April 2018 Newsletter First Presbyterian Church Hariet Street Port Charlotte, FL (941)

Transcription

1 April 2018 Newsletter First Presbyterian Church 2230 Hariet Street Port Charlotte, FL (941)

2 SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MEMBERS: Richard Lund Richard Lund said that he would describe his parents as devoted to him and his two older sisters as they grew up in Illinois. His father was a printer by trade but had always wanted a farm. He was able to save up and buy one. When Richard was six years old, the family moved to their farm. Richard had chores to do on the farm, including driving a tractor when he was 12 years old. Today my dad probably would be arrested for having me drive a tractor at 12 years old, Richard said with a chuckle. When Richard was in fourth grade, his parents bought him a pony so he could ride the two and a half miles to school. Some people would say that having a pony to ride to school was pretty nice, but it was still pretty cold when it was zero degrees, he said. Richard said his parents taught him the love for Christ and to have values, such as honesty and being a good citizen. A person whom Richard admired all his life was his Uncle Roy. I d call him a genius, Richard explained. He had his own shop, and he would fix cars and equipment for the farmers. One Christmas he made me a model tractor with a wagon and a thresher. After graduating from high school in Morris, Illinois, Richard was drafted and joined the Marines. I spent 14 months in Korea where I serviced amphibian tractors, he said. After serving in the military, Richard attended Lewis University at Lockport, Illinois, on the GI Bill to become licensed to work on aircraft. Richard worked more than 35 years doing aircraft maintenance for American Airlines at Midway and O Hare airports in Chicago. One of the benefits of working for American Airlines was that Richard was able to travel to many places to service aircraft. Additionally, through the years, he and his family were able to travel for pleasure, including to Hawaii. Richard first married Carol, but they didn t have any children. She passed away after six years of marriage. Then, he married Lorna, and they shared 44 years together. They had one son together while Lorna brought a son and daughter to the marriage. Today Richard has four grandchildren. Richard and Lorna began visiting friends in Southwest Florida starting in By 2002, they had decided to move to Port Charlotte. Lorna and Richard became FPCPC members in The best part about the church is its people, Richard said. He has served as an Elder, an Usher, and Communion Server, and he currently serves on Session and as the chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee. Lorna passed away in Richard married Helen Reynolds, also a FPCPC member. She had a stroke and died after only five months of marriage. In his spare time, Richard likes to read books about the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the War of He also enjoys woodworking. By Kathy Bruyere

3 The Youth (3 rd Grade and up) are planning a trip to the Cedarkirk open house. It is Saturday May 12 th from 1:00 5:00 p.m. The pool will be open, and they have fun hayrides to give tours around the camp. There will even be zip-lining for the adventurous. Archery and arts & crafts offer additional options. Cedarkirk is near the Alafia River and sprawls over 170 acres. There are beautiful spaces for outside worship and a worship area inside the main lodge. Housing includes rustic cabins and air conditioned buildings. The open house is free and open to everyone. Food is available for a small fee. We know this will be a fun adventure for our youth and the adult leaders. Please check with Sandy Asaro for more information. 6-WEEK ADULT BIBLE STUDY THE LETTER OF JAMES Wednesdays, beginning April 18 th 5:30 p.m. in the Conference Room A new 6-week Bible study will begin on April 18 th and will continue on Wednesday evenings in the Conference Room through May 23 rd. We will be studying the Letter of James. Mark Allen Powell writes: In one of the most famous poems in American literature, The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost writes of two roads that diverged in a yellow wood and reflects on how his choice of the one less traveled made all the difference for his subsequent life. The Letter of James is the biblical book most attentive to this theme: it presents Christianity as a way of life (not just a system of beliefs) The Letter [of James] provides a guidebook for following the path to life and avoiding the way that leads to death, and in so doing it offers something more: a fundamental consideration of the nature of faith and the character of true religion.we all make many mistakes, but the path that leads to life is not traveled alone. Join us on Wednesdays as we explore our faith through the Letter of James and the road less traveled we all have chosen to travel together.

