Get Involved

Fellowship

On the third Sunday of each month a potluck meal is held after the Worship Service. In December, the Sunday Luncheon is replaced by a Progressive Dinner.

Men’s Breakfast happens at 7:30 a.m. on the second Sunday of each month.  Men of the Presbyterian, Methodist, First Baptist and Trinity Baptist Churches take turns hosting at their respective churches.

Calvinini’s—a fall fundraiser featuring Italian food and members’ talent show.

Occasionally we’ll have Sunday worship on the Bay with fellowship following.

Outreach

We support a variety of outreach and mission efforts.

• Food Pantry
• Mariner’s Christmas
• Presbyterian Aid Fund for community needs
• Presbyterian Day School
• Spanish classes on campus
• Traveler’s Party for all Palacios High School Seniors
• Pan American School, Kingsville, TX
• Su Casa de Esperanza, Pharr, TX
• National and Global Missions – Presbyterian Church USA

Contact us to find out how you can get involved.

Once Refugees…

From time to time, members of the Nghinh Ngo family return to First Presbyterian for a visit. In 1975, our church sponsored the Ngo family which had fled the collapse of South Vietnam. They were the first Vietnamese refugee family in Palacios. Nghinh was a lieutenant colonel in the South Vietnamese army.   He and Bach moved to Palacios with their 4 children, ages 4 years to 6 weeks. The congregation provided a place to live, a job, and friendship to the Ngo’s, and in return was enriched by their presence. Among other efforts, women of the church helped Bach, a beautician, with her English, and she enjoyed saying thank you by giving haircuts and wonderful facials! Ngoc, the oldest walked with church members from their apartment on Welch to our Day School.  While here, the family, though Buddist, was in church every Sunday and enriched our lives.

But the Ngo’s were city people, and Mr. Ngo was by trade a mechanic, not a fisherman.  They only lived here for nine months before moving, first to El Campo, then to Houston.  The congregation and in particular John Toellner continued to be friends to the Ngo’s even after they moved.

After leaving Palacios, the family added another daughter.  Mr. Ngo is now retired and Mrs. Ngo died a few years ago. All five children graduated from college and are doing well. Among their occupations are nurse, teacher, missionary, and dentist. During one visit, Ngoc, the oldest, told us that they have met other refugees who did not have such a welcoming experience when they came to the US, and they are very grateful that they landed in Palacios with the Presbyterian church. The children, now grown, are all Christian.

Since 1976 when the Ngo family left Palacios, they continued to visit. Visits have gotten farther apart as family situations have changed, but they still return to say thank you to their Palacios church family for a very welcoming sponsorship when they were refugees.