1st United Methodist Church Weekly Update - March 4, 2022 |
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FOLLOW US & JOIN US THIS SUNDAY FOR WORSHIP LIVE AT 9:15 & 11 AM
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This Sunday: March 6, 2022 |
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Message: "What Do You Expect When You Pray?"
Pastor Bob Carlson
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Lenten Service this Wednesday |
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Wednesday, March 9, 2022
12pm in the Sanctuary
Rev. Earl Smith
View our complete Lenten Worship Schedule HERE
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We want to thank everyone who made Jerry's memorial so special.
We can't imagine going through our loss without our Church and the support of prayers, words of kindness and love that God has shown through friends like you.
Thank you and God Bless.
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Taste of Punta Gorda, March 6
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The Children and Youth are sponsoring the inflatables at "The Taste of Punta Gorda" on Sunday, March 6 in Laishley Park. We are looking for about 4 volunteers for 2 shifts. The first shift is 11-2 and the second is 2-5. If you are interested, please contact Becca at becca@whatis1st.com. |
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Cancer Support Group - March 9 |
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Due to Ash Wednesday falling on the first Wednesday of March, the Cancer Support Group has moved our meeting to the second Wednesday, March 9th at 6:30pm in Room 9. Our guest speaker will be Kim Spencer, Sales Manager, from Brookdale Senior Living in Port Charlotte. Kim will be sharing information on all aspects of senior living, including housing options, care options, and financial assistance. We know there are many in our congregation are looking at alternative living, and we welcome everyone whether or not you participate in the cancer support ministry. |
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Gregg F. Martin, PhD, Major General, US Army (Retired), served on active duty for 36 years, until May 2015. He is a combat veteran, Bipolar Survivor, Airborne-Ranger-Engineer qualified soldier, and Army Strategist. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (twice), the Bronze Star Medal, and the Combat Action Badge.
He holds a PhD and two masters degrees from MIT, masters degrees in national security strategy from both the Army and Naval war colleges, and a bachelors degree from West Point. He commanded an engineer company, battalion, the 130th Engineer Brigade in combat during the first year of the Iraq War in 2003-04, including the attack from Kuwait, up the Euphrates River Valley, to Baghdad and beyond.
He served multiple overseas tours, and, as a general officer, commanded the Corps of Engineers Northwest Division, was Commandant of the Army Engineer School, commanded Fort Leonard Wood, was Deputy Commanding General of Third Army/US Army Central, Commandant of the Army War College, President of National Defense University, and Special Assistant to the Chief of Engineers. He is married with three sons, two of whom are Army combat veterans, and one an artist. His daughter-in-law is also an Army combat veteran. His wife is an "Army brat" and heroine for persevering through their Army career and surviving and overcoming their bipolar ordeal, which has been the toughest fight of their lives. They live in Cocoa Beach, FL, where he is writing, speaking, and sharing his story of "battling bipolar disorder" to help save lives and stop the stigma.
We hope you will join us on March 19 at 4pm for this special Today Matters event!
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Operation Christmas Child - March Collection |
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Operation Christmas Child will be collecting small toys during the month of March: Jump ropes, Yo Yo’s, bouncing balls (no greater than 3” in diameter), harmonicas (metal or plastic), Play-doh (small containers), noise makers, finger puppets; or any small toy item that you would like to donate! Items can be left in the Operation Christmas Child Collection Box located in Lenox Hall. Thank you for helping with this important outreach ministry for the world’s children! |
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Did you know that the Church has a wonderful library that is maintained by volunteers? We are in need of some volunteers to help organize and sort books. If interested, please call Gail LaGro at 941-613-1745.
Also, we have several wonderful Christian books and have no space for them. This Sunday we will have a cart near the Life Center doors full of books. If you love to read, please look at them and take whatever books you would like.
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United Way of Charlotte County’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program will be providing FREE income tax assistance to individuals and families with a household income of $66,000 or less at 1st United Methodist Church beginning February 3rd.
