NEWS @ FIRST
April 2, 2021
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EASTER WORSHIP SERVICES
In-person worship services in the sanctuary
at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.
(10:00 a.m. filled to "social distancing" capacity)
Traditional and contemporary music with FPC Choir, NewSong Band and string orchestra
Safe and distanced communion
Pastoral leadership by Rev. Margaret LaMotte Torrence
Activity bags for children and families
Online access beginning at 10:00 a.m.
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Complimentary Family Easter Photos
After each Easter worship service professional photographer and First Presbyterian Preschool mom, Kelly Mangino, will be set up at our beautiful labyrinth to photograph your family in a safe, physically distanced way. Photographs will be sent electronically to you. Create a lasting memory!
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OGHS Easter Offering
Received This Sunday, April 4
Received on Easter, One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is the single, greatest way that Presbyterians come together every year to build God’s household and welcome our neighbors in need around the world. We provide relief from natural disasters, food for the hungry, and support for the poor and oppressed. Each gift to OGHS helps to improve the lives of people in challenging situations through Presbyterian assistance programs.
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Easter Lilies and Hydrangeas
Thank you to those providing the beautiful Easter flowers. For those who indicated, you may pick up your flowers after the 10:00 a.m. Easter service. All other flowers will be delivered to our homebound members as an expression of love from our congregation.
To view the lovely booklet listing the names of those who provided flowers, click on the link below:
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Good Friday Online Service
View this contemplative service of music, readings and prayers today.
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Called Congregational Meeting - Sunday, April 11, 2021
11:15 a.m. via Zoom
A congregational meeting has been called for the purpose of electing a deacon to fill an unexpired term in the class of 2022. All FPC members are asked to participate in this brief meeting so that a quorum is met. (Zoom weblink coming in next week's News@First.) Click on the link below to read the biography of nominee Barbara Chase.
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Sunday Worship Services at 9:00 a.m.
Beginning April 11
Beginning Sunday, April 11, we will return to 9:00 a.m. in-person worship, with required masks, social distancing, and registration in advance. The service will also be available on Sundays online at 9:00 a.m. or after. Register below for the services you plan to attend in person:
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We want to see YOU
at our virtual Coffee Hour
Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
resuming after Holy Week
on Sunday, April 11
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Coming Sunday, April 11 - Coffee Hour Guest:
Tara Maffei, New Family Promise Sarasota Director
Tara Maffei, a New Jersey native, is the new Director at Family Promise of Sarasota to lead the reopening in the fall of 2020. She has a master's degree in Social Work and International Community Development. Over the past 22 years, she has worked extensively as a nonprofit consultant, and earned recognition in the fields of disaster response and recovery at the American Red Cross where she led SuperStorm Sandy efforts.
Tara has served as Vice President for two United Way chapters. Read her complete story of how she interned for Interfaith Hospitality Network right out of college, and now has come full circle 15 years later to Family Promise, the organization she loves so dearly as they revitalize their chapter.
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Join us every Sunday at 10:00 am
(No Sunday School classes on Easter, April 4.)
All families are encouraged to participate
in the special Easter worship services this Sunday!
We look forward to celebrating Jesus' resurrection together this Sunday! There will be an exciting array of musical styles with guest musicians. Children and families will be given fun activity bags. All safety measures will be in place to ensure your family's health.
Easter gives us hope for the future and strength to face the challenges of our lives. To capture this fresh beginning in 2021, Kelly Mangino, an amazing photographer and one of our Preschool moms, will be taking complimentary photos of our families.
Be sure to have your family photo taken by the labyrinth following either worship service! There will be a table set up outside the labyrinth where you will sign in using your email address so Kelly Mangino can send your digital image(s).
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Youth News
Mark Your Calendar: Youth Sunday - May 2
"Reflections on Perseverance"
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Youth Mission Projects
The high school youth have been distributing supplies to our neighbors who are homeless, cleaning up our beaches and parks, designing an Easter meal project, and participating in the Great American Clean-Up.
