NEWS @ FIRST
March 18, 2022
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
March 20
9:00 & 11:00 a.m.
Online access beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Join your FPC family to help All Faiths Food Bank kick off the 2022 Campaign Against Summer Hunger. Over 40,000 children could go hungry this summer, but Summer Hunger is a problem we can solve together!

Even if you don’t participate in the March 27 walk, you can still support this effort by making a contribution payable to First Presbyterian Church, “Summer Hunger” in the memo line.
SURE Nehemiah Rally
Tuesday, April 5, 6:30 p.m.
Your participation is needed for the annual SURE Nehemiah Assembly on Tuesday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m. (location to be announced).

State Attorney Brodsky will be attending. Please be among those present to show him our church’s support for creating an adult pre-arrest diversion program. SURE's new Executive Director, Dia Thao, will be introduced. Your presence makes a difference!
 
This is what the Lord requires of us: To do justice, love mercy,
and to walk humbly with our God. - Micah 6:

FPC Sarasota Blood Drive
THIS Sunday, March 20
8:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.

The SunCoast Blood Mobile will be at First Presbyterian THIS Sunday, March 20, 8:30 a.m.- 1:15 p.m. Please contact Cheryl Track, Faith Community Nurse, to reserve your space: 4tracks@comcast.net; (941) 320-3828.

You may use the Quick Pass below to begin the blood donation process on the day of your donation.
Access Quick Pass at https://suncoastblood.org/donate/quickpass/
“She Is the Music” Concert
Presented by Chorale Artists
at First Presbyterian, Sarasota
This Sunday, Mar 20, 2:30 p.m.

Female composers throughout history take the stage front and center. Celebrate Women’s History Month with this unique program devoted solely to works by female composers. Nannerl Mozart, Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Hildegard von Bingen and many others are featured in this program with Thea Lobo, mezzo-soprano and Francisca Mendosa, violin.
 Purchase tickets online: ChoralArtistsSarasota.org
(adults $35; students $5)
Plan Now for the Annual Tradition of Our Easter Cross!
First Presbyterian’s Easter Cross will be prepared for you and your family to place flowers on it before or after the services on April 17. The cross will be stationed in the courtyard near the Fellowship Hall for the 9:00 a.m. NewSong service; it will be outside the entrance to the sanctuary for the 11:00 a.m. traditional service. You are invited to bring your own flowers or use some of the flowers that will be provided. 
Lenten Devotions for Children and Families
Third Sunday in Lent
Dig in . . .
Today, some churches will read the story of Moses and God talking with each other. Not talking through a phone, but through a burning bush! At the end of the conversation, the bush was not burned up. Read the story in Exodus, chapter 3, verses 1 to 15.                 
Question . . .
God wants to communicate with us all the time. God loves us and wants to tell us many things. That’s why we need to pray, and hear what God has to say. When do you pray?

Do you always talk to God, or do you spend time in silence? Remember we have two ears one mouth, so we should listen for God twice as much as we talk . . . listening is praying, too!
And . . .
Jesus taught all his friends to pray the Lord’s Prayer. It starts with “Our Father, who art in heaven.” Have you memorized it? Do you pray it every day?
 
Sunday School during the Season of Lent
For Sunday school during the season of Lent, we are meeting all together—preschool to high school. Our youth are helping the little ones, but they are also getting some time on their own. With the leadership of all of our Sunday school teachers, we are singing, playing, creating, studying, and reflecting on the scripture for each week. We hope you can join us this Sunday to “dig in” to the Lent season with your church family and become closer to God through fellowship. 
 


The complete Lenten devotional guide is available by clicking on the link below for your family to use at home. Printed copies are also on hand as you leave the service.
Look to the Cross: A Lenten Study
Tuesdays via Zoom
Continuing NEXT Tuesday, March 22 - April 12  

Lent is a time to focus on the cross as a central symbol of Christianity. Biblical and theological perspectives are being explored to understand why and how Jesus’ death is so crucial to our faith. This class is led by Elaine Barnett via Zoom and held Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m.
Lesson titles are:
Mar 22 - Accessing the Presence of God
Mar 29 - Picturing the Atonement
Apr 5 - The Cross in the Tradition of the Reformers
Apr 12 - The Invitation to Live into the Way of the Cross

Join in on this class by using the link below:
"Every Living Creature:
God’s Design for Animals"
Six-Week Adult Education Class Offered via Zoom on Wednesdays
March 23 - April 3
 

The class is on Wednesdays at 12:00 noon by Zoom, taught by Doug DeCelle, retired minister, and Hal Serrie, anthropologist. They are presenting the biblical evidence that God’s intention is to preserve all living things, bringing them to perfection and a joyous, harmonious existence. .

