First Presbyterian Church Newsletter C h u r c h S c h o ol 9: 1 5 a.m. S u n day Worship:10: 4 5 a.m. 110 North Adams Street Tallahassee, Florida 32301 Phone (850) 222-4504 Fax (850) 222-2215 email: office@oldfirstchurch.org w e b s i t e : www.ol d fi r s t church.or g www.facebook.com/oldfirstchurch Pastor s Blog: b r a n t c o p el an d.c o m May 8, 2017 Voces Angelorum Photo by Larry Coltharp Voces Angelorum returns to First Presbyterian Church on Thursday, May 18th at 7pm for what promises to be an exciting evening of choral music. This spring s choral program, entitled The Poet Sings, features a fusion of poetry and song. We invite you to hear texts by Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and Emily Dickinson, plus Scottish poetry, words from folk culture, Italian texts and more set to beautiful music by choral composers from Thomas Morley to John Rutter! The group is directed by Scott Leaman and accompanied by Lisa Leaman. The concert is free with donations graciously accepted. Dogwood Acres Summer Camp Many of you were in worship to hear Dogwood Acres executive director, Ben Powell, share with us the exciting new things happening at our Presbytery s camp. Our church family will be heading to DWA for a weekend retreat for all ages October 27-29. Please mark your calendars!! But if you want your child or your MS or HS youth to attend camp this summer, please go to www.dogwoodacres.org and see the many opportunities for campers to have a wonderful week of hiking, canoeing, swimming, campfires, bible study, dancing, singing, crafts and much more!!! Youth Group May 14, 2017 6:00-7:30 p.m. at First Remember the movie, Freaky Friday? The mother and teen are squabbling at a Chinese restaurant, and through a little Chinese magic, they trade bodies for a few days. During this time they learn to appreciate one another better. During our Mother s Day, Freaky Sunday, we will enjoy Chinese food and with your help and a little magical love, show our appreciation for our mothers! MOMs wear something that represents your child. YOUTH wear something that represents your Mom. (or go all out and dress like them completely!) RSVP to Christy@oldfirstchurch.org by May 10, 2017 Submit items for publication to: newsletter@oldfirstchurch.org no later than noon on the Monday of publication. End-of-the-year program CE Volunteer Breakfast I am the churchwe are the church together May 21, 2017 9:15-10:15 a.m. Please come out and support our Christian education volunteers who have been teaching in our church school, serving as weekly youth advisors, preparing our Mid Week enrichment programs, and many other volunteers who nurture the faith development of our children, youth and adults. The children in our preschool and elementary school classes will offer some special music to start off our program. Coffee Sunday May 14 Fair trade coffee may be purchased after the worship service in the education building conference room. This is a mission of the Presbyterian Church and here at Old First Church $1.00 per bag goes to Presbyterian Disaster Relief. June 4 July 2 September 3 October 1 November 5 December 3
Pastor s Column by Brant S. Copeland President Trump has promised to destroy the so -called Johnson Amendment, which has become shorthand for a provision in the tax code that applies to all 501(c)(3) organizations. Groups that choose that most-favored tax status must refrain from endorsing, opposing or financially supporting political candidates. The law makes perfect sense to me. Organizations that benefit from what is in effect a public subsidy should not be allowed to function as partisan organizations. Proponents of repeal of the Johnson Amendment see it as suppressing religious liberty. I don t see it that way at all. The law simply limits groups, including churches, from being both a tax -exempt ministry and a partisan political entity. Nothing in the law bars me, as a Christian pastor, from speaking freely about matters of faith and public policy. I can certainly praise or criticize those who hold public office. What I can t do under the law is endorse candidates for office at least not in my capacity as the pastor of First Presbyterian Church. In many ways, this is much ado about nothing. Only rarely has the IRS gone after churches for overt partisan political activity. Despite what fear mongers say, the IRS is not poised to pounce on preachers. Although I have occasionally been asked to endorse candidates for office, it has always been my policy not to do so. I suppose that, as a private citizen, I could endorse someone, but, as any pastor will tell you, a pastor is never really off duty. I have never endorsed nor will I ever endorse anyone from the pulpit. On the other hand, my calling to preach the Word sometimes leads me to question or praise office holders and their policies. My Dad, who was a pastor, declined to put a political sign in the yard of the manse. When he lived in a home not owned by the church, however, he changed his mind. I don t put partisan bumper stickers on my car because I use it for official functions. I don t want a grieving family of a differing political persuasion to follow my car in a funeral procession, resentful of my politics. On the other hand, because I own my own home, you might see the odd political sign in the front yard (or several of them.) This week s edition of Time magazine recalls the almost-forgotten role that some clergy played in the abortion debate before the Supreme Court s Church School for Children and Youth I am the Church In preparation for our End-of-the-program-year/CE Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, our preschool, elementary and youth church school classes will be focusing some of their activities on ways that they are the church today. On May 14 there