They are asking the congregation to donate durable backpacks or money so that they can distribute durable backpacks (with zippers, rather than drawstrings) to those in need. You may place new backpacks in the box outside the church office through April 10—or you can give a donation online labeled "Youth Service Projects" with “Backpacks” in the memo.
The youth have also developed a tree-planting project to engage our congregation in the benefits of trees. They are partnering with UF/IFAS Extension and Sustainability Sarasota County to obtain the trees and learn how to properly plant and care for them. Church members interested in having a tree planted in their yard may call the church office at (941) 955-8119.
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NEW Adult Education Class
JOURNEY WITH JONAH:
Living the Interrupted Life
Sundays, April 18, April 25,
May 2 & May 9
10:30-11:30 a.m. on Zoom
The book of Jonah is one of the Bible’s most profound stories about faith. It’s also one of the shortest books in the Bible. And maybe the funniest.
Jonah tells the story of a reluctant prophet and how he learns what faith is about. It is also the story of one of the greatest acts of repentance in the history of the scriptures. In the story Jonah reluctantly preached one of the shortest and probably worst sermons on record, and the entire pagan city of Nineveh repented, leading to God’s forgiveness and some comic results. The book of Jonah is only 48 verses, but the message packs a wallop.
Join us on Zoom for four sessions as we let Jonah guide us on the journey of faith. To participate using Zoom you will need a computer or other device connected to the internet.
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Financial Update
The session is grateful for the congregation’s continued service, witness, and generosity. Thank you for remaining faithful to each other, and to the mission partners and neighbors who need our steady support.
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: During this time when the church campus is closed, all mail, including contribution checks, securely arrives to our church office.
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A big THANK YOU is expressed to all who made donations to the Mam women's projects in Guatemala. Together, we contributed $605 for cattle sheds and $415 for incaparina for malnourished children. Your generous donations are making a difference in the lives of these impoverished families.
Please join us for our Zoom program on Tuesday, April 6, at 10:00 a.m. when our church's new Family Promise Sarasota liaison, Joanne Simons, shares how the organization has changed and the challenges faced by Family Promise during this pandemic. Family Promise is back after a temporary hiatus to reorganize and rebuild. First Presbyterian continues to support this organization which assists children and their families facing homelessness.
All members and guests of the church are welcome to any of the PW activities. Click on the Zoom link below to participate:
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The monthly PW Bible study led by Jean Luker meets via Zoom on Tuesday, April 13, at 10:00 a.m. We will study the seventh lesson (Creation Laments) in the 2020-2021 Horizons study Into the Light: Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament. All women of the church are welcome. The study guide is not required to join. Deborah circle meets immediately following for fellowship and PW updates.
Below is the Zoom link for the Bible study:
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Sisters of the Road
Sisters of the Road gathers weekly at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays via Zoom for one hour to pray and study the Bible together. We support each other in any way we can. Please join us. If you have prayer requests, just let us know. To learn more, please contact Pat Feeney at (941) 228-4805 or patfeeney21@gmail, or Janet Olshewsky at (941) 376-4431 or janetolshewsky@verizon.net.
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On the Easter, our church grieves with the Brentwood Elementary School students and their families, teachers, and administrative staff, who mourn the death of 8-year-old BES student, Sophia, who died after a freak accident with an SUV on March 24. They are thankful for our congregation surrounding them in prayer.
They families and school staff continue to be grateful for our Christmas gift cards and stockings, and our gifts to adopt several classrooms, and water bottles given. They miss our volunteers and look forward to when our volunteers can return to their campus--possibly in the fall.
Thank you again for the many ways you have shared the Easter story in this mission outreach, making a positive impact in the lives of those at Brentwood Elementary!
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SunCoast Bloodmobile Report
Thank you all for who participated in the SunCoast Blood Drive last Sunday. 14 people were screened and 13 units of life saving blood were collected potentially helping 39 people!
