An open and affirming community, seeking a caring and just society.
Join us for The Joy of Music Sunday, where we begin telling the Christmas story through a rich six-song message of music. Southminster’s Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir will lead us in worship with pieces like Christmas Jubilate and Love Came Down at Christmas, paired with the reading from Matthew 1. Come and let the season’s promise come alive through word and song.
Join us at Southminster Presbyterian Church as we prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of the Christ child. Invite friends, family, and neighbors as we celebrate the Light that pierces every darkness.
| November 30 at 9:30am | Worship (1st Sunday of Advent) |
| December 7 at 9:30am | Worship (2nd Sunday of Advent) |
| December 12 at 7:00pm | Play it Forward — Sean Rogers in Concert free admission; free-will offering (financial gifts or gently used books) will support the new Interfaith Sanctuary shelter. |
| December 13 at 5:00pm | Sabbath Worship (3rd Weekend of Advent) no worship Sunday morning. |
| December 14 at 2:00pm | Christmas Handbell Concert free admission; donations accepted. |
| December 21 at 9:30am | Worship (4th Sunday of Advent) The Joy of Music Sunday (Chancel Choir and Handbells) |
| December 21 at 7:00pm | Ecumenical Longest Night Service for Wholeness at Whitney United Methodist Church (3315 W Overland Rd) |
| December 24 at 7:00pm | Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Carols, candlelight, and a message of enduring hope. |
| December 28 at 9:30am | Worship (1st Sunday of Christmas) |
| January 4, 2026 at 9:30am | Worship (Celebrating Epiphany) receiving Star Words of intention! |
As we step into this season of stewardship, we do so with deep gratitude for all that we have received, and for all that we are still becoming.
Our theme this year is “Belonging and Becoming.” It is both a statement of who we are and an invitation to grow into who God is calling us to be. As a church community, we belong to one another, to the wider body of Christ, and to the mission of love and justice that God is unfolding in the world. But belonging is not the end of the story. It’s the beginning of a lifelong journey of becoming. Becoming more faithful. More generous. More grounded in grace. More open to where the Spirit leads.
In 2026, we will celebrate 70 years as a congregation. Seventy years of worship and witness, prayer and presence, joy and justice. We are here because of the faith and generosity of those who came before us. And now, it is our turn. It is our time to shape what Southminster becomes in the next season of its life.
Faithful stewardship is one of the ways we live out this calling. When we give, we are not simply keeping the lights on or maintaining a building—we are making ministry possible. We are nurturing children in faith, comforting the grieving, standing in solidarity with the marginalized, creating beautiful worship, deepening discipleship, and proclaiming that every person is a beloved child of God.
Your pledge makes a real difference. It helps us plan responsibly, grow wisely, and dream boldly. It is a tangible expression of your gratitude to God and your investment in a community that is trying to live the gospel with integrity and love.
This October, as you reflect on your financial commitment to Southminster, we invite you to consider what belonging means to you—and what you are becoming because of this place. How has this church shaped your life, your faith, your hope? How might your generosity help someone else experience that same sense of welcome, purpose, and transformation?
Pledge and commitment cards can be placed in the stewardship box in the narthex at any time during October. You can also submit your pledge online at link.spcboise.org/stewardship.
We know that everyone’s circumstances are different, and every gift matters. What we ask is simply this: that you pray, listen, and respond with faith.
Together, we are Belonging and Becoming.
With gratitude,
The Session of Southminster Presbyterian Church
This year, we’ve compiled brief reflections from members of Southminster to help us reflect on what it means to belong—and how we’re becoming the church God is calling us to be. Each video highlights a different part of our shared life: worship, learning, justice, and community. Together, they tell the story of a church shaped by grace and sustained through generosity. We invite you to watch, reflect, and consider how your giving helps make all of this possible.
Presbyterian Women of Southminster are participating in a Bible Study this 2024/25 year called Let Justice Roll Down: God’s call to care for neighbors and all creation. It has nine topics that relate to being good stewards of the earth God has loaned to us. The monthly topics are: Environmental Justice, Land Justice, Food Justice, Water Justice, Air Quality, Climate Change, Economic Climate Justice, Intergenerational Justice, and Sustaining Creation’s Health for All.
We feel that we should practice what we are learning. To that end, four white bins with orange liners have been placed in the following areas:
Laminated lists are posted on each bin for what is acceptable to be recycled. Full bags can be tied shut and placed inside the blue recycling bin just inside the exterior basement door. Replacement bags will be stored above the food area sink in the narthex. As our use of these new bins grows, it’s possible we’ll start to outpace our recycling contract. To avoid additional expenses, members of PWS are prepared to take excess recycling to their homes to add to their own recycle collection at no added cost to them.
In recent years, we have witnessed the rise of Christian Nationalism in the United States, a troubling development that seeks to intertwine faith with a specific national identity. This ideology often promotes the idea that America has a unique divine mandate and that to be truly Christian is to support certain political views. As followers of Christ, we must carefully discern the difference between genuine faith and a distorted version that places nationalism above the teachings of Jesus.
In a way, this is not a new topic. The Presbyterian Church (and our theological forerunners) has long sought to address such dangers, recognizing the ways in which faith can be co-opted by political movements. Our denomination’s Book of Confessions includes “The Confession of 1967” and the “Barmen Declaration” (1934), both of which were written in response to similar concerns in different eras. They were written to speak powerfully that our ultimate allegiance is to God, not any nation or political party.
The threats posed by Christian Nationalism are uncomfortable, but we must explore them. Thus, in September 2024 our worship included a two-week sermon series titled No Other Gods: Unmasking Nationalism. which considered what it means to hold our allegiance first and foremost to Christ, and unmasked the ways in which nationalism can distort our faith.
In the third chapter of his letter to the Philippian church, Paul reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await Jesus, our Savior. This passage helps us explore how our identity as Christians transcends national borders and political affiliations. Following the sermon, the congregation affirms their faith using excerpts of The Confession of 1967.
In Matthew 22, Jesus navigates the tricky terrain of political power and religious obligation when he says, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” This teaching challenges us to consider our loyalties, and how we can live out our faith in a complex world. Following the sermon, the congregation affirms their faith using excerpts of The Declaration of Barmen.
Interested in learning more about the problem of Christian Nationalism, the history of the movement, and what the Reformed theological tradition has to say about it? Consider the resources on this partial bibliography.
Come celebrate Christmas Eve with us as we gather for carols, candlelight, and the hopeful story of Christ’s birth. Whether you’re a longtime churchgoer, returning after some time away, or simply … [Read More...]
For many of us, Christmas can be a bittersweet time of year, where joy and gratitude mixes with grief and loss. On this Winter Solstice—the night of longest darkness in our hemisphere—we'll gather … [Read More...]
Join us for a beloved Southminster Christmas tradition: come hear the Southminster Handbell Choir perform a variety of solo, ensemble, and full choir songs to celebrate the Christmas season. (If … [Read More...]