Tax preparation services will be held at the church every Thursday from 1:30 pm - 6:30 pm through April 7. Interested individuals and families can call 941-421-7100 to be added to the appointment list.
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Volunteers needed for Crossroad Academy |
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Every 3rd Saturday of each month volunteers from 1st Church cook food and take it to Crossroads Hope Academy to bless the young men who are residents there. We desperately need more volunteers to either cook food and/or help deliver the meal to Crossroads. We meet in the Church parking lot every month at 11:30 and load the food and go together to Crossroads. This ministry truly is a blessing to those we serve. If interested, please call Gail LaGro at 941-613-1745. |
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Youth Yard Sale is coming back! |
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Mark your calendars now for our Huge Youth Yard Sale held primarily to support our summer mission trip. The sale will be open first to you (our 1stChurch Family) on Friday night April 1st from 6 - 8pm.
The sale will continue on Saturday, April 2nd from 9am – 2 pm when we will welcome the general public to scoop up some great deals and find some awesome treasures. At noon Saturday, all unsold items will be reduced to ½ price at checkout.
Please tell your neighbors and friends to attend this giant sale on that Saturday morning to help our kids earn the money they need to attend and serve on our annual mission trip. (This year our teens will serve for 8 days in Tennessee)
Your donations of items for our sale can be dropped off in the Life Center room #7 (As you enter the Life Center foyer room 7 is the first door on the right and also known the game room).
Donations can only be accepted on the following days and times:
March 22-24th, 8am - 1pm
and March 28-30th, 10am - 1pm
We can accept almost anything that has value for our sale but we ask that clothing be donated to our Bargain Boutique. Please note that we cannot take the following items: Mattresses and most furniture, any broken or non-working items.
Thanks in advance for your support of our Youth Yard Sale!
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Give the gift of life on Sunday, March 20. OneBlood will be on the 1st Church campus from 8:30am - 1:30pm.
All donors will receive:
- $20 eGift card
- OneBlood T-shirt
- Chick-fil-A coupon
- Wellness Checkup including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, iron count, and cholesterol screening
Online appointments are encouraged! Click on the button below to schedule your appointment for March 20, 2022.
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Receive Texts from 1st Church |
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1st Church Family... We are trying to improve our communication within the congregation and also looking for a way to keep everyone seeking devotionals each day. If you would like to receive daily devotionals from 1st Church or receive important communications, please sign up by calling the church office 941-639-3842. This will allow us to text you these messages and make it easy for you to receive them. |
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2021 Contribution Statements |
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2021 Contribution Statements have been mailed to your email on file with the Church Office. If you need a printed copy, please call the Church Office and ask for Denise, Ext. 226, OR email me at Denise@whatis1st.com with your request.
Thanks for all your contributions!!
Finance Office
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Greetings 1st Church friends--
Happy March! It's true-- time marches on. It's also true, that the older you are, the faster it seems to go. Crazy! It certainly makes me regret that I didn't get serious about my prayer journey a long time ago. But, we can't go back, and I now understand that everything I went through up until this time had a very real purpose. I am thinking back to the early days of my prayer journey and recalling some of the things that helped me get serious. One of the first things I discovered was the idea of keeping a gratitude journal. Making a commitment to write 5 things each night that you were grateful for that day was huge for me. Easy, and hard at the same time, and a great beginning step to prayer with a partner and reading the Bible every night. Another helpful hint I tried was what I called prayer breaths. When I realized what a powerful gift prayer is and how easy it was to take those gifts for granted, I tried this technique; sit in a quiet place, try thanking God for these gifts as you inhale. Then, as you exhale, affirm your trust in God. The more you do it, the more relaxed you get and thank God for gifts we overlook, like trees, blue skies, colors, etc. Of course now, one of my biggest gifts is all the prayer partners I have. Everyone who is part of my prayer team meets every Thursday at noon in the sanctuary. Anyone is welcome. If you can't stay for the whole hour, stay as long as you can. Watch the Bridge for info on the upcoming 24/7 prayer challenge that will happen in Lent. You won't want to miss that opportunity!
