NEWS @ FIRST
June 24, 2022
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All are welcome at First Presbyterian Church!
We hope that you experience the love of God
and of this congregation as we worship, celebrate,
and serve with one another.
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SUNDAY, JUNE 26
TWO WORSHIP SERVICES
9:00 a.m. NewSong contemporary service
in the Fellowship Hall
11:00 a.m. traditional service
in the sanctuary
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Online access beginning at 11:00 AM |
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Rev. Miller’s Sermon Manuscripts Available
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:
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Please Wear Your Name Tag
Don’t forget to wear your church name tag to Sunday services. Seeing your name will help provide a welcoming environment for all. It will also help our new bridge pastor learn your name.
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COVID Update
On June 24, 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.)
Thank you for doing what we can to slow the spread of the virus. When we return to a “medium” or “low” risk assessment in the county, masks again will be optional for those who are fully immunized.
Below is an easy-to-use CDC link to show current risk assessment by county:
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Stories of Faith and Difference: The Sequel
TODAY, Friday, June 24, 6:00 p.m.
You are invited to an evening of inspiration and enlightenment led by our own LGBTQ+ members, held this Friday in our Fellowship Hall. We’ll share stories, laugh, cry, and celebrate the glorious diversity of the human family. We’ll also learn from special guest Christine Grossman, the Outreach Coordinator for AlsoYouth, an organization that supports LGBTQ+ teens and families.
This open conversation will focus on how we can better nurture and support our LGBTQ+ children and youth, and also how our congregation can better welcome persons of difference into our church. A generous time will be allotted for questions and reflections. Suggested donation for dinner is $10 per adult and $5 per child.
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Volunteer Day Trip to Beth-El
Farmworker Ministry
Sponsored by the
Mission and Justice Committee
Next Wednesday, June 29
Work at Beth-El: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Be a part of the group from First Presbyterian, Sarasota, that gathers at Beth-El Farmworker Ministry in Wimauma to volunteer sorting food or related activities on the last Wednesday of each month. This mission partner distributes food to help 600-900 folks each week.
To sign up or for more information, contact Dave Householder at dphouse47@gmail.com; call or text (724) 462-4235.
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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 weblink below to subscribe at this special rate, delivered to your home or office, PLUS full online access to the magazine!
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Congratulations to
Shavon Starling-Louis
who was just elected Co-Moderator of the 2022 General Assembly of the PC(USA). Shavon is an alumna of FPC’s Pastoral Development Seminar who speaks highly of that program and her time with our congregation—what she learned and our warm hospitality.
Shavon, along with Ruth Santana-Grace, is responsible for steering the assembly through the meeting from June 18 - July 9. In the following two years, this newly-minted team have been quoted as saying they were, “recent strangers, now sisters bound by our love for our church.
"Shavon says they will be “ambassadors” for this assembly to the church and the world. Shavon is the pastor of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Ruth is the Executive Presbyter of Philadelphia Presbytery. Do pray for these faithful women as they together serve the Presbyterian Church (USA).
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Cowden-Smith Library Hours
Library open Monday – Friday
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sundays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
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.
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FPC Blood Drive "Honor Roll"
On behalf of the many patients who will benefit from our donations, the Blood Bank thanks FPC and Preschool for giving the gift of life.
Honor Roll certificate for June 12, 2022 Donations
In all, we registered 18 donors to give, and collected 19 units of red blood cells. Every single donation can help to save up to 3 lives. That means that our blood drive saved up to 57 lives!
Anyone who donates twice from June through September will receive a $20 Amazon gift card! Mark your calendar for our next blood drive Sunday, September 18.
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Remembering Our Church Family in Prayer
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:
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We Care Poster-Card Recipients
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!
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Pavilion Construction Progress |
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Progress continues with the new courtyard pavilion. The tongue-and-groove ceiling is being installed. The pavilion is scheduled to be completed in mid-July.
This building project was funded with $25,000 from a Linnie Dalbeck grant, with the remainder from the J. Barr Trust designated account.
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Church Office Volunteers Needed
Do you like offering a friendly face to greet people, directing phone calls, and handling basic office tasks? We still have several positions open for weekly half-day volunteers to assist our FPC administrative support staff.
- Monday: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. OR 1:00 - 4:00pm
- Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
- Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. OR 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
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.
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Staying Connected with the Pastor and Church Staff,
Session Members, and Deacons
By clicking on the link below you can easily access a printable document with the names and positions of your church leaders. Use this list when you want to contact them, send a word of encouragement, or pray for them!
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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.
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Get Easy Access to Church Member Information
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.
You can bring your phone into the church office and Lisa Garcia, Finance Manager, would be happy to help you navigate getting Church Life on your phone. Please call (941) 955-8119 to set up a time.
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