THIS WEEK AT ..................

St. Pete First UMC

Hi Kelly—

When I played competitive baseball, my batting average through little league and junior high and high school ran about .600. That meant for every ten times I was at bat I got on base an average of six times. When you think about it, professional players, if they are good, hover around a .300 average. My pitch to hit was the fastball. The harder the pitcher threw it, the farther I would hit it. It was the curveballs I didn't like. There was something about the slower speed and flakiness of the throw (curveball) that I would look like a someone swatting flies with a swatter. I just couldn't hit a curveball.

Some Christians are the same when it comes to life. We can handle the fastballs, but when life throws us a curveball, we feel inadequate, unprepared and may even ask, "why?" It's those dang curveballs. Jesus said that life would throw us some curveballs and even though we were His followers, we would be impacted. The question is, "What do you do when life throws you a curveball?" My baseball coach used to say, "Bob, when the curveball comes, don't bail out of the box. Stand firm, watch it closely and then swing. You'll hit it every time." Friends, when life throws us a curveball we need to stand firm in God's promise that no matter what, He will see us through.

Pastor Bob

This week is the fourth week of our sermon series Myth Busters. There are many beliefs about religion and various aspects of faith. Not everything you hear about the Christian faith is correct, but it is also noted that everything that you hear cannot be wrong. So how do you know what is true or what is false? It’s time to bust a few myths!

The myth we're discussing this week is Bad Things Don't Happen to Christians. When you become a Christian your life changes and you become protected from any harm. As a Christian God promises you will never hurt, have pain or go through troubled times. After all, if God is so loving that couldn’t happen, right? Myth?

The text for this week is Matthew 13:24-30 NIV.

We are collecting canned and dried food during our Souper Bowl of Caring, as we work toward our vision goal of reducing hunger in the city of St. Pete. We had our fourth weigh-in — we have 1750 pounds so far! We want to collect 2000 pounds - so keep the food coming in to help meet our goal. Bring food to church on Sunday morning or to the Chili Cook-Off Sunday evening. Collection ends THIS Sunday, February 23. Collection bins are located outside the Fellowship Hall and in the WhereHouse. This collection benefits the St. Pete Free Clinic.

The Chili Cook-Off is THIS Sunday evening at 6 pm in the Fellowship Hall. We need more chili! Sign up here: Click here for more info (and to sign your entries up).

Baby Swing Needed

The nursery is in need of a functional baby swing for use in Parents’ Morning Out during the week. If you have one you would like donate, please email Lora at lulrich@stpetefirst.org or call 894-4661, ext 2125.

Don't miss the recap and excerpts from previous messages —click here to watch.

Did you miss last Sunday's sermon? Click here to watch or listen to previous sermons.

Reminder: If you are not feeling well or if you are otherwise unable to be with us in person, please take advantage of our livestream worship.

Click for Livestream Worship

Volunteer Help Needed

A little time out of your week can make such a difference! Join us as we strive to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we serve and Love. St. Pete.

We need a Grant Writer ASAP. Please contact Kendra Aumack if you can help out.

Ushers & Greeters needed! If you’d like to help out and welcome others at one of our worship services, contact Kendra Aumack: kaumack@stpetefirst.org or 727-894-4661

Vacation Bible School is one of our largest outreach events of the year and we need lots of volunteers! Get ahead of the game and sign up now to help. VBS Setup Week is June 9-13 (drop in to help anytime between 9 am & 3 pm); VBS Week is June 16-20 (9 am - noon).

Common Grounds needs volunteers to take a one-hour once-a-month shift on Sunday mornings (8-9 am, 9-10 am, 10-11 am) to serve pastries, make coffee, and assist with clothing distribution to those in need. Contact Hal Heitler (halheitler@gmail.com) or Chad Simonds (csimonds@stpetefirst.org) to sign up.

Click here to go to our Serve form, then select the ministries you are interested in.

Wednesday Night Dinner Menu (Click here to see classes & activities)

$5 kids, $8 adults, $30 family meal

Adults: Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Italian Green Beans, Dinner Roll, Pie

Kids: Wing Dings & Fries, Celery & Carrots, Apple Sauce, Cookie

Upcoming Events—Mark your calendar! (more: www.stpetefirst.org/spring)

