We are a curious, inclusive, and diverse gathering of imperfect people united by our common hope in Jesus Christ. Through worship, study, and service we seek to know and show the transformative love of God found in the pages of scripture and revealed in the person of Jesus. No matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual journey, know that you are welcome here.  

Sunday, May 26

Vacation Bible School June 3-7

It takes a village to make VBS a successful program! Thank you for your willingness to help. Please click the link below, and see the item(s) needed and what you are able to donate.

Do you know a graduate?

Parents, grandparents, and students, email or call the church office RMartin@FirstPresSarasota.org, (941) 955-8119 with the name of your graduate; school graduating from, type of degree obtained, and a brief description of future plans (i.e., entering [name of college] in the fall), by Sunday, May 26. We would welcome news of graduations from high school, college, technical training programs or graduate schools. There is so much to celebrate!

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN'S FOUNDATION & THE MISSION AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE

AT WORK TOGETHER

On April 28, Betsy Marshall told us about the work of the FPC Foundation. One of the investments to the foundation was given with a designation “to feed hungry children. Each year the Mission and Justice committee receives income from that account to help fund programs that feed children. 

This year we were able to give $3000 to the All Faiths Food Bank "Campaign Against Summer Hunger" program to benefit children in Sarasota and Desoto counties. AND the gift was matched dollar for dollar! 

We also gave $2100 to La Escuelita (Little school) in Managua, Nicaragua to feed children there. The school provides meals to children who wouldn’t have food without the program and feeds them even when school is not in session for around $700 per month. Payment will go through our mission partner CEPAD

Pastor Tim's Bible Study

is on hiatus for the Summer

 We need

your help!

We serve over 150 families per week!

Volunteer at FPC's Weekly

All Faiths Food Bank Distribution

Join us on Thursday mornings to volunteer. We start packing food at 8:30 a.m. and serve from 9:30 A.M.-11:00 a.m.

You don't need to stay the whole time -- any help is welcomed.

The Summer 2024 mentions the food pantry and families at Brentwood Elementary School

ALL FAITHS FOOD BANK DONATION NEEDS

Food Carts for donations are available at the entrance to worship

Thanks to your overwhelming financial donations to this mission, we now have enough money to purchase needed food supplies through AFFB for our drive-through food bank on Thursdays. We are also able to meet our financial obligation to the Caritas walkup pantry on Main Street.  THANK YOU, FPC!!!

We still need Specialty items for our “walkup” neighbors that are not always available through the AFFB warehouse. 

• Peanut butter and Jelly in small containers
• Canned meat with pop-up lids, Tuna, Chicken, Vienna sausage, Spam, Sardines
• Snack packs, Crackers, Granola bars, Protein bars, cookies
• Shelf stable Drinks
• Canned or packaged entrees with pop-up lids
• Canned fruit with pop-up lids 

Financial donations can be made to the church designated to All Faiths.  

Join the Usher Team

As summer approaches, our roster of loyal ushers for both services will shrink as folks travel and/or settle into their summer homes. Our worship committee is reaching out to those who plan to mostly stay in Sarasota and are willing to volunteer to help either at the New Song or the Traditional service. Duties entail a warm welcome, helping with offering collection, and a bit of straightening up at the conclusion of worship. Please contact James Jordan by email jej.jordan@gmail.com if you can lend a hand and a smile as we welcome each member of our growing congregation.  

Cuba Partnership

Over the past several months, our Cuba team has shared some of our experiences from our visit to Juan G. Hall in February. This is the last of the series, we hope you have enjoyed learning more about our mission partnership and life in Cuba!

The theme for our 2024 Cuba visit, Jeremiah 29:11–13, tells us we have hope, that God has good things planned for us, not bad. Faith and hope for things unseen abide in the lives and spirits of our dear Cuban friends, a beautiful gift they share with us.   

Pastor Alison spoke about the Cuba Partnership Network’s 2025 goal to discuss mutuality, while acknowledging the historic asymmetry of the North-South power imbalance in which one side decides what will take place politically. We Presbyterians must work to transform this relationship and drop stereotypes for the kingdom of God. Alison continued that a relationship can be fair and just while asymmetric. Every part of a relationship matters: no contribution is better than another. Americans obviously have more financial power, but Cuban Christians such as in Juan G. Hall Church have people resources and what he calls their “humble testimony,” which is quite powerful. Maybe we bring the seeds, but they plant the seeds in hard places. 

Among Cuban Presbyterians, mutuality occurs in another way that I noticed. Husbands and wives share pulpits as co-pastors or have similar ways of doing service together. There are many women senior pastors, and some husbands are working outside the church, another way or sharing service to God.                                              

Cuba’s people face dire shortages of food, medical products, and much more due to the harsh policies of our two governments. We travelers are grateful for the continuing generosity of the First Presbyterian congregation! Please pray for open hearts in both governments and the end of sanctions that have hurt so many people. 