Members and friends of First Presbyterian Church are invited to participate. For details about this unique class, visit Doug DeCelle’s website:
Click below for the Zoom link to participate in this class:
Meeting ID: 818 2573 7411
Passcode: 918542
Anyone interested in reviewing the class sessions will find all materials and recorded class sessions on the link below: 
OUT OF CHAOS, HOPE
                         
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): This week's UPDATE on humanitarian response to UKRAINE
 
 
In the midst of violence and chaos there are sibling churches and ecumenical partners who are already providing assistance with basic items for survival. PDA’s first priority is to provide funding to partners on the ground. PDA anticipates that response from its trusted partners with expertise will include both financial and technical assistance as the network of faith communities providing humanitarian assistance grows in the months ahead. Thank you for joining PDA in praying for an end to this violence. PDA is asking the U.S. Government and our European allies to make a commitment to the Ukrainian people for a peaceful solution.
A heartfelt thank-you goes to those who have already contributed. We sent a check this week for $1,425 from last week’s contributions—for a total of $2,750 to-date. To support the response by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, make your check out to First Presbyterian Church, Sarasota, with “Ukraine” in the memo. You can also give online via our church website or by texting giving. Please select “Psby.Dis.Asst.” fund and “Ukraine” in the optional memo.
Cowden-Smith Library Hours
Library open Monday – Friday
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sundays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

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.
FPC Mission Partnership
with All Faiths Food Bank
 
Join our fun team of volunteers and help distribute food to our community neighbors Thursday mornings, 9:15-11:30 a.m.
 
The food distribution is by drive-through with volunteers loading cars as clients circle in the parking lot (between 10:00 and 11:30 a.m.) Volunteers are needed each Thursday. Task options include sorting and distributing food, setting up, cleaning up, and directing traffic.
 
For information contact Bob Kirkpatrick: rkirkhv@aol.com or (941) 355-0809; or Dave Householder: dphouse47@gmail.com or (724) 462-4235.

JUST COME! There is no need to sign up!
Invest in Children
Now that volunteers are able to return to Brentwood Elementary School, you may wonder how YOU can help! There are many ways.

You can volunteer in a classroom, sort books in the media center, prepare crafts/lessons, file or copy helpful material, assist in the office doing clerical work, help in the computer lab, or even be a one-on-one mentor. You can choose the day (or days), the hour (or hours) you can be there, and the tasks you’d prefer. In return you’ll be welcomed by an amazing staff and precious children.
To learn more, contact Jinny and Ron Miller at (941) 371-2750, ext. 554 or email jinnyron@gmail.com. They would be happy to hear from you. The students and teachers at Brentwood are waiting for YOU!
Larry Schaper with student
Diane Bittner with student
Presbyterian Women
On Tuesday, April 5 at 11:30 a.m. all women of the church are invited to meet for lunch at the Breakfast House for a time of fellowship. You need not be an active member of PW to attend. Guests are welcome, too. The restaurant is located at 1817 Fruitville Road in Sarasota. There is ample parking and both inside and outside seating is available. No reservation is needed to attend. The Breakfast House menu featuring soups, sandwiches, salads, and breakfast items can be found on their Facebook page.
Remembering Our Church Family in Prayer
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 Care Poster Recipients
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!
NAMI is receiving registrations for their next Family to Family Education Class, Thursday, April 7 - May 26, 5:45-8:00 p.m. The program is a free 8-week online course for family and caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses. Family and peer support groups also continue.
 