4 PEOPLE ENJOYING PEOPLE (PEP) FIELD TRIP and LUNCHES The March field trip to Solomon s Castle was enjoyed by all. The tour was expertly led by Mr. Solomon s widow who disclaimed authorship of her spiel (full of groan-worthy, yet very funny, puns) as Mr. Solomon was the author. We all opted for the additional tour of the new car museum, also led by a pun-filled docent. Lunch outdoors behind their Boat in the Moat Restaurant was good as was the quick run through the gift shop. You are invited to join the PEP group on Thursday, April 12 th, 2018, as we journey to Myakka City to eat lunch and view the Herrmann Royal Lipizzan Stallions in-training show. The horses are learning their airs above the ground moves in preparation for the shows they give around the country beginning in May. Carpool from the church s Palm Garden at 10:00 a.m. Pay a $5 donation and seating is on bleachers. There is little to no walking. Lunch on Thursday, April 19 th is at the Deep Creek homes of PEP members Gay Sorensen and Bill Burkhardt, neighbors in Deep Creek. Both have extensive and different gardens we ve been invited to explore. Since parking at their homes is limited, we will meet at the church s Palm Garden at 11:30 a.m. and carpool to Deep Creek. Jan at JanetBaker44@Hotmail.com or call her at to reserve your spot at either or both events. Do not hesitate to reserve even though you may be new to the group. We are open to all. OUTREACH COMMITTEE By Janet Baker Outreach committee would like to share with you a few of the Thank You notes we received recently from several local charities that First Presbyterian Church supports through your monthly Communion Offering. Meals on Wheels wrote to us saying, "We appreciate your thoughtfulness. If everyone were as generous as you, what a wonderful world this would be." Beth-El Farmworks Ministry, Inc. wrote to tell us that donated funds are used to support their new Health and Wellness Center, allowing the uninsured poor to receive free dental care. Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity thanked us for our generous support of their mission giving hardworking local families a "hand up" as they work to improve their lives.

5 ABRAHAM/SARAH CIRCLE On March 12 & 13 th, Dorothy Gamble, Norma Campbell and I attended the Peace River Presbyterian Women's Retreat at the Day Spring in Parrish, Florida. We shared a table with the ladies from Wintergarden Church and got to know each better. We had a full schedule with spiritual talk from Rev. Jane Jones-Norris and had fun making Lord's Prayer beads, something to share with our Sunday School classes. There were great sing-alongs, an overview of next year's study, and a special tribute to Billy Graham. There were breaks and yummy snacks during the day plus a healthy lunch and wonderful dinner. We finished the day with Vespers and a reading from The Broken Shell by Carol Adams. Then we worked on crafts to share with others. The cabins are rustic and neat and clean with an adjacent room with coffee pot and coffee fixings, refrigerator, chairs and a great view. The entire Day Spring is restful with nature all around. We got up early Tuesday for the awesome Sunrise service by the water. Benches may have been damp, but the Lord was there with us. Songs and prayers and a new sun are wonderful ways to start the day. We had a great breakfast, followed by singing, spirituals, biblical talks, and making different creed flags in the Church history. Elizabeth Kuehl led us in meditation practice, a good way to clear the mind, and then we shared communion. Sharing lunch and great stories with other women was a good way to end our gathering. There were 14 gift baskets brought from each Church and a drawing was made, and we were lucky to win two. With closing prayers and exchanges of numbers and pictures, we all departed for home. It was a great together time, and all women are welcome to join us next year. THANK YOU FROM THE YOUTH Thank you very much to Scott Austin and Andy Buell who each donated furniture to the youth room. We find the furniture to be very comfortable and know that God worked through you and others to make this happen for us. By Darlene Stewart Thank you also to everybody who donated candy for our Easter Egg Hunt! We appreciate the generosity of the people in our church.

6 FOOD PANTRY 1 st & 3 rd Tuesday of the month from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. 2 nd Wednesday of the month from 5:00 7:00 p.m. Did you know that 67% of the people who live in Charlotte County are eligible for Federal Nutrition Assistance (SNAP)? That means that a lot of people in this county are food-insecure they are unsure of where they will get their next meal. The median household income in this county is $44,244, which is classified as the poverty level. The estimated number of foodinsecure children is 22,000. Because of these figures, the Harry Chapin Food Bank, which is affiliated with the national program Feeding America, is forming Task Forces in each of the five southwest counties it serves. The Task Force is made up of a representative from each the Harry Chapin Agencies in Charlotte County. Nancy Sharpless has been attending these monthly meetings. The focus of the Task Force is to get information out to everyone in the county as to where they can get help with food as well as other services. The Task Force is working hand-in-hand with Dr. Andrews and staff at the 211 information number. They are updating the list for food pantries, which are open to all, and the days and times they are open. The Task Force is also creating a poster to help everyone realize that there is a great need in Charlotte County for help with food. Our Food Pantry is always grateful for food donations and monetary donations. As you showed us on Souper Bowl Sunday, you are a very generous congregation. Our pantry just purchased three beautiful, much-needed carts with some of the donated money. Our volunteers can actually steer these carts! Plus, they are larger than our previous carts, so we can fit all of a client s food on one cart. Just ask any volunteer who serves the clients on pantry day how grateful we are for new carts. Thank you. First Presbyterian Church Food Pantry served 142 households in February 308 people. By Nancy Sharpless This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

