A Place to Call Home on Ocean Avenue
First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs sits at 921 Ocean Avenue in the heart of historic Ocean Springs, Mississippi, on the corner of Washington and Ocean Avenues. From the sidewalk you can see the sanctuary's tall spire, the chapel's smaller one and the three-story education building that anchors the center of campus. Across the way, the Harbor House, a converted building at the far west end of the property, is dedicated to the church's growing youth ministry. Just down the street at 320 Jackson Avenue the church operates additional office and ministry space. The church's motto - "to know Christ and to make Christ known together" - is treated as a mission rather than a slogan, and the congregation describes itself as a Christ-centered community of every generation where new families and longtime members worship side by side.
Sundays at First Pres: Acoustic and Traditional
Two Sunday morning worship services are offered each week, and the two styles give the church room to welcome every kind of worshipper. At 8:30 AM the acoustic service is led by the worship band, and at 11:00 AM the traditional service features the Chancel Choir with organ. Both services are held in the sanctuary and typically last 60 to 70 minutes. Worshippers are invited to pray for the world, the community, those in need and personal concerns, and to expect preaching and teaching drawn directly from Scripture. The church generally uses the English Standard Version (ESV) in its preaching and liturgy.
The Lord's Supper, or Communion, is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month and at other specially designated services. Members of the praise band rehearse on Thursdays at 5:30 PM and again on Sundays at 7:30 AM, while the Chancel Choir rehearses on Wednesdays from 6 to 7 PM. Choir singers range from high school age upward, and previous choral experience is helpful but not required. Children are welcomed and encouraged in worship. Children's bulletins help younger worshippers follow along, and a cry room in the back of the narthex is available when little ones need a moment. There is no dress code; some dress up and others dress down.
Faith Foundations: Sunday School for Every Age
Faith Foundations is the church's version of Sunday school, and the phrase comes from Acts 2:42 - the devotion of the first Christians to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers. Classes meet from 10:00 to 10:45 AM on Sunday mornings during the fall and spring semesters, sitting between the two worship services so that families can worship, learn and fellowship in one Sunday morning rhythm.
For the youngest children, nursery care is provided for babies through age 2 during both worship services and during the Faith Foundations hour. Children ages 3 through kindergarten gather on the first floor of the education building for free play, a Bible story, snack time and a related activity. Grades 1 through 4 meet in rooms on the third floor with a welcome time of snacks and games before splitting into age-based small groups for teaching and discussion. Fifth and sixth graders have their own space in room 302 with snacks, fellowship, teaching and small groups divided by gender.
Youth in grades 7 through 12 meet together in the Harbor House. The combined middle and high school class begins with fellowship and then dives deep into Scripture; recent studies have included a six-week series on the doctrines of God's greatness and a study called Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. Adult Faith Foundations offerings change with the semester and have included an expository class on 2 Kings taught by Pastor Kory in the chapel, Dr. Clay Brown's hybrid class on the "Tater Family" and the Seven Last Words of Christ, a study of Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline led by Ruling Elder Bill Hennessey, a women's study of Jen Wilkin's In His Image, and a prayer class led by Gregg Bray in room 311.
FPCOS Kids: Birth Through Sixth Grade
The children's ministry is built around the vision of teaching children and leaders to know the Good News of Jesus by hearing, reading, exploring, touching and tasting the Truths of God's Word in an inviting, relational and age-appropriate setting. Faith Foundations uses The Biggest Story Curriculum by Crossway. Children 3 and older can be dropped off beginning at 9:50 AM, and parents do not need to pick them up between the 8:30 worship service and the Faith Foundations hour.
The church practices family-integrated worship. Leaders encourage parents to bring children into the sanctuary from an early age, recognizing that the Word of God can reach hearts in ways that children themselves do not yet understand. To support this, the church points parents to resources like Robbie Castleman's Parenting in the Pew - written, fittingly, by the senior pastor's own mother - and to fpc.family, a digital hub for parents wanting to dig deeper about worship and Communion with their kids.
