Second Sunday

of Advent

This Sunday . . . 

You are invited to continue the celebration of A Celtic Christmas at a

reception in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the performance.

You are welcome to bring a plate of cookies or treats to share with others if you are able.

Stewardship

Thank you to those who have stepped forward in faith with your 2023 pledge. If you have not made your pledge, it’s not too late! All pledges are needed—you can return your pledge card to the church office or pledge online through the church website:

www.FirstPresSarasota.org and select member login.

View this year’s stewardship video by clicking on the link below:

Advent Devotional Booklets

Attending to Advent: Poetry, Prose, and Prayer

This daily devotional, which includes submissions from poets you have read in the pages of the Presbyterian Outlook, invites readers to pause and reflect on narratives in the Christmas story. Each week, the devotions address a different theme. Daily readings take us deeper into the scriptural story of the birth of Christ and explore contemporary subjects that include the many ways God’s incarnation can be experienced.

Advent booklets are available at church in the sanctuary narthex or the Fellowship Hall foyer. They can also be printed at home with the link below:

Thoughtful Giving Booklets – Pick them up this Sunday!

Each year we look forward to giving financial gifts in honor of our family members or friends to one or more of our mission partners. This Sunday, December 4, these booklets will be available as you enter or exit the services or click the link below to print at home for you to consider your giving opportunities.

Help needed! Please take stars from the Blessing Trees this Sunday—especially for the children! There were 110 stars for the 55 children from families in need. We are grateful for the half that have been taken, but at least 50 are still on the trees! There are also some stars for groceries available. The gift cards you purchase will make a difference for these families as they work to make ends meet.

The gift cards must be returned by Sunday, December 11.

If you’ve already supported the Blessing Tree project, thank you! If you haven’t, please take a star this Sunday. Thank you!

The festive Celebration Dinner for the 19 Brentwood Elementary School families will be held in the Fellowship Hall on December 18, 4:00-6:00 p.m. YOU are invited! There will be fun activities for the children and a delicious dinner and Christmas program for all. Since we want to have enough food to fill all those tummies, we will need reservations. Please call the church office before December 11 to make your reservations. We look forward to building relationships with these special families, especially as we celebrate the birth of the Christ child who brought love and hope to the world!

SURE Research Kickoff

Tuesday, December 6, 6:00 p.m.

Where there is injustice, SURE wants to meet it with justice. Our faith teaches us justice and mercy can be around the corner—if we are willing to address and collectively work on the issues.

This Tuesday at Pine Shores Presbyterian Church, you and those you invite, are encouraged to participate in SURE’s action plan for strategies tackling the two problems agreed upon as most pressing at the Community Problems Assembly meeting earlier in November: Affordable Housing and Mental Health Issues. SURE also continues to support the teams that have been working on and monitoring Juvenile and Adult Civil Citations and Restorative Practices.

Presenters

Affordable Housing:

David Morgan, Senior Consultant, D L Morgan and Associates

Mental Health Issues:

Dr. Margaret McGladrey, University of South Florida

Pine Shores Presbyterian is at 6135 Beechwood Avenue, Sarasota 34231. The campus occupies an entire block with parking on both sides of the sanctuary. From Tamiami Trail, turn west at a traffic light on Upper Beechwood Avenue to park on one side of the church or left after another block onto Ridgewood Street to park on the other side.

Family Christmas Eve Service

Saturday, December 24, 4:00 p.m.

Our children and youth have begun planning for our Family Christmas Eve Service. This service will have all the elements of the Nativity service that our church family has cherished for years, coupled with bright stars, traditional Christmas music, and participation by the children and youth of our congregation and preschool. 

If your family is interested in taking part, please meet in the Fellowship Hall beginning at 10:00 a.m. THIS SUNDAY!

In addition to our Christmas Eve Service preparation, your family will have a service opportunity:

· Older youth will be stuffing stockings for the Brentwood Blessing Tree event.

· Pre-K and elementary-aged children will be making cards for our homebound congregation members.

If you are unable to attend this Sunday, just let us know and we will save a role for you!

Communion and Candlelight Christmas Eve Service

Saturday, December 24, 7:00 p.m.

Come and experience the sights and sounds of anticipation for Christ’s arrival. Worship together by singing familiar Christmas hymns and carols, sharing communion, and lighting candles together.

FPC's Weekly All Faiths Food Distribution 

We have expanded our food offering and are now averaging over 100 families per week!

Join us on Thursday mornings to volunteer. We start packing food at 8:30 a.m. and serve from 10:00-11:30 a.m.

For questions, call Jean Martin (941) 544-4474 or email: jean.martin4474@gmail.com

Ushers Needed

We are planning to return to receiving the Sunday morning offering by passing offering plates or baskets during the services soon. We are excited to return to giving our offerings during the worship services. To make this possible, we need a team of ushers!

Please contact Denise Landers by calling (941) 587-7992 or emailing: davidanddenise@tampabay.rr.com if you are interested in being a part of this rotating team. Training will be provided. It’s a great way to serve!

Prayer List

Click on the link below for the prayer list. Thank you for praying for healing and encouragement for these dear ones.

First Presbyterian Preschool

firstprespreschoolsarasota.org

Preschool News

How wonderful to be back in our routine of learning through play this week! Play is how children naturally learn, heal, grow, and bond. There is a saying that “a family who plays together, grows together.” From the perspective of children, the saying could not be truer.

First Presbyterian Preschool has fun activities on the horizon this Christmas season and in the New Year. As the scenery changes from falling leaves to festive evergreens and opportunities arise to play together, we hope you will play with us. Let’s continue to grow together!

Two events just around the corner that our preschool children would like their church family to know about are the Christmas Performances Thursday, December 15 and Friday, December 16 from 11:40 a.m. - 12:00 noon; and in February, everyone is very excited to begin celebrating our preschool’s 75th anniversary. There will be more information coming soon on these special events and additional opportunities to play and grow together. 

2023 Offering Envelopes - available THIS SUNDAY

Beginning Sunday, December 4, through Sunday, December 18, there will be a table set up for you to pick up your 2023 offering envelopes. To save on the cost of mailing, please make every effort to pick up your envelopes.

Consider a Year-End Gift

to Support First Presbyterian Church

This Advent season as you prepare for and anticipate the Christ child, we invite you to consider making a year-end gift to First Presbyterian Church. You may make:

• A cash donation
• A gift of appreciated securities
• A direct to charity transfer from your IRA (if you are over 70 ½ and have not given more than $100,000 from your IRA to charities this year)
• A gift from your donor-advised fund or private foundation
• The gift can be directed in two ways:
• To First Presbyterian Church to be added to the current operating budget
• To The Foundation for the First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota to be added to the endowment to ensure/support our missions into the future

Your gift may be specifically directed to scholarships, youth programs, building funds, or to mission and ministries of the church. Or you may leave the best use of the gift to be decided by the session with the assurance that church leadership is devoted to careful stewardship of your funds.

Discuss these opportunities with your tax advisor to see which may be best for you, as these can be used by many as deductions office for income tax purposes.

If this is not the right time for an over-and-above donation, please consider joining the Covenant Society by making a pledge to include the Foundation in your will or estate plan as a legacy of your faith that will impact generations to come.

Contact Lisa Garcia at the church office for more information on making a year-end donation. A Covenant Society pledge form can be accessed by clicking on the link below:

Blood Drive - Sunday, December 11

8:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.

Sign up by calling Cheryl Track, Faith Community Nurse at (941) 320-3828 or email 4tracks@comcast.net. Walk-ins welcome. Free T-shirts for donors.

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.