Right now, for the start of our Lenten season, I have a special challenge for every member of 1st Church! I'm asking each of you to stop whatever you're doing at noon daily and say The Lord's Prayer. There are many reasons to offer a prayer like this, especially for countries at war. So please, join us in this exciting challenge; set your phone alarm for 12 noon, and take a moment to pray. There is power in prayer, so let's unite during Lent, and make things happen!
I'm praying for you!
Rosie Young
Worship Coordinator
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The Eighth Note – Music Ministry in a Minute! |
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Greetings Everyone,
Do you like men and women in uniform? Consider joining our Chancel Choir for Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. This is a great way to serve the church, learn about music and get to know folks.
The Chancel Choir rehearses on Thursdays at 6:30 PM in the Historic Sanctuary and sings Sundays at the 11:00 AM Service.
Please contact David Bellows for more information or questions.
Soli Deo Gloria!
David Bellows
Director of Music Ministries
Music for the First Sunday In Lent: March 6, 2022 - 11:00 AM Service
Prelude: Sweet Hour Of Prayer – D. Wood
Opening Hymn: 496 Sweet Hour Of Prayer
Offertory Anthem: Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days – R. Shephard
Closing Hymn: 526 What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Postlude: Ciacona in E Minor, BuxWV 160 – D. Buxtehude
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Discipleship Opportunities |
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View a complete list of groups at 1st Church HERE
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Revelation Study - Begins March 16 |
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Join Larry Keller in Room 13 on Wednesdays from 6:30-8pm (and on Zoom). They will begin a new study on the book of Revelation March 16 using Revelation Unveiled by Tim Lahaye, Answers Bible Study from Answers in Genesis, and mostly The Bible.
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A gathering of men who seek a more complete Christian understanding of the teaching of Jesus. Men of Faith meet in Lenox Hall on Thursdays from 9-10:30am under the leadership of Pastor Bill Grant. The group uses the daily study guide, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, as a start for each weeks' discussion. The daily study guide is available free at the gathering. Many of the group come from other churches, so invite your friends. |
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2022 Bible Reading Schedules |
We want to encourage you to join us as we once again read through the Bible. Start your new year off right by committing to read God's Word!
Download the 2022 reading guide HERE.
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Worship Service Information |
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View our Lenten Worship Schedule HERE
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If you are planning on attending our services please remember the following:
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Masks are now optional for those that are fully vaccinated.
- Social distancing is still encouraged. Families may sit together, but please leave three seats between you and others not in your family.
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If you are feverish or not feeling well, we ask that you stay home and join us online on our Facebook and YouTube channels.
At this time, you may only enter the Life Center through the main entrance facing the Fellowship Hall courtyard. All other exterior doors will be locked. We'll see you Sunday!
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Join us this Sunday at 8 am for Praise in the Park! Open to everyone, this is your opportunity to join us for "in-person" worship as we enjoy God's scenery from the lawn of the beautiful Gilchrist Park Pavilion, weather permitting of course. If it is or has been raining (or is too cold), Praise in the Park will relocate to our historic Sanctuary. Time may not always be sufficient to get the word out, so in case of inclement weather, please proceed to the Sanctuary.
Please plan to bring your lawn chairs and/or blankets, and, yes, we will be asking you to practice social distancing. Don't forget to join our "Praise in the Park" group on our Church App! As a reminder, our outside services are always subject to change due to the weather. Please make sure you are connected with us through the app, our email list, or social media to receive our updates concerning schedule changes. See you Sunday for Praise in the Park!
Praise in the Park is currently scheduled to continue meeting at Gilchrist Park through Easter 2022.
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FOLLOW US & JOIN US THIS SUNDAY FOR WORSHIP LIVE AT 9:15 & 11 AM
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Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9am - 4pm
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