Through Feb 23—Souper Bowl Collection (canned & dried food)
Feb 1-March 31—St Pete First Scholarship Applications: www.stpetefirst.org/scholarship
Sun Feb 23—Chili Cook-Off 6-8pm (enter your chili or other dish here)
Sun Mar 2—Interactive Seder Meal experience 6-8pm (sign up here)
Tues Mar 4—Crosstown Shuffle 6-8pm (www.stpetefirst.org/shuffle)
Wed Mar 5—Ashes-to-Go 11:45 am-1:15 pm; Ash Wednesday service at 6:30 pm
Sun Mar 9—Confirmation Sunday 9:30 am
Fri Mar 14—Organ Concert with Samuel Metzger at 7 pm
Mar 17-21—Spring Break Week: No church activities
Sun Mar 23—Discover First 10:45 am-1 pm (sign up here)
Wed Mar 26—Stress Busters class begins, with Dr. Jim Meyer at 6:30 pm
Sat April 12—Spring Picnic 4-6pm
Sun April 13—Palm Sunday
Wed Apr 16—No Wednesday Night Live
Thurs April 17—Maundy Thursday service 7 pm
Fri April 18— Church office closed; Good Friday service 7 pm
Sun April 20—Easter Sunday services 7:30 (Sunrise)-9:30-11 am
Mon Apr 21—Church office closed for Easter Monday
Sat April 26—Free Mental Health Event: Hope 10 am-1 pm
Wed April 30—Last week for Wed Night activities before Fall
Sun May 4—Graduation Sunday 9:30 am
Sun May 4—Danny & the Shacks -Kids Musical- at 6 pm
Mon May 26—Church office closed for Memorial Day
June 9-13—VBS Setup (volunteer)
June 16-20—Vacation Bible School
July 7-11—Preschool Camp Friendship Week 1; Elementary Slime Camp
July 14-18—Preschool Camp Friendship Week 2; Elementary Art/Adventure Camp; Elementary Amusement Park STEM Camp

Chili Cook-Off (Sunday, Feb 23; 6 pm; Fellowship Hall)

It's that time again! Get ready to cook on Sunday Feb. 23. Click here for more info (and to sign your entries up).

Souper Bowl of Caring (through Sunday, Feb 23)

Tackle hunger in St. Pete! Help the Youth collect 2000 pounds of canned and dried food for the St. Pete Free Clinic. Drop off canned and dried food in the blue collection bins outside the Fellowship Hall or in the WhereHouse.

Our Visitation Ministry Needs Your Help!

The Visitation Team ministry connects our homebound members with their church family. Monthly visits, with an offer for communion, give our homebound members the opportunity to stay current with the life of the church. Please contact Kendra at church@stpetefirst.org or 727-894-4661 if you know of anyone in our church family who would enjoy a monthly visit.

Seder Meal Experience (Sunday, March 2; 6-8 pm; Fellowship Hall)

The WhereHouse Youth Ministry invites you participate in a traditional Seder meal on Sunday, March 2 at 6 pm in the Fellowship Hall, presented by Jews for Jesus. Cost is $5, and a love offering for Jews for Jesus will be taken. EVERYONE is invited to participate (not just youth). Join us as we sit down to experience a symbolic traditional Seder meal. Explore the meaning of the meal as we become closer with Christ in the Passover. This is an experience, not a full meal; please plan to eat dinner before or after. Click here to RSVP.

Crosstown Shuffle (Tuesday, March 4; 6:00-8:00 pm):

Join us for a night of fellowship and fun with our Christian brothers and sisters from neighboring churches in St. Pete for a friendly game of shuffleboard. Let's get to know each other so we can shine a brighter light in St. Pete for Jesus! St Pete Shuffleboard Club: 559 Mirror Lake Dr. N. St. Pete. $5 for adults; free for youth 18 & under. Guests and families welcome! Previous shuffleboard experience not required. Experienced players will be available to provide guidance. A food truck will also be on site. Click here for more information.

Save the Date—VBS & Summer Camps:

VBS - June 16-20

Preschool Camp Friendship WK1 - July 7-11

Preschool Camp Friendship WK2 - July 14-18

Elementary Slime Camp - July 7-11

Elementary Art/Adventure Camp - July 14-18

Elementary Amusement Park STEM Camp - July 14-18

Registrations open on website in March.

TAKE ACTION! Help us meet unmet needs and serve others.

Common Grounds SERVE

Give God an extra hour on Sunday: one hour in worship, one hour showing God’s love to our guests in the Fellowship Hall. This is our call to be the hands and feet of Jesus! Serve pastries, make coffee, and assist with clothing distribution to those in need. Your shift can be one Sunday a month from 8-9 am, 9-10 am, or 10-11 am. Join this new ministry by contacting either Hal Heitler at 727-448-6291 (halheitler@gmail.com) or Chad Simonds at 727-667-7169 (csimonds@stpetefirst.org). Clothing donations also needed (but only specific items)! Contact Linda Delaney at 610-515-5201 (rocklin@ptd.net) for details.

Ushers & Greeters needed! If you’d like to help out and welcome others at one of our worship services, contact Kendra Aumack: kaumack@stpetefirst.org or 727-894-4661

Calling All Students! Scholarships (apply Feb 1-Mar 31):

Are you a church member who is currently attending or bound for college or vocational school? Applications for St. Pete First Scholarships will be accepted beginning February 1st. Completed applications, along with supporting documents, must be delivered to the church office no later than the close of business on Monday, March 31. All continuing students must re-apply. Click here for more info & application form.