The lovely flowers in the sanctuary this Sunday are provided by George and Merle Chorba “in memory of those we have loved and lost, and with gratitude for the family and friends God has given us.”

· Masks will be optional for those who are vaccinated.

· Masks will continue to be required for those who are unvaccinated. 

· With the exception that the preschool board will have the autonomy to make masking decisions affecting the preschool. 

Heartfelt thanks go to the 17 FPC donors who gave blood at our drive last Sunday, October 24. Our 17 units of blood products collected will help save up to 51 lives. A complete list of our donors is on the link below:

Our next SunCoast Blood Drive is Dec. 19, 8:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. You may use the Quick Pass to begin the blood donation process prior to your donation. Access Quick Pass by clicking on the link below:

– Continues Next Wednesday, Nov. 3 1:00 p.m. via Zoom

These lessons are aimed to spark interest and nurture our Christian faith so we may “do everything for the glory of God.” This class via Zoom is taught by Elaine Barnett on Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m., until November 10. You may sign-up by emailing Elaine at ewbarnet@me.com.

- Sundays, Beginning November 7, In-person

This in-person Sunday morning class will be taught by Dr. John Parks on Sundays at 10:00 a.m., in room 223, November 7, 14, 21, and December 5, 12, and 19.

Come for stimulating interaction with these timeless themes. Stories to be discussed will be posted on News@First and provided as printed hand-outs in the class and the church office one week prior to discussion. 

Molly Horner and Lydia Chapdelain are looking forward to this exciting time of fellowship with our youth. Please let them know as soon as possible if you would like to join them. The cabin at Cedarkirk must be booked soon!  

New Adult Education Zoom Class - “Advent: The Season of Hope and Expectation”

– Begins Tuesday, November 23  

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the Church celebrates Advent. This season gets its name from the Latin term adventus, meaning “coming.” It is a season when the Church prepares for Christmas Day—the great celebration of God, the Savior, coming to us in Jesus Christ. In this time of waiting and anticipation, we will focus on what Advent brings as Christ comes. The class will discuss together the rich biblical and theological terms centering on the message we proclaim as we tell the world of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We are delighted to announce that those who participated in our September 19, 2021 Rise Against Hunger (RAH) experience packed a total of 12,096 meals (56 boxes). They have been shipped in a container totaling 285,120 meals from RAH’s Houston warehouse. The meals will be received by RAH’s in-country partner, Convoy of Hope, in Haiti. Thank you to all who made this possible!

Yes, we have received good news from our mission partner, Brentwood Elementary School! Volunteers will soon be able to return to the Brentwood campus!

If you are interested in volunteering or just want to learn more about this amazing opportunity to invest some time with the Brentwood students, please contact Jinny and Ron Miller at jinnyron@gmail.com or by phone at Sunnyside Village, (941) 371-2750, extension 554. More information will be available soon, but we can get ready now. This Title 1 elementary school needs you!

Go to https://secure.accessacs.com/access/oglogin.aspx?sn=91629 and select “Family Promise” from the drop-down menu. Family Promise and its clients appreciate all you do. 

Join our fun team of volunteers and help distribute food to our community neighbors Thursday mornings, 9:15-11:30 a.m.

The PW Thank Offering is collected in the fall of each year to celebrate the blessings in our lives. The offering funds projects not included in ongoing General Assembly mission support. This year's grant recipients include twelve organizations across the country and beyond. (Click on the link below for the complete list.) To contribute to this year's Thank Offering, please send your check made out to Presbyterian Women, with "Thank Offering" in the memo line, to the church. You may also drop off your check in the church office.

The next PW gathering is NEXT Tuesday, November 2, 10:00 a.m. on Zoom. We will dedicate our annual thank offerings and present a lifetime membership award. You are welcome to linger after the meeting for a time of fellowship. The zoom link is below:

Presbyterian Women is sponsoring an     

Tuesday, November 9 at 9:30 a.m.

Hope Seeds International Inc.

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.

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.

The CDC has issued a list of recommendations to help minimize COVID-19 exposure during holiday gatherings. The best possible way to maximize protection and minimize the spread of COVID-19 is to get vaccinated! The CDC also recommends you get your flu shot, readily available at many   locations throughout the community and at your doctor’s office. There are several variations of the flu shot available, including a flu nasal spray, the high-dose version for individuals aged 65+, and an egg-free version. You can visit the CDC website to access a COVID-19 and flu vaccine finder. 

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.