This Sunday we welcome to our pulpit the Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo. Neddy is a Venezuelan-American, an ecotheologian, and a PC(USA) pastor. She explains ecotheology as “reflecting on our faith from a belief in God as Creator. It seeks to find faith-based solutions to the environmental challenges of our time, lifting up Creation care as an act of faith.” Neddy has taught in seminaries in Guatemala, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, and the United States.

Neddy will preach at both the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. worship services, and will be available from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. for a time of conversation in the fellowship hall. We are honored to host this vibrant and prophetic pastor, and grateful to the Faith Focus Leadership Team for making her visit possible.

Our youth will be stationed with soup pots at the doors 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

Six-Week Adult Education Class Offered via Zoom

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.

All are invited to this exploration of Dr. Howard Thurman’s deep spirituality and his influence on the civil rights movement. Conference held at First United Church of Christ, 1031 South Euclid Ave, Sarasota. Registration: $35 per person.

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.

The Sarasota Music Club will be holding its free concert in our sanctuary on Friday, February 18 at 10:30 a.m. Anne Tormela, lyric coloratura soprano, will be performing Beloved Opera, Operetta, Broadway and Popular Classics. The congregation is cordially invited.

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.

HAPPY NEWS! Francis House officially welcomed its first expectant mother and her ten-year-old son. They are now comfortably settled in and preparing for the March birth of their new family member. The family may remain at Francis House until mid-May while the mother makes arrangements for sustaining her family. Family Promise and several agencies will support and guide her on this journey.

Francis House Steering Committee met last week to determine ongoing actions to support the families. A weekend hot meal delivery plan has begun. Host congregations are being surveyed to determine interest. Our First Presbyterian Church family already delivered a healthy hot meal. To support this mission with a cooked meal, contact Pam Mathes: cell phone (518) 495-3776; email: pjmathes@hotmail.com

Current Need: Infant Layette Sets - A supply of most new baby items is now available at Francis House. Many of the items are consumable and will need to be replaced on an ongoing basis. Please watch in News@First and Cross Connections for updated information. Contact Pam Mathes to help supply layettes.

Our congratulations go to Eric and Rebecca “Becca” (Stottlemyer) Walther upon the birth of their new baby girl, Emery June Walther, born January 28, 2021, weighing 6 lbs., 15 oz. Proud big sisters are Lily (age 5) and Vivian (age 3).

We have received notification that Bradford Nees (age 91) died August 6, 2021. He and his wife, Leona, became FPC members in 1960. Leona died in the month following Bradford. Please remember their family in your prayers.

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.