NEWS @ FIRST
August 27, 2021
Sunday School Classes will begin THIS SUNDAY, August 29
Students will gather in the Fellowship Hall at 10:10 a.m. to meet their teachers and walk upstairs together. Parents will sign in all elementary students at this time.
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES
9:00 a.m. in-person NewSong worship
in the Fellowship Hall

11:00 a.m. in-person traditional worship in the sanctuary
Online access beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Session COVID Policy
Masks are required of all persons (over the age of two) who are on our campus, including outdoor gatherings. An exception is granted for fully vaccinated adult groups who are working outside (with no children present). Such groups may decide together whether they intend to mask.
Video/Discussion Series
Continues THIS Sunday, August 22  
10:20 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall
 
Join us THIS Sunday, August 22, in the Fellowship Hall to watch a 10-14-minute video, followed by informal guided discussion and reflections, led by Michael Fingerle. Classes for adults of all ages. Come and relax, renew friendships, and make new friends!
 
NOOMA is a series of short films, by Rob Bell, exploring our world from a perspective of Jesus. The series promotes spiritual reflections on our own individual experiences. NOOMA is an invitation to search, question, and join the discussion. The name NOOMA comes from a Greek word meaning wind, spirit, or breath.
MISSION STUDY TEAM PRESENTATION
 
You are invited to a presentation of the Mission Study Team report on Sunday, September 19 at 10:10 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. This report is the result of candid conversations with more than 170 members of our congregation over the course of 15 in-person and ZOOM meetings. We believe it to be a true reflection of the concerns and desires of our congregation. Mission Study Team members will present an overview of the report and will be available to answer questions about it.

If you would like to learn more about the Mission Study Team’s report, there will also be two Zoom opportunities for conversation, in addition to the in-person presentation on Sunday, September 19:
 
• By Zoom, 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 18
        
• By Zoom, 1:00 p.m. Thursday, September 23

 You may sign up for Zoom conversations by clicking on the link below. Each Zoom chat is limited to 20 persons, for ease of conversation. Should those sessions fill to capacity, we will gladly schedule additional opportunities.
Copies of the report will be available beginning September 15. Once it has been approved by the session and Committee on Ministry, it will be sent to the congregation by email and also available on the church website (https://firstpressarasota.org/). You may request a paper copy by calling the office at (941) 955-8119.

Thank you to all who contributed to this effort by sharing their devotion to, and hope for, the future of First Presbyterian Church, Sarasota. Our next step will be to elect a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC). Watch for an announcement of an October congregational meeting!
CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRY

Highlights for THIS SUNDAY
10:10 a.m. - Sunday School for K-12.
Please meet your amazing teachers in the Fellowship Hall.

4:00 p.m. - Middle School and High School Youth
Meet in the Fellowship Hall.
· Join us for a fun corn hole tournament.
· Catch up with friends, enjoy some friendly competition and win prizes.
· 5:00 p.m. enjoy dinner with your youth group; pizza and salad will be served outside, picnic style.
· Hang out until 6:00 p.m., catch up and sign up for events throughout the year!
 
Last Sunday was Rally Day for all children and youth. Students had the chance to meet up with each other, explore their Sunday School classroom, catch up with old friends—and met new friends!

Molly and Lydia are excited to begin this Sunday School year. Along with the Education and Formation Committee, they are busy planning mission, fellowship and intergenerational activities. Please know that as we navigate through these continued unusual times we are always thinking about everyone’s health and safety. Most events will be indoors and outdoors. We want to ensure that all our church families are comfortable when we gather. If you ever have any questions or suggestions, Lydia and Molly would love to hear from you.

Lydia Chapdelain, Children and Youth Leader: lchapdelain@firstpressarasota.org
Molly Horner, Children and Youth Coordinator: mhorner@firstpressarasota.org
SunCoast Blood Drive at First Presbyterian
URGENT NEED
THIS Sunday, August 29, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

This month’s blood drive is in honor of our member, Cullen Sabin. Contact Cheryl Track at 4tracks@comcast.net or (941) 320-3828 to reserve your space. Masks are required. Be assured that each unit will be tested for COVID antibodies. The Quick Pass allows you to begin the blood donation process at home the day of donation. Access Quick Pass at scbb.org/donor-quick-passhtml.
Rise Against Hunger
Meal packing Event
Sunday, September 19
1:00-3:00 p.m.
 
We need 40 volunteers—all ages!
 
Set-up starts at 11:30 a.m., with the official start of the event at 1:00 p.m. and lasting about two hours. We welcome children and well as adults to come out and help us package over 12, 000 meals. We will be masked and practicing social distancing during the event.
 
The mission of Rise Against Hunger (RAH) is to end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable populations, by making a global commitment to mobilize the resources necessary to achieve this goal. One of the ways that RAH works to achieve its mission is by working with other interested parties to offer meal-packaging events to create fortified, dehydrated, shelf-stable meals that are transported by RAH to identified areas of food insecurity.
 
This will be our fourth meal-packing event. Last year our event was canceled due to COVID. This year the Rise Against Hunger staff has put a system in place to keep us safe and healthy while we package the meals.

Sign up to participate through the link below.
PDA is responding to the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti August 14, 2021 that has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives. PDA is working closely with Presbyterian World Mission, their traditional partners on the ground and ACT Alliance, PDA is responding to emergency needs such as WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), emergency power generators, shelter, food, first aid and more. PDA is relying on the generosity of Presbyterians to provide financial and hands-on support to help the whole church stand with the country of Haiti as it responds to this devastating earthquake.
 
We would invite you to participate in disaster relief. There is still time to contribute; please make your check payable to First Presbyterian Church and put “Earthquake Relief” in the memo line. You can donate online; go to www.firstpressarasota.org, select “Give Online,” enter dollar amount, “Select a fund” will be “Prsby.Dis.Asst,” in memo type “Earthquake Relief.” We will add your gift to the funds to be remitted. 
Tech Team Members Needed!
Are you interested in learning to operate our sound equipment, cameras, or media? You can have a ministry of tech support for our in-person and live-streamed services. This is an exciting time in the life of our church as we use technology to grow our congregation’s outreach. To get involved, call or text Jimi Camastro, our Tech Team Leader, at (941) 779-6754.
20-Year 9/11 Commemoration Saturday, September 11
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Sarasota National Cemetery
9810 State Road 72, Sarasota 34241
 
The Sarasota Ministerial Association is offering an outdoor service to the faith community; masks are recommended.

For free tickets, click on the link below. Also use this weblink if you would like to volunteer to sing in the community chorus, be a greeter/usher, or help with setup and take down.
Invest in Children
WORDS OF WISDOM from MISTER ROGERS
Now that school has begun amidst angst and concern about the COVID-19 Delta variant, below are gentle quotes from Mister Rogers. They’re for both kids and adults. Enjoy!

There is no normal life that is free of pain. It’s the very wrestling
with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth

All of us, at some time or other, need help.
Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us
has something valuable to bring to this world.

I hope you’re proud of yourself for the times you’ve said ‘yes,’
when all it meant was extra work for you
and was seemingly helpful only to someone else.
 
Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person.
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 or to sign up,
contact Bob Kirkpatrick: rkirkhv@aol.com or (941) 355-0809; or Dave Householder: dphouse47@gmail.com or (724) 462-4235.
This year 1,200 children will experience homelessness in Sarasota County. Preventing families from spiraling into homelessness is an essential part of the Family Promise mission. Family Promise (FP) served eleven families with children in August, and provided support with maximum efficiency and low cash output.

The Family Promise office and day center location has closed so they must relocate. Several years ago, our church made a generous donation from the Imagine the Future campaign to help FP secure a more permanent facility. August 24, 2021, the session approved the use of that money for a   one-year lease on a house that will be used by FP to provide much-needed services for homeless pregnant and post-partum women and their babies.

An investment of $260 can keep a child housed in Sarasota County, but it takes $5,000 in resources to rehouse an evicted family—which is why prevention is so important. We can’t thank you enough for supporting the Family Promise mission and these families. 

Family Promise’s contact information remains the same:
Family Promise of Sarasota, Inc.
8499 Tamiami Trail, PMB 267, Sarasota, FL 34238
(941) 952-1800 
https://www.familypromisesarasota.org/
Presbyterian Women
Did you know that Mission Haven is operated by Presbyterian Women in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee? Located by Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA, Mission Haven provides affordable, short-term housing, hospitality, clothing and prayer to mission co-workers of the PC (USA). Having just celebrated 70 years of service, the complex includes three houses and six apartments, fully furnished and available to mission co-workers in transition. Mission Haven is just one of the many charitable organizations PW supports. Come join Presbyterian Women in mission support, Bible study and fellowship.
Florida Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Network (FLAPDAN)
Hurricane Preparedness Tips

Read these important recommendations, restock your supply kit, and be aware of our church’s communication protocol.  
In Life and in Death We Belong to God
Our brother, Kent Bartruff, died on Monday, August 23. Kent and his wife, Jane, joined the church in 1973. Kent had suffered from extended illness. Please keep Jane and their sons, Gregg, Owen, Ryan, Brent, and Scott, in your prayers. There will be a private service at Sarasota National Cemetery.
Letters of condolence may be sent to Jane:
Jane Bartruff
7314 Westmoreland Dr., Sarasota, FL 34243-1431
 
Remembering Our Church Family in Prayer
Thank you for upholding members of our congregation with special prayer needs during this time. Click on the attached link for a complete list:
We Care Posters
Click on the list below for a list of those who have recently, or are currently, hospitalized from our congregation who have been sent a personalized We Care poster-card on behalf of our church family. Please keep them in your prayers and consider sending a message of encouragement.
American Heart CPR Course taught by LifeTech Instructional Services will be at FPC Sarasota Wednesday, September 22, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Be a life saver and register for a CPR Class in the Fellowship Hall. The cost is $25 for a 2-year certification from American Heart Association. Each person will have their own manikin in a socially distanced environment. Please wear a mask. Contact Cheryl Track, (941) 320-3828, to register or for questions.
College/Continuing Education / Technical School Scholarships
Scholarship money is available for the upcoming school year. Interested students and families should go to the website www.firstpressarasota.org, go to “Grow” tab and select “Young Adult” and print application. The application and transcripts must be received by Thursday, September 30. Transcripts, including those from the spring 2021 semester, should be included or forwarded as soon as available. Returning applicants need only to update their grades and contact information. All college and technical school students are encouraged to apply.
The Cowden-Smith Library
Library open Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
and on Sundays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

There is a library book cart in the narthex with 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.
Giving Options
Please continue to mail your contributions to us at the church or donate online. Your gifts make a great difference during this challenging season.

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.
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.