There are family support groups, both online (via Zoom) and in person (Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice), for particular support needs. The groups are free and confidential, and you don’t have to be a NAMI member to participate. By actively sharing in the work of the group, you can gain confidence in your ability to cope as an adult family member or caregiver. You can achieve a renewed sense of hope for your loved one living with mental health challenges

Register for NAMI Sarasota and Manatee Counties next NAMI Family-to-Family class: 
Link for Family Support Groups:
Upcoming Online Meetings:
2nd Thursday, April 14: 6:30-8:00 pm. Zoom meeting ID: 854-2511-6349. Zoom (Manatee County Group)
4th Monday, April 25: 6-7:30 pm Zoom meeting ID: 411-700-5178. Or call in: +1 301-715-8592. Zoom
Loss by Suicide Support Group: For family members and caregivers who have lost a loved one to suicide: Every 1st Wednesday April 6, 6:30-8:00pm: Meeting ID, 843-4349-5942
P.O.W.E.R Support Group: (Parents offering wisdom, education, & Resources), for parents and caregivers with children 25 or young who are experiencing mental health symptoms or have been diagnosed with a mental health condition. April 12, Every 2nd Tuesday, 6-7:30: Meeting ID, 841-4675-6975

Please note: The location of each group is included only for reference, no location restrictions are placed on Zoom attendees.

Joining via Zoom
Visit Zoom.us (click below), click on “join a meeting” in the top menu bar, and enter meeting ID (For mobile phones, you may have to download the Zoom app.)
Upcoming In-Person Meetings
If you have an adult family member living with mental illness, you are not alone. Join us for our peer-led Family Support Groups, held in five locations. They are free and confidential, and you don’t need to be a NAMI member to participate. By actively sharing in the work of the group, you can gain confidence in your ability to cope.

Lakewood Ranch- Every 1st Tuesday, April 5, 7:30-9:00pm: Our Lady of The Angels, 12905 SR-70 W, Lakewood Ranch

Venice- Every 1st Wednesday, April 6, 7:00-8:30pm: Venice United Church of Christ, NAAR Hall, 620 Shamrock Blvd, Venice

Sarasota- Every 3rd Thursday, April 20, 6:30-8:00pm: First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak Street, Sarasota, FL

More About NAMI Family Support Groups:
NAMI Family Support Groups, offered by NAMI Affiliates in communities across the country, are free, confidential and safe groups of families helping other families who live with mental health challenges. In NAMI Family Support Groups, families join a caring group of individuals helping one another by utilizing their collective lived experiences and learned wisdom. Family members can achieve a renewed sense of hope for their loved one living with mental health challenges.

NAMI Connection Support Group is a free, peer-led support group for any adult who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. You will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others, and the groups are led by trained leaders who've been there.

NAMI’s support groups are unique because they follow a structured model to ensure you and others in the group have an opportunity to be heard and to get what you need.

Free of cost to participants
Designed for adults (18+) with mental health conditions
Led by people with mental health conditions
90 minutes long and meets weekly, every other week or monthly (varies by location)
No specific medical therapy or treatment is endorsed
Confidential

NAMI Connection will meet online:
Every Thursday, 6-7:30 pm. Zoom Meeting ID: 871-4261-7389.
Young Adult Support Group, Ages 18-35. Register for Zoom link below: 
NAMI Connection will also meet in person:
Every Monday- 10am-11:30am, YANA Sarasota North County, 240b South Tuttle Ave, Sarasota
Every Tuesday-6:00-7:30pm, YANA Sarasota North County, 240b South Tuttle Ave, Sarasota

Face masks will be required for in-person groups.

 Young Adult Support Group: Ages 18-30. February 3, 3-4pm. 240b South Tuttle Ave, Sarasota. Register below:

Masks are optional for all support groups. 

A support group is for adults living with mental illness and working towards recovery. In this free, peer-led group, participants will gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others. It's led by NAMI-trained facilitators who've been there.

What you’ll gain:

By sharing your experiences in a safe and confidential setting, you gain hope and develop relationships. The group encourages empathy, productive discussion, and a sense of community.
Run for the Turtles 5K and Fun Run
Saturday, April 2, at Siesta Beach
 
All are invited to participate in the Run for the Turtles sponsored by Mote Marine Laboratory Saturday, April 2. Adults $40, children $30. For questions, contact Sue Hargis Spigel at hargisspigel@yahoo.com or (941) 735-8786. Links to the run signup and Mote’s program are below:
Current COVID Guidelines On-Campus
Due the significant decline in COVID rates in our area, masks are now optional for worship and while in any buildings on campus for those who are fully vaccinated.
Pastoral Care
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.

We’re Here for You!
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.