7 FROM THE CHOIR LOFT During the time that the flu was busy visiting most of our choir members, we had one Sunday when we did not have enough singers for the anthem, so we had the privilege of being able to sit in the pews. While some of us were there, we heard some really beautiful voices singing voices that would sound just great in the choir on Sunday. We would like to have a larger choir family, so if you have one of those voices, we would love to have you show up for rehearsal on Wednesday nights in the Music Suite. We practice from 7:00 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m., and sometimes there are goodies after rehearsal. We will also need individual singers and players for the Sundays in July and August. If you have a particular talent that would you like to share some Sunday morning, please speak with any member of the choir or call the church at Bell ringers are needed also. We plan on having a pizza party during the summer for people who have rung bells before and people who are willing to learn to play bells. Bells add a lot to the music during services either as an accompaniment or playing as a group. And it s fun! If you are interested, please call the church at and speak with Pastor Crego or with anyone in the choir. We look forward to welcoming you to our groups. By Joan Byron BION CANTORUM PRESENTS: A TIME FOR LOVE Friday, April 6 th 7:00 p.m. Sanctuary Come listen to an evening about the many facets of love from passionate to unrequited, from love for a child to spiritual love. Enjoy musical love poems, lullabies and ballads (and some comic relief) written by composers from Dowland to Brahms to Bernstein. Violinist Dr. R. Paul Urbanik and cellist Susannah Kelly from the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra will accompany the Cantorum. Dr. Urbanik will also perform the violin solo from Schindler s List, written by John Williams with John Renfroe accompanying him. Janet Carter will assist Mr. Renfroe in the Liebeslieder Waltzes. It will be a surprising evening full of wonderful music with a very sweet ending. Performance will be in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian. Tickets are $15, and the performance begins at 7:00 p.m. Call for tickets or go to Tickets may be purchased at the door for cash or check only.

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9 ELEMENTARY SUNDAY SCHOOL 9:00 a.m.-9:50 a.m. Room # 128 Happy Easter! He is risen indeed! What a way to start this month! April 1 st is EASTER SUNDAY! Alleluia! April 1 st : Our scheduled lesson is based on Mark 16:1-8. In the classroom Mary Magdalene will tell the story of going to the tomb and finding the stone rolled away. She will tell of finding a young man in a white robe and his message that Jesus has been raised from the dead. Mary, both terrified and amazed, agrees to be silent about these events. Depending on time, the students may paint Easter stones, make Easter eggs (with Easter greetings as well as a treat inside for their family), or have an Easter egg hunt. April 8 th : The children will learn about life in the early church and more about our own church. The scripture for today s lesson is Acts 4: A reporter will interview a member of the early church, and we will contrast the ways of that church with our own church. April 15 th : Have you ever seen a ghost? The disciples thought they saw a ghost when Jesus appeared to them in the room they had all gathered in as they feared they would be hunted down. Now they are witnesses to the resurrection. Luke 24:36-48 provides the scripture for today s lesson. The children will make a puzzle to share with their families. April 22 nd : In Greek kalos is often translated as good. Jesus is identified as a kalos shepherd but he is really a model shepherd, protecting at any cost those he considers his followers. After reading John 10:11-18, we will discuss how the work of shepherds compares with how Jesus cares for us. The students will make a sheep out of clay to take home and find some hidden sheep in a picture. April 29 th : Children often experience feeling excluded sometimes for an insignificant reason. After reading and discussing Acts 8:26-40, the class members will role play ways to welcome and include others in our class and church. God s spirit plays an important role throughout the book of Acts. Spirit is often thought of as a breath or wind, so we will try to make pinwheels. Wish us luck! By Nancy Sharpless