will be songs, crafts and activities that accompany the bible study and which get our young people ready to tell others how they are the church today. ruling on Roe versus Wade. Writer Gillian Frank singles out the courageous acts taken by Associate Pastor Charles Landreth and FSU Professor Leo Sandon. The first paragraph of her article reads: Today I want to speak to The Challenge of the Sexual Revolution, or to The Use of the Body in Regard to Abortion, declared the Reverend Charles Landreth on, June 6, 1971. From the pulpit of First Presbyterian Church in Tallahassee, Fla., Landreth invited those present to imagine different situations that led to a problem pregnancy. Landreth prodded his congregants, asking them to consider what an unwanted pregnancy and lack of access to abortion could mean to an older married woman, a young woman who had been raped or a highschool girl scared literally to death to tell her staunch Catholic parents and therefore very tempted to run to a quack... I recommend the article. I also give thanks to God for servants like Charlie Landreth and Leo Sandon, who truly understand what religious liberty means. Grace Mission Volunteers needed from 8:15-10:15 AM. Please let Peggy West (pwest11@juno.com) or Denise Birch (denisebirch@aol.com) know if you are available to help on: May 13 June 10 July 8 August 12 September 9 October 14 November 11 December 9 Lectionary Readings May 14, 2017 5th Sunday of Easter Acts 17:55-60 Psalm 31:1-5,15-16 1 Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14
Adult Church School Classes All classes begin at 9:15 AM Adult Bible Class Calvin Room, Room 202 This week we conclude our study of Hebrews with Chapter 12-13. We ll read the scripture and discuss its meaning for our lives today. Please join us or feel free to drop in on the class as your schedule permits. Inquirers, #208 Year in review: on May 14, the Inquirers will recap our year, reflect on conversations that have enriched our faith, and consider what to explore next. Hearing and Sharing the Word Conference Room Rebekah Circle will meet on Tuesday, May 9th at 10:00 am. Kay Crowell will host our meeting and Greta Reed will lead our Bible study. Society of Saints Circle will meet Thursday, May 11 at 11:00 a.m. in the Parry Center at Westminster Oaks. We'll gather in the Oak Room and go to the dining room for lunch together. We'll return to the Oak Room for our study and discussion of Lesson 9, which will be led by Margy Norman and Madee Schestopol. Dorcas Circle will meet at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 16, at the home of Patsy Kickliter, 4117 Covenant Lane. Come prepared to share in the discussion of Chapter 9 of Who Is Jesus? Ann Cullison will provide the dessert for our potluck luncheon. Lydia Circle will meet at 4:00 p.m., Sunday, May 21, at Westminster Oaks. Brant Copeland will lead our study and Anna Jordan will be our hostess. Childcare at FPC on Sunday Mornings Our nursery and preschool rooms are staffed by childcare providers from the Heavenly Helpers Agency. These childcare professionals are background checked and trained in infant/ child first aid and CPR. They are present in both rooms from 9:00 a.m. Noon each Sunday. Main Floor Nursery: Our nursery is for infants and toddlers up to three years old. Parents can drop children off beginning at 9:15 a.m. and children will be cared for through the worship hour. There is a sign in sheet for parents to list who will be picking their child up, an emergency phone number and any particular needs the child may have while in the church s care. Children should come with a bottle or sippy cup, preferred snack and diapers. Diaper wipes and additional snacks are available. Preschool Class: Beginning at age three, children attend our preschool class. There are four teachers who rotate responsibilities for preparing and leading the church school lesson during the church school hour, 9:30 10:30 a.m. There are two Heavenly Helper caregivers in the classroom helping the teacher. At 10:30 children have snack and the teachers leave to attend worship and the caregivers stay to supervise and interact with the children as they enjoy the housekeeping, block town, train set, light board and other centers in the room. Care for children lasts through the worship hour.
First Presbyterian Church Calendar for May 2017 Date Sunday Schedule Wednesday Choir Rehearsals Monday, May 8 Sunday, May 14 Sunday, May 14 Monday, May 15 Tuesday, May 16 Thursday, May 18 Thursday, May 18 Saturday, May 20 Sunday, May 21 Monday, May 29 Looking Forward to June Time Event 9:00 a.m. Nursery Opens 9:15 a.m. Church School Classes 10:45 a.m. Lord's Day Service Youth Group 4:00 p.m. Beginning Choristers 4:30 p.m. Choristers 7:30 p.m. Adult Choir Ministry Night 11:45 a.m. Fair Trade Coffee Sunday Youth Group Freaky Sunday PWCT Meeting 5:15 p.m. Preschool Board Meeting Noon Interfaith Luncheon 7:00 p.m. Voces Angelorum 8 til Noon Spring Work Day 9:15 a.m. FPC Volunteer Breakfast Memorial Day Location Comments Sanctuary St. John's Church S. John's Church First Presbyterian Conference Room Calvin Room Calvin Room Sanctuary Ed. Bldg./Sanctuary Care for children last through the worship hour. Adult Bible Class/Inquirers Class/Hearing & Sharing the Word All are welcome. Youth Group 6:00-7:30 p.m. Contact Christy for more info Sunday, June 4th: First Food Sunday Sunday, June 11th: Extended Communion Monday, June 12th: Ministry Night @ Monday, June 26th: Youth Summer Camp Begins Light Dinner Provided No Registration Required $1 per bag goes to Presbyterian Disaster Relief Freaky Sunday Mother s Day Dinner Concert is free and open to the public. Donations accepted. Join us for a congregational work day to help spruce up our church. A Yummy Breakfast for Wonderful Volunteers! Church Office Closed