Week of May 20, 2019
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Sunday Worship:10:45 a.m. 110 North Adams Street Tallahassee, Florida 32301 Phone (850) 222-4504 Fax (850) 222-2215 email: [email protected] website: www.oldfirstchurch.or g www.facebook.com/oldfirstchurch Pastor’s Blog: brantcopeland.com CHURCH OFFICE HOURS: 9:00 AM—12:30 PM AND 1:30PM—5:00PM, Monday—Friday With Grateful Appreciation for our Christian Education Volunteers: Amy and John Guthrie, Danielle Jennings, Sarah Fixel, Mary Kutter, YOUTH GROUP Martha Kutter, Hannah Nalls, Linda Smith, Eleanor Cleveland, On our last night of youth group we celebrated Aaron Lohmeyer, Aide Whitaker, our seniors who were able to be present and had Patrick Kennedy, Elizabeth Platt, fun re-visiting the year with a game of Karen Bickley, Douglas Throm, “What-did-we-do-Team-Trivia”. Sandy Neidert, Glenn Laird, We are grateful to have had the leadership of Paul Anderson, Anna Cleveland, our seniors from First: Abigail Cleveland and Fungai Mumba, Abigail Cleveland, Molly Kennedy as well as the seniors from Kathee Winstead, Sue Hightower, Fellowship: Casey Keating, Noemi Galeano, Joan Custis, and Donna Barber. Jaret Kidd and Mason Becker. Pastor’s Column by Brant S. Copeland Some of you might not know that our Financial Administrator, Jim Davis, has been wearing three hats. For the past four and a half years Jim has been the Executive Director of Sustainable Tallahassee, an organization whose mission comports with ours. We have been happy for Sustainable Tallahassee to operate out of our Education Building and for Jim’s office to be office of Sustaina- ble. Jim’s resignation as Executive Director becomes effective May 31st and Sustainable Tallahassee has moved to a new location for most of its operations. However, Sustainable will continue to use our building for some meetings. Jim is still wearing his Sustaina- ble hat, but only for a few more days. Under Jim’s leadership Sustainable Tallahassee has made huge strides and garnered a number of awards: • Sustainable Florida’s “Sustainable Non-Profit Award”, October, 2015 • Tallahassee Democrat’s “Volunteer of the Year Award in the Non-Profit Group Category”, in 2016 • Rethink Energy Florida's “Energy Innovator Award”, June, 2016, given to Sustainable Tallahassee’s Rags2Bags Program • “Senior Talent Show Award”, 2016, given to Sustainable Tallahassee’s Rags2Bags Program • Recycle Florida Today’s “Environmental Sustainability Award for Outstanding Recycling Program or Event”, in 2017 • ReThink Energy Florida's “Energy Innovator Award” given to Sustainable Tallahassee’s Green4Tally Program in June, 2018 • “Public Servant of the Year 2017-2018” award by the Council of Neighborhood Associations “Recycling Recognition Award” by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in April, 2019 The good news is, Jim will continue to wear his other hats: Financial Administrator for First Presbyterian Church and volunteer Treasurer for First Presbyterian Preschool. For those who haven’t seen the renovated courtyard and columbarium, the church website will soon host some photos and videos. Last Sunday’s service of dedication and committal marked the completion of a long-awaiting project. The families of the saints whose ashes were interred are particularly grateful. Not only will the columbarium provide us the opportunity to enact the final movement of a Christian funeral “in house.” It will also provide an oasis of beauty and serenity in downtown Tallahassee. Acts 16:9-15 Acts 16:16-34 Psalm 67 Psalm 97 Lectionary Readings Revelations 21:10; 21:22-22:5 Lectionary Readings Revelations 22:12-21 For For John 17;20-26 Sunday, May 26 John 14:23-29 or 5:1-9 Sunday, June 2 Sixth Sunday of Easter Seventh Sunday of Easter Lectionary Readings For Thursday, May 30 Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47 or 93 Ephesians 1:15-23 Luke 24:4-53 Ascension of the Lord Summer Sunday Childcare Hours 10:00 a.m. – Noon our main floor nursery and top floor PRAYER MINISTRY preschool rooms will be open and staffed for childcare for our church’s infants – pre-K children. We look forward to having our Did you know...We have two separate prayer min- youngest members with us on istries, and invite you to participate in either, or Sunday mornings. both. You are not limited to asking for prayers for yourself, but when the prayer requests involves another individual, please get permission from the person concerned before submitting his or her name. To have a prayer concern read aloud during worship, you can call the office during the week (850-222-4504), speak to Brant before worship, or speak directly to the person who will be reading prayer concerns on any given Sunday — just look for the