of First Presbyterian Church Florence's life. The congregation has identified five long-standing local partners. Members serve meals at the Shoals Community Soup Kitchen on Saturdays at noon. They volunteer with the Help Center and the Caring Place, both of which assist neighbors facing immediate material needs. They participate in the Gleaning Project, which recovers surplus food, and the Dream Center, a local ministry hub.

Beyond these partner ministries, First Presbyterian is present at First Fridays, the monthly downtown arts and music event, and supports Renaissance City Pride, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in the Shoals. The church also sponsors and supports other local activities, including a Trash Pandas baseball game outing and a Church Picnic and Family Olympics held at McFarland Park on the Tennessee River.

The Matthew 25 commitment ties this local work to a larger Reformed vision. The congregation understands the Matthew 25 invitation as a call to serve Jesus by contributing to the well-being of the most vulnerable in society, from affordable housing and community gardens to equitable educational and employment opportunities, healing from addiction and mental illness, and policy change. Locally, that translates into showing up, week after week, at the places where Florence's needs are most visible.

Beliefs at the Center of the Congregation

At the core of Presbyterian identity at First Presbyterian Church Florence is a secure hope in the grace of God in Jesus Christ. The congregation points to the PC(USA) Book of Order's language that, in affirming with the earliest Christians that Jesus is Lord, the Church confesses that He is its hope, and that the Church, as Christ's body, is bound to His authority and thus free to live in the lively, joyous reality of the grace of God.

Worship, teaching, and prayer are described as the congregation's anchors: the church is grounded in traditional worship and music, facilitates spiritual growth, encourages family worship, practices stewardship of resources, and maintains service to the community and the world. In everything it does, the church seeks to be open to the Holy Spirit as it moves into the future.

Leadership and Staff

Rev. Dr. Kip Laxson is the Senior Minister. A North Alabama native raised in Athens, he earned a degree in religion and philosophy from Trevecca Nazarene University, completed seminary at Vanderbilt Divinity School, and received a Doctor of Ministry from the University of the South in Sewanee. He and his wife Tami, a public educator for over 25 years, have two children and two grandsons.

Julie Bunt serves as Children's Director. Rebecca Rockhill directs the music program and teaches at the University of North Alabama. Dawn Hubbert serves as Administrative Assistant, Elizabeth Willingham as Office Assistant, and Mary Young as Bookkeeper. Together, the staff keeps the building open, the choir singing, the children learning, and the books in order week after week.

Visiting First Presbyterian Church Florence

Visitors are expected and welcomed. The main parking lot is right across the street from the Shoals Theatre. There is also a lower parking lot and street parking. The main entrance is beside the main parking lot: walk up the stairs toward the sidewalk and enter through the glass door on the left. To go straight into the sanctuary, the wooden Sanctuary doors are also open. The nursery is on the third floor: take the elevator, make two right turns, and it is the first door on the right.

Worship is traditional, with music, teaching, and prayer. Clothing is up to the visitor: some members wear traditional church clothes, others dress more casually, and both are equally at home. The service includes a children's message, and children are welcome to remain in worship with their families or to be accompanied to the nursery.

The church is located at 224 East Mobile Street, Florence, Alabama 35630. The office can be reached at (256) 764-2081 or office@fpcflorence.org. The Messenger, the church's monthly newsletter, is available as a PDF, and the church's livestream, sermon archive, and online giving are all linked from the main site.