Wednesday nights bring a midweek program called Established I and Established II. Third and fourth graders gather for Established I, and fifth and sixth graders gather for Established II for a fun night of games, food, fellowship and time together in the Word. The goal is to teach these kids more about what the Bible is, who it is for and how to study and share it. Special activities throughout the year include Vacation Bible School and a fall festival.
The Harbor: Youth Ministry for Grades 7 Through 12
The youth ministry is called the Harbor, and its mission is to develop a community of students growing in discipleship of Jesus Christ through unconditional love, in relationship with one another and the church, and in service to others. The Harbor recognizes that today's students face a culture that continually tries to redefine who they are and what their purpose is, and it responds with relational, people-oriented ministry rooted in the gospel.
The youth program gathers three times a week. On Sunday mornings, students meet at the Harbor House from 10:00 to 10:45 AM for Faith Foundations. On Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, youth large group begins with a meal in the Fellowship Hall, moves into the chapel for worship led by the youth band, and concludes with teaching. Afterward students are welcome to hang out together in the Harbor House. On Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, students gather in the Fellowship Hall for dinner and then split into small groups divided by age and gender for an intimate time of application, discussion and prayer.
First Friday mornings bring a High School Prayer Breakfast from 7:15 to 8:05 AM, and first Thursday mornings bring a Middle School Prayer Breakfast from 6:50 to 7:40 AM. Throughout the year, retreats and conferences give students additional chances to grow; the youth regularly attend Reformed Youth Ministries (RYM) conferences in Colorado and Florida.
Vital Groups: Small Groups in Homes
Vital Groups are the church's small group ministry. Each group includes 10 to 14 people and meets at least twice a month, often in someone's home, as a reminder that where God's people are, the church is. Groups include a time of fellowship - usually a meal or snacks - and a discussion of a biblically-based, gospel-centered curriculum, Bible study or book, followed by a time of sharing prayer concerns and praying together. Many groups meet on Sunday evenings as a way to conclude the Lord's Day, although each group sets its own rhythm.
Vital Groups are designed to last 18 to 24 months. After that, groups intentionally divide so that new people can be invited in to form fresh groups. Groups find their own childcare, and the church reimburses $30 per group to help with costs when needed. Anyone interested in joining or leading a Vital Group can contact the church office.
Adults, Women and Men
Christian education at FPCOS is understood as a lifelong journey. The adult ministry offers a range of Faith Foundations classes and Bible studies that meet people where they are in life and equip them to know Jesus through Scripture. The Thursday morning Ecclesiastes Bible Study, led by Annita Johnson, Jim Douglas, Bea Colburn and Andy Andrews in room 201, runs from January through April and helps participants center their lives on God. Coffee + Convo in The Commons keeps the coffee and conversation going during the Faith Foundations hour.
Women's ministry centers on the same church mission - to know Christ and to make Christ known together. A Monday evening Bible study meets from 6:30 to 7:30 PM at the Worch house, with childcare available on request. A Wednesday morning study meets from 9:30 to 11:00 AM in The Commons, with childcare provided. Recent studies have included Melissa Kruger's In All Things on Philippians and an inductive study on 2 Timothy. An annual Women's Conference brings the ministry together; the 2026 conference featured Sarah Ivill, author of The God Who Hears.
Men's ministry gathers quarterly at off-site locations and offers various Bible study groups, an annual pancake breakfast and additional activities throughout the year.
The Legacy: Ministry for the 65+ Generation
The Legacy ministry serves the 65 and older church family. Its aim is to provide biblically grounded and life-practical learning opportunities and to create time together to celebrate cultural, historical and artistic venues. The ministry hosts an annual dinner where the church's children and youth get to serve, get to know and experience the richness of this founding generation, and it creates opportunities for older members to bless younger generations in turn. Throughout the year the Legacy group gathers for fellowship, learning, spiritual growth and edification.