Sue Hargis-Spigel

Mission Trip Opportunity

Rev. Kirk Miller (son of Ron & Jinny) and the mission team at FPC Holt, MI are looking for volunteers to join them on a Mission work trip to the Yucatan, Mexico. The purpose of this trip is to prepare and install a water filtration system from the Synod of the Living Waters, that provides systems all over the globe, in the Mexican village of Othon P Blanco. This would be FPC Holt’s third mission trip to “Othon” and a return home for FPC-Holt elder and one of the trip team leaders, Flor (Perez-Trejo) Fratzke which means there will be experienced guides to lead the group. “ Not only will we have the opportunity to serve alongside our Mexican siblings, we’ll also be blessed with the treasure of Othon hospitality, staying with host families (hammock-sleeping and breaking bread) and taking part in the rhythm and routine of the village.”

There will be opportunities to meet the team through Zoom and training on the system will be required for some members of the team. This is an opportunity to step into a mission project where someone else is doing all the planning. Our M&J committee will work to support volunteers for this project. If this is something you would like more information on or you feel that “tap, tap, on your shoulder” contact Dave Householder mission@firstpressarasota.org. 

PROVIDE A SHOWER AND SHOES FOR SOMEONE

The Resurrection House needs men’s athletic (tennis) shoes that are clean and in good repair. They also need hotel-size toiletries for the folks who come in for showers and supplies. If you have some unused shoes in the back of your closet or can collect some unused toiletries as you travel please bring them to church. There are collection bins at the entrances of the Fellowship Hall, Sanctuary, and at the office. Someone will be grateful.  

First Presbyterian Church Sarasota is now live-streaming on YouTube every Sunday.

First Presbyterian Preschool

from the desk of Clare Carter,

FPC Preschool Director

Cheryl's Monthly Health Awareness ........

The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins June 1 and runs through November 30, with the historical peak beginning in September. Residents and visitors are reminded that it only takes one storm to impact a community and that preparations should be made ahead of time.

Check out the links below and start getting prepared!

Know the Warning Signs of Mental Illness

Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn’t always easy. There’s no easy test that can let someone know if there is mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors of a person or the result of a physical illness.

Each illness has its own symptoms, but common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:

•    Excessive worrying or fear
•  Feeling excessively sad or low
•  Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning
• Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria
•   Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
•    Avoiding friends and social activities
• Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
•   Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
• Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
•  Changes in sex drive
• Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don’t exist in objective reality)
•   Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality (”lack of insight” or anosognosia)
•  Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs
•     Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)
• Thinking about suicide
•    Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
•  An intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance

Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children. Because they’re still learning how to identify and talk about thoughts and emotions, their most obvious symptoms are behavioral. Symptoms in children may include the following:

      Changes in school performance

·        Excessive worry or anxiety, for instance fighting to avoid bed or school

·        Hyperactive behavior

·        Frequent nightmares

·        Frequent disobedience or aggression

·        Frequent temper tantrums

Where To Get Help

Don’t be afraid to reach out if you or someone you know needs help. Learning all you can about mental health is an important first step.

Reach out to your health insurance, primary care doctor, or state/county mental health authority for more resources.

Contact the NAMI HelpLine to find out what services and supports are available in your community.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Receiving A Diagnosis

Knowing warning signs can help let you know if you need to speak to a professional. For many people, getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step in a treatment plan.

Unlike diabetes or cancer, there is no medical test that can accurately diagnose mental illness. A mental health professional will use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, to assess symptoms and make a diagnosis. The manual lists criteria including feelings and behaviors and time limits to be officially classified as a mental health condition.

After diagnosis, a healthcare provider can help develop a treatment plan that could include medication, therapy, or other lifestyle changes.

Finding Treatment

Getting a diagnosis is just the first step; knowing your preferences and goals is also important. Treatments for mental illness vary by diagnosis and by person. There’s no “one size fits all” treatment. Treatment options can include medication, counseling (therapy), social support, and education.

First Presbyterian is fortunate to host NAMI Family Support Group on the 3 Thursday of each month, 6:30pm-8:00pm. You can visit NAMI’s website at nami.org for more information.

Taken from nami.org/about-mental-illness/warning-signs-and-symptoms

ACS Church Life App is Still Available

   for Download at Your App Store

We just found out that the ACS church life app is still available for download from your app store (Apple and androids). For those of you not familiar with Church Life, it is an app that is available to church members. 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. Download it now before it is no longer available through your app store.

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Garcia, finance manager (941) 955-8119.

Pastoral Care

When you or a loved one is hospitalized, it is important that you contact the church or the pastor to inform us directly and inform the hospital that you are a member of our congregation and would welcome a visit. 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.