person holding a clipboard. You can ask Our nursery and preschool rooms are staffed by childcare provid- for the concern to be shared just once, or it can ers from the Heavenly Helpers Agency. These childcare profes- repeat from week to week as long as it is needed. sionals are background checked and trained in infant/child first aid In addition to the weekly prayer list, we have a and CPR. They are present in both rooms from 10:00 a.m. – Noon separate prayer chain that responds privately to each Sunday. specific needs at any time. Debbie Gibson ([email protected]) coordinates this minis- Main Floor Nursery: Our nursery is for infants and toddlers up to try. You are invited to contact Debbie whenever two years old. Parents can drop children off beginning at 9:00 a.m. there is a specific need and desire for prayer. It and children will be cared for through the worship hour. There is a might be for someone who is anticipating surgery sign in sheet for parents to list who will be picking their child up, or recovering from illness; it might be for some- an emergency phone number and any particular needs the child one preparing for a job interview; it might be may have while in the church’s care. Children should come with a thanksgiving for the birth of a child or bottle or sippy cup, preferred snack and diapers. Diaper wipes and an anniversary; it could be that you're simply additional snacks are available. going through a tough time. Once Debbie knows of a need, it will be relayed to the prayer chain for Preschool Care: Beginning at age two, children go to the third floor the volunteers in that ministry to hold up the preschool room. Drop-off begins at 9:00 a.m. and children are specific concerns or celebrations in prayer for as cared for through the worship hour. There is a sign in sheet for long as is needed. parents. Snacks are provided. A request for the prayer chain can also be read aloud in worship, but we'll only add it to the Sunday morning list if you let us know that's what you want. Director of Christian Education Off-Site Summer First Presbyterian Church is generous enough to share their staff with the larger denomination at var- ious points during the year. This summer, Christy Williams will work with the youth conferences at Montreat from May 27-June 15. From June 30 – July 3 SUMMER Christy will serve as the Chaplain at Dogwood Acres. NEWSLETTER SCHEDULE This is the last weekly newsletter until we resume weekly Summer Confirmation Camp publication on August 19th. The For middle and high school students newsletter will be prepared on at First Presbyterian Church the first and third Mondays in June, July and August. This Leaders: Brant Copeland and Christy Williams results in the following editions: June 17-21, 2019 June 3rd and 17th July 1st and 15th We have an exciting week of activities planned. The August 5th, 19th, and 27th. week will be filled with trips and activities that will Please plan your submissions explore church history, baptismal vows, the biblical story, theological terms and church structure. If you accordingly and would like more information, contact enjoy your summer! [email protected] Submit items for publication to: [email protected] no later than noon on the First Presbyterian Church is one of the 6 communities of faith who are participat- ing in this drive to ensure that children and youth in our community, have food all summer long. The food we collect will go to Second Harvest Food Bank for distribution through their mobile feeding bus, their free lunch sites and their meal pick up sites. After our usual First Food Sunday donations that go to ECHO and Elder Care Services, we will continue to collect food items during the month of May for this Full Summer Food Drive specifically for children and youth in our community. Please bring your food items and put them in the Second Harvest box in the sanctuary. The Summer Choir meets Sunday mornings at 10:00 in the Choir Room. All are welcome to sing—bring the family! Contact Michael Corzine (222-4504, x114; or [email protected]) or just arrive on Sunday at 10:00. No midweek rehearsals, no vestments. STAND AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY Governor Ron DeSantis scheduled his first execution to take place next week. Although Rick Scott executed more people (28) than any other Florida governor in modern history, his first execution did not take place until September of his first year in office. Governor DeSantis is well ahead of this schedule by four months. Bobby Joe Long is scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 23rd. If there is no stay of execution, we will hold a Vigil in front of the Governor’s Mansion (700 N. Adams Street) at the time of the execution.