When making donations at SunCoast Blood Centers' physical locations, tell staff to use drive code 186 so the church gets credit for your donation.
Keep an eye out for our next drive this summer!
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Rise Against Hunger Meal-Packing Event
Sunday, April 18, 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 will be practicing social distancing during the event. We welcome children and well as adults to come out and help us package over 12, 000 meals.
The mission of Rise Against Hunger is to end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable populations. RAH works 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 have put a system in place to keep us safe and healthy while we package the meals.
Sign up NOW to participate in this high impact intergenerational event!
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All-Church Kayaking Saturday, April 24
(Rain Date: Sat., May 1)
It’s time for a kayaking trip with your First Presbyterian Church family!
“Put-In” at Jiggs Landing Preserve at 12:30 p.m.
Bring your own kayak or rent one. A single kayak is $30 and a double is $40.
Please RSVP by contacting Rachel
Reservations are not confirmed until payment is received. You can pay through the church website, under Online Giving select Fellowship Events or mail a check to the church office. The deadline is firm: Wednesday, April 21.
Please bring your own snacks and beverages. Wear water shoes, clothes that can get wet, a hat and plenty of sunscreen.
Check out Jiggs Landing - https://jiggslanding.com/ or on Facebook at Jiggs Landing Outpost, 6106 63rd St. East, Bradenton, FL 34203. For the best driving directions, please use your GPS or Google.
If you are not a kayaker, please come to Jiggs Landing for a time of fellowship. They have a snack bar and live music from 3:00 p.m. until sunset.
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Comfortable and attractive blue cloth masks with
the FPC logo are just $5.
Proceeds go to support our
youth ministries. Contact the church office to pick one up or have it mailed to you.
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FPL Assistance
CARITAS is offering FPL assistance up to $100
for Sarasota County residents.
The CARITAS office is currently closed for in-person interviews, but you may call (941) 366-5620
Monday through Friday
from 9:00-11:00 a.m. for assistance.
Please have your SSN
and your FPL account number ready.
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Resurrection House Update
Starting April 12, Resurrection House will be open each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There are still a few volunteer spots available. If interested, please contact Joe at rhlucero@verizon.net
Because of your overwhelming generosity, the clothes closet and storage rooms of Resurrection House are filled with items for clients experiencing homelessness. Thus, no more clothing items are being received for the month of April.
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FPC’s Mission Partnership with
All Faiths Food Bank
Our emergency food distribution site
will continue to remain open!
Thursday Mornings : 8:45 - 11:30 am
(distribution 10:00 - 11:30 am)
The food distribution is by drive-through with volunteers loading cars as clients circle in the parking lot during the allotted time. Volunteers are needed each Thursday. Task options include sorting and distributing food, setting up, cleaning up, and directing traffic.
All safety measures are in place: Masks and closed-toe shoes required
for volunteers; gloves and hand sanitizer provided; masks required for walk-up food recipients
FOR MORE INFORMATION
contact Bob Kirkpatrick, rkirkhv@aol.com or (941) 355-0809
or Dave Householder, dphouse47@gmail.com or (724) 462-4235
Please consider becoming a part of this exciting ministry
to our community!
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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:
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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.
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First Presbyterian Preschool GROWING STRONG
The preschool staff and the families are thankful to all those who have contributed to our preschool community. Thanks to you, we are over halfway to our fundraising goal of $50,000.
If you have not had the opportunity to donate, you can be a part of helping our preschool continue to GROW STRONG with gifts over-and-above your regular church offering. For online donations, use the weblink below. Thank you again for keeping our church / preschool community STRONG!
Grace and peace,
Clare Carter, Preschool Director
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We’re Here for You!
The FPC care team, Stephen Ministers, deacons, elders and church staff want you to know we are here for you. Please feel free to reach out to Cheryl Track, faith community nurse (941) 320-3828 if we can be of support to you.
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