The reception for Lydia Chapdelain originally scheduled for this Sunday has been postponed due to illness. Watch for the new date coming soon. If you have a note for Lydia, you may place it in the collection basket in the entryway on Sunday. Notes may also be sent to Lydia via the church office.

* The session has granted an exception to this policy by allowing the weekly preschool to determine its own COVID-related policies for preschool spaces.

Will Be Our Guest Preacher Sunday, February 6

Our youth will be stationed with soup pots at the door after both services on Sunday, February 13, to receive your gifts of money to help alleviate hunger in our area. Checks may be made to First Presbyterian Church with “Souper Bowl” in the memo line.

On Sundays, February 13 and 20, the Membership and Fellowship Committee will be on hand to take individual and family pictures for the online church directory. The photo shoot will be in the courtyard from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. No appointment is needed—just show up when you are able during these times. You also have the option of sending a favorite photo of yourself to the church office to be added to the online directory: Email: info@firstpressarasota.org

The launch of this class was postponed due to high COVID transmission rates. The class will begin on Wednesday, February 23, at 12:00 noon by Zoom. This class, taught by Doug DeCelle, retired minister, and Hal Serrie, anthropologist, will present the biblical evidence that God’s intention is to preserve all living things, bringing them to perfection and a joyous, harmonious existence. We will consider the nature and destiny of the whole created world.

Click below for the Zoom link to participate in this class:

Tuesdays via Zoom, March 8 - April 12  

Biblical and theological perspectives will be explored to understand why and how Jesus’ death is so crucial to our faith. This class will be led by Elaine Barnett via Zoom and held Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. beginning March 8.

 

Beth Knopik has written a memoir entitled Grace in Abundance, which is now available in our church library. Beth is a long-time member of FPC and many of you know she lost her 16-year-old daughter to myocarditis in 2012.

In her memoir, Beth writes about her life, loss and journey through grief. Beth's story includes Dr. Rev. Ray Woody, Rev. Clay Thomas and other members you might recognize. Most importantly, Grace in Abundance describes Beth's discovery of God’s grace during a very dark time. Beth has offered two copies of this limited edition to our church members.

Powerful with beautiful imagery, Grace in Abundance is a must-read for anyone struggling with loss.

**An important side note: Beth has written a second edition of this book for a wider audience (omitting much of her family history and upbringing), and it has been picked up by a publisher. The title of the second edition is: Beyond the Rainbow, A Mother’s Journey Through Grief to Grace. Beth will have her own copies of this book for sale/distribution in April/May and they are expected to be in bookstores and online by October of this year. You will hear more about Beyond the Rainbow when it becomes available.

The library book cart in the narthex offers a varied selection of our newer books from which you can choose, including some children's books. No due dates; simply return when you finish with them. A sign-out sheet is on the cart.

Caritas of Sarasota was established in 1980 as a joint effort of five downtown churches headed by St. Martha’s Catholic Church, with First Baptist Church,  First United Methodist Church, Church of the Redeemer, and First Presbyterian Church, Sarasota. It is an outreach ministry that provides food and other assistance to Sarasota residents in acute financial need (e.g., utility payments, prescriptions, transportation, and work attire). The Herrig Caritas Center, which replaced the original interview facilities, is located at 1645 Fruitville Road, and was dedicated in 2018. The Caritas Food Pantry is housed at First Baptist Church on Main Street.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in new safety operating procedures that necessitate additional volunteers. Our church does not currently have sufficient volunteers to assist clients at the Herrig Caritas Center. However, FPC will continue sending financial support to the mission at Herrig Caritas Center. We are grateful for our teams of FPC volunteers who will continue to serve by assisting in the Caritas Food Pantry. We also thank the many volunteers that served Caritas of Sarasota for the past 20 plus years. If you would like to join this team, please contact Dave Householder: dphouse47@gmail.com

Join our fun team of volunteers and help distribute food to our community neighbors Thursday mornings, 9:15-11:30 a.m.

JUST COME! There is no need to sign up!

In the recent past, we assisted the Mam women with funds to purchase cook stoves, cattle sheds, and incaparina, a drink mix for their malnourished children.

Save March 28 and 29 to attend the Peace River PW Spring Retreat at DaySpring Conference Center in Ellenton. Watch for details in upcoming church emails and bulletins.

Francis House is ready to open, thanks to your generosity. Francis House is for new moms who, through a temporary setback, find their families experiencing homelessness, but are highly motivated to return to financial independence. Families can remain at Francis House up to 90 days in this safe and secure home.   

We ask you to join in supporting this mission work to bring safety, comfort, and hope to new mothers and their children. Visit the Family Promise website to learn more: https://www.familypromisesarasota.org 

Pam Mathes: pjmathes@hotmail.com

Joanne Simons: simonsjc1@gmail.com 

Please pray for those who are experiencing particular health needs and consider sending a note of encouragement. Click on the link below for the prayer list:

We appreciate our team of We Care poster artists who creatively design poster-cards for our church members when they are hospitalized. Special notes, prayers, and well wishes are written on the cards by our congregation on Sunday mornings, and the cards are mailed out.

On the link below is a list of those who have recently received a We Care poster-card. Consider how you might support them through a prayer, a card, or a phone call. Thank you for being family for one another!

Online: If you are interested in giving electronically through our secure e-giving process, please visit FirstPresSarasota.org and select the online giving button.

Texting: Are you interested in the convenience of contributing by text message? Text FPC2050 to 73256 to donate via text. Standard rates may apply.

Mail In: All mail, including contribution checks, securely arrives to our church office.

When you or a loved one is hospitalized, it is important that you contact the church or one of the pastors to inform us directly and inform the hospital that you are a member of our congregation and would welcome a visit by one of our pastors. Hospitals will not contact the church. We have also discovered that some will no longer even list a patient as our church member on their internal records unless the patient is careful to note their relationship with our congregation. Thank you for your assistance.

The FPC care team, Stephen Ministers, deacons, elders and church staff continue to be available for you. Please feel free to reach out to Cheryl Track, Faith Community Nurse (941) 320-3828 or call the church office (941) 955-8119 if we can be of support to you.