First Presbyterian Church News (Clarksville, TN)

Our March Literary Roundtable selection is  There, There , a novel by Arapahoe and Cheyenne author Tommy Orange. The book follows twelve characters as they navigate their relationships to indigenous identity and their connection to Oakland, CA, with their stories converging at a shooting at the Big Oakland Powwow. At its core,  There, There  is a powerful exploration of family and lineage.   Join APSU Prof. Joey Grisham and Pastor Greg to discuss the book on Thursday, March 27, from 6:30 to 8 pm at Hudubam Booktraders. Copies are available to borrow outside the church office on a first come, first served basis.

FPC will feature artist Courtney Gatewood during ArtWalk in March. Come see her work in the Chapel from 5 to 8 pm on Thursday, March 6!  Courtney is a wife, a mother of three children, and working artist living in Tennessee. Originally from northwest Tennessee, she traveled a bit only to find herself back in this great state. After attending college as a non-traditional student, she quickly absorbed a wealth of knowledge about being a working artist. She engages with patterns to establish connections with individuals who may experience various emotions. Art serves as a medium to communicate with others when physical presence is not possible. Her objective is to embed memory within her work, allowing the audience to reflect on their experiences and seek connections to what they may have encountered previously. To maintain an element of intrigue and contemplation, Courtney has intentionally designed certain marks to render the patterns unrecognizable.

Come through the FPC Chapel from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 6th, for First Thursday Art Walk! Carolanne Nadeau and Kris Lee have collaborated on this duo show called "Double Vision" to display their own interpretations of several images from Carolanne's travels.

Literary Roundtable returns in February, featuring the Pulitzer Prize winning poetry of Emory professor Natasha Trethewey (Poet Laureate of the United States, 2012-2013).  Trethewey's  Native Guard  is an elegiac honoring of her mother alongside a confrontation of her own fraught childhood amid the racial history and legacy of the Deep South.  Her verse offers a haunting conversation between personal experience and national history.   Join APSU Prof. Joey Grisham and Pastor Greg to discuss the book on Thursday, February 20, from 6:30 to 8 pm at Hudubam Booktraders. Copies are available to borrow outside the church office on a first come, first served basis.

Art Walk on January 2 will feature work by Learning Center students! Come see their art from 5 to 8 pm in the Chapel that Thursday or anytime during January.

The final Open Mic Night at Sanctuary on Main is Saturday, December 14, from 7 to 9 pm. The cafe will be open for you to purchase drinks, sandwiches, and baked goods. Play, sing, or just watch the show!

FPC is excited to feature Kitty Harvill for Art Walk on December 5. Enjoy her work from 5 to 8 pm in the chapel. See more artists displayed by studios downtown!   

Literary Roundtable will feature Claire Keegan's "Small Things Like These," about the  complicit silences of a small Irish town controlled by the church set during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Join APSU Prof. Joey Grisham and Pastor Greg to discuss the book (and film coming out Nov. 8) on Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 6:30 to 8 pm at Hudubam Booktraders. Copies available to borrow outside the church office by Nov. 10.

A special exhibit is coming your way for November Art Walk: "Catching the Light: Seven Voices, Seven Visions"! The FPC Chapel will feature art by Kathy De Priest, Vicki Davenport, Susan Bryant, Carol Anne Nadeau, Julie Bisgaard, Victoria Keith, and Barb Cobb Edwards. Walk through from 5 to 8 pm on Thursday, Nov. 7. 

Time to start reading for Literary Roundtable! Come and discuss "The Leftovers" by Tom Perrotta with APSU Prof. Joey Grisham and Pastor Greg on Tuesday, October 29 from 6:30 to 8 pm at Hudubam Booktraders.

Welcome to October's art exhibit in the FPC Chapel: "Farm to Flowers" by 2Rivers Plein Air Painters! Stop by during Art Walk on Thursday, Oct. 3 from 5 to 8 pm. 

Sanctuary on Main is hosting our ArtsConnect "Open Mic Night" every 2nd Saturday of the month from 7 to 9 pm. The cafe will be open for you to purchase drinks, sandwiches, and baked goods. See you on September 14!

Literary Roundtable is one month from today...so start reading! Come and discuss "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath with APSU Prof. Joey Grisham and Pastor Greg on September 22. We will meet in the Library at 5:00. 

Enjoy the colorful creations of painter Jennifer Pierstorff during Art Walk on September 5 from 5 to 8 pm in the FPC Chapel!

We are excited for Sanctuary on Main to host our ArtsConnect "Open Mic Night" every 2nd Saturday of the month from 7 to 9 pm. The cafe will be open for you to purchase drinks and sandwiches & baked goods. Leo Adames is the opening act for August 10!

The next Art Gallery in the Chapel will be open to the public from 5 to 8 pm on August 1st. It will feature artist Sarah Spillers. 

Michelle Zauner's poignant memoir, "Crying in H Mart", explores identity, her Korean heritage, loss, and belonging. This memoir resonates deeply with anyone who has ever sought solace in memory and found healing in the flavors of home. Borrow a copy from the table outside the church office and join us for a discussion at Hudubam Booktraders on August 15 from 6:30 to 8 pm.

Come see the next exhibit in the Chapel on Art Walk, July 11, from 5 to 8 pm. Artist will be announced soon! Artist Statement: My name is Karley Sugg and I am a high school senior here in Clarksville. This exhibit will feature my AP 2-D Art and Design portfolio that I created over the 2023-2024 school year. The collection features 10 pieces that showcase my journey while growing up through the eyes of my younger self in order to capture my strongest emotions. These moments, however big or small, have dramatically shaped who I am today. Through this, I hope to create a connection between the art and the viewer’s own journey to provide hope and understanding of how precious one’s life is.

Come see works by Jana Gilbert, specialist in printmaking, at Art Walk on Thursday, June 6 from 5 to 8 pm!  Jana Gilbert is an accomplished artist specializing in printmaking and letterpress, with a career spanning over 12 years. With a BA in Visual and an MA in Marketing Communications, Jana seamlessly merges creativity with strategic insight in her captivating works. Based in Tennessee, her art has been showcased in galleries in Nashville, Clarksville, and Virginia earning local recognition for its craftsmanship and narrative depth. Through intricate letterpress techniques and relief carvings, Jana's pieces invite viewers to explore the interplay of texture, typography, and emotion. With a commitment to pushing artistic boundaries, she continues to use printmaking as a medium to provoke thought and inspire dialogue within her community and beyond. Artist statement: For the past 12 years, I've immersed myself in the world of printmaking and graphic design, specializing in rel...

Cumberland Winds Fife & Drum will provide the opening act for o pen mic night on May 9 at 6 pm in the chapel. Yvonne Kendall, lead flutist for the group, will be providing a performance/demonstration of all different kinds of period flutes along with fife and drum music.  It's sure to be a lively and entertaining performance that you won't want to miss.