10 YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS 9:00 9:50 a.m. Youth Room The Youth Sunday School class (6 th grade and above) will study these topics in April: April 1 st April 8 th April 15 th April 22 nd April 29 th Happy Easter! Children and youth will combine classes for our Easter activities: Tell the Easter Story through the hands-on use of Resurrection Eggs Decorate wooden crosses Conclude with our Annual Easter Egg Hunt! Holy Week in Review What were all those days we just celebrated around Easter? (Multiple Scriptures will be used from the Gospels) Youth will name specific ways God calls us out of confusion and fear to declare the presence and power of the risen Christ. (Luke 24: 36b - 48) Youth will be challenged to commit their time, talent, and treasure to the service of the grace-filled community. (Acts 4:32-35) Youth will discover that God powerfully calls us to places and to people we would not expect. (Acts 8:26-40) FPCPC YOUTH Tuesday, April 3 rd 11:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. New Life Center Children and youth 3 rd grade and up are invited to join us Tuesday, April 3 rd from 11:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. to deliver the heart pillows we made for cardiac patients at Bayfront Hospital, have lunch out together, and return to the church for additional planning for Youth Sunday. Since we will be traveling, all children and youth MUST have a signed permission slip on file to be transported. If you need a permission slip, please see Sandy Asaro.

11 SESSION MEETING HIGHLIGHTS MARCH 2018 Jackie Witt was enthusiastically received into membership of our church family. Membership for February 2018 was 157 Active Members and 8 Affiliate Members. The January 2018 Income was $22, and Expenses were $22, January 2018 loss of $ compared to January 2017 loss of $3, Multiple organizations extended their gratitude for our donations in 2017 from our Communion Offerings. Many repairs have been made around the church building, and more work will continue to be done to take care of our property. Furniture has been donated to the youth room, and the youth have worked to create a comfortable space to be together and learn together. The Food Pantry served 81 households on the first Tuesday in March and that number is continuing to grow. We are looking forward to a meaningful Holy Week. COMMUNION OFFERING The May 2018 Communion Offering will be donated to Immokalee Friendship House. Founded in 1987 by a small group of local community leaders that noticed many men, women, and children, many of them hard-working migrants, had no place to sleep at night, Immokalee Friendship House provides shelter to over 1,000 people and feeds over 25,000 meals each year. MODELING GENEROSITY THROUGH OUR OFFERING By Joan Barry There are many practices we do well in the church which model faithfulness for our younger folks in the church. We worship side by side. We pray side by side. We fellowship together side by side. And we serve side by side. Children and youth learn a lot from "us" as we model Christian living. Modeling generosity is an important practice of Christian living. We give, because God has given to us. We give generously, whether weekly, monthly, or through special offerings and donations. Sometimes we pass the plate on by us, knowing we have given through the office or mail. Each week as the offering plate is passed, we encourage you to either place your pledged offering in the plate or to give an extra dollar bill (or what you are able) in the plate so that young eyes who are watching will learn generosity through our practices.

12 The Mission of First Presbyterian Church of Port Charlotte is: To be a beacon in the community by leading all people into a life-changing, ever-growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Ministry Staff Rev. Terri Jo Crego, Pastor Betty Smith, Financial Secretary Tanga Killian, Church Secretary Scott Austin, Media/Grounds Lamont Butch Rotert, Custodian Judy Prier, Organist Joan Byron, Music Director pastor@fpcpc.com bsmith@fpcpc.com tanga@fpcpc.com scottaustin0557@gmail.com butchnjoyce@yahoo.com judyprier@comcast.net Jfbyron@comcast.net Session Class of 2018: John Gamble, Nancy Sharpless, Ron Smith Class of 2019: Joan Barry, Rebekah Baird, Richard Lund Class of 2020: Sandy Asaro, Lynn Webster, Elaine Woods Deacons Class of 2018: Dottie Gamble, Pauline Paquin, Laverne Sinkia, Gay Sorensen, Donald Whitmarsh Class of 2019: Andy Buell, Clarence Diersing Class of 2020: Judi Anderson, Norma Campbell Trustees Richard Lund (President), Ron Smith (Vice President) Ambrose Woods (Treasurer), Sandy Asaro (Secretary), Class of 2018: Clarence Diersing (Member at Large) Class of 2019: Bob Hull (Member at Large)