Care, Prayer and Stephen Ministry
Caring for the congregation is at the heart of the church's life, and a dedicated Care Team connects members who may be vulnerable in times of need with others who are willing and able to provide assistance. Anyone can join the Care Team email list and respond to specific needs when they arise. Helping Hands is the practical arm of the Care Team and reaches those in need in the church and neighborhood with financial, material and relational support, always sharing and showing the gospel.
Stephen Ministry equips congregational members to offer care and support for people experiencing life difficulties such as the death of a loved one, job crisis, aging, separation or divorce, long-term illness or spiritual crisis. A Stephen Minister is a church member who enters a confidential one-on-one relationship with someone in the congregation for three months to a year and receives 50 hours of training in preparation. The Stephen Ministry also offers grief counseling using the Journeying Through Grief series.
A Visitation Team cares for shut-ins at home and for members residing in nursing or elder care facilities. Prayer requests can be submitted through the church's online form, and a Prayer Time class meets on Sunday mornings in room 311.
Worship Arts: Praise Band, Choir and Media
The Praise Band leads music at the 8:30 AM acoustic service. Musicians rehearse on Thursdays at 5:30 PM and Sundays at 7:30 AM, and the team prizes both musical excellence and authentic, undistracting worship. The Chancel Choir sings at the 11:00 AM traditional service most Sundays (with the exception of the third Sunday of the month) and at special services; rehearsal is on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7 PM.
The Media Team handles audio and visual needs at both worship services and special events, operating the sound board, running slides through ProPresenter and managing cameras and livestream. Media volunteers generally serve 1 to 2 times a month and must be of high school age or above. Greeters and a Coffee Crew round out the Sunday morning team, with families, singles and couples all welcome to serve.
Missions: Local, Regional and International
The missions program is built on Acts 1:8 - being witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. FPCOS partners with a long list of gospel ministries across these three spheres.
Local partners include The Lord Is My Help, a soup kitchen and food pantry in Ocean Springs founded in 1984 that feeds over 200 people a day and distributes more than 400 emergency grocery bags each month. The church provides about 30 volunteers per week, every six weeks, throughout the year. Community Care Network operates Sue's Home, providing transitional housing, life skills training and Christian counseling for women and children in crisis. Young Life is supported on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where leaders introduce adolescents to Jesus Christ. Helping Hands is the church's own outreach arm.
Regional partners include Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi, a Christian liberal arts college where FPCOS hosts summer youth ministry interns. Good News Jail and Prison Ministry places chaplains in correctional facilities, including the Jackson County Adult Detention Center. Home of Grace is a long-standing Christ-centered addiction recovery program in operation since 1965. PROMISS empowers expectant parents to carry to term healthy babies through pregnancy testing, ultrasound, prenatal education and ongoing discipleship. Reformed Youth Ministries (RYM) and Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) extend the church's reach into youth and college ministry.
International partners include EPC World Outreach's Engage 2025 in the Middle East, supporting Syrian refugees. Healing Hearts International shows the love of Jesus to vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Haiti, Zambia and Greece. Pioneers partners with Anna, a Belhaven graduate and former FPCOS summer youth intern, in the Middle East. In 2023, a small team from FPCOS traveled to Uganda to walk alongside the Streams of Life Church in Kampala and connect them with ministries serving war-torn northern Uganda. Christian Adventure Ministries, Christian Model Ministries and Streams of Life Church are the partner organizations in this effort. The Word at Work organizes short-term mission trips to Belize, and the church sends a team there each summer.
The Playhouse and Children's House Montessori
FPCOS runs two early childhood programs that extend the church's ministry into the week. The Playhouse is a Mom's Morning Out program for children ages 1 to 3 that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 11:30 AM. It uses a Montessori-inspired approach that promotes a prepared environment following the lead of the child, with early Practical Life exercises, language activities, sensorial work and counting games. The Playhouse follows the Gospel Project curriculum and incorporates Christian songs and principles. Tuition is $175 per month for church members and $195 for non-members.
The Children's House Montessori School is a church-based Montessori environment for children ages 3 to 6. First Pres established the school in 1981 to provide a quality preschool education in a Christian environment for the young children of the church and community. The Playhouse follows the same calendar as the Children's House, and the two programs work in cooperation, although admission to each is independent.
Worship, Baptism and Membership
Baptism at FPCOS is a sacrament commended by Jesus himself. The church practices one baptism and does not rebaptize. Infant baptism is offered for the children of members, recognizing the covenant relationship God has with His elect, and parents work with the church toward a credible profession of faith when their children are ready. Believer baptism is offered for those who have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and have never been baptized. The church sprinkles infants and those who wish to be sprinkled, pours water from a pitcher over kneeling adults, and submerses those who wish to be dunked; the mode is less important than the obedience.
Becoming a member of FPCOS begins with Church Life Class, a Saturday class taught by Pastor Scott and offered each spring and fall. The class covers the biblical foundations of the church, church history, theology, the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper and membership. The church is governed by a Session of Elders, a Diaconate of Deacons and a Board of Trustees. Officers are elected by the congregation for three-year terms, and the church follows the EPC Book of Order for officer qualifications.
Vision and Beliefs
First Presbyterian Church of Ocean Springs joined the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) in May 2012. The EPC is a family of Reformed and Presbyterian churches defined by shared core values and bonded by the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The church affirms the EPC's Seven Essentials of the Faith: the authority and self-attesting nature of Scripture as the infallible Word of God; one God infinitely perfect and eternally existing in Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the incarnation, virgin birth, atoning death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ; the saving work of the Holy Spirit who convicts, indwells, empowers and seals believers; salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone; the church as the body of Christ gathered in local congregations for the preaching of the Word and the right administration of the sacraments; the personal, visible and bodily return of Jesus Christ; and the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.
"To know Christ and to make Christ known together" is more than a tagline. It reflects the church's conviction that Jesus called needy people to follow Him - to know Him - and then sent them out into the world to share Him - to make Him known - together. That call to follow and to be sent as a community shapes everything from Sunday worship to mission trips.
FORWARD: Resourcing the Next Two Years
In response to rapid growth - the youth program has doubled in size in the last 18 months, the children's program has more than doubled, and 125 new people have been added to the church rolls - FPCOS launched a two-year initiative called FORWARD. FORWARD covers regular planned giving for 2026 and 2027 along with several campus improvements: renovating the Harbor House to provide additional space for youth ministry, paying off the mortgage on the Jackson Avenue building, addressing upcoming maintenance needs, and increasing parking and overflow capacity. The gravel parking lot near the tidal waterway will be resurfaced with water-permeable materials to prevent environmental impact.
The previous capital campaign, MULTIPLY, ran from 2017 to 2019 and allowed the church to expand the sanctuary and education buildings for a total cost of $2.5 million, paid off by the end of the three-year campaign window. FPCOS has consistently run a positive operating budget, with contributions exceeding expenses for the last ten years.
Getting Connected
Visitors and newcomers will find a parking map on the church's Plan A Visit page. The North Lot on Washington Avenue is paved, the West Lot on the corner of Ocean and Jackson is gravel, and the South Lot offers parking for senior citizens and the handicapped. Designated parking is also available on the south side of Ocean Avenue between Washington and Jackson Avenues. Worshippers are welcome to bring a Bible or simply show up ready to receive what God has prepared. Sunday morning sermons are available online through a sermon archive, the 8:30 AM service is livestreamed, and the church maintains active Facebook, Instagram and Vimeo channels. Giving is accepted online, by text, by mail and in the offering plate during worship. Prayer requests can be submitted through the church's online form, and a Military Network connects active-duty service members and their families with the congregation.