Our Congregation

A Christian Educator and mother of five, Virginia Thomas is the widow of Davis Thomas, pastor of First Presbyterian from 1956 to 1968. During Lent, the church hosted a Service of Wholeness where Virginia spoke about gaining strength from the Psalms.

Debbie Gibson, a retired teacher, believes social justice and advocacy are intrinsically intertwined with her faith. An active member of the Compassion and Social Justice team, Care and Outreach team, and choir, she values the intergenerational connections that are formed through worship and service.

Richard Bush has served as a liturgist, usher, mentor, and recently participated in the “Guns to Gardens” ministry. He came to First Presbyterian to bring his children, now all adults, to church, and found a community of trust.

Jacqueline Cruz, a student, has been attending First Presbyterian since she was about 10 and now serves as a Christian Education Assistant, working with older youth. In a recent conversation she talked about how her faith has been shaped by growing up at First Presbyterian, her experience being a young person in the church, ideas for where the church can grow, and her perception of God as “the wind. . . always there, even when you don’t quite feel it.”

Carolyn Bradley grew up as a child of this church, returning first during Covid-era Zoom Sunday School and then coming back in person when she moved back to Tallahassee. Carolyn has built her faith on a strong foundation from First Presbyterian, one that has carried her through times of loss and pain. She recently shared some of her faith journey and hopes for the future.

Meredith Strange is a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church, Tallahassee. She gives thanks to this church for providing “a strong base [of faith] to rely upon.” Through her own baptism in this church to watching her daughter “grow into a strong, empowered, and clever little person,” Meredith sees God at work all over.

Emily Bruno joined First Presbyterian Church in 2016 after moving to Tallahassee with her husband Dan Bruno. Pictured with Emily are their two wonderful children, Corinne and Ilsa. Emily describes the joy she finds in singing with the choir, as well as the bond formed with others through community action. Emily is a driving force behind our participation in the “Guns to Gardens” ministry.

Tip Tomberlin, a retired teacher and attorney, quietly makes a difference and works to develop trust by stepping in with a “Yes, I can do that.” As an Elder of the Class of ’23, Tip facilitated the five-week “Envisioning Reconciliation” Book Study. Using Teri Ott’s book, Necessary Risks, Tip led a faithful group of First Presbyterian members through a process of imagining risks First Presbyterian might be called to take as we move forward in faith.