9:00 a.m. NewSong contemporary service

11:00 a.m. traditional service

We are very grateful to Steven Phillips, Director of Music, and the Chancel Choir for leading us in worship through their beautiful music each Sunday. Today is the last Sunday for the choir to sing before taking a well-deserved summer break. During their time off, we can look forward to a variety of vocal and instrumental musicians. Be sure to express your thanks to our choir members!

Rev. Craig Miller’s sermon manuscripts from the previous Sunday are posted on the church website and available in print as you enter or exit services. Feel free to take advantage of this wonderful resource—and share it with your friends and family. Click on the link below to read last Sunday's sermon:

The One Book concept was created in 1996 in Seattle, Washington to help foster the expression of ideas within the community through the shared love of reading. Sarasota County first introduced the One Book One Community program in 2003 with the book A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith.

The Sarasota selection for 2022 was The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind and was celebrated through the past fall and winter, including a visit from the author, William Kamkwamba. You can view video clips from his visit and learn more about this community program at this website:

The Education and Formation Committee would like to continue the community conversation surrounding this book throughout the month of July by encouraging our congregation to read this book (picture book version available for young children) and take the opportunity to talk about it during the fellowship hour between Sunday services. After years of being separated, this is an opportunity for us to share an experience and connect with members you may or may not know very well. 

Contact Carrie Mills, Emily Weitekamp, or Molly Horner with any questions you may have.

info@firstpressarasota.org or 941-955-8119

Finished trim around the columns is expected to be delivered the week of July 19. Then they will finish the trim for the rest of the beams, all the columns, and braces. Painting and trim out electrical will follow. The end of July is the current projected date for completion!

Last Wednesday, June 29, 2022, pastors from SURE and members and pastors from Manatee's STREAM (Stronger Together Reaching Equality Across Manatee) organization met with State Attorney Brodsky and Assistant State Attorney Schaefer at Bethlehem Bible Church. 

State Attorney Brodsky told us that the Adult Pre-Arrest Diversion program (adult civil citation program) has a start date of July 1. Deputies and officers have been trained and are ready to go. This is a major accomplishment!

Brodsky also shared a process for waiving fees for people who are deemed indigent, including the fees for Crime Stoppers. Again, the State Attorney heard our concerns and positively responded! We will be continuing to monitor this program and work to get it established with STREAM in Manatee County as well.

A meeting to begin planning a trip to Cuba in February 2023 is scheduled for Tuesday, July 5 at 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. The trip will include visiting the Juan G Hall church to learn about each other and worship together. It will also include going to Mantanzas and some time in Havana. Anyone who is interested in our partnership with Juan G Hall Church and going to Cuba is invited to this meeting. We hope to create a core group to make specific plans and publicize the trip.

If you are planning to attend the July 5 meeting, please email Dave Householder, dphouse47@gmail.com to receive materials related to the meeting and the trip. 

Mothers Helping Mothers is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization providing basic necessities, such as clothing and baby items (cribs, car seats, strollers, formula), free of charge to families in Sarasota, Manatee, and surrounding counties. They are a valued partner with Family Promise.

Mothers Helping Mothers needs our help! We are going to help on Monday, August 1. Join our FPC inter-generational group of volunteers from 9:00 a.m. to noon as we sort donations, stock the shelves, and work to improve their store. All ages of volunteers are welcome.

There will be tasks appropriate for youth and adults. For more information contact Joanne Simons SimonsJC1@gmail.com or (703) 798-7330.

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 Wednesday, August 31.

Now you can try Horizons at a great price: 

just $9.95 for a whole year! 

Horizons is the magazine and Bible study for Presbyterian women. Every issue of Horizons magazine provides ideas, inspiration, and information by addressing issues facing the church and the world. 

With this discounted Horizons subscription, you’ll receive five print issues, mission stories, information about Presbyterian women, and devotions, and FREE access to digital issues of Horizons magazine, use the web link below to subscribe at this special rate, delivered to your home or office, PLUS full online access to the magazine!

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.

Mark your calendar for our next blood drive Sunday, September 18.

On July 1, 2022, the CDC assessed Sarasota County’s COVID risk level as “high.” In keeping with our current session policy, masks are required of all worshipers. (Worship leaders may choose to lead without masks, since being maskless makes it easier for those persons to be understood.)

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!

Our dear sister, Velma Allen, died Saturday, June 25, 2022. Her memorial service will be at Toale Brothers Funeral Home (40 N. Orange Avenue, Sarasota 34236) on Tuesday, July 5, 6:00 p.m. Please remember the Allen family in your prayers. Notes may be sent to Velma’s daughters:

Our dear brother, Joseph (Joe) Dogoli died Monday, June 13, 2022. A memorial service will be held at a later time. Please pray for Joe’s wife, Jo, in this time of loss. Notes may be sent to Jo at:

Please also keep in your prayers our dear sister, Jean Luker, and her family. Jean’s mother, Mary Knarr of Sarasota, died Tuesday, May 31, 2022. Notes may be sent to Jean at:

First Presbyterian Preschool Website firstprespreschoolsarasota.org

We’d love to have you join our office team! Thank you to our current volunteers, Jeff Bartell, Susan Beach Carter, Pat Feeney and George Chorba. To find out more, call Rachel Martin, Operations Manager, at (941) 955-8119. RMartin@FirstPresSarasota.org or text to (941)-266-4450.

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.

 Church Life is an app that is available to church members with iPhones or Androids. You can search for members, view phone and address information, photos, and family members. You can send a text or call with a simple tap on the phone number. You can even send an email. Here are two simple steps:

1) Download ACS Church Life from your App Store using either iPhone or Android (Blackberry and other mobile devices can enter www.churchlife.mobi from any mobile browser).

2) Log in. Use the same username/email and password